Big Bad Streets - Game Invaders: The Theory and Understanding of Computer Games - page 111

we will hear, “ we ' ve lost him, ” on the police radio. Then we will be able to get back
to the motel and complete the mission. Driving on the edge is the name of the game.
This is a typical Driver mission but there are others. Sometimes you have to
follow people in other cars or traveling in the overhead mass transit system. Some-
times you have to fi nd shops around the city and destroy them by driving into them.
The police are a constant nuisance and the streets are busy and awkward.
Table 8.1 is a Table of Surprises that captures the main patterns of attractors
and rewards that you might encounter in a typical Driver mission. Notice that
we have now split rewards into perceivable consequence (PC) and reward (R),

Table 8.1 Table of Surprises for Driver

Attractors Connectors Rewards

A1 Pointer on dynamic 2D
map
(desire, mystery)
Intention: fi nd out where
in the city its pointing to
NB. Sets up the top level
intention for the mission

Roads and junctions on
the map plus road,
junctions, and traffi c
ahead of you on the
street
Activity: driving,
avoiding, route fi nding

(local)
PC: driving in direction of
goal
R: starting to achieve mission

A2 Junction
(active, complex mystery,
fear)
Intention: cross junction,
avoid damage to car

Basic navigation controls,
dynamic 2D map
Activity: careful driving
through heavy traffi c

(dynamic)
PC1: crash
R1: mini - mission, try to
extricate yourself from
crash situation with as little
damage as possible
PC2: clear junction
R2: move closer to objective

A3 Junction
(active, complex mystery,
fear)
Intention: make left/right
turn, avoid damage to car

Basic navigation controls,
dynamic 2D map
Activity: careful driving
through heavy traffi c

(dynamic)
PC1: crash
R1: mini - mission, try to
extricate yourself from
crash situation with as little
damage as possible
PC2: turn and clear junction
R2: move closer to resolving
main intention

PC: detect number and
positions of police,
R: the pleasure of the
unpredictable, mini - mission
to lose police

A4 Police radio message:
“ suspect heading …”
(sensational, fear)
Intention: avoid
confrontation with police
NB: this attractor also
serves to heighten tension

Rear view mirror, road
ahead, dynamic 2D map
Activity: check all
connectors for
whereabouts of police

( Continued )