Game Ideas from Scott Rogers: Grand Theft Auto

Applying Scott Rogers's ideas to game evaluation: Grand Theft Auto IV - PS3

What are Weenies?
Guide players around the level.

Enhanced Weenies and encountering player movement
Cars to speed up the gameplay/ adds another dimension of gameplay as opposed to running.

Using lighting to encourage player movement
At night time, lights illuminate where player should go

Posters
Foreshadows danger or upcoming events

Alternative Maps & Posters
Global Map which can tell us if we are still in police persute, gps in showing us where to go.

Presented Path & Posters
Mimic realism such as food posters at restaurants

Presented Path vs. Exploration
Maps can provide us with the option of direct path to next goal or just exploration

The Power of the Path - the illusion of Freedom
Area is very open to walk and driving in the streets or sidewalks, which doesn't reflect

Rediscovering Rewards
Money from beating up people

Thematic Level Goals
1)Do the mission
2)Find a girl
3)Run from the police

Moral Story Telling
Don't piss off the police.

Lesson of Main Street
Specific places in the game allow you to do other things besides run from the police or steal from people.

Level Items
Hand gun, vehicles, money from people that we have the option of beating up.

Thematic Level Goals
Depending on mission, we have different goals

Illusional Narrative

Adding Danger
Police chases, Other people trying to beat you up

Applying it All

Warning/Foreshadowing
Dangerous Mission, cut scene foreshadow

Maximizing the Path


Storytelling through Environment
Society seems intact and our character makes up the story with whatever we decide to do. Some parts of the city seemed dangerous.

Implied Threats
cut scenes explicitly interacts with character.

The Tutorial Section
none

Map and Discovered Information
small navigation map for every level.

Building Anticipation
possible police chase

Weenies and Foreshadowing
large isolated buildings

Juxtaposing Interior and Exterior Space
character is able to navigate in and out of certain buildings such as his apartment.

Illusional Narrative

The Clear Path Out