Ames' syllabi

There’s so many technical things that can make a good game. Having simple rules are one of the few things that make a good game. There’s nothing more difficult to starting a game than having rules that don’t make sense or there are too many. I also believe that having too many mechanics can ruin a game as well. There are games that have many mechanics, and are really fun to play, but if there isn’t a purpose to having certain mechanics then it’s a waste to have them.

Ultimately and truthfully, what makes a great game? If you like to play it. Any game that you enjoy playing is a good game. Games that don’t get played are really the ones that aren’t good. If you like playing a game, and you enjoy all the mechanics and the rules are perfect for you, then that makes a good game. Playing games is really important because they’re always a learning experience no matter what. The best games and the good games are the ones that we enjoy playing.

What makes a game good can vary from game to game. However, a few things go into making any game good. Clear, understandable rules are required to make a game good. If the rules don’t make sense or aren’t clearly communicated, the game can’t function properly. Also, the mechanics must reflect the metaphor and vice versa. A game with mechanics for fighting enemies wouldn’t work as a game about doctors curing a disease.

Some may say that a game must be fun to be good. However, even disregarding the subjectivity of what is fun, not all games must be fun. Depending on the game’s message, a game might be fun or not. Some more experimental games use lack of fun to great effect.

A good game is made up of players, easy to understand rules, a theme and a comfortable space to play it in. It engages the players to want to come back and play it again. The game and bring about different emotions. It can be funny, serious, difficult, stressful, or exciting. It can be based on luck or strategy but the key element of a good game is engagement. Are players bought into the theme of the game and understanding the rules or are they distracted and confused? The games I keep going back to keep my engagement and allow me to interact with others while I play.

There are several things that make a game a good game. What a good game is that it has good mechanics. If the rules of the game are complicated a lot of people would not want to play. Having rules and metaphors that are easy to understand makes the game a lot more playable for people. A good game should have an easy learning curve. If a game is too hard to learn then people who have not played the game before would not want to play. If there is a storyline then the story has to be clear and not worded vaguely so people know what they are playing. A good game also has pleasing visuals and easy-to-use pieces. A good game should also have an instruction guide that has precise wording and visuals to explain how the game works to people who are playing the game for the first time. Visuals in the instruction guide are helpful along with examples. A good game should also be able to be replayed multiple times. If a game cannot be replayed multiple times then there is no longer any use or fun to that game. It’s like a used tissue. A good game should also be easily explained to another person even if it’s a complex game. For example, if there are different is a storyline that has characters with differing levels of power and scenarios and enemies the game could be explained as a fantasy roleplaying game that includes the usage of spells and other cards to win. A game should be enjoyable and it should also be playable no matter what experience of gameplay a person may have.

I think a good game is one that makes you think a little bit and allows you to come up with different strategies to win. I think that it’s important that you can be competitive while playing a game, but that it doesn’t get too serious where it ends up in a bunch of arguments. I think a good game is one where you just have fun and don’t take yourself too seriously. A storyline to a game isn’t necessary, but it can add another level to a game which can add to the overall experience.

As far as making a game itself, I think there are certain elements that are required to have and make a game. Elements such as mechanics and rules defining how to play, who goes first, how many players can play, and so on. And then other elements for aesthetics, the metaphor, and story for the game. A good game needs a good metaphor and clear mechanics, as long as those two things are there – the game is good. A good metaphor allows us to step into the world that the game is creating and makes the players more attached to their actions and character. Clear mechanics help players enjoy the actual game. The game can look and sound fun, but if it’s not fun to play then no one will play it. Clear rules help players focus on the actual game rather than learning it, being confused, not knowing if they’re playing it right, not enjoying it, etc. To me, a good game is also something you can play time and time again and still be enjoyable. Personally, how I know I like a game is how often I play it or how many times I come back to playing it. Sometimes games get quite boring and disengaging, and that’s where I consider a game to be bad.

I think there is no one way of answering this without painting with an extremely broad stroke. For myself, I look for a game that keeps me engaged and focused. A game that has me thinking of different strategies and tactics to win. This competitive desire might not be shared though by others. Some may look for the storyline, or social aspects a game can have. Overall though, I believe games in the simplest terms are meant to be a fun challenge for people to entertain themselves with.

Madisyn Kovach

Game Design Final

There are five sections that create a good game. These five sections include mechanics, space, goals, rules, and components. When involving these steps into your design, that is what will make a good game.

When thinking about the mechanics of a game this is when we think of the basics. We need to ask ourselves questions like what interests people, how can I pull in a player, what is a reward that a player can get, and how can I make rules that don’t stop the player from making their own decisions. To start answering all of these questions, we should start by studying other games. We need to be looking a popular games that almost everyone has played in the past and seeing their personal opinions on the game. Doing this will at least make us know that the player will be interested. This is why the first step of creating a good game is studying the mechanics.

The second thing we need to think about when creating a game is the space. The biggest thing that needs to be thought about when thinking about the space of the game is what will the special features of the game be and how will it pull in a player? We want to make sure we are making this feature easy but fun to play. While thinking about the space, we want to see what we would like to play the most.

The third and in my opinion the most important thing that we need to think about when creating a game is the goals. You have to think what goals will work best with your game. Would you want your player to collect, solve, chase, build, ect.? You will most likely need to know your objective of the game before figuring out the goals which is why this is a good third step.

The next thing that we should think about are the rules. When thinking about rules we want to give the players a detailed book but not overwhelm them with too many words. We also do not want to give the players too many options on how to play. Sometimes that can be confusing. Also, when thinking about rules in a game, create a story. Make it something interesting that pulls the players in to read and not to confuse them. Again, we want to try to make this easy but make it the most fun.

The final thing that we should think about is the components of the game. Components are the most fun thing to do when you are coming up with a game. You must ask yourself what will pull in the viewers eye? You want to make sure you are designing like the player is in that game world. This step is last because you want to make sure you are pulling in the rest of the steps to make the game one during the components process. Maybe make a QR code where the player can scan and write a review about your game. You want to make sure you are forming the game to interest others.

After finishing and going through these five important steps of a game, that is when you will have a good game.

Citation:

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/will-wrights-tips-for-writing-game-mechanics#will-wrights-5-tips-for-writing-game-mechanics

https://sites.google.com/a/elinemedia.com/gsmlearningguide/lessons-on-game-design/5-game-space

https://www.giantbomb.com/profile/therpgfanatic/blog/10-simple-rules-for-good-game-design/61994/

First, you have to get the magic circle (everything within) to make sense to all the players. The magic circle is a place of fantasy and dreams and an escape from everyday life. The most important aspect of the theory is that the experience you have with fantasy and games still comes with you to the real world. Inside the magic circle is dedicated to performance and then an end, and only works if everyone agrees on the rules. So, to sum it up, rules that make sense with the game and to the players is one aspect of a good game. You have to get people to agree with these magic worlds and take something away from it after. Then you have to take into account the 3 acts of gameplay/making.
First act: sets the stage for conflict. Helps players understand the rules and enter act 2 with confidence
Act two: players will begin to struggle and fight for victory. Players are actively opposing each other or the game itself. excitement arises from not knowing who’s going to win.
Act three: when players begin to push for victory. Players will begin to realise who has the upper hand. This is from the actions in act two.
You want the players to not only get through all 3 acts, but be excited while doing it. In games, a mechanic is whatever allows the game to play out and function.
Mechanics are abstract means to play, but not the motivation to play them. All of the mechanics must make sense and not leave players wondering how any part of the game works. These rules must be clear for everyone in the age-range of your game. You should be able to describe your game in one sentence, and at very most three.
1.game name and category of game
2. What are the players doing and by using what tools
Including both strategy and luck into your game is also a sure way to keep players interested and make your game more enticing for new players. In addition, there must be a clear objective for the game, that is, the players must openly know what they’re aiming for and what path it takes to get there. Though it might be obvious, games must have constraints (rules) so that there isn’t chaos and free-gameplay. These constraints are key to making a game competitive and fun. Depending on the game, convincing storylines/characters are also important for the game to make sense.

While there are several important factors to a game, such as competition, strategy, and luck, there are two aspects that, when combined together, are what universally make a good game.

The first aspect is mechanics. Mechanics are the physical actions that the players take throughout the game.  For a game to be enjoyable, the player needs to be able to understand the mechanics and how they work.  Clarity of rules is crucial for this.  Mechanics can be either fun in themselves, or they can be fun when combined with metaphor.

Metaphor is the second aspect.  Metaphor is the story going on within a game.  It can be something as simple as in chess, where the metaphor is that the players are two opposing medieval armies at war. It can also be something more complicated, like Monopoly, where the players are opposing landowners seeking to drive the others to bankruptcy through high rent payments.  The importance of metaphor is that it makes the gameplay hold a deeper meaning.

Returning to the example of chess, the mechanics are moving pieces across the board in certain ways, and moving to the same space as other pieces to knock them off the board.  These actions are simple, and amusing enough, but it is when the metaphor is added that the game comes together.  The story behind the game, even if it is never spoken of, infuses the game with more meaning than it would have otherwise.  The players are not merely moving a piece, but commanding members of their army.  They are not knocking a piece off a board but capturing an enemy combatant.

When metaphor and mechanics are combined, the actions the player takes carry more meaning than they would otherwise.  The players are thus transported into a different world for the time of the game.  It is this sense of transportation to another reality, created by the combination of mechanics and metaphor, that truly makes a good game.

A “good” game changes in certain aspects depending on the type of person playing, however there are usually consistent aspects that make a game objectively good. Personally I find games that are more chance based to be more fun, and therefore “good”, mainly because I suck at strategy games. However, someone whos strategic probably hates chance based games and dont think they are good at all.

For the vast majority of games, an enticing metaphor usually leads to a good game. Having a story, reason, and world that is created out of the game is one of the primary components that I think about when judging a game. A good game also has easy to understand rules. This means that no matter how simple or complex the game is, the rules are easy to follow, making the transition from learning to playing smooth. Overall there are subjective and objective guidelines on what makes a good game, but I’m sure as I continue to play more these might even change.