Week 3 Reading - Part I
Braithwaite introduces the chapter by stating that the word ‘game’ is often defined too broadly and that in turn this needs to be broken down into ‘atoms’ - atoms of game design are a way of making the processes of game significantly clearer by breaking it down through atoms.
The Game State, Game View & Game Space:
As if by magic Brathwaite makes us look at the bigger picture in order to fully understand games. Consideration to three separately defined topics are briefly addressed:
Game State: Means the state in which everything can change within a game, in certain video games this can be extremely complex, for example ‘Starcraft II’ the game state contains information about every possible move which revolves around vast amounts of units and every possible action and move from the opponents units. -”A collection of all relevant virtual information that may change during play".
Game View: Means the portions of what the player is able to see within a game, sometimes players aren’t always aware of the entire game state.
Game Space: Means the entire area of the game. This can be a small and simple board on which it’s played or a vast magnificent and visually beautiful fantasy world that can be huge.
In turn, I found this important information that I cannot help but note over-excessively. I feel that the breaking down of the processes of game design is important for me personally to truly understand and work with it.
Players, Avatars and Game Bits:
Brathwaite elaborates further on previous notes by defining other additional core components within the design of a game, the components include:
Players: Game space wouldn’t be a game without players - “By definition, all games have players since it’s the players who set the rules in motion”.
Avatar: “The thing that represents the player in the game word as an avatar” - however in some games there's no avatar, for example 'Civilization Revolution'
Game Bits (Board Games): These are things like property cards, dice, counters and plastic army pieces. We frequently refer to these game bits as ‘art assets’. - “The physical items required to play the game”.
- NPC: Non-Playable Character
- Fierce Enemy
Mechanics:
Mechanics are somewhat like rules within the game. More specifically they are how something works within it, for example:
- “If you do X then Y happens. If X is true, then you can do Y”.
A mechanic is all about possibility they have a dramatic impact of how the dynamics of the game play. A mechanic is all about possibility; they’re the vital ingredients for the designing of a game.
Whilst thinking about mechanics I thought about them and tried to apply them in the game that we’re currently developing for the group project module. I’ve listed what ‘I think’ are some of the mechanics within our game at the current stage of development:
- The player must acquire the ‘map’ item for the inventory to begin the game (Setup mechanic)
- The player has the freedom and ability to ‘free roam’ multiple areas, the user has the ability to set out own goals. (Player action mechanic)
- The player earning enough coins to leave the area within the game therefore wins the game. Completing various tasks will cause players to collects coins; these tasks involve the completion of QTE based mini games found within the world. (Victory condition mechanic)
- The game starts with one player and one player only throughout. (Progression of play mechanic)
- The player can always see information at any given time in relation to the inventory menu. Information in relation to quests can be often hidden. (Definition of game view(s) mechanic)
Setup: There must always be at least one rule that describes how the game begins.
Victory Conditions: There must always be at least one rule that describes how the game is won.
Progression of Play: Who goes first and how? Is the game turn based or real time?
Player Actions: Sometimes referred to as 'verbs', some of the most important mechanics describe what players can do and what effect those actions have on the game state.
Definition of Game View(s): Mechanics define exactly what information each player knows of at any given time. Note that some mechanics may change view, such as partially lifting fog of war.
- “Some mechanic combinations are easier for people to grasp than others”.
Dynamics:
Game dynamics is the ‘pattern of play’ that comes from the mechanics once they're set in motion by the players.
Examples of common dynamics and games include:
Race to the End Dynamic:
- Mario Cart
- Candyland
- The Game of Life
- Snakes and Ladders
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| Day[9] made me do it |
- Starcraft
- Go
- Civilisation
- Risk
- Axis and Allies
Brathwaite outlines that ‘though these games share the same dynamic the mechanics used to achieve that dynamic are different from game to game’.
Dynamics are part of play experience, but not all are explicitly defined or enforced by the mechanics - for example, interactions that take place between players out side of the game state. (Commonly referred to as the 'metagame') - Some examples of metagame dynamics are player’s negotiations, discussions, alliances, online chat and trash talking.
Goals:
Simply outlined as:
- The ultimate game goal is goal is of course, the victory condition.
- They typically provide rewards that motivate players.
Theme:
When Brathwaite talks about film it’s stated that a game doesn’t necessarily need to have a strong and interesting theme to therefore be a good game (gg) to play.
A theme within a game simply makes it more appealing and engaging for the audience to play.
Here’s a little list of some games off the top of my head which I feel may lack a substantial theme yet still remain an enjoyable game to play:
- Pong (1972)
- Breakout (1976)
- Tempest (1980)
- Marble Madness (1984)
- Tetris (1985)
The concept of what the game is 'about' goes by many names. It’s often defined as ‘theme’, 'colour', 'story’ or ‘narrative' among other terms.
The theme of a game lies outside the mechanics yet somehow when chosen well, can make the mechanics feel more natural.
What comes first?
With all this in mind Brathwaite outlines that “It can go in just about any order” – Glad this has been confirmed, this is important information for the thought process which would go into making a perhaps original or good idea for a game mechanic or dynamic.
Putting it all together:
From this section in my own words I’ll put it as, “Never backspace. Never surrender.” Brathwaite basically tells us that an initial game idea being put into practice might not seem enjoyable at first but to keep working with it by ‘adding and subtracting mechanics’.
- “Learn to expirment and take joy in your designs and in the process of design. Remember you can make a game about anything”
-“Design a game and be hooked”
Gamasutra: Formal Abstract Design Tool by Dough Church:
Week 3 Reading - Part II
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3357/formal_abstract_design_tools.php
For the second section of this weeks reading we looked at an article by Dough Church which covers the features of what a modern computer game is made up by breaking them down into sections.
How do we talk about games?
Church Getting the good points from simple games and applying the same concept to more complex bigger games.
Design:
- Design aspects withing the gaming industry has had the most trouble evolving.
Primrary inhibitor of evolution
- Lack of Common vocabulary
- Share language of Game Design
- Hard to trade genre specific inovations with other genres.
- FADT Formal Abstract Design Tools
Some aspects might work in one game but when crossed over ideas might work/flow well together.
- Controls gradually getting to know the controls
Tools:
Form user own goal - act on it
- Made to feel in control
Vocabulary:
Intention:
- Plan ahead/purpose
- Understand your play options and respong to situation
Percievable Consequences:
- The game reacts based on your action/input
Multiple Tools - Co-operation, Conflict, Confusion.
Story can over-ride intention
Intention, Consequenc, Story.
Breaking up the game:
The player does something and has expectations about what will happen.
PERCEIVABLE CONSEQUENCES... Why this is cool?
Very broad definitions of games.
People need to be slowly paced into a game/start simple.
Additional Notes:
Formal elements of games:
- Player intention - players ability to devise and carry out their own plans
Perseivable Consiquences
