Is There Such a Game as an 'Ultimate' Game

8/4/2019 Is There Such a Game as an 'Ultimate' Game

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Is There Such a Thing as an Ultimate Game?

A Game Designers Magnum Opus

By

Nathanael Toussaint

Lecturer Susan Scotland

Writing Seminar


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17 April 2009


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Is There Such a Thing as an Ultimate Game?

Abstract

These days, there are many, many video games available to

gamers, yet most people who play games regularly will admit that most

of these games grow boring, and cease to provide sufficient

entertainment, after a short time (zera). This dilemma, of having so

many games, yet still being faced with so many unsatisfied game

players, gives rise to the quest for an ultimate game; a game which

provides entertainment for everyone, forever. Is it possible to

create such a game, and if so, what are the features that would be

required by such a game?

Part 1 The Basics of Video Game Design

1.1 Introduction

Being a game designer, the question of an ultimate game isparticularly interesting to me. There are numerous books writtenon the art of game design (List of books about video games), yetgamers are continuously dissatisfied by the playable lifetime ofvideo games (zera). It seems that with the recent mainstream

popularity of video games, there has been an increase in thenumber of games available, while the quality of video games hashardly increased in areas unrelated to graphics (wuzziwug).

Every game released since the middle of this millennium has

boasted high-level graphics. Yet half a decade later, few of these

games are remembered for their long-lasting gameplay (O-t-a-c-o-n).


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True, many of these games were enjoyable, and many are still

remembered with nostalgia, but one would be hard pressed to find

someone who, having played these games when they were first released,

would return to playing them today. Those games have run their

course, and disappointingly, that course was short.

This trend, of games that are only entertaining for a short

time, has led me to consider whether it is possible to create a game

that would remain entertaining unendingly. This paper looks into this

exact question, identifying the properties that make a game fun, and

what is needed to make the fun last without the game becoming

repetitive or boring. In this part, we look at the basic concepts

that come into play when designing a game.

1.2 The measure of a game

If a game is to be considered ultimate there must some way to

compare it against other games. Game reviews are a popular (and

useful) way for critics to give their opinion on how good a game is.

These reviews are usually rated it based on gameplay, design,

story, and presentation.

1.2.1 Gameplay

The gameplay rating describes how entertaining it is to play and

interact with the game-world. Things like how quickly the players

character responds to commands, how smoothly the difficulty of the


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game changes as the player progresses through the world, and how they

manipulate and influence objects (the mechanics of gameplay) all

factor into how entertaining it is to interact with the game-world.

With the exception of game genres that are based mostly on

interesting stories, gameplay is more important than all the other

ratings. Poor gameplay often means that a game is hardly worth

playing (Gameplay).

1.2.2 Design

The design rating says how well the idea of the game was

converted into the final playable product. The game designer decides

how the buttons are used to give commands to the players character,

what the levels and scenes will be like, and what the player is

allowed to do in the game. Therefore, this rating considers how

intuitive the button commands are to the player, whether they

difficult of remember or tough to learn, and so on. The design rating

also considers whether the player is given enough freedom to explore

and strategise, based on the genre of the game; it also rates how

well the scenes and level are suited to the way the game is played

(Game Design).

1.2.3 Story

The story rating says how engrossing the premise of the game is,

as well as how well the story develops as the game progresses. The


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weight of this rating varies according to genre. Some games, such as

Tetris, do not have any story to speak of and are enjoyed simply

because of their gameplay mechanics. Others, like adventure games,

depend on the story that is experienced much more than the gameplay.

1.2.4 Presentation

The final rating,presentation, says how well the game is

presented to the player. Fetching graphics and special effects,

immersive sounds, and great voice acting all contribute to a high

presentation rating. The presentation of a game is the first thing

the player experiences, before gameplay or story, and just as a

persons first impression might dictate whether they are hired or

not, the presentation of a game often dictates whether or not someone

will buy it. Presentation has become increasingly important in recent

year as the games industry has grown more competitive. A game with

excellent gameplay, or a great story might be overlooked by customers

simply because it had poor presentation.

1.3 The elements of ultimate

For our purposes, we will focus mainly on the gameplay attribute

of games. We will also look a bit into the stories portrayed in

games, since it also contributes to the entertainment value of the

game. Presentation is not so important to us; we seek to make a game


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that is playable for a long time, so we are not so interested in

first impressions. Of course, this paper covers the design part, and

hopefully, if it is followed the game that results will be given a

10/10 for design.

There are three factors of gameplay are important in making a

game perpetually entertaining: addiction, immersion, and

playable lifetime.

1.3.1 The addiction Factor

The addiction factor says how addicting the game is to the

player. Addiction is created when a player encounters intriguing

challenges, experiences and discovers new things, and by the feeling

that they are making progress along the path that they have chosen.

Addiction is what keeps the player coming back to the game each time.

Most games are addictive for a short time, when the player has

just started learning about the game-world and what is possible in

the game. An ultimate game must remain entertaining forever, so it

must be addictive at the start, and keep being addictive forever. Is

it possible? Such a question can only be answered when we look into

the details of the things that create addiction.


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1.3.2 The immersion factor

The immersion factor describes how immersive the game is to the

player. Immersion means that the game catches the attention of the

player in such a profound way that they are almost oblivious to the

passage of time, and their real-world surroundings (Immersion

(virtual reality)).

Immersion is very important to the enjoyment of a game. If the

player does not feel that the world is interesting and complex, they

will not continue playing for long, and are less likely to experience

addiction; they will soon put the game aside, and it will have had a

short playable lifetime.

The immersion factor of a game depends most on the style of the

game-world, as well as how well it follows the rules that have been

established. If the game has established that its world is realistic

in style, the player will be jarred out of immersion if they find

that characters can eat metal to stop hunger. Such oddities would

best be allowed in a cartoon-style world. Once the game follows the

style of its world, the rest of the immersion is created if the world

is complex enough to make the player interested in what is going on,

and eventually they will be absorbed into the game.


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1.3.3 The playable lifetime factor

Theplayable lifetime factor is how long the game remains

entertaining to the player. The playable lifetime of a game partly

depends on the addiction and immersion factors of gameplay, since it

is extended if the player is addicted to the game, and if they enjoy

being absorbed in the game-world. Playable lifetime also depends on

the length of the games story, as well as how free the player is to

leave the path of the story and explore the game-world. If the player

is free to seek out side-stories, the playable lifetime of the game

is extended by the time it takes the player to find the paths to

these side-stories, as well as the time it takes to play through

those side-stories.

Most games have a playable lifetime that is only as long as the

time it takes to get to the end of the story. Mini-games, contained

within the main game, can sometimes be played after the main game is

completed, but these are typically below the quality of an actual

game and thus become repetitive and boring after a short while.

For a game to be have an infinite playable lifetime, it must

have either a never-ending story, or gameplay that is enjoyable

forever. Both of these features are non-existent in games today. It

is hard to imagine how one would create a never-ending story, and

ever-refreshing gameplay is difficult to develop. Part 2 of this


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paper will deal with the actual elements of gameplay, discussing the

options available when it comes to entertaining gameplay.

An ultimate game must have an infinite playable lifetime,

which means that the story (if any), gameplay, and addiction and

immersion factors, must all be of the proper level; what level that

is, can only be discovered as this study continues.

1.4 Understanding the players

Now that we understand the factors needed to make a video game

entertain unendingly, we must learn how to establish these factors in

our game. To do so, we need to know what causes people to play games.

We already know that players look to video games for entertainment,

but that does not tell us anything about how we can create

entertainment in our game. By considering the reasons players have

for playing video games, we can understand how to create an

entertaining game that all players will enjoy.

The reasons people play video games can be generalised into four

non-exclusive reasons: to experience aspects of the real world that

cannot be experienced without great expense or danger, to discover

interesting concepts that are portrayed in the game-world, to take on

the challenge of solving puzzles, to compete with or against friends

(Why People Play Games?).


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1.4.1 Experiencing the inaccessible

Those who play games to experience aspects of the real world

that cannot be experienced otherwise might enjoy playing sports

games, military combat games, or city building games. These

activities cannot be experienced in real life unless one has devoted

a great deal of time and, in many cases much of ones life to

certain career fields. Even if the player has such a career, it is

possible that their job is stressful and hardly any fun, given that

they are dealing with real-life money, or even lives.

Games based on reality allow players to enjoy things that they

might know about in real life, but without the risks and dangers that

come with reality. The player can build a whole city just to see what

would happen if there were no entertainment centres for its

population. They could storm a heavily armed fortress single-

handedly, saving their progress after each successful battle, having

the advantage of re-loading to a previous point if they happened to

be killed by a stray bullet. They could lead a small country, like

Dominica, to win the coveted world cup. None of these things are

possible in real life without the risk of population riots and

impeachment, almost certain death, or millions of dollars spent of

football academies and high-paying professional football leagues.

One might be tempted to say that games based on reality are all

that are needed. Why should people, especially teenagers, play games


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that help them learn and experiment with things that they will never

come close to experiencing in real life? This is a reasonable point,

but to agree with it would mean that we also should not have epic

fantasy novels written by brilliant authors like J.R.R. Tolkien, nor

should we have movies like Shaolin Soccer, or Pirates of the

Caribbean. Indeed, such beliefs mean that we would prevent many

people from playing games. Some people wish to go past reality.

1.4.2 Discovering new concepts

Many players play video games to discover interesting concepts

proposed by the game-world. These concepts might be of otherworldly

creatures and lands, or they might be concepts of relationships

between peoples and the struggles they go through together. In

essence, these people wish to experience things that are not bound by

what is known in reality; they seek to explore.

Games that allow players to explore and discover interesting

concepts are usually set in fantasy worlds where humans are not the

only sentient beings. This mixture of humanoid species alone gives

rise to interesting interactions and relationships, which are often

focused on during the games story. Furthermore, the game-world

itself might be a concept, being varied and scenic, driving the

player to explore the scenes, environments, and creatures that exist

within it.


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The numerous and varied concepts found in fantasy games are

satisfying to the players because they allow them to discover things

that cannot always be found in reality. Just as the fantasy world

found in J.R.R. Tolkiens The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings novels

fascinated readers with the complex interactions between its species,

and the epic adventure undertaken by the focus characters, fantasy

games engross players by allowing them to participate in and explore

these worlds and their concepts. The existence of creatures such as

goblins, dragons, or ents takes players beyond reality to explore new

and interesting situations situations that might lead to

inspiration that is useful in the real world, or at least a

refreshing break from the mundane restrictions of the known world.

1.4.3 Enjoying the challenge of puzzles

Another group of players are those who play video games to enjoy

the challenge of puzzles presented in the game. These players find

intrigue in complexity and management, and play the game simply

because it proposes an obstacle and says that they player cannot

overcome it.

Although it might sound simple to please these players, that is

hardly the case. A puzzle is not fun simply because it is a

challenge; a puzzle is fun because it is creative. In order to solve

a fun puzzle, the player must look at the big picture, follow the


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complex interactions of the different pieces, and anticipate further

obstacles that might arise in the future. The player must use their

imagination to consider all the possibilities that can arise; just

like a crossword puzzle, they must be careful not to make mistakes

that might get them stuck in the future. Because puzzles require such

thorough thinking, the designer himself must be creative and create

clever puzzles that will keep the player occupied. This is not a

simple task, and it would be disastrous if the player breezed through

the puzzles, being left with the feeling that they have accomplished

nothing. In the end, when the puzzle is solved, the player must be

thrilled that they have overcome the challenges; they must be able to

look back and be satisfied that they have used creative thinking to

pass this level of challenges, and are prepared for even more mind-

boggling scenarios.

1.4.4 Competing with friends

The final group of players that to be considered are those who

play video games to compete with or against friends. These players

look to gaming as an activity to occupy themselves along with their

friends.

Multiplayer games provide interaction with other human players

instead of computer-controlled agents. The reason for playing

multiplayer games is unique among the other reasons; the player does


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not only wish to interact with the machine, but also with their

friends. The players can communicate with their friends about plans

and strategies if they are playing co-operatively, or they can throw

taunts as they battle to best each other. This opportunity to

socialise while participating in a virtual world adds emotion to the

gameplay in a way that can hardly be created through interaction with

the machine alone.

Although there have been attempts in recent years to design

games that allow the player to play the game alongside a computer-

controlled ally, we will not be considering this as a viable analogue

to human-to-human interaction. It is possible that the computer-

controlled ally might someday be capable of acting in ways similar to

a human player, but with the current state of technology, such allies

are hardly convincing enough to create a human-like emotional

connection with the player. In order to consider the emotional

factors of multiplayer game design, only gameplay situations where

multiple human players are involved will be considered as multiplayer.

1.5 Challenge is the key

One factor is common to all the reasons why people play games

the challenge factor. Just like real-life games like tag, football,

and car racing, all video games pose a challenge to the players.


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In the reality-based game Sim City, the player seeks to build

a fully developed and prosperous city; the challenge is keeping the

population happy in spite of economic and landscape constraints.

Another example of challenge in reality-based games would be

In the fantasy game Pokmon, the player seeks to collect each

kind of miniature monster (called pokmon); the challenge is in

discovering each kind, while competing against other collectors

(Gameplay of Pokmon).

The puzzle game The Incredible Machine challenges the player

to create increasingly complex machines using a selection of

component parts.

In terms of multiplayer games, the challenge to the players is

either to co-operate effectively with their fellow players against

the common enemy, or to play effectively against the other players.

An example of this is seen in the multiplayer features of the popular

shooting game Halo where players are posed with the challenge of

beating the storyline scenarios of the game co-operatively, or going

head-to-head against each other in multiplayer battle arenas (Halo:

Combat Evolved).

Besides the examples of challenge shown in video games, we have

further evidence that challenge is the most basic factor in the

reason why people play video games. When the player overcomes a

challenge posed by a game, the player gains a feeling of


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accomplishment. Because of this feeling of accomplishment, the player

feels rewarded, and content; they feel that they have grown in

ability.

People naturally learn to seek challenge and accomplishment;

games played by children almost always include some sort of

challenge, reward, and punishment. Video games are therefore

attractive to people since they pose a challenge to the player that

eventually overcomes. The game designer arranges challenges so they

are easy to overcome early on in the game, giving the player almost

instant rewards, encouraging them to keep playing (Dynamic game

difficulty balancing). Eventually, the challenges get tougher, and

the reward of accomplishment is hard to come by, but once the player

keeps pressing forward the eventual feeling of accomplishment is ever

greater than before. It is that constant feeling of accomplishment,

fuelled by the continuous challenges, that causes people to play

games. It does not matter so much what style of game each player

enjoys, without challenge, the games would hardly more than movies

and not particularly good movies either.

1.6 Using challenge to create fun forever

So we know that challenge is the underlying reason why people

play games (most people do not even know this), but experience tells

us that not every challenge is surmounted in one attempt. Challenges


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in games might be attempted for hours on end before they are

overcome. During this time the player is constantly punished by the

feeling of failure.

Failure is not a fun experience for anyone. Just as people feel

rewarded and content by accomplishment, they feel punished and

dissatisfied by failure. If the player continues to feel

dissatisfied, they will eventually give up, and our goal of perpetual

entertainment will be lost. Therefore, the designer of an ultimate

game must ensure that challenges are well balanced, keeping the

player rewarded enough that they would not quit the game.

The balance of challenge is a delicate factor. Too much

challenge and the player eventually grows frustrated. Too little

challenge and the player quickly grows bored. An ultimate game must

cater to all types of people, and that means that it must cater to

the skill level of each of these people. Therefore, the challenges

must be balanced so that they start off simple, teaching novice

players the essential techniques that are needed to meet the tougher

challenges that they will face later on. As the player progresses

past these early challenges, the challenges must gradually become

more complex, eventually reaching their full difficulty. At this

point, the player will have gotten used to the rules and limits of

the game-world, and will be confident that they can defeat whatever

challenges face them.


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Even though the player is confident that they can defeat the

challenges they meet, they must still be required to consider which

skills must be utilised at each point in the given challenge. This is

especially true for puzzle and strategy games since the player

expects to be challenged creatively.

The changes that cater to novice players give rise to another

problem though, because players who are familiar with the game will

find the early challenges too easy for their skill level and be bored

as a result. Therefore, we must find a way to bring the game up to

the level of the experienced players if they find the challenges too

simple.

One way to do ensure that both novice and experienced players

are entertained at all times would be to allow the player to choose

whether they would like to go through the tutorial challenges before

moving on to the main game. This design technique has been used

successfully in many games in the past, and it is a failsafe solution

to the problem.

The only problem with making the tutorial stages optional is

that it breaks immersion, and immersion is an important factor when

it comes to an ultimate game. A riskier, but seamless solution

would be to design the game so that the computer can monitor how

easily the player is overcoming the introductory challenges, and if

the challenges are being overcome without difficulty, the game will


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increase the difficulty of the challenge as needed. This solution

also has the additional benefit of adjusting to fit the learning

speed of novice players, making sure that the level challenge stays

high enough for those who are quick to pick up the techniques, while

also ensuring that players who have difficulty grasping the

techniques do not get frustrated, by lowering the challenge level as

needed (Dynamic game difficulty balancing).

1.7 Moving on from the basics

We have thus covered the basic concepts of game design. What

have we discovered? What conclusions have we come to? Before moving

on to decide what gameplay elements are needed for an ultimate

game, let us summarise what we know so far.

We now know that a game needs the full value of three basic

properties in order to entertain players forever: addiction,

immersion, andplayablelifetime.

We also know that the main reasons people play games are to

experience aspects of the real world that cannot be experienced

otherwise, discover concepts that are portrayed in the game-world,

take on the challenge of puzzles, and compete with or against

friends.

We have also concluded that challenge is the underlying reason

at the base of all the other reasons why people play games.


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Furthermore, we understand that we must use challenge to create

feelings of accomplishment in players, driving them to continue on to

even greater challenges, but also that we must not allow the player

to become dissatisfied because of continual failure.

We know that we can hold the players interest from the very

beginning of the game if we ensure that novice players are taught the

essential techniques needed to overcome the coming challenges through

a tutorial of simple challenges. We also understand that experienced

players would like be bored by the novice tutorial, and therefore we

decided that players must be allowed to choose whether they wish to

go through the tutorial, or whether they would like to go directly to

the main game.

We understand that a tutorialbreaks immersion, which is an

important factor of an ultimate game, and therefore have decided

that a seamless solution, is to design the game so the computer can

monitor how easily the player overcomes the introductory challenges

of the tutorial, and adjust the difficulty of the introductory

challenges as needed.

Finally, we have gone over the things that we have established

about thebasics of game design. Onwards we go then.


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Part 2 Gameplay Elements

2.1 Another Introduction

We have established the basic attributes of an ultimate game,

but we have not yet discussed the gameplay elements that are needed

by such a game (Game mechanic).

The gameplay elements are the parts that define how the player

interacts with the game, such as shooting, solving puzzles, or

dodging obstacles while driving. Without these elements, there is no

game as there is no interaction. Therefore, a game designer must

decide which gameplay elements are exhibited in the game, and ensure

that they are used to create the maximum value of the addiction,

immersion, and playable lifetime factors.

In this part, we discuss the gameplay elements that can be

combined to create an ultimate game, knowing that our understanding

of challenge and the factors of ultimate enable us to select the

perfect combination.

2.2 Fun

Players describe the joy gained from playing video games as

fun. It is a simple matter to understand that an ultimate game

needs to be fun all games need to be fun but it is far from


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simple to understand which gameplay elements combine to create fun.

We know that challenge must be a factor, and properly balanced

challenges create addiction, immersion, and an infinite playable

lifetime, but we have hardly discussed what gameplay elements can be

used to pose a challenge to the player.

Therefore, we must research the different elements that create

enjoyable challenges for the player, and once we combine the proper

elements together, the challenges posed by each will be thoroughly

entertaining, and the game will be described as fun.

2.3 Learning from examples

The best way to learn what kinds of challenges players enjoy is

to look at games that have grown popular because they are fun to

play. These games belong to a variety of genres, yet all are

described as fun.

2.3.1 Tetris an extremely addictive game

The most notable puzzle game of all time, Tetris, is also

considered by many to be the most addictive and quite possibly

greatest game of all time (Tetris; Tetris - This free game is

the most addictive game ever!).

The addictive factor of Tetris is due mainly to the simple, yet

mentally intriguing, challenge it presents to the player. The player


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must arrange falling blocks so that they form a horizontal line

across the play area, causing the completed row to explode, allowing

the rows above to take its space and create more room at the top of

the play area. Each time the player completes a set amount of rows,

the level goes up, and the speed at which the blocks fall increases

as well. Eventually the speed of the blocks is too quick for the

player to arrange them properly and the play area fills to the top,

at which point the game is over. For players who enjoy puzzles, this

gameplay mechanic is engrossing because the player must constantly

decide how to position each block so succeeding blocks can be placed

in a way that will clear a row. As each level is beaten, the

challenge increases, eventually reaching a difficulty that the player

cannot surpass unless their reflexes grow sharper. Naturally, the

player learns to react quickly to the speed of the blocks,

continuously defeating higher and higher levels of challenge, and

growing addicted to the feelings of accomplishment that are gained

after each surmounted challenge.

Furthermore, the level of challenge at the beginning of the game

is low enough that novice players can learn the basics of positioning

blocks, and the level of challenge only increases after the player

has gained enough skill to set up rows faster than the of the speed

of the level. Although there is no explicit design that says the

computer must monitor the players ability and increase the challenge


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as needed, the same effect is achieved since the players ability to

arrange the blocks means that rows are completed as fast as the

player can set them up. Thus, the level of challenge increases much

more quickly if the player is of a high skill level.

Players are also driven to play Tetris because of competition

with their friends and acquaintances. The game keeps a score of all

the blocks the player has cleared, and although players cannot play

the game at the same time, they naturally compare scores, and strive

to break each others record. This increases the playable lifetime of

Tetris greatly, as competition drives the players to keep playing,

until one of them gives up.

2.3.1.1 Critiquing Tetris

The brilliant balance of challenge found in Tetris creates an

extreme amount of addiction, which directly adds a high level of

immersion to the game. This combination of addiction and immersion

seems to dictate that the game must have an infinite playable

lifetime, but that is not the case. The playable lifetime of a game

does not depend only on the addictive and immersive values, but also

on the variety of gameplay a property that is hardly present in

Tetris.

Tetris style only caters to players who enjoy the challenge of

puzzles. While most players enjoy its simple gameplay, many find its


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style repetitive after playing for a long time. This is because there

is nothing to do other than placing blocks. As fun and addictive as

Tetris may be, once the player reaches the limit of their reflexes,

there is no option other than moving on to another game.

Another problem with Tetris is that players who play games for

reasons other than puzzle solving find no satisfaction in its

gameplay. The goal of an ultimate game is entertain the majority of

players at all times, and although Tetris is a great game in itself,

it does not meet the requirements we have set for an ultimate game.

2.3.2 The need for variety

In order to create an ultimate game, the gameplay of genres

other than thepuzzle genre must be considered. Once we understand

the elements of each genre, we can find ways to combine them in an

ultimate game, creatingvariety.

By having variety, an ultimate game avoids the problems of

repetition present in Tetris. The player will always have an option

that matches their mood. If, at any point, the player grows

frustrated with one challenge, there will always be a different type

of challenge available. The problem is, of course, in designing the

ultimate game in a way that allows the player to switch seamlessly

between gameplay elements. This problem will be dealt with later; for

now, we must find elements that provide these options.


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Therefore, we will look at the gameplay elements that can be

found in three game genres: action, strategy, and action-adventure.

These genres contain elements that, together, can satisfy players, no

matter what reason they have for playing games. It is taken for

granted that the option players to compete with or against their

friends can be added using the same elements present in these genres;

it is a simply a matter of game design, not gameplay elements.

We will also consider a few subgenres that are particularly

useful to our later discussions.

2.3.2.1 Action

The action genre is arguably the most popular video game genre

today (Video game genres: information from Answers.com). Games of

this genre challenge the players reflexes, requiring them to quickly

target and shoot enemies, bounce from one platform to another, and

many other reflex-heavy activities. Games like Tetris fit into this

category, requiring quick reflexes, while also having puzzle-solving

elements of the strategy genre.

The action genre is particularly appealing to players who seek

to experience the thrill of real-world military combat. This has

given rise to a whole subgenre 3D shooting.


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2.3.2.1.1 3D shooting

Games of the 3D shooting genre have become extremely popular in

recent years, and it is no surprise. These games put the player in

the shoes of soldiers, gangsters, and other gun-totting characters,

challenging the player with aggressive enemies who must be shot in

order to be defeated. The player must quickly identify, and shoot

their opponents if their character is to survive. The constant risk

of being hit by an unnoticed enemy is not far from the experience of

true gunplay, making the 3D shooting genre extremely popular with

teenagers, who are often enamoured with military combat (Video game

genres: information from Answers.com).

The First-person shooting (FPS) and Third-person shooting (TPS)

genres are further subdivisions of the 3D shooting subgenre.

TPS games show the world from a third-person perspective,

meaning the player can see their character as well as the area around

and behind that character. These games usually take on a less-

realistic style, giving the player a strategic advantage because of

the perspective.

FPS games show the world from the viewpoint of the players

character, creating a feeling akin to that virtual reality. These

games also pose the added challenge of not knowing what is behind the

players character, adding an extra feel of realism to players

experience (Video game genres: information from Answers.com).


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3D shooting games, particularly those of the FPS variety, are

arguably the most popular genre on video game console systems. These

consoles are typically owned by teenagers, and hardcore players who

enjoy the adrenaline-filled shooting element. Therefore, it would be

wise to consider including elements of the 3D shooting subgenre in a

game that is meant to be ultimate.

2.3.2.2 Strategy

Strategy games rely, not on the players reflexes, but on the

players ability to come up with creative solutions to complex

problems. These games are most appealing to players who play games in

order to take on the challenges posed by puzzles (Video game genres:

information from Answers.com).

The strategy game genre is divided into the real-time strategy

(RTS) and turn-based strategy (TBS) subgenres. These subgenres

categorise games based on whether the player and their opponents

(human or computer, no distinction is made) take turns making their

strategic actions, or whether the respective teams interact with the

game-world in real-time.

2.3.2.3 Action-adventure

TheAction-adventure genre is one of the most popular genres

today. In an action-adventure game, the player takes control of a


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Toussaint 28

game-world character, and explores the game-world as they participate

in the story, or take on other challenges that have been presented.

The player is challenged by enemies that must be defeated using

actions, such as mle combat, that require quick reflexes. They must

also solve puzzles at times, in order to progress to new areas of the

game (Video game genres: information from Answers.com).

Special consideration must be given to the action-adventure

genre because it appeals to such a broad range of players. Action-

adventure games, such as Grand Theft Auto IV, have become extremely

popular because they possess many different gameplay elements like

shooting, driving vehicles, solving puzzles to get past obstacles,

and exploring the chaotic game-world. These elements appeal to all

players, no matter what reason they have for playing video games.

2.4 Creating a varied game

The elements of all the genres discussed above, provide us with

gameplay elements that present a variety of challenges to the player.

These genres are not the only ones that exist, but this selection

gives us a balanced understanding of elements that create an

experience that players describe as fun.

The problem now is to combine gameplay elements of each genre

(be it the 3D shooting of the action genre, exploration found in the

action-adventure genre, or puzzle solving of the strategy genre),


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into one varied game. Furthermore, we must do this while ensuring

that the challenges of each element are balanced properly to match

the skill level of the player. Once we have solved these problems, we

will have a game that is fully challenging, addictive, and immersive,

while being varied enough to have an infinite playable lifetime.

2.4.1 The world as a sandbox

In recent years, as computers and video game consoles have

advanced in computation power, the sandbox game has risen in

popularity. These games simulate a miniature world, and place the

players character in it, giving the player freedom to play the game

as they wish, using the gameplay elements included (Nonlinear

gameplay).

Sandbox games typically combine the gameplay elements of many

genres, giving the player many options in terms of how they can play

the game and the ways they overcome challenges. This ability to

choose how they play gives players a sense of freedom, something that

cannot be experienced games that are attached to a linear story.

A good example of freedom in sandbox games is seen in the

medieval combat game Mount & Blade. If the player wishes to gain

money, they can undertake missions on the behalf of various non-

player characters (NPCs). Alternatively, the player can enter battle

against an enemy party and gain loot. If the player is feeling


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ambitions, they can do something completely risky, like raiding a

village, risking the enmity of the owning faction.

The ability to combine various gameplay elements from different

genres means that a sandbox game is a perfect candidate to be an

ultimate game. We will focus on the sandbox game paradigm for the

rest of this paper.

2.4.2 The problem of freedom without motivation

It is assumed that if the player is free to do as they please,

the game will be varied and fun, and as a result, the game will have

an endless playable lifetime. This opinion seems logical, but it is

not accurate. Players enjoy having the freedom to play the game as

they like, but being free, with no clear objective, is often

confusing to the players. They expect to have challenges posed to

them and, just like in real life, are not used to going out in search

of challenges. They player is left without a motive, and the lack of

challenge eventually leads to boredom and the abandonment of the game.

Because of the problems that arise when players have freedom

without motivation, recent sandbox games usually include a story that

draws the player into the game-world. This design technique is

successful, but only up to the point where the story ends. At this

point, the player is left wandering the game-world, and soon grows

tired of actively seeking out challenges.


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One solution to the problem of freedom without motivation is to

design the game so that the computer can offer objectives to the

player, which, if accepted, will create new challenges for the player.

The problem with this solution though, is that it breaks the

feeling of immersion the player has in the game. The player is in a

virtual world (the sandbox), and it would be jarring to the player if

they suddenly receive a message without an NPC speaking to their

character.

A much better solution is to have NPCs interact with the player,

and offer them jobs and other objectives that have been selected by

the computer. Such a solution requires active NPCs, or better still,

virtual people.

2.4.3 Virtual people

In a simulated world, the player expects to interact with NPCs.

These NPCs serve the purpose of making the game-world feel alive and

sentient.

NPCs are usually relegated to minor roles, such as selling items

to the player, or being the players enemy. These roles are almost

always reactive, relying on the player to seek out the NPC and start

a conversation (Non-player character). In order to give the player

a sense of motivation, NPCs in an ultimate game must take an active


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role, seeking out the player and conversing with them, instead of

passively waiting to be approached. This has two effects on the game:

it makes the world appear active, as though the NPCs werevirtual

people, as well as creating a challenge to which the player must

respond.

The simple act of an NPC finding the player and interacting with

them does not seem significant, until it is considered that this

interaction is actually the start of a challenge. If the NPC offers

the player a task, like searching a remote part of the game-world for

a lost item perhaps, the player is posed with the choice of accepting

the task, and the challenges that come with it, or rejecting the

offer and being free to explore without obligation.

Regardless of which option the player chooses, they have been

motivated, if only for a short time, and are now taking an active

part in the game. They will probably follow up on their decision to

reject the offer by go out in search of a challenge, knowing that

they chose, actively, to be unoccupied. Alternatively, if chose to

accept the task, they will face the challenges that have been

designed to entertain them. Either way, the player is well on their

path to be entertained perpetually.

2.4.4 Conclusion of Part 2


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With the addition of virtual people, we now have all the

gameplay elements needed to make a game that has an infinite playable

lifetime. Here is a recap of the major areas that have been covered

in this part.

We have examined the gameplay elements of Tetris, a game that is

considered one of the most addictive games of all time, and found

that, although it possesses high values of the addiction and

immersion factors, it lacksvariety in gameplay, and eventually grows

repetitive. We therefore examined the gameplay elements of the

action, action-adventure, and strategy game genres, and found

gameplay elements that we can use to create variety in our games.

We searched for a way to combine those gameplay elements, and

found that if we create a virtual sandbox, we can gather gameplay

elements from various game genres, and combine them, creating variety.

We found that theproblemwith sandbox games is that the player

is often left to seek out challenges on their own, and that most

players do not enjoy doing so. Therefore, we sought a solution to the

players freedom without motivation.

We found that recent games have included a story for the player

to take part in, in order to engross them in the sandbox world.

Unfortunately, we found that this only delayed the boredom of the

player until the story had been completed.


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We then concluded that the player must be offered an objective,

in order to motivate them, and decided that it having the computer

present the choice to the player will break immersion. Therefore, we

decided that it is best to usevirtual people, who actively seek out

the player and interact with them, to present objectives to the

player.

Part 3 Is There Such a Thing as an Ultimate Game?

We have considered the factors and elements that are needed to

ensure that a game remains entertaining perpetually. It has been

shown that, with the right amount of addiction, immersion, and

variety, a video game can have an infinite playable lifetime.

Therefore, given the concepts that have been established, we know

that yes, there is such a thing as an ultimate game.

Perhaps, in the near future, a game that meets the stringent

requirements of ultimate will be created. I am eagerly awaiting its

addiction.


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Toussaint 35Works Cited

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Toussaint 36Gametrailers. Wikipedia, the free encylclopedia. Online. 17 Apr

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Is There Such a Game as an 'Ultimate' Game

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