Exercise 5: Information Structures

Name of Partner: Nick Sundermeyer

Learned: How to make changes to a game to limit the amount of information that the players have.

Exercise 4

Partners: Griffin and Peter V.

Things Learned: How to change the rules of an already established game to make a new one that is more complex. Understand the systems of checkers.

Reading 3 Chapter 5

                This reading focused on the concept of game systems. Fullerton defines a system as a set of interacting elements that form an integrated whole with a common goal. Systems are made up of objects, properties, behaviors and relationships. Properties define physical or conceptual aspects of objects. Behaviors are potential actions an object may perform in a certain state. Relationships are needed because without them objects are just a collection and not a system. A system is greater than the sum of its parts, meaning that each individual piece is meaningless if it isn’t constantly interacting with the rest in some way.

                One type of system that can be present in a game is an economy. An economy is defined by Fullerton as the utility and scarcity of resources which allows for exchanges to be made. There are multiple types of economies defined in the text. Simple bartering is the trading of objects where amount of product is fixed, there is no money supply, prices are fixed, and trading opportunities aren’t restricted. In complex barter the amount of product is controlled in growth, there is no money, prices are at market value with a cap and trading opportunities are restricted by turn. In a simple market the amount of product is fixed, money supply is controlled growth, prices are at market value and trading opportunities aren’t restricted. In a complex market the amount of product is control growth, the money supply is controlled growth, prices are market value with a base and trading opportunities aren’t restricted. The last is a meta-economy where the amount of product is controlled growth, money supply is not available, price is market value and trading opportunities aren’t restricted.

                The last topic of this chapter is emergent systems, which are systems where one individual component does little, but many of those same components together make a complex system. When making a game, it is important to consider the information structure, which is how much info the players have. There is open where the player knows everything, hidden where the player knows nothing of the opponent and a mix of the both. The controls of the game are important as well. Will players have direct or indirect control? What is the right control style for the game? Feedback is the output of an interaction and the change it has on another system element. I found the types of economy interesting and how much variety there can be and how it effects the gameplay. After reading this I would ask is why aren’t emergent systems more common in digital games?

Tabletop Game 1: Cross Town Race

By Brad Tully and Shenghua Chen

Rules

·         Each player has one game piece that they are trying to move across the map

·         They start in opposite corners that are pre-marked with a checkered flag and are trying to get to the other pre-marked spot

·         The player can move forward, left, and right

·         Each player starts out with 10 fuel tokens (marked “F”)

·         The player can move a total 3 spaces in a turn

·         Each space that the player moves will use one fuel token

·         There are two special spaces that the player can land on:

·         The refuel spot marked “R” with a corresponding number which is the amount of fuel tokens the player receives for landing there, the player cannot stay on this spot for multiple turns

·         The “?” block where the player rolls the dice and depending on the number rolled one of the following happens. After rolling pick up the corresponding card, it can be used when the player so chooses.

·         1: Get 5 fuel points

·         2: Move 2 spaces for free

·         3: Disable the other player for a turn

·         4: Steal 2 fuel points from the other player

·         5: Nothing sorry :(

·         6: Double gas mileage for one turn (can move up to 6 spaces)

·         If the player runs out of gas they automatically go to the nearest 5 token refilling station behind them

Play Testing Outside of Class

Changes Made

·         Increased the amount of spaces on the board

·         Made the ends more balanced and similar

·         Decreased the refuel spaces

·         Clarified some unclear rules

In Game Action Shot

In Class Play Testing

In terms of gameplay the only criticism from some was a little too much luck. The other criticism was the lack of connection to the city theme and a weak presentation. If I were going to make changes to the game I would add more city themed art and color to it and make some changes to the board that evoke more of a city based theme. Such as traffic lights and routes instead of an open board design.

Reading 2 Chapter 3

                This chapter starts of talking about a unique feature to games, the invitation to play. Games directly ask the player to join the experience. One features of games is the numbers of players it can be an exact number or variable from one or more. Players in some games can take up unique rolls which changes the way they play the game. Games have certain player interaction patterns. There is single player versus the game, multiple individual players versus the game, but not directly working together or conflicting with each other. There is player versus player, unilateral competition which is one player vs multiple players. Cooperative play is another style as is team competition which pits multiple teams against each other.

                Objectives are the basis of gameplay goals and strategy. The objectives listed in the chapter are capture, chase, race, rescue, construction, exploration, solution, and outwit. There is also alignment where the player must organize game pieces in a certain way to win. Another objective is forbidden action which is one where the player that performs it will lose the game. Procedures in games are the processes that the player goes through to accomplish parts of the game. The core procedures are the starting action, progression of action, special actions and resolving actions.

                Rules are an important factor of games that balance the complexity of the game and are the basis of what players can and cannot do. They must be clear so players can understand them. Rules can define objects or concepts, restrict actions, and determine certain effects. Resources are what is available to the players to use. Common resources are lives, units, health, currency, actions, power-ups, inventory, special terrain, and time. Conflicts are working against the player and can be obstacles, opponents, and dilemmas such as how to allocate resources. Games have certain boundaries that contain them and the game ends in a specific outcome.

                I found the list of player interaction patterns to be interesting. Specifically, unilateral competition and multiple individual players versus the game. I feel like these are lesser used player interaction patterns. Also in objectives alignment and forbidden act aren’t really used too much in digital games. Can there be more forms of player interaction and objectives that aren’t on the list?

Exercise 3 Variable Amount of Skill vs Luck

Partner: Jake Krachman

Learned: How to balance the amount of luck and skill in a game. How luck and skill can add or detract good qualities from a game.

Reading 1 Chapter 2

                In Chapter 2 Fullerton asks, what are the defining quality of games? Games have players that except the rules. The have a clear objective. There are procedures that players complete to achieve goals. The rules define what they can and can’t do. There are resources or objects of value in the game. The game has a conflict which keeps you from your goal. The game has a physical and metaphorical boundary. It has an unpredictable outcome.

Fullerton also asks, what makes games engaging? Things like challenge, play, premise, characters, story and dramatic elements. Per Tracy Fullerton this is all just a framework for games not an absolution. Games are now becoming more abstract and getting into the fields of art and education.

I thought the way Fullerton set up a sound format for what a standard game is was interesting. I think it is a good simple way of defining a game. I also thought her outline for what makes a game engaging was interesting. After reading this my question would be can you have a “true” game by her definition and it also be an abstract piece of art?

Exercise 2: Luck vs Skill

Name: Brad Tully

Partner: Jake Krachman

Play-testers: Esya Kircher, Isaac Kaaren

Learned: The contrast between a game based on skill and one based on luck. How to mechanically base a game on skill or luck. Try and make a variety of paper based games.

Luck Game

Skill Game

Rules for Both

Evaluation Sheet

Exercise 1 "Warmup"

Name: Brad T.

Partner: Peter

Play Testers: Andrew and Max

Learned: The process of quickly making a prototype of a board game with constraints and having to work out rules and mechanics to make a fun and interesting game.