diff -r 3164c82ac16e -r bdef1afd1170 draft/elements11dec02.txt --- /dev/null Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000 +++ b/draft/elements11dec02.txt Wed Aug 30 21:32:44 2006 -0400 @@ -0,0 +1,334 @@ +RPGnet + + + + Reviews Forums +News & Press Columns & +Info RPG Wiki + RPG Shop + + + + Elements + + + Layers of Design + +*by Brian Gleichman* +Dec 11,2002 + + + + + Layers of Design + + + (or RPG design from the ten thousand foot view) + +What do people think of when they think of game design? Generally things +like character generation, resolution mechanics, combat rules, etc. +Sadly this common view often causes people to miss most of the game as +it is actually played. This in turn results in either poor design that +fails to achieve its goals, or in poor evaluation of existing games +(which causes endless flamewars). + +In the simplest terms, an rpg campaign consists of two very different +influences- the Game itself and the Meta-Game. These terms are generally +understood by most gamers and are a useful short hand. That split +however covers too much ground for my taste and I've identified five +layers (one in Game, and four in the Meta-Game) that differ +significantly enough from each other that a solid treatment of the +subject must give each their due. + +Any game operates within (and is in effect designed for) these five +layers. Let's consider each of them in turn: + + + Game + +This layer is made up completely of the actual rules, i.e. the game's +mechanics. These rules must be objective and visible. + +By objective, we mean that the mechanics would be resolved the same way +and produce the same outcomes (assuming equal rolls, card picks, etc) no +matter who the players are (assuming they are of course following the +rules). For example, in HERO it takes a roll of 11 or less on 3d6 to +succeed with an unadjusted 11- skill. Thus a die roll of 10 will be a +success for any player in any group no matter the opinions and thoughts +thereof. + +By visible we mean that all data, resolutions and decisions in respect +to the mechanics are visible to all players at all times. + +It is very important to realize that this level's primary purpose is to +define LIMITS on the available actions and results. In chess rooks can +move vertically and horizontality but never diagonally. A broadsword +does a specified amount of damage- no more, no less in D20. Etc. It is +by forcing limits that the mechanics assure objectivity, visibility and +provide a framework for play. + +Game play at this level is based upon known certainties. Examples: "The +orcs have massed their greatest fighters in the center, we should..." or +"I have a 68% chance of taking down the goblin, but only a 33% chance on +the bigger hobgoblin. We're outnumbered right now and that's gives heavy +modifiers against us so I'll..." + +In general tactical game design if done (the subject of a previous +article of mine) exists at this layer. + + + Near Game + +This layer consists of any hidden mechanics. + +This includes but is not limited to such things as pre-plotted movement +(seldom used in RPGs, one example slightly modified is /The Burning +Wheel/), various rock-scissors-paper resolutions systems (hand-to-hand +combat in /Top Secret/, RSP itself in many LARPs, etc), hidden movement +(defined by Line of Site rules for the most part, D&D 3rd edition for +example defines the range limits of sight under various conditions), +hidden damage, and simultaneous assignment (such as the drop of the +initiative die in /The Riddle of Steel/) + +The effect of this layer is to move decisions away from the visible +certainties above to one of predicting the decisions of other players or +guessing what information that they are hiding. Examples: "Tom tends to +mass his power in the center but he likes the cover forests give as +well. Let's deploy here so as to be within range of both and send scouts +in those two directions" or "I'll buff with this hand, Bill can never +tell when I'm buffing". + +It should be noted that this layer remains objective and as such +contains many of the characteristics of the Game layer. But it has moved +into the Meta-Game to a large extent as the focus switches from visible +characters and their abilities (stats, locations, resources) to players +and their abilities (to guess and deceive). + +In general, strategic game design if done (a subject of a future +article) exists at this level. + + + Near Meta-Game + +This layer consists of any subjective or invisible mechanics. + +Subjective Mechanics are those that rely upon the interpretation of the +GM (or a player) to determine the final effect. D&D alignment is the +classic example of such a subjective mechanic, the GM is required to +determine when and if a character violates his Alignment and the player +is required to role-playing with its goals and limits in mind. Another +example is fumble mechanics where the actual effect is left up to the GM. + +Another way of looking at these mechanics is to view them as "guiding +mechanics" or "advisory mechanics'. They may point in a direction, but +how far you go and sometimes even if you make the trip at all is +squarely a heavily subjective decision of the GM/Player. + +A number of systems even toss combat modifiers that they normally +reserve for the Game Layer here. In HERO System for example the GM is +advised to give a bonus (+1 to +3) for creative and/or unexpected types +of attacks. In /Age of Heroes/, I leave specific terrain modifiers up to +the GM after providing a few examples. + + + Meta-Game + +This layer consists of pure subjective resolution/methods, "group +contracts', and role-playing itself. + +Subjective resolution is free form or mechanic-less play. The classic +example is a GM or player just calling the outcome of an action: "I +think your character is more than able to track down the guy by using +legwork, you find him that evening at 8 PM". + +However subjective methods covers more ground first comes to mind +including the "world" and adventure design essential to RPGs. If the GM +has decided (without resort to mechanics) that the mob boss has three +bodyguards, each highly skilled- he has engaged in the pure subjective +resolution of a question. + +Huge sections of most games are turned over to Subjective +Resolution/Methods. One of the interesting aspects of that is that by +nature you can't design rules for it, each person does that himself +according to his own needs and desires. At best one can provide advice. +Thus in game design terms, this method is defined not by rules enforcing +limits, but by the absence of rules preventing subjective +decision-making. It is worth remembering that not including rules is as +a result game design as well. + +Group Contracts are those agreements made by members of a group to +either engage ("we want to do a lot of hack and slash," "Let's try to +keep the game focused on court intrigue," "players should create +characters that work with others") or refuse ("we don't want evil +characters," "no rape will occur in this campaign) events, ideas or +storylines. Such group contracts are often informal although there are +exceptions, and they tend to be added on top of the game outside the +control or influence of the designer. + +Role-playing itself is typically done at this layer with the players +determining the personality, actions and reactions completely on their +own without input from mechanical rules. + +The main characteristic of this layer is that it's subjective. It is +also limited only the constraints accepted by the players themselves. +Since it's contained mostly within the minds of the players, it is also +in large part hidden with uncertain influences or outcomes. + + + Far Meta-Game + +These are influences unrelated to the game itself, but even so they +still carry great impact. There is almost no way to define all the +possible examples for the extent of their reach. Common ones are "GM's +girlfriend syndrome" or "Sherri worked late and is off her game, let's +be easy on her." + +There is however one point in this layer where game design does matter: +the decision to play the game at all. Here we get game design that +attempts to make entry easy and attractive either by way of light and +simple rules, by seductive settings, or "new" concepts. These days we +see lots of effort to design at this layer in an attempt to expand or +open up new markets, often at the cost of other Layers. + + + Designing by Layers + +One of the first things a designer should do is decide which parts of +the game are to be handled by which Layer and for what reasons. + +This will in large measure determine the character of the game and the +campaigns that result from it. Those things contained at the Game layer +will be highly defined and limited. Those at the Near Game will defined +and limited, but unknown to some in the short term. Those at the Near +Meta-Game will be guided, but not specifically controlled. The Meta-Game +level itself is its own lord and master. The Far Meta-Game may cause the +design to forgone certain mechanics as "too complex for his market" or +otherwise unacceptable. + +For example, I designed /Age of Heroes/ to handle character creation, +advancement, combat, etc at the Game Layer. A few elements (like the +Personal Appearance Stat) are covered in the Near Game. I assigned a +large number of areas (all the world design, storyline, and +role-playing) to the Near Meta-Game. I gave no attention to the Far +Meta-Game not really caring why people chose to play. + +An important concept to keep in mind is the fact that it's quite +possible to move elements I lumped into specific layers above to another. + +A number of games for example move some parts of role-playing from its +normal Meta-Game subjective method to a subjective mechanic in the Near +Meta-Game. (D&D's alignment) or even to the Game Layer (CoC's Sanity at +certain points). Another example of crossing Layers is those systems +that determine at the Game Layer which player has control (and sometimes +for what ends) in the Meta-Game. + +Since such "crossing" of layers is typically defined in one and resolved +in another, I've coined the time "Calling to the X Layer" (such as +Calling to the Meta-Game) for this type of design. It's an increasing +common method that many are finding exciting. + + + Judging by Layers + +Anyone attempting to judge the usefulness of a game system can benefit +by considering five layers if they are interesting in not greatly +misrepresenting other people's campaigns and tastes. + +For example, it's easy to say that D20 or /Age of Heroes/ are purely +hack and slash designs given that most of the rules cover combat and +near combat events. They have forgotten the importance of the Meta-Game +level and the fact that both games are specifically designed to use it +for certain parts of the campaign. It's entirely possible for a group to +spend five gaming nights in pure role-playing without a single die being +toss, and then engage in a single evening's combat. To characterized +such a campaign as hack and slash would be a grave error- and a defining +statement of the limits of looking at a single Layer. + +Knowing the Layers and your own tastes in them can be helpful anytime +you're thinking of trying out a new game system. It will quickly point +you towards things not to your taste and allow you to house rule it away +from the start or to turn your attention elsewhere. + + + What do you think? + +Go to forum! +RPGnet + + + + Reviews Forums +News & Press Columns & +Info RPG Wiki + RPG Shop + + + Available Forums +* About the Industry * + Forum Folder + + Topics relating to the industry, ranging from game creation through + business. + +* Columns * + Forum Folder + + Individual discussions for the RPG columns + +* Outside RPGnet * + Forum Folder + + Forums for discussion of specific things outside RPGnet + +* RPGnet * + Posts: *118469* Last Post: *02-01-2006 06:30* + + General discussion about the game industry and where it's going, + and other topics RPGnet readers would enjoy discussing. + +* Tangency * + Posts: *40163* Last Post: *01-04-2002 19:24* + + Soapboxes, Personal stories, Rants and Dialogs. 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Thanks! + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + Previous columns + + * Elements of Strategy + by Brian Gleichman, 11feb03 + * Rationales for Mechanics (or the Case for Designer's Notes) + by Brian Gleichman, + 14jan03 + * Layers of Design by + Brian Gleichman, 11dec02 + * Elements of Tactics + by Brian Gleichman, 01nov02 + * Elements of Complexity + by Brian Gleichman, + 20sep02 + + + 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. +