- Course #: ITPG-GT.2491
- Time: Fridays 9am – 11:30am EST
- Instructor: David Rios
- Email: [email protected]
- ITP / IMA Discord: @rios
- Office Hours Calendar
Weekly Intro – Worlds Prototyping / Pathways Pathways and Puzzles Puzzles Puzzles First room Prototype Midterm Run / Play the game Spring Break Reflection / Final Proposal Prototype / Expand Test 1 Test 2 Final Due ! Run it with Participants Final / Crit / Postmortem
- Introduction
- Slides
- Agreements
- Grouper
- Groups
- Setting up a World / Beginning a Narrative
Ideate Settings and flows:
Each person, should follow the same steps from today’s workshop to either create a new world. Make it feel a little realer, and start thinking about players / characters. Next class we will exchange ideas and choose groups.
Go into detail about how the environment is constructed.
- Where is in the room?
- Who was in the room? Who is in the room?
- Why are they in the room?
- What are there circumstances (in the story) that led your players to be in this situation. This should be something you can actually build real puzzles for next class we will exchange ideas, choose groups, and start prototyping
Field Notes (Blog Post) on an escape room:
Do an escape room. Virtual rooms are ok. In person rooms are optional based on comfort level. Virtual rooms should be cooperative and multiplayer, not single player point and click: Take note of the design of the room. What are the rules of the room? How do different players interact with the room and each other? What does the room and its objects look like? What are the different types of puzzles? How is the game setup? What is the role of the game master?
Add your name HERE to the blog list
Watch / Listen
Readings
- Review World Building
- Report back and analyze the escape room experiences
- Narrative Slides
- Create midterm Groups and start working Seed the flow with some potential puzzle ideas Paper Prototyping Demo
- Iterate on an initial Game Flow
- Seed the flow with some potential puzzle ideas
- Paper Prototype
- Paper Prototype the puzzles, 2 per group is ideal, but have at least 1 Puzzles do not have to use any specific tech, or tech at all, but should be cooperative. Present Flow and Prototype next week
Play:
- Play Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes (Play with David if you don’t want to purchase)
- Alone Together (cooperative point and click)
Watch:
- Brenda Romero – Gaming for Understanding
- CBS Behind the scenes of Escape the room
- Risa Puno Privilege of Escape Mechanisms
Readings:
- Standard Patterns In Choice Based Games – Sam Kabo Ashwell
- Patterns of Transformation – Ida Benedetto
- Nicholson, Scott. Ask Why: Creating a Better Player Experience through Environmental Storytelling and Consistency in Escape Room Design
- Present / Playtest Pathways
- Questions for designers
- Puzzles Slides
- Observations / Readings
- Puzzles: Physical Puzzles
- Work to finalize previous puzzle using feedback from class
- Prototype a new physical puzzle. Try to make the puzzle collaborative
- Physical part can be an input or an output
- Begin solidifying narrative elements incorporate with puzzles
- Start building a visual language for your space or objects.
- Consider Sound, lighting, Texture (both digital and physical)
Watch:
Readings:
- MDA: A Formal Approach to Game Design and Game Research
- Room Escape Artist: Tips for Designers The (Potential) Magic of the Single-Room Escape
- Playtesting
- Discussion of Patterns of transformation
- System Design / Demo
- Continue prototypes
Watch:
- Mink Ette - NYU Game Center Talk
- People Make Games - "We spoil a World Class Escape Room to See how it Works"
Readings: [Nicholson,S. (2015). Peeking behind the locked door: A survey of escape room facilities. An Exploration of Escape Room Hint Systems.] Optional Virtual Rooms for inspiration
Playtest puzzles Game Mastering and Hinting
A “Two Stage” (at least) escape room Must have a twist or reveal, and ending Start making it feel real. Watch / Listen: Escape This Podcast Episode Escape This Podcast Discusses Room Design Process Escape This Podcast Game Materials Readings: ‘This Is Not a Game’: Immersive Aesthetics and Collective Play Mimesis vs Diegesis in Escape Rooms
In Class: Playtest / Prototypes Surveying and User research Check ins Homework: Finish “Two” Stage escape room Watch: TBD Readings: 13 rules for escape room puzzle design Motivations of Play in MMORPGs Personality and Play Styles
In Class: Play Through Round Robin testing of Games Surveying and User research Homework: Review Surveys What worked? What didn’t? What could be changed? Blog your reflections Final Project: Conceptualize Story and Flow for the final escape room Can be new or a continuation of the previous project Should include Detail of : Flow with Key Story Points Puzzles and Solutions (including existing prototypes) GM Hints and Clues Spring Break No Class March 18
In Class: Refine Present Final Project Ideas Homework: Begin Final Project Prototype new puzzles Refine Existing puzzles Establish GM structure Intros, Endings Player # Time Limits (Clock!) Readings: Case in Escape Room Tech Double Inputting in Escape Room Tech
In Class: Final Project Pathways and prototypes Guest Talk: TBD Homework: Prototype Puzzles Watch: Readings:
In Class: Workshop/Playtest puzzles Guest Talk: TBD Marketing! Homework: Finalize Puzzles Finalize GM Structure Finalize Clock Structure Create Eventbrite for your game Send links to David Create “marketing” assets for game Start scheduling times for strangers / public to play Schedule times that would be convenient for students and non students (evening / weekend if possible) Decide on a recording method for documentation (zoom / other screen recorders)
In Class: Guest Playtester Prototypes / playtests Show Marketing / Eventbrite Homework: Work on the final Prepare to open your game to the public! Schedule times that would be convenient for students and non students Watch: Readings:
In Class: Present Final Homework: Run the game for the public Survey and adjust Document
In Class: Present Adjusted final and initial documentation Homework: Run the game again Document the game
In Class: Documentation presentations Guest Critique / Walkthrough