Research

Creation of system examples for in-game economies utilizing the tool Machinations (Dormans, n.d.)

For this work, a summary of how real-world economic systems function on a basic level and how this translates to economic systems in video games has been created.

This work explains what the tool Machinations (Dormans, n.d.) is and what advantages it brings to development teams.

Additionally, a selection of prototypes that showcase, how the economic systems of video games can be altered in a way that allows taking more control of the level of inflation in video games, have been produced. These prototypes have been documented and evaluated to allow for a precise understanding of how their approaches function, how they can be utilized and what they can be used for.

This work also delivers an explanation of how the created systems can be extended to other types of games or how someone can start to create a new system.

Game Design Fundamentals

This work lists a few of the fundamental skills that will help to get started as a Designer and explains how to translate them into something that can be used by the team.

This is done by defining an overall thought process that will allow thinking about a project from a designer’s point of view while showcasing how this translates to real-world examples.

This work also covers a more detailed explanation of how Design Documentation can be set up and what advantages they offer for a project.

Game Accessibility

This work covers general guidelines and methods to make a product more accessible and explains what benefits and costs are associated with it. A recommended approach for varying team sizes is also included.

In addition to the previously stated content, will this work also includes a list of specific features, and how they could be implemented, that will help to make a project more accessible.

Utilizing “natural mappings” in a VR environment

“Natural mappings” is a well-defined topic within the real world and long-existing game genres.

This paper will focus on the translation of “natural mappings” from the real world and those games to a virtual reality environment while heavily relying on the work of Donald Norman’s “The DESIGN of EVERYDAY THINGS” and comes to the conclusion that “natural mappings” in VR are pretty similar to what we know about the real world but need additional clarifications in terms of visual, and audio feedback since these objects have no physical existence.

Creating “counterplay” in a grid-&turn-based environment

Many ways of reacting to abilities are built for real-time games and will not work in a turn-based environment. This paper will focus on the theory of how to create abilities a player can react to, within a grid-/turn-based environment and comes to the conclusion that abilities can be announced by creating the need for a setup-play the turn before they can be used.

Level-based dialogue systems

Adding progression systems to dialogue systems that limit the choices players have, can make a game more interesting throughout multiple playthroughs since new plotlines can be revealed constantly. This paper showcases the problems of these systems and suggests possible ways to adjust them.

The death mechanic of Dark Souls

This paper iterates on the death mechanic of Dark Souls and concludes that the way it functions allows rewarding the player for dying while also creating a system that adjusts itself to different player skill levels

Lessons Learned

Just a roughly structured list of things I have personally learned during my time working on games. Might be useful to someone to avoid making the same mistakes I have witnessed or committed.