Good Show, Bad Show

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Good Show, Bad Show

• Jesse Schell

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Themed Entertainment Principles

• Know your story

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Themed Entertainment Principles

• Know your story
• Tell your story using every means possible

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Themed Entertainment Principles

• Know your story
• Tell your story using every means possible
• Know your audience

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Use Interest Curves
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Sequences of Events
Video game
Sporting Event
Circus act
Role playing
Board game
Stage Play
Theme park ride
Movie
Novel
Magazine
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High Interest
Medium Interest
Low Interest
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A Good Interest Curve
Interest
Time
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A Bad Interest Curve
Interest
Time
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Top Ten Moments
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The Power of Imagination

• Close your eyes

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Surprises Are Interesting!

• Journal of Neuroscience
• Surprise is the root of all comedy
• Surprise is the root of all strategy

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Control Expectations
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Control Expectations
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K I S S
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Lead gradually from the simple to the complex

• "...guided along, as it were, a chain of flowers
  into the mysteries of life."
• - Charles Willson Peale

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Cheat!
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Three Factors of Interest

• 1 Inherent interest of events
• 2 Poetry of presentation
• 3 Psychological proximity

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Psychological Proximity
Them
You
Me
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Three Factors of Interest

• 1 Inherent interest of events
• 2 Poetry of presentation
• 3 Psychological proximity

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Examples
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Chainsaw Juggling
Interest Level
InherentInterest
Psych. Proximity
Poetry
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Violin Concerto
Interest Level
InherentInterest
Psych. Proximity
Poetry
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Tetris
Interest Level
InherentInterest
Psych. Proximity
Poetry
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A Great Experience
Interest Level
InherentInterest
Psych. Proximity
Poetry
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Interactivity Indeterminism
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The Art of Interactive EntertainmentisThe Art
of Indirect Control
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Indirect Control through Goals
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Indirect Control through Goals
Go get some bananas!
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Indirect Control through Interface
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Indirect Control through Visual Design
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Indirect Control
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Indirect Control (multiplayer)
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Indirect Control Through Avatars
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Indirect Control through Non-Player Characters
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Indirect Control through Music!
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Five Methods of Indirect Control

• Goals
• Environment Design
• Avatar
• Non-Player Characters
• Music

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Almost Finally
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Rehearse!
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Finally, advice from two magicians
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Long experience has taught me that the crux of
my fortunes is whether I can radiate good will
toward my audience. There is only one way to do
it and that is to feel it. You can fool the eyes
and minds of the audience, but you cannot fool
their hearts. - Howard Thurston
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When it comes to the requirements for pleasing
an audience, all the knowledge and instruction in
the world is worth less than one ounce of
soul. - Ottawa Keyes
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Questions? Comments? Discussion?

• Keep It Simple, Stupid!
• Lead gradually
• Top Ten Moments
• Cheat!
• Use Indirect Control
• Rehearse!
• Radiate good will
• Heart, not technology

• Know your story
• Tell your story using every means possible
• Know your audience
• Control your interest curve
• Surprises are interesting!
• Control expectations

jns_at_cs.cmu.edu