A game I love is Animal Crossing on the DS. The aesthetic of fantasy, stepping into a role, and abnegation, passing time, I think are core to this game. A dynamic that creates this aesthetic is being able to create friendships with the townspeople. The mechanics in place that creates this dynamic is being able to have conversations with townspeople, through written text and multiple-choice responses. There is also sometimes an option to type in a response, which makes the interaction feel more customizable. Another mechanic that creates this dynamic is giving and receiving gifts to and from townspeople. This adds to the simulation of friendship because it gives the user a task in the game, one we can choose to accept or reject, that has consequences of how our character is perceived by the townspeople. Finally, the mechanic of joining a 3-way conversation between two townspeople and ourselves also fosters the dynamic of friendship. I think we rarely interact solely one-on-one in real world friendships, and we are able to learn a lot about a character through observing their interactions with others. Thus, being able to see two characters interact creates a deeper level to these simulated friendships.
