Difference between revisions of "Style of play"
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The goal then is to try and break down the types of playstyles into its own hiearchy--if possible adopting existing genre language, but not being afraid to abstract to a core concept when the current categories mix too many concepts together. See [[current video game categories]] for a list of how some of the larger video game vendors are currently classifying titles. | The goal then is to try and break down the types of playstyles into its own hiearchy--if possible adopting existing genre language, but not being afraid to abstract to a core concept when the current categories mix too many concepts together. See [[current video game categories]] for a list of how some of the larger video game vendors are currently classifying titles. | ||
| + | <h2>Styles of Play | ||
<ul> | <ul> | ||
<li>Narrative based (aka, Adventure, "walking simulators"): Gameplay that emphasizes exploration and following a storyline, with very little, if any, reflex-based gameplay elements. | <li>Narrative based (aka, Adventure, "walking simulators"): Gameplay that emphasizes exploration and following a storyline, with very little, if any, reflex-based gameplay elements. | ||
Revision as of 09:40, 10 October 2019
Overview
This is the most significant facet, as it's the one that's most analogous with the existing video game categories. When looking at ways to improve classification, however, we can see that what these current categories are are a mix of different aspects (ie, "First Person Shooter" is a mix of perspective and play style). The purpose of the "Style of play" facet is to isolate what the gameplay for a title is like, divorced from every other aspect like perspective or genre or tone.
At the same time, we have to understand that existing categories serve a purpose and are powerful "brands" in and of themselves. There are magazines and websites dedicated to the "adventure" genre. People eagerly wait for the next RPG title in their favorite series, whether it's an "action RPG" *Diablo), a "traditional first-person RPG" (Elder Scrolls), or a "Japanese-style 3rd person RPG" (Final Fantasy).
The goal then is to try and break down the types of playstyles into its own hiearchy--if possible adopting existing genre language, but not being afraid to abstract to a core concept when the current categories mix too many concepts together. See current video game categories for a list of how some of the larger video game vendors are currently classifying titles.
Styles of Play
- Narrative based (aka, Adventure, "walking simulators"): Gameplay that emphasizes exploration and following a storyline, with very little, if any, reflex-based gameplay elements.
- Interactive Stories: gameplay is based purely on exploration and discovery, with no deviation in plotline based on player actions. Like stepping inside a book, where you can examine the environment and see what's in the all the drawers, but the plot moves forward regardless.
- Visual Novels: even more like books than Interactive Stories, where the primary "gameplay" is to activate the next prompt to move the story along.
- Adventures: gameplay includes player agency and potentially risk of failure or stopped progress.
- Personal combat (aka, shooters, brawlers): games that emphasize the player engaging in battles with other opponents, either at range or up close. Possible subcategories for Ranged, Melee
- Survival
- Vehicle simulations (aka, racing games, flight sims): games where the primary goal is to drive/pilot a vehicle to the best of your ability (note that this does not necessarily include all vehicle based games, where the goal is combat, or where the vehicle is functionally your avatar (ie, certain space titles where trading and resource management are the goals, and the ship is how you get to where you need to go).
- Role-playing
- Resource management
- Strategy & Tactics
- Arcade
- Interactive Stories: gameplay is based purely on exploration and discovery, with no deviation in plotline based on player actions. Like stepping inside a book, where you can examine the environment and see what's in the all the drawers, but the plot moves forward regardless.
- Visual Novels: even more like books than Interactive Stories, where the primary "gameplay" is to activate the next prompt to move the story along.
- Adventures: gameplay includes player agency and potentially risk of failure or stopped progress.