As we look at game worlds, they typically boil down to two primary components. Those components are boundaries and setting. When we look at boundaries, they can be considered primarily part of the game mechanics or rules of the game. Boundaries are often defined by space and time. For example, in a game like blackjack, the position of the cards, chips and players mean a lot. The people standing in the back are not players, the players are at the table. The chips right next to the player are not yet bet or in play. The chips that are placed toward the dealer or bet and then play and cannot be removed while the game is playing out. If the player has their hands on the table, they can signal the dealer. For example, to give them another card. This all relates to space. Time is also an important element of the game. You can only place your initial bets, before the cards are dealt. You cannot signal to get another card or be hit, until it's your turn, etc. Space and time to find the boundaries of this game. American football or almost all sports, are also defined by their boundary conditions of space and time. Players need to be in certain positions at certain times in the game, for play to proceed or a penalty will occur. A lot of learning of a sport is the understanding of the boundary conditions of the game. If the boundaries of the mechanical side of the game world, the setting is the fictional or fantasy component of the game world. That is one of the purposes in the game world, is simply to entertain its own right, to offer the player a place to explore and an environment to interact within. Ernest Adams said this best when he said, when the player enters the magic circle and pretends to be somewhere else, that game setting is the place she pretends to be. To that end, the game setting should define the reason things are the way they are in the game world. The setting influences many aspects of the game. Including the characters and story, the nature of the game world, which often translates into the aesthetics or appearance of the world to the players. Even though the setting is typically part of the storytelling, it can influence and often does influence the game mechanics. The settings is the one way to communicate to, and to teach the player. For example, if the game setting is a farm, your player can assume they are doing farm related things. The setting gives them context to their actions, they will be performing in the game. So, let's think about the game of chess for a moment. Chess is largely defined by the boundary conditions of space and time. We have a chessboard, we know where the pieces start and the limitations on how each piece moves. Creating an explosion of possibilities as the game plays out, leading to deep strategy and interesting gameplay. But do chess have a game setting, and if so, what is it? Certainly, most versions of chess are based on a sort of medieval battles back story with the pieces called things like kings, queens, knights and bishops. But does the setting enhance the experience of playing chess? Does it enhance the entertainment value of the game? Well for some players, I definitely think the setting matters. Why else would people buy other versions of the game? For example, for some players, playing the Harry Potter version of chess, enhances the fantasy or entertainment value of playing Chess altogether. Just look at the first person shooter genre. There are many games that have very similar game mechanics. But one is set in World War II, while another is set in a sci-fi futuristic fantasy. Certain players may be attracted to one, over the other. For another example, look at al the Pac-Man clones out there, where the game mechanics are the same, but the game setting has changed. The game has essentially been rescanned. Some players may be more inclined to play a new version of the game, because they love Cookie Monster or Spider Man or Mario. As a thought question, what is a game a clone versus simply an example of a genre? Is Pac Man genre of a game, like the first person shooter example I mentioned previously? Or is there something different. Perhaps just changing the setting isn't enough. We must also change the game mechanics in some way not to be a clone. In any case, I thought this was an interesting thought question as we don't want to just create clones of other games, as we design new ones. For another thought question for you related to game setting and mechanics, Ernest Adams said as a general rule, the more a player understands the game's core mechanics. The less the game setting matters. Do you agree with the statement? If you think of games that have been used heavily in eSports, such as Starcraft and Liga legends, I think this argument holds. For these players, they just care about how quickly they can perform tasks, to compete at the highest level possible. It literally becomes mechanical for them and the setting often melts away. A counter argument though, is for the type of player that is perhaps learning one of these games. They invest a tonne of energy in learning the mechanics. But once they master the mechanics, then they just play and enjoy the setting. Perhaps getting into the back story of the world and its characters. In any case, I think the individual player and the place that he matter a lot. [MUSIC]
