Defining Digital Games
Assigned readings:
Chapter 8 (Rules of Play Book)
Presentation by Dustin Dannenhauer
Dr. Héctor Muñoz-Avila
Definition of Game
Reminder: Definition of a game (and
elements).
• A game is a system
• In which players
• engaged in an artificial conflict
• defined by rules
•That results in a quantifiable outcome
Automated
Data Storing+
manipulation
All are
formally
modeled as
Turing
machines
(video)
Notes:
•most of the definitions of games studied
where made before computers existed •PC
•Tablets
•The term “digital game”. Covers:
•Consoles
•cell phones
Digital Games as Systems
Reminder: Definition of System:
• Parts affect one another within an environment (next slide
provides an example)
– elements: Objects, Attributes (properties), Internal
relationships, and the Environment
– dimensions: formal, experiential, cultural
• Digital games tend to be confused with the medium
they are taking place (e.g., “play Nintendo”)
•Our definitions of game and system provide the means
to make these distinctions (see next slide)
Analysis of Tetris
Aspects
general
SCOPE
Cultural
(third video)
•
•
•
Cultural identity
Fan sites
Impact on culture
Experiential
(second video)
•
•
•
Emotions
Players
Medium where
it is played
Formal
(first video)
•
•
Buttons to press
Graphical Interface
narrow
A game designer creates
experience not technology
Says
who?
Side-track: John Carmack II
• Creator of Doom game series
• ID Software
• Famous for creation of graphics engines that “pushed the
envelope (video; 2006 game!) from a computer graphics
perspective”
PC Gamer Interview 2006:
If you are left alone in an Island,
which game you wish they left with
you? (anyone?)
His answer: a compiler!
•Points that simplicity doesn’t
mean lack of design
•Previous games created by
himself
•Points that even in his
company now he steps back
and listen to designers
Back to lecture’s topic:
What Can We do with digital media?
• Goal: use technology to create meaningful play
• What capabilities does digital media have?
–Trait 1 : immediate but narrow interactivity
–Trait 2: Information manipulation
–Trait 3: Automated complex systems
–Trait 4: Networked communication
Trait 1 : immediate but narrow
interactivity
• The game responds to player input
• Other Examples?
• Why is it narrow?
• Despite this gameplay can be engaging:
–Tactics in an RTS game
–Alternatives to keyboard
Trait 2: Information manipulation
• Digital (Turing) machines: store/manipulate data
Abstract
Knowledge
Information
Meta-relations:
A region belongs to blue team if
All units in the region belong to blue team
Relations: - soldier belongs to blue team
- soldier is a unit
Data
Simple objects: soldier, mage
Concrete
Trait 2 of Digital games: Information
manipulation
Information Type
Meta-relations
Relations
Non-Gaming Example
Knowledge-based system
Gaming Example
Age of Empires uses a
Rule based system
Database
Chess:
piece threats
Google
Any digital game:
score, locations,…
Data
Trait 2: Information manipulation
• Digital (Turing) machines: store/manipulate data  knowledge
• text
• images
• audio
• logic
• Key characteristic: computers can learn while playing
– User preferences/capabilities (We saw machine learning
examples in previous lecture)
• Plus: Hiding information
– Example (video)?
– Although non digital games can also hide information.
Example?
Trait 3: Automated complex systems
•
Complex system:
– Example of a game that would be difficult to play
manually
•
But some game theoreticians say this is a problem
itself: People want to see the internal workings of the
system
Trait 4: Networked communication
• Facilitate communication between players
• Evolution
– 2-4 players using the same console/computer
– 2-4 Players over a local network
– 2-4 Players over the internet
– 12 players over the internet
– 1000+ Players over the same instance of game world
(video)
• Direct communication is not restricted to text (video)
Open Discussion
• Can non-digital games can exhibit traits such as
“Information manipulation”?
Yes; For example if another person plays as the
dungeon master as in this video
• What are the advantage of digital over non-digital
games?
• What are the advantage of non-digital over digital
games? See video for a clue
Final Word
•
•
•
•
These traits are not the only ones
Even non digital games may exhibit some of these traits
But they help our understanding of video game potential
Analysis of Unreal Tournament:
–
–
–
–
Trait 1 : immediate but narrow interactivity
Trait 2: Information manipulation
Trait 3: Automated complex systems
Trait 4: Networked communication