diff -r 3164c82ac16e -r bdef1afd1170 draft/elements20sep02.txt --- /dev/null Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000 +++ b/draft/elements20sep02.txt Wed Aug 30 21:32:44 2006 -0400 @@ -0,0 +1,323 @@ +RPGnet + + + + Reviews Forums +News & Press Columns & +Info RPG Wiki + RPG Shop + + + + Elements + + + Elements of Complexity + +*by Brian Gleichman* +Sep 20,2002 + + + + + Elements + +Hi, everyone. Welcome to an experiment. + +Seems it was column search time at RPGNet again, and of all things I was +asked to contribute. Let's take a few moments for the cries of rage to +calm down a little... + +Now then, first thing up is "what should the column be about?" In my +case there is a rather obvious choice- the examination of game design +with a focus on complex and detailed rulesets. After all, that's what I +do. What are their characteristics? How does one highlight specific +concepts? How have others' games attempted various things, and where +have they succeeded and failed? + +At this point, one wonders if RPGNet has any need for such a column at +all. That's the experiment part. Let the guys in charge know if this is +a good idea or a waste of space; it's up to you. Isn't it wonderful to +be in charge? + +First up is a reprint of an article I did for Unclebear's. I've expanded +it a little (I was working under some space limits originally) and +present it here to kick things off by defining a few important terms. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + Elements of Complexity + +Go onto any gaming forum and you'll quickly run into someone making the +comment that a certain RPG is "complex." It's not unusual for such a +statement to draw replies of disagreement, and it quickly becomes +obvious that we have yet another case of people using the same word for +very different purposes. + +Given how common it is to see the question "How complex is this?", I +think it would be useful to explore the term some. Not only might it +reduce some misunderstandings, it could even have a direct influence on +game design. + +It seems obvious to me that complexity in game design is the result of +various elements- for that is the heart of exchanges like "Rolemaster is +too complex!" "No it isn't, it's just a d100 roll with some charts!" +Both people are telling the truth from their POV, and what we're seeing +is a simple case of different people looking at different specific +sub-meanings of a single word. + +For my use, the complexity of a game's design can be broken down into +three elements: *Implementation*, *Mass*, and *Concept*. Each of which +has its own characteristics and appeal, the highlights of which I'll +detail below. + + + Complexity of Implementation + +This is how difficult the actual mechanical steps are. Let's look at a +couple of examples pulled out of the middle of damage resolution: + +/ / + + * /Example 1: Roll 1d8 and add 1 for every point over 12 in the + character's strength. Subtract these points from the target's hit + points./ + * /Example 2: Determine which body location on the target was + struck, take the weapon's penetration factor and subtract the + armor rating for that location, multiple the result by the + weapon's impact factor which results in the final Damage + Potential, divide the Damage Potential by the target's location + Structure Points to get the damage ratio, cross reference the + damage ratio on the Ballistic impact chart to determine the wound + level and final effects./ + +In implementation terms, Example 2 is far more complex than Example 1. +It has more steps, and those steps include more types of operations +(multiplication and division as well as subtraction plus a table +lookup). And of course we're talking about more than single digit whole +numbers in the second example as well. + +Games like /Phoenix Command/ are representative of designs with high +Implementation complexity, as are elements of other systems- such as +/GURPS Vehicles/ or /Hero System/ Character design, systems that call +for many to reach for a spreadsheet instead of pen and paper. + +Some people love games with high Implementation Complexity. There are +entire websites devoted to characters worked up in HERO while others +spend days designing vehicles for their GURPS campaigns- much of this +seems to be simply inspired by the joy of creating something and in the +mastery of the method. + +Yet another common draw for this type of complexity is found in the +desire of some people to model in detail specific elements of a game. +Not content with the typical high level of abstraction used in many +games, they wish to see more detailed influences and a more detailed +breakdown of events. Combat in Phoenix Command is a prime example of +this type of thought. Here the desire for detailed objective simulation +drives the need for complex mechanics. + + + Complexity of Mass + +Rules may be simple to Implement in every case; however, there may be a +large number of very specific cases, each with their own simple rules. + +/ / + + * /Example 1: The system defines all one-handed weapons as doing 1d8 + points damage with a +1 strike and +1 initiative bonus./ + * /Example 2: This system defines 50 different one-handed weapons + each with their own specific damage (a 1d3 to 1d20 range) with + strike and initiative bonuses independently ranging from +0 to +3./ + +Any game that defines large numbers of simple modifiers (say combat +modifiers for position and environment and/or attack options) has +increased its Complexity of Mass. Having large numbers of specific +powers or spells has the same result- individually each are easy, but in +total one is looking at a large number of rules, and for many that is +overwhelming in itself. + +Complexity of Mass is the easiest and quickest to judge; one can almost +weigh the rulebook (however, be sure to leave out the setting +information and other fluff). D&D is a good example of this type of +complexity, as is /Rolemaster/ with its dozens of charts, each of which +uses a simple d100 + bonus mechanic. + +Why would anyone want to deal with pages upon pages of rules? Two +reasons come immediately to mind. + +First, some people love options and different ways to approach things. +How often does one hear something like "My last character was a Paladin, +I think I'll run a Wizard this time..."? The best way to highlight +options is to include them in the rules and this produces a simple +relationship- more options mean more pages of rules. The very rules +themselves become a reason to expand play. For example, include an +extensive set of castle building mechanics and someone is going to play +with them just to do something different. + +A second reason is pride of mastery. It's difficult to master a lot of +rules and even more difficult to keep them all at your fingertips. To +some, knowing the rules and using them to achieve a desire outcome is a +major source of satisfaction in gaming. The more rules to master and +use, the greater the satisfaction. + +These two reasons drive the design concepts of entire game lines like +D20 and WoD, a fact easily determined by a passing examination of their +splat books and other expansions. Indeed, this one element is so +connected to D&D that the first reaction I typically see in reviews of +high Mass games is to call them a D&D copy, even if mechanically they +have little in common. + + + Complexity of Concept + +There are games with few rules, those rules very simple, that are still +viewed as complex in the extreme, with uncounted possibilities that take +even the greatest of players years to master. + +Think Chess. + +Mechanically, it's simple to move a pawn. The entire rules for the game +can be contained on a few sheets of paper. But which pawn to move? What +will the effect be? Those are questions that are far from easy to +answer, and the choice can be far from obvious. I refer to these games +as Complex in Concept to represent the fact that the difficulty isn't in +the "how does one do it," but rather in "what does one do and how much +will it affect." + +In one sense, all RPGs rate high in this area due to their open-ended +nature. Even so, I tend to limit this to those games where the player is +presented with a wide number of options under conditions that require a +great deal of thought in order to find an optimal choice. Games with +complex tactical environments like /Heavy Gear/ top the list here. + +Complexity of this type tends to draw players who value the importance +of individual decisions in a challenging environment. + + + Just Plain Complex + +Games can be complex in more than one way, and there is a tendency to +rate high in others if you rate high in one. + +Perhaps the ultimate example was SPI's game /Air War/, which pegged very +high levels in all three measures. Over two hundred pages of rules +concerned solely with jet era air combat, intricate mechanics to +represent the fine details of aerial maneuver, dozens and dozens of +aircraft with very specific stats and individual rules, and a very +complex tactical environment where each choice could alter the entire +course of the game. + +While any RPG pales in comparison to that Wargame, some examples include +/Hero System/ and /Age of Heroes/. A common combination is Mass and +Concept, with the prime example being D&D with its volumes of rules and +spell lists (Mass) combined with its detailed resource management +(Concept). + + + Eye of the Beholder + +Like everything, how complex a game is depends upon who is judging it. +Every person has different levels of tolerance for each of the above +elements. Below that tolerance, the game is easy - go above it and it +becomes complex. + +Additionally different people desire different mixes of complexity. One +person may like a fairly high level of Mass and Concept and as low a +level of Implementation as possible. Another may want a game that is the +complete reverse. Games suitable for each are going to look vastly +different from each other. + +And of course, there are people who desire low levels of Complexity in +all three elements. At their most extreme, games for such people become +completely free form. + +Knowing the complexity desires of your target players (and attempting to +fulfill them) will greatly impact the choice of what games to play, or +how to design your own. And hopefully knowing the core elements of what +makes games complex will also make it easier to talk about them to others. + + + 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. +