Techniques to Create Non-Linear Gameplay within Confined Playspaces
By: Steven Chew
Supervisor: Michael McCoy
Masters of Interactive Technology degree conferred September 22nd, 2007
Thesis / Project completed: September 14th, 2007

Games offer players interactivity: the opportunity to participate in game events and affect the overall experience based on their choices and decisions. This thesis introduces techniques to create non-linear gameplay within confined playspaces by reusing game assets and creative gameplay scripting. The usage of just two zones keeps the level environment small, while scripted events revolve around players traveling from one zone to the other and back again and create variations in the game experience. Players are free to roam the level without losing the focus or objective of the level, and the gameplay experience changes depending on whether the player is going to or from the starting location.

This study involved allowing playtesters to roam through the level at their own pace, making decisions on where to go and which enemies to take out. Most of the participants felt that they had control over how the level was played, and that the tactics and decisions they made impacted the game experience. They felt free to achieve the gameplay objectives in their own way, and made choices that affected the outcome of any particular encounter. Overall, the project was a success as the players felt that the game world was bigger than it actually was, and their choices and strategies throughout the level resulted in varying gameplay experiences.

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