diff -r 3164c82ac16e -r bdef1afd1170 draft/dream01jan03.txt --- /dev/null Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000 +++ b/draft/dream01jan03.txt Wed Aug 30 21:32:44 2006 -0400 @@ -0,0 +1,355 @@ +RPGnet + + + + Reviews Forums +News & Press Columns & +Info RPG Wiki + RPG Shop + + + + 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 . 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. + + + What do you think? + +Go to forum! + Go to Top | New Topic + | View Threads + | Search + + + Topics Author Date Latest Reply + cooldog cotangent + (1) new +cranial_index 01-31-2006 20:46 01-31-2006 20:46 new + CORONA (1) new +corn_chamomile 01-31-2006 20:25 01-31-2006 20:25 new + Fendi Spy Bags WHOLESALE@WizardReplica.com + (1) new 514 +12-02-2005 10:55 12-02-2005 10:55 new + Designer Handbags Wholesale@WWW.WIZARDREPLICA.COM + (1) new 868 +11-14-2005 19:41 11-14-2005 19:41 new + REPLICA HANDBAGS LOUIS VUITTON REPLICA WHOLESALE@ + (1) new 794 +10-20-2005 21:37 10-20-2005 21:37 new + Death/playing style + (1) new Searcher +09-22-2003 11:35 09-22-2003 11:35 new + Death and actual immortality + (3) new Cpl Ferro +07-19-2003 08:53 01-13-2006 15:22 new + Non-death death + (5) new Sérgio +Mascarenhas 07-18-2003 03:07 07-23-2003 02:38 new + Thanks, Hunter + (4) new Allan +Sugarbaker 07-16-2003 00:18 07-17-2003 19:34 new + Realism (3) new +Robin 06-20-2003 01:23 06-25-2003 02:34 new + Something you might have mentioned. + (3) new Yamo +06-19-2003 16:13 06-19-2003 18:11 new + BTW, excellent column, Hunter! + (2) new flyingmice +06-19-2003 13:11 06-19-2003 18:13 new + Armor and Damage Thereto + (2) new The Student +06-19-2003 08:45 06-19-2003 11:44 new + Armor (9) new +flyingmice 06-19-2003 08:29 06-20-2003 06:12 new + Death spiral and unconsciousness + (7) new Torben +Mogensen 06-19-2003 07:31 06-20-2003 06:52 new + lucky or skilled + (2) new rhyme +05-12-2003 18:49 05-13-2003 09:25 new + Absolute, unopposed and opposed + (2) new Torben +Mogensen 04-16-2003 02:19 04-16-2003 09:26 new + 0-9 open ended = brilliant! + (8) new Vibropod +03-12-2003 10:41 07-18-2003 01:28 new + Smooth rerolls + (10) new Torben +Mogensen 03-12-2003 00:47 03-16-2003 23:57 new + Resolution Mechanics + (8) new Kyle +Schuant 03-11-2003 22:14 03-29-2003 21:28 new + + Go to Top | New Topic + | View Threads + | Search + + + Newer Messages + | Older Messages + + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + Previous columns + + * #8: True Death by Hunter + Logan, 17jul03 + * #7: Assessing Damage by + Hunter Logan, 19jun03 + * #6: Putting Theory to the Test + by Hunter Logan, 12may03 + * #5: Resolution Mechanics II + by Hunter Logan, 14apr03 + * Resolution Mechanics I + by Hunter Logan, 11mar03 + * Player Goals by Hunter + Logan, 10feb03 + * Balance of Power by + Hunter Logan, 20jan03 + * Play Flow First by + Hunter Logan, 01jan03 + + + Other columns at RPGnet + +[ Read FAQ | Subscribe to RSS + | Contact Us | +Advertise with Us ] + +Copyright © 1996-2006 RPGnet & individual authors, All Rights Reserved +RPGnet® is a registered trademark of Skotos Tech Inc., all rights reserved. +