This document outlines the overarching design philosophy of Magic Toybox games.
The intended audience of this document is the Magic Toybox Game Design team.
A Magic Toybox game is a series of interactions + content. This extends the marketing definition of a product as a group of features. A game's features are predominantly (excluding content) its interactions with the user, as well as the user's interactions with other people, and the environment. A game is identifiably distinct from another game by how it plays differently. Features define ultimately by the outcome of the user's interaction with the product. In the case of the game, the only output is satisfaction, and generally, more play.
Interactions are the component features of the user's experience. They are the distinct experience.
An environmental interaction is an interaction of the game that directs the user's attention towards their surroundings.
A device interaction is an interaction of the game that directs the user's attention towards their specific device.
Content is defined as all attributes that make a game distinct from an implementation containing an otherwise identical set of interactions.
Is taking a picture with your phone an environmental or device interaction? The answer depends on implementation. If well-implemented, the device is a pass-through of attention to the environment. Losses to the device are inefficiencies, and by definition, attention wasted.
Core drives are fundamental motivations of a user. Interactions are intended to address them, and in different configurations, in order to create distinct user experiences.
The process for developing a MT game relies on this stack
A MT game consists of two core interactions that are the primary focus of the player's attention. The first interaction is with the environment, and the second is with the device. Environmental interaction includes all social, product and venue interactions. Device interactions are the meld of the user experience with that environment. In a traditional cell phone game, there is no distinction. This leads to preferential use of the cell phone, or complete non-use of it. Non-use is the non-user case. Preferential cell phone use in the environment is what we are steering away from, as part of our value offering.
In addition to core interactions, there is the content stream. This is the data that gives the skin to the game. It may be a product stream, branding, or anything of the like.
Interactions are fed through game mechanics, which generate outcomes.
Interactions map to mechanics M:M
Mechanics map to modules: 1:M
Example 1: Squatchin'
Environmental Interaction: Observe
Device Interaction: Vote
You have observed, in Squatchin, the key indicator of the Sasquatch. He or she is trying to hide themselves. You must vote between rounds on the Sasquatch. You cannot vote without using the app. You cannot vote correctly without observing your environment.
Example 2: Bargain Hunter
Environmental Interaction: Search
Device Interaction: Interpret Clues
Example 3: Battlefield
Environmental Interaction: Forage
Device Interaction: Compete
Fundamentally, all interactions are based around a modulated expenditure or utilization of available time through attention. The alternative, being without attention, is a passive process. We engage in active processes. Interactions therefore must always engage attention, and be understood for how that engagement works, and how it maps to a core drive, which is itslef how an expenditure of attention is found to be fulfilling (specifically of a core drive).
When we look at the chart below, we want to understand what we're doing to work these core drives. If we didn't have any games or interactions that stimulate CD1, then we're not doing anything for our users' core drives. This, in turn, tells us something about the fulfillment that they're taking (or not taking) from our service.
| Description | Env/Device | Resources | Cued | Timed | CD1 | CD2 | CD3 | CD4 | CD5 | CD6 | CD7 | CD8 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Explore | Cover a physical area of ground within the space, while observing your surroundings. | 📍 | 🟰 | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ☑️ | ❌ |
| Seek | Cover a physical area of ground within the space, while observing your surroundings. | 📍 | 🟰 | ☑️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ☑️ | ❌ | ❌ | ☑️ | ❌ |
| Hunt | Cover a physical area of ground within the space, while observing your surroundings. | 📍 | ➕ | ☑️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ☑️ | ❌ | ❌ | ☑️ | ❌ |
| Race | Cover a physical area of ground within the space, while observing your surroundings. | 📍 | 🟰 | ☑️ | ☑️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ☑️ | ☑️ | ❌ | ☑️ |
| Cultivate | Expend attention and resource over time to generate content | 📍📱 | ➕ | xxx | ❌ | xxx | ☑️ | xxx | ☑️ | xxx | xxx | xxx | xxx |
| Gather | Give attention to acquire resources over time | 📱 | ➕ | xxx | xxx | xxx | ☑️ | xxx | ☑️ | xxx | xxx | xxx | xxx |
| Meet | Give attention to another person, known or unknown previously | 📍 | 🟰 | ☑️ | ❌ | ☑️ | xxx | xxx | xxx | ☑️ | xxx | xxx | xxx |
| Purchase | Expend attention and resources to acquire something external to the game | 📍📱 | ➕ | xxx | xxx | xxx | xxx | xxx | xxx | ☑️ | xxx | xxx | xxx |
| Score | Give attention to see an accumulator change value favorably | 📱 | ➕ | ❌ | ❌ | ☑️ | ☑️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | |
| Vote | Give attention to role in socially-determined outcome | xxx | 📱 | 🟰 | ☑️ | ☑️ | ☑️ | ❌ | ❌ | ☑️ | ☑️ | ❌ | ☑️ |
| Guess | Give attention to role in singlet outcome | 📱 | ☑️ | ☑️ | ☑️ | ☑️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ☑️ | ❌ | |
| Compete | Expend attention and resources in competition with another player(s) | 📍 | ➖ | ☑️ | ☑️ | ❌ | ☑️ | ❌ | ☑️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ☑️ |
| Social Deduction | Expend attention to inform guess | 📍📱 | 🟰 | ☑️ | ☑️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ☑️ | ☑️ |
| Symbol | Resources... |
|---|---|
| 📍 | Environment |
| 📱 | Device |
| ➕ | Increase |
| ➖ | Decrease |
| 🟰 | Are not affected |
| ☑️ | CD Addressed |
| ❌ | CD Not Addressed |
Solo
Collaborative
Competitive
Reflective (Solo interaction, responding to another--basically psuedo-collaborative)
Let's look at what we have so far...
Games are collections of content + interactions. Interactions are focused on managing attention respecting the device or the environment. Interactions map to core needs. Interactions are implemented through high-level modules, generally Tier 3 modules. Those modules will themselves incorporate lower-level modules, and thereby allow the concise build of the interaction.
| Title | E Int. | D Int | Co-op vs competitive | Min players | Max players | Primary CD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Echo Garden | Gather | Cultivate | solo | 1 | 1 | # |
| Treasure Hunter | Gather | solo, co-op, comp | 1 | n | # | |
| Bargain Hunter | Gather | solo, co-op, comp | 1 | n | # | |
| Battlefield | Gather | comp | 2 | 5 | # | |
| Squatchin’ | SD | comp | 3 | 5 | # | |
| Miniboss | Prep-and-Test | comp | 2 | 2 | # |
Content is the particulars of what flows into the game. It's the project items. It's the specific nature of the challenge. It's what would separate Squatchin' from another game skinned for a different audience, or the same game aligned with a different customer
May be for specific age bracket, venue, etc.