A Framework for Designing Metagame Systems: Design 2023 Highlight
summary
A three-part framework—motivations, goals, narrative framing—gives concrete design steps: pick the intrinsic player itch to satisfy, map short/medium/long goals and milestones, and skin systems with familiar stories. Examples: add museum completion milestones in Animal Crossing to break long grinds, use rank milestones in Rocket League-style PvP, and repurpose expired events into an Eco Workshop crafting loop (inspired by boro stitching) for The Sims Mobile, which players report as successful.
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chapters (7)
- 0:00Introduction
- 3:27Defining metagame systems
- 5:32Motivations in design
- 14:17Pairing motivations
- 23:43Analyzing Animal Crossing
- 35:12Narrative framing
- 47:28Recap and closing remarks
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