Generating Multiplayer Games for Interaction Learning using Game Design Patterns
Key: TRGS16-1
Author: Thomas Tregel, Christian Reuter, Stefan Göbel, Ralf Steinmetz
Date: October 2016
Kind: In proceedings
Publisher: Academic Conferences and Publishing International Limited
Book title: Proceedings of The 10th European Conference on Games Based Learning
Keywords: multiplayer, game design patterns, interaction learning, procedural content generation
Abstract: Practicing team communication and player coordination in games requires a dedicated multiplayer setup especially tailored towards the given requirements. Common AAA-titles rather focus on a positive game experience than a beneficial training effect. Most Serious Games rely on singleplayer gameplay to try to achieve their intended behavior change. Based on Game Design Patterns for Collaborative Player Interactions and the usage of Procedural Content Generation, this paper explores the automatic creation of interaction sequences, usable for player interaction training. Additionally, E-learning pattern aspects are integrated to support the team’s learning progress. The design focuses on non-linear sequences to create a network of player interactions. Each player interaction represents an individual challenge within a game world that needs to be approached by players in a coordinated fashion. The non-linearity promotes a decision-making process, whenever the team has to make a choice concerning their next steps. While it might be possible to create individual interaction networks by hand, Procedural Content Generation allows us to diversify the expected result, based on the given parameters. Due to its abstract representation, different playstyles, user groups and communication requirements can be targeted. Furthermore, different valid ways leading through the given challenges let players choose their path to take in a group effort, which increases the game’s variety and adaptability. This paper presents a research concept and analyses the potential use and pitfalls when using highly abstract representation of content to use in a Procedural Content Generation approach. Although the generation algorithm is implemented for scene-based games with our StoryTec authoring environment, the concept can be used to generate pattern networks for most game genres, independent from their game speed or game flow.
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