What is gaming, what makes a game good?
by . · in Game Design and Creative Issues · 08/24/2006 (4:09 am) · 26 replies
Good day to all,
I am currently researching gaming for educational purposes and I'm wondering how the people of the GG community think about the following:
- What is gaming?
- What makes a game good?
I have a couple of thought on these subjects myself, but seeing how this community is home to quite some professionals and indie-enthusiasts, I think your input can be of great value to my initial research.
Thanks for your time,
[removed]
I am currently researching gaming for educational purposes and I'm wondering how the people of the GG community think about the following:
- What is gaming?
- What makes a game good?
I have a couple of thought on these subjects myself, but seeing how this community is home to quite some professionals and indie-enthusiasts, I think your input can be of great value to my initial research.
Thanks for your time,
[removed]
About the author
#22
11/23/2006 (11:58 am)
Graham, you've reduced me to a 2 digit rating. I feel so small. And, because I can see your logic, I'm depressed too. :-p Looks like I have to start designing a 5,5 game now!
#23
A good game is fun. Whether what you're aiming for is a really hard game or a simple, casual game, it needs to interest the player. A really good game can be played in short bursts or in long stretches.
Take the game idea i've been developing: The levels are very big, but there are people that give you missions within each level (or maybe some carry on to other levels). You could either just sit down and do one mission, or you could do a lot and find a chain of missions.
Does this answer your question?
02/12/2007 (1:48 pm)
Gaming... is playing games. I guess that covers it?A good game is fun. Whether what you're aiming for is a really hard game or a simple, casual game, it needs to interest the player. A really good game can be played in short bursts or in long stretches.
Take the game idea i've been developing: The levels are very big, but there are people that give you missions within each level (or maybe some carry on to other levels). You could either just sit down and do one mission, or you could do a lot and find a chain of missions.
Does this answer your question?
#24
A lot of Arcade Videogame designers define Good Gameplay as...
"Making the Player feel as though he messed up."
That is, when a player dies/fails/blows up, that player should feel as if it was his fault; that he could have done better. (...as opposed to the game simply dumping on him) This way the Player returns to the game determined to do a little bit better, and is sucked into the game even further.
Of course, arcade designers really have a double challenge that doesn't really apply to home games : the operator wants the kid off in 30 seconds, and the kid wants to live forever!
But as far as I'm concerned, its an inviolable rule of thumb for all Game Designers.
02/15/2007 (6:27 am)
Here is a tidbit that I don't think was covered above, but is very important:A lot of Arcade Videogame designers define Good Gameplay as...
"Making the Player feel as though he messed up."
That is, when a player dies/fails/blows up, that player should feel as if it was his fault; that he could have done better. (...as opposed to the game simply dumping on him) This way the Player returns to the game determined to do a little bit better, and is sucked into the game even further.
Of course, arcade designers really have a double challenge that doesn't really apply to home games : the operator wants the kid off in 30 seconds, and the kid wants to live forever!
But as far as I'm concerned, its an inviolable rule of thumb for all Game Designers.
#25
As far as what makes a game good, I would agree with Pat IN MOST CASES, the action needs to be quick and un-dragged down by unnecessary distraction. The exception here is in the case of where a game is intended to create an emotional attachment. However, this is more along the lines of a good book than a run-of-the-mill game, a person has to commit to finishing it to really get the most out of it. But I remember when I first played Final Fantasy X, I would spend days wondering if everything was going to be OK, or if Yuna was going to die...? These nagging feelings are the result of great storytelling, and such can make a great game.
BUT (and it's a big but) you cannot expect a game based on adrenaline-pumping action to convey a story that is emotionally attaching. Halo? I shoot some stuff. There's a cutscene that I skip. I shoot some more stuff. Given what is presented, what is involved in the story anyway? Aliens are fighting humans. Why? Because we're pinker than them. What's the story? We're fighting them...then, we fight them some more, then they come to Earth, and we fight them some more. There's these big intergalactic weapons that we fight over, then we're finished.
A hallmark of a great game is doing whatever it sets out to do, well. If it is supposed to be thrilling, then it'd better be really thrilling. If it's meant to be emotional, it'd better make you cry your eyes out. That's what I see in a good game. (True, this doesn't cover every genre or style, but we'd be here all night if we were going to go over all of the different possibilities...for example Katamari Damacy and such).
@ The other Gareth
I know what you mean about wanting to play a certain game not based on time constraints. I know that I sometimes get cravings to play a certain game, and I'll make time for it. Unfortunately that often means the hassle of switching systems (I wish I had enough space to keep them all hooked up at once...:P), and that's a pain. But I think that's just because I'm lazy.
02/15/2007 (7:23 pm)
Gaming itself, is nothing more than playing games. The rest is all context. For example, take drinking. It may mean, just drinking a liquid, but the connotation is that you are drinking alcohol, for example "go out drinking" often is synonymous with going out and getting drunk. The same goes for gaming. "Gaming" may be playing a game, but often it is more synonymous with being someone who plays games regularly and/or excessively. Both are true, but context decides a lot.As far as what makes a game good, I would agree with Pat IN MOST CASES, the action needs to be quick and un-dragged down by unnecessary distraction. The exception here is in the case of where a game is intended to create an emotional attachment. However, this is more along the lines of a good book than a run-of-the-mill game, a person has to commit to finishing it to really get the most out of it. But I remember when I first played Final Fantasy X, I would spend days wondering if everything was going to be OK, or if Yuna was going to die...? These nagging feelings are the result of great storytelling, and such can make a great game.
BUT (and it's a big but) you cannot expect a game based on adrenaline-pumping action to convey a story that is emotionally attaching. Halo? I shoot some stuff. There's a cutscene that I skip. I shoot some more stuff. Given what is presented, what is involved in the story anyway? Aliens are fighting humans. Why? Because we're pinker than them. What's the story? We're fighting them...then, we fight them some more, then they come to Earth, and we fight them some more. There's these big intergalactic weapons that we fight over, then we're finished.
A hallmark of a great game is doing whatever it sets out to do, well. If it is supposed to be thrilling, then it'd better be really thrilling. If it's meant to be emotional, it'd better make you cry your eyes out. That's what I see in a good game. (True, this doesn't cover every genre or style, but we'd be here all night if we were going to go over all of the different possibilities...for example Katamari Damacy and such).
@ The other Gareth
I know what you mean about wanting to play a certain game not based on time constraints. I know that I sometimes get cravings to play a certain game, and I'll make time for it. Unfortunately that often means the hassle of switching systems (I wish I had enough space to keep them all hooked up at once...:P), and that's a pain. But I think that's just because I'm lazy.
#26
There's an amazing book on game design called Rules of Play and it really breaks down the game design process in all mediums, not just video games. Will Wright has said that he thinks it's the most complete book on game design ever written. It's put out by MIT Press so it can get a bit theoretical at times but if you're serious about game design you owe it to yourself to give it a good read. Here's a link to Amazon: Rules of Play
02/19/2007 (2:09 pm)
I realize that this is an old resurrected thread but for those people who want to explore the field of game design and what makes a game fun and engaging beyond the simplistic approach of: Gaming is playing a game and what makes a game good is if it's fun. (oh jeez...)There's an amazing book on game design called Rules of Play and it really breaks down the game design process in all mediums, not just video games. Will Wright has said that he thinks it's the most complete book on game design ever written. It's put out by MIT Press so it can get a bit theoretical at times but if you're serious about game design you owe it to yourself to give it a good read. Here's a link to Amazon: Rules of Play
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