Discussing Game Elements

Image from Wikipedia Commons

This weeks readings went more in depth into the vocabulary of game design by discussing how to analyse a game and figure out what makes it fun and the types of tools there are and can be used to create good games. This links in with the post I wrote about last weeks reading, which was about the lack of vocabulary that there is to help explain games without using comparisons to other games.

Most people when asked about their opinions of a game will either say that the game was fun or that it wasn't fun. This does not help designers to pinpoint what makes the game good however, most people don't know how to explain the elements of themes that they like or dislike because they lack the vocabulary. Some of the things designers can look at while making a game include players, how many players can a game support and how does it effect gameplay, objectives, what is the goal of the game and rules, the rules of the game.

Formal Abstract Design Tools (FADT) by Doug Church goes over some of the tools that designers use to create games while using examples of real games such as Mario 64 and Tekken to help in explaining these tools and how they help the player have fun in each game. He begins by explaining the types of things that fall under "formal" "abstract" "design" and "tools". This article doesn't go over every tool but it does go over a few good ones that will get the players enjoying your game and it gives an overview of the ideas behind FADT.

Mario 64 , which is used as the first example, has an element of open-ended exploration while also having a clear direction to the goal of all areas of the game but the player is allowed to decide which path they want to take first through the worlds, usually starting with the easiest path first.

The game also has a set amount of controls that always work in that set way. Because of this the player knows what they can and cannot do in terms of gameplay, and while there is different environments to explore and conquer the player does so with those set controls. This means that the player can look at a situation in the game and formulate their own plan using these controls, allowing the player to feel involved in the game.

This lead to two tools under FADT, intention and perceivable consequence. RPG's often use the perceivable consequence tool, often not in a clear cut way, but RPG's also use another tool under FADT, story. The story is revealed through the characters interaction with the world and other people in it. The game may lack the player involvement if the designer chooses to priorities story over perceivable consequence, which works for some games but not all.

These are some of the tools discussed in this weeks reading. These tools are there to help game designers create good and enjoyable games and to help players understand what it is they enjoy or don't enjoy about the game.