Game Design Rules

Description:  
Game design rules is a name I have given to a set of game design methods that provide guidelines, rules, commandments, pitfalls, axioms, etc. These rules are heuristic in nature are generally not seen as unbreakable or immutable. Rules are typically ways for game designers to share best practices or observations based on their experiences.

Use:
Generally, game design rules are best for evaluating game design in order to find flaws in the design or the designer's process.

One way to use game design rules is by using them implicitly by exploring the various set of rules that exist on-line or in game design literature.

A more rigorous approach is to use game design rules as kind of checklist, which can then be used by the game designer for quick evaluations of the game design.The checklist approach would look similar to the following: 

1. Select a set of game design rules
2. Review rules one-by-one
3. As you review the rules ask yourself the following:
1. "Does the rule apply to this game or situation?"
2. "Does the game design break the rule?"
3. "Why is the game design breaking the rule?"
4. "Does the game design need to be iterated on?"

Another approach is to combine game design rules with play-testing. The rules can then be used to help create questionnaires for play-testers, and/or be used as a checklist that is used during play-testing by the game designer.

Lastly, game design rules can be created by the game designer as a form of self-reflection, and eventually added to a postmortem or a game designer's personal design notebook.

Methods:

Formal Method

Description
Formal Method is the name given to a set of techniques used in game design taken from game theory, statistical analysis, and probability analysis. The methods are used to determine game balance, player strategies, player choices, and game mechanics. 

Methods

Play-testing

Description:
Play-testing is the name given to a set of methods that use various techniques of observation and capturing data about a player's game-play experience. Game design play-tests can be used to focus on the analysis of a game's usability, prototype, balancing, levels, etc. Most play-testing methods share a few common concepts:

• Let the players play the game without little or no interference
• Don't make excuses for the game
• Collect play-test data objectively

Methods:

Game Taxonomy

Description
Taxonomy is the name given to a set of methods that provide ways to classify games. Using this as a game design tool provides the game designer with way to categorize games, analyze games, and form a lexicon.

Methods

Patterns for Game Design

Description:
Game design patterns are a collection and description of recurring game mechanics, (rules & systems), play mechanics (interaction, flow & feel), game types (competition, cooperation, etc.), technical forms (side scrolling, top down, board games, cards, etc.) and game-play experience (eye-hand coordination, puzzling, etc.). Game design patterns are derived from observation of other games and can be used in many ways (i.e. analysis, inspiration, reference or a lexicon).


Use:
As reference- As we play more and more games, patterns become a way for the game designers to categorize recurring design choices in games. Using these patterns as reference allows the game designer to inform his own design choices. For example, a game designer that is making a FPS would want to understand the basics of all the patterns that are typical to the genre.

As inspiration-

As analysis-

As a lexicon-

Pattern Templates

•  A collection of descriptions describing common design considerations (e.g. characters, points, health, lives rock-paper-scissor, etc.)
• Descriptions range from informal and anecdotal to structured with templates.  

Methods:

(Links) Artificial Stupidity: Top 12 Enemy Movement Patterns Gameplay design patterns collection The Fundamentals of Game Design (Raph Kostner) 300 Hundred Mechanics  20 Underused Game Mechanics Formal Abstract Design Tools (Doug Church)  The Case For Game Design Patterns (Bernd Kreimeier)  Patterns and Computer Game Design Innovation (Kevin McGee)  SCVNGER's Playdeck w/ Gravity 7s Comments  20 Underused Game Mechanics 5 Creepy Ways Video Games Are Trying to Get You Addicted Game Theory Dictionary SCVNGR’s Playdeck Shinji Mikami On Mechanics Strategic Synergy's: Game Mechanics Top 10 Research Findings 2008, 2007, 2006 How to Use Game Mechanics to Improve Your SEO A Theory of Board Game Design: Definitions of Terms  Game mechanics for thinking users  Learning from game design: 11 gambits for influencing user behaviour Putting the Fun in Functional

Literature:
 The Video Game Theory Reader 2
Patterns in Game Design (Game Development Series)
21st Century Game Design (Charles River Media Game Development)
Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals
Game Architecture and Design: Learn the Best Practices for Game Design and Programming
Game Design: A Practical Approach (Game Development Series)
Chris Crawford on Game Design
Game Development Essentials: Gameplay Mechanics
Half-Real: Video Games between Real Rules and Fictional Worlds

Player Models

Description:
Player models is a term given to a set of game design tools that describe game mechanics, play mechanics and/or play experience categorize by player type.  A common use of this tool helps the game designer to form generalities about the intended player and use these in both determining the game concept and game design.  The basic precepts include:

• A list or visual model of player types
• The model creates a link between a preferred gameplay and a player category
  

Methods: