Background

Your new employers want to give you one final test before letting you join one of the development teams. They want you to come up with a possible game idea, build a playable prototype and present it to them. If you can succeed at this, your new employers have agreed to let you be a lead game designer for one of the small teams in the company.

To do this you will have to show them your skills of conceptualization and critical thinking by turning your ideas into a playable physical gameplay prototype. You will also need to show them you have the abilities to conduct a playtest for your game prototype, and gather and analyse results to improve your idea. Finally they want you to communicate and sell your idea to them through a game concept document.

Task

Part A: Game Concept Document

Come up with an original* Digital Video Game Concept**. You may like to use the brainstorming approach of Chapter 6 in the required text. You will than need to create a game concept document for your game idea (not the physical prototype).

The aim of a concept document is to rapidly and clearly communicate the idea of the game (think of it as a Game's Résumé). Its function is to sell the game concept to executive level decision makers and win through to a more detailed functional and technical evaluation of the game proposal. The document should not be longer than 4-6 pages (anything less than 4 is probably too little).

Use the following titles as the layout for your concept document:

1. Working Title and Slogan:
Just provide a working title for your game and a non-derivative sentence that sums up what is cool about the game.

2. Game Overview
Here we discuss the foundation of the game by giving a couple of paragraphs that contain the following details:
a) The game's razor - what encapsulates the scope, essence and core player motivation? What is the core objective of the game?
b) Genre - what genre the game falls under?
c) Target Platform and Market - what is the game going to be released for and for who?
d) Basic theme/setting of the game - provide a short story synopsis (if any) as well as any small details that help direct art and gameplay direction
e) Unique Features - what makes it unique and makes it different to similar games on the market?

3. Gameplay
Identify and explain how the mechanics of your game work. Each mechanic explanation should be around a paragraph (or more if required). The game's concept should be illustrated through your explanation of mechanics. Please outline the:
a) Core Mechanics
b) Primary Mechanics
c) Secondary Mechanics
d) Tertiary Mechanics

4. Prototyping
Explain how you plan to embody your core and primary mechanics as well as any important supporting secondary mechanics in a playable physical prototype. Remember, the physical prototype is aimed at getting the core mechanic correct and trying to keep it as simple as possible. Secondary mechanics added should only aim to aid the primary mechanic/s.
Also Identify and write down a set of important gameplay questions that you would like to resolve through playtesting the physical prototype.
* Original in that at least one aspect of your game is new or different from any similar games or games that inspired your concept.
** The aim of this assignment is to come up with a Digital Video Game Concept. NOT a boardgame concept. Significant marks are taken off for a boardgame concept (50% of your Part A mark will be deducted). A digital translation of a board game is also unacceptable (e.g. Hearthstone).

Part B: Prototype and Playtest

Create a physical prototype for the core, primary and secondary gameplay mechanics of the game concept. Continue to refine and develop your game prototype until it is ready to show your family or close friends (first playtesters).

Create digital evidence of your prototype. This should include pictures of any pieces and other equipment necessary to support a playtesting session, as well as any rules, tables, and/or procedures necessary for your playtesters to start and play the game without further input from you.

Plan and conduct a playtesting session with your family or close friends as described in Chapter 9 of the required text. Take observational notes and digital evidence during the play session. Conduct a post-game questionnaire using the form shown in Figure 9.10 of the text as a guide. Include the questions you identified in Part A in the questionnaire and record the responses. You may decide to video record your playtest, but it is not acceptable to submit video evidence, just include screenshots of the videos.

Identify and discuss the aspect of the game most needing revision as a result of the playtesting session in a post-playtest reflection. Include references to the results you gathered in the reflection.

Further Details

So what constitutes a Digital Video Game concept? A concept of a video game that you may see in today's market, and a game that has a couple of features and of sufficient length. A game like flappy bird or snake is too limiting. We are looking at a game we would see in stores or in steam. In saying that though - don't reach beyond the stars - complex RPGs and MMOs are areas to avoid because they contain too many interconnecting mechanics and are difficult to prototype (and eventually balance). Essentially we end up losing focus.

The best way to approach the assignment is to do it in the order. Part A and the Part B.

You will come up with a game concept through the processes of conceptualization, and identify its main mechanics and the approach you plan to take to translate this into a physical prototype.

Then you will build the physical prototype - and these can usually end up being like a boardgame, because that's the nature of it - but the game itself should not be developed in the mind-set of becoming a boardgame. We want a digital video game concept and want to turn this into the physical prototype because it equips us with the necessary tools to fully understand what's needed when we eventually turn our game idea into a digital program.

Finally carry out a playtest and then analyse the results you gather. After the playtest you should revisit the game concept document as you should now have a good understanding of what exactly should be in your game as well as the core mechanics and features, so you can confidently write them down.

Rationale
This assignment has been designed to give the student an opportunity to:
- be able to identify and describe the fundamental characteristics, basic components and structure of games;
- be able to integrate knowledge of the basic principles of game design to propose and design an original game;
- be able to articulate a game concept in a game design document and construct a playable prototype from the game design document