Game Development Essentials An Introduction Chapter 6 Gameplay

Game Development Essentials An Introduction

Chapter 6 Gameplay creating the experience

Key Chapter Questions ■ How are a game’s challenges and strategies associated with gameplay? ■ What are interactivity modes and how do they relate to gameplay? ■ What is the relationship between gameplay and story? ■ What is the difference between static and dynamic balance? ■ How can the Prisoner’s Dilemma and the tragedy of the commons be applied to cooperative gameplay?

Rules Victory Conditions (Tekken) Loss Conditions (Battle of the Generals)

Interactivity Modes • Player-to-game • Player-to-developer • Player-to-platform • Player-to-player • One-on-one • Unilateral • Multilateral • Team

Game Theory Zero Sum (chess) Non Zero Sum [NZS] (Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark)

Game Theory

Game Theory Tragedy of the Commons

Types of Challenges • Implicit vs. explicit • Perfect vs. imperfect information • Intrinsic vs. extrinsic knowledge • Pattern recognition & matching • Spatial awareness • Micromanagement • Reaction time

Challenges & Game Goals/Objectives • Advancement • Race • Puzzles • Exploration • Conflict (competition) • Capture • Chase • Organization • Escape • Break the rules (taboo) • Construction • Solution • Outwit

Balance Features • Consistent challenges • Perceivably fair playing experiences • Lack of stagnation • Lack of trivial decisions • Difficulty levels

Balance Static • Obvious strategies • Trade-offs/economics • Combination (resources) • Feedback (positive vs. negative) • Symmetry (transitive vs. intransitive)

Balance Static (Symmetry)

Balance Static (Symmetry)

Balance Dynamic • Destroy • Maintain • Restore In Black & White: Creature Isle, players can sometimes destroy order.

Summary • Rules: victory vs. loss conditions • Interactivity modes • Game theory: Prisoner’s Dilemma & tragedy of the commons • Types of challenges • Challenges & game goals/objectives • Static vs. dynamic balance