4 ms·

I wish there was actually a tvtropes.org-type listing of game mechanics employed in video games. I think the design space isn't that large, and most games tend

I wish there was actually a tvtropes.org-type listing of game mechanics employed in video games. I think the design space isn't that large, and most games tend to reuse the same mechanics which work well. A lot of games use rock-paper-scissor either as primitives, or at a meta level. Does anyone know of any such listing or book which covers important game mechanics? It would be the equivalent of CLRS but for game mechanics. This particular site is not that, because it's the author's list of novel game mechanics. They aren't particularly fundamental, and have a lot of the biases due to the author's preferences, or trends of the time.

Kinrany 8y ago
This wiki is the best source I know: http://virt10.itu.chalmers.se/index.php http://virt10.itu.chalmers.se/index.php
mntmoss 8y ago
Rules of Play (Zimmerman, Salen) and Art of Game Design: a Book of Lenses(Schell) come to mind as resources that cover this sort of "comprehensive" study. In my opinion, there isn't a great deal of direct design information that can be gleaned from compendiums, though, even though they have surface appeal and can bring you up to speed on surface trends. It's equivalent to trying to do artistic work by only using "how-to" guides and not other forms of reference: the magic happens in adapting from one medium to another and developing the needed technique along the way, not from strenuously studying an existing technique because it's fashionable to do so. e.g. if you make a game that has "polished Mario style movement" and "rock paper scissors combat," you have made something totally familiar and predictable. It can be reasonably interesting during the game session but still fail to attract attention or hold anyone for the long term. A great of the interest is in not knowing for sure that the game will reduce to a "predictable and fair" design trope like RPS.
bagels 8y ago
This is SCVNGR's version of that, in playing card format. https://techcrunch.com/2010/08/25/scvngr-game-mechanics/ https://techcrunch.com/2010/08/25/scvngr-game-mechanics/ I vaguely recall seeing that Zynga did something similar. Some of the mechanics revolve around the addictive and aspects of these type of games.

Kinrany 8y ago

This wiki is the best source I know: http://virt10.itu.chalmers.se/index.php http://virt10.itu.chalmers.se/index.php

mntmoss 8y ago

Rules of Play (Zimmerman, Salen) and Art of Game Design: a Book of Lenses(Schell) come to mind as resources that cover this sort of "comprehensive" study. In my opinion, there isn't a great deal of direct design information that can be gleaned from compendiums, though, even though they have surface appeal and can bring you up to speed on surface trends. It's equivalent to trying to do artistic work by only using "how-to" guides and not other forms of reference: the magic happens in adapting from one medium to another and developing the needed technique along the way, not from strenuously studying an existing technique because it's fashionable to do so. e.g. if you make a game that has "polished Mario style movement" and "rock paper scissors combat," you have made something totally familiar and predictable. It can be reasonably interesting during the game session but still fail to attract attention or hold anyone for the long term. A great of the interest is in not knowing for sure that the game will reduce to a "predictable and fair" design trope like RPS.

bagels 8y ago

This is SCVNGR's version of that, in playing card format. https://techcrunch.com/2010/08/25/scvngr-game-mechanics/ https://techcrunch.com/2010/08/25/scvngr-game-mechanics/ I vaguely recall seeing that Zynga did something similar. Some of the mechanics revolve around the addictive and aspects of these type of games.