[Dr. CKeymaster Rupees: 1,000 RupeesRank: Magic Sword]

This week, you read Chapter 5 (“The Game Consists of Elements”) of Schell’s The Art of Game Design.

Discuss, analyze, and reflect on this chapter in this discussion forum.

You must post at least once by 11:59 pm on Friday, January 27th… and you must respond to at least three of your classmates’ posts by 11:59 pm on Monday, January 30th.

As was the case last week, this is NOT a prescriptive post. The point is to have a conversation and to learn more about game design together. (You did this wonderfully last week — so, keep it up!)

To that end, here are some things you might discuss in your post:

– Quotes that you found to be especially insightful, along with explanations of why you selected these quotes.
– Questions that the readings raised for you — about your own experiences playing games, or about the way you previously thought about game design.
– Any “AHA!” moments you might have experienced, if the readings prompted you to suddenly see or understand something in a different light.
– Connections to your experience playing a game as part of last week’s quest.
– Questions you might have for your classmates (“Did anyone else think ___ about the part where Schell says ___…?”)
– Anything else, really, that’s notable, interesting, and discussion-worthy.

Have fun!

[ErinParticipant Rupees: 1,235 RupeesRank: Magic Sword]

While reading this chapter, the four basic elements were brought up. When doing the Flute assignment there was a question about the four different elements. I really liked reading about the different purposes of these elements which are aesthetics, mechanics, story and technology. To me they cannot function without another so they are all very important in their own ways. I do not think that a game can be successful if the designer does not put all of these things on an equal playing field. Most times “game designers tend to believe that mechanics are primary; artists tend to believe the same about aesthetics; engineers, technology; and writers, story,” (Schell 53). These cannot function without another and they all need to be thought about as important. I think that it is important for the game design team to have someone that is designated to each of these elements. Without this there will be elements that are a second thought and maybe not even thought about. Since everyone thinks differently, this raises the question of which would be the easiest to tackle and which would be the hardest to?

[ChristopherParticipant Rupees: 865 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Erin! I think you bring up an interesting point about having a game design team with different people assigned to different elements. For sure, each field should be trusted only to people who have expertise in that field. They should, however, be in proper communication with each other and understand the theme well so the game is cohesive. In response to your question, I think that all of the elements have their own difficulties. I personally think that the most detail can be put into aesthetics under any circumstance, but to come up with meaningful mechanics is just as difficult, if not more so. Also, if your story is extremely well thought out, then that is also a very difficult task. I would say that some elements may require more creativity and outside-the-box thinking, while others are more technical and skillful. It is hard to say for certain which one is the most difficult.

[JoeunParticipant Rupees: 1,090 RupeesRank: Magic Sword]

Erin, I like the career you attached to each element of game design. This shows the diversity of skills and creativity required to master and create a game. It brings the concept of game design in a new light, to be more complex and immersive than others perceive it compared to careers like engineers and mechanics. Although I am not a writer, I value the element of story slightly more due to my personal opinion that I could play a game with trashy visuals and mechanics if the storyline is great. For example, many Roblox games fit under this category.

[AlexisParticipant Rupees: 735 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Erin! I agree that all four elements are equally important and giving them all the same time and effort is crucial to the development of a successful game. I think that while the four elements must be seen as equally important, it is important for teams to distribute responsibility of these elements to people based on their strengths in order to ensure each element is being handled by a person most knowledgeable in that particular element. I personally would be more interested in the aesthetics or story element as I believe I could excel in those areas and I am confident I would make those areas as detailed as possible.

[KangweiParticipant Rupees: 370 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Erin！
Yes, all of those four basic elements cannot function independently. That is, they all need to be considered as important and working together. It’s interesting that different members of the game design team may have different opinions on what’s most important. To answer your question, I think the role of game designer might be the hardest and the role of artists might be easiest. This is because the task of the game designer is to outline the whole game and decide how to implement each part – I think this is the most onerous task. Artists don’t need to think too much about such issues as game principles. They only need to implement the tasks assigned to them by the players.

[DestinyParticipant Rupees: 475 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Great post, I agree that mechanics are the primary element and arguably the most important of a game. I think that the easiest element to work on would be the story and aesthetics. At least for me personally, I think the hardest to develop is the type of technology.

[AhishaParticipant Rupees: 410 RupeesRank: Wooden Sword]

Hi Erin,
After reading this chapter I also agree with you that if the designer of the game does not incorporate all four tetrad elements, then the game will not be as successful as it would have if they were done. This can be seen when looking at the elements and although all of the elements are not visible to the player, through the designer’s eyes they are visible and they can see how important they are.

[Aaliyah WitherspoonParticipant Rupees: 315 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi, what you’re saying is really true. Games need the element of being aesthetically pleasing, or else players won’t have fun while using the game. A game that doesn’t look nice is a game players wouldn’t want to play, so the visuals are very important.

[IzabellaParticipant Rupees: 400 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Erin! I like the point where you said that the elements cannot function without each other because I agree and the combination of the elements is what makes a game as good as it is. No particular element is more important than the other because they are all good and important in their own ways. I like the quote you used regarding the artists believing the aesthetics are most important, as the game designers would think the mechanics are, and so on, but I agree with your point how they are all important in their own way because it is the combination of all these different parts that allow us to have a good experience on a game. I like the question you asked because I also wonder which element would be the hardest to tackle because each element is difficult in its own way so how do they prioritize the elements? I liked your response a lot and I think it was super interesting!

[RobertParticipant Rupees: 300 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Chapter five of “The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses” by Jesse Schell explores the concept of “fun” in game design. Schell defines fun as a subjective experience that arises from the interaction between the player and the game mechanics. He explores various theories of fun, including the pleasure principle, challenge principle, and flow theory. The chapter also covers the role of feedback and player motivation in creating fun experiences. The chapter concludes that designing games that are fun requires an understanding of the theories of fun, player motivation, and feedback. To create engaging and enjoyable games, game designers must take these factors into consideration.

This really made me think about the last time that I had an enjoyable time on a game because of how the game was made. Honestly, most games I play are just to pass the time. However, after writing the draft I realized that there is so much that the game Eldin Ring has to offer. It has exceeded all standards that I have. So maybe If I start looking at games through the lens’ of Schell’s writing I might enjoy myself more.

[MeganParticipant Rupees: 965 RupeesRank: Magic Sword]

I found the four basic elements of a game to be very interesting to learn about each a little in-depth. The four elements are mechanics, story, aesthetics, and technology. Schell states “it is important to understand that none of the elements are more important than the others” (Schell, 52). I think it goes to show just how much truly goes into designing a game. I also feel that we (or at least I have said this) give a lot of credit to the computer and not the designer. I have thought to myself, “this person didn’t physically do this as in drawing or writing, he simply made this on the computer.” I couldn’t have been further from the truth. The fact is that there are so many aspects to game design, some that are not even visible to the players eye, but perhaps only to the designers and other designers. If anything, I have actually come away with a new found appreciation for just how difficult and tedious the game design process is. The text states, “Some may sneer at the visuals, which now seem so primitive, but the designer did a lot with a little. The aliens are not all identical. There are three different designs, each worth a different amount of points. They each perform a simple two-frame “marching” animation that is very effective” (Schell, 54). This quote struck me because I can relate to it – often, I don’t pay attention to the aesthetics of the game and these very subtle differences. It simply goes to show just how challenging this process truly is!

• This reply was modified 2 years, 8 months ago by Megan.

[AniParticipant Rupees: 715 RupeesRank: White Sword]

For sure! I think the mechanics of game design gets overlooked more often than not. After reading this chapter, we were all able to gain a deeper insight into just how much thought gets put into each game we play, regardless of its simplicity. I like how Schell broke down each of these aspects through the Lens of the Elemental Triad; it helps show the reader how fundamental each of these elements are.

[ChristopherParticipant Rupees: 865 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Megan! I agree that after reading this chapter, I have a new appreciation for the sheer amount of work and thought that can even go into a simple game. It’s also not only designing the aesthetics, but also making sure that they align with the mechanics and the story, and most importantly, the theme. The aesthetics play a big role in the playing experience, so they cannot be overlooked.

[JasmineParticipant Rupees: 320 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Megan,

I enjoyed reading your post. The quote,“Some may sneer at the visuals, which now seem so primitive, but the designer did a lot with a little. The aliens are not all identical. There are three different designs, each worth a different amount of points. They each perform a simple two-frame “marching” animation that is very effective” (Schell, 54). I can relate to not paying attention to the aesthetics of the game. Playing the game too fast attempting to get a high score or the pressure of being out of moves with so many objectives left is a challenge.

[JoeunParticipant Rupees: 1,090 RupeesRank: Magic Sword]

Megan! I found your comment interesting in the fact you focus on the importance of visuals. In space invaders, the visual aspect does not seem like much, but the way Schell describes the it makes it seem extraordinary. Looking at the other games of that time, the visuals, of the four different aliens, the main shooter, and blockers, if incredible for its time.

[AlexisParticipant Rupees: 735 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Megan! I was also really surprised when reading this chapter to see how much a designer really does and the effort they put into game writing/designing. Prior to this class, I was under the impression that the computer did most of the heavy lifting when it came to game writing so this chapter was really eye opening for me and very educational in terms of learning all of the moving parts in game writing and how they affect each other.

[KangweiParticipant Rupees: 370 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Megan!
I agree, it’s fascinating to learn about the different elements that go into game design. The balance between mechanics, story, aesthetics, and technology is important for a successful game. I used to not appreciate the effort that goes into game design, but I now have a new appreciation for how challenging it can be. I really like your analysis of the design of alien. I think this proves that the role of game designers need a lot of effort.

[AhishaParticipant Rupees: 410 RupeesRank: Wooden Sword]

Hi Megan,
I like how you included that Schell mentioned even though the element might not be visible, that doesn’t mean it is not important. For example the technological element is not visible to the player, although without it the game would not exist, it is the foundation of the game. This shows how important all of the elements are to a game.

[JasmineParticipant Rupees: 320 RupeesRank: White Sword]

In Chapter 5, I found the quote interesting that mentioned, “Game designers tend to believe that mechanics are primary; artists to tend to believe the same about aesthetics; engineers, technology; and writers, story. I suppose it is human nature to believe your piece is the most important. But, believe me, as a game designer, they are all your piece. I agree with this quote for game designers being that all four elements contribute to the users experience in the game. How the game looks, how it is played, the story that is told and equipment of the game add to the experience for the user and the likelihood of them returning to the game. I myself only return to games that keep me motivated, engaged, and would refer for a friend to play as well. “Aesthetics: This is how your game looks, sounds, smells, and taste and feels” (Schell, 52). This quote made me remember that their are games that you eat or smell such as “The Nosey Nose” and “Its In The Bag”. Does everyone agree that none of the elements are more important than the others?

• This reply was modified 2 years, 8 months ago by Jasmine.

[ErinParticipant Rupees: 1,235 RupeesRank: Magic Sword]

Hi Jasmine,

I definitely think that all the elements are equal and none are more important than another. Even though, some professions may believe their elements is more important than the rest, in my eyes they are all important. I kind of see it as the different branches of government, without one branch everything goes wrong and there is not one branch more important than the other. The branches of government have checks and balances and so does the four elements of game design in a way. These four elements allow for their to be equal opportunity in each of these categories and there should never be more emphasis on one element than the others.

[AlexisParticipant Rupees: 735 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Jasmine! Prior to this class I would have guessed that there was a certain hierarchy of the elements in terms of importance, because people naturally tend to believe that things like mechanics are more important than things like aesthetic because it seems more difficult to the regular person. Now that I have read this chapter I understand how each element relates to the other and thus they all hold equal importance because if one element is neglected, it causes a negative effect on the rest of the elements. Moving forward in this course I am definitely looking at game writing differently and will be sure to treat each element of the game writing process with equal importance in order to obtain the best result.

[RachelParticipant Rupees: 385 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Jasmine! I agree with you that no element is more important than the other. Although I believe that there may be some that more appealing to certain individuals, the elements itself are equally important within the game. For example, even if a game has wonderful graphics and aesthetics, if the game’s technology is terrible and it does not play well, people will not be interested in the game. The four elements work in harmony, and each elements adds to each other in order to multiply the experience of a game. However, when one element is lacking, it will only be detrimental – even if the other three are amazing.

[KangweiParticipant Rupees: 370 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Jasmine!
I Believe all of these elements are equally important. Both of them shapes the player’s experience when playing the game. I think the game mechanism and story is providing psychological perception to players since it will let the player understand the game, while the asethetics and technology is providing visual and auditorial perception to player.

[Aaliyah WitherspoonParticipant Rupees: 315 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi, I totally agree. All things must work together for good for the game to work! If any of the parts are lacking, it takes away from the game as a whole. Once all of the elements are fulfilled to the fullest extent, it makes the game that much better.

[ChristopherParticipant Rupees: 865 RupeesRank: White Sword]

To start, I really liked the analogy that Schell used comparing doctors and patients to game developers and game players at the beginning. The comparison gave me a good idea of how our perspectives must change, and while the task seems daunting (especially when thinking about being like a doctor), Schell makes it more approachable. I enjoyed reading about the four elements of a game because I feel like they allowed me to put this large and all-encompassing concept of a game into distinct sections for me to focus on. The element that I found most intriguing was mechanics. I never really considered how mechanics could impact the playing experience, but it is the one thing that separates a game from a movie, since it carries the aspect of interactivity. I also found it interesting how the elements all interact with each other, and designing one directly impacts how you should design another. The line “You will want to choose the mechanics that make players feel like they are in the world that the aesthetics have defined, and you will want a story with a set of events that let your aesthetics emerge at the right pace and have the most impact” allowed me to realize how much consideration must go into all aspects of a game in order to create an immersive and cohesive experience.

[AniParticipant Rupees: 715 RupeesRank: White Sword]

I agree! I enjoy the way Schell makes these parallels for the reader to understand his conclusions better. I like how you mentioned the mechanics of a game. It is interesting to see how the mechanics of a card game differs greatly from the mechanics of a video game, yet in both cases, it is equally vital!

[JasmineParticipant Rupees: 320 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Christoper,

I agree that it is interesting how all the elements interact with one another. Movies don’t offer the experience as a game given its four elements.

[Aaliyah WitherspoonParticipant Rupees: 315 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi, I tend to notice that too. Sometimes movies do not fulfill all of the elements which in turn hurts how well it does because it could have been better. Had they strived to hit all the elements, sales and the number of tickets sold would be up.

[EthanParticipant Rupees: 885 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Christopher! I like how you brought up the analogy that Schell incorporated between doctors and game designers. The analogy between knowing the details about the body as a doctor and knowing the details of a game as a game designer really put into perspective just how important it is to know how the elements in your game work together. I found it amazing how you said how games without mechanics is just a movie. If you remove mechanics from the tetrad it would be a normal story with no control. The mechanics give us the power to give that player the experience they desire.

[KangweiParticipant Rupees: 370 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Christopher:
Yes, I also like the analogy that Schell use since it vividly depects the difference between a player perspective and the game designer perspective. And yes, Mechanics is really an important element. Without it, the game’s composition could say be incomplete. In general, the four basic elements，which are story, technology, mechanics and Aesthetics, must be interlinked to make a game successful in its design.

[ScottParticipant Rupees: 600 RupeesRank: White Sword]

I also enjoyed when Schell compared doctors and patients to game develepers and game players. It helps people who might not know too much about game designing understand the relationship between a designer and their players. This is a particularly important relationship, as it was heavily stressed throughout the reading, so this comparison helps convey that sense of importance.

[IzabellaParticipant Rupees: 400 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Christopher! I also really liked the analogy that was used to compare doctors and patients to game developers and players. I thought the analogy was very well thought-out and it really put into perspective the point that the author was trying to make. I like where you said that reading about the elements made it easier to focus on the distinct sections of the game and I thought that was super interesting. I also think it is hard to look at a game as a whole and try to break it down, so looking at the different elements made it much easier to look deeper than just the surface of a game. I also like the quote you included where it discusses the mechanics of bringing the aesthetics to life and I think that shows the importance of the elements and that not one specific element is the best and how they are all important. I liked your response and I think you did a good job!

[AniParticipant Rupees: 715 RupeesRank: White Sword]

In chapter 5, we read about the elements of a game; specifically the mechanics, story, aesthetics, and technology; all of which make playing our favorite games possible. My favorite part about this chapter was thinking about some games that I was familiar with and seeing how these four elements played a part in them. But also seeing how each element is used more or less than the opposing in different games. On page 55 Schell states, “If you can manage to focus on both [skin and skeleton] at once, you can see how it all works while feeling the power of your game’s experience”(Schell 55). I thought this quote was insightful because it shows how important it is for game designers to focus on both creating a properly structured game but also one that encourages an awesome experience for the player. This made me think about how boring it would feel to play a game that had a predictable outcome or was simply too difficult to understand! Game designers must consider all of these factors when developing a game worth playing.

[ErinParticipant Rupees: 1,235 RupeesRank: Magic Sword]

Hi Ani,

I totally agree, I did not realize how much actually goes into game design and that there needs to be a sense of challenge and excitement. I mean, who would want to play a game that has an easy outcome to it and knowing you will constantly win. I would want to win but I would want to ear that win through having to overcome a challenge. With this being said, game designers deserve more credit for how much creativity they have to come up with to make a game that does have different challenges than the rest.

[RobertParticipant Rupees: 300 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hey Ani, I really enjoyed your post, and really respected the use of your quote. Most people just look. at the skin of the skeleton rather than everything as a whole. When some of the best parts of the game are the base of the game. For example, the best game that I can think of is sony’s Spiderman. The game is super aesthetically pleasing however it has one of the best mechanic systems ever. The game would not be where it is today without the mechanics because with no base it would just be some choppy game that looks good.

[ScottParticipant Rupees: 600 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Ani. I also enjoyed that quote, as “skin and skeleton” most likely refers to the aesthetics and mechanics/structure of the game in which you’re creating. Focusing on both of these things equally is important in order to have a great game, a game that gives it players a one of a kind experience.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 8 months ago by Scott.

[DestinyParticipant Rupees: 475 RupeesRank: White Sword]

In chapter five the author discusses all the necessary elements of a game and introduces the four main elements, mechanics, story, aesthetics, and technology. In the sub-section entitled skin and skeleton, Schell further explains why all of the elements should be equal and displays a diagram of a pyramid. Schell states, “You must see skin and skeleton at once, if you focus only on the skin, you can think about how an experience feels, but not understand why it feels that way or how to improve it. If you focus only on skeleton, you can make a game structure that is beautiful in theory, but potentially horrible in practice”(Pg.55). This analogy emphasizes the importance of each element. Another way to view this is like baking a cake. Each ingredient is equally important as another if you add too much of one ingredient then the overall result will not be what you want. You need to add the right amount of each ingredient for optimal results.

[IzabellaParticipant Rupees: 400 RupeesRank: White Sword]

I had a huge “AHA” moment when I realized my knowledge of human anatomy was terrible. I realized there was very little information I knew about my own body, like where almost any organ is or what they do, or even what many of my own bones are called. I love the example that was used to compare a doctor to a game designer and how the regular players don’t need to know much, just as regular people don’t necessarily need to know much about their own bodies, but doctors and game designers are required to know much more than the basics to be able to do their jobs well. Just as doctors need to know the ins and outs of the body, game designers need to know the ins and outs of their worlds and games. One quote that I thought was interesting was “for it is mechanics that make a game a game” (Schell 52) and I totally agree. Mechanics can completely ruin a game, for example, if one player is completely overpowered. For example, the game I played called Valorant that I discussed in my forum post last week used to have a character that was extremely overpowered, he was picked in almost every match across all different ranks and player bases. His utility and abilities made him much better than almost any other character in the game, especially if combined with the skills of a good player. This mechanic made a lot of people very frustrated as it was almost impossible to combat his abilities so he was quickly “nurfed”, or made more equal and fair. Does anyone else think about just how hard it must be to have to put yourself in the “skin and the skeleton” as mentioned in the reading? I personally would find it very difficult to try and look at the game from a player’s perspective when I am fully aware of the mechanics and rules of the game. I can imagine it would be very difficult to try and put yourself in an entirely different perspective. Overall, I think the chapter was very interesting and I liked how it discussed the elements that are necessary for producing our favorite entertainment.

[ErinParticipant Rupees: 1,235 RupeesRank: Magic Sword]

Hi Izabella,

I really like your view even though I think that the four basic elements have an equal playing field and all have the same important qualities. I do not think one can overpower another because without one there is no balance. It is like the branches of governments and they all need checks and balances. Without one equal element there can be no equality with the others and I feel like that is really shown through the game if there is not a balance between the elements. With this being said, your view and explanation was really interesting to read!

[JasmineParticipant Rupees: 320 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Izabella,

I enjoyed reading your post and I agree gamers like doctors have more knowledge on their craft than those who come to play on their platform or those who (seek treatment/advice). Also, challenging mechanics can turn a player away, that’s how I feel when I attempt to play Call of Duty.

[RachelParticipant Rupees: 385 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Izabella!

I agree with you about how challenging mechanics can turn players away. Often in competitive online games, so called OP (overpowered) characters exist – and many players feel negative emotions regarding them. Usually in pro play, the same few characters may be picked repeatedly because they are simply “better”. That is why within the developing team there are play testers and balancers, who necessarily do not take part in developing the game itself but play the game as players after to provide feedback on the experience. There are so many parts to game design, and often the players are the final key for a successful experience.

[PragyaParticipant Rupees: 195 RupeesRank: Magic Sword]

I think in games where one character is just naturally more overpowered than the rest can also happen when designers try to make each of them different somehow to cater to every style of play – however, naturally only some of those will actually be more helpful to the players in the game. This is why as we’re discussing it’s important to step back and actually think about how a player would approach character selection and what they would value in their experience.

[KangweiParticipant Rupees: 370 RupeesRank: White Sword]

When I first began reading chapter five, in terms of the importance of the four Basic Elements of “Mechanics,” “Story,” “Aesthetics,” and “Technology,” I initially thought “Mechanics” > “Aesthetics” > “Story” > “Technology.” From the perspective of a player, mechanics are what most attract players, while aesthetics and story are used to further enhance the player experience. Lastly, Technology, as in fact, few game players care about how the game is written or created. I think Schell describes my feelings in this passage. He wrote, “The tetrad is arranged here in a diamond shape not to show any relative importance but only to help illustrate the ‘visibility gradient,’ that is, the fact that technological elements tend to be the least visible to the players, aesthetics are the most visible, and mechanics and story are somewhere in the middle. It can be arranged in other ways” (Schell 52). Schell then tells us in this passage why we have this feeling that the importance of these four basic elements is not the same. This is because “it is human nature to believe your piece is the most important” (Schell 53).

[MeganParticipant Rupees: 965 RupeesRank: Magic Sword]

Hello Kangwei. You seem very knowledgable about games and now that I think about it, I have to agree with you. I do believe that Mechanics may be what most attracts a player, but aesthetics and story is what makes them stay, or in this case, continue to play the game. I also agree with the idea that it is human nature to believe that your piece is most important Lol. Unfortunately, I think it is human nature, but I am trying to see it from a game designer and player point of view so I am trying not to only believe what I think, but be open to other ideas!

[RobertParticipant Rupees: 300 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hey Kangwei, I really liked your summary of the chapter. You are completely right that most people choose a game that they are familiar with mechanics-wise. While the other parts like story and aesthetics make the game better. So now that. we have this knowledge we can look at all parts of a game to satisfy our needs more. I really like how Schell creates this idea that all four elements should work in harmony, but there will always. be some type of human error.

[DestinyParticipant Rupees: 475 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hello, When I began reading this chapter I was surprised to realize that mechanics is what attracted players the most, I would have went with aesthetics because a huge part of games is the visual aspect but then again I am thinking from a virtual reality standpoint.

[AhishaParticipant Rupees: 410 RupeesRank: Wooden Sword]

Hello Kangwei,
I agree that all the elements are very important. As you mentioned, the technological element does not really matter to the player because they don’t care about how and why the game was made, the aesthetics are what draw the player to the game but the designer realizes that there is a lot in the background running to make the game what it is.

[ScottParticipant Rupees: 600 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Reading chapter 5, it is evident that any games success can be due in large part to the four basic elements of the “elemental tetrad”. These elements are technology, mechanics, aesthetics, and story. Technology here is referring to the materials that make your game possible, the inner-workings of the game that make it able to function. Mechanics refer to the rules and procedures of your game. For example, the chapter uses the game space invaders to discuss mechanics: “Not only does a player shoot at advancing aliens that shoot back at him, the player can hide behind shields that the aliens can destroy (or that the player can choose to destroy himself). Further, there is the possibility to earn bonus points by shooting a mysterious flying saucer.” (Schell, 54). Story refers to the events which unfold throughout your game as it progresses. Having a good story is essential to the game in that this will keep your players wanting to keep playing. Finally, aesthetics are how your game looks, sounds, smells, tastes, and feels. The chapter makes it clear that these groups are all essential, and no one group should be placed in a higher regard than another. This is due to the visibility gradient, or the fact that technological elements are least visible to the players, aesthetics are the most visible, and story and mechanics fall somewhere in between.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 8 months ago by Scott.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 8 months ago by Scott.

[AhishaParticipant Rupees: 410 RupeesRank: Wooden Sword]

In chapter 5 Schell expresses the importance of the elemental tetrad and its four basic elements which are, aesthetics, mechanics, story, and technology. Technology is the one that is least visible to the player so it is the one that they least care or think about. Aesthetics are the more visible to the player so this is an element that the player puts high importance on, and if the aesthetics are bad it can ruin the player experience. However, although least visible, technology is the foundation of any game and without it the game would not exist. When dissecting a game, then one can see the technology aspect as well instead of only looking at it from a player’s perspective. A quote that stuck out to me was, “Part of the key to the success of Space Invaders was that the four basic elements were all working hard toward the same goal—to let the player experience the fantasy of battling an alien army,” (Schell 55). This quote was interesting to me because it showed that if a designer of a game uses the four tetrad elements, as the designer of the popular game Space Invaders did, then that game is most likely going to be very popular and well liked by its players. I can connect this to my game that I played last week which was animal crossing, and after looking into its four elements I can see that they did very well with each of them, although they are lacking in the story bit so that is why it was so popular at first but now its popularity is dying down because there are no new story elements.

[DestinyParticipant Rupees: 475 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hello , Orginally when I began reading about the elements I assumed that one would be greater than the other, Schells does a great job dissecting various video games and the elemental tetrad that is balanced and makes them so great.

[IzabellaParticipant Rupees: 400 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Ahisha! I agree with your point where you said that bad aesthetics can ruin a player’s experience. I have played some games where that were fun, but the graphics and overall aesthetic of the game were terrible so it made me not want to play it at all. I agree with your point that if a designer uses all four elements then the game will most likely be popular because the elements are important in shaping your game and making a good experience for players. A player’s experience is more likely to be negatively affected because of a lack of a certain element, such as if there is a lack of good mechanics or aesthetics which make the game either impossibly hard or ugly to look at or hear. The game I play, VALORANT, includes all of the elements and that is why it is one of the most popular games in the world. I really liked your response and I thought it was very interesting and creative!

[RachelParticipant Rupees: 385 RupeesRank: White Sword]

In Chapter 5, The Game Consists of Elements, Schell explains to us the four basic elements of games. Mechanics, the rules and procedures of the game, story, the sequence of events that unfolds in the game, aesthetics, the art and visuals of the game, and technology, the materials and interactions that allow the game to exist. These four elements are the skeleton of the game, and the experience is the skin. In order for a person to exist, there must be both skin and skeleton – the same applies for a game, the both must coexist in harmony to consider it successful game design, as shown in the lens of “holographic design”. The idea of the skeleton made me think about the games that I played in the past, and it gave me a thought that each individual may have different parts of the skeleton that they like more than the other. Personally to me, the aesthetics and the story of the game I find more attraction in. To others, other parts may be more attractive. However, every element is important in order for the game to be “complete”. As Schell states, “If you can manage to focus on both at once, you can see how it all works while feeling the power of your game’s experience at the same time” (Schell 55).

[MeganParticipant Rupees: 965 RupeesRank: Magic Sword]

Hello Rachel, I agree with you completely. Every element is needed in order for the game to be ‘complete.’ I think this is something that I had not thought of prior, so now that I think about it and am aware of all the different elements, I have a newfound appreciation for game design and just how much effort and specifics must be thought of before a game is complete.

[ChristopherParticipant Rupees: 865 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Rachel,
I agree that certain aspects of the game are more important to some people than others. Personally, I have always enjoyed the progression of the game, how it grows and evolves over its course. It’s interesting to consider that some games might not have that much of a progression compared to others, and before I read this chapter, I would have thought that having a strong story is not the most important thing for a game (at least, a game could do without it). There are many popular games that I have never enjoyed, which don’t seem to have much of a story. However, I realized after reading this chapter that they still do have stories, just not as intricate or complex. Even the simplest games have a progression, and as long as that progression matches what the game is going for (theme), then it can be successful.

[ChristianaParticipant Rupees: 425 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Rachel!

I enjoy aesthetics and story, too, as opposed to technology and mechanics. But this chapter has definitely given me a better appreciation of them. Because the mechanics and technology are running smoothly (aka the skeleton), I am amble to enjoy the experiences of the skin. If I think about it that way, then the mechanics and technology are just as important. If neither were working, I would very clearly notice an obvious shift in quality in the story and aesthetics. All need to be given equal attention to everything to run smoothly.

[JoeunParticipant Rupees: 1,090 RupeesRank: Magic Sword]

Space invaders gameplay
In Schell’s text, along with his 10 qualities of a game, he adds the 4 elements of a game. The 4 elements being: mechanics, story, aesthetics, and technology. He uses the example of space invaders. As many people are familiar with the game, I have only ever heard of it, but never experienced it myself, so in my case I understood the game design, as described by Schell, prior to understanding the visuals of the game itself. Watching the game for the first time, it was very different from what I expected, and was shocked by the amazing game design of a simple, yet complex game. It made me wonder if the success of this game was entirely due to its compliance to the 4 elements or if luck had some play in it. Despite this, Schell mentions the uniform importance of all 4 elements, but in my opinion, story has a slightly more important edge to me. If a game had a great story, I would definitely play it regardless of the other elements.

[MeganParticipant Rupees: 965 RupeesRank: Magic Sword]

Hi Joeun, I had not seen the game prior either, so it is nice to see what it looks like, though it was described very well. I do agree with you that although Schell states that all of the four elements are necessary, I do think that maybe to the audience, there is one that will stick out to us. I have to agree with you that story is important to me as well, and I would most likely play a game if I like the story. However, I do see how each element is necessary in order to create a game and they each hold their own level of importance.

[ShamarParticipant Rupees: 280 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hey Joeun,
I liked how you used a gameplay video of space invaders to connect with Schell’s illustration of the four elements that make up a game. I agree that the four elements are necessary because they keep players engaged with the mechanics and aesthetics that set the game’s tone. The story allows players to utilize any system in following the story. It also opens our eyes to our understanding of designing a game and how the four elements define the game’s theme.

[Aaliyah WitherspoonParticipant Rupees: 315 RupeesRank: White Sword]

“The important thing to understand about the four elements is that they are all essential. No matter what game you design, you will make important decisions about all four elements. None is more important than the others, and each one powerfully influences each of the others” (Schell 53).

In this chapter, Schell discusses the tetrad which is the 4 important elements of a game. This quote stuck out to me in paticular because as I was reading the passage, I was even trying to decide which one would be the most important. At first I was saying the storyline. Without it, the experience is not the best and people wouldn’t be interested to keep playing. Then, I changed my mind and said it had to be mechanics and technology, without it, there would be no game. But Schell quickly removed that thought when he said that no element was greater than the other. Rather, it’s all of them working together that makes the game work, and I see that even more now.

[EthanParticipant Rupees: 885 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Aaliyah! I do think its very important for all the four elements to work together and I also think that it makes sense for each of these elements to not have importance over another. However, after analyzing games such as Space Invaders, it was clear to me that the story within the game was not as important as the mechanics and the technology. Although the story does make the game unique, I think the game would still be generally the same with a different story. What do you think?

[JoeunParticipant Rupees: 1,090 RupeesRank: Magic Sword]

Aaliyah I do agree in Schell’s persuasive way of writing. By explaining his points thoroughly, he is able to gain the trust and reliability of his readers. However, I do realize that his definitions highly pertain to video/ board games. Reading your comment has shifted my perspective. In games like rock, paper, scissors, a story is not needed, nor aesthetics. Perhaps I have missed Schell’s clarification, but his tetrad of elements seem way more ambiguous than I have perceived.

[AlexisParticipant Rupees: 735 RupeesRank: White Sword]

When reading chapter 5 I found that the element tetrad was very informative and helpful for us as new game writers to understand the game writing better by first by getting to know the four main elements of a game and how they relate to each other. A quote that stood out to me was, “It is important to understand that none of the elements are more important than the others. The tetrad is arranged here in a diamond shape not to show any relative importance but only to help illustrate the “visibility gradient,” that is, the fact that technological elements tend to be the least visible to the players, aesthetics are the most visible, and mechanics and story are somewhere in the middle” (Schell 52). After reading this I feel as though I have a better grasp of what the most important parts of games are, which makes it easier to know how to go about the planning process since we now know where to start and what to focus on most. Going into this class I assumed that there was a hierarchy of sorts when game writing, meaning that there are some elements that are more important than others and therefore need more time and effort put into. However after reading about the four elements it became clear that since all of these elements are related, they are of equal importance and none of them are more important than the other which was very helpful for me in terms of how to go about game writing.

[ScottParticipant Rupees: 600 RupeesRank: White Sword]

I enjoyed learning about the elemental tetrad, and each components importance was showcased in the fact they are arranged in the shape of a diamond. This helps showcase the visibility variant, explaining that no one component of the elemental tetrad was more important than another. It’s nice to know that a game designer would value of these elements equally, rather than valuing one over another.

[PragyaParticipant Rupees: 195 RupeesRank: Magic Sword]

From this chapter what I thought about most was the idea of how choosing the technology, which is basically what determines the medium of the game, can be really important in determining who will play your game. Or rather, who gets to play your game. Sometimes this is just a question of what system your video game is on, which then just becomes a question of buying that system and the game. I’m saying this as a person who didn’t play the new Animal Crossing game due to unfortunate lack of a Switch, though I know I would’ve enjoyed playing it ?. Other times, there are mediums which are entirely off limits to people due to disabilities, from the ubiquitous warnings for seizure-inducing flashing lights to the fact that most games assume you can see, hear, and have a range of movement that not all people have or can maintain long enough to play a game. Sometimes this can be addressed through including the proper options, but sometimes it seems there’s no way to accommodate without making another game entirely. So there’s actually a lot of discussion I’ve read about how much people can expect in terms of accommodation for that, and my thoughts are pretty much that no, you can’t accommodate for everyone, but the fact remains that many people don’t even consider this at all and they should at least give it a good thinking over. In fact I’d like to see if Schell thinks about it later in the book when this is brought up again.

[ChristianaParticipant Rupees: 425 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Pragya!

I really like how you brought up games and their (lack of) accommodation to abilities. You are definitely right in saying not every game can be tailored to every person, by here are certainly not enough that even are tailored to them at all. I think that when people think of tailoring they mean abiding by someone’s specific wish based on their own preferences. But when it comes to people with disabilities, I think it is a must rather than an option. Proving alternate routes without flashing lights, for example, or adding narrators or voice actors for wordy parts would make all the difference.

[EthanParticipant Rupees: 885 RupeesRank: White Sword]

I really enjoyed how Schell started off this chapter, starting from the composition of basic objects such as tables and spoons and then gradually bringing up complex systems such as the human body. Similar to the human body, games are complex systems that can be picked apart into various elements and components and how they work with each other. “A doctor needs to know, really know, how everything works inside us, how it all interrelates, and, when something goes wrong, how to figure out the source of the problem and fix it.” Just like doctors, game designers must also know every aspect of their game and how each element works together. Learning about the Elemental Tetrad opened my eyes to how much these elements really need to work together in order for a game to function well. I feel as if I knew elements existed already in game design, but actually seeing the tetrad made me start relating the games that I play with those elements. For example, in the game Subway Surfers, there are mechanics such as moving the character left or right, jumping, rolling, gaining power ups, and more. In terms of the story, the game is based around a cop chasing your character and their goal is to catch you. The aesthetics include colorful cartoon like designs of subways and the technology is the mobile device that the game is run on. As I analyzed more and more games, I realized that some elements dominated over others. Although in the chapter it states that no element is more important than the other, it was very clear to see that the story of space invaders was not as important as the mechanics. So with this being clear, I was wondering, did Schell have a different meaning when he said no element is more important than the other?

[ChristianaParticipant Rupees: 425 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Ethan!

I talked about Subway Surfers in a previous post, actually, which is why your post caught my attention. I found your question really interesting. In fact, at first read I was inclined to agree with you but after thinking on it so more, I think Schell was still right.

Subway Surfers is a very simple game and, as a result, the story is as simple as the mechanics involved. All one does is hate to swipe to control the character and their main objective is to simply run away from the cops. However, without that premise there is no use in the mechanics at all. If the character is not running away from anyone, there there is no use in being apple to jump, avoid, and slide. The two both need the other to coexist.

[PragyaParticipant Rupees: 195 RupeesRank: Magic Sword]

I think Christiana brings up a really good point on how it’s not about whether all elements seem fleshed out, but whether they support each other – and yeah, a simple game probably has all simple elements. In fact that’s usually what people expect – it would actually be kind of strange if a simple game like Subway Surfer had deep lore. People would be like, huh? I thought I was playing a simple game, why is there a story to read now? So the balance makes sense there.

[ZiyangParticipant Rupees: 45 RupeesRank: White Sword]

I have watched a netflix documentary called “high score”, which tells the history of game, they also talked about the origin of the game “Space Invaders”. Those four elements works really well and it is a big step forward for game design. You can see many successful games now are using the same mechanics as almost 50 years ago. “It is not enough to merely understand the various game elements and how they interrelate with one another—you must always consider how they relate to the experience.”(Schell 55) The importance of experience is mentioned again here. As an element that is always ignored by some designer, experience is actually what influences the game most. It is like a compass when you sailing on the sea. It tells which direction is the right one. So you have to take a look at it occasionally in case you get lost. But stare on it too much might make you too careful to make any decision. So it is more like a reminder of correction of your work, rather than direction.

[EthanParticipant Rupees: 885 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Ziyang! I loved the analogy you made with how the elements are your compass when sailing on the sea. With so many aspects to consider, I agree that it is very easy to deviate from any of the elements and focus too much on one. Everything needs consideration and everything needs to work together. Also I’ll be sure to check out that Netflix documentary! Is it about how Space Invaders was designed?

[JoeunParticipant Rupees: 1,090 RupeesRank: Magic Sword]

Ziyang, I enjoy the visual you create to describe experience in game design. I agree with your point that experience is the most important quality of a game, but in a way, these 4 elements contribute to the experience of a game, even indirectly.

[RachelParticipant Rupees: 385 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Ziyang!

I really appreciate your metaphor of a compass while sailing on the sea. When equilibrium between the 4 elements is lost, its almost as if you are lost in the sea. In order to fix yourself in time of need, the “experience” of the game takes its place, putting designers back on the track, giving them direction. With the knowledge of what is missing or lacking, designers are able to get back on track, reinforcing the game and the experience.

[ShamarParticipant Rupees: 280 RupeesRank: White Sword]

In chapter 4, Schell defines what “a game truly is,” which is very important because we often have different ways of expressing what a game is. We also have other ways of interpreting what a game is considered “fun,” whether which parts of the game were “fun” or which part of the game should be improved to be “fun.” In this case, he compares games to toys as ways we both utilize to play; they both evoke a feeling of excitement and create pleasurable surprises, which he connects “surprises” to his other lenses, such as curiosity and endogenous value. He also defines “play,” when he says, “play involves something else—play involves willful
action, usually a willful action of touching or changing something—manipulating something, you might say” (Schell, pg. 40). I thought this quote was important because it ties to the feeling of curiosity in which we tend to play the game to see what the game entails, what the story is about, what are the rules of the game, the goals, and why is the game popular. Good design also evokes curiosity among players, whereas lousy design might not draw any attention. I also agree that problem-solving is what tends to be popular in games, such games like Clue, Ace Attorney, and other mystery games that we’re curious about what these clues and puzzles will offer once we solve them.

[ChristianaParticipant Rupees: 425 RupeesRank: White Sword]

“Essentially, the skill you need to develop is the ability to observe your
own experience while thinking about the underlying causes of that experience” (Schell 55).

The analogy of the skin and skeleton was unique and fascinating to me. It also definitely helped me understand the concept of “holographic design” better. The idea that one can peel back the layers of a game so as to think of its structure as well as placing it back so as to feel how it will affect other people is interesting to me. Before this reading, I would probably got about game design in steps, focusing on policing and fine-tuning each specific area. However, this chapter brought attention to the fact that all these aspects are working in tandem so as to produce something amazing. Each area works off of each other, so one must keep in mind the player experience, for example, while forming the mechanics of the game, and vice versa. While this does seem bit hectic, it also seems to ensure a well-balanced gamed.

[JoeunParticipant Rupees: 1,090 RupeesRank: Magic Sword]

Christiana! I love how you phrased it “all these aspects are working in tandem so as to produce something amazing”. That phrasing truly represents the connection of all four elements. It is also wonderful you tied it back to the concept of player experience, as that is very important in determining success. However, what would happen if the game designer released a game where player experience was purposely diminished? As game design is ambiguous I believe that in some world this type of game would have success. (As there are reviews that specific-ate to trashy games)

[ShamarParticipant Rupees: 280 RupeesRank: White Sword]

In chapter 5, Schell illustrates four elements that makeup games: technology, mechanics, story, and aesthetics. Technology is a tool that allows the game to be taken place based on its mechanics, graphics, and the story in which the player plays to find out the outcome. Mechanics are the rules of the game that provide you with tutorials on how to play the game and how to reach your goal as you play throughout the story. The story evokes the player to be engaged. The players are exposed to the mechanics of completing the level and the aesthetic of different parts of the game, such as location and other characters you meet. One of the games I play on the switch, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, displays a groundbreaking story where Link can explore locations where he’s exposed to different enemies, aesthetics of other locations, characters, and various themes in all parts of the story. Lastly, the aesthetics are what draw players into playing the game because their curious about how certain parts of the game would look with compelling graphics; they’re curious about how the characters would like and how the aesthetic of different parts of the game will evoke emotions of interest and excitement as you play through the game. He also claims that “you must see skin and skeleton at once” when providing experience to players in the game (Schell, pg. 55). I found this to be insightful because he encourages designers to dig deeper into the game to explore these experiences, and how these experiences would evoke these type of emotions when players a particular game.

[PragyaParticipant Rupees: 195 RupeesRank: Magic Sword]

Hi Shamar, now that you bring up Legend of Zelda I remember seeing the promos for that game – which I don’t really follow and so don’t know a lot about, haha – but I remember there was some new character design or the other that had people really interested. My whole point is that you reminded me just how much the aesthetics can affect people, as audiences can get very hyped just by seeing an updated character design or an increase in animation quality. Not only is it something original and hopefully nice to look at, there’s a lot of community engagement in discussing the changes – and that’s before anyone even plays the game properly.

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