Game Procedures

Who does what, where, when, and how?

Types of Game Procedures

Starting Action: How to put the game into play.

Progression of Action: Ongoing procedures after starting the game.

Special Actions: Conditional to other elements or game state.

Resolving Actions: Bring gameplay to a close.

Examples of Game Procedures

Connect Four

1.Choose a player to go first.

2.Each player in his turn drops one of his color checkers down any of the slots in the top of the grid.

3.The play alternates until one of the players gets four checkers of his color in a row.

Examples of Game Procedures

Connect Four

1.Choose a player to go first. – Starting Action

2.Each player in his turn drops one of his color checkers down any of the slots in the top of the grid. – Progression of Action

3.The play alternates until one of the players gets four checkers of his color in a row. – Resolving Action

Examples of Game Procedures

Super Mario Brothers

1.Select Button: Use this button to select the type of game you wish to play.

2.Start Button: Press this button to start the game.

3.Left Arrow: Walk to the left.

4.Right Arrow: Walk to the right.

Examples of Game Procedures

Super Mario Brothers

1.Select Button: Use this button to select the type of game you wish to play. – Starting Action

2.Start Button: Press this button to start the game. – Starting Action

3.Left Arrow: Walk to the left. – Progression of Action

4.Right Arrow: Walk to the right. Progression of Action

5.NO Resolving Action – The resolution is adjudicated by the system, not the players.

System Procedures

Digital games can have more complex game procedures than non-digital.

Digital game procedures often work behind the scene, responding to situations and player actions.

In RPG games, character and weapon attributes are used as part of a system of calculation determining when a player wins or how much damage is caused.

In board games, system procedures need to be calculated by the players who may use dice (as an example) to generate random numbers. In digital games, these procedures are calculated by the program.

System Procedures

Because digital game procedures are calculated by the program: They can involve more sophisticated system

procedures. Process procedures more quickly.

Digital game procedures are not necessarily more complex than non-digital game procedures. The procedures of Chess are very detailed and complex.

Defining Your Procedures

It is important to keep in mind the limitations of the environment in which your game will be played when defining your game procedures.

Non-digital games – Make sure the procedures are easy to remember and follow.

Digital games – Consider what type of input/output devices will be used. Will players have a keyboard and mouse?

Game Procedures

Procedures in digital games are, by nature, affected by the physical constraints of the

program. Procedures in non-digital games are affected by the mental limitations of the players

and the limitations of using objects like dice. As a game designer, you need to be sensitive to

procedural limitations and find creative solutions:

Procedures should be intuitive to access and easy to remember.