SitemapTable of ContentsBackCoverRules of Play - Game Design FundamentalsForewordPrefaceChapter 1: What Is This Book About?Establishing a Critical DiscourseWays of LookingGame Design SchemasGame Design FundamentalsFurther ReadingsFurther ReadingChapter 2: The Design ProcessCommissionsGame Design ExercisesFurther ReadingThe Design and Testing of the Board Game- Lord of the RingsDesign ProcessScripted Game SystemPlaytestingMore ChangesThe Road Goes Ever OnUnit 1: Core ConceptsChapter 3: Meaningful PlayIntroducing Meaningful PlayMeaning and PlayTwo Kinds of Meaningful PlaySummaryChapter 4: DesignSome Definitions of DesignDesign and MeaningSemiotics: A Brief OverviewFour Semiotic ConceptsA Sign Represents Something Other Than ItselfSigns Are InterpretedMeaning Results When a Sign Is InterpretedContext Shapes InterpretationSummaryChapter 5: SystemsThe Elements of a SystemFraming SystemsOpen and Closed SystemsSummaryChapter 6: InteractivityDefining InteractivityA Multivalent Model of InteractivityBut Is it " Designed " Interaction?Interaction and ChoiceChoice MoleculesAnatomy of a ChoiceSpace of PossibilityFurther ReadingSummaryChapter 7: Defining GamesPlay and GameComparing DefinitionsA ComparisonOur DefinitionThe Puzzle of PuzzlesRole-Playing GamesFurther ReadingSummaryChapter 8: Defining Digital GamesThe Computer Is Not a ComputerWhat Can It Do?IntegrationSummaryChapter 9: The Magic CircleBoundariesEnter InTemporary WorldsThe Lusory AttitudeFurther ReadingSummaryChapter 10: The Primary SchemasWhat Is a Schema?RULES: Formal SchemasPLAY: Experiential SchemasCULTURE: Contextual SchemasSummaryCommissioned Game 1 - Richard GarfieldScoringDesign NotesUnit 2: RulesChapter 11: Defining RulesA Deck of CardsOther Kinds of RulesQualities of RulesRules in ContextSummaryChapter 12: Rules on Three LevelsTic-Tac-What?Under the HoodBeing a Good SportThree Kinds of RulesThe Rules of Chutes and LaddersThe Identity of a GameSpecificity of RulesDesigning Elegant RulesFurther ReadingSummaryChapter 13: The Rules of Digital GamesSo What Are the Rules?The Rules of TetrisRules and Not RulesWheels Within WheelsWhy Rules?SummaryChapter 14: Games as Emergent SystemsComplexityMessengers and BuildingsSimple ComplexityWhat Complexity Is NotFour Kinds of SystemsTwo Horrible GamesEmergenceParts and the WholeObject InteractionsLife, the GameBottom-Up BehaviorsEmergence in GamesDesigning SurpriseEngine TuningSecond-Order DesignFurther ReadingSummaryChapter 15: Games as Systems of UncertaintyIntroducing UncertaintyCertainty, Uncertainty, and RiskThe Feeling of RandomnessProbability in GamesDice ProbabilityChance and Game PlayCase Study One: ThunderstormCase Study Two: PigBreakdowns in UncertaintyMeaningful ChanceFurther ReadingSummaryChapter 16: Games as Information Theory SystemsInformation TheoryProbability and GuessworkNoise in the ChannelRedundancy in the SystemBalancing ActFurther ReadingSummaryChapter 17: Games as Systems of InformationPerfect and Imperfect InformationEnchanted InformationEach turn, EnchantedHiding and Revealing SystemsSummaryChapter 18: Games as Cybernetic SystemsElements of a Cybernetic SystemFeedback Systems in GamesPositive and Negative BasketballRacing LoopsPositive Feedback in a GameDynamic Difficulty AdjustmentA Simple Die RollPutting Feedback to UseAfterword: Don't Forget the ParticipantFurther ReadingSummaryChapter 19: Games as Game Theory SystemsDecision TreesStrategies in Game TheoryGame Theory GamesCake DivisionPlaying for PenniesThe Prisoner's DilemmaGame Theory and Game DesignFurther ReadingSummaryChapter 20: Games as Systems of ConflictConflict Case StudiesCompetition and CooperationNew GamesThe Goal of a GameThe Level Playing Field of ConflictPig ReduxFurther ReadingSummaryChapter 21: Breaking the RulesKinds of Rule-BreakingStandard PlayersDedicated PlayersDegenerate StrategiesDegenerate Strategy EcosystemsCheats and Spoil-SportsFive Player Types ComparedSanctioned Violations: Professional SportsSanctioned Cheating: IlluminatiHacks, Cheats, and Mods: Digital Rule-BreakingRule-Breaking as a Game Design PracticeFurther ReadingSummaryCommissioned Game 2 - IroncladRulesPlaying Ironclad: The Spectacle of Mechanical DestructionPlaying Ironclad: The Technique of Scholarly DiscourseDesign NotesUnit 3: PlayChapter 22: Defining PlayWhat Is Play?A General Definition of PlayTransformative PlayBeing PlayfulLudic ActivitiesGame PlaySummaryChapter 23: Games as the Play of ExperienceQualities of ExperienceDesigning Interactive ExperiencesThe Core MechanicCore Mechanics in ContextBreaking Out of BreakoutVariations on a Core MechanicPutting It All TogetherFurther ReadingSummaryChapter 24: Games as the Play of PleasureRule-BoundAutotelic PlayEnter. Play. Stay.Typologies of PleasureGame FlowSculpting DesirePatterns of PleasureThe Role of the GoalGoals Within GoalsConditioned PleasureRewards and SchedulesBoredom and Anxiety: Flow ReduxAnxiety and Boredom on the High SeasMeaningful PleasureAgainst " Addiction Further ReadingSummaryChapter 25: Games as the Play of MeaningTwo Kinds of RepresentationSystems of MeaningSystem and ContextEmergent RepresentationsThe Context of MeaningDown the Rabbit HoleIn the Queen's CourtFraming PlayMetacommunication and PlayCaptured by the GameFurther ReadingSummaryChapter 26: Games as Narrative PlayIntroducing Narrative PlayNarrative TensionsA Framework for " Narrative ThunderstormTwo Structures for Narrative PlayNarrative GoalsConfictUncertaintyCore MechanicsNarrative SpaceDigital Game SpacesSpaces of AdventureNarrative DescriptorsWorlds and StoriesCrafting Game NarrativesGames as Narrative SystemsCutscenesRetelling Game StoriesThe ReplayRecamsGames Within GamesFurther ReadingSummaryChapter 27: Games as the Play of SimulationDefining " Simulation Game and Non-Game SimulationsMeaningful Play and SimulationProcedural RepresentationRepresented ConflictProcedural CharactersDesigning SimulationsLearning from WargamesThe Field of BattleSimulation in ContextA Balanced ApproachThe Value of RealityFraming the SimulationThe Immersive FallacyMetacommunicativeRemediating GamesThe Character of CharacterHacking the HolodeckFurther ReadingSummaryChapter 28: Games as Social PlaySocial RelationsPlayer RolesThree Emergent Social GamesBounded CommunitiesContract for ArtificeKnowing the RulesTransformative Social PlayIdeal and Real FoursquareWhen Players Won't Be " Nice Forbidden PlayMetagame: the Larger Social ContextA Metagame ModelDesigning the MetagameThe Limits of Social PlayFurther ReadingSummaryCommissioned Game 3 - SneakRulesDesign DiaryUnit 4: CultureChapter 29: Defining CultureIntroducing CultureCulture: A FrameworkCultural Structures: A ListCultural Meanings: A Few ExamplesCultural Texts: Trafficking in SignsRedefinition: Locating DesignSummaryChapter 30: Games as Cultural RhetoricWhat is Rhetoric?Seven Rhetorics of PlayTwo ExamplesRhetorics of GenderBoy GamesFlipping the Gender BitTransforming SpacesBattling ToysFurther ReadingSummaryChapter 31: Games as Open CultureInventing JennyPlayer-as-ProducerMeaningful ProductionOpen Source GamesGame SystemsEscape from the DungeonTelefragging Monster MoviesCircle BackFurther ReadingSummaryChapter 32: Games as Cultural ResistanceIntroducing Cultural ResistanceDIY GamingResistant StrategiesAdditional Lines of ResistanceFriction on the PlaygroundResist!Further ReadingSummaryChapter 33: Games as Cultural EnvironmentIntroducing Cultural EnvironmentBack to BasicsShall We Play a Game?The Invisible PlaygroundIdeological EnvironmentGame Design FundamentalsThe Artificial QuestionFinal FramingsFurther ReadingSummaryCommissioned Game 4 - Caribbean StarRulesDesign NotesBibliographyList of Games CitedIndexIndex_BIndex_CIndex_DIndex_EIndex_FIndex_GIndex_HIndex_IIndex_JIndex_KIndex_LIndex_MIndex_NIndex_OIndex_PIndex_QIndex_RIndex_SIndex_TIndex_UIndex_VIndex_WIndex_YIndex_ZList of FiguresList of TablesList of Sidebars |