Gameplay

As game mechanics, the flow of a game is called, so the way a gaming experience arises from the defined starting points, the rules of the game and the actions of the player. The term is used here primarily in the context of computer games, since complex processes can run automatically, like a movement or just a mechanism. More rarely it is also applied to board games.

The term is not sharply defined and unambiguous. Roughly speaking, a broader definition that includes almost all aspects of a game, and a narrower definition that limits the term to the internal processes and the interaction with the player excludes distinguish. A related concept is that of the gameplay, English coarse for " playing the game ". This is sometimes synonymous with the other, sometimes contrary to the narrower definition of game mechanics, ie, used solely for the experience of the player.

Further meaning of game mechanics or gameplay

In a broader sense game mechanics or gameplay include the entire process of a game. Through solid elements such as plot and levels or scenarios is defined, what is at stake in the game and can with the objects to which the players interact. The rules then determine how this happens; operation ( the interface ) due as he takes effect on the game; Graphics and other presentation methods be based on what he perceives of the game events; Artificial Intelligence controls the behavior of non-player characters, or computer opponents. All this together results in a game mechanic or gameplay. So These include both the development of the game world as well as all the information entered by the player or his hand receives the game, and thus his entire gaming experience.

Closer importance of game mechanics

In the strict sense are only referred to as game mechanics the internal workings of the game. So is involved and how to develop general parameters of the simulated game world over time according to the rules and how the computer opponents execute their strategies in response to player actions. The players actions are therefore regarded as pure input data and game mechanics in this sense is the pure simulation software, separately, as the player perceives their results.

Closer importance of gameplay

As a contrast, and in the true sense of the word gameplay is defined as the interaction between game and player. Due to the game mechanics, events that are then presented to the player, which gives it a sense of the flow of the game result. Similarly, the operation is an important part of the gameplay.

Example

As an example, a business simulation is given. This deals with a particular industry before a certain historical background, whereby the output situation of the game is fixed. The rules are now a simulated economic system that determines about production costs and supply and demand. As these values ​​change over time and respond customers and any computer- controlled opponents to the strategy of the player, the game mechanics resulting in the narrower sense. In contrast, the gameplay in the narrow sense consists of how the player and game world events by observing a map and statistics perceives as those affected by settings and direct inputs and how he perceives the overall processes. Both together, so the entire simulated world with the impression that the player has of her, are determined by game mechanics or gameplay in a broader sense.

Dissemination of the terms

Particularly widespread are the terms game mechanics and gameplay in games journalism, which often " good gameplay " is used as an evaluation criterion or referred to the game mechanics as bought or failed. It varies the use of the terms between the above definitions, and is typically resolved only by further description of individual aspects of the game, where the Moors the judgment.

Even game developers like to use the terms to describe their games, in which the terms are often defined so that they refer to aspects that are particularly important for the developer to focus on. Thus comes from Sid Meier, the definition of gameplay as "a series of interesting choices" ( a series of interesting decisions). Andrew Rollings and Ernest Adams, the latter co-founder of developer Association International Game Developers Association, talk about starting from " One or more causally linked series of challenges in a simulated environment. " ( One or more causally linked series of challenges in a simulated environment. )