jorisdormans.nl

article
We moeten Game Design automatiseren
I wrote a column for the Dutch game industry magazine Control. It is in Dutch, so if you can read my native tongue (or put a lot of faith in automatic translation) go check it out. Its about procedural content generation: I argue that is time to automate game design.
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project
Engineering Emergence
My PhD dissertation (pdf, 18MB) is finished! It sets out to develop formal tools for the hard task of designing games. Games, as rule based systems, often display emergent behavior. One of the core aspects of games, gameplay is often...
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article
Simulating Mechanics to Study Emergence in Games
This paper presents the latest version of the Machinations framework. This framework uses diagrams to represent the flow of tangible and abstract resources through a game. This flow represents the mechanics that make up a game’s internal economy and has a large impact on the emergent...
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article
Integrating Emergence and Progression
This paper investigates how structures of emergence and progression in games might be integrated. By leveraging the formalism of Machination diagrams, the shape of the mechanics that typically control progression in games are exposed. Two strategies to create mechanics that control progression...
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article
Level Design as Model Transformation
This paper frames the process of designing a level in a game as a series of model transformations. The transformations correspond to the application of particular design principles, such as the use of locks and keys to transform a linear mission into a branching space. It shows that...
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book review
Everyone Plays at the Libary
These days libraries are so much more than just a dusty collection of books. They are growing into media and social hubs sharing information and social experiences alike. For some it is obvious that games are part of this development. After all, games are a medium, and can be used to convey...
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