DE4108: Design Practice 2: Game Element Analysis Through Practical Comparison

In order to begin identifying the most appropriate game elements that are to be defined and recommended within the Design Framework, for the past few months I have delved into various released titles that have been defined as Exploration games. I then decided to make a note of any common game elements that existed across these titles in order to ascertain what developers utilise to create what they perceive to be an Exploration-based experience. As many released titles, across all scales (AAA in comparison to smaller Indie titles), contain Exploration as a partial focus, I have attempted to limit my comparison to those titles who advertise exploration as their main (or joint-main) focus. The table below shows these titles as well as the game elements they contain. From this, a comparison can be made to determine common trends in regards to shared game elements. Those game elements marked green are those which are shared most commonly across the selected titles. Those marked red share the least amount of commonly shared game elements. From this, the most common game elements are those which I will use as the recommended game elements for the Design Framework.

Games In Order of Most Shared Gameplay Elements

The Long Dark (Hinterland Games) (7/8)

Sunless Sea (Failbetter Games) (7/8)

Elite: Dangerous (Frontier Developments) (7/8)

Rust (Facepunch Studios) (6/8)

Minecraft (Mojang) (6/8)

Fallout: New Vegas (Obsidian Entertainment) (5/8)

Miasmata (IonFX) (5/8)

Outer Wilds (Team Outer Wilds) (4/8)

Gone Home (Fullbright) (2/8)

Suggested Game Elements for Design Framework

Open World – Allows for a greater freedom of exploration and scope. Provides an added sense of intrigue and wonder (unexplored areas, shroud, hidden/secret areas). Player is not necessarily confined within a level-based structure- although some areas may still be locked off until the player achieves a certain goal.

Underlying Narrative – Provides a sense of context and purpose for the player within the game world. Also potentially provides a role or position within the game-world. Can define what the player is capable of, and what they can hope to achieve. Can provide a suggested end-game state.

Player- defined goals / objectives – Ultimately provides the player with a sense of freedom and greater control over their own actions and outcomes within the game-world. Provides a greater sense of immersion through player-defined role(s), allegiances and responsibilities.

Inventory System* – Provides a means for players to collecting items in a quantifiable manner. These items may help the player to achieve their goals or gauge a sense of their progress. Inventory items can be used within game loops and / or can be used to complete set quests, open hidden areas, or be used by players to achieve their self-defined goals / objectives. Inventories are usually (but not constrained to) finite storage amounts. This can help to add a sense of prioritisation, planning and additional challenges to the player (such as becoming encumbered).

AI Enemies – Provides the player with additional hazards that provide further context to the game world. In this sense enemy AI can help to create a greater sense of immersion, while providing the player with additional challenges to overcome. AI enemies can also potentially provide a sense of unpredictability (added challenge; greater sense of vulnerability; more believable world). Players can be rewarded for overcoming AI enemies either through world-progression or collectable items.

Environmental Hazards -  Helps to provide a sense of context and believability to the game world. Helps to set additional constraints on the player in terms of location boundaries. Environmental hazards can either be static or dynamic in nature, and can be designed to be either permanent or temporary depending on the player’s actions.

Anomalies

Gone Home – Interestingly this title, while described and widely recognised as exploration and narrative-driven, shares the least common gameplay elements with the other popular exploration titles that have been included in this comparative analysis.

References

Hinterland Games (2014). The Long Dark [Video game]. Vancouver :  Hinterland Games.
Failbetter Games (2015). Sunless Sea [Video game]. Greenwich : Failbetter Games.
Frontier Developments (2014). Elite: Dangerous [Video game]. Cambridge : Frontier Developments.
Facepunch Studios (2013). Rust [Video game]. Walsall : Facepunch Studios.
Mojang (2009). Minecraft [Video game]. Stockholm : Microsoft.
Obsidian Entertainment (2010). Fallout: New Vegas [Video game].Santa Ana. CA : Bethesda Softworks.
IonFX Studios (2012). Miasmata [Video game]. St. Paul. MN : IonFX Studios.
Team Outer Wilds (Not yet released). Outer Wilds [Video game] : Team Outer Wilds.
Fullbright (2013). Gone Home [Video game]. Portland. Ore : Fullbright.