Task-1 Identify the basic elements in a game of your choice
Actions, goals, rules, objects, playspace, players of the game Gold Miner:
- Actions: Launch the claw to grab gold, diamonds, bags, rocks and pigs; pull objects back up; use items such as dynamite; buy upgrades such as magic potion.
- Goals: Collect enough money to reach the target amount for each level before time runs out
- Rules: The claw swings back and forth automatically; once launched, it continues until it grabs an object or reaches its limit; heavier objects take longer to pull up; each level has a time limit and a required money goal; If the claw hits an explosive object, nearby objects may be destroyed.
- Objects: Claw, gold, diamonds, rocks, mystery bags, pigs, dynamite, strength drinks, lucky clover.
- Playspace: A 2D underground mine, with collectible objects distributed across the screen, and a shop between levels.
- Players: A single player controlling the claw.
Task-2 Swapping One Element
What would happen if the designer swapped the objects of Gold Miner with the objects of diamond Crush-style Game? Instead of grabbing gold, rocks, money bags, and diamonds, the player would grab different colored gems. The game would become more colorful and visually stimulating, creating a more sensational experience even if the claw mechanic stayed the same. Instead of trying to grab the larger gold nuggets, players pay more attention to the color and rarity of the objects. This could make each grab feel more exciting and varied. However, because the other 5 elements remain unchanged, the core gameplay would still feel like Gold Miner. This shows that changing the objects might significantly affect the game’s visual appeal and emotional experience without completely changing how the game is played.
[AI-generated illustration created with ChatGPT] Prompt for reference: Swap the objects of Gold Miner with diamond Crush-style Game, and generate a picture showing the change
Task-3 Space of Possibility of a Childhood Game
A simple game I played as a child is magnetic tiles.
Goal: The goal can be self-defined. I just build a structure I imagine.
Actions: Connect tiles, disconnect tiles, rotate them, stack them, balance them, combine different shapes.
Objects: Magnetic squares, triangles, rectangles.
Rules: 1. Tiles can connect only where the magnetic edges meet. 2. Structures must physically support themselves.
Playspace: The game can be played on any flat surface, such as a table or floor.
Players: One child building independently or or multiple players building collaboratively.
space of possibility:
[flowchat generated by ChatGPT] Prompt for reference: build a flow chart to illustrate the space of possibility for magnetic tiles. The step is: Pick a tile → connect → build upward / outward / enclosed shape / decorative pattern → stable (finished) / collapse → rebuild. The map might be a visual flowchart or a drawing trying to show the space of possibility at a moment in the game.
Task-4 a real-time game vs. a turn-based game.
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Game States for Gold Miner |
Game States for Gomoku |
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Level starts. $0 earned, 60 seconds left. |
The board is empty. Black moves first. |
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Claw swings toward a large gold nugget. |
Black places a stone near the center. |
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Player releases the claw. |
White places a stone next to Black’s stone. |
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Claw grabs a large gold nugget. 52 seconds left. |
Black adds a second stone in the same row. |
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Gold is being pulled back slowly because it is heavy. |
White places a stone nearby to create their own diagonal possibility. |
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Player earns $500. Remaining objects and time have changed. |
Black adds a third stone in a row. |
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Player releases the claw again but hits a rock… |
White blocks one end of Black’s line. |
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Rock is being pulled back very slowly because it is heavy. |
Black starts a vertical line from one of the existing stones. |
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Player earns $11. Remaining objects and time have changed. 30 seconds left. |
White blocks the new vertical threat. |
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Claw swings toward a large gold nugget. |
Black creates an “open four” or two simultaneous threats. |
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Claw grabs a large gold nugget. 15 seconds left. |
Black places the fifth stone in a row. |
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Gold is being pulled back slowly because it is heavy. |
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Player earns another $500. Remaining objects and time have changed. Target amont of money achieved. |
In Gomoku, the goal of making five stones in a row gives meaning to the action of placing a stone. Because the rules allow only each player to place one stone(object) per turn and stones cannot be moved afterward, the position of each object becomes strategically important. The grid-based playspace further constrains where lines and threats can develop. In Gold Miner, the goal of reaching a monetary target interacts with object values, object weights, the swinging-claw rule, and the time limit. For example, a large gold nugget is valuable, but its weight makes it slower to retrieve, creating a trade-off between value and time.
In Gomoku, the space of possibility changes primarily after each player’s discrete action. The game pauses between turns, giving players time to consider the remaining possibilities. As more stones are placed, the board becomes more constrained, but the strategic possibilities become more meaningful. Therefore, the space of possibility becomes more structured. In Gold Miner, however, the space of possibility changes continuously because time passes and the claw keeps moving even when the player does nothing. This comparison helped me see that rules about time and turn-taking fundamentally shape how players experience and navigate a game’s space of possibility.
