Paper

Thesis Paper: Part One | CTIN 490: Directed Research
No Jump Cuts
Thesis Paper: Part One
This is a review of the first half of my research on cuts and transitions in videogames.
Raghav Bashyal
Raghav Bashyal | 1
Thesis Paper: Part One | CTIN 490: Directed Research
Introduction
Prototypes
Round One: Third Person Experiments
The Extreme Wide Angle
Prompt/goal
Hypothesis
Results and Conclusions
a•part•ment Prototype One: The Cross Dissolve
Description
Prompt/goal
Hypothesis
Results and Conclusions
Round Two: Cinematic Experiments
a•part•ment Prototype Two: The Close-up Montage
Description
Prompt/goal
Hypothesis
Results and Conclusions
The Wipe
Description
Prompt/goal
Hypothesis
Results and Conclusions
Round Three: Minigame Experiments
The Match Cut Montage
Description
Prompt/goal
Hypothesis
Results and Conclusions
a•part•ment Prototype Three: The Motion Montage
Description
Prompt/goal
Hypothesis
Results and Conclusions
Conclusions
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Thesis Paper: Part One | CTIN 490: Directed Research
Introduction
No Jump Cuts came out of my desire to experiment with cuts in videogames, to make
lots of prototypes, and to do an undergraduate thesis. I was inspired by Blendo
Games' Thirty Flights of Loving, which cuts from one gameplay sequence to another
using established techniques from film. These techniques include matching the
shapes/composition present in consecutive shots and using sound effects. Thirty
Flights also used new, videogame-specific techniques like maintaining the player's
direction of movement from one shot to another. The goal of my thesis is to research
similar transition techniques for videogames, and to evaluate their effectiveness
through prototyping and playtesting.
Example of a cut from Thirty Flights of Loving. Note that the player is moving in the same direction
before and after the cut, and the character on the right side of the screen remains in the same place.
My work for this semester was split into three rounds of experimentation,
during which I created several prototypes testing different techniques. For each
prototype, I spent some time researching techniques until I found a goal for prompt
or research question. I then rapidly produced the prototype, then tested them
informally, iterating on some more than others.
Some of the prototypes were developed further for a•part•ment, my friend
Robyn Gray’s thesis project about relationships within an apartment complex. The
game is a collection of vignettes about the experiences of different characters at
various stages in their relationships. My collaboration with Robyn gave me access to
content for No Jump Cuts, and game me the opportunity to create playable sequences
out of successful experiments.
Below, I present six prototypes created over three rounds of experimentation. I
describe the gameplay, goal, hypothesis, and preliminary conclusions based on
informal playtest results.
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Thesis Paper: Part One | CTIN 490: Directed Research
Prototypes
Round One: Third Person Experiments
The Extreme Wide Angle
The game cuts to an extreme wide angle when the player gets close to their goal.
Description
Gameplay: Third person character; WASD, no mouse
Gameplay goal: Get to the bridge at the end of the level
In this simple prototype, the player is placed in a relatively empty level with one
perceivable goal: a bridge. When the player gets close, the game cuts to a view of the
player from a much higher angle.
Prompt/goal
In this prototype, I was testing camera angle cuts (like those that happen in
old-school adventure games like Grim Fandango). Variations allowed the camera to
move, instead of remaining at a fixed angle.
I was experimenting with the following techniques: cutting to a different angle on
the same action; trying to maintain the screen position of whatever the player
might be paying attention to before and after the cut.
Hypothesis
My hypothesis was the following: when the cut occurs, the player will ALWAYS LOSE
CONTROL of the character and NEVER REGAIN IT.
This hypothesis could be evaluated by testing for the following:
Does the player pause to reorient when the cut occurs? For how long?
Does the player fiddle with the controls, or express other signs of having lost
controls?
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Thesis Paper: Part One | CTIN 490: Directed Research
Results and Conclusions
Informal testing shows that players pause for one or two seconds after the cut has
occurred to evaluate what has happened. It is not clear if they are reorienting, or
simply considering the cut.
Future iterations of this experiment could try cutting when the player reaches the
edge of the frame. For example, when the player steps out of the edge of the screen,
the game could switch to a different shot (from a wide shot to an extreme wide shot),
where the player’s movement and direction is maintained after the cut.
a•part•ment Prototype One: The Cross Dissolve
The game cross-dissolves to a different scene when the player gets close to their goal.
Description
Gameplay: Third person character; WASD, no mouse
Gameplay goal: Get to the refrigerator
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In this prototype, the player plays as a third person character placed in a dark room
with one goal - a fridge. When the player gets close, the scene cross dissolves to a
snowscape.
Prompt/goal
In this experiment, my goal was to see if the player would be able to continue
moving through the transitions, and what kind of emotional reaction they might
have to it. I was also curious to hear what kinds of narrative interpretations they
might have had about the transition from the fridge scene to the snowscape.
The techniques I am using are the following:
- cross dissolves instead of straight cuts; the player has control during the cross
dissolve
- change of location in third person
Hypothesis
My hypothesis was the following: when the second scene is revealed to the player,
the player will ALWAYS BE CONFUSED as to where they are and ALWAYS LOSE
CONTROL of the character.
This hypothesis could be evaluated by testing for the following:
Does the player express, while speaking aloud, that they are in a new space related
to the refrigerator? What kinds of interpretations do they voice?
How long does the player spend to reorient/recover from the cut before they start
looking for their next goal?
Results and Conclusions
Informal testing shows that the player maintains control of the character. Most
people also immediately draw connections between the refrigerator and the
snowscape, and accept the transition as a surreal occurrence or a dream.
Future iterations of this prototype could swap the first scene with another - one that
has a more specific sense of place, and is less abstract and devoid of detail - so that
both scenes are fully fleshed out scenes.
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Round Two: Cinematic Experiments
a•part•ment Prototype Two: The Close-up Montage
Examples of shots the player encounters as they click through the prototype.
Description
Gameplay: First person fixed perspective (point-and-click); Mouse and mouse button
Gameplay goal: Click to progress
In this prototype, the player plays is presented with objects belonging to a character,
while a conversation between the character and other people is displayed alongside
the objects. The conversation appears as the player clicks on objects; the game
changes to shots of different objects as the player clicks through the scene.
Prompt/goal
In this prototype, I was trying to emulate the close-up montages that are used to
describe a character in film. For example, a shot of a sparse wardrobe, a messy desk,
a half-eaten breakfast, and a wide-angle reveal of a small apartment might suggest
the empty home of a single, busy, struggling young professional. I was trying to
guide the player through several shots to evoke a kind of interactive montage
sequence.
The techniques I am using are the following:
- cutting on action; for example, when the player presses a drawer, it slides out; as it
does, the game cuts to a close-up of the stuff inside it
- changing the shot size from close-up to medium wide to wide
- a variation involved using straight cuts instead of cross dissolves
- a variation involved using moving cameras instead of static cameras
Hypothesis
My hypothesis was the following: when the player switches from one shot to another
they will ALWAYS BE CONFUSED as to where to look.
This hypothesis could be evaluated by testing for the following:
Does the player flinch or express that they were jarred by the cut? How long does the
player take before they recover and search for the next goal?
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Results and Conclusions
Informal testing shows that the success of cuts is largely dependent on the
composition of shots. This experiment relies heavily on cinematic techniques, some
of which can be useful in a point-and-click experience; however, I found it difficult to
incorporate interactive elements and meaningful gameplay into this prototype.
Future work could elaborate on the gameplay, and implement precise composition
for each shot to reducing the jarring effect of some of the cuts.
The Wipe
When the player crosses the road, a tank occludes the camera. When it leaves, the player finds the
character in a different scene.
Description
Gameplay: Third person character
Gameplay goal: Get to the other side of the road
In this prototype, the player plays as a third person character who is positioned on
one side of a desert road. The only way to go is forward. Army trucks periodically
drive down the road. The play needs to get on the other side of the road without
getting hit.
As the player runs across the road, a truck passes in front of the camera. When it
passes by, the players finds the character in a completely different setting.
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Thesis Paper: Part One | CTIN 490: Directed Research
Prompt/goal
In this prototype, I was trying to achieve something like a screen wipe with a
moving object. In film, this could occur, for example, when a vehicle passes in front
of the camera; as it passes, it reveals a completely different scene. I was also trying to
maintain the player’s direction of motion.
Hypothesis
My hypothesis was the following: when the second scene is revealed to the player,
the player will NEVER REALIZE they are in a new setting and will ALWAYS LOSE
CONTROL of the character.
This hypothesis could be evaluated by testing for the following:
How long does it take for the player to realize they’re in a new place?
Does the player stop, start moving the character erratically, or otherwise express
that they have lost control of the character?
Results and Conclusions
Informal testing shows that, when effectively executed, the player maintains control
of the character.
Some players took a couple of seconds to realize they were in a new place; this was
likely due to the lack of detail in the scene that was revealed, so that the player was
not able to easily distinguish the first scene from the second.
To complete this experiment, the prototype needs to be revised so that the transition
is timed perfectly at the moment when the truck is in front of the camera, and the
second scene needs to be modified to look different enough from the first scene. The
hypothesis then needs to be tested formally.
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Thesis Paper: Part One | CTIN 490: Directed Research
Round Three: Minigame Experiments
The Match Cut Montage
The player controls the objects in the foreground. When they click, the object performs an action.
When they perform the right action, the game sharply cuts to the next scene.
Description
Gameplay: A series of scenes (minigames) seen from a locked 3D perspective; Interact
with mouse and mouse button
Gameplay goal: Click through to the next scene
In this prototype, the player moves a 3D object in the scene on a 2D place, like a
mouse cursor. There are three scenes in this prototype; each scene has a different
object - a TV remote, a fork, and a syringe. Pressing down on the mouse button
causes the object to move forward and perform an action; pressing up moves it back.
When the action for a scene/minigame is performed, the game cuts to the next one.
The screen position, relative shape, and angle of the object are maintained from
scene to scene.
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Prompt/goal
In this prototype, I was trying to create a series of minigames - like the WarioWare
series or Dys4ia - and cut between them.
The techniques I am using are the following:
- the match cut; in film, for example, this would be a shot of a bone flying in the air,
followed by a shot of a satellite with roughly the same shape, screen size, and
position (this is a famous example from 2001: A Space Odyssey). I was trying to
maintain the position and shape of the object they control between shots.
Other techniques I am using:
- an audio effect to make the transition feel impactful (the content in the prototype
is rather serious).
- the game cuts on player action, meaning, in this case, that the transition occurs
immediately when the player clicks and performs an action in the game.
Hypothesis
My hypothesis was the following: when the player clicks and transitions to the next
scene, they will NEVER BE STRUCK by the transition and ALWAYS LOSE CONTROL
over the object.
This hypothesis could be evaluated by testing for the following:
Does the player express an emotional reaction to the transition?
Does the player start moving the mouse erratically, or otherwise express that they
have lost control of the game?
Results and Conclusions
This prototype needs to be tested further, both formally and informally, before
conclusions can be made.
I did find, however, that the audio effect and cuts on player action made for a
powerful emotional combination on playtesters.
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Thesis Paper: Part One | CTIN 490: Directed Research
a•part•ment Prototype Three: The Motion Montage
As the player reaches the end of the first scene, the game cuts to the next one. Because they are
pressing W to move the car forward, they will be moving forward when they arrive in the next
scene, which is in first person.
Description
Gameplay: A series of scenes (minigames) seen from alternating first person and
third person perspective. Move with WASD, look with Mouse.
Gameplay goal: Read text; Move through to the next scene.
In this prototype, the player plays in first person and third person. In first person,
they are in a landscape in which they are able to walk around and read floating text.
In third person, they are placed in control of a car, seen from the back, which they
can move through a road as text appears and passes them by. There are five scenes;
they alternate from third person, to first first person, to first, to third, then back to
first.
Prompt/goal
In this prototype, I was experimenting with switching from a third person scene to
first person, from a first person scene to another first person scene, and from a third
person scene to another third person scene.
The techniques I am using are the following:
- cutting on player motion, where the player is actively moving (in the same
perceived direction) before the cut and after the cut
- foreshadow a cut using spatial visual clues (eg. placing a church in one scene, then
the same church in the next scene, so that the player connects the two scenes as
being in the same relative location)
- foreshadow a cut using recurring motifs (in this case, a black silhouette appears
near the end of each first person scene; when the player approaches it, the game
takes them to the next scene)
- cutting right before the player reaches a goal (eg. a black silhouette appears; the
player decides to walk towards it; just as they get close, the game cuts to a different
scene)
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Thesis Paper: Part One | CTIN 490: Directed Research
- cutting when an object occludes the camera (eg. as the player drives through the
highway, they travel under a sign; when the camera passes through it, and the sign
fills the frame, the game cuts to a different scene)
- music in the background to provide a continuous soundtrack from cut to cut
Hypothesis
My hypotheses were the following:
When the player goes from one scene to the next, they will ALWAYS BE CONFUSED
about what happened and ALWAYS LOSE CONTROL of their character.
This hypothesis could be evaluated by testing for the following:
How many seconds does the player take to control the character in a new scene? Do
they realize they can use a mouse in the first person scenes?
When the player goes from one scene to the next, they will NEVER CONNECT THE
TWO as being in the same relative spatial location.
What does the player say when asked: “Where are you heading?” “Where are you in
this scene?” or “What happened in this game?”
Results and Conclusions
This prototype needs to be tested further, both formally and informally, before
conclusions can be made.
Informal testing shows that players grasp the controls pretty easily; they are able to
control all scenes with relative ease (first hypothesis). However, none of the players
seem to have connected one scene to the next (second hypothesis). This is likely due
to the lack of obvious signifiers (eg. the church was not very present in either scene),
and due to the difference in visual appearance between scenes.
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Thesis Paper: Part One | CTIN 490: Directed Research
Conclusions
At this stage of my research - without formally collected data - I can not draw
definitive conclusions about the techniques I have experimented with. I can
however, draw a couple of informal conclusions:
1. Maintaining the player’s direction of motion from one scene to another is an
effective technique, even if there are no supporting elements (such as
matching shape/composition or a sound effect). I noticed this when I watched
people play a•part•ment Prototype Three: The Motion Montage, which includes
several motion-based cuts that do not have supporting compositional
elements. I was surprised to find that players did not get confused after these
cuts.
2. Cutting right before the player reaches a goal is another effective technique. I
employed this in several prototypes, including a•part•ment Prototype Three:
The Motion Montage. In the first-person scenes, players usually find the goal
easily, and head towards it; the game cuts right as they get close, and players
seem to accept it without negative reactions. I would like to investigate this
phenomenon further.
As I prepare for the next semester of research, I will be keeping these
techniques in mind when I find the need to fall back on reliable solutions. This is
likely to happen, as I have discovered this semester - some of my experiments were
frustrating because the techniques I was using were very ineffective. For example, in
a•part•ment Prototype Two: The Close-up Montage, I found that using static shots
made cuts extremely prominent. Shots often took a while to register with players
because, I think, they were all too similar. The lack of action and movement
occurring in these scenes gave me very little opportunities to make a cut; frankly,
they also made the prototype rather dull. This experiment was my most challenging
exercise, and I hope to give it a second try next semester.
This paper has been a retrospective of my process and informal conclusions of
a semester of research. Future work on the project will include the creation of new
prototypes, the development of at least two longer experiences, and formal
playtesting of all existing work.
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