Getting stuck in a game is far from uncommon. The specific reasons are as varied as the games themselves, though all such situations can generally be grouped into two categories; skill based obstacles or logic based obstacles. Common to action games, skill based obstacles stem from an inability to complete a given task. The goal is obvious, the […]
It’s not uncommon for games with a well defined core mechanic, specifically action games, to include sections with different mechanics to break up the pacing and provide variety. When it comes to these “palette cleanser” sections it seems the stealth section is on a par with the turret section as the favourite choice of developers. […]
At a low enough level all game mechanics are the same, we press a button, move a stick, and something happens. Action and Outcome. Process and Result. Context is what allows us to determine if we are moving a ship through space or a counter across a board context is provided by the narrative of the game. If a plot […]
Through unintentional irony, L.B Jeffries has helped me prove my assertion that: “Abstract concept can be powerful but are difficult to appreciate without specific examples.” I’d like to claim that I had intended for my previous post to be overly abstract so as to prove a point, but unfortunately it was merely the result of poor editing. […]
When it comes to the creation of the common ground in which play occurs, the boundaries themselves can either be embedded or emergent. Embedded boundaries are those defined prior to, and separate from, the act of play itself. They are the rules of the game and the narrative overlaid on those rules. These elements define what […]
On several occasions I’ve recounted events that took place while I was playing a game. I’ve described in detail the actions I took and the consequences of those actions, as well as explaining my motivations and emotional reaction to such events: Jumping out I threw a Molotov at the pursuing vehicle. The Molotov hit the […]
Warning: The following contains spoilers for Flower. “It’s like running barefoot through a meadow!” That was my initial impression of Flower formed after a minute of play. It feels as true now as it did then. Flower is an instantly gratifying experience based on very simply concepts, the pleasure of flight and the sensation of bringing […]
Warning: The following contains spoilers for the later stages of Far Cry 2. It could be argued that the power of any work lies in its ability to make us question ourselves and our own beliefs. This is something games are already capable of, though maybe those responsible don’t even realise it. In a comment to […]
In order to consider and analyse the explorative form of games it is necessary to present the game mechanics, the logical game space, in some visual manner. The interconnected nature of objects and actions, nouns and verbs, within a game can make any attempt at a complete representation of the entire possibility space prohibitively complex; therefore some […]
Warning: This post contains mechanical spoilers for Gravity Bone. If you don’t believe that’s possible and have yet to play the game I assume no responsibility… In the comments to my previous article on the difference between literature, film and games, Chade questioned my use of the term explorative to describe games. He made two […]