Games Overview

In Project 1, we will create a very simple game so we can become familiar with the Unity Editor and using custom scripts to create GameObjects with custom behaviors. The player's avatar gameObject's interaction in the game-world will result in a win or lose final gameState. As the player's avatar gameObject collides with other gameObjects, the GameData score and health values will change providing feedback to the player. Designing video-games requires an understanding of event-driven systems, where events can cause changes in data-stored that are reflected in changes to the gameState.

Game Requirements:

A simple list of essential game requirements:

1. Player Controlled Interaction

2. Meaningful Feedback

3. Win / Lose condition

Games:

A game is a voluntary interactive activity, in which one or more players follow rules that constrain their behavior, enacting an artificial conflict that ends in a quantifiable outcome. [Eric Zimmerman]

Game - System:

Game: A system that encourages learning through strong feedback mechanisms is a game. Daniel Cook

Mechanics:

Mechanics - a "mechanic", something that connects players' actions with the purpose of the game and its main challenges.

Game mechanics are concerned with the actual interaction with the game state, while rules provide the possibility space where that interaction is possible, regulating as well the transition between states. In this sense, rules are modeled after agency, while mechanics are modeled for agency.

In this object-oriented framework, rules could be considered general or particular properties of the game system and its agents. All objects in games have properties. These properties are often either rules or determined by rules. These rules are evaluated by a game loop, an algorithm that relates the current state of the game and the properties of the objects with a number of conditions that consequently can modify the game state. For example, the winning condition, the losing condition and the effects of action in the player's avatar health are calculated when running the game loop. This algorithm relates rules with mechanics, exemplifying the applicability of an ontological distinction between rules and mechanics. Michael Sicart

References:

Zimmerman, E. Narrative, Interactivity, Play, and Games. In Wardrip-Fruin, N. & Harrigan, P. (eds), First Person, MIT Press, 2004.