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Theme

Theme can also put players in the right frame of mind to make better, more informed decisions because they can use existing knowledge about a subject to help them.

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Theme

Publishers are looking for fresh, exciting themes that aren’t saturated in the market.

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Your Game’s Theme

What themes are you interested in?

What themes do you think boring?

Does the theme lend itself to…...conflict?

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Conflict in Games

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Conflict in Game Design

Games have conflict.

But what does this mean for you as a designer?

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Which Picture Shows Conflict?

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Definition of Conflict

The mental struggle resulting from

incompatible or opposing

needs, drives, wishes, or external or internal demands.

(Merriam Webster)

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Three Types of Conflict

You want something, and someone else wants it too.
You want to do something, and someone else gets in the way.
Someone else has something, and you want it.

What type of conflict do you like?

How can you put that into your game?

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Questions for Designers

What type of conflict do you enjoy in games?

What type of conflict do you want your players to experience?

Not experience?

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Conflict: Large & Small Scale

Large Scale: the goal must present conflict that affects everyone.

Example: Cthulhu in the House

Players are trying to stay in the house the longest to get the most points.

Small Scale: Each player should experience some form of conflict on their turn.

Example: Cthulhu in the House

Which piece to move, yours or someone else’s? Who to pick in a battle? Which portal to choose? If I move my piece, will others figure out that it’s mine? If I don’t pick my piece, will others figure out which one is mine? etc.

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Activity vs. Game

Without conflict, games become an activity.

Activity:

Playing Apples to Apples casually, just making yourselves laugh, not really caring about score.

Game:

Playing Apples to Apples with fierce intensity, trying to crush all opponents to win.

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Conflict Drives

a Game’s Story

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A Refresher on Plot

Exposition

the beginning; characters, setting, conflict are introduced

Rising Action

the series of events leading to the climax; excitement and tension build

Climax

the turning point of the story; the moment of highest interest and emotion.

Falling Action

the winding up of the story; events and complications begin to resolve and the result of actions of the main characters are seen

Resolution

the end of a story; ends with either a happy or a tragic ending.

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A Board Game’s Plot

Exposition--Setup, Objectives, Rules

the beginning; characters, setting, conflict are introduced

Rising Action--Game Play

the series of events leading to the conflict; excitement and tension build

Climax--End of the Game is Triggered

the turning point of the story; the moment of highest interest and emotion.

Falling Action--Scoring

the winding up of the story; events and complications begin to resolve and the result of actions of the main characters are seen

Resolution--Determining a Winner

the end of a story; ends with either a happy or a tragic ending.

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Mary Had a Little Lamb

Exposition

Rising Action

Climax

Falling Action

Resolution

Mary Had A Little Lamb (poem)

Mary had a little lamb,

Its fleece was white as snow.

Everywhere that Mary went

The lamb was sure to go.

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Mary Had a Little Lamb wicked

Exposition

Rising Action

Climax

Falling Action

Resolution

Mary Had A Little Lamb (poem)

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Mary Had a Little Lamb wicked

Exposition

Rising Action

Climax

Falling Action

Resolution

Mary Had A Little Lamb (poem)

Mary had a little lamb,

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Mary Had a Little Lamb wicked

Exposition

Rising Action

Climax

Falling Action

Resolution

Mary Had A Little Lamb (poem)

Mary had a little lamb,

Her father shot it dead.

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Mary Had a Little Lamb wicked

Exposition

Rising Action

Climax

Falling Action

Resolution

Mary Had A Little Lamb (poem)

Mary had a little lamb,

Her father shot it dead.

Now it goes to school with her

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Mary Had a Little Lamb wicked

Exposition

Rising Action

Climax

Falling Action

Resolution

Mary Had A Little Lamb (poem)

Mary had a little lamb,

Her father shot it dead.

Now it goes to school with her

Between two hunks of bread.

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Conflict makes games compelling!

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Conflict: Large & Small Scale

Large Scale: the goal must present conflict that affects everyone.

Survive: Escape from Atlantis!
Each player is competing to get the most points from meeples rescued from the island.

Small Scale: each player should experience some form of conflict on their turn.

Survive: Escape from Atlantis!
Which tile to play, which three actions to take, which tile to remove, which monster to move

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Conflict is Satisfying for Players!

Player engagement: It motivates players to start playing, and to keep playing.
Tension: Players need to have a sense that their game play is going somewhere, to some end, and it’s competitive.
Good conflict leads to players wanting to play the game again and again and again

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Your Turn

Choose three games you’ve played in class, and explain the large and small scale conflict players experience in each game.

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Your Turn

Explain how a fairy tale could have one of the three types of conflict:

You want something, and someone else wants it too.
You want to do something, and someone else gets in the way.
Someone else has something, and you want it.