The Universality Of Gameplay (& Gary Penn's Rules Of Design)

Stumbled on an article detailing Gary Penn's game design philosophies earlier today.  I'd almost forgotten that it was he who taught me the idea that the same games we play on computers could be played on paper or cards.  It's a good point, and one that feeds back into my thoughts on the matter of games and stories.

After all, playing isn't always about sport-like games.  Children play "house" and "doctors" - or, in my case "space fighters on the run from robotic ninja dinosaur nazis".  In these games, story is an integral part of the game - the production of the story is, in a way, the aim of the game.

None of the theories I or anyone else espouse on game design are exclusive to computer or video games, and its why I try and avoid saying "computer/video games" when I talk about them.  Play is a universal concept that has happened as long as humanity has existed.  In some ways, it is even more primal than the concept of storytelling - animals play, but they don't (as far as we can tell) tell stories*.

So if you're looking to diversify your inspiration, you might want to consider playing more board or card games.  Its not that cool, it seems a bit sad and geeky, but I've found a few I find perfectly acceptable, and you might too.

Then, next time you're designing a game, think how it might work on paper or cards.  If it doesn't seem fun there, ask yourself - what would make it better on a computer?  Its a good way of catching a problem in a timely and economic fashion, rather than wasting time and money developing a product with fundemental gameplay issues.

* With the notable exception, of course, of my mum's cats, who tell her endless stories about their daily routines, their preference for "the expensive cat food" and their dislike of any changes in their surroundings.