taxonomy helps us describe games, shedding light on how and why different games appeal to different players, or to the same players at different times.
Aesthetic Models
Using out aesthetic vocabulary like a compass, we can define models for gameplay. These models help us describe gameplay dynamics and mechanics.
For example: Charades and Quake are both competitive. They succeed when the various teams or players in these games are emotionally invested in defeating each other. This requires that players have adversaries( in Charades, teams compete, in Quake, the player competes against computer opponents) and that all parties want to win.
It’ s easy to see that supporting adversarial play and clear feedback about who is winning are essential to competitive games. If the player doesn’ t see a clear winning condition, or feels like they can’ t possibly win, the game is suddenly a lot less interesting.
Dynamic Models
Dynamics work to create aesthetic experiences. For example, challenge is created by things like time pressure and opponent play. Fellowship can be encouraged by sharing information across certain members of a session( a team) or supplying winning conditions that are more difficult to achieve alone( such as capturing an enemy base).
Expression comes from dynamics that encourage individual users to leave their mark: systems for purchasing, building or earning game items, for designing, constructing and changing levels or worlds, and for creating personalized, unique characters. Dramatic tension comes from dynamics that encourage a rising tension, a release, and a denouement.
As with aesthetics, we want our discussion of dynamics to remain as concrete as possible. By developing models that predict and describe gameplay dynamics, we can avoid some common design pitfalls.
Chance in 36
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Die Rolls
Probabilistic distribution of the random variable 2 D6.
For example, the model of 2 six-sided die will help us determine the average time it will take a player to progress around the board in Monopoly, given the probability of various rolls.
Room
Too Cold!
Too Hot! A thermostat, which acts as a feedback system.
Similarly, we can identify feedback systems within gameplay to determine how particular states or changes affect the overall state of gameplay. In Monopoly, as the leader or leaders become increasingly wealthy, they can penalize players with increasing effectiveness. Poorer players become increasingly poor.
Losers $$$$$$
Winners $$$$$$
Roll
The feedback system in Monopoly.
Pay Up!
Cash In!
Thermometer
Controller
Move
As the gap widens, only a few( and sometimes only one) of the players is really invested. Dramatic tension and agency are lost.
Using our understanding of aesthetics and dynamics, we can imagine ways to fix Monopoly – either rewarding players who are behind to keep them within a reasonable distance of the leaders, or making progress more difficult for rich players. Of course – this might impact the game’ s ability to recreate the reality of monopoly practices – but reality isn’ t always“ fun”.
Mechanics
Mechanics are the various actions, behaviors and control mechanisms afforded to the player within a game context. Together with the game’ s content( levels, assets and so on) the mechanics support overall gameplay dynamics.