Game Design Fundamentals
For this week we were suppose to read chapters 3 and 4 of Game Design Fundamentals by Salen and Zimmerman.
Chapter 3 talks about how game designers should care about the meaning of play. Being able to create great game experiences for players is the goal of meaningful play. Salen and Zimmerman then break meaningful play down into two kinds (pg. 34). One idea is that meaningful play is developed “from the relationship between player action and system outcome,” which is also known as descriptive. The other idea is that meaningful play occurs when we “evaluate the relationships between actions and outcomes, and decide whether they are meaningful enough within the designed system of the game.” This idea is also known as evaluative.
Chapter 4 discusses design and the semiotics behind it. When looking at semiotics we are talking about “the study of how meanings are made” which are usually done through signs (pg. 42). These “signs are interpreted; they stand for something to somebody” (pg. 44). The context which the sign is given helps determine how we interpret the message. Ultimately the design is trying to create this message.
I personally agree more with the evaluative description of meaningful play. Specifically that this meaning is developed through our own experiences. When I am playing any type of game sometimes the outcomes are rewarding for others but not for me. For instance when I played Guild Wars I didn’t enjoy the outcome of gaining experience points when going on missions with other players as much as getting new items. Others on the missions did enjoy just getting the experience points though. Therefore the designed system of the game was rewarding for some but not always rewarding for me. Thus people approached the gameplay differently.
The design of a game is the most important step to creating meaning. The signs in the game help establish meaning, as long as we interpret them in the right context. To me, context is one of the most important parts to semiotics. When some see the US flag, they think of a land of the free and opportunity for all. Others who don’t live in America might look at the flag and see it as an indicator of America and that is it. Either way, context usually has a big part in the interpretation of signs.
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It was a loose connection. In the video Clay Shirky talks about peoples surplus time and how recently they have devoted this time in meaningful ways (i.e. contributing to wikipedia pages). In terms of the text we were reading, meaningful play is something that users want. This meaningful play is something gamers look for. In both cases users are trying to find meaning in the time they devote. I know its a pretty loose connection so i just posted the video seperately.