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

This week, you were asked to jump into Chapter 12 (“Some Elements Are Game Mechanics”) of Schell’s The Art of Game Design.

Use this forum to discuss your reading.

As in the past, you must post at least once by 11:59 pm on Friday (Feb 3rd)… and you must respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts by 11:59 pm on Monday (Feb 6th).

Remember that the point is to have a conversation and to learn more about game design together. 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 (either the game you’re analyzing for our course, or any other game that comes to mind).
– 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]

As I read Chapter 12, there was discussion and talk about the mechanic of chance which I found to be very interesting. I personally always have very bad luck when it comes to playing games and in life. With this being said, there would not be an y fun without uncertainty in life, there is always a chance something won’t work out or sometimes when it will. No one will ever know what will happen unless someone takes that chance and that leap of faith. What I found to be the most interesting and did not realize until reading that chance is a lot of math and that “you can never take chance for granted, for it is very tricky-the math can be difficult, and our intuitions about it are often wrong,” (Schell 184). Like I said before I always try to test my luck when playing a game just to see if it works out in my favor (it never does) but it adds mystery to the game. Taking a chance is very important to do because even though it is tricky and there can be consequences, there are times when it will work out in your favor and those are the best times. For example, when I play the card game BS with my friends I always try to trick them and lie when I am given the chance and sometimes it works out in my favor and sometimes it does not and I end up with the whole deck. With this being said, chance was a very interesting mechanic I read about and I find that it all being based on math to be very fascinating.

[MeganParticipant Rupees: 965 RupeesRank: Magic Sword]

Hi Erin! You bring up very good points. In life, won’t it get boring after a while when things are going too well? And even in a game, is a game really fun without a certain level of uncertainty, challenge, or struggle? I also found it interesting that chance is a lot of math, or even probability. I didn’t think that math would have much to do with a video game, but it does! I am also completely agree with you in terms of luck- of course, it is fun to try, but it usually doesn’t work well for me either, Lol.

[AniParticipant Rupees: 715 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi! I really liked your analysis of the mechanics of chance. I agree! Uncertainty is what keeps a game exciting, and like Schell states is “an important source of human pleasure and the secret ingredient of fun” (184). The idea you mentioned, probability, is also very fascinating. Designers have to devise a way to use probability to keep a game from being predictable.

[ScottParticipant Rupees: 600 RupeesRank: White Sword]

hey, I also found learning about the mechanic of chance pretty interesting. IF you always knew the outcome of a game before even playing it, why even bother to play it. The mechanic of chance helps keep a games outcome always up in the air as to who might win, which is what would bring people coming back to play the game. Taking risks in life is just something that you have to do at times, and this certainly spices things up, especially in games.

[AlexisParticipant Rupees: 735 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Erin! I really like the way you described chance and how it relates to games and reality alike as it exists in both. I often have terrible luck as well so you’re not alone! I wanted to add something that I found about chance from the reading was that I think the element of chance is very different in a game as its less of a risk, which makes people more brave and curious than they would be regularly. In real life, taking a chance can be really risky and often times detrimental if it goes wrong, which is why people are often apprehensive to take chances. However games give people an outlet from reality as it allows them to be more adventurous and take more risks without the possible consequences actually affecting them. I believe this makes games more fun and give players a sort of adrenaline rush, therefore it is a very important factor in games.

[KangweiParticipant Rupees: 370 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Erin:
I agree that chance makes the game more mysterious for players and increases their enthusiasm for the game. I also like your example of playing the card game BS with your friends and trying to trick them. It reminds me of my experience playing 21 points with my roommate during the winter break. I often had a hard time telling if my roommate was telling the truth or lying. For example, when my roommate had a card that was smaller than mine, he sometimes chose to go all in. This led me to wrongly think that his card was larger than mine and resulted in my losing the game. Additionally, your post has also taught me that mechanics of chance are based on mathematical calculations.

[ShamarParticipant Rupees: 280 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hey Erin,
I liked your analysis of chance in mechanics in how it is essential to the game. A game that’s easy for players to play doesn’t create a feeling of enthusiasm and curiosity among players because they know they’re more likely to win in the game they’re good at. When a game lacks chance in mechanics, players are more likely to be bored in playing the same game over-and-again in which they begin to grow tiresome and have thoughts of playing a different game since the game they’re playing is considered “easy.” With chance embedded in the game’s mechanics, it creates uncertainty about the outcome for players who play these games. Chance shapes players not to be overly confident because there’s an uncertainty in the game that may not be in their favor. Chance helps players to be more focused and cautious of their actions in the game, and it appears to be intense to the players that one wrong move/decision will change their outcome of winning.

[MeganParticipant Rupees: 965 RupeesRank: Magic Sword]

In chapter 12, Schell discusses the various mechanics. A quote that struck me was when Schell was discussing secrets, he states, “in video games, we face something new: a state that only the game itself knows about” (Schell, p. 168). He discusses this in comparison to other games, such as board games in which all players are aware of everything going on, but in card games, only each player is aware of their own cards. In a video game, the video game is aware of things that the player not be, which contributes to this mysterious kind of experience while playing the game, or the element of surprise. However, when playing a video game, it can feel as if we are playing against the game or system itself, from the players perspective. Mechanic 5 discusses the types of rules in a game. There are operational, foundational, behavioral, etc., rules. One of the types of rules that stuck out to me was the behavioral rules. It kind of goes without saying, but there are times when you are playing a multi-player game and the opponent is doing or saying strange, weird things to distract the player. Also, when discussing cheating within a game, Schell states, “…if players start believing your game is cheatable, even if it isn’t, all the precious endogenous value you have worked to develop just slips away” (Schell, p. 178). I think this is very well-said! If and/or when a player cheats, it truly ruins the craftsmanship of the game! Of course, winning is fun, but what truly makes a game fun is the process of it, or the work the player puts in, in order to win. Without that, is it really a game after all?

[AniParticipant Rupees: 715 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi, I agree! I like the way you mentioned cheatability because this was something I found very interesting as well. It is important for game designers to do everything in their power to limit the possibility of players cheating because, again, as you mentioned, it will ruin the game’s endogenous value.

[DestinyParticipant Rupees: 475 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hello Megan, Lens #27 was fascinating to me, I never connected the idea to the types of games that I have played, meaning I have never noticed a pattern in board games vs. video games in the way they are played on such a deeper level. Also, I agree with Schell statement about cheating for the most part, but sometimes cheat codes make the game more fun.

[ChristopherParticipant Rupees: 865 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Megan,
I think you made a very good point at the end. The game is about the process, and so if one cheats, it does ruin the entire experience. Any value/connection that the player can have is nullified because they know they didn’t work to achieve it. I also found the idea that video games function as their own sort of entity to be very insightful. This is why single player games are so common in video games compared to board/card games, of which I only know of solitaire. Video games enable the player to have their own experience, and I think that’s definitely something that cannot be overlooked during game design.

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

Megan! The idea of the video game being aware of things that the player is not is a unique aspect of video games compared to other forms of games. This adds the lens of a surprise to the player’s experience and also creates a feeling of playing against the game or system itself. The conduct guidelines are particularly intriguing because they serve to outline the game’s social component. Cheating can totally destroy a player’s experience and the valuable endogenous value will disappear. This emphasizes the value of fair play and the necessity of upholding the game’s integrity.

[AlexisParticipant Rupees: 735 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Megan! What stuck out to me most in your post was your analysis of how video games offer players a new state that only the game knows of and not the player, until they eventually become exposed to it. I think this is what separately video games from other games as it provides an element of surprise for players which keeps them engaged and intrigued. I believe that this is a large part of why video games tend to be more popular than board games for example because, as you stated, players in a board game know exactly what will happen and therefore there are not surprises. This takes away excitement from the game which is an important factor for a successful gaming experience.

[KangweiParticipant Rupees: 370 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Megan!
I completely agree with your understanding of the types of rules. Behavior rules are indeed very important, as they determine the experience of all players in the game. For example, in League of Legends, which I play, it is a 5v5 game, and if one of the 10 people engages in insults or negative game play altitude towards teammates or opponents, it will undoubtedly lead to a decline in the gaming experience for all players in the game. Thus, having a well-defined behavior rule is extremely important. In addition, considering preventing cheating when designing a game is also crucial. I completely agree that cheating can diminish the craftsmanship and value of the game. Many competitive games have been destroyed by cheating.

[RobertParticipant Rupees: 300 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hey Megan,
This was an awesome post, I completely agree with you that sometimes it does feel like the player is playing against the system itself. The Game that I wrote my essay on is called Elden Ring and the developers make you feel so much pain. There are times when I have tried to beat a boss dozens of times and it felt like me versus the system. I needed to find ways to beat it and figure out how to get better in order to feel the accomplished feeling I felt.

[ChristopherParticipant Rupees: 865 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Schell’s Chapter 12 gave us a comprehensive overview of all the different types of lenses to consider when designing mechanics. There were so many lenses because the mechanics of the game are how it moves and breathes, and so game designers really have to scrutinize every single aspect to ensure that everything is as it should be. While some mechanics, like space and time, are things that are naturally going to be a part of every game, Schell mentioned many other mechanics that are less obvious to include.
Some interesting points that Schell made about the mechanics was the concept of “zero space,” where a game takes place in abstract spaces such as the mind. I don’t know exactly how I feel about this, because I feel like it just becomes a redundant definition. Everything technically takes place within a space – it doesn’t have to be a game. However, I do see the merit in stating that games must take place within a defined arena, as that makes the game more tangible and approachable. Having the mindset that there is a space that must exist is useful because that forces the developer to consider if that space works with the theme of the game. Another lens I liked reading about was the Lens of Time. I feel like games make time seem much more important. In our normal lives, we don’t really care about every second and every minute. However, in a game like football, a single second can separate winning and losing. The meaning we give to that one second is capable of becoming so much more because of its endogenous value. From a game designer’s perspective, since players become so hyper aware of time while playing, it is very important to make sure that the timing is precise to optimize the game experience. One thing that stood out to me that wasn’t as obvious was the Lens of Skill. I never really would’ve considered skill to be a mechanic that game designers could implement. Obviously, games require skill, but that seems to be more on the player’s part than the designer’s. However, I realized that game designers must create a proper space for players to develop those skills. I thought about League of Legends, which has a lot of different champions with varying levels of difficulty. Practicing difficult champions in order to master them is definitely part of what makes the game so fun, so I definitely agree with Schell’s statement that “exercising skills can be a joyful thing.”

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

Hi Christopher,

I really liked reading about the Lens of Time as well, there are moments where time is not of the essence but in the examples that you gave, they make this lens feel so real. Time is very important in a lot of psychology classes, in one of my developmental psych classes, we talk so much about how a 3 month old baby is drastically different from a 4 month old baby. With this being said, this can be said about a football game for example, the first quarter is completely different from the second quarter. Realizing how important time is can be something so useful and change everything about a situation.

[MeganParticipant Rupees: 965 RupeesRank: Magic Sword]

Hi Christopher, I do agree with you that the lenses are very important, and therefore need to be properly analyzed. I also like the connection you made between reality and time, and games and time. In reality, except for maybe when we are bored, we aren’t counting down every last second. However, in a game, whether it be a sports game or video game, time is crucial. You are exactly right, seconds can come down to whether or not a team or player wins or loses. I also think you described the lens of skill very well. I thought the same thing at first, “isn’t that the players problem,” but it shows that the designer must create something in which a player can develop and practice those skills.

[IzabellaParticipant Rupees: 400 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Christopher! I liked your response and I think you thoroughly reflected on the chapter really well! I think your point about zero space is interesting as I also thought zero space was a weird concept to grasp. I had thought about what if a game was inside someone’s mind and I thought of all the possibilities and it was very fascinating. I also agree with your reflection o the lens of time because we had never really considered out crucial seconds or even milliseconds can be when in a game. For example, in the game I play called VALORANT, there is a very specific amount of time it takes to defuse the bomb so you can defuse it within milliseconds of the bomb going off. I have seen defuses be as close as .03 seconds from the bomb detonating and I thought that was a good reflection of the lens of time as it requires a key perception of time. I like the quote you added about exercising skills because I definitely agree. As someone who mostly plays shooting games, skill is an important factor when fighting someone as your skills will continue to improve the more you practice your aim and game sense. Developing that skill comes through practice. I thought your response was super interesting and I think you did a great reflection.

[AniParticipant Rupees: 715 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Chapter 12 of Schell’s Game Design dove deeper into the idea of mechanics and how it plays into game design. I found lens number 27 very fascinating, the Lens of Time. I think it goes unnoticed how much of an impact time has in games. On page 165, it states, “Our goal as designers is to create experiences, and experiences are easily spoiled when they are too short or too long, too fast or too slow” (Schell 156). I thought this quote was insightful because it just goes to show how designers have the important job of making sure they are able to retain players in the game environment. In this chapter, we learned about time-based games, where time matters little, discrete and continuous time, and clock mechanisms. When thinking about the game I analyzed in my paper, candy crush, time plays a crucial role. Each level has around 30 seconds-1 minute, and if the time runs out and you haven’t reached the target score, you will fail the level. This is an example of a clock mechanism, which is designed to limit gameplay through an absolute measure of time. Surely, if players in candy crush had an unlimited amount of time per level, there would be no challenge and zero motivation to keep playing!

[MeganParticipant Rupees: 965 RupeesRank: Magic Sword]

Hi Ani – I think you did a great job explaining the lens of time. I also find this interesting that the time must be the right balance, not too long, not too short, or else it’s ruined! I also analyzed Candy Crush in my paper, Lol. I also like how you incorporated the clock mechanism into your own game. I don’t think I have had a level on Candy Crush where I am timed yet, but I think it’s because I have only made it to level 100 at the most. Eventually, it gets too difficult and frustrating, and I feel like I have to start over because I can’t complete the level. However, I do see how the element of time can create a challenge within the game that keeps the player intrigued and wanting to move up and up.

[ScottParticipant Rupees: 600 RupeesRank: White Sword]

I enjoyed learning about the mechanic of time, because it allows players of games to “manipulate time like gods”. This is one of the main reasons that games are so appealing. For example, if you die in a first person shooter, your player immediately re-spawns. This is essentially going back in time to reset your character every time you die. Referring to your included quote, it must be really hard for game designers to find a balance between creating an experience that lasts too short, or too long of a time. The clock mechanic you mentioned from candy crush is a great example of time mechanics in games.

[RachelParticipant Rupees: 385 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Ani! Like you, I really found lens 27, the lens of time, really interesting when I was reading the chapter. Time has so much effect on our gaming experience. As you said, there are time-based games, discrete and continuous time, and clock mechanisms. Almost every game involves one of these aspects of time in their games, and its a crucial part of game design as it dictates how the game will be engaging with its player base. It keeps the players engaged, gives them challenge, and gives them motivation to keep playing.

[ShamarParticipant Rupees: 280 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hey Ani,
I like your analysis of the significance of Lens #27, Lens of Time, and how it plays a crucial role in the game’s mechanics. The inclusion of time not only informs players of how much they’re being timed in a game but also allows players to manipulate the time, pause and beat the time limit. The inclusion of time creates a feeling of enthusiasm and engagement for players when they play games that involve a time limit, which is considered to be an intense challenge and competition for the players. In candy crush, for example, I am faced with challenges where I have to complete each board with the limited time I have and the number of moves I can make on each board.

[ScottParticipant Rupees: 600 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Reading chapter 12, I found all of the 12 game mechanics mentioned to be very interesting, particularly, space. As Schell describes, game spaces are “either discrete or continuous, have some number of dimensions, and have bounded areas that may or may not be connected” (Schell, 159). Through the example of tic tac toe, Schell explains how the games’ spaces are discrete. This is because we really don’t care about the exact spot in which your mark your “x” within a specific box, rather, we care if the “x” is put in a different space entirely. In tic tac toe, there are really only 9 discrete places where you can mark your “x”, which is why the game’s space is discrete. This distinction between “discrete” and “continuous” spaces was a bit difficult for me to grasp at first, but through the example provided I was able to understand the concept a bit more. Another one of the 12 mechanics that I found to be interesting was time. As Schell states, we obviously can’t stop time in real life, but we are able to do so when we play games. This is what is so great about games – they allow us to “play with time like gods” (Schell, 163). Just as there were with game spaces, time can also be discrete or continuous. In a game, a discrete measure of time would be defined as a “turn”. when we take turns in games, the amount of time between those turns doesn’t matter. While this depends on what game you’re playing, I think this example does a good job at showing how we’re able to manipulate time when we play games.

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

Hi Scott,

I found the Lens of time to be super interesting as well, time is always of the essence but in some games time is your friend and you can work with it. Other times, you have to work against time and it is your enemy. In your example, of playing with time like gods it is important to remember that time is crucial in the real world but when you are in your game world, time really disappears. I really liked your take on this, great post!

[Aaliyah WitherspoonParticipant Rupees: 315 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Erin! Like you and Scott, the time lens was interesting to me. I liked the point that you brought up about how time can be both a friend and an enemy in games. It’s so true for both cases and it’s interesting how time can be manipulated in many ways.

[DestinyParticipant Rupees: 475 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hello Scott, I believe that the ability to control time in a game gives users a sense of ease and adds to the feeling of escaping real life. I play a game that allows me to control time, if that mechanic was not available, I would not enjoy it as much.

[DestinyParticipant Rupees: 475 RupeesRank: White Sword]

In chapter 12, Schell begins introducing the different mechanics that are essential to games. In the subsection, Mechanics 3: Objects, attributes, and states, Schell discusses having objects in your game and how they bring value to the user’s game experience. Schell argues, “if two objects behave the same, they should look the same. If they behave differently, they should look different”(Schell, 166). The author’s explanation of the value of objects and the game made me think of the popular app Subway Surfers, this game is similar to temple run, it is an endless runner mobile game. I was hooked on the game for a long time because of the objects I was able to unlock. The creator did a fantastic job making the objects unique and sometimes seen more valuable than others. The objects had completely different themes and could perform differently. This attention to detail in each board added to the games endogenous value and added to my experience as a player. Mechanics 4 goes into detail about the actions of a game, the author stresses why it is so important to make your player’s actions smooth and coordinated. I think I have had experiences playing games that had bad movement, and I did not enjoy them, it gave the game an unfinished, underdeveloped feeling when I played. I never realized how important it was until I read this section by Schells.

[EthanParticipant Rupees: 885 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Destiny! I like how you incorporated your own personal game experiences with this chapter since it introduced so many elements. Personal experiences are very important when it comes to these lenses because it validates whether these lenses are actually effective and lets us see how much thought these game designers put into their games no matter how simple they may be. I agree how objects are really important as it seems like something so simple but so complex and important. Some games implement objects that have higher rarity than others and give the player a more flashy experience which gives another dimension of fun in the game. Furthermore, I think that good movement within a game is one of those small details that some people may overlook, but can change a lot of perspective when it is implemented.

[ShamarParticipant Rupees: 280 RupeesRank: White Sword]

In chapter 12, Schell explains more in-depth about mechanics and how it plays a fundamental role in gaming. One quote that I found interesting was when he mentioned rules of how “they define the space, the timing, the objects, the actions, the consequences of the actions, the constraints on the actions, and the goals”(Schell, pg.19). I feel like a lot of players do not realize that rules serve us a purpose in which we all need to follow in order be on the right path of accomplishing our goals throughout the game. Laws serve as a guide map in assisting players to their goals, where they’re informed of how to play the game with the use of tutorials or “rules of strategy,” the players are held responsible for maintaining their behavior so that there’s no disruption during their time playing a game. Players also have to follow guidelines when it comes to playing with other players or in-game tournaments so that no actions of cheating are committed during gameplay.
Unfortunately, we live in a world with innovative technology in which the software players use to cheat in a game is accessible and can often be invisible to notice. We also live in a society where people put themselves on a high pedestal of being seen as a “winner” in any particular game, so they commit to acts of cheating with the availability of different software to maintain their social status within the gaming community rather than playing a game for enjoyment and experience. One of the quotes by Schell that relates to this issue is when he said, “if players start believing your game is cheatable, even if it isn’t, all the precious endogenous value have worked to develop just slips away” (Schell, pg. 22). The actions of cheating not only creates frustration and disruption of engagement among players, it also scraps the work from the game designer after putting so much time in the mechanics to create enjoyment for the players has now been tarnished away by those who commit acts of cheating during gameplay. I can’t recount the number of times I have seen players caught cheating on Twitch and become oblivious when caught red-handed during gameplay and in-game tournaments. It’s very astonishing. Luckily, some rules were enforced within these communities, so the majority who committed these acts were banned from Twitch or from participating in any upcoming gaming tournaments.

[ChristopherParticipant Rupees: 865 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Shamar,
I agree with your point about cheating, and how the concept of winning has deteriorated the endogenous value of playing games because players then only focus on the title and will resort to any means to get it. I also wonder if the whole concept of ranked games does contribute to a loss of endogenous value from a game, even if players are not necessarily cheating. When I play a ranked version of a game, I tend to only think about winning and cannot simply enjoy the smaller mechanics for what they are. It is certainly more addicting, but I wonder if that makes the game more enjoyable at all.

[IzabellaParticipant Rupees: 400 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Chapter 12 was very interesting for me to read because I thought it was cool the way that they broke down game mechanics. When it discusses spaces, I had an AHA moment because I had never thought of how complex some of these simple games are. One of the examples used was Tic-Tac-Toe and even that had its own space and that shows how even very seemingly different games have their similarities even if you have to look really deep. When the author was discussing clocks, it made me think about the game that I play called VALORANT because that game is very time-based. There are so many time constraints. For example, each round is only 100 seconds, with the bomb timer being 40 seconds, and each ability has its own time cooldowns and timespans for how long they last. Time is a vital part of the game I play so I thought it was interesting to read about that. One quote that I thought was interesting was when Schell stated, “It’s great to let players do all kinds of different things in your game, giving them lots of verbs, and verbs with lots of objects,”(Schell 172). This was interesting to me because I thought about how complicated it must get for game developers when there are multiple ways to get the same outcome or goal to be completed. For example, in the game that I play, VALORANT, there are a number of ways to “win” depending on which side you are on. If you are a defender, you can win by killing the entire attacking team, defusing the enemy team’s bomb, or waiting out the time and preventing the attackers from planting their bomb. This is interesting because it adds another layer of strategy and dynamic to the game that makes players think outside the box, where you don’t necessarily need to eliminate someone but you can also stop them from eliminating you. Later on in the chapter, Schell discusses the importance of the game goal. A similar topic was discussed in the previous chapters as well when he highlighted the importance of knowing your game’s theme from the beginning so every part of your game can support that theme. This includes having a set goal, but also have set rules that will make the goal happen, or what a player can and can’t do to reach it. In conclusion, I thought the chapter was very interesting because it really dove deep into the foundations of game mechanics, which I personally find super interesting. I like connecting the different sections to games I have played to try and get a better understanding of the topics.

[EthanParticipant Rupees: 885 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Izabella! I really loved your VALORANT example as I love to play this game as well and relating these elements introduced in this chapter put into perspective how great the game really is. When looking at the game from an outside perspective, it almost seems like the game is repetitive. But when looking at the quote you mentioned with giving players a lot of verbs with a lot of objects, it really made me think about how many options a player has in the small time frame given per round. With so many abilities, guns, sites, there are endless possibilities that make every round so exciting, making players want to come back for more. Timers create suspense and the number of possibilities introduce that element of chance that players must take.

[JasmineParticipant Rupees: 320 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Schell’s Chapter 12 was insightful by breaking down the interconnections (the skeleton) of game designing. The mathematical construct of game designing explained provides deeper understand to aspects of the game. As explained in the text, “even though the players can make their marks in an infinite number of places in a continuous 2D space, there are really only nine discrete places that have any actual meaning in the game. In a sense, we really have nine zero-dimensional cells, connected to each other in a 2D grid,” (Schell 160). This explanation with example image belong provides clarification on what some may argue over when playing the game. I find the Lens #27: The Lens of Time interesting in that as a player I do find timed games more exciting, giving players a rush to beat the clocking providing a thrilling experience and wanting to play more and beat their last recorded time.

[KangweiParticipant Rupees: 370 RupeesRank: White Sword]

In Chapter 12, Schell introduces the various Mechanics of the game in detail. Among them, I’m most interested in Mechanics 7: SKills related to Lens #34: The lens of Skills. Skills are very important for players. We know the process of playing games brings joy to players, and skills are the key to how much joy they can get. For example, when playing some actions games, if you keep defeated by opponents in the game and losing, then you will definitely gain very little joy and even lose interest towards this game. But on the contrary, if you always win, then this game will bring you a lot of joy and a sense of accomplishment. So skills are very important for players. In addition, Schell’s detailed introduction to Skills let me know that player skills are mainly divided into three types: Physical Skills, such as controlling the game controller, Mental Skills, such as memory, solving puzzles, and Social Skills, such as communication with teammates. These skills will directly determine the experience the game can bring to players. Listing this skills will make both game designer and players be aware of which skills this game requires and let them be prepaired. Schell also made me aware of the difference between real skills and virtual skills. Real skills refer to the skills mentioned above, while virtual skills are skills within the game. For example, an increase in attack power from upgrading tasks in the game is a virtual skill.

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

[RachelParticipant Rupees: 385 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Kangwei! I also found the lens of skills very interesting. As you said, most of the times during games skills equate to joy. A higher skill level in games help you win the game, and in most cases, winning equals joy and fun. Mental skills that the player have in the game can help you efficiently increase your virtual skills in the game, gaining the most value in the game. It’s really interesting how skills from real life – physical, mental, and social – connect to virtual skills in games.

[AlexisParticipant Rupees: 735 RupeesRank: White Sword]

A quote that stuck out to me most was, “In the real world, time is the most mysterious of dimensions. Against our will, we travel through it, ever forward, with no way to stop, turn around, slow down, or speed up. In the world of games, we often try to remedy this lack of control by creating toy worlds that let us play with time like gods” (Schell 163). This was such a good quote because it shows how games have the ability to take something so permanent and unchangeable in reality into something that is flexible and in the control of the player in a game. An example of this is how in reality we are not able to go back in time and redo anything, however in a game we are able to go back and redo levels for example to fix our mistakes and make better decisions. This adds to the sense of fantasy that a game designer provides to players and that adds a lot of the appeal players have towards gaming. I think that game writers have to take in the aspect of time in the game design process to determine how to give players the control of it in the best way that fits in with the game and alters the reality of time for players. The aspect of time in games is one of my favorite game mechanics because of its contrast to time in reality.

[IzabellaParticipant Rupees: 400 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Alexis! I really love the quote that you picked and I think it is fascinating. We never realize how much these seconds in our lives matter until we wish we had more time and that is why in games we try to make up for that feeling of lack of control by allowing ourselves to toy with time and the world. It was an AHA moment for me because I now know why it feels so nice to be able to redo a level or a fight in a game if you fail because that is not the case in life. In life, if you fail or do something wrong you can’t simply go back and change it and we can’t edit our past. I think it is clever for game designers to use our feelings of lack of control to help bring us a game we will enjoy and play. I agree with all of the points you made in your response and I loved the quote that you used! This was a fascinating reflection to read.

[RobertParticipant Rupees: 300 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Chapter 12 of “The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses” by Jesse Schell focuses on the concept of “Simulation”. The chapter explores how simulation can be used as a tool for game design, and how it can help in creating a believable and immersive game world. The author explains that simulation can be used to model the behavior of real-world systems, as well as to create completely artificial systems. He also covers the different types of simulation, including physical simulation, social simulation, and economic simulation, and how they can be used to add depth and complexity to a game. The chapter concludes by discussing the importance of balancing realism and playability in game design, and the need to choose the right level of simulation for a particular game.

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

Robert!
I was also intrigued by the simulation aspect of this chapter. The different types of simulation allow for multiple players to become attracted to the game for the different reasons. The simulation one seeks can differ varying on their mood, state of being, and values. This is why some games are liked more, while others fall off due to their lack of simulation. I believe learning games simulate the curiosity, which is another lens, that intrigues younger generations more. Overall, nice point!

[RobertParticipant Rupees: 300 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hey Joeun,
Thank you for replying to my post. Yeah, I completely agree with you that younger generations are very into the simulation part of video games. Although this might be political I believe that video games are a kind of outlet for children because it allows them to do and be whoever they want to be. The state of this world is quiet grim so this just increases the likelihood of people turning to simulations.

[EthanParticipant Rupees: 885 RupeesRank: White Sword]

In this chapter, I enjoyed learning a lot about more elements that a designer can control. Although it may seem overwhelming to have so many things under a designer’s control, it could also be seen as rather exciting as there is endless creative freedom when it comes to implementing these mechanics. As we go through this chapter, we are introduced to many new lenses that make the game experience even more memorable. “Games give us the chance to do something we can never do in the real world: control time.” (Schell, p.164). I thought that this quote had a lot of meaning as time is one of the most essential aspects in any game. If a player is going to play your game, it is going to take up their time. So how will you use that time and give them the most memorable experience? With so many different experiences it is difficult to determine what will be that perfect pacing for the player. In games such as VALORANT, games between players can last from 20 minutes up to a whole hour. VALORANT uses other lenses introduced in this chapter such as the Lens of Skill and the Lens of Goals to motivate players to stay engaged in the game and have a fun experience throughout, no matter the length of the game. One of the biggest AHA moments I had was when I was applying these new lenses to various games that I have played. Over time, I realized that these essential lenses could be applied to the most simple games such as tag or rock paper scissors. I thought it was amazing how these lenses are created in a way that can describe all genres of games as there are a whole world of games out there. Another quote I enjoyed was “A game without any hint of [chance] can be completely bland, but put in too much and they overwhelm everything else. But get them just right, and they bring out the flavor of everything else in your game.” (Schell, p.200). In this quote, where Schell describes the Lens of Chance, I liked how there was a Goldilocks kind of situation with chance and that you must be careful with where you place this or players might be overwhelmed. Chance is one of the most exciting lenses in my opinion and allows the players to want to continue playing, but too much could discourage the player to play due to lack of skill requirement. My favorite lens of this chapter was time. Which games have you guys played that had excellent pacing?

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

Ethan!
I love that quote! The concept of controlling time seems so otherworldly; however, through games, time is a big concept that players manipulate. I very much agree with Valorant, but sometimes it seems the game controls your time as it sucks you into the world of playing game after game, as it becomes addicting.
I enjoy your last point as I envy players who have great chances. It is true that if a game was mostly chance and slightly skill, I would refrain from playing it as it would be a waste of my time, but gambling challenges my concept of this. In that sense, would lottery tickets also be considered a game?

[EthanParticipant Rupees: 885 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Joeun! I appreciate your response! I really like what you brought up at the end on whether buying lottery tickets would be considered a game. In a way I would say yes, as it does have a lot of the elements that a game does and I would relate it to rolling a dice and playing to see if I would hit a certain number.

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

In Chapter 12, Schell explores multiple topics within a single category of mechanics, exploring the effects of each type of mechanic on the game design and providing examples. The chapter is jam-packed with all of these lenses, but Schell is able to write it in a way where every lens correlates with another and forms a cohesive, very informative essay. My favorite part of this chapter was about the lenses of Skill and Chance, with the section, “Skill and Chance Get Tangled”. This was so interesting to read because whenever I play games or even in my general life, on tests. I think about whether things happen by skill or chance, and if by skill how long to get to that level. If by chance, how does one get so lucky? Does chance take skill as well? I love this concept and how these two lenses interact. In this section, it distinguishes and answers my question, and even mentions the term of “imagined skill”, which is how out brains react to chance to try to make sense of it. Overall, the various mechanic- based lenses were useful in understanding the concept of mechanics from the 4 elements lens, as I first thought of it as like the game type.

[PragyaParticipant Rupees: 195 RupeesRank: Magic Sword]

Hi Joeun, I think you bring up an interesting point about whether chance takes skill as well. Because as per the book, trying to control chance is an imagined skill and not really possible. But there are situations in reality where you can try to predict trends, aka trying to exert skill over chance, like anything related to financial risk, so is there a way to do so in games? Probably not in the situations he brings up in the book – in fact a lot of gambling games actively work against you. In an electronic game it might be possible to figure out how the game calculates each possibility, like when people list the drop rates for special items, but this could also ruin the fun of the game. So in the end I think there is something in chance, and our perception of it, which should be random in order for games to work.

[Aaliyah WitherspoonParticipant Rupees: 315 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Joeun! The Skill and Chance section is really insightful. I like the question that you brought up about if chance takes skill. It was definitely well explained in the passage, and I also think Pragya brought up a great point about how there are times you can predict trends in for example an electronic gambling game.

[JasmineParticipant Rupees: 320 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Joeun,

I questions, “If by chance, how does one get so lucky? Does chance take skill as well? These question do make one ponder is there a certain level of skill to have to be able to win by chance.

[Aaliyah WitherspoonParticipant Rupees: 315 RupeesRank: White Sword]

“In the real world, time is the most mysterious of dimensions. Against our will, we travel through it, ever forward, with no way to stop, turn around, slow down, or speed up. In the world of games, we often try to remedy this lack of control by creat-ing toy worlds that let us play with time like gods” (Schell 163).

This chapter was very interesting as we got into the different aspects of mechanics. One of them that caught my attention was time. Schell mentions how we cannot control time in the real world so we find a remedy in controlling time in the game. And it just made me realize in the different ways we do that. For instance, with candy crush, sometimes when I’m unhappy with my progress in a level and know I probably won’t win, I exit out the level and start it over, like a redo. Even in some games, you can undo your mistakes, like the solitaire app on the phone. But no one can do any of that in real life. So we really do make up for that in games

[JasmineParticipant Rupees: 320 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Aaliyah,

I enjoyed reading your post. I like the Schell quote that you picked to share. I agree with Schell that gaming allows players to feel empowered by playing and a sense of control. Playing a game can bring a satisfaction that real life simply can not/at that moment.

[PragyaParticipant Rupees: 195 RupeesRank: Magic Sword]

Not to bring up computer science again, but Figure 12.12 is something I had to learn in class called a finite state automaton. When he said “game programming” I guess he really meant programming.
Anyway, I thought the part about time was really interesting because I think it’s something that’s come up in a lot of forum posts before without actually mentioning time itself. For example, whenever we talk about how games that are too challenging can be frustrating, it could be because as a player we want games that we can get over in a certain amount of time, especially if we don’t have a lot of time to play. In the “Controlling Time” section, it talks about the option to speed up time, which I actually see as an option which is behind a paywall sometimes, which is definitely frustrating. In that case I think people place some value on spending time on the game, like if you speed up time that means you’re skipping over all the work. And finally, sometimes games with no time limit can seem like they have no challenge going on, but it can also be relaxing to not have to worry about that. So again it’s the sort of thing that you have to think about carefully when you’re thinking about your audience, in the vein of: would an audience who likes everything else about this game value spending more or less time on the game?

[ChristianaParticipant Rupees: 425 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Pragya!

I think this is an interesting point you brought up. There is definitely a link between the difficulty of a game and the time it takes a player to complete it. Challenging games definitely take longer than “easier” games, but then again “easy” games could take just as long because of story and other aspects as well. I think whether or not the audience enjoys it depends on what game they are playing. For example, if one is playing Jump King, then they are not most likely not going into the game expecting it to be over in a flash, and perhaps it is because of this difficulty that the players enjoy the length of time needed to complete it.

To answer your question, I would think an audience that thoroughly enjoys a game would value spending more time on a game. However, there are definitely people who would object. There is mostly certainly a happy medium to be found , as all things must come to an end, but if the player walks away from the game feeling perhaps a bit bittersweet but satisfied, then one knows the pacing of the game was exactly right.

[PragyaParticipant Rupees: 195 RupeesRank: Magic Sword]

Hi Christiana, actually your point about how someone who likes a game would spend more time on it reminded me that there’s also an element of replay value here: if you like a game you might actually spend more time than was even planned if you replay it several times. Sometimes this is built into the game as different routes of a story or special rewards for completing a playthrough and restarting, but sometimes you just like a game and want to experience it again. So this might actually affect your perception of how long it takes, because the slow parts probably feel slower and you’d focus on the parts you like more.

[ChristianaParticipant Rupees: 425 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Every game takes place in some kind of space. This space is the “magic circle”
of gameplay. It defines the various places that can exist in a game and how those
places are related to one another.

I chose this passage because I have never thought deeply about the “space” games are played in at all. I found this whole section fascinating, because it is quite literally putting a name to something I have never thought about. The explanation of space as well as the many types, such as 2D and discrete, made me look at games in a whole new light that I ever had before. It constantly surprises me as to the extent of the complexity and detail that goes into designing and thinking about games.

The same can also be said about the Rules section, which interested me for similar reasons. The many sub-sections of rules were surprising but also made complete sense. The bit about house rules reminded me of UNO, and how not one family plays UNO the same as another. The question of whether it should be included officially was brought up, and I think that for plays such as stacking, which most everyone thought was official, should be added to the rulebook. But for less universal plays that vary by household, they should be kept separate, as there is fun in creating your own set of rules.

[EthanParticipant Rupees: 885 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Christiana! I like what you brought up at the end with the UNO rules and it made me think a lot about how with some games, people tend to make their own rules on the game, giving it a fresh new way to look at it. For example, there are so many ways to play Poker and I’m wondering if its because of these self made rules that led to all these different variations of the base game.

[RachelParticipant Rupees: 385 RupeesRank: White Sword]

In Chapter 12, one of the lenses that caught my eye was lens 27 – the lens of time. Schell states, “In the world of games, we often try to remedy this lack of control by creating toy worlds that let us play with time like gods” (Schell 163). One of the questions that Schell asks designers regarding the lens of time is “are my players frustrated because the game ends too early?” In many of the games seen in the present day, these type of “limitations” exist so that designers can adjust the pace of the progression in the game. For example, many mobile gacha games have in game stamina bars that refill when a certain amount of time in real life passes. In order to progress within the game, you have to spend a certain amount of time so that you can’t get through it all at once. It limits the pace where content is consumed, and it prevents burnout for players. This stamina system in games also lure players to come back every day, as daily quests in the game give players incentives to play. The lens of time works as a design tool, and it makes the game appeal to certain audiences. For example, the games that I play on my phone have stamina that I log in daily to spend, but other than that, I don’t need to spend excessive amounts of time playing the game.

[ChristianaParticipant Rupees: 425 RupeesRank: White Sword]

Hi Rachel!

I like the quote you chose. I believe that the ability to manipulate time is truly one of the factors at play that makes games so enticing. Within an hour of gameplay, a whole day or even a whole year could have placed within the story. There are no physical constructs as to how time is allowed to function, and people find it enjoyable that so many things can be experienced in such a short amount of time.

I also found interesting what you said about how certain mechanics limit players to playing a certain amount of time and consequently stop them from finishing the game too quickly. I agree with this as well but, on the other hand, is it possible that this very aspect is what makes some people frustrated with the game? While some people may like that they are prevented from finishing the game too quickly, others may feel that then game is taking too long. I think it is clear that then that the pacing of a game is subjective, and therefore not an easy aspect to address.

[PragyaParticipant Rupees: 195 RupeesRank: Magic Sword]

Hi Rachel, I think you’re right that limiting the amount of gameplay at a time can be leveraged as a strength rather than a weakness. I think the reason for this might also be that it’s better for mobile games since people will only spend so much time playing games on their phone a day, and they can quickly switch between different tasks. So, like you said, you might check in to your game every day and then move on. In contrast, someone who’s sitting down to play a board game or a video game probably wouldn’t appreciate that as much and would get frustrated by it, so the concept is very dependent on what type of game you’re playing. Finally, even if some games are longer, there should definitely be a practical endpoint or at least a way to break it up into parts so you can come back to it. Otherwise, it might end up taking so long that no one wants to finish it.

[ZiyangParticipant Rupees: 45 RupeesRank: White Sword]

It is a long and detailed chapter that introduces almost all aspects of mechanics that game designers need to consider. Those aspects are not surprising since they are all quite obvious even as a player. However, it doesn’t make the design any easier just by knowing them. Especially for the “chance” part. It is always ignored from the perspective of players, since it is fact for players. Players already accept those “chance” as the fact of the game and will not think about change it. Just like every gambler will not blame their failure on the game mechanics. However, they blame themselves for having bad luck. That is the tricky part since if the game is unfair or to some degree having an unwise design in “chance”,players just simply quit the game. So, it can also be a problem for designers since it is hard to find the right “chance”. It depends on its player, on the overall mechanics of the game. Players are tend to have a high tolerance of failure in game playing, but it needs to be coordinated with the punishment and reward, which is the lens of expected value Schell discussed in the end of the chapter. Expected value and probability can be confusing to calculate. However, it has been proved to be the most effective way to attract players’s attention using a comparatively scientific way. Some part of the game mechanics asks the designer to be creative, to create new and fun elements. Expected value is about experiment and calculation. To find the best spot that players like. However, it also makes me wondering, if designers put so much effort in finding the best “probability” instead of creating something new and fun, is it really worth it? To put a creative thought under the test of calculation. It is important to consider the probability, but it should not dominate the game. (though it seems a easy mistake to make, since it is one of few elements that designer can really control, they all want it to be perfect)

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