The Two Types of Random in Game Design

Video Description

🔴 Get bonus content by supporting Game Maker’s Toolkit - https://gamemakerstoolkit.com/support/ 🔴 From critical hits to random encounters, and from loot boxes to procedural generation, video games are stuffed to bursting with randomness. In this episode, I look at the way randomness is used in games - and why some forms are more contentious than others. === Sources and Resources === - Sources Uncapped Look-Ahead and the Information Horizon | Keith Burgun http://keithburgun.net/uncapped-look-ahead-and-the-information-horizon/ A Study in Transparency: How Board Games Matter | GDC Vault https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1020408/A-Study-in-Transparency-How GameTek Classic 183 - Input Output Randomness | Ludology https://www.dicetower.com/game-podcast/ludology/gametek-classic-183-input-output-randomness Why revealing all is the secret of Slay The Spire's success | Rock Paper Shotgun https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/02/19/why-revealing-all-is-the-secret-of-slay-the-spires-success/ Crate | Spelunky Wiki https://spelunky.fandom.com/wiki/Crate Random Generator | Tetris Wiki https://tetris.fandom.com/wiki/Random_Generator Level Feeling | Spelunky Wiki https://spelunky.fandom.com/wiki/Level_Feeling/HD Plan Disruption | Etan Hoeppner https://ethanhoeppner.github.io/gamedesign/plan-disruption.html Fire Emblem True Hit | Serenes Forest https://serenesforest.net/general/true-hit/ The Psychology of Game Design (Everything You Know Is Wrong) | GDC Vault https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1012186/The-Psychology-of-Game-Design How Designers Engineer Luck Into Video Games | Nautilus http://nautil.us/issue/70/variables/how-designers-engineer-luck-into-video-games-rp Roll for your life: Making randomness transparent in Tharsis | Gamasutra https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/263953/Roll_for_your_life_Making_randomness_transparent_in_Tharsis.php 12: Into the Breach with Justin Ma | The Spelunky Showlike http://thespelunkyshowlike.libsyn.com/12-into-the-breach-with-justin-ma - Additional resources Many faces of Procedural Generation: Determinism | Gamsutra https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/FranciscoRA/20160511/272419/Many_faces_of_Procedural_Generation_Determinism_classification_system_part_3.php Why Our Brains Do Not Intuitively Grasp Probabilities | Scientific American https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-our-brains-do-not-intuitively-grasp-probabilities/ How classic games make smart use of random number generation | Gamasutra https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/320213/How_classic_games_make_smart_use_of_random_number_generation.php === Chapters === 00:00 - Intro 01:28 - Why we use randomness 03:42 - The information horizon 06:06 - The two types of randomness 08:59 - How input randomness can fail 13:32 - The advantages of output randomness 17:50 - Conclusion === Games Shown === Cuphead (2017) Enter the Gungeon (2016) Octopath Traveler (2018) Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle (2017) Griftlands (2021) Dicey Dungeons (2019) Hearthstone (2014) The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth (2014) Darkest Dungeon (2016) Dead Cells (2018) SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech (2019) Into the Breach (2018) Spelunky (2012) Armello (2015) Minecraft (2011) Chasm (2018) Downwell (2015) Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (2014) No Man's Sky (2016) Celeste (2018) Fortnite (2017) Mario Kart 8 (2014) Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (2014) Tekken 7 (2015) Super Mario Party (2018) Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night (2019) Borderlands 3 (2019) Call of Duty: WWII (2017) Valkyria Chronicles 4 (2018) Civilization V (2010) Wargroove (2019) Plants vs. Zombies (2009) XCOM: Enemy Within (2013) Chess Ultra (2017) Mark of the Ninja (2012) StarCraft II (2010) Slay the Spire (2019) Apex Legends (2019) Civilization IV (2005) XCOM 2 (2016) Overwatch (2016) FTL: Faster Than Light (2012) Card of Darkness (2019) Diablo III (2012) Tetris 99 (2019) Puyo Puyo Tetris (2017) Phoenix Point (2019) Fire Emblem: Three Houses (2019) Tharsis (2016) === Credits === Music from Cuphead OST, by Kristofer Maddigan (https://studiomdhr.bandcamp.com/releases) Music from Tharsis OST, Half Age EP, by Weval (https://atomnation.bandcamp.com/album/half-age-ep) RNGesus original artwork by Dinsdale - https://twitter.com/dinsdale1978 Super Mario Party - Luigi wins by doing absolutely nothing | Nintendo Unity https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5IyYNI28gM Fire Emblem: Three Houses - New Game Plus Maddening Walkthrough Part 43! | MrSOAP999 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRZuFK3q9Q4 Deadpool 2 © 20th Century Fox Pandemic Card Art © Z-Man Games === Subtitles === Contribute translated subtitles - https://amara.org/en-gb/videos/C3IIn1JRUBXt/