GAMES AS SYSTEMSMay 21

Game Systems

Games are systems Formal elements create a dynamic

experience in which the players engage

“How the interaction of the formal and dramatic elements is structured forms the game’s underlying system and determines a great deal about the nature of the game and the experience of the players.”

Fullerton

Game Systems

Game systems – set of values that affect one another within an environment to form a larger pattern that is different from any of the individual parts. Experts often pick up on these patterns and exploit them in order to excel.

Zimmerman and Salen describe four elements that constitute a system: Objects – parts, elements, variables Formal elements like game

pieces. Attributes/properties – qualities or properties of the system and its

objects. Rules. Formal elements. Your book also includes here behaviors.

Internal relationships – The objects have relationships. Crucial characteristics of systems.

Environments – Systems do not exist in a vaccum but are affected by their surroundings.

Games as Systems - Fullerton Objects

Basic building blocks Physical, abstract, or both Ex.) Game pieces, players

(avatar/character)

Games as Systems

Properties Attributes of the objects Color, location More complex attributes = less

predictable relationships with other objects

Games As Systems

Behaviors Potential actions that an object might

perform in a given state. More potential behaviors = less

predictability within the system

Games as Systems

Relationships between objects May be hierarchical, through physical

space Choices made by the player may change

relationships Chance or rule sets can determine

relationships

System Dynamics

A system requires that all elements be present for it to accomplish its goal.

Greater than the sum of its parts. Relationships matter.

Sense of possibility

Economies

System structure You give your player resources, but

how do you allow your player to manage those resources?

Items of exchange Agents of exchange Methods of exchange

Economies

Simple bartering No currency Fixed amount of product Relative value of resources doesn’t change Trading not restricted

Complex bartering No currency Relative value of resources can change Total amount of product in the economy changes over the

course of the game Trading opportunities may be restricted (by turn, for

example) Oregon Trail

Economies

Simple Market Fixed amount of product Money supply can grow Prices are fixed within a system Trading not restricted

Complex Market Economy often sustained beyond a single game

session by any one player Player to player or player to system trade Trading not restricted Amount of product and money supply can grow in

a controlled fashion

Example of a Complex Market World of Warcraft Economics Guide

Metaeconomy

Meta, as in metaphysical Means the game or its economy has

spawned a real economy outside the game’s boundaries

Buy WoW accounts online

Why have an economy?

Use to advance or hinder player’s progress in the game

Can transform rudimentary games into complex systems

Can build community within your game

Emergent Systems

Disconnect between the rules and the way the system plays out

“A modest number of rules applied again and again to a limited collection of objects lead to variety, novelty and surprise. One can describe all the rules, but not necessarily all the products of the rules – not the set of all whole numbers, not every sentence in a language, not all the organisms which may arise from evolution.” Jeremy Campbell, Grammatical Man

Emergence

Variety, novelty, surprise

John Conway’s “Game of Life” http://www.bitstorm.org/gameoflife/

Using three rules, we can see emergence of a game system.

From simple beginnings, life-form-like patterns could develop.

Shows how rules can lead to emergent behavior

Most game theorists do not consider it a game Example of emergence and complexity

Game of Life

Birth: If an unpopulated cell is surrounded by exactly three populated cells, it becomes populated in the next generation

Death by loneliness: If a populated cell is surrounded by fewer than two other populated cells, it becomes unpopulated in the next generation

Death by overpopulation: If a populated cell is surrounded by at least four other populated cells, it becomes unpopulated in the next generation

= Complex and unpredictable results

Examples of Emergence in Games Bluffing in poker

Not put in the rules, but emerges from game playing experience

Hiding your money in Monopoly. No rules about WHERE you have to keep your money so people fake being out of money for pity.

Second Life

Second Life

Second Life

Anatomy of a Choice – Interacting with Games (Zimmerman/Salen) Anatomy of a choice:

Stage 1: What happened before the player was given the choice (internal event) Addresses the state at which point a choice must be made. Addresses the context in which a choice is made.

Stage 2: How is the possibility of choice conveyed to the player? (external event) Are there buttons? Empty spaces? How does the user know he or she can make a choice, and what that choice could be?

Stage 3: How did the player make the choice? (internal event) Mechanism. Button? Enters text?

Stage 4: What is the result of the choice? How will it affect future choices? (internal event) How does the action influence outcome immediately and later in the game?

Stage 5: How is the result of the choice conveyed to the player? (external event) Does something blow up? Is a space now filled and can’t be used later? Provides context for the next choice that needs to be made.

Anatomy of a Choice

How can you screw up giving the player choice? Make them feel that the choices they make are

arbitrary. Outcomes aren’t meaningful. Stage 4 failure.

Not knowing what to do next. Stage 2 failure. Need an arrow or highlight the next part on the map or something.

Losing a game without knowing why. Player didn’t get enough information about the current state of the game. Stage 5 failure. New state of the game not represented clearly enough to the player.

Not knowing if an action had an outcome. Player didn’t get adequate feedback on whether or not an action was taking. Stage 3 and 4 failure.

Interacting with systems

Information structure (helps at stage 1) To make decisions, players need info

about the current state of the game objects and their relationships

Open information structure – player has complete information about the game state

Hidden information structure – player does not receive certain information about their opponent’s game state.

Can use a mixture.

Interacting with Systems

Control – How will players control the game? Keyboard, controller, paper and pen,

cards? Core mechanics. Also an element of play.

Indirect control as in Rollercoaster Tycoon? Player changes variables to influence the state of the game.

Interacting with Systems

Feedback – In system terms, implies a direct relationship between the output of an interaction and a change to another system element. Positive (reinforcing) loop – Player is rewarded. In

Jeopardy! The player who answers correctly gets control of the board. Output grows or declines. Creates satisfying risk/reward

scenarios. Balancing relationships may be used to keep player’s progress in check.

Negative (balancing) loop – Player has something taken away. If you win a point you skip a turn, for example. Try to counteract the effects of change.