Game Developers constantly strive to understand what makes a great game. Although technology will continually change, the elements that create an engaging, believable game world remain constant. At the root, it is the continuity of the world, the depth of its characters, and the cohesiveness of its story, which are ultimately responsible for driving the game.

Developers, in the quest for reality-via-higher-technology, often sacrifice the look and feel of the game world. Particle effects and real-time lighting may be dazzling and seductive; but the lack of overall cohesion in the remainder of the game can destroy the entire sense of immersion. Photographs of trees, slapped upon a mesh, do not a realistic world make.

Designers must turn their attention to what makes the game world real to the player. When the player first installs the game, he or she gives you absolute trust. In essence, he accepts a blindfold and allows you to lead him down the dark stairs of your story. He suspends disbelief for a few precious moments, and waits to see if the setting will convince him. Betraying that trust is the worst thing a designer can do.

The player's level of immersion is directly related to that sense of continuity. It has become part of the Game Designer's job to rein in the technology gurus and to encourage the creation of an engaging, immersive game world. When done properly, this world can stand on its own prior to the addition of special effects and clever programming.

We need to do everything in our power (and budget) to create a powerful, engrossing game world before the special effects are ever created. In addition to a well-conceived concept, the designer must craft a carefully planned world, clear design docs, and have complete understanding of the setting that is to be created. This is where something called the Mise-en-scène comes in.

What is Mise-en-scène anyway?

Mise-en-scene is a cinematography term, from the French, which means roughly '"Arranging the scene." Not to be confused with genre, it is the Mise-en-scène that implicitly defines the mood, color, style, and feeling of the world. It includes the style of art, camera movement, lighting, architecture, terrain, atmosphere, color palettes, and generally everything that is not a player controlled character or the graphic interface.

I recently played a computer RPG which placed a heavy emphasis on audible clues. As my brother and I sat in the darkened room playing the game, we found ourselves unconsciously whispering whenever we held a conversation. We actually sought to avoid alerting the "bad guys" by conversing in whispers! When we realized what we were doing, we laughed and conversed at a normal level. This illustrates the power of that game’s Mise-en-scène. It was incredible how believable the world was to us at that moment. If that isn’t immersion, I don’t know what is!

Using Mise-en-scène we can define a visual and audible reality without implicitly stating it. For example, a designer need not state to the user that it has begun to rain. Thunder crackling in the distance and droplets falling on the screen provide enough cues for the player to know what has happened. Pay head to the ancient writers’ axiom: SHOW, DON’T TELL!

In the past, game developers became so focused on the visual elements of Mise-en-scène that they lost track of the other senses. In the future, however, it will be increasingly important to address the entire spectrum of sensation. The best games will be those that seek to engage all of the senses. For example:

Sight: Undoubtedly the primary sense utilized in the game world, and for obvious reasons. Through it we experience the designers visual style, and form our first perceptions about the game. However, we must not rely too heavily upon sight. Too many sparkling particles on the screen can lead to boredom rapidly.

Sound: Well written dialogue, quality voice talent, appropriate sound effects are among the most important components of this sense. Professional music and good ambient sounds are always a bonus! Avoid commonly used sound effects. Nobody wants to hear the same "attacking_bear.wav" in every RPG they play. It is monotonous and unrealistic.

Touch: With advanced console games, of course, the player can experience certain stimulations via a force feedback controller, but that is not in the majority as of yet, and it is rather 1-dimensional. Although the sense of touch is somewhat removed in the video game world, players still have the sensation of touching things within the environment. By using the mouse they are allowed to ‘interact’ with the items. The use of this interactivity is what simulates the tactile experience for most users.

Smell: This is what I like to refer to as the odiferous experience. While it may seem an impossibility, it is actually quite achievable. Think about it, we really don’t have the ability to smell a movie either. But, through clever use of dialogue, body language, facial expressions, etc. you will find that you can create an implied odiferous experience.

Taste: Again, this may seem a nearly impossible task, but through the use of narrative elements we can convince the player that there is something that could be tasted, if only he were a little closer. ‘’Would you like some vanilla pudding with your roast beast, professor?’’

Sense: By far the most elusive of the senses, and consequently, the most difficult to re-create. It is the inkling that something is just about to happen, often cued by music and visual stimuli. While extremely difficult, triggering an intuitive response is something well worth the effort. It can make the entire game come alive for the player.

Using all the senses helps us to achieve our ultimate goal, to entertain the players for the duration of the game. We must strive for complete suspension of disbelief, and create a setting so very engrossing that the players are able to immerse themselves thoroughly. This is what makes Mise-en-scène so important in nearly every game genre. Its elements support and solidify the world, lending validity to narrative structure.

Luckily for the gamers, most designers use the elements of Mise-en-scene unconsciously. We spend countless hours studying successful games, absorbing every juicy tidbit of brilliance. And even more time examining the poorly crafted games. We analyze every flaw, ever striving toward the understanding of what it takes to craft a superior game world.

As designers we have to accept that certain things are out of our control. We cannot ensure that the player will be in the house alone, lights dimmed, snacks at the ready. Nor can we prevent the multiple interruptions that will inevitably occur during gameplay. Spouses, children, mobile phones, or the unavoidable call of nature will always pull the player out of the reality we have created, returning him or her to the real world.

The challenge, then, becomes creating a world, which is so enthralling, that they will return to the game whenever they have a spare hour or two. With this said, it is my hope to encourage designers everywhere to expand their awareness of Mise-en-scène in order to create these compelling, captivating game worlds. For when you succeed, I guarantee they will be thinking of that world as they drift into slumber. Perhaps even to dream of it before sneaking back to the computer at 4am to play for just 5 more minutes.

BIO