Discussion Questions 7

1) Try to find an example of a digital game which truly takes advantage of the traits of the medium, and could not be successfully implemented in a non-digital form. In particular, think about the traits of digital/computer games as listed by Crawford. Describe the game, and identify the core gameplay mechanic. What is it about the core mechanic that makes the game truly a digital game?

I think most RTS games are examples of games that can only be done effectively in the digital medium. I shall just take an arbitary RTS title like the C&C series.

Firstly, RTS games allow you to control tens or hundreds of units with a click of a mouse button. This rides on the ability of the computer to keep track and process of large amounts of data very quickly. Compared to a tabletop strategy game, the digital version will be able to run faster. One round in Warhammer might take hours while a similar round of the same complexity can be done in mere seconds digitally. Furthermore, tabletop versions have to use dumb-downed rules compared to digital strategy games as it will take a lot of brain power if you want to calculate complex maths formulas for each tabletop strategy game unit.

The processing speed of the computer also allows RTS games to run in realtime while tabletop games are forced to be turn-based.

Secondly, say for example that you are a general of a real army. In order to command hundreds of troops, you will be required to go through a chain of command and it might take a matter of days to move an army from a location to another. Even in tabletop gaming, moving hundreds of units might take hours! In the digital version, the sending of commands and movement of troops is almost instantaneous. Time can compressed in digital games.

Thirdly, the networking aspect of digital games allows you to play matches against poeple in other countries. You can't do this offline... unless it's play by mail chess... but that'll take so long that the game will become draggy.

The plasticity of RTS games also allow games and scenario to be setup very quickly. The game is able to change scenarios or locales very quickly. In tabletop Warhammer, the setting up of the scenario terrain takes a long time. In real world games, setting up and taking down of props and terrain features require time.

I guess the main advantage of digital games is that they are able to perform operations much faster and more efficiently than their real world counterparts due to the ability to perform complex calculations faster than any human can.


2) The third and final assignment is to design a digital game. Blog about your initial ideas for the assignment, ready for discussion in the workshop this week.

-a game that connects people -> networking aspect of digital games
-a game that makes use of complex calculations -> processing speed of digital games
-a game that requires the processor to keep track of a lot of stats -> ability of digital games to process large amounts of data
-a game that can map realworld locations to a virtual world
-including some of the ideas from my previous entries...