‘A game is an interactive structure of endogenous meaning that requires players to struggle towards goals’ (2004:24)
Costikyan puts these into sections to explain them.
Interaction – Games need to have interaction to change the state of a game and for certain elements to be interactive so the player feels involved and gets sucked into the game.
Structure – Games need challenges and rules so the player feels like playing the game and they keep coming back to play the game, otherwise the game will not be interesting and unique and make the player not recommend or play the game. For example certain games have challenges where the player only has a certain amount of equipment allowed that they have to get to the next level. Structure is also used to shape a way the player then behaves and not determine it.
Endogenous meaning – Games need to have a range of items/concepts that is only significant within the game and explains to player what each is for. For example Sims, you need simpoints to then buy items so that you can build and expand the game making it your own.
Struggle – Within a game there needs to be different obstacles so that the player can then defeat/overcome these. For example puzzles to test the player, other players in the game or even the difficulty getting harder throughout the game.
Goals – Games need objectives and goals to then draw a player in to then achieve them, making sure the goal/objective is important so the player is motivated to achieve this. In certain games the player can make their own goals which is the case in simcity.
this is a competent set of notes, you might want to add a paragraph about how this reading might inform your work as a games designer. Keep blogging.
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