D14 – Bellringer! Pick a game that you are very familiar with. Suggestions: Monopoly Yahtzee Scrabble Chess, etc. First, describe the player format. Next, analyze the objective(s) of the game, according to the objectives / goals that we discussed last time in class. Score, Capture / Destroy, Collection, Solve, Chase / Race /Escape, Spatial Alignment, Build, Don’t Lose, Advance the Story, Explore, etc.

Core Game Elements Open up your textbooks, and let’s turn to page 29. According to the text there are 4 core game elements: Player Format Objectives Rules Resources Let’s talk about Rules next.

Rules: There are 3 categories of rules: 1st: Setup Rules involve things you need to do just once, in order to get the game going. Example: In Monopoly, you make sure that each player gets a specific amount of money: 5 $1 bills, 5 $5 bills, 6 $20 bills, 2 $100 bills, etc. Other Examples? 2nd: Progression of Play Rules entail what will happen as you play the game. E.G.: in Bang!, you will utilize the cards in your hand to help defend or attack other players in the game. At the end of your turn, you must only have as many cards in your hand as you have bullets / life points. 3rd: Resolution Rules are utilized to determine how the game will end, and who wins, etc., which is based on the game state. Example: In Scrabble, once one of the players has placed all of their tiles, the game is over, and you count up the tallied points. Winner has the most! Activity: Pick a game as a table, and describe all three types of rules!

Mechanics & Systems Meanwhile, the way that these rules are organized is important as well. Mechanics are collections of rules that together demonstrate a distinct part of gameplay. The three previous types of rules, for instance, are 3 mechanics of playing whichever game. Systems are organizations that are even bigger, involving several mechanics at times. For instance: Football has a system of rules that determine who has possession of the ball. A group of rules that determine how you lose possession, would be a mechanic or part of that system. These are useful because if something isn’t quite right with your game, it might be a single rule at fault, a mechanic, or an entire system. P.S. Don’t forget “unwritten rules”, which may not be official, but courtesy dictates we follow them (i.e., in basketball, not taking too long to shoot a freethrow) As a table, consider an analogy that might help others understand the differences between rules, mechanics and systems

Game Analysis: Pick a game, and play it. As you do, fill out the Rules, Mechanics & Systems worksheet, and help those you’re playing with to complete it as well.