In previous discussions, I’ve covered the individual components of Game Mechanics, but it is important to remember that these components do not exist in isolation. When these elements interact, they form a system: a structured network where each part influences and responds to the others, working together to create a cohesive gameplay experience.
Games as Systems
A system is a set of interacting or interdependent elements that form an integrated whole, where each part plays a role in achieving a common goal. In game design, systems consist of rules, mechanics, and player interactions that work together to create the overall gameplay experience.
Consider this question: What qualifies as a system?
- A toolbox is simply a collection of tools. Since the tools do not interact, it is not a system.
- A kitchen on its own is not a system, but when viewed as part of the process of cooking a meal, it becomes one: ingredients, tools, and the cook interact to achieve a goal.
- A soccer game is a system because multiple elements, players, the ball, rules, and field, interact to achieve the objectives of the game.
Simulated Systems
Many games also incorporate simulations, representing one system through another to model behavior or outcomes. The integrity and richness of a game’s system depend on how well its elements interact to create meaningful, cohesive, and engaging gameplay.
Elements of a Game System
Game systems are built from several core elements:
- Objects – The building blocks of the system, such as game pieces, characters, or environmental features.
- Properties – Attributes that define the objects, like a character’s health or the size of a game piece.
- Behaviors – The actions or reactions objects can take within the system, such as moving, attacking, or defending.
- Relationships – How objects interact with one another, for example, enemies attacking players or characters gathering resources.
Viewing games as systems allows designers to deconstruct complex interactions into manageable elements. This approach mirrors object-oriented programming (OOP), where code is structured around objects and their interactions. Similarly, in games, these system components define the structure of gameplay, ensuring that objects, properties, behaviors, and relationships work together cohesively to create a compelling experience.
Games are Dynamic
A key feature of game systems is that they are dynamic. While the structure of objects, properties, behaviors, and relationships defines the system, these elements interact in real time as players act, producing responses, feedback, and evolving situations. This dynamic quality is what allows gameplay to feel alive, providing variation, challenge, and consequences that change based on player choices. While we will explore game dynamics more deeply in the Yielded Experience chapter, it’s important to understand that even at the systems level, games are designed to respond and adapt, rather than remain static.
Wrap-Up
By viewing games as systems, designers can understand how rules, mechanics, and player actions interconnect to create cohesive and meaningful experiences. Each element: objects, properties, behaviors, and relationships, plays a role in shaping how the game world functions and responds to the player. Yet, systems aren’t static; they evolve through play. To truly understand how these systems come to life, we must look at how their interactions unfold over time, through the cycles of action, response, and adaptation that we call loops.