Style of play

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.

• Narrative based (aka, Adventure): Gameplay that emphasizes exploration and following a storyline, with very little, if any, reflex-based gameplay elements.
• 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