Game Design Studio 1

Week 05: Designing Game Mechanics

By Promotional press kit material for the Pokémon series. Artwork is by Ken Sugimori for the video
games and player's guides., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19801255
Today’s Schedule

What are we doing today?

• Game Mechanic Design
• Types of Mechanics
• Flow
• Dominant Strategies
• Balancing
Learning Outcomes

• Be able to design engaging mechanics that keep players in a

constant state of ‘flow’
• Become familiar with different balancing techniques and
understand how to apply them
• Be aware of dominant strategies and how to avoid them
Game Design and
Gameplay
Where Do We Begin?
We have covered Story. But there are other ways to start a design

• So let’s look at designing a game… where do we begin?

• Imaging the game
• Defining the way it works
• Describing the elements that make up the game (conceptual,
functional, artistic, etc.)
• Transmitting all of this information to the production team
• Creating the design documentation
• A good designer should also know effective methodology of
game design… the best rules, balancing the game
relationships and flow of resources
Where Do We Begin?
We have covered Story. But there are other ways to start a design

There are some methods of game design used

• Blue Sky
• Most of what we do in this class!
• No limits on design just go.
• Slow Boil
• A long term design
• Typically starts with a desired setting
• Research that setting!
• From the research a design will begin to form
Where Do We Begin?
We have covered Story. But there are other ways to start a design

There are some methods of game design used

• Mechanics Driven
• Start with an idea for a game mechanic
• Build game from there
• Mario & Katamari Damacy good examples of this
• MDA (Mechanics, Dynamics & Aesthetics)
• This case aesthetics being the emotional response you want to
elicit from players
• Work out the game dynamics that do this
• Work out the mechanics that cause these dynamics
Where Do We Begin?
We have covered Story. But there are other ways to start a design

There are some methods of game design used

• IP (Intellectual Property)
• Start with a known property (typically licensed)
• Build a game using this IP
• We do not cover this method
• Story
• Start the design of a game with a story to tell
• Work out the mechanics and designs that suit this story
• Also known as top-down design
• Often combined with IP (Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Tom
Clancy)
Where Do We Begin?
We have covered Story. But there are other ways to start a design

There are some methods of game design used

• Research
• Build a game as a topic of research
• Game design is still a under researched area
• Not covered in this unit 
• Worth keeping in mind if you want to do further studies
Player-Centric Design
Another important reminder

• Player-centric game design is a philosophy of design in which

the designer envisions a representative player of a game the
designer wants to create, then accepts two key obligations to
that player:
• The duty to entertain: A game’s primary function is to entertain
the player, and it is the designer’s obligation to create a game
that does so. Other motivations are secondary.
• The duty to empathize: To design a game that entertains the
player, the designer must imagine that he is the player and must
build the game to meet the player’s desires and preferences for
entertainment.
Player-Centric Design
Another important reminder

• The duty to entertain…

• Feel free to adapt if the game is intended for a non-recreational
purpose
• Main premise… the FIRST concern of the designer is that the
player enjoys the game
• Design decisions should contribute to the player’s enjoyment of
the game
• The desires of the designer (eg. to creatively express
themselves) is secondary and must make way for the player-
centric duty
Player-Centric Design
Another important reminder

• The duty to empathize…

• ALL design decisions must meet the player’s desires and
preferences
• NOTE: you aren’t expected to please everyone
• But you should put yourself in the position of a representative
player
• Should never try to be purposefully exclusive (Unpleasant
Design)
• In order to fulfill these duties, you must be able to answer:
• Who is the player or your game?
• What do they like/dislike? What do they want to do? Why did
they buy your game?
Player-Centric Design
Another important reminder

• There are two common mistakes made by game designers in

deciding their representative player
1. You are not a typical player
• Designers tend to be hardcore players
• You should learn to design for different groups
• You should ask yourself “What if the player is female (or male)?
Does my design decisions apply equally to them?”
2. The typical player is not your opponent
• Designers often think ‘hard’ is the same as ‘fun’
• Remember the goal of player-centric design
• The player must be entertained
• DON’T design simply to oppose the player
Gameplay

• This week we continue along our Game Design journey by

examining the role of gameplay in games
• Gameplay makes the game engaging – it provides a way for
the player to interact with the game and vice versa
• All games have gameplay, even the simplest of games
• Without gameplay a game would not be a game at all, it
would just be a movie
Gameplay

• The gameplay of text-based games like Zork is simple:

The game displays text to
the player describing their
environment and what
actions they can take, and
the player types their
response indicating what
action they choose

By Huihermit - Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31133433

Gameplay

• This may not seem like much, but this simple gameplay
contains:
• A level design (the environment described)
• A game mechanic (the player can choose what to do next)
• It engages the player by telling them the consequences of their
actions (the player and the game both react to each other!)
• Over the years, as technology has evolved, games have
been able to contain increasingly engaging gameplay
allowing for a level of interaction that more closely resembles
the real world
Game Mechanic Design
Mechanics

• Game mechanics are often considered the heart of a game

• This is because when everything else is stripped away, this is
how the player is interacting directly with the game
• At a base level, they are a set of rules that govern the
gameplay
• But game mechanics are an inherently complex thing
• There is not necessarily an agreed upon set of mechanics we
can use
• They can be very complex, especially when combined
• Even simple game mechanics are difficult to get right!
Mechanics
Overview

• Coming up with original, engaging mechanics can be quite tricky!

• A mechanics overview is a useful tool to help us when designing mechanics
Mechanics
Overview

• This sheet can be found on Moodle if you want

to print more yourself as you design more
mechanics (you can even use it for your
assignments!)
Mechanics
Overview

There are two things to keep in mind for our mechanics overviews:
• If it isn’t written down then it isn’t in the game.
• It should include every possible detail and calculation for each mechanic.
We can’t expect our programmers to just make up any missing information
later!
• It should be platform agnostic.
• It should not include any information that is specific to our platform(s), such
as which button(s) the player presses. We will cover this later when we look
at technology in games
Mechanics
Goals

• One method of designing game mechanics is to determine the goals of your

game first, then use the goals as inspiration for the rest of the design
• Goals can vary based on their scope:
• Game Goals are what the player is constantly working toward over the course of
the entire game (e.g. save the princess)
• Level Goals are what the player is currently working toward to get closer to the
game goals (e.g. defeat the boss)
• Micro Goals are what the player is currently trying to achieve at any given
moment (e.g. find the key to unlock the door)
Mechanics
Goals

• Let’s discuss the goals of Brokemon as a group and write them down in our
mechanics overview
• Things to consider:
• What are the Game Goals?
• What are the Level Goals?
• What are the Micro Goals?
Mechanics
Goals

• Now that we know the goals of our game, we can start to think about how
the player can achieve those goals, or in other words, our game mechanics!
• Try to fill out the rest of the mechanics overview for Brokemon as we
discuss each section!
• Don’t worry if you aren’t sure about something at this stage, we will be re-
designing the mechanics later so you will have another chance to fill it out!
Mechanics
Types of Mechanics

Game Mechanics generally fall under the following categories

• Space
• Time
• Objects, Attributes & States
• Actions
• Rules
• Skill
• Chance
• Let’s examine each of these in more detail!
Mechanics
Space

• Space refers to the areas within your game where gameplay takes place
• When describing space you should try to answer the following questions:
• Is your game 2D or 3D?
• Is there more than one area in your game? If so how are they connected?
• How does movement work in your game? Is it discrete (i.e. can only move to
specific places) or continuous (i.e. can move anywhere)?
Mechanics
Space

• Example: Pacman
• Space is discreet… the game space is like a grid where the player can move up,
down, left and right
• It is 2D
• There is only one space that does not change
• Example: FPS
• Space is more continuous, with the player being able to move anywhere, in
anyway (with obvious boundaries and blockers)
• It is 3D
• There are multiple spaces, but considered to be in one world
Mechanics
Time

• Time refers to the progression of time in your game during gameplay

• When describing time you should try to answer the following questions:
• How does time progress in your game? Is it discrete (i.e. turn-based) or
continuous (i.e. real or scaled time)?
• Are there any time limits in your game?
• Approximately how long will a single play through of your game take to finish?
What factors determine this length of time?
Mechanics
Time

• Example: Pacman
• Is continuous in that if you do not move everything else can
• Ghosts can speed up to increase difficulty
• Game length is determined by player performance
• Time challenge when a big pellet has been eaten
• Example: FPS
• Is continuous
• May include individual time based challenges (have an amount of time to perform
a task)
• Game length more driven by narrative then player lives
Mechanics
Objects, Attributes & States

• Objects, Attributes & States refers to everything that is physically present in

your game during gameplay
• When describing objects, attributes & states you should try to answer the
following questions:
• What are all of the objects in your game (e.g. player, enemies, items etc.)?
• For each object, what attributes does it have (e.g. health, ammunition etc.)?
• For each object, what states does it have (e.g. idle, attacking, dead etc.)?
Mechanics
Objects, Attributes & States

• Example: Pacman
• You have Pacman, Ghosts, small Pellets, large Pellets
• Pacman has lives that dictate the length of the game
• Ghosts can change state, from eatable to non-eatable
• All attributes and states are made known to the player
• Example: FPS
• The player as well as many characters are in this game
• Characters usually have health, player may have inventory
• Different characters have different abilities/strengths
• You may come across objects that you do not know about
Mechanics
Actions

• Actions refers to what the player can actually do during gameplay

• When describing actions you should try to answer the following questions:
• What are all of the basic actions that the player can perform (e.g. movement,
collecting items, combat etc.)?
• What are all of the strategic actions that the player can perform (e.g. performing
a sequence of basic actions to achieve a specific goal)?
• Remember to keep it platform agnostic!
Mechanics
Actions

• Example: Pacman
• Player moves Pacman
• They must make decisions about how to eat all the pellets without being eaten by
a ghost
• Strategic action is about methods to avoid ghosts and eat pellets
• Example: FPS
• The player moves around the game world
• They may shoot enemies, collect inventory, solve puzzles, interact with other
things in the world
• More opportunity for emergent gameplay, especially in open worlds
Mechanics
Rules

• Rules refer to the instructions, guidelines, restrictions, or laws of your game

• When describing rules you should try to answer the following questions:
• When can the player perform each action? When can’t they?
• What affect does each action have on each object’s attributes?
• What causes each object to change to each of it’s states?
Mechanics
Rules

• Example: Pacman
• Pacman can only move in certain directions, and not through walls
• Pacman can be eaten by a ghost, or eat the ghost if they have eat a power pellet
• The game is over when Pacman loses 3 lives
• Example: FPS
• A player can move anywhere as designated by the boundaries of the world
• When a players health reaches 0 the game is over
• There are often laws for competitive play (what level, time limits, etc)
Mechanics
Rules

• Games are about goals, which must be made explicit to the player
• A player can create their own goals, however there must be an overarching
thing the player is trying to achieve
• It is essential that they are:
• Easy to understand
• Can be achieved
• Rewarding
Mechanics
Skill

• Skill refers to the player’s ability to succeed at your game

• When describing skill you should try to answer the following questions:
• What skills does your game require (i.e. physical, mental, social etc.)?
• How does your game challenge these skills?
• How does your game train the player to improve at these skills?
Mechanics
Skill

• Example: Pacman
• Some reflex for when ghosts approach
• Pattern recognition
• Example: FPS
• Often about physical skills (hand-eye coordination) as well as mental skills
(puzzle solving, memory)
• Multiplayer can include some social aspect
Mechanics
Chance

• Chance refers to the randomness in your game

• When describing chance you should try to answer the following questions:
• Which aspects of your game are randomly determined?
• What is the chance of each random outcome occurring?
• How can the player influence the chance of each random outcome?
Mechanics
Chance

• Example: Pacman
• Each ghost has its own AI that has different degrees of randomness in their
movement
• The players skill at recognising patterns and “cause and effect” in ghost
movement increases their success
• Example: FPS
• AI of enemies in the game can have an element of randomness
• Locations of objects within the game can be dictated by chance
Mechanics
Brokemon
Flow
Flow
TL;DR

• The mechanics overview is filled out.

• Does that mean we are finished? Not quite.
• Right now we have a basic idea of what our mechanics are, which is a great
start!
• However, now we need to determine how to make our mechanics more
engaging
• Fortunately, there is a concept called ‘flow’ that exists in games that we can
use as a starting point to help us flesh out our mechanics
Flow
TL;DR

• The concept of ‘flow’ refers to the player being ‘in the zone’ or in other
words, being immersed in the gameplay
• As game designers, we should aim to keep players in a constant state of
‘flow’
• Examining ‘flow’ can also provide us with additional challenges and player
skills, allowing us to continue to develop our mechanics in a more structured
manner
Flow

• Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, author of “Flow: The Psychology of Optimal

Experience”, describes flow as
• “being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away.
Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the
previous one, like playing jazz. Your whole being is involved, and you’re using
your skills to the utmost.”
• Csikszentmihalyi’s ideas on flow stemmed from his attempt to discover a
path to happiness
• He wanted to figure out “how to live life as a work of art, rather than as a
chaotic response to external events.”
Flow

• Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi discusses what it feels like to be in flow:

• Completely involved, focused, concentrating… with this either due to innate
curiosity or as the result of training.
• Sense of ecstasy… of being outside everyday reality.
• Great inner clarity… knowing what needs to be done and how well it’s going
• Knowing the activity is doable… that the skills are adequate, and neither anxious
or bored.
• Sense of serenity… no worries about self
• Timeliness… thoroughly focused on present, don’t notice time passing.
• Intrinsic motivation… whatever produces “flow” becomes its own reward.
Flow

• According to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the phenomenology of Flow has eight

major components (not all of which are needed):
1. A challenge activity that requires skills
2. The merging of action and awareness
3. Clear goals
4. Direct feedback
5. Concentration on the task at hand
6. The sense of control
7. The loss of self-consciousness
8. The transformation of time
Flow
Why is this important

• If our game mechanics do not provide enough challenge, players may

become bored
• However, if our game mechanics provide too much challenge, players may
become anxious
• As players improve at a game, the level of challenge that they can handle
also increases
• Managing challenge and player skill are key to ensuring our players are
able to remain in a constant state of ‘flow’
Flow

Fair Use, Art of Game Design by Jesse Schell

Flow

• Csikszentmihalyi developed a series of theories to help people get into

their Flow state.
• Since then, these theories have been applied to various fields for
designing better human interactive experiences.
• One of his most inspiring achievements in these theories is the definition
of the Flow Zone, also known as “the Zone” by the gamers
http://www.jenovachen.com/flowingames/Flow_in_games_final.pdf
Flow

• The description of Flow is identical to what a player experiences when

immersed in a game
• During this experience, the player loses track of time and forgets all
external pressures
• Gamers value video games based on whether or not they provide Flow
experiences. [Holt 2000]
• Thus, much research is being done about how to use Flow to evaluate
video game experiences.
Challenges Introduced
Challenge

• In the discussion of mechanics, we discussed the notion of challenge

• A game challenge can test the player in:
• Logical / Inference
• Lateral Thinking
• Memory
• Intelligence
• Knowledge
• Pattern Recognition
• Morality (Universal, Tribal, Personal)
• Spatial Awareness
• Coordination
• Reflexes
• Physical Endurance
Challenge

• When designing a challenge in a game, you don’t initially need to be precise

in your description… being general allows you to create a series of
challenges (maybe different types) that you can thematically link when you
get to the precise designs.
• For example, you could use one of these generic challenges initially:
Challenge

Some common types of challenge include:

• Race
• Puzzle
• Conflict
• Exploration
• Economic
• Conceptual

• Let’s explore each of these in more detail!

Challenge
Race

• Race challenges require the player to complete a task within a given time
constraint in order to progress
• This could be a literal race against other players, or it could be a race
against the clock
• This type of challenge usually tests a player’s physical skills, requiring
them to react quickly in order to succeed
Challenge
Race

By Source, Fair Use, https://pmcvariety.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/mario-kart-8.jpg?w=1000&h=563&crop=1

Challenge
Puzzle

• Puzzle challenges require the player to solve a problem in order to progress

• This could be a literal puzzle, or an environmental puzzle
• This type of challenge usually tests a player’s mental skills, requiring them
to use logic, memory and/or reasoning in order to succeed
Challenge
Puzzle

By Source, Fair Use, https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/bejeweled/images/b/ba/Bejeweled_2_Classic_Mode_Level_1.png/revision/latest?cb=20150520034209

Challenge
Conflict

• Conflict challenges require the player to win a conflict in order to progress

• This does not have to be violent in nature, but it must always result in a
clear winner and loser
• This type of challenge may test the player’s physical, mental and/or social
skills depending on the type of conflict, possibly requiring a combination of
reaction speed, strategy and social interaction in order to succeed
Challenge
Conflict

By Source, Fair Use, https://streetfighter.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/SFVAE-gameplay-1.jpg

Challenge
Exploration

• Exploration challenges require the player to explore the level in order to

progress
• This could involve finding a key to a locked door, or uncovering more of the
story
• This type of challenge usually tests a player’s mental skills, requiring
observation and memory in order to succeed
Challenge
Exploration

By Source, Fair Use, https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steam/apps/489830/ss_5d19c69d33abca6f6271d75f371d4241c0d6b2d1.1920x1080.jpg?t=1564002417

Challenge
Economic

• Economic challenges require the player to collect and/or manage a given

resource in order to progress
• This could be money, crafting materials, ammunition or any other type of
resource
• This type of challenge may test a player’s mental and/or social skills
depending on the type of economy, possibly requiring a combination of
strategy and social interaction in order to succeed
Challenge
Economic

By Source, Fair Use, https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/864968038663646879/CAA8A8BF7B542BAF5BF48766E88130A7AA1BD3C3/

Challenge
Conceptual

• Conceptual challenges require the player to understand the relationships

between multiple mechanics in order to progress
• For example, understanding that fire based attacks are strong against ice
type enemies etc.
• This type of challenge tests a player’s mental skills, requiring memory and
reasoning in order to succeed
Challenge
Conceptual

By Source, Fair Use, https://miro.medium.com/max/1200/1*y0-zWEUPYi6TRuz0lC-0Ig.jpeg

Challenge

• Don’t think you need to put more than one type of challenge in a game…
some games work well with a single challenge to overcome (eg. Space
invaders).
• However, if you want to give the player a complex challenge, it is often
useful to provide multiple challenge types
• You can do this in series (one challenge after another) or in parallel
(multiple challenge types simultaneously).
Challenge

• For example, in Need For Speed: Underground (NFSU), the player needs to
compete in racing challenges and must also must manage their monetary
resources (Economic challenge)
• In NFSU2, both of these challenges are used, as well as exploration
challenges.
Challenge
Hierarchy of Challenge

• Although we are talking about challenges, we really aren’t looking at all of

the challenges a player may face
• If we say ‘exploration challenge’, what exactly is the player trying to do?
• Get out of the dungeon
• To do this, must find a key
• To find the key, the player must explore
• So the challenge the player must face can be thought of as a hierarchy
Challenge
Hierarchy of Challenge

Finish the game

Complete Level 1 Complete Level 1 Etc

Find Item Solve Find Item Find Item Solve Find Item
Puzzle Puzzle

Kill monster Find Item

Challenge
Hierarchy of Challenge

• The challenges in your game can be defined by where they are in the
challenge hierarchy
• Game challenge (complete the game, save the princess, etc)
• Level challenge (complete the level, defeat the boss, etc)
• Sub-level challenges (find an item, solve a puzzle, etc)
• Atomic challenges: challenges at the lowest level.
These challenges are usually one action or goal of the player
Challenge
Hierarchy of Challenge

• Generally, you should give player information about the highest levels and
lowest levels, but not the middle levels
• So, tell the player what they need to do to complete the game, and level
• You don’t need to be entirely truthful (which can improve narrative)
• Don’t tell them the exact (explicit) methods of doing this
• However, give them guidance in finding and completing the immediate (atomic)
challenge
Balancing
Balancing

• Balancing game mechanics is vital to ensuring that our games are fair and
fun, and contain no dominant strategies
• However, balancing one part of our game can often lead to another part of
our game falling out of balance
• Because of this, it is important that we keep trying to ensure that our game
remains balanced as we continue to design it
Balancing

• Your game challenges should make the gameplay fun, engaging and
challenging… this doesn’t happen automatically
• You will need to tweak the elements of the challenge to get this to happen
• Altering the nature of the game challenges to achieve these goals is known
as game balancing.
Balancing

• The primary goal of balancing a game is:

• Make the main determining factor for the success of a player be the skill of the
player
• That is, a better player will, on average, be more successful that a bad
player.
• Remember: Too much balance is bad! You don’t want a new player to
always be able to get a draw/win against an experienced player.
Balancing
What is successful game balancing

• Provide a consistent increasing challenge.

• Provide the player with a perceivably fair playing experience; it doesn’t
matter if the game is fair, merely that the player perceives it as such.
• The player shouldn’t need to guess solutions to challenges; there should be
some indications of the correct action, even if it is vague.
• Avoid stagnation and trivialities. Don’t bog the player down on boring stuff in
the game; focus on the core gameplay.
Balancing
So how do we balance gamers?

• Game balancing is traditionally a trial-and-error process. No formalised

rigorous methods exist because of the difficulty involved in complex
scenarios with large numbers of variables.
• The trial-and-error process is:
• Time intensive
• Resource intensive
• Prone to error as when you start altering one part of the game, it affects other
parts (often unexpectedly)
Balancing
Types of design

The most common methods of balancing are:

• Symmetrical Balancing
• Transitive Balancing
• Intransitive Balancing
• Trade-off Balancing
Balancing
Symmetrical Balancing

• Symmetrical balancing involves making similar strategies equal in value

• In a symmetrical relationship:
• A=B=C
• For example, by giving all players equal resources at the start of the game
you can ensure that no player is given a strategic advantage over another
(e.g. Chess)
Balancing
Symmetrical Balancing

• Functional symmetry is a modified form of a symmetrical balance. This

form of symmetry gives players conditions and abilities that are different in
function, but mirror functionality.
• Eg. A game with flying units on one side, and burrowing units on the other.
• Both types of symmetrical balancing create unsophisticated games with a
limited number of directly confrontational strategies.
• Designers generally use more advanced balancing techniques in
conjunction with (functional) symmetrical balancing.
Balancing
Transitive Balancing

• Transitive balancing involves applying shadow costs to dominant strategies

to make them less dominant
• In a transitive relationship:
• If A > B and B > C, we can assume A > C
• In the above example, strategy A is dominant and would always win
• By applying a shadow cost to strategy A we can make choosing strategy A
less dominant (e.g. Ability Cooldowns, Weapon Reload Times, Ammo
Capacities)
Balancing
Intransitive Balancing

• Intransitive balancing involves making similar strategies equal in power

• In an intransitive relationship:
• If A > B and B > C, we can not assume A > C
• In the above example, we don’t know if strategy A would beat strategy C
• By making strategy C greater than strategy A we would balance the
intransitive relationship, making all strategies equally powerful (e.g. Rock-
Paper-Scissors)
Balancing
Trade-off Balancing

• Trade-off balancing involves making dissimilar strategies equal in

magnitude
• Sometimes we cannot balance two strategies using other methods as they
are not at all related to each other (i.e. no transitive or intransitive
relationship exists)
• In these cases, it is important to ensure that the magnitude of one strategy
remains equal to the other (e.g. choosing to level up one skill should
increase the player’s power by the same amount as another skill, despite
the skills being unrelated)
Dominant and Recessive
Strategies
Dominant & Recessive Strategies

• An important part of balancing a game, is the concept of dominant and

recessive strategies. These are both things you want to remove from your
game.
• A dominant strategy is a tactic/action that will always be best to choose to
overcome a challenge.
• A strongly dominant strategy is one that guarantees winning.
• A weakly dominant strategy is one that guarantees not losing (so the player can
achieve, at worse, a draw)
• A recessive strategy is a tactic/action that is less than optimal.
• A strongly recessive strategy is one that guarantees losing.
Dominant & Recessive Strategies

• Dominant strategies refer to a particular method of playing a game that is

almost always guaranteed to result in success for the player
• They are also sometimes referred to as ‘exploits’
• They are a result of poor balancing and can make it impossible for players
to achieve a state of ‘flow’, making the game less engaging
• It is our responsibility as game designers to recognise dominant strategies
in our designs and eliminate them
Dominant & Recessive Strategies

• A net payoff matrix is a useful tool to quickly determine if a strongly

dominant strategy exists in simple models. Here strategy R1 achieves a
draw in situation B1, and loses against B2. Strategy R2 wins against B1
and achieves a draw against B2. So R1 is a weakly recessive strategy and
R2 is a weakly dominant strategy.
Case Case
B1 B2

Strategy
0 -2
R1

Stratergy
3 0
R2
Dominant & Recessive Strategies

• Net payoff diagrams are a useful tool, however can be hard to apply to
games. Players are different and can have varying styles of play between
different players. The main idea is to try and eliminate STRONGLY
dominant strategies. Weakly dominant strategies can usually be overcome
with skill and playstyle.
• When balancing games, we can also rely on applying shadow costs to
strategies……
Shadow Costs &
Feedback Loops
Shadow Costs

• Although this may seem like a useless balancing strategy, we may attach to
these strategies a cost. This cost doesn’t necessarily mean a dollar, points
or score cost; it could mean time, difficulty or some other difficult-to-
measure cost. These indirect costs are called shadow costs.
• Shadow costs are difficult to measure, but need to be high enough to justify
the reward attached to them.
Shadow Costs

• If you don’t use shadow costs, gameplay becomes undemanding; the player
needs only trivial understanding to determine effective choices.
• Shadow costs are hidden from the player and vary depending on the type of
balancing.
• Eg: A weapon could have a large damage value assigned to it that the
player can see, however it may have limited ammo, slow rate of fire, or high
reload times to try and counter the damage and balance the weapon
(Unknown by the player until they use the weapon).
Feedback Loop

You can also provide negative feedback loops to alter strategy choices by players

• The leading player suffers by winning

• In pool, the more balls you sink, the harder it is to find easy shots at the
remaining balls
• The trailing players benefit from losing
• Eg. Players can only shoot their guns
forward. Leading player gets shot by
everyone. (Mario Kart)

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/60/Mario_Kart_Blue_Shell.png
What’s Next?
Homework

• Your homework for this week is to design some more game

mechanics!
• The blank mechanics overview is available on Moodle
• Try using some of the other types of challenges and
balancing techniques
• You will need to design a complete set of original mechanics
as part of Assignment 2 (more on this next week), so the
more you design now the less work you will have to do later
Next Week

• Next week we will continue our look at gameplay in games by

designing a level involving our mechanics
• We will introduce some common level layouts
• We will look at the importance of using landmarks
• We will re-examine the concept of flow in the context of level
design
• Make sure to bring your mechanics overviews along to
class next week! 