Lesson 4: Game Mechanics

Question 1

For the purposes of this course, what is a game mechanic?

Answer 1

A game mechanic is an action in the game that changes the state of the game.

Question 2

Arcade games focused solely on… and were the earliest attempts of merging what? Why

Answer 2

Arcade games are the best example of games that focused solely on mechanics, and were the earliest attempts of merging progressive and emergent gameplay. They needed to be interesting, memorable, yet infinitely replayable and simple enough to run on shitty tech.

Question 3

Why were the 70s to mid 80s the golden age of arcade games? In addition to?

Answer 3

The golden age of arcade games was in the 70s to mid 80s, because they focused purely on gameplay, in addition to peak popularity and unique control schemes/graphical capabilities.

Question 4

Why was Space Invaders an important arcade game? Pac-Man? Dragon Slayer?

Answer 4

Space Invaders: intuitive, with a difficulty curve and musical soundtracks that were context sensitive (sped up as gameplay more intense), inspired many games to followPac Man: Each ghost had its own behavior, generated 2.5b in coin revenue, marketed towards a wider audience, and the maze never changes, but gameplay does.Dragon Slayer: First to use laserdisc tech for cutscenes, and pioneered quick time events with cutscenes rewarding success, yet lackluster gameplay.

Question 5

Why did Roger Ebert say that games can never be art?

Answer 5

Roger Ebert said that games can never be art because they lack authorial control and require player choices. Yet others think that interactivity is an emerging form of artistic engagement.

Question 6

What is a game state? What is a unique quality of a game state?

Answer 6

Game State: Positions/characteristics of all objects & environments at particular moment in time. A game state can be recorded and returned to at any point in time, like leaving a chess game in progress and coming back to it days later.E.g., Chess has an opening game state with all pieces lined up.

Question 7

What is ludology? What do ludologists often study?

Answer 7

Ludology: Study of rl b/t interaction and rule systems and the potential for action in games, excluding symbolic/representational aspects of games like art or characters unless they are involved in interactivity.E.g. Ludologists often study interfaces: How do they limit/create opportunities for action?

Question 8

What are Avadon’s 10 structural elements for understanding video games? Be able to describe each.

Answer 8

1. Purpose of Game-Chess, checkmate opponent. Hockey, score goal.2. Procedure for ActionHow players interact with the game (controls, generally)3. Rules Governing ActionRules constraining allowable actions4. # of Required Participants5. Role of Participants6. Results or pay-offPoker: Win the pot, Donkey Kong: Add name to high score list7. Abilities and Skills Required for ActionExpertise of the player (newb/pro?) and skills the game requires (bluffing)8. Interaction PatternsHow players interact in the game? Single player, 2 player?9. Physical Setting10. Required Equipment

Question 9

What happens when only one element of Avadon’s 10 is changed for a game? Example?

Answer 9

An important point: Changing one element of these can drastically change the game experience. For example, changing #4 in Badminton, from Singles to Doubles, creates a very different feeling game.

Question 10

What is Avadon’s definition of a mechanic?

Answer 10

From Avadon’s perspective, what is a game mechanic? A means for interaction that is constrained by rules.

Question 11

What is Sicarte’s definition of a mechanic? Describe Agents & Agency.

Answer 11

Methods invoked by agents designed for interaction with the game world.Agents: Players/NPCs that interact with the gameAgency: Your actions in the game have effects on/in the game itself

Question 12

What did Miguel Sicarte think mechanics were? What does he say about the idea of mechanics constraining interactions?

Answer 12

Game mechanics are about the verbs that permit player action in the world. He believes that mechanics (verbs) don’t constrain interactions, but that players often appropriate the methods for their own meaningful interactions, leading to emergence.

Question 13

What is Koster’s approach to mechanics called, and what type of approach is it? What is the black box? And how is it understood? What perspective does this focus on?

Answer 13

Pioneered the game grammar perspective, a cognitive approach to game mechanics. The game is a mysterious black box, and the players discover its rules (existing in programming code) by playing the game and receiving feedback. In essence, the black box is the game’s mechanics interacting with each other to give you feedback.Koster’s view tends to focus on the designer’s perspective of the game.

Question 14

What kind of an approach to mechanics is MDA? How is it more balanced? How are it’s two perspectives viewed, and what two ways can it be used as a tool?

Answer 14

MDA is a systems approach (interaction b/t elements) to game theory, whereas Koster’s is more structural with it’s ludeme building blocks.MDA can be used as both a tool for analysis and design, and is a balanced perspective between the player and designer. Designer experiences MDA from the M end, the Player experiences MDA from the A end.

Question 15

Define Mechanics, Dynamics, and Aesthetics.

Answer 15

Mechanics: The various actions, behaviors, and control mechanisms afforded to the players within a game context.Dynamics: Run-time behavior of the mechanics, and the player’s behavior in-game.Aesthetics: How the player feels at an emotional level.

Question 16

What are mechanics and rules to Koster? What are ludemes?

Answer 16

To Koster, rules and mechanics are different. Mechanics are really just sets of rules, and these rule elements are called ludemes.

Question 17

What point does Jesse Schell make about mechanic’s necessity in games? How does he define mechanics?What are objects, rules, actions, chance mechanics, and functional space?

Answer 17

Everything springs from the mechanics, and without them, games would look like pictures or a movie screen.Mechanics: Interactions & rl that remain when aesthetics, technology, and story are stripped away.Objects: Functional objects in game, like snakes in QbertActions: Mechanics that involve what the player can do in gameRules: Set up all kinds of mechanics you can have in gameChance mechanic: Probability in a gameFunctional Space: The meaningful positions a game’s objects can be in: Qbert is 3d, but there are only 28 2d functional spaces on the board to occupy.

Question 18

What does Koster think about narrative in games?

Answer 18

Raph Koster believes that narrative in a game isn’t a mechanic, but feedback reward that you have successfully understood the game’s mechanics.

Question 19

What is emergent narrative. Nethack as an example?

Answer 19

However, games can also imply or construct narrative through mechanics, called emergent narrative, such as the “old war stories” from Nethack.

Question 20

How does Ico suggest narrative through its mechanics (3)

Answer 20

Even further, Ico suggests narrative through it’s mechanics in 3 ways:-cumbersome fighting mechanics, suggesting the boy’s intense efforts despite his awkward stature and desperate circumstances.-Hand-holding: Reinforces the helplessness of Yorda, and creates an intimate RL between Ico and Yorda-Leaving Yorda: Ico must leave Yorda to solve puzzles a few screens away, and rush back to save her when she is attacked.