Why is a game said to be a game?
The answer is because it fulfills the key qualities of a game.
There are at least 10 important quality keys in a game, according to Jesse Schell in his book The Art of Game Design.
Games are played voluntarily (volunteer)
There is no compulsion in playing a game. This means that the player has the control to freely join the game and leave the game.
Game has goals (goals)
A game should have a mission that is offered to the player. These missions are intended to give the player a purpose for playing.
On the other hand, there are also personal goals of the player, such as curiosity, social recognition, honing skills, and other forms of motivation.
Therefore, we as designers need to facilitate the personal goals of the player. This can take the form of puzzles, scores, levels, special items, etc.
Games have conflict (conflict)
The measure of strength is judged by the conflict that the player can overcome in the game. This is the measure that distinguishes a player as a beginner or an expert. Conflicts can come from external or internal sources.
The form of conflict can be in the form of limitations designed in the game. Such as enemies or obstacles that hinder the player’s goal, or shortcomings that must be carried and faced by the player.
Games have rules (rules)
Rules are one of the defining aspects of a game. Rules shape the world created in the game. Rules help players to think, learn, and create strategies, finding their own steps to achieve goals.
Games have winning and losing conditions (circumstance)
Winning or losing conditions are a form of feedback or result of the player’s effort. It is intended to assess the ability demonstrated by the player in the game. This condition is used to create the effect of reality in the game.
Games are interactive (interactive)
Entities in the game interact with each other and provide feedback. Starting from the interaction between objects in the game, to the player interacting through the controller.
In a game, each object has a relationship with each other and has different behaviors when interacting. This cause-and-effect effect is what the player wants to explore, an experience that the player wants and seeks.
Game has a challenge (challenge)
Challenge is an advanced stage of conflict. Conflicts are structured to galvanize the player’s determination to achieve the game’s goals.
A bad game has either too little challenge or too much challenge. Balance is a major concern in measuring and designing challenges. Designers need to design a game that is not boring while not overwhelming the player.
Games create their own internal value (value)
Everything in the game has value to the player. This value is created within the game and is valuable or useful in the game’s reality. Such as points, coins, ranks, and anything that a player or many other players want.
Game engages the player (motivation)
A game must mentally trigger the player’s engagement to play.
Motivation comes from many aspects of the game but there are at least two important aspects that create player motivation. First, players are driven by curiosity. This is followed by the player’s desire to demonstrate and improve their abilities (skill).
Motivation from other aspects can be analyzed based on player demographics and psychographics.
Games are formal and closed systems (constraints)
Simply put, games need to have clear boundaries and definitions in order for a game to have a comprehensible value and form. This is intended to set the balance in the game and maintain the feel of the game.
Information such as symbols, signs, maps, messages, feedback, and other conceptual models emphasize boundaries that help maintain game balance and form.
The most common principle used in the context of form and balance is to make games that are easy to learn but difficult to master.
The above quality keys define the meaning of a game.
Use them as considerations in game design and as a checklist for playtesting.
Conclusion
A game is a voluntary experience that contains at least the elements: goals, interactions, obstacles, and rules.
Source:
Schell, J. (2008). The Art of Game Design: A book of lenses. CRC press.