creating emotion in games the craft and art of emotioneering

[ Team LiB ] • Table of Contents • Index Creating Emotion in Games: The Craft and Art of Emotioneering™ By David Freeman Publisher: New Riders Publishing Pub Date: September 23, 2003 ISBN: 1-5927-3007-8 Pages: 576 David Freeman brings you the inside scoop on how to apply the Emotioneering(TM) techniques he's so well known for. These powerful techniques create a breadth and depth of emotion in a game, and induce a player to identify with the role he or she is playing. Mr. Freeman's techniques are so highly sought after because they're the key to mass market success in today's competitive game market. The over 300 distinct Emotioneering techniques in this book include (to name but a few): ways to give emotional depth to an NPC (non-player character), even if the NPC has just one line of dialogue; techniques to bond a player to a game's NPCs; and techniques to transform a game into an intense emotional journey. In a warm and crystal-clear style, Mr. Freeman provides examples which demonstrate exactly how to apply the techniques. He also shows how some of these techniques were utilized in, and contributed greatly to the success of such games as "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City"; "Deus Ex"; and "Thief" I & II, among others. The book is packed with striking art by some of today's top concept artists and illustrators, including an eight-page color section and a four-color, fold-out cover. When you've finished this book, you'll be equipped to apply Mr. Freeman's powerful Emotioneering techniques to artfully create emotion in the games you design, build, or produce. [ Team LiB ] This document was created by an unregistered ChmMagic, please go to http://www.bisenter.com to register it. Thanks. [ Team LiB ] • Table of Contents • Index Creating Emotion in Games: The Craft and Art of Emotioneering™ By David Freeman Publisher: New Riders Publishing Pub Date: September 23, 2003 ISBN: 1-5927-3007-8 Pages: 576 Copyright Acknowledgments About the Author About the Technical Reviewer Tell Us What You Think Foreword Gallery Part I. Introduction Chapter 1.1. Communicate? Explore? Help? Words? Edge? Communicate Explore Help Words Edge Chapter 1.2. An Introduction to Emotioneering Chapter 1.3. Why Put Emotion into Games? Reason #1: Expanded Demographics Reason #2: Better Buzz Reason #3: Better Press Reason #4: So Games Don't Seem Amateurish Reason #5: An Inspired and Dedicated Creative Team Reason #6: Consumer Loyalty to the Brand, Which Is Worth a Fortune Reason #7: So You Don't Burn Millions of Dollars of Potential Profit Reason #8: Competitive Advantage Reason #9: So You Don't Come in Last This document was created by an unregistered ChmMagic, please go to http://www.bisenter.com to register it. Thanks. Summary Chapter 1.4. 17 Things Screenwriters Don't Know About Games What Screenwriters Need to Learn About Games Putting It in Focus Facing the Challenge: A Guide to Hiring a Screenwriter Final Thoughts Chapter 1.5. Why Game Designers Often Find Writing to Be So Challenging The Same Problem Often Besets Game Designers Yes, But Games Aren't Movies, so That Isn't Relevant Final Thoughts Chapter 1.6. Why "Writing" Is a Bad Word and "Emotioneering" Is a Better One Chapter 1.7. How to Hopefully Be Unappreciated Chapter 1.8. Where Screenwriting Leaves Off and Emotioneering Begins Deep Isn't Necessarily Interesting From Screenwriting to Emotioneering Part II. The 32 Categories of Emotioneering Techniques Chapter 2.1. Emotioneering Techniques Category #1: NPC Interesting Techniques Major NPCs (NPCs Who Recur Throughout the Game) More About Traits The Hypothetical Game The Hypothetical Game Final Thoughts Chapter 2.2. Emotioneering Techniques Category #2: NPC Deepening Techniques Emotional Pain An Example of Technique Stacking Regret?and Hiding a Secret Appreciation?and Wisdom Cover a Real Emotion with a False Emotion Combining NPC Deepening Techniques Having Emotion Relate to Player Actions and Decisions Final Thoughts Chapter 2.3. Emotioneering Techniques Category #3: Dialogue Interesting Techniques NPC Dialogue to Add Color NPC Dialogue to Prompt Action Splitting Up the Information Some Common Fallacies and Problems Final Thoughts Chapter 2.4. Emotioneering Techniques Category #4: Deepening Deepening Techniques Give Your NPC Some Depth The Hypothetical Game Combining Emotioneering Techniques An Example of Technique Stacking The NPC Has Emotions Beneath the Surface The Hypothetical Game Ambivalence Final Thoughts Chapter 2.5. Emotioneering Techniques Category #5: Group Interesting Techniques The Basic Idea of Klingons Relevance for Games Two Important Considerations This document was created by an unregistered ChmMagic, please go to http://www.bisenter.com to register it. Thanks. Traits Versus Quirks?Carrying the Analogy into Groups Hypothetical Game Case Study So, All Groups Need a Diamond? The Diamond of the Group and the Diamond of the Individual Final Thoughts Chapter 2.6. Emotioneering Techniques Category #6: Group Deepening Techniques Giving Depth to Groups The Hypothetical Game Final Thoughts Chapter 2.7. Emotioneering Techniques Category #7: NPC Toward NPC Chemistry Techniques The Characters Think in the Same Way Fighting Person #1 Talks Warmly About Person #2 in Person #2's Absence Another Example of Technique Stacking Person #1 Can Read Person #2's Hidden Feelings They Have Shared Bits Final Thoughts Chapter 2.8. Emotioneering Techniques Category #8: NPC Toward NPC Relationship Deepening Techniques An Analogy to the Character Diamond More Than One Layer Can Be Present in One Line There Doesn't Need to Be a Relationship Between the Two Characters' Layer Cakes Toward Each Other?But There Can Be Final Thoughts Chapter 2.9. Emotioneering Techniques Category #9: NPC Character Arc Techniques A Character Arc Doesn't Come Easily to a Character Relevance for Games Ins and Outs Exceptions Final Thoughts Chapter 2.10. Emotioneering Techniques Category #10: NPC Rooting Interest Techniques The Sorcerer Among Us Is You Relationship to the Character Diamond Put the NPC in Danger Self-Sacrifice Undeserved Misfortune Learn About a Painful Part of Their Past Bravery Some Techniques Fall into Two Different Categories Characters You Invest with Life Characters for Whom You're Responsible A Note About Multi-Function Techniques Using Rooting Interest Techniques and Their Opposites to "Dial Up" or "Dial Down" an NPC's Likability and the Degree to Which We Identify with Him or Her Final Thoughts Chapter 2.11. Emotioneering Techniques Category #11: Player Toward NPC Chemistry Techniques The NPC Admires You The NPC Reads Your Mind The NPC Has Things in Common with You The NPC Anticipates Your Needs and Desires An NPC Makes You Grow to Become a Better Person This document was created by an unregistered ChmMagic, please go to http://www.bisenter.com to register it. Thanks. Final Thoughts Chapter 2.12. Emotioneering Techniques Category #12: NPC Toward Player Relationship Deepening Techniques Layers of Feeling Hypothetical Game Case Study: Post-Apocalyptic America Game Hypothetical Game Case Study: The Detectives Hypothetical Game Case Study: Another Hypothetical Game Example Final Thoughts Chapter 2.13. Emotioneering Techniques Category #13: Player Toward NPC Relationship Deepening Techniques Hypothetical Game Case Study: Our Post-Apocalyptic Gunslinger A Hypothetical Game: Mixed Emotions in WWII Final Thoughts Chapter 2.14. Emotioneering Techniques Category #14: Group Bonding Techniques Elements of Shared Appearance Shared Goals Shared Rituals Going Through Shared Ordeals and Adventures Taking Heroic Actions to Protect Each Other Complementary Skills Say Good Things Behind Each Others' Back?Even if They Don't to Their Faces Bam-Bam Dialogue in Cinematics Shared References Group Bonding Challenges in Squad-Based First-Person Shooters Final Thoughts Chapter 2.15. Emotioneering Techniques Category #15: Emotionally Complex Moments and Situations Techniques You Are Forced to Do Potential Evil You Are Forced to See Through the Eyes of Someone You Don't Like or Are Ambivalent About Ambivalence Toward a "Friend" Ambivalence Toward an "Enemy" Ambivalence Toward a Situation You Discover You've Been Tricked Helpless to Aid Someone You Love What's Good and What's Evil Is Not Black and White Forced to Violate Your Own Integrity Creating Emotionally Complex Moments and Situations Through Incongruence Final Thoughts Chapter 2.16. Emotioneering Techniques Category #16: Plot Interesting Techniques You Call This a Story? Breaking These Different Structures into Elements Creative Toolbox or Wellspring of Psychosis? Structure Twists Hypothetical Game Case Study Pancaking Scripted Sequences Meaningful Nonlinear Re-Sequencing (MNR) Final Thoughts Man Cannot Live by Twists Alone Chapter 2.17. Emotioneering Techniques Category #17: Plot Deepening Techniques Two Key Characters Trade Places The Story Makes a Spiritual Power Palpable A Symbol Takes on More and More Emotional Associations A Character We Like Dies This document was created by an unregistered ChmMagic, please go to http://www.bisenter.com to register it. Thanks. A Bittersweet Ending An Ending That's a Little Uncertain Greetings from a Land Outside Your Awareness Relevance of Crouching Tiger for Games A Downside to Victory Emotion Mapping Idea Mapping Final Thoughts Chapter 2.18. Emotioneering Techniques Category #18: World Induction Techniques Creating a Rich World Creating a Rich World Through Visual Incongruence Using Emotionally Resonant Items A World That Takes A While to Figure Out Friendship or Responsibility Toward NPCs You Care About Revenge Don't Hold Back on Cool Weapons or Cool Things to Do Don't Change All the Rules at the End World Induction Techniques Commonly Used in Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs?Sometimes Called MMOs) Final Thoughts Chapter 2.19. Emotioneering Techniques Category #19: Role Induction Techniques Skill Sets Rewards for Playing the Role Against All Odds Accomplishment Leadership Attitudes and Abilities A Valuable and Appreciated Role License to Break the Rules Beguiling New Identities Abilities Beyond the Norm The Character Has Emotional Responses We Recognize and Can Identify With Self Auto-Talk and Self Auto-Thought Fewer Words Usually Invites the Player to Identify with the Character Character Silence (No Self Auto-Talk and No Self-Auto Talk) Generalizing a Problem Tradeoffs When Using Role Induction Techniques A Case Study in Role Induction: Thief Final Thoughts Chapter 2.20. Emotioneering Techniques Category #20: First-Person Character Arc Techniques Defining the Problem Past Attempts to Create a First-Person Character Arc Emulating Life Itself Should Going Through a First-Person Character Arc Be Essential to Winning a Game? Various Types of Rewards and Punishments Where a First-Person Character Arc Begins Alternative Character Arcs Final Thoughts Chapter 2.21. Emotioneering Techniques Category #21: First-Person Deepening Techniques Emotionally and/or Morally Difficult Decisions Hypothetical Game Case Study: Woman from the Future Hypothetical Game Case Study: Choice of Player Character Hypothetical Game Case Study: The Kidnapped Teenager This document was created by an unregistered ChmMagic, please go to http://www.bisenter.com to register it. Thanks. Responsibility Hypothetical Game Case Study: The Terrellens Multiple and Sometimes Even Conflicting Viewpoints (Learning from Mr. Bill) Hypothetical Game Case Study: Return to the Terrellens Certain First-Person Character Arcs Hypothetical Game Case Study: Returning to the City Seeing Situations That Aren't Black and White Final Thoughts Chapter 2.22. Emotioneering Techniques Category #22: Revealing Complex Characters Through Their Actions A Real Game Case Study Khensa Final Thoughts Chapter 2.23. Emotioneering Techniques Category #23: Enhancing Emotional Depth Through Symbols Usable Symbols Symbol of a Character's Condition or Change in Condition?Visual or Verbal Game Case Study: Ico Hypothetical Game Case Study: Symbols of Sadness and Achievement Symbolic Subplot Game Case Study: Aidyn Chronicles Symbols Used in Foreshadowing Hypothetical Game Case Study: The Samurai A Symbol That Takes on Increasing Emotional Associations?Visual or Verbal Hypothetical Game Case Study: The Pendant Game Case Study: Max Payne Hypothetical Game Case Study: The Hood Ornament Final Thoughts Chapter 2.24. Emotioneering Techniques Category #24: Self-Created Story Techniques (a.k.a. Agency Techniques) A Spectrum of Impact Mixing Impact Modes Different Ways of Fulfilling the Mission Other Ways to Create Self-Created Stories Final Thoughts Chapter 2.25. Emotioneering Techniques Category #25: Motivation Techniques Don't Interrupt Gameplay If Possible, Try Not to Let the Way the Player Receives Information Interrupt the Game Don't Hold Back Too Long on the Carrots Avoid the Feeling of Repetitive Gameplay?Sometimes Keep Those Plot Twists Coming Sometimes Provide Unexpected Consequences to the Player's Actions Action Puzzles A Mysterious or Interesting World That Takes A While to Sort Out An Interesting Plot That Unfolds in an Interesting Way A Higher Score Final Thoughts Chapter 2.26. Emotioneering Techniques Category #26: Cohesiveness Techniques Your Character Gets a Reputation Karma NPCs in One Part of the Game Refer to NPCs in Other Parts of the Game Give Your Game a Theme Relationships Between People or Groups That Take A While to Decipher, But Eventually Form Their Own Coherent World This document was created by an unregistered ChmMagic, please go to http://www.bisenter.com to register it. Thanks. Abilities You Learn in One Part of the Game Are Useful Later in the Game Remind Us of the Stakes Final Thoughts Chapter 2.27. Emotioneering Techniques Category #27: "True-to-Life" Techniques Final Thoughts Chapter 2.28. Emotioneering Techniques Category #28: Cross-Demographic Techniques Cross-Demographic Techniques The General Idea Self-Deconstructing Humor Giving NPCs Character Arcs Trendy Comedy A Game That Takes Place in a Rich World Have Characters Who Undergo Either Adult or Complicated Emotions The Use of Deepening Techniques Final Thoughts Chapter 2.29. Emotioneering Techniques Category #29: Injecting Emotion into a Game's Story Elements Dissecting a Story Story Elements in Types of Games That We Normally Don't Think of as Possessing "Stories" Simple and Complex Emotion Using Story Elements to Brainstorm Emotional Complexity Final Thoughts Chapter 2.30. Emotioneering Techniques Category #30: Tying Story to Gameplay and Mechanics Contrasting Examples Just the Other Day Final Thoughts Chapter 2.31. Emotioneering Techniques Category #31: Writing Powerful Pre-Rendered and In-Game Cinematics Learning from Film The Example Final Thoughts Glossary for This Chapter Chapter 2.32. Emotioneering Techniques Category #32: Opening Cinematic Techniques Begin with a "Fakeout Scene" (Faking Out the Player) Begin with a Mystery Begin by Introducing Us to a Unique Character Begin by Throwing Us into a Suspenseful Piece of the Plot Begin by Entering into a Unique World Final Thoughts Looking Back Part III. An Emotioneering Gallery Chapter 3.1. Introduction Emotioneering in Reality-Based Games Versus Fantasy and Sci-Fi Games Chapter 3.2. Chasm Hypothetical Game Case Study: Boston Physicist NPC Interesting Techniques (Chapter 2.1) Player Toward NPC Chemistry Techniques (Chapter 2.11) World Induction Techniques (Chapter 2.18) First-Person Deepening Techniques (Chapter 2.21) Player Toward NPC Relationship Deepening Techniques (Chapter 2.13) Emotionally Complex Moments and Situations Techniques (Chapter 2.15) Plot Deepening Techniques (Chapter 2.17) This document was created by an unregistered ChmMagic, please go to http://www.bisenter.com to register it. Thanks. Adding Emotional Depth to a Game Through Symbols (Chapter 2.23) Final Thoughts Chapter 3.3. Styx Hypothetical Game Case Study: The Roman Empire Emotionally Complex Moments and Situations Techniques (Chapter 2.15) NPC Deepening Techniques (Chapter 2.2) NPC Toward Player Relationship Deepening Techniques (Chapter 2.12) First-Person Character Arc and First-Person Deepening Techniques (Chapters 2.20 and 2.21) Plot Deepening Techniques (Chapter 2.17) Final Thoughts Chapter 3.4. Rough Trade Hypothetical Game Case Study: Cyberpunk Novelist NPC Interesting Techniques (Chapter 2.1) NPC Deepening Techniques (Chapter 2.2) Player Toward NPC Chemistry Techniques (Chapter 2.11) Player Toward NPC Relationship Deepening Techniques (Chapter 2.13) Role Induction Techniques (Chapter 2.19) First-Person Character Arc Techniques (Chapter 2.20) First-Person Deepening Techniques (Chapter 2.21) Motivation Techniques (Chapter 2.25) Plot Deepening Techniques (Chapter 2.17) Final Thoughts Part IV. Magic Chapter 4. Magic Let's Get Real?But in Whose Reality? A Secret Land Where Smiles Are Born Creating Life Out of Nothing: Hard for Scientists, a Cakewalk for You The Ultimate Gift Final Thoughts Part V. Addenda Chapter 5.1. Introduction Chapter 5.2. Techniques for Creating Fun Types of Fun Incongruence The Exercise Final Thoughts Chapter 5.3. Gatherings Art Credits Cover Color Section Interior Artists' Bios and Contact Information Glossary Index [ Team LiB ] This document was created by an unregistered ChmMagic, please go to http://www.bisenter.com to register it. Thanks. [ Team LiB ] Copyright Copyright © 2004 by New Riders Publishing All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without written permission from the publisher, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2002111250 Printed in the United States of America First printing: September, 2003 08 07 06 05 04 03 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Interpretation of the printing code: The rightmost double-digit number is the year of the book's printing; the rightmost single-digit number is the number of the book's printing. For example, the printing code 03-1 shows that the first printing of the book occurred in 2003. Trademarks All terms mentioned in this book that are known to be trademarks or service marks have been appropriately capitalized. New Riders Publishing cannot attest to the accuracy of this information. Use of a term in this book should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark. Emotioneering™ and Emotioneer™ are trademarks of David Freeman. Warning and Disclaimer Every effort has been made to make this book as complete and as accurate as possible, but no warranty of fitness is implied. The information is provided on an as-is basis. The authors and New Riders Publishing shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damages arising from the information contained in this book or from the use of the programs that may accompany it. Publisher Stephanie Wall Production Manager Gina Kanouse Executive Development Editor Lisa Thibault Senior Project Editor This document was created by an unregistered ChmMagic, please go to http://www.bisenter.com to register it. Thanks. [...]... that games are mirroring the emotional development of humanity in a similar way The earliest games appealed primarily to our more primitive instincts These instincts originate in the central portion of our brain, our so-called "reptilian" brain stem Over time, the emotional palette of games has broadened beyond instinctive issues of survival and aggression to include the more subtle mechanisms of empathy,... Entertainment, Shiny Entertainment, and many other game companies Beyond Structure is occasionally offered in other cities around the world, such as London and Sydney David's past students also include the writers, directors, producers, and key creative executives behind the Lord of the Rings films, the Austin Powers films, Minority Report, Good Will Hunting, Runaway Bride, The Wedding Singer, The Simpsons,... but a few, these include taking the player on both an external and internal journey…enticing the player into becoming involved in rich game worlds…allowing the player to explore new identities as well as new ways of feeling and acting and placing the player in emotionally complex situations It's a long hill we're climbing, but efforts like this will ensure that games will one day realize their full... three games for Activision, two games for Atari, two games for 3D Realms, and games for Electronic Arts, Ubi Soft, and others Only a few of these games have been announced and thus can be named They are Command and Conquer 3 (working title) for Electronic Arts,Van Helsing for Vivendi Universal Games, bothDuke Nuken Forever and Prey for 3D Realms, Terminator: Redemption for Atari (the working title for their... outreach efforts and member programs, and working to build the sense of a unified game development community and provide a common voice for the game development industry Jason and the IGDA deal with such diverse topics as the education of the next generation of game developers, dealing with the concern over violence in games, diminishing the impact of exploitative software patents, and working to attract... Introduction to Emotioneering Don't become an accidental Buddhist Emotioneering is the vast body of techniques created and/ or distilled by David that can create, for a player or participant, a breadth and depth of emotions in a game or other interactive experience, or that can immerse a game player or interactive participant in a world or a role It also means the application of these techniques "Emotioneering" ™... largest convention of game designers and others intimately involved with the creation of games (For details, see www.gdconf.org.) It's held annually, traditionally in San Jose every March Besides the lectures, workshops, and exhibits, it provides opportunities for game designers to mainline Colombian coffee and expand their minds by hobnobbing with their peers late into the night In the room where this... compare games, which right now are primarily entertainment, to masterful artworks But most of the game designers, programmers, artists, animators, and game composers I know definitely consider what they are doing to be art, and they strive to raise their art to continually higher levels Also, just as with films and television, as games mature, entertainment and art will increasingly merge For art is... "Emotioneering" ™ is the trademarked property of David Freeman The goal of Emotioneering is to move the player through an interlocking sequence of emotional experiences Has something like this ever happened to you? [1] I was sitting in at a "round table"—a moderated group discussion—at the Game Developers Conference The focus was how to put emotion into games [1] The Game Developers Conference is the world's... of the techniques from "Beyond Structure" could be applied to games Still, these techniques didn't even begin to solve the entire problem [4] There is a way to put a breadth and depth of emotion into games Actually, there isn't one way—there are at least 1500 ways These techniques fall, as far as I can tell, into 32 distinct categories These are the techniques of Emotioneering [4] As I was given a mandate . 2 1 Interpretation of the printing code: The rightmost double-digit number is the year of the book's printing; the rightmost single-digit number is the number of the book's printing Necessarily Interesting From Screenwriting to Emotioneering Part II. The 32 Categories of Emotioneering Techniques Chapter 2.1. Emotioneering Techniques Category #1: NPC Interesting Techniques . instincts. These instincts originate in the central portion of our brain, our so-called "reptilian" brain stem. Over time, the emotional palette of games has broadened beyond instinctive