Game Elements

Game elements 

The atomic elements of games are said to be non-existent in terms of, there being supposedly no good definition for what a game is. This may not be true thought as when research is done, similar themes repeatedly appear among the research. This gives the researcher a good place to start when defining the meaning "a game", through use of its atomic elements. These elements are the repeatedly emerging themes that guide the way for game developers, giving them the path to follow when making a game. 

The emerging elements are the following, 

• Players - This is in regards to how many players are in the game. Is the game a certain number of players only or can it be a variable. Does the game involve teams or is the game a single player game, and so on. 

• Objectives - What are the objectives of the game. What has the player to do, to further their progress in the game. 

• Rules - The rules of the game contain three states, which include the setup (things you do at the beginning of the game), the progression of play (what happens during the game) and the resolution ( what causes the game to end). These states are what the game revolves around. 

• Resources and Resource Management - This is everything under the control of the player within the game. 

• Game State - These are the resources within the game not owned by the player, but are still part of the game.  

• Information - This is how much of the game is visible to each player within the game. 

• Sequencing - The order of how players take their actions. Examples of this include turn based games. 

• Player Interactions - This is how the players within the game interact with each other. 

• Theme - This is the part of the game that does not directly affect the gameplay of the game, at all. 

• Games as Systems - Is all the working parts within the game, that comes together to make it work. A few examples of these are combat systems, dialogue systems and quest systems. 

An image of a chess board

Source: Pxfuel

Critical Analysis 

Critical analysis is implemented in game development for many reasons. It opens the mind of the developer to new ideas and changed for their project being analysed. You as a developer must ask yourself  many questions about your game in the critical analysis stage. Such questions can include, is your game fair, and also is your game repayable. Critical analysis is a stage every game development project must endure to over come the difficulty that are involved in developing a praiseworthy. 

Prototyping

The foundations most design is built upon is the use of prototyping in the early stages of development. It's a key factor in building up the original idea, to a more suitable level of design that could reach the end goal fo a finished project. The use of handheld objects, drawing on paper and trying to replicate the idea using real assets is a great way to prototype in early stages of design. The use of paper and and pen can go along way to establishing your game visibly, without the need to form any code on a computer. From watching the prototype video, I witness the use of ripped up paper to show the mechanics of their game. This furthers the depth of simple objects that can creatively enhance your prototyping and pre-development stages of design.