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      The Impossible Dream

    Play Flow First

*by Hunter Logan*

Jan 01,2003

Play Flow First

Before I begin, I want to thank Aeon and the other good folks at RPG.net

for giving me the forum for this column. I think rpg.net is an

outstanding site and I'm happy to be here. Thank you.

I've returned with a new message. The key to successfully designing

games is sitting right in front of everyone who wants to do it. Most of

us don't see it. We don't even know it's there. I think those who do

know are busy designing games that actually work the way they're

supposed to work. Play flow is the answer.

Play Flow

Play flow is the way the game is actually played. See, when we talk

about game design, we often talk about what the players want or what the

game is about. We craft clever mechanics and interesting mechanical

devices. What's more, the best of these really are both clever and

interesting. We sweat over character design and other design elements.

Anyone who designs a game should do all of this, but all of this should

really come later.

I have this idea that you can design the core of a game in about 30

minutes if the first thing you think about is play flow. Think about

this. If you're anything like me, you want to design games that play

differently than other games already on the market. That's why I want to

do it, and I've observed that play flow is the /unspoken/ reason many

other people also want to design games. So many people want to design

games, yet only a few people come up with anything worthwhile. I've made

many stillborn attempts myself. I've also designed a game or two that

sort of worked, but I wouldn't call them especially successful.

Recently, I broke through the barrier, but it's only because I kept

asking the same questions: Why? What's wrong here?

I think conventional thought about game design sets the wrong

priorities. I think most people consider mechanics or character design

first, not play flow. People come up with a really neat mechanic and

then try to make play flow support it. People come up with excellent

character design concepts and try to wrap mechanics then play flow

around that. For most of us, it doesn't work. If it does work, it's

probably a fluke. More likely, you'll find the game is broken in some

significant way. It doesn't do what you want it to do because it can't

do what you want it to do. The play flow is probably wrong because it

was considered last. I have made the mistake and I have seen ample

evidence all over the web that others make the same mistake. I think

this is also true of some commercial game designs. This is no crime, but

it's unfortunate. There must be a better way, and I think this is it:

Instead of considering play flow last, consider *Play Flow First*. That

is, let everything in the game support the play flow, not the other way

around.

Let's talk about formal definitions.

A */Play Flow/* is a set of actions that produce events that lead to

either a /decision point/ or a /resolution point/. (As much as I would

like to take credit for this bit of thinking, others got here first. Ron

Edwards and John Kim are equally responsible for planting the idea in my

head for Play Flow First design. Ron planted his part in conversation

and in many web discussions. John Kim planted his part in his

descriptions of various roleplaying sessions on his Roleplaying Styles

website <http://www.darkshire.org/~jhkim/rpg/styles/index.html>. Brian

Gleichman first defined the resolution point in his Alternate View of

Gamism article.)

A */player/* is anyone who is actively involved in playing the game.

Unless otherwise noted, I make no distinction between the designated GM

and other participants.

An */event/* is any encounter or situation that occurs during the course

of play. These usually involve the PCs and often result in a decision

point, a resolution point, or both.

An */action/* is anything a player does that has an effect on a

character or causes a change in the game world.

A */decision point/* is any point where a player chooses a course of

action (makes a decision). The choice affects what happens in the game

world.

For example, a group of characters take a prisoner. They may select from

several choices. Whatever the players decide will have repercussions for

both the characters and the prisoner. Here are some possibilities.

    * Kill the prisoner.

    * Torture the prisoner.

    * Talk to the prisoner.

    * Take the prisoner with them.

    * Release the prisoner.

    * Treat the prisoner as a long-lost friend.

    * Do something completely different.

A */resolution point/*, according to Brian Gleichman, is "that part of

the game where conflicts are decided. A very common Resolution Point is

a single battle. However any test of skill or the solving of a puzzle

can also viewed in this way." I agree with Brian's definition, but I

personalized his meaning. To me, a /resolution point/ is any point that

requires the use of one or more mechanics to determine the outcome of an

event. A battle is a notable /resolution point/.

*/Mechanics/* are the processes written into the rules to determine what

happens at a resolution point.

A */mechanic/* is a self-contained play flow composed of at least two

steps. The first step is usually a /mechanical device/. That's a

function written into the rules to help resolve an /event/. Rolling

dice, betting coins, and drawing stones are all examples of mechanical

devices. Once the device is used, the second step is usually an

/evaluation/ to determine what happens as a result of using the device.

A /mechanic/ may also include functions such as a /countdown/.

Play Flow Overview

This is an overview of one possible play flow. It's historically common

and very manageable.

    * Description. The GM describes the locale and situation for the

      players.

    * Clarification. The players ask questions about specific details of

      the description. The GM answers as appropriate.

    * Decision Point. The players discuss what they want to do and

      decide on a course of action for their characters. This decision

      may spawn an event. If the players have difficulty making a

      decision, the GM may add an event to the game.

    * Event. Finally, something happens. The GM describes the event and

      the players ask questions to clarify the situation.

    * Decision Point. The players decide what their characters will do

      about the event. In this case, indecision is a decision as the GM

      may push things along as he sees fit.

    * Resolution Point. The players' decision leads to a resolution

      point. Using the appropriate mechanics, the GM and players resolve

      the event.

    * Repeat. This flow of play is repeated. When the players resolve an

      event, their characters make progress in the game world.

Mechanic Overview

This is an overview of a simple mechanic.

    * Call Mechanic. A player, often the GM, calls for the use of a

      mechanic as stated in the rules.

    * Use Mechanic. Players roll dice, bet coins, make declarations, or

      do whatever else is needed to make the mechanic work.

    * Evaluate Results. The players use this to determine what actually

      happened in the game.

    * Continue Play. Once the outcome is determined, the play flow

      continues.

A Play Flow with Mechanics

Event resolution is part of a play flow. In many ways, it's a play flow

nested within another play flow. This can also be done with a flowchart.

This example demonstrates the idea of play flow and outlines what might

happen when some PCs gets in a fight. I left the exact resolution

methods undefined because they're not important to this part of the

discussion.

    * Description. Two characters are walking through a run-down

      neighborhood. It has empty storefronts all over. Broken-down and

      burned out cars litter the street. The alleys show signs of people

      living in cardboard boxes.

    * Clarification: The players want to know who else is around. The GM

      notes that a group of motley-looking young men is milling around

      at the next intersection. They're harassing people passing by.

      They're probably a gang of thugs.

    * Decision Point: The characters could go around this obvious

      trouble spot, but the players want to see what will happen. They

      decide to have their characters walk right up to the thugs.

    * Event: The characters encounter the thugs. As the characters

      approach, the GM informs the players that the thugs are making

      insulting comments and saying something about paying an

      "intersection tax."

    * Decision point: The players could decide to have the characters

      pay the tax or parley to prevent combat, but the players prefer to

      fight the thugs.

    * Resolution Point: The players play their characters and the GM

      plays the thugs.

          o Roll Initiative. The players roll dice for their characters.

            The GM does the same for the thugs. The combatant with the

            highest roll wins initiative and may resolve his actions

            first. In the result of a tie, the rules may specify some

            sort of tiebreaker. Some combatants may have more than one

            attack. These are resolved at appropriate intervals during

            the countdown.

                + Initiative Countdown. The GM counts down initiative

                  starting at the highest result. At each count, all

                  attacks are resolved as appropriate.

                      # Resolve an attack. The player controlling the

                        current combatant declares a target. He then

                        rolls dice for the attack. The GM uses the die

                        roll to determine the result of the attack.

                      # Resolve next attack. If other combatants are

                        allowed to attack, their attacks are resolved as

                        described. When no more attacks remain, the

                        countdown continues.

                + Continue Countdown. While Initiative is still above 0,

                  return to step a) Initiative Countdown. When

                  initiative reaches 0, go to step 2) Continue Play.

          o Continue Play. If combatants remain willing and able to

            fight, return to step 1) Roll Initiative and repeat the

            process for the remaining combatants.

    * Play Continues: When the battle is over, play continues. The GM

      updates the situation for the players and the players decide what

      they want to do next.

Prioritizing Play Flow

It's time to step back and put this in perspective. Some people are more

methodical than others in their approach to game design. Your effort

will not fail because your first thought about your new game design was

something like, "I want a game about being the living dead on an

alternate earth. And I want to use a mechanic where people draw stones

from a bag." As far as I'm concerned, that's as good a start as any, but

I'd bet money you want to write it in such a way that it will work right

off. I think you can do that if the next question you ask yourself is,

"What's it like to play this game?" The answer is to figure out the play

flow. This doesn't guarantee design free of struggle, but I think it

increases the chance that you'll be able to bash together a game design

that really works in very little time. Inspiration is unpredictable. The

creative spark has a mind of its own, but formal thinking is very reliable.

Next installment, I will look at something I call Balance of Power and

discuss how that relates to play flow.

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10-20-2005 21:37  	10-20-2005 21:37 new

 Death/playing style

<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=92&t=92> (1) new 	Searcher 

09-22-2003 11:35  	09-22-2003 11:35 new

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<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=89&t=89> (3) new 	Cpl Ferro 

07-19-2003 08:53  	01-13-2006 15:22 new

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<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=85&t=85> (5) new 	Sérgio

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<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=80&t=80> (4) new 	Allan

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<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=65&t=65> (3) new 	Yamo 

06-19-2003 16:13  	06-19-2003 18:11 new

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<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=53&t=53> (7) new 	Torben

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 lucky or skilled

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<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=31&t=31> (8) new 	Vibropod 

03-12-2003 10:41  	07-18-2003 01:28 new

 Smooth rerolls

<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=27&t=27> (10) new 	Torben

Mogensen  	03-12-2003 00:47  	03-16-2003 23:57 new

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<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=25&t=25> (8) new 	Kyle

Schuant  	03-11-2003 22:14  	03-29-2003 21:28 new

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------------------------------------------------------------------------

      Previous columns

    * #8: True Death </news+reviews/columns/dream17jul03.html> by Hunter

      Logan, 17jul03

    * #7: Assessing Damage </news+reviews/columns/dream19jun03.html> by

      Hunter Logan, 19jun03

    * #6: Putting Theory to the Test

      </news+reviews/columns/dream12may03.html> by Hunter Logan, 12may03

    * #5: Resolution Mechanics II

      </news+reviews/columns/dream14apr03.html> by Hunter Logan, 14apr03

    * Resolution Mechanics I </news+reviews/columns/dream11mar03.html>

      by Hunter Logan, 11mar03

    * Player Goals </news+reviews/columns/dream10feb03.html> by Hunter

      Logan, 10feb03

    * Balance of Power </news+reviews/columns/dream20jan03.html> by

      Hunter Logan, 20jan03

    * Play Flow First </news+reviews/columns/dream01jan03.html> by

      Hunter Logan, 01jan03

      Other columns </news+reviews/columns.html> at RPGnet

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