FUNDAMENTALS OF GAME DESIGN, SECOND EDITION
The Classic Game Genres
As you flesh out your concept, consider whether or not it falls into one of the classic video game genre descriptions that follow. Later chapters look at these genres in detail, examining each to see how it differs from the others and what special design considerations apply to it. For now, here's a brief introduction to the genres.
■ Action games include physical challenges. They may also incorporate puzzles, races, and a variety of conflict challenges, typically among a small number of characters. Action games often contain simple economic challenges as well, usually involving collecting objects. They seldom include strategic or conceptual challenges. Action games may be further subdivided into a variety of sub-genres. Two of the best known are shooter games and fighting games.
■ Strategy games include strategic (naturally), tactical, and sometimes logistical challenges. They may also offer economic and exploration challenges to lengthen the game and give it more variety. Once in a while, they also have a physical challenge thrown in for spice, but this often annoys strategically minded players.
■ Most role-playing games involve tactical, logistical, and exploration challenges. They also include economic challenges because the games usually involve collecting loot and trading it in for better weapons. They sometimes include puzzles and conceptual challenges, but rarely physical ones.
■ Real-world simulations include sports games and vehicle simulations, including military vehicles. They involve mostly physical and tactical challenges but not exploration, economic, or conceptual ones.
■ Construction and management games such as RollerCoaster Tycoon primarily offer economic and conceptual challenges. Only rarely do they involve conflict or exploration, and they almost never include physical challenges.
■ Adventure games chiefly provide exploration and puzzle-solving. They sometimes contain conceptual challenges as well. Adventure games may include a physical challenge also, but only rarely.
■ Puzzle games offer logic challenges and conceptual challenges almost exclusively, although occasionally there's time pressure or an action element.
You will probably find that it's much easier to design a game that fits within one well-known genre than it is to design one outside of any existing genre. If you choose to design in an existing genre, you can study the many games that already belong to it for inspiration. You will also know which challenges to concentrate on and which to leave out.
