Game Genres: First Quick Look

H. Mu ñoz-Avila

Disclaimer

: I use these notes as a guide rather than a comprehensive coverage of the topic. They are neither a substitute for attending the lectures nor for reading the assigned material

Most Popular Games Genres • •

Adventure games

: – Solving puzzles – Storyline arc is very important – Finding clues • E.g., through conversations with NPCs – Classic: The Longest Journey ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XrkGztFr-0 )

Role Playing Games (RPG)

– Player assumes fictional roles through Avatars – Avatar acquires skills by performing tasks/actions – “Levels” indicate the progress of the avatar • Classic: Diablo 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl9C8RTu3Oc

Most Popular Games Genres (II) • • • •

Strategy games

: – resource gathering, managing economy, technology research – Real-Time Strategy (RTS) • Rapid decision making (classic: Command & Conquer ) –

Turn-based Games (TBS)

• Take turns (classic: Civilization II)

Sport Games

– Simulation of actual sport games (classic: FIFA series)

Games of chance

– Outcome highly influenced by a stochastic environment

First-person shooter

– Controlling avatar in first-person camera view (classic: Duke Nukem)

Most Popular Games Genres (III) •

And many sub-genres

–

Combine and/or enhance main genres

•

Massive Multiplayer Online RPG (MMORPG)

– RPGs with multiple other players in pervasive worlds •

Stealth FPS

– FPS emphasizing stealth over shooting • RTS/RPG – Combine both aspects (Warcraft III) • RTS/FPS – Combine both aspects (classic: Battlezone ) It is recommended for this course that you know at least one video game very well.

“Programming” Games Without Programming (sort of)

H. Mu ñoz-Avila Jarret Raim Jonathan Martin

Thief 2: How to program NPC behavior?

gameplay

Finite State Machines and Games • •

State

: an activity performed by an avatar

Event

: something that happens in the game world that makes the state change Patrol Enemy on sight Attack

Wander D ~E E ~E Let us build an FSM for a Thief NPC Attack E D Spawn ~S S E D S Chase • States – Attack – Chase – Spawn – Wander • Events – E: see an enemy – S: hear a sound – D: die

But it gets even easier (event on-map)

If

player walks here

then

Spawn Mephisto

Put 3 orcs here Starting place of player

Even at a Larger Scale

If

player cross here

Then

declare war

Ok Let Us Construct One Finite State Machine • Lets program

High Priestess Mar'li

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7DT0fMNu3k http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGWBIMIDWhQ • Step 1: list states and events • Step 2: Construct the Finite State Machine

Homework (next class)

• Pick an existing game – Select one or more NPCs in the game – Create a Finite State Machine modeling the behavior of the NPCs • List states (at least 5) • List events (at least 5) • Draw a Finite State Machine • Pick and existing game (can be same as before) – Provide an example of an event-on-map

Computer Programs

-

Program

: sequence of instructions that the computer can understand read(x) read(y) z  x + y print(z) - For controlling an NPC, we can create an FSM and let someone else (or a program!) translate it into a computer understandable instructions

Motivation: Scripting Programming Languages • The “Community Expansion Package” is a game created by players, many non-programmers • It is build using a software tool called Aurora which is included in the game Neverwinter Nights • In fact using Aurora, gamers create thousands of their own games “mods” – Most variants of the original game – Others significant departures

Scripts

-

Script

: specialized program that uses instructions that are based on game world patrol() if see-player then attack(monster) if hurt then heal A Finite State Machine

Two Engines

• Adventure Game Studio source: http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/ Introduction: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ml_DR76Cl4 • RPG Maker source: http://www.rpgmakerweb.com/ Introduction: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2Y_W7kD8LU

Many Engines

• Many games have facilities that allow you to create “mods” of the game • Example: Aurora (Neverwinter Nigths) http://nwn.wikia.com/wiki/Toolset • Ranges from total conversion to art mod

Aurora Neverwinter Toolset By: Nicholas Haines

Final Remarks

• Give some serious thought to doing the optional assignment of creating a game – Try one of the engines • Last time some 80% of the class created one • Its fun and • Some 90% of them got exempt from the Final Exam • The remaining 10% got extra credit