Design Document v 0.2

Here you can read the version 0.2 from the design document.

Early Icon Designs

The first designs for interface elements and Icons.
The chesspieces (left upper corner) represent the units for the formation in prebattle, the coloured icons (left center) represent Armour and Weapon types. The actions icons (upper right corner) that are used to perform actions. The board (under left corner) where the actions will be displayed, and the shield (under middle) which represents the stamina en resiliance of the selected unit. If stamina is used or resiliance is lost, the paint chippes of the shield and the texture underneath becomes visible. This shield will only be used for the Christian units, the Mercenaries and Arabs will get their own shield designs with the same working.

Screendesigns

Been working hard on the first design for the interface, here the results so far.

Character designs

The first full 3D character models are near completion! Made by Sjoerd Buikema and Jeroen Jooren, our artist.

Game Design, Secret of the Sages

Marc Saltzman, 2000, Game Design Secret of the Sages second edition, Macmillan Publishing

Chapter 12, The all important User Interface and Game Control, page 249-262

While it's likely that you'll find some conflicting advice in areas of this book on art techniques, level design suggestions, or the best way to animate a character, it's universally recognized that a bad user interface (UI) in a game can be its own demise, regardless of how good the content is.

UI and game control may be a personal thing, so many developers of PC and console games are now allowing players to customize these setting to their liking. Most games, in all genres, allow players to remap keys/buttons to their liking, or assign hotkeys or macros. Give players the option to make the game their own.

"You must attempt to immerse customers into the experience- make them forget who they are and make them believe they're the character on screen"
                                                               - Vance Cook, Lead designer Sierra Sports

"Gamers are notorious for not reading manuals. If they can't quickly and easily get into a game, they'll become frustrated and look to other games for satisfaction"
                                                               - Scott Orr, EA sports

Age of Empires II won an award for best interface in 1999 from Computer Gaming World magazine.

"The Backhoe Operator Syndrome: Making the UI so intuitive to the gamer that he or she becomes one with the onscreen avatar. By making the UI as simple as possible, without limiting the players options. "
                                                               - Richard "Lord British" Carriott, Texas Origin Systems

"Your mom should be able to play the game intuitively, even if she doesn't like it."
                                                               - Tom Hall, Ion Storm

Andrew Rollings and Ernest Adams on Game design

Andrew Rollings, 2003, Andrew Rollings and Ernest Adams on Game design, New Riders Publishing

Chapter 6, Creating the user experience, page 147-197

From the moment the player loads the software and the first screen appears, he is in your world. Everything that he sees, hears, and feels from that point on- every audio, visual, and interactive element- must strive to convince him that the only  thing that exists is the game.

When games first entered the world, they were limited by computer technology. This made it so that there wasn't much information in the game, and that the player needed to play the game. This resulted in very simplistic in-game interfaces. But as the technology progressed, so did the complexity of games. The player needed more information to know what was going on, and so the interfaces became more complex. 

For RTS-type of games three levels are needed to create an effective interface: Grand strategy, Group and Unit navigation and unit micromanagement. But not all RTS games rely on all three levels. It is best to let the player decide on which levels he wants to interact. If he doesn't feel like micromanaging, let the computer handle it.

The interactive element:

Aside from all the Glitz and glamour, the main function of a user interface is to allow the player to play the game. From a purist point of view, that is its primary purpose. All else is secondary. We've lost count of the number of games we've played that have forgotten this simple rule. In these games various interactivity problems prevent them from showing their true promise; the interface actually gets in the way of playing the game.

Some common problems are: The interface is overly graphicly obscure, the graphics are beuatifull but stand in the way of understanding how the game works. Overly complex interfaces, there is just to much text or options to go through and the player gets lost.  Overly simplistic interfaces, which creates an on-rail experience.

KISS principle: Keep It Simple, Stupid. keep the layout of the screens simple. Don't bother with lot's of fiddly little overlays. Group all similar functions together. That way the player can take in the information she needs in a single glance, rather than having to roam all over the screen to gather the information she requires.

The human eye does not see consistently throughout its field of vision. there is an area immediately in the center of your field of vision where you see with the maximum amount of detail. the central vision area, the macula, is geared up to take in the visual information at the highest possible resolution.  The peripheral vision of a human eye does not sense the same amount of detail as the macula but it is geared for detecting movement and change. Of something changes in your peripheral vision, your first instinct is to turn and focus on the area concerned, to scrutinize it in more detail. The instinct can be exploited to focus the players attention on an indicator if some important happening that they need to know about occurred.

Guidelines for creating interfaces: Be consistent, Enable hardcore players to use shortcuts, Give good feedback, Design the interface to offer defined tasks, Don't allow the player to make silly mistakes, and allow recovery from minor errors, Permit easy reversal of actions, Remember that the player is the one in control, Don't strain the player's short term memory.

Example of an invisible interface: Black and white, the interface and all the actions performed are handled by a hand. By gestures you perform all the actions and spells and no other interface is needed or given. 

However in our opinion, an interface does not need to be nonexistent to be invisible. Our definition of an invisible interface would be one that fits the game so well that the player forgets it's there. Starcraft is such a game.  The interface is so well designed that the player performs her actions subconsciously.

21st Century Game design

Chris Bateman and Richard Boon, 2006, 21st century Game Design, Charles River Media

For reading this book I focused on Chapter 7, Principles of Interface Design, page 123-147. Here are the notes I made and things I found interesting.

A weak, disorganized or overly complex interface is a barrier to enjoyment for all players, and therefore every interface should strive to be as simple as is feasible to express the required game actions.

Five Golden Rules: Be consistent, Use the simplest interface feasible for the game play, Draw from the familiar, One button, one function, Structure the learning curve.

Five cautions: Shortcuts are for advanced users only, icons for speed, text for clarity, Allow skipping of non-interactive sequences, Provide options and save options, Document it.

Learning curve: Adjust the curve to your audience. Gradually introducing, easy to learn hard to master, prior knowledge influencing the curve.

Action depth: The amount of sub actions needed to perform an action. The action depth should always be as low as possible. Minimizing action depth makes the interface easy to learn and fast to navigate and minimizes player frustration. 

Tutorials: Control Flashcard, Training movie, Linear Exercises, Goal oriented tutorials, Help signs, Imbedded manual, Context sensitive Commentary, Checklist with prompts, Staggered complexity.

The designing of interfaces should be done with the target audience in mind. Hardcore players actively require character actions to deliver a sense of competence and might be frustrated when the game offers them insufficient options for controlling their character. Conversely Casual players require simplicity and generally want an interface that favors mimicry.

Very early designs for interface elements

Very early designs for certain elements in the HUD and interfaces. Displaying possible experience designs, stamina designs and resiliance designs.

Full notes of my research about the crusades

Designing weapon, armour and damage

For the game we have started designing the way damage is dealt and which armour is best suited to resist damage. Through the game it is possible to train your mercenaries in the different kinds of armour and weapons. We have three armour and weapon categories. Leather, Chain and Plate armour. And Slashing, Piercing and Blunt armour. In the diagram you can see how they react to each other.

Third Crusade: Saladin and his battle cry Jihad

Now the Muslims felt like they had the upper hand, and Nur al Din continue to rally the Muslims under one ruler. And the Jihad was successful, with all the lands now under his control, Nur al Din focused on Egypt. But Egypt didn't want anything from Muslims or Christians. A remainder of the crusader army however started to slaughter thousands just outside Cairo, and so they called for Nur al Din to protect them. Nur al Din sent his ambitious general Saladin. So ambitious he wanted to take control of the Jihad. From this point people in Saladin's way started to die mysteriously. And so it was also Nur al Din's turn. But on his death he had already decided that his successor would be his 12 year old son, Al Sale. And so Saladin could not take the power. While in Eleppo Al Sale refused to let Saladin in and he had to sleep outside of the city in camps. Aware of Saladins plans, Al Sale hired a group of assassins, known as the Hassassins. They were able to get in the tent of Saladin, but he awoke and got away with just a flesh wound. By spreading chalk on the floor and tightening security he thought he was safe, but still as Hassassin got in, but did not kill him. Instead he left a death note in of the pastries warning him to retried or be killed.

 

In 1181 Saladin owned most of Egypt. Al Sale, now 19 years old, died of mysterious reasons. And in 1183 Saladin grabbed the power.

At the moment Baldwin the Second was king in Jerusalem, but was troubled by lepra and Guy of Lusignan took up the rule. Reynald of Chatillon at his side. There was a treaty for Muslims to be able to trade with Jerusalem, but these route came close to where Reynald resided. All the wealth passing through became to much of a temptation and he attacked a caravan, breaking the treaty. He took al the travelers hostage, not knowing yet that one of them was Saladin's sister.

This was more than an excuse for Saladin to go to war and so he marched to Hattin. Guy had to react. He rallied his man, Hospitlers and Templers and marched. But the seasons was at its hottest and the dessert was dry. Then they spotted a lake and diverted their route. But Saladin had foreseen this and planned a trap. He started a charge right between Guy and the lake. The battle began. Saladin was burning the bushes and the dry grass, making the air even dryer. They made constant sound shouting, stamping, drumming. A torture. Saladin ordered to attack but to leave Guys tent in the middle intact. It was an easy victory and Guy and Reynald were taken hostage. 

Saladin came to see them and offered Guy a drink, but as Guy tried to pass it to Reynald he slapped it away, spilling it on the ground. Saladin took his sword and cut of the head of Reynald. Saladin thought kings should not kill kings and so he let Guy live, the rest was killed.

The army was broken, the king held hostage by Saladin, and the splinter of the holy cross which they had carried with them was paraded and mocked. Tyre, Acre, Caesarea and Jaffa all fell to Saladin.

Saladin marched for Jerusalem, no mercy in mind. The people pleaded with him, but he would not cave. Yet they held the holy musk as a ransom, threatening to destroy it. And so Saladin would let them go for a ransom and entered the city victorious without spilling blood. The crosses were removed and the holy buildings and artifacts restored.

But this could not go unnoticed, a third crusade was called. Pope Gregory the Third started to assemble and army. It was looking good. From Germany 100000 men marched under the great emperor Frederique Barbosa. But he fell during the march and drowned in a river. With this the army turned home. But not all was lost. Richard the First, now king of England, marched.

Richard wanted to be prepared for the crusade and so he spent 14 months collecting the necessary funds to do so. He sold all his properties, royal pardons and his lands. In this time Saladin released former king Guy, thinking he was no more threat. But Guy felt otherwise. He rallied 400 knights and 7000 foot soldiers and went to the harbor city Acre. Hearing of this Saladin rode to Acre. Guy stood his ground for two years, awaiting the army of Richard the First.

In 1191 Richard was marching and arrived in Acre, with his siege towers. But Saladin had not been still and had found a chemical called Greek Fire, or Sticky fire, and took out the siege towers one by one. Richard was put on the defense. But with his battle plans he ordered every man to take stones from the walls and they would receive a gold coin for every stone they took. And so the walls started to crumble and Richard took the city, taking Saladin's men hostage.

With this battle Richard gained the name, Richard the Lion heart, and they could move on to Jerusalem. 

Still the problem was the hostages Richard had taken, and tried to ransom them for 200000 gold and the return of the splinter of the cross. Saladin wasn't about to pay up and stretched negotiations as long as possible, limiting Richard in his plans. Richard saw through his plans, and finally killed all the hostages.

After this they marched for Jerusalem. During the march Saladin kept attacking, but Richard tight formation would not budge. Almost to Jerusalem Richard realized he did not have the materials to take Jerusalem, let alone hold it.  He turned around and went back to the coast, waiting for a new crusade to supply him with the means he needed for taking and holding Jerusalem.

More battles were fought over Acre, and upon the fall of Richard when his horse got killed, Saladin sent a new horse to him, out of mutual respect. 

Around September 1192 a standstill happened between the armies. Saladin's problem was that his soldiers were people from the land, with acres and families to take care of. Richards army was filled with paid mercenaries, who didn't mind staying as long as they needed. And so Saladin called for a truce. The crusaders could keep the coastal towns, but Jerusalem stayed under Saladin's rule, permitting Christian pilgrims to enter.

During the truce Richard refused to enter the city while it was still in Muslim hands. But the time came to go back home, and he left with a note saying he would come back and take Jerusalem. Saladin replied with: "If anyone would take the land from me, I wish it to be you.". Three months after Richard departure Saladin died, which would have been an easy chance for Richard had he stayed.

in 1199 Richard of Lion heart died by an arrow wound in one of the battles fought in Europe.