Comments on: The Design of Everyday Games http://tleaves.com/2006/07/04/the-design-of-everyday-games/ Creativity x Technology Sat, 17 Mar 2012 05:09:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Gareth Pavlich http://tleaves.com/2006/07/04/the-design-of-everyday-games/comment-page-1/#comment-3039 Gareth Pavlich Thu, 03 Aug 2006 16:41:44 +0000 http://tleaves.com/?p=647#comment-3039 Top article. I agree with most of your points, particularly in regards to not developing for the cutting edge. I kind of disagree with you're arguements for richness vs. complexity however. I think there's another element thats being missed and that's the learning curve. Particularly in regards to introducing new functions in game. I can see (particulary from your commandos 2 example) where it can get overboard, but it can be done right. Take for example, and I hate to use it but its all thats coming to me right now, Counter-strike. It has been a massively sucessful game, and you can play it (and still be good at it) with four keys and a mouse. However, to get better at it you will eventually need to learn the other buttons (quick-weapon-change and menu number shortcuts for example) But you can do this at your own pace. I believe this is also an element to advance wars richness. Anyone can use one button, but throwing them into the one of the latter battles without playing the earlier missions and learning how the units works would be overwhelming. In conclusion, I think the way complexity is presented to the user is what helps develop the richness. Top article. I agree with most of your points, particularly in regards to not developing for the cutting edge.

I kind of disagree with you’re arguements for richness vs. complexity however. I think there’s another element thats being missed and that’s the learning curve. Particularly in regards to introducing new functions in game.

I can see (particulary from your commandos 2 example) where it can get overboard, but it can be done right. Take for example, and I hate to use it but its all thats coming to me right now, Counter-strike. It has been a massively sucessful game, and you can play it (and still be good at it) with four keys and a mouse. However, to get better at it you will eventually need to learn the other buttons (quick-weapon-change and menu number shortcuts for example) But you can do this at your own pace.

I believe this is also an element to advance wars richness. Anyone can use one button, but throwing them into the one of the latter battles without playing the earlier missions and learning how the units works would be overwhelming.

In conclusion, I think the way complexity is presented to the user is what helps develop the richness.

]]> By: Neil http://tleaves.com/2006/07/04/the-design-of-everyday-games/comment-page-1/#comment-3038 Neil Tue, 25 Jul 2006 21:33:07 +0000 http://tleaves.com/?p=647#comment-3038 I thought that your article was quite insightful. As both a HF/Usability professional and a gamer, I am always blown away by the sheer tolerance that most gamers have for bad interaction design. It comes back, though, to what Norman said about emotion causing the user to look past the issues. Keep up the good work. I thought that your article was quite insightful. As both a HF/Usability professional and a gamer, I am always blown away by the sheer tolerance that most gamers have for bad interaction design. It comes back, though, to what Norman said about emotion causing the user to look past the issues. Keep up the good work.

]]> By: Andy Hillman http://tleaves.com/2006/07/04/the-design-of-everyday-games/comment-page-1/#comment-3037 Andy Hillman Tue, 25 Jul 2006 17:25:44 +0000 http://tleaves.com/?p=647#comment-3037 Have you played all three of the Homeworld series? The first Homeworld was fantastic, but the interface was too complex. The second, Homeworld Cataclysm, was even better, in part because they improved the interface. Homeworld II had further improvements by simplification, but they also added complexities like groupings of ships which were actually better. Have you played all three of the Homeworld series? The first Homeworld was fantastic, but the interface was too complex. The second, Homeworld Cataclysm, was even better, in part because they improved the interface. Homeworld II had further improvements by simplification, but they also added complexities like groupings of ships which were actually better.

]]> By: Mr Butterscotch http://tleaves.com/2006/07/04/the-design-of-everyday-games/comment-page-1/#comment-3036 Mr Butterscotch Tue, 25 Jul 2006 14:40:23 +0000 http://tleaves.com/?p=647#comment-3036 "Vercingetorix, Alesia, the Hastatii and Princip(l)es" are all pretty much covered in Rome:Total War. Hastatii were the bulk of my first army... Awesome. If complexity is the enemy of fun, then it has no place in games, and this article is really not about the balance. If however complexity is for instance a game like Far Cry (lots of varying mechanics requiring some real thought) then I'm in. At the end of the day some games can be simplistic and fun (my ideal being monkey ball 2) whereas others can be complex but still provide a rewarding experience. And for the record, yes I loved NWN. “Vercingetorix, Alesia, the Hastatii and Princip(l)es” are all pretty much covered in Rome:Total War. Hastatii were the bulk of my first army… Awesome. If complexity is the enemy of fun, then it has no place in games, and this article is really not about the balance. If however complexity is for instance a game like Far Cry (lots of varying mechanics requiring some real thought) then I’m in. At the end of the day some games can be simplistic and fun (my ideal being monkey ball 2) whereas others can be complex but still provide a rewarding experience. And for the record, yes I loved NWN.

]]> By: Yan http://tleaves.com/2006/07/04/the-design-of-everyday-games/comment-page-1/#comment-3035 Yan Tue, 11 Jul 2006 20:13:03 +0000 http://tleaves.com/?p=647#comment-3035 I love this indeed. Actually Doom's a good example but an ambiguous one at the same time, in that it was really one of the first 3rd person shooter allowing movement on the vertical. Of course the way I phrase this sounds technical, but what I enjoyed there was seeing new puzzles using that dimension to some extent. Thus I would be tempted to argue that we liked the edge of Doom because it introduced new gaming experience. And yes - oh damn yes - I agree with you 100% about complexity vs richness. Just a small little hinch in advance wars by the way: the latest installment (dual strike) actually has the masp slightly viewed in 3D... which just does not help for clarity of reading. :-) Apart from that - it just left me wanting some more! I love this indeed.

Actually Doom’s a good example but an ambiguous one at the same time, in that it was really one of the first 3rd person shooter allowing movement on the vertical. Of course the way I phrase this sounds technical, but what I enjoyed there was seeing new puzzles using that dimension to some extent. Thus I would be tempted to argue that we liked the edge of Doom because it introduced new gaming experience.

And yes – oh damn yes – I agree with you 100% about complexity vs richness.
Just a small little hinch in advance wars by the way: the latest installment (dual strike) actually has the masp slightly viewed in 3D… which just does not help for clarity of reading. :-) Apart from that – it just left me wanting some more!

]]> By: JonF http://tleaves.com/2006/07/04/the-design-of-everyday-games/comment-page-1/#comment-3034 JonF Wed, 05 Jul 2006 17:50:29 +0000 http://tleaves.com/?p=647#comment-3034 http://www.boardgamegeek.com/metasearch.php?searchtype=game&search=alesia&B1=Go http://www.boardgamegeek.com/metasearch.php?searchtype=game&search=alesia&B1=Go

]]> By: peterb http://tleaves.com/2006/07/04/the-design-of-everyday-games/comment-page-1/#comment-3033 peterb Wed, 05 Jul 2006 14:22:25 +0000 http://tleaves.com/?p=647#comment-3033 Assen, Sorry, I made that game up. But <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Alesia" rel="nofollow">I hope someone makes it</a>. Assen,

Sorry, I made that game up. But I hope someone makes it.

]]> By: Assen http://tleaves.com/2006/07/04/the-design-of-everyday-games/comment-page-1/#comment-3032 Assen Wed, 05 Jul 2006 14:02:51 +0000 http://tleaves.com/?p=647#comment-3032 Excellent piece. By the way, which is the game with Vercingetorix, Alesia, the Hastatii and Princip(l)es? Excellent piece.

By the way, which is the game with Vercingetorix, Alesia, the Hastatii and Princip(l)es?

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