Player Experience Design Patterns

Player Experience Design Patterns are a set of video game design tools developed during a PhD research project into video game design. They help to reduce costs, reduce development time and increase product quality.

Contact: Chris Nelson. Email: cnelson_at_taighagames_dot_com

Player Experience Design Patterns provide:

• A set of software tools to support the design of 3D video games
  • A documentation tool for overall game documentation and design
  • A tool which supports the design of new Player Experience Design Patterns from scratch
• A common language for describing game designs to be used by game designers and the development team
• A method for extracting game design knowledge, in the form of Player Experience Design Patterns from existing games
• A library of Player Experience Design Patterns for game designers can use in the design of their own games

Game Design/Development outcomes

Using Player Experience Design Patterns offer the following benefits:

1. Significantly reduce game design time once the PEDP library has been created
2. Reduce mistakes and misunderstandings between the game designer and the development team
3. Reduce development time and cost
4. Increase confidence in the quality of the game produced

Planned Business Offerings

Eventually we aim to offer the following services:

• Offer a SAAS service for small-medium sized studios providing:
  • A documentation support system for game design
  • A library of Player Experience Design Patterns for use in game design
• A server version for larger studios wanting full security and control

So far…

At this point in time the following has been developed and tested to the proof of concept stage:

• Creation of a Player Experience model for describing Player Experiences
• Creation of a Game Design Pattern model for  describing Game Design Patterns
• Development of a prototype documentation system based upon the models
• The design and development of a small game using the Player Experience Design Pattern tools as a proof of concept

Next Steps…

To take the project to the next stage the following steps are planned to be undertaken over the next 12 months:

1. Develop the next iteration of the software tool for the creation and use of Player Experience Design Patterns
2. Further analysis of existing games to expand the library of Player Experience Design Patterns
3. Use the library in the design and development of at least one new game

For more information on Player Experience Design Patterns please see the videos linked below.

Pitch Videos: