Gameplay Experience

Overview

Before we can get to style of play, an even more abstract question is, how is the gameplay presented?

Linear: game has a specific beginning, middle, and end, with potentially limited replayability (Myst, Portal, Tomb Raider, Planescape)
- Single ending: game has a single primary ending--player action doesn't significantly alter how the game ends
- Multiple Endings: game has multiple primary endings, based on player action
- Open World: game with linear play is set in an open world with a large amount of content to extend play time, and potentially multiple "win" states (Skyrim, World of Warcraft, Far Cry)

Looped: gameplay is meant to repeat, either by starting the game again, or by using similar levels/maps as the player progresses (most arcade games; CoD, Fortnite, Hearthstone, Civilization, MS Flight Simulator)
- Single map: Every game takes place on the same playing area (Chess, Magic Online, Fortnite)
- Multiple maps:: There are a specific number of playing areas to choose from (Call of Duty, Battlefield, Team Fortress 2)
- Palette swaps: while the playing areas technically change, the differences between them are minor and are functionally the same (Tetris, Donkey Kong, Pac Man)
- Procedurally or randomly generated content: there are essentially infinite, substantially different playing areas generated as needed (Roguelikes, No Man's Sky)

Open-Ended: game both allows player choice on how to play, and no specific end state (or no penalty if the player decides to ignore it) (Minecraft, the Sims, VR "experiences"))