This is the part 3 of 3 slides presentation about the subject. On this slide I talk about which Game Design tools we have to Strengthen Games.

1. LOOKING FOR THE
GRAMMAR OF
GAME DESIGN 3
PART
/GREG COSTIKYAN
/WHAT GAMES ARE NOT
/WHAT GAMES ARE
/WHAT IS A GAME
/THINGS THAT STRENGTHEN GAMES
Alvaro Gonzalez
Game Designer
--THE GAME A POWERFUL TOOL

2. Other Things That Strengthen Games
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the skill of the player in managing the relationship with other players
or NPCs in persuit of a goal.
• Provide non-exclusive goals to the game actors encourage the diplomacy.
• Diplomacy enriches the opposition.
Color
Rich and esplendid display, detail, and sense of place can greatly add a
game’s emotional appeal.
Color (cosmetics) has nothing to do with the Capacity of the game.

3. Simulation
• Is a way of providing color.
• Is the use of game design systems to reflect the atmosphere and the ethos of the game.
• Improves character identification.
• Allows insight into a situation that mere narrative cannot.
Simulating is not for every game, but when is used it can be quite powerful.
Variety of Encounter
“Random Elements” in a game should never be tottaly random
• Player must know what outcomes are possible, and his chances of achiving what
he wants to achieve. He takes a calculated risk.
• The ultimate victory or defeat of the player has to be based on his excellence as a
strategist, not on his luck with dice.

4. Position Identification
• Increase the game’s emotional impact.
When you encourage players to care about “the side”, to identify with their position
in the game, to identify with his character.
• Getting player to identify with their game position is straightforward when a player
has a single token. but its harder when he controls many.
When the player has many tokens you have to make the player feel identification
with “the side”.
Make clear the player’s point of view is the base for a successful position identification.

5. Rolplaying
• Improves position identification
If you like your character you are identifying with him closely.
• Improves the game’s color
The player is partly responsible for feeding the fantasy, feeling that the world is
alive and colorful and consistent.
• It’s an excellent method of socialization
Rolplaying is a form of performance.
Narrative Tension
• “Rising Tension” is the KEY element of a PLOT.
• Tension is what makes a game fun.
• A game should be tense all the way through, but specialy at the end.

6. So…
Do all the myriads forms of gaming
have anything in common?
Yes!
All involve decision-
making, managing resources in
persuit of a goal.
We now have some terms to use to
analyze a game’s appeal.

7. thanks
alvarogonzalez.mail@gmail.com
Alvaro Gonzalez
alvarogonzalez.skype
Game Designer – Game Producer
@WASDCtrlSPACE
“I've worked with Alvaro on several game projects over several years
and have always been very impressed with his creative thinking and
W www.alvarogonzalez.us inventive designs. Alvaro always brings a unique and fresh design
aesthetic that is more innovative and far more imaginative than other
www.linkedin.com/in/alvarogon designers.”
Aaron Norstad
Senior Producer at Playdom
Meet Latin American Game Developers
www.mlagd.com
meetlatinamericangamedev@gmail.com
@LatAmeGameDev
Bibliography:
Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals, Katie Salen and Eric Zimmerman
Cambridge MIT Press, 2004
I Have No Words, Greg Costikyan
Article, 1990