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Game design is the process of designing the content and rules of a game. The term is also used to describe both the game design embodied in an actual game as well as documentation that describes such a design.
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Some types of game design involve integration of many varying disciplines. Video game design, for example, requires the co-ordination of:
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All of the above have designs elements to them, which makes the clear and concise definition of video game design difficult. The complex nature of video game development arises because of interdependencies between these design disciplines. Decisions made in one area tend to create constraints in others. For example, art specifications can conflict with technical constraints, or the design might appear coherent overall, but be impractical to build.
These interdependencies, although typically less complex, are also applicable to more traditional game design, such as board games, where the designer might seek to make the game fun, but may also wish to make sure that it is possible to mass produce, market and sell it while still turning a profit.
A game design document which describes a game's design may be used during development, although this is not the only way to design a game. Many games have been developed primarily through iterative prototyping which, depending on the type of game, can be a more appropriate way of discovering new designs than theorizing on paper. This was particularly true of early video games where the programmer was often also the designer and designs were much more constrained by technology, while at the same time new and ingenious programming techniques were being devised in parallel with the game design itself. In practice, some combination of forward planning and iterative design is used in the development of a game.
Iterative design tends to be more suitable for core game mechanics (or gameplay) where the emergent properties of the design can be very hard to predict. On the other hand, game elements such as story, setting, logical flow and level designs often lend themselves to being designed on paper, although almost invariably some unforeseen issues will arise that will need to be dealt with through a modification of the paper design. Thus, even a design document can and usually does undergo some kind of iterative process during the development of a game, either formally or informally.
Numerous games have narrative elements which give a context to an event in a game, make the activity of playing it less abstract and enhance its entertainment value, although narrative elements are not always clearly present or present at all. Tetris is an example of a game apparently without narrative. It should be noted that some narratologists claim that all games have a narrative element. Some go further and claim that games are essentially a form of narrative. Narrative in practice can be the starting point for the development of a game, or alternatively can be added to a design that started as a set of game mechanics.
Some narrative elements directly relevant to game design are:
Narrative elements of a game are the primary aspect of games that are used in marketing, due to the ease with which they can be related in non-interactive media.
Games invariably involve activities in which the game player engages, usually for the purpose of entertainment, education or training. Some examples are:
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Many games have multiple interrelated activities.
Gameplay is a commonly used term used to describe the interactive aspects of video game design. In recent times it has also come to be used in the context of more traditional games. An alternative name for gameplay that is finding favor with academics is game mechanics, although there are arguments that gameplay and game mechanics are different concepts. Gameplay is what distinguishes a game from a non-interactive medium such as a book or film. Often the game designer seeks to provide challenges to a player through the design of game mechanics that it is hoped the player will find entertaining. Key concepts in gameplay design are:
The design process varies from designer to designer and companies have different formal procedures and philosophies.
The typical "textbook" approach is to start with a concept or a previously completed game and from there create a game design document. This document is intended to map out the complete game design and acts as a central resource for the development team. This document should ideally be updated as the game evolves throughout the production process.
Designers are frequently expected to adapt to multiple roles of widely varying nature: For example, concept prototyping can be assisted with the use of pre-existing engines and tools like Game Maker. Level designs might be done first on paper and again for the game engine using a 3d modelling tool. Scripting languages are used for many elements—AI, cutscenes, GUI, and many other behaviors and effects—that designers would want to tune without a programmer's assistance. Setting, story and character concepts require a research and writing process. Designers may oversee focus testing, write up art and audio asset lists, and write game documentation. In addition to the skillset, designers are ideally clear communicators with attention to detail and ability to delegate responsibilities appropriately.
Design approval in the commercial setting is a continuous process from the earliest stages until the game ships:
When a new project is being discussed (either internally, or as a result of dialogue with potential publishers), the designer may be asked to write a sell-sheet of short concepts, followed by a one or two-page pitch of specific features, audience, platform, and other details. Designers will first meet with leads in other departments to establish agreement on the feasibility of the game given the available time, scope, and budget. If the pitch is approved, early milestones focus on the creation of a fleshed-out design document. Some developers advocate a prototyping phase before the design document is written to experiment with new ideas before they become part of the design.
As production progresses, designers are asked to make frequent decisions about elements missing from the design. The consequences of these decisions are hard to predict and often can only be determined after creating the full implementation. These are referred to as the unknowns of the design, and the faster they are uncovered, the less risk the team faces later in the production process. Outside factors such as budget cuts or changes in milestone expectations also result in cuts to the design, and while overly large cuts can take the heart out of a project, cuts can also result in a streamlined design with only the essential features, polished well.
Towards the end of production, designers take the brunt of responsibility for ensuring that the gameplay remains at a uniform standard throughout the game, even in very long games. This task is made more difficult under "crunch" conditions, as the entire team may begin to lose sight of the core gameplay once pressured to hit a date for a finished and bug-free game.
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This book is intended to be an experimental guide to the rapidly developing field of game design. Unlike Video Game Design or Game Theory this guide is focused on theories on games and gameplay drawn from existing real-world examples, from traditional classics to today's computerized games. This should be an inclusive book that approaches the subject from multiple angles. Because of this and the fast-paced nature of the subject it may take many revisions and rearrangements! When contributing please try to use well-known games, but feel free to open up new sections if you identify a possible new development.
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It's a good question, and a common question, one that you can spend a great deal of time arguing over. The definition, conscious or not, will influence how one decides to design a game. So it makes sense to begin there.
There are multiple ways we could define a game, with varying ranges of inclusiveness. The essential problem with most definitions, however, is that they only work when one looks at certain types of games or players.
First, let's state some things we can be certain of: -Games exist only by being played; they are interactive. -Between one and an infinite number of players may participate, depending on the game. -Some games are generally considered more entertaining than others, and some players prefer certain games to others.
The Competition definition holds that games are entirely about players competing against each other, to be the first or the best at something, or in the case of a solitaire game, to overcome the challenge presented to him through the gameplay. This is a reasonable definition for many games, and can be stretched even to very simple games such as Catch, where the only gameplay involved is tossing a ball or other object to the other players. The competition in Catch would be the players versus the ball and the environment; the player holding the ball must try to successfully throw it to the other player, and the other player must try to catch the ball without missing or dropping it. There is a deliberate attempt to make the game challenging; the players could hand the ball off to one another but they never choose to do so.
But what about something even simpler and less rule-based than Catch? Could we call building blocks a game to play? We do say that one "plays" with them. For the Competition definition, we would have to come up with some sort of competition that the player has between himself and the blocks, or his mind.
The player does have a challenge in building structures of his own devising, in coming up with architecture that won't collapse. But neither the blocks nor his mind are trying to hinder him in this goal. They are both tools, assisting him. The blocks have the property of being weighted and prone to gravity, and the mind is not going to assist him perfectly through every step of the process, but these are properties of the objects, not active attempts to foil him. Unlike in the case of Catch, where the players wish to be challenged, someone building blocks is interested in using his tools purely to a productive advantage.
So if you consider building blocks to be a game, then the Competition definition fails. It should be noted, though that many designers consider them and derivative items(Legos, Simcity, etc.) to be toys rather than games.
(The challenge in the game makes the game. Building blocks is playing in a different form, driven by personal targets to create the outcome. A game has set rules, and usually has a beginning, middle and an end, whereas playing mostly starts and ends at your own will without rules controlling the way you manipulate or use your play things. Playing is 100% down to you. A game is set out to be played in a particular manner.)
The earliest known games are board games such as Go and Nine Men's Morris. Sports records show that athletic gaming existed in ancient times as well.
Up until the industrial age, newly designed games were not well-known, if they existed. But a lot of the games and sports played today were invented or had modern rules drawn during the 19th century. Baseball, basketball and football (both the American and international games) are examples of sports that grew up in that period. While some evolution of the rules has taken place since then, they largely resemble the same games played today. New board games like the game of Goose also started appearing at this time. These changes may be most easily attributed to a combination of improved transportation, communication, and manufacturing; with a more mobile society, popular games could easily spread throughout the world, and games with specialized equipment could be built in larger numbers.
The next 'big wave' came with the 1950s and 60s, with the newly developing American consumer society. In this period both flashier and more complex games started appearing. Of special note was the increasing complexity of war games that continued into the 70s, that eventually branched off into the role-playing game.
Of course, during the same time frame video games were just being born. As far back as the 1950s the use of electronics, and especially computers, as a medium for entertainment had been considered or experimented with by academics and enthusiastic students. By the 1970s, they were ready to be mass marketed, first with Pong and variations thereof, then in a series of arcade games such as Canyon Bomber and Lunar Lander, and at about the same time with the Atari 2600 VCS(Video Computer System). These very early video games are notable because of their originality. They were made by and for an inexperienced gaming population, something very different from what is seen today. And most of them found success, being neither copycat imitators nor rushed, uninspired "genre" pieces.
Today, the technology has advanced greatly. No longer just a few rules with simple graphics and sound effects, most modern video games attempt to be virtual reality experiences that engage their players by conveying settings and stories in a visceral manner, combining the techniques of the cinema with gameplay rules to make settings seem realistic. They are produced at great expense and risk; the amount of content needed to achieve an impact competitive with other games has grown astronomically large.
Indeed, one of the more interesting developments in gaming has been the added significance of the 'storyline'. Back when the prime requirement of a video game was to reproduce the playability factor associated with the traditional board game, the inclusion of a background to the events taking place in the game was a manual filler at best. However, with the evolution of gaming technology bringing us ever closer to a fully convincing visual representation of an 'imagined reality', there is now a huge emphasis on the way in which the story unravels around the user's interactions. Any modern action or adventure game that wants to stand a chance out there now requires strong script writing, a solid plot with the occasional twist, and if they're really pushing the boat out, multiple endings/outcomes based on choices made by the user throughout the game. The makers of these games not only want to create a fully interactive cinematic experience, but also one that stands a good chance of winning an Oscar.
Future games may break the boundaries of the screen and common input devices and use methods of input and output that we can hardly imagine today.
The problem with todays game market is that because of the money involved most new games are similar to old tried and tested formulas. The sad fact is that originality is lost, the big players no longer want to risk their money on original ideas.
Perhaps more important than what the game is, is what the player gets out of the game. That's what a "gameplay experience" is - it encompasses the whole range of player thoughts and feelings during play. Some games try to be more engaging than others, and they may come from different angles. But whether the game is just a component of a larger event(a party, for example) or an event in itself, the experience, rather than the production values or quantity of gameplay, is the measure of what makes the game effective.
(Overall the gaming experience is the most important thing, although the target at the end of the game can enhance the play, take gambling for example, the thought of winning money at the end of the game heightens the playing experience. Matthew Eggins)
(The gaming experience is all about immersion, to believe in a small way you are connected, and can affect the events that are unraveling before you. Whether you are snowboarding down a mountain, playing god or shooting your way through mindless zombies, you are connected with the virtual world. It is your journey through that world that is as; if not more important than the end finale. Luke Angell)
(The emotions you are put through in a game also play a big part in the gaming experience, if for example you are playing a game based on a film, you take the emotions conjured up during that film into the game, whether it be fear or a feeling of being invincible for example, you therefore become even further immersed, possibly more so than someone who may not have seen the film. James Crossett)
Social games, used to pass time or as an excuse to drink or as a way of demonstrating status, among other things, are usually simple enough to grasp quickly, or can be played with little concentration over gossip.
Challenging games are focused on the presentation of increasingly difficult problems for the player(or players) to solve. Sports are examples of challenging games because they try to test the limits of human abilities; this is why professional leagues can be sold as entertainment for spectators.
Modern game design, especially video game design, has grown increasingly interested in conveying immersive worlds that players can become deeply involved in. Virtual reality is the most appropriate term for this path of design, which is concerned not so much with the storyline or actual realism as it is with making the setting and action as convincing as possible.
Despite the wonderful benefits games offer as diversions, spending too much time, to the neglect of normal life duties, and social development with direct contact with others can and often does happen. The line between Addiction and a strong enjoyment of games is real, although the addict will rarely admit which side he (or she) is on. There are many resources to help the addict.
Games will train and educate people, providing new skills and knowledge they can use outside of the game. An example is readily found in flight simulators, but even arcade racing games will train the player to manage more complex situations They will leave the player in an emotional and intellectually changed state. This can be a profound change (anger, catharsis, even love)or a superficial one. The relevance of these is different for each game and must play a role in game-design. In general designers will try to provide a catharsis at the end of each game, an happy ending. But more importantly the player will take away an updated concept of the game itself. This will not just be static knowledge, for example maps of the game or the pros and cons of combos. The player will also gain dynamic knowledge, going over the gameplay in his head, replaying rather than analyzing the game. This after game experience is more relevant to game-design as it creates a slower, more profound feedback loop into the game. For example a puzzle game is changed when the gamer can pause or replay after a night's rest. Another example has a player planning his rpg character upgrades and coming back to the game anxious to obtain them.
A last important issue is the relevance of the world to the game. People can come away from a game curious, and learn more about outside game issues that will then influence later gameplay. For example a tactical tank simulation designed with real world combat in mind can be cracked by studying real world combat. Social contact will provide them with info that will also influence later gameplay. Players will visit walkthroughs or discuss tactics with friends. And don't forget that the player will predict these matters while playing. For example, a hardcore gamer will not readily plunge into a children's pony-combing game if he has to tell his friends later on. Tying in the player after he stops playing can make or break a game. Ultimately you want the player to come back. (L2GX)
   | Tom Sloper's game biz advice - Game Design FAQs |
| | The Art of Computer Game Design - The Art of Computer Game Design |
| | rec.games.design FAQ - Designing Games: rec.games.design FAQ |
| | Game Industry Map - David Perry's Game Industry Map 2.0 |
| | Gamasutra - Gamasutra - The Art & Business of Making Games |
| | Swords & Circuitry: A Designer's Guide to Computer Role-Playing Games - Swords & circuitry: a designer's ... - Google Books |
| | Game Design Wiki - Game Design Wiki: Home Page |
| | ACM Queue - ACMQ Site - ACM Queue |
| | Game Design Wiki - Game Design Wiki: Home Page |
| | Gamedev Wiki - Main Page - Gamedev.org wiki |
| | Video Game Design Wiki - Video Game Design Wiki - Non-linear thoughts on game design |
| | On Game Design and Other Things - On Game Design and Other Things |
| | Games Design - MSc Design Engineering - Middlesex University |
| | Game Design Novice - Game Design Novice: Game Design Novice |
| | My Game Ideas - Most Recent Game Ideas - My Game Ideas |
| | Entertainment Technology Center - Carnegie Mellon's Entertainment Technology Center |
| | "Swords & Circuitry: A Designer's Guide to Computer Role-Playing Games" by Neal Hallford and Jana Hallford - Amazon.com: Swords & Circuitry: A Designer's Guide to Computer Role-Playing Games (Game Development): Neal Hallford, Jana Hallford: Books |
| | Background and advice - The Many Worlds of Neal Hallford |
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