Challenges in Generating Juice Effects For Automatically Designed Games

Automated game design research is usually most concerned with the mechanics and systems of a game, while aesthet- ics and effects are left to a minimum, if they are considered at all. In this project we integrate Squeezer, a tool for gen- erating visual and audio effects (sometimes called juice) for games, with Puck, an automated game designer. The result- ing hybrid system can design games and then generate ap- propriate sets of effects, making it the first automated game design system that directly engages with ‘juiciness’ in design. We support this work with a user study, measuring player re- sponses to games with simple animations, effects automati- cally designed and arranged by Puck, and effects designed and arranged by an expert human designer. We then dissect the engineering challenges presented by integrating the two systems, and the new research questions raised by applying juice through automated game design systems.