Formal Elements - PlayersFormal Elements - Players

PlayersPlayers

Games designed for players. Without Games designed for players. Without players, games have no reason to players, games have no reason to exist.exist.When designing a game that you need When designing a game that you need to consider to consider – How many players does the game How many players does the game

require?require?– How many total players does the How many total players does the

game support?game support?– Do various players have different Do various players have different

roles?roles?– Do players compete, cooperate, or Do players compete, cooperate, or

both?both?

Number of PlayersNumber of Players

A game designed for one player is A game designed for one player is different than a game designed for different than a game designed for two, four, or 10,000 players.two, four, or 10,000 players.

A game designed for a specific A game designed for a specific number of players has different number of players has different considerations than a game considerations than a game designed for a variable number of designed for a variable number of players.players.

Roles of PlayersRoles of Players

Most games have uniform roles Most games have uniform roles for all players in the game.for all players in the game.

Some games have more than Some games have more than one role for players to choose one role for players to choose between. In between. In MastermindMastermind, one , one player chooses to be the code-player chooses to be the code-breaker, while the other chooses breaker, while the other chooses to be the code-maker.to be the code-maker.

Role Playing Games (RPG’s) Role Playing Games (RPG’s) have a variety of roles for players have a variety of roles for players to choose between.to choose between.

Player Interaction PatternsPlayer Interaction Patterns

When you design a When you design a game, what will be game, what will be the interaction the interaction between a player, the between a player, the game system and any game system and any other players?other players?

There are seven There are seven major player patterns:major player patterns:

1. Single Player vs Game1. Single Player vs Game

Most common pattern for digital gamingMost common pattern for digital gaming

Includes puzzles and other game Includes puzzles and other game structures to create conflict. (solitaire)structures to create conflict. (solitaire)

2. Multiple Individual Players vs Game2. Multiple Individual Players vs Game

Multiple players compete against the game in the Multiple players compete against the game in the company of each other.company of each other.Action is not directed at each other.Action is not directed at each other.No interaction between players is required.No interaction between players is required.Essentially, this pattern is a single-player game played Essentially, this pattern is a single-player game played in the company of others. (Race)in the company of others. (Race)

3. Player vs Player3. Player vs Player

A game where two players directly compete.A game where two players directly compete.Classic structure for strategy games and good for competitive Classic structure for strategy games and good for competitive players.players.One-on-one makes competition a personal contest.One-on-one makes competition a personal contest.The intense competition marks this pattern for focused, head-The intense competition marks this pattern for focused, head-to-head play. (war)to-head play. (war)

4. Unilateral Competition4. Unilateral Competition

Two or more players compete against one Two or more players compete against one player.player.Examples include tag and dodge ball.Examples include tag and dodge ball.Interesting model for combining cooperative and Interesting model for combining cooperative and competitive gameplay.competitive gameplay.

5. Multilateral Competition5. Multilateral Competition

Game structure in which three or more players directly Game structure in which three or more players directly compete.compete.This pattern is what people think of when they think of This pattern is what people think of when they think of multiplayer games.multiplayer games.Board games are multilateral for between three – six players Board games are multilateral for between three – six players usually. (Hearts-Spades)usually. (Hearts-Spades)

6. Cooperative Play6. Cooperative Play

Two or more players cooperate against Two or more players cooperate against the game system.the game system.

Often found in children’s board games.Often found in children’s board games.

7. Team Competition7. Team Competition

Game structure in which two or more groups compete.Game structure in which two or more groups compete.Includes soccer, basketball and charades.Includes soccer, basketball and charades.This game structure can provide fun for fans of the This game structure can provide fun for fans of the teams as well as the players. (Spades)teams as well as the players. (Spades)

Activities:Activities:

Play games with each type of player Play games with each type of player interaction. See handout.interaction. See handout.