28 / wfmag.cc
AdviceToolbox
Howard explains how the notion of ‘you are what
you play’ rings truer than you might have thoughtThe principles
of game design
o you know the funny thing about
video games? I don’t either, but
if you tell me what you think it is,
I can tell you something about
you. That’s one thing about
video games, they can tell you a lot about their
designers and players.
If you want to understand an artist, look
at their paintings. If you want to understand
an author, read their stories. If you want to
understand a video game maker, check out
their games. This will tell you plenty. Why?
Two reasons: We’re all unique, and everybody
signs their work.
Given any task, I’ll put something uniquely ‘me’
into it which will differentiate it from the product
of anyone else performing the same
task. The markers will be there – you
have only to read them accurately.
When people make video games,
they tend to make games consistent
with their desires, goals, and outlook
on life. In this way, they sign their
work. Players tend to play games that
reflect the types of life experiences
they seek and the things they most
value. I might go so far as to say if
you really like someone’s games, you
might well like the person too.
As a therapist, I find these aspects
and delineations quite compelling.
I enjoy strolling through a gallery
looking at the paintings and
figuring out what the artist was like.
What kind of person would make
these choices for the canvas? I dothe same thing with video games. I don’t just
enjoy playing the games, I enjoy deciphering
what the game says about the makers and the
players who engage them.
Let’s look at the different types of experiences
games offer and what they say about the people
who make them and play them.
There are many kinds of games; driving
games, shooters, flying, targeting, treasure
hunt, and so on. But within those many kinds of
games are a wealth of game styles.
Game styles are things like: does this game
have a finish or am I always playing toward a
higher score? Is it a pattern game like Pac-
Man or ‘read and react’ like Robotron? Is
luck a significant part of your success as in
backgammon, or is it more deterministic, like
chess? Is it an action game, an adventure, or
a hybrid? Most games have some aspect of
competition, but which one? And let’s not forget
the ever-popular anal-retentive games like Space
Invaders and Asteroids. What do these various
styles say about their players and makers?
Do you prefer quest/mission-based games,
or would you rather play the how-high-is-up
style where your goal is always a better score?
Some people like to see something through to
an unambiguous finish whereas others like the
ongoing challenge of doing better than last time,
no matter how well last time went.
Put another way: do you prefer the clarity
of closure or the thrill of unlimited potential?
Both are acceptable goals, but they speak
to decidedly different personal preferences.
Neither is better or worse, they are simply
aesthetic choices we make.AUTHOR
HOWARD SCOTT WARSHAW
Howard is a video game pioneer who authored
several of Atari’s most famous and infamous titles.
onceuponatari.comD
Pac-Man is for those who
love conquering patterns.