1. Identify the basic elements in a game of your choice (actions, goals, rules, objects, playspace, players).
In Just Dance 4, players dance along to moves shown on the screen using a controller to select songs. The goal is to match the dance moves as accurately as possible for high scores. The rules are to keep the controller active and follow the on-screen dancer’s moves. The controller is the main object. The play space is typically an open area like a living room. Players can either dance solo or in groups.
2. As a thought experiment, swap one element between two games: a single rule, one action, the goal, or the playspace. For example, what if you applied the playspace of chess to basketball? Imagine how the play experience would change based on this swap.
If think swapping the goal of Catch with Twister would be fun. You would play Twister as usual but with the added challenge of catching a ball while maintaining your position on the mat. This would make the game more challenging, needing better balance and coordination. This could introduce either a teamwork or competitive element depending on how the ball is thrown.
3. Pick a simple game you played as a child. Try to map out its space of possibility, taking into account the goals, actions, objects, rules, and playspace as the parameters inside of which you played the game. The map might be a visual flowchart or a drawing trying to show the space of possibility on a single screen or a moment in the game.
4. Pick a real-time game and a turn-based game. Observe people playing each. Make a log of all the game states for each game. After you have created the game state logs, review them to see how they show the game’s space of possibility and how the basic elements interact.
Soccer:
Kickoff: Match starts.
Pass: Team A passes the ball.
Interception: Team B intercepts.
Counterattack: Team B attacks.
Dribbling: Team B’s winger dribbles.
Cross: Team B crosses into the box.
Catch: Goalkeeper catches the ball.
Distribution: Goalkeeper throws to a teammate.
Shot: Team A shoots on goal.
Save: Goalkeeper makes a save.
Goal Kick: Team B takes a goal kick.
Foul: Free kick awarded to Team B.
Free Kick: Team B takes the kick.
Clearance: Team A clears the ball.
Throw-In: Team A takes a throw-in.
Goal Scored: Team B scores.
Uno:
Initial Deal: Each player gets 7 cards.
Start: The top card is flipped to start the pile.
Player 1’s Turn: Player plays a card matching the color or number.
Draw Card: Player cannot play and draws a card.
Skip: Player skips the next player’s turn.
Reverse: Direction of play changes.
Draw Two: Next player draws two cards.
Wild Card: Player changes the current color.
Uno Call: Player announces “Uno” when down to one card.
Winning Move: Player plays their last card, winning the game.
In soccer, players interact with the ball and each other. After the kickoff, actions like passing and shooting happen, with both teams reacting in real-time. The game has lots of possibilities, with constant chances to attack or defend based on the players’ movements and the rules. Uno is turn-based and more controlled. Each player plays a card or draws from the deck, with the game changing based on what card is played. The options are more limited but each move still affects the next one. Both games show how the players, actions, and rules create different possibilities.
