Good game characteristics

If there is a rule discrepancy the GM is the guy who makes the line call, not the player. This is the same guy who will balk and challenge the GM whenever he can. On an aside note, it is a worthy trait of a GM to have the ability to not beat the ever loving snot out of the afore mentioned folks. Lastly, and maybe most importantly, the GM has to know and like his players. Obviously this is impossible in tournament gaming, but I am talking about the on-going long term campaigns that most of us are committed to.

The GM either has to be able to keep the power gamer, the min-maxer, the rules rapist and the in-it-for-the-social-outlet guy under control or the whole game is an effort in futility. It is my opinion that if a good GM has the respect of his players then even if these problems exist it will not stop or hinder game play.

Although I have written this blog largely from the point of view of what as a player I like to see in my GMs I do have this last little bit to add on for good measure. If you find that your GM is trying to kill your character it may just be his subtly or passive aggressive way of trying to get you to quit his game.

That is not to say that there are not those GMs out there, and they know who they are, who feel it is their god-given right to kill every horse the players by Eric K.

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Home About Us Policies Submissions. Bio Latest Posts Website. By emphasizing these player-centric basic concepts, the book provides a framework for game analysis from the viewpoint of a game designer. The book shows what all genres of games—board games, card games, computer games, and sports—have to teach each other. Characteristics of Games —written by three of the most prominent game designers working today—will serve as an essential reference for game designers and game players curious about the inner workings of games.

It includes exercises which can also serve as the basis for discussions and examples chosen from a wide variety of games. There are occasional mathematical digressions, but these can be skipped with no loss of continuity.

Appendixes offer supplementary material, including a brief survey of the two main branches of mathematical game theory and a descriptive listing of each game referred to in the text. This book is a key step forward in the effort to develop game design from art to craft and thence to science. Characteristics of Games is great fun to read, but thorough and rigorous enough to use as a classroom textbook. If you want to understand the social and mathematical dynamics of multiplayer games, this book is a must have.

Characteristics of Games is a meaningful contribution to the literature of games. It presents a system and dozens of examples of how to break out and analyze game mechanics. This book is an excellent step towards a fuller understanding of how and why games work. Our eTextbook is browser-based and it is our goal to support the widest selection of devices available, from desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. The book shows what all genres of games—board games, card games, computer games, and sports—have to teach each other.

Today's game designers may find solutions to design problems when they look at classic games that have evolved over years of playing. Characteristics of Games —written by three of the most prominent game designers working today—will serve as an essential reference for game designers and game players curious about the inner workings of games.

It includes exercises which can also serve as the basis for discussions and examples chosen from a wide variety of games. There are occasional mathematical digressions, but these can be skipped with no loss of continuity. Appendixes offer supplementary material, including a brief survey of the two main branches of mathematical game theory and a descriptive listing of each game referred to in the text.

Many books have been written on the subject of game design over the years, but Characteristics of Games is one of the few that forgoes breadth for depth and takes readers to the next logical step in game design thinking and study.

It is often hard to tell whether a game is meant for players interested in strategy, luck, or some combination of the two, or maybe for people who like communication games. Games of chance must have simple rules and offer few alternative possible moves. This should result in short turns and a generally fast-paced game. Games of strategy, at the other end of the spectrum, should offer abundant alternatives each move.

This will let players realize their potential. It must be possible for a player to achieve mastery. Every game has its own unique tension curve. But long periods of relatively low tension must be avoided in any game. The following is an illustration of a common tension curve:. This illustrates a linear increase in tension. Game A is preferable because it begins at an initial level of tension.

To achieve this effect, one can shorten a longwinded opening and make sure that players get to the most interesting game-play right away. This has the desirable side effect of shortening the game. This graph illustrates two games with multiple tension peaks. Game A with more frequent peaks and less-pronounced valleys is the better, more interesting game. Surely it is an advantage for a game to start quickly and be easy to learn, and the clearer and simpler the rules, the better.

A game also benefits from incorporating elements that players are familiar with from everyday life. These elements do not have to actually replicate real life; a general similarity or familiar logic will suffice. Not all games suffer from having complex rules. In general, the more opportunities players have to influence the course of a game, the more readily the players will tolerate a complex set of rules.

Short, simple games must have short, simple rules. Complex games, on the other hand, may have more complex rules. These concepts are illustrated by the following graph:.