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From Windows Solitaire to Bejeweled to Wii Tennis, casual games have radically changed the landscape of games. By simplifying gameplay and providing quick but intense blasts of engaging play, casual games have drawn in huge new audiences of players. To entertain and engage the casual player, game designers must learn to think about what makes casual games work, from game mechanics to narrative content. Through the close examination of a number of casual games, you will learn how to inject the necessary game design elements into your casual games and give your designs the complexity and strategy they need to hook gamers.
[...]... growth of casual gameplay We’re all spending more time online Much of that time is probably spent looking for something to do And games often fill that need More and more gamers are playing online The same 2006 ESA study found that 44 percent of frequent gamers play online, versus just 19 percent in 2000 So what games are they playing? More than half of all games played online are puzzle/board /game show/trivia... by the entire game industry worldwide,2 but casual games currently rank as one of the fastest growing sectors of the game industry As growth in the rest of the industry stagnated, the casual downloadable market barreled ahead Web games are turning from mild diversions into serious revenue earners (and major time suckers) Even the game console industry has been invaded by the ethos of casual gameplay... Like the director of a film, the game designer is responsible for creating and maintaining the creative direction of the game, working with the artists, programmers and producers to bring the game to life This includes a wide range of specific responsibilities from brainstorming concepts to writing rules to crafting levels for the game The Role of the Game Designer People have been designing games for. .. xvii introduction will lead to a wealth of innovative new games and mechanics for designers and players to explore The Value of Thinking Casual The value of thinking like a casual game extends beyond designing casual games The same lessons about clear and concise goals and guiding players apply to all game design, whether you’re making a casual downloadable, creating a new sport or designing levels for. .. create the sound effects and music for the game l Programmers write the software code that brings the game to life They take the specifications and rules and turn them in to code This is the heavy lifting in video game development l The Quality Assurance team puts the game through the paces, writing test plans and thoroughly testing every aspect of the game QA is often a good entry job into the game industry,... better Generate the Concept The game designer is involved from the very outset in generating the concept for the game External forces will often provide certain constraints for the game Commercial interests may dictate subject matter or a general game type The game platform will push the gameplay in directions that suit the controls of the system For example, console controllers are ill-suited for complex... strategy games The need for a keyboard and mouse tends to push strategy games onto PCs Most importantly, your intended audience will drive certain gameplay decisions But in any of these cases, the game designer needs to be there to help define the mechanic at the core of the game The rest of the game, from the story to the art, should grow from the core mechanic At the outset of a project, the game designer... fixes the game: After being tagged, you must wait at least 10 seconds before you can tag the same player back The practice of adjusting games continues into adulthood Pick-up basketball players adjust the rules of games like 21 or three-on-three to suit the players at their local court They change rules that dictate courting the ball, committing fouls and even points per basket Friends gathering to play. .. left a lot of people potentially interested in playing a game standing by the wayside Casual games reset this difficulty curve and invite in unskilled players Why Now? Evolving demographics, the Internet and general comfort levels with technology— not to mention the deep marketing pockets of Nintendo—have all contributed to the rise of casual games First off, gamers are getting older According to a 2006... abilities of the iPhone (Figure 2.7) In the golf game, you swing the phone like a golf club and knock the virtual ball over a Google Map of your surrounding neighborhood The phone leverages the GPS and the accelerometer built into the phone to enable the gameplay This is an example of a game where the specific constraints and abilities of the platform inspire the gameplay and mechanics The point designers . tinkling sounds of jewels swapping and scoring. The Next Swing in Casual Gaming Nintendo took the next big step in casual games with Wii Sports. The game s. wealth of innovative new games and mechanics for designers and players to explore. The Value of Thinking Casual The value of thinking like a casual game