Learning task 2
Read about the concept of ‘game mechanics’. Describe in your blog different types of game mechanics that are utilized during the course of playing games. Add post video clips and images associated with games that describe these mechanics.
The goal of defining exactly what game mechanics are has been a challenge for those involved at an academic level of Game Studies (see Sicart) and many possible definitions have come up, invoking ideas of systems, players and how the systems and players interact. Or, to put it another way, as Lundgren and Bjork (2003) claim that game mechanics are:
"any part of a rule system of a game that covers one, and only one, possible kind of interaction that takes place during the game, be it general or specific (...) mechanics are a way to summarize game rules."Which is all well and good. Game mechanics are the rules of a game which govern the actions of the player.
Richard Rouse (2005) describes game mechanics as:
"the guts of a design document", since they describe "what the players are able to do in the game-world, how they do it, and how that leads to a compelling game experience"
I'm happier with this definition that the previous one as it includes the design document and the element of a compelling game experience, which are important in understanding good game mechanics and how to get them working.
There are endless possibilities for such nuanced versions of the same idea.
The following videos from Extra Credits looks at game mechanics in terms of what the mean in the game. The two-part series Mechanics as Metaphor is a very interesting take on the whole subject of what game mechanics are.
For me, this way of looking at game mechanics is very useful. My background in film-making has led me to the position that all creative decisions (light, sound, editing, script, performance, cinematography, costume. etc.) must all be answering the same questions in the same way, which is a question of what is the story about and how do you want people to feel about it? But basically, everything should be pulling in the same direction.
The same with game mechanics. All aspects of the game should be servicing the same need.
The game which the videos use as an example is called Loneliness. I've played it before and even used it when teaching my own game design students. It's a very interesting example of how a simple game, with simple game mechanics can be so evocative.
But to the main crux of this assignment, the business of identifying different types of game mechanics and showing examples of them. The very helpful Gemification Wiki site provides three types of game mechanics:
Behavioural - focused on human behaviour and the human psyche
In the interests of clarity, I'll choose one game, Papers, Please, and look for an example of each type of game mechanic in that one game. Papers, Please is a game set in a fictional state beyond the iron curtain where you work as an immigration official with the power to decide if people pass through your checkpoint whist at the same time dealing with orders from above and trying to make money for our family.
The first example of a behavioural game mechanic is how you are presented with various stories from the characters you encounter working at the passport checking booth. The characters tell you snippets of their life stories and the game leaves you open to manipulation as to whether or not you try to help the characters.
Feedback - completing the feedback loop
Feedback loops in Papers, Please work in the way you go through each day and at the end of the day your work is summarised, so you get to know how much money you made, whether or not you still have a job, etc.
Progression - used to structure and stretch the accumulation of meaningful skills
As you go through the game, day by day, you start to develop a system of how to deal with the awful plights of those around you along with the depressingly bad scenario in your own home life. I would say that this coping skill is somehow meaningfully developed. There's also a skill you can develop regarding the speed of your work. You learn how best to look through the passports as quickly and thoroughly as possible. And you have to learn this skill quite quickly.
Sources
Article on Defining Game Mechanics by Miguel Sicart
Loneliness game from Necessary Games
Gamification Wiki's types of game mechanics
Papers, Please from 3909 LLC