Geimzain (Designing games. A guide to engineering experiences) - Part I

Continuing the theme of system design (centimeter post 2023) I decided to think about a book I read a year ago with great interest that was about game design. Ironically, I stopped playing games. 20 Years ago, but I really like books about games.) Specifically in this book, I found many parallels with the design of complex information systems, development processes in the company, hr-processes such as compiling competency matrices or performance review. This is a book by Tynan Sylvester published in English. 10 Years ago, I liked it. It tells about game design, which is wider than graphics, music, characters or the playing field. Game design is a dream simulator, a set of rules that bring the game to life. Interestingly, right on the back cover of the book is an algorithm for creating a good game for the most impatient: Create game mechanics that evoke emotions and provide diversity Learn how to combine story and interactivity Use interactions that will make players penetrate each other's heads Engage in action through rewards Plan, test and analyze game design consistently, rather than trying to solve everything in advance. Learn how positioning the game affects game design

If you look under the cover and look at the content, the book consists of 3 parts, 17 Chapters and one endgame, but in the first part of the post we will discuss only the first part of the book.

Part part 1 - Experience machines

In the first part, the author explains why to study game design and says a phrase that I think is perfect for software design:We will never create the perfect game, but by studying game design, we will be able to bring any game to perfection." It is funny that there is only one chapter in this part, which coincides in title with the very first part, but this chapter contains the main thoughts of the knieg.

The chapter begins with mechanics and events, where the first is created by game designers, and events are further generated by mechanics and these events should cause emotions in a person. (Otherwise, he will go to sleep or close the game.). Emotions occur when emotional triggers are triggered. (Usually these emotions are caused by the unconscious, reacting to a situation.). And at the heart of such triggers are significant changes that occur in the game world. And emotions are the goal of game design. Next, the author gives a list of basic emotional triggers, which includes emotions from learning, character evolution, challenges, social interaction, acquisition, music, spectacle, beauty, environment, modern technology, threats, sexual signals. All these stories the author accompanies examples from games: chess, poker, football, Doom, Half-Life and others. And if simple games are enough mechanics, then more complex games require stories. Emotions and stories together turn into experiences for which players come to play. So we end up with a chain. -> "Mechanics, wrapped in story." -> “Events being created” -> "Emotions." -> "Experience."

It is further concluded that “Play is an artificial system for generating experiences." In the following parts (second here) We will discuss the art of making games and what the process should look like.

#Design #GameDesign #SystemDesign #SystemThinking #Management #SelfDevelopment