Game Elements Reading

Game Elements Readings

I read this article on Gamasutra.com. The part on page 3 of the article discussing Mario 64 I found very interesting as it discusses how the games simple and easy to grasp controls allow the player to interact with the game and to have god control over how they do things and the way in which they do them without making mistakes and feeling like it was the games fault.

I also enjoyed this section page 5 of the article detailing how the narrative/story of the game is often times what drives the player to complete the game as the player will become invested in the story and will want to see how it ends. I found this interesting as i'm sure some people may feel that engaging gameplay is what keeps the player invested in the game. In some instances it can be the narrative of the game can be what keeps the player invested especially if the gameplay isn't anything special or unique.

I also enjoyed reading this part of the article on Page 7 detailing how the gameplay of a game can lead to the creation of player created stories the example given was how in a fighting game the experience the player has often times becomes a story on its own. This is relatable to me as often times playing an online game can led to player driven stories and events being created that aren't planned by the game designers. Having game mechanics that lead to gameplay storytelling is very important in my opinion.

The Elements of Game Design
Source: Knowledgeguru.com

Game Idea Research

Three Possible Game Mechanics 

1. Dynamic Adaptive Environment: This idea involves the world that the game takes place in having the ability to change based on the decisions made by the player. For example if the player makes a certain choice a location will appear completely different from a player who didn't make that choice.

2. Procedurally Generated Elements: I would like the game to have randomised elements that are different every time the game is played. This adds replay value to the game as the game is different in some way for each person that plays it. Examples of things that could be procedurally generated are the spawn locations of items and enemies. Buildings and building interiors could also be procedurally generated. Example of procedural generation in games, Engadget.com

3. Weather that affects how the game is played: I would like to feature a weather system in the game that has an effect on gameplay for example, if there is rain it will make it more difficult to traverse the environment as it will be slippery. Another example would be if there is snow you will need to stay indoors as there is a risk of freezing to death or receiving damage from the cold.

Minecraft uses procedural generation to create a unique world for each player
Source: Source: Flickr.com

Game Design Readings

My Thoughts on the Game Design Readings

"The Art of Computer Game Design" by Chris Crawford

Source: Wikipedia Commons

After I spent time reading three of the supplied articles. I felt that I learned a lot about the process of game design. The first article I read was The Essence of Euro-Style Games. This article was very interesting. I learned about what exactly a "Euro Game" is as I have never heard of this term before. Factors that make a Euro Game unique include Simple rules, can be played in under an hour and no player elimination featured. I found learning about these features fascinating as I was completely unaware of the concepts behind a Euro Game.

The second article I read was So You're Going to Make a Video Game For The First Time?. This article was very interesting as it features a lot of useful tips for aspiring game designers. Advice that I personally found helpful included always putting gameplay first over the appearance or story of your game. I feel this is important as fun gameplay will always be what keeps a player coming back to your game. Another piece of advice I thought is helpful was to thoroughly play your game before to showcasing it to anyone else this is to ensure you are satisfied with the quality of the game yourself before receiving feedback or criticism.

The third article I read was What Computer Game Designers Can Learn From Non-Electronic Games. This article was interesting as it detailed the origin of the medium of games. Many may think of games such as Pong where the first video game but they weren't. Games existed much earlier and were often used as a form of training exercise during wars. This was new to me but is completely understandable. I also learned about the growth of board games as an entertainment medium post World War II and how this eventually led to the creation of the first video games from designers influenced by the past.

Overall the three articles I read were quite informative and entertaining in my opinion.