Uploaded byChristopher Allen
Raph Koster — The Core of Fun
The document discusses the structure of games, emphasizing that fun is derived from interaction design that engages players through choices and challenges. It introduces concepts like the 'grammar' of fun, highlighting how games are built from layered elements that create meaningful experiences. Additionally, it addresses the importance of consequences in gameplay, as well as the need for variability in player feedback to maintain engagement.
More Related Content
Similar to Raph Koster — The Core of Fun
Raph Koster — The Core of Fun
- 1. The C ofF R K P, Areae Inc.
- 2. I- I7 - IV - I - V7 - IV - I — I (audience claps and we sing blues)
- 3. ’ (audiencemakes random noises)
- 4. “” oftenhave underlying S
- 5. “” by MD C-maj7 — C-7 — G-7 — C7 Fmaj7 — Fmaj7 — F-7 — Bb7 Ebmaj7 — Eb-7 — Ab7 — Dbmaj7 — D-7b5 — G7b9b13
- 6. “” (“Solar” is a blues)
- 7. :’ When something works, it works at many levels.
- 8. I - I7- IV - I - V7 - IV - I — I = I — IV — V — I = I — V — I = 8 — 7# - 8
- 9. SSSSongs are madeof SSSSongs…
- 10. SSSSongs… HHHHarmonies are madeof overlapping
- 11. Visual compositions aremade of spaces
- 12. That are visualcompositions
- 13. Games are made out of Games
- 14.
- 15. Until you reach the interface button.
- 16. FUN
- 17. FUN …is a chemicalresponse
- 18. SocialVisceral EasyHard
- 19. Games mostly focuson hard fun.
- 20. HFis about solving problems. The problems tend to be mathematical. ∴ its grammar ignores presentation & metaphor.
- 21. aka Interaction Design
- 22. C “Acyclic process wheretwo actors alternatively listen, think, and speak.”
- 23. So let’s talkabout how you apply this to the Web.
- 24.
- 25. Typing in theURL for Amazon or hitting your bookmark, parsing the intro page, skipping your recommendations, finding the search box, the search, narrowing the results, finding the results you want, getting distracted by that other thing you meant to buy, comparing every result, parsing the product page, reading the reviews, finding the buy button from the four choices, making the purchase, picking shipping method, picking payment method, choosing gift wrap or not…
- 26. The challenges areexperienced sequentially, but in practice they are nested…
- 27. …you might havethe boss level encounter with one-click multiple times in different places or for different loot.
- 28. M I •TTTTerritory • PPPPreparation • CCCCore mechanic (skill required) • RRRRange of challenges • CCCChoice of abilities • VVVVariable feedback • BBBBad return on investment • CCCCost of failure
- 29. M I •WWWW • WWWW • HHHH • WWWW • WWWW • FFFF • FFFF • PPPP....
- 30. The core has to be repeatable.
- 31.
- 32. Something that canhandle .
- 33. Something that is.
- 34. Everything you didbefore must matter.
- 35. Whatever the opponentlast did to you should matter too. Never start an interaction with no .
- 36. You must beable to for this encounter In different .
- 37. The same challengein different locales should be a fresh .
- 38. The and should affect the outcome.
- 39. The same must be applicable to many different .
- 40. Think of averb as a H.
- 41. You should presentusers with lots of kinds of Nails
- 42. There are lotsof kinds of hammers too!
- 43. Users should beable to solve the challenge with their choice of tools.
- 44. And you shouldreward them with different for it.
- 45. Allthe above are Quantifiable. You can arrive at a for every challenge. You can sum them for the of a meta-challenge.
- 46. A game thatonly has one outcome is .
- 47.
- 48. (Usually, the bestfeedback is a greater challenge presented by the opponent.)
- 49. Sometimes, it’s apleasant S.
- 50. Either way, ithas to be . To everyone.
- 51. B is badfor fun.
- 52. In other words, low-riskactivity for high reward is bad for fun.
- 53. You need todrive users to challenges at the edge of . (cf Csikszentmihalyi’s .)
- 54. Making a wrongchoice has to be a . (Even if all it costs you is ).
- 55. FUN does not existwhere there is Zero C.
- 56. The absence ofany of these features makes things less .
- 57.
- 58.