Formal Elements of Games

So its been a while since I last wrote a blog post, mostly its due to being busy with school work and then getting really sick for over a week (which wasn't fun at all). Well I'm back with my second blog for Game Design & Production II (WHOOOOOH) and its focuses on the Formal Elements of Games, which was the focus of our second lecture.

WHAT IS A GAME?

To define what a game is a very difficult task for someone to complete since there are so many different definitions to describe a game. A game is described as a form of play or sport, esp. a competitive one played according to rules and decided by skill, strength, or luck. However that's not the only definition of what a game is.

During our second lecture we discussed the Formal Elements of Games and what makes a game, which brought up a lot of interesting points and views, one of which whether reading was a form of play or not. My professor defined 8 major elements that make up the structure of a game, which are the following (You can clearly tell which Elements I feel are more important that others in terms of game structure):

1. Players
   
   
   
   • Players an important aspect of games, since they are voluntary participants. Games are something in which a player voluntarily enters and aren't coerced into playing (You wouldn't want to be forced into playing something you don't want to play right then its not a game to you, like me with Magic the Gathering). Players can enter and leave the game whenever they feel so long as they accept the rules of the game, this is described as the Lusory Attitude. The Lusory Attitude refers to accepting the rules and having the right attitude to play (Remember when you were little and there would always be that one kid that was the sore loser, well that kid acted that way because he couldn't accept the rules of game, which is what the Lusory Attitude is all about). The more you accept the rules of the game the more likely you are to enjoy the game.
     
   • It is very important for players to feel accepted and invited into the game through social offerings or recognized rituals. (Imagine you online game with your friends and you always start playing as soon as someone starts up a group chat/ call so you can yell at each when someone does something stupid, this is a recognized ritual to welcome players into the game).
     
   • There are number of players can be variables or fixed depending on the type or rules of the game. There is a huge difference in experiences from a game played by 3 players compared to a 10 player game. For example, with Cards Against Humanities (Which is like a more matured, inappropriate version of Apples to Apples, guys its great you all should play at least once) having a larger group of players makes the game vastly more entertaining than having a smaller group of players. Players interact with the game and other players and can have a clear role inside the game space. This role defines who they are in the game, its important to know what player has what role, especially in MMO's where you have you players who play support, or play tank. Having defined roles can have great effects on player to player interaction 
     
2. Objectives
   
   
   • Objectives set specific (and sometimes none specific and vague which drives you crazy cause you have no idea how to complete your objective) goals for the player, these can be anything from collecting all the coins in a level or even just staying alive until the level ends. Now if you are a gamer like me, I love objectives, knowing what I have to do and that there may be an achievement that I can get while completing my objective is what makes a game for me  (even more than player interactions cause I hate playing with other people, it drives me crazy)
     
   • Objectives are something unique to games, in books and movies there are no obvious objectives for you (yeah the characters have objectives, but not you, you are simply an observer). Yes you can give yourself an objective when reading or watching a show (Like when I marathon a show or book series I create an  objective to be done by a certain date) however your objectives have no influence to the outcome, unlike in games where your actions and objectives have a direct effect on it. In class we looked at 10 different objectives, which if you look really closely directly relate to the different type of games and the different types of players (but we will focus on that in a later blog)
     
     • Capture                              
     • Chase
     • Race
     • Alignment
     • Rescue or escape
     • Forbidden act
     • Construction
     • Exploration
     • Outwit
     
     
3. Procedures
   
   
   • This element refers to what is allowed by the game's rules, what actions or methods of play a player can or cannot do (Like player killing in MMO's some games allow players to kill each other while others don't, Eden Eternal is an example of a game that doesn't allow for player killing, it does however allow you to duel other players).
     
   • Procedures set specific instructions on how to play and create interactions that are impossible outside of the game space (otherwise known as the magic circle, once you have stepped out of the magic circles you are no longer interacting in the game). It dictates who does what, where, when and how.
     
4. Rules
   
   
   • Rules are considered the building blocks of the game system (no seriously rules are really important in a game and is in my opinion one of the most important elements of games). They are a code of honor of a game and must be followed (Going back to the Lusory Attitude, regarding the act of accepting the game rules). This element is in charge of limiting player behavior, dictating what players can and cannot do.
     
   • Rules define objects and conditions and is closely tied into Procedures and Objectives. With objectives there are rules that you must follow in order to complete the objective, just like with procedures. If a player cannot follow or accept the rules, then they are no longer in the game, whether by their own choice or the choice of a moderator (like how a ref in soccer can control whether players can be kicked out of games for not following the rules of the game).
     
5. Resources
   
   
   • I feel like I don't need to explain what resources are, since most gamers would have a good understanding of them but I will just in case someone isn't familiar with the term. Resources are objects with high value for players in reaching their objectives, they are items value for their rarity, usability or utility.
     
   • Resources can be anything from in game items like Eden Crystals in Eden Eternal or hearts in Mario. Take for example, in Dishonored (OK I really love this game so chances are I'm gonna use it as an example for a lot more things to come) there are numerous items to collect from Runes that are used to develop Corvo's powers to the audiographs which give you more insight into the game world.
     
   • Some players go out of their way to collect the runes to get more powerful, while others are more interested in collecting the paintings in order to sell them for money (I'm guilty of both).
     
6. Conflict
   
   
   • Conflict is defined as a serious disagreement or argument, typically a protracted one. In games conflict is an element used to set a chain of events which can lead to objectives in the game. Conflict prevents players from accomplishing goals directly and create objectives, objectives guide players.
     
   • Conflicts can be created in a number of ways, through obstacles in the game, opponents whether in game enemies or player vs player conflict, and dilemmas. Conflict can create interesting game play as well as an intricate story, which (at least in my opinion) is a huge element that make up a game.
     
7. Boundaries
   
   
   • This element applies only in game, this creates a temporary world where the game rules apply. Take for example, in Dungeon and Dragons the rules of the game only apply to the players taking part of the game. Once a player leaves the world of the game, the game`s temporary boundaries no longer apply.
     
8. Outcome
   
   
   • This element refers to a end resulting from an event. For example in Assassin`s Creed the players are given objectives, some can have multiple winning conditions (these conditions can determine whether or not you full synchro the game or not). Therefor, there can be an uncertain outcome when the player completes the objective. The outcome is a important for motivating players and creating dramatic tension in games. Outcomes is an element that can create satisfying resolutions for the emotional investments a player has placed into the game.
    

During this lecture we touched upon a few interesting elements that made up a game as well as some interesting view points on what is play. I really liked the fact that we were able to look at what makes up a game and discuss each aspects importance. While I`m still not completely convinced that reading novels and watching movies aren't necessarily considered forms of play, I do understand my professors argument and did enjoy the discussion  that resulted with it. For my next blog which hopefully if all goes well should be up in a few hours at most, it will focus on the dramatic elements of games.