FUNDAMENTALS OF GAME DESIGN, SECOND EDITION
Integrating for Entertainment
When one particular motivation drives the development of a game, the result is often a substandard product. A good designer seeks not to maximize one characteristic at the expense of others but to integrate them all in support of a higher goal: entertaining the player.
■ A game must present an imaginative, coherent experience, so the designer must have a vision.
■ A game must sell well, so the designer must consider the audience's preferences.
■ A game with a license must pay back the license's cost, so the designer must understand what benefits this license brings and exploit them to the game's best advantage.
■ A game must offer an intelligent challenge and a smooth, seamless experience, so the designer must understand the technology.
■ A game must be attractive, so the designer must think about its aesthetic style.
Player-centric game design means testing every element and every feature against the standard: Does this contribute to the player's enjoyment? Does it entertain her? If so, it stays; if not, you should consider eliminating it. There's no easy formula for deciding this; the main thing is to make the effort. As Brian Moriarty said in the section quoted in Chapter 1, "Games and Video Games," too many designers "pile on gratuitous features just so that they can boast about them," which means they're not designing player-centrically.
There are sometimes reasons for including features that don't directly entertain: They might be necessary to make other parts of the game work, or they might be required by the licensor. But you should regard them with great suspicion and do your best to minimize their impact on the player.
