How Your Favourite Game Gets You Playing Again and Again
“Just one game.” Yet, it rarely ends that way. From Super Mario Bros to The Witcher and now Baldur’s Gate, video games have become a global phenomenon. And with platforms like YouTube and Twitch, gaming has grown from what might just be a personal pastime to a hugely social and competitive pursuit.
Prize pools for gaming (or eSports) tournaments can reach up to millions of dollars and in Singapore, gaming is bigger than ever. The local gaming sector is worth S$5.2 billion and is the fastest-growing field in the Information and Communications sector, surpassing the likes of eCommerce and online services. In 2023, Singapore also played host to marquee events like Gamescom Asia and the inaugural Olympic Esports Week.
Despite the size of the gaming industry, the reason behind the popularity of gaming arguably goes back to a simple reason — the motivation to play game after game. Whether you’re a casual or competitive gamer, or a budding game developer, understanding how games are designed enables you to appreciate the intricacies that goes into building your favourite games and perhaps even help you to play them better.
So, what makes games so addictive?
While the popularity of games is clear, what gets you to keep playing game after game is less so.
Good art and mechanics are undoubtedly crucial aspects of a game and they determine whether you are motivated to continue playing. This is why the uncertainty in games, balanced with player agency, is carefully designed to influence how you interact with the game, and therefore shape your overall experience.
Greg Costikyan’s Uncertainty in Game Design explores the fundamental role of uncertainty in making games enjoyable. Constikyan examines various types of uncertainty used in games and how they can be effectively employed to create an engaging gaming experience.
He shares that even a simple game that effectively uses uncertainty like Tic-Tac-Toe, makes them enjoyable to people of all ages. All games are meant to be interactive and having some sort of uncertain element ensures they are not too predictable. Additionally, Greg provides insights into what sources of uncertainty game designers include in their games to make them more interesting.
Sources of uncertainties
Performative uncertainty: First-person shooters, action and adventure, driving games are often designed to challenge your hand-eye coordination, or in other words, your performance. This keeps you engaged and striving to improve aspects of your game such as reaction time and decision-making.
Solver’s uncertainty: This is a common type of uncertainty employed in puzzle-based games where you would have to use logic to solve things and progress. However, this uncertainty could also be an embedded element in non-puzzle games such as turn-based strategy games, where players “solve a puzzle” when deciding which would be the most effective attack to take.
Player unpredictability: This type of uncertainty is found in multiplayer games where you are allowed to attack other players. This doesn’t necessarily equate to a physical attack. The uncertainty could be created so long as the actions of one player affect another in a zero-sum (your loss is my gain) or negative-sum (your loss is either a lesser gain, or some loss to me) fashion.
Randomness: Randomness plays to the idea of luck and chance, and leads to different outcomes for you. Randomness also creates a variety of encounters in games, where you would be uncertain about what obstacles you might face as you progress.
Analytics Complexity: Strategy games such as chess employ this. You would be presented with several options but would also be simultaneously forced to make trade-offs with each option.
These notions of interactivity and uncertainty are present even in some of the earliest games, such as Senet and The Royal Game of Ur. These games were often enjoyed by royalty and were originally created as a means of teaching strategy for war, which itself is filled with uncertainties. Through these games, rulers could better plan for large-scale battles and minimise the loss of resources. Similarly, modern war games often present players with resource management challenges that simulate scenarios on the battlefield. Game designers take into consideration these different elements of the game to make it engaging and universal for anyone to play.
The game designer behind the games
The game designer is responsible not only for the mechanics of the game, but also for other elements such as the user experience, character design, and narrative that make the game engaging. In Robert Zubek’s Elements of Game Design, he explore the intricacies of game design and provides insights into the countless possibilities that can be unlocked by mastering the elements of game design.
Contrary to popular belief, being a game designer is not all fun and games. In his book Blood, Sweat and Pixels, Jason Schreier highlights that creating an amazing game requires gruelling hours, teamwork, and passionate individuals who are driven to deliver an incredible experience for players. The book sheds light on the behind-the-scenes efforts that go into making a successful game and emphasises the hard work and dedication required to achieve it. It also provides a more intimate look into the world of game design and dispels misconceptions about the lives of game designers.
Learn more about Game Design
Game designers are empathetic strategists who control various aspects of the game that is presented to players. They possess a deep understanding of human behaviour and what motivates people to achieve goals, whether in real life or in the game world.
Keen to learn more about the world of game design? library@orchard’s Pro Series: Game Design talks and workshops offer a range of informative programmes such as Creating Flow and Play in Games with Jonathan Kwek. These programmes delve into crucial elements that can make or break a game, such as designing levels that allow players to navigate and explore the game world, creating memorable characters, and more. These talks and workshops will give valuable insights into the world of game design and how game designers approach their craft.
Stay tuned to other talks and workshops on Eventbrite or LearnX Arts for more programmes like this at library@orchard!
Interested to read more on video games? Here are some recommended reads:
Text by
Victoria Tuh
National Library Board
