Games and Rules

Introduction

Games are understood as control systems providing physical rules, artificial laws and (in-game) rules. These features are framing the game. Gamers interact willingly with given rules and therefore receive rewards or punishment. So, basically, playing games means to obey rules. Each game is a construct embedded in its own structure due to “execution, acceptance of the rules and (if digital) processing on a computer”. This whole process becomes the actual game, because the player is attached to its Magic Circle. Mentioned circle is a symbolical space (or a world) of play, which obeys to different rules compared to the real world. In this space players interact with other players, NPCs (non-player-characters) and mobile and immobile objects. In order to provide those interactions rules are needed. Game Mechanics are structures of sets of rules

What are Game Mechanics?

Game mechanics are actions which you let your avatar do, like swim, run, jump, collect, ride, drive or shoot. These mechanics can be found in any game. A game provides a set of actions that the players can interact with. Depending on the game mentioned set is limited to a greater or lesser extent. Such sets are like spaces. This can be a single room due to search hidden objects, a whole castle with rooms, dorms and yards to explore or even an extended fictious world that is limited by a map. Interacting with the mechanics of a game helps to understand its physics, restraints and dominant social behavior .

Imagine a horse-riding simulation: the horse jumps higher and further due to its level. Therefore, the player must buy a horse that matches with his or her level in order to achieve the best results during a horse race. But the player is just able to pay a high price for a good horse if he or she works for stable points (in-game currency). This occurrence shows the social behavior within the game by requesting work in order to get paid. On the one hand this conveys an ethical message, on the other hand it shows the capitalist principle of our society. The world of The Sims 4 is also dominated by the capitalist system in which the players can choose career paths for their avatars. Not only to earn the avatars’ keep but to fulfill their life wish, too (but the life wish is not exclusively connected with careers).

Related Links/Approaches

This approach can be related to any game: Games

This approach can be related to any approaches referring to computer games, too: Research Approaches