Designer values (and WoW)
Designer values play a huge role in game development. As Taylor points out, no matter how far-fetched and fantasy-oriented a game is, it always has some basic rules, constraints, and consequences. This is the framework that dictate what is and what is not possible in the game environment. Adhering to this basic framework, users are then often able to take the game in whatever direction they please. At this point, the user has a certain amount of control in deciding his or her path throughout the game. Oftentimes, as Taylor notes, there is a great deal of “disjuncture between what designers intended and what actually got produced.” However, let’s not forget that the game designers were the one’s who put the constraints on the environment in the first place. The user has control over what to do within the game environment, but the designers have control over the rules and constraints of the game environment itself. The designer’s values are important because they influence the choices of the designers as they are designing the game.
An example of these concepts that I have a great deal of experience with is World of Warcraft. The game designers had a vision of what they intended to create, so they designed the game rules and features around this vision. For example, the designers created a number of very difficult quests and highly-rewarding tasks that require as many as forty players to complete. Envisioning a large number of players working toward a common goal, the designers also created the guild system so players could join networks of other players who are highly committed to accomplishing these goals. From my experience, guilds made these tasks much easier to complete. For example, I often found myself looking for a group of 5 or 10 to complete an “instance.” Before I joined a guild I always sat in the major horde town and said “LFG (looking for group) Black Rock Mountain (or whatever instance I wanted to do).” It often took many minutes before I could find a group, and sometimes I couldn’t find a group at all. Also, I don’t know the quality of the players I’m teaming up with. There is nothing worse than finally finding a group and discovering that the group’s healer is a “noob” and cannot keep the party alive. Once I joined a guild however, it was much easier to find players to group with. All it took was a simple “Hey, anyone up for such and such instance” in guild chat and before long, we had a group assembled. Also, I could trust that these players were of the highest quality because they are members of the guild. By designing the difficult challenges that require multiple skilled players as well as the guild system, the designer’s vision of large cooperative groups of players working toward a common goal came to life.
However, the designers cannot always anticipate the direction the game goes in. While the role of guilds may have met the designer’s visions, other game aspects did not. For example, designers did not anticipate the massive “Warrior Strike” that took place in the alliance town of Ironforge. Players were upset with the rules and constraints relating to the designer vision of the warrior class. Warriors far and wide had massive gatherings and protests that crashed a number of servers. The warrior class was then completely revamped to cater to the player’s vision rather than that of the designers.
Comments
I think it's interesting how your initial example here begins to create a particular type of culture in the game. Notice how the guild creates a sort of 'trust circle' and guild membes have a level of credibility. I have a friend who said that getting into her EverQuest guild was harder than getting into her PhD program. The values embedded in the guild system are very interesting and warrant further invistagation.
I also think your point abou the warrior class strike is important; it speaks to Taylor's disconnect issue; obviously the designers values were at an extreme disconnect with those of players in that case.
Posted by: Celia Pearce![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://interactive.usc.edu/members/students/nav-commenters.gif)
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March 6, 2006 8:35 AM