Poetic Games
Poetic Games
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Korean language
#indiegames #artgames #altgames #personalgames #microgames #notgmaesAs shown above, there is a new surge of hashtags that classify games. Based on these hashtags, a community for experimenting with alternative games is also being actively created, and they discuss the new value of games through manifestos.They question the discourse of existing games and try to veer away from the conventions of games by focusing on the diversity that games can experiment with.
They often experimented the possibilities of games by limiting the actions used by existing players in order to veer away from the conventions of existing games. If there are restrictions in the way a player can interact in a game, it may seem like the player could easily be stuck in this limitation, but in fact, the range of play the player explores is greater.
<Journey> communicates with the player with a single signal, such as a stamp floating on the head of the character. Although the game does not express all the messages clearly in words or sentences, the feeling after the communication makes the player think and the possibilities of expression of the game are expanded.
<Her Story> also limits the player’s actions and opens up the possibility of the new gameplay. The player is given the role of an investigator to solve the case in the game, but all he/she can do is to put different words in the search keyword. This limited mechanism narrows the action provided by the gameplay, but it allows the player to think outside of the gameplay, allowing the player to actively play the game.
<Journey> communicates with the player with a single signal, such as a stamp floating on the head of the character. Although the game does not express all the messages clearly in words or sentences, the feeling after the communication makes the player think and the possibilities of expression of the game are expanded.
<Her Story> also limits the player’s actions and opens up the possibility of the new gameplay. The player is given the role of an investigator to solve the case in the game, but all he/she can do is to put different words in the search keyword. This limited mechanism narrows the action provided by the gameplay, but it allows the player to think outside of the gameplay, allowing the player to actively play the game.
As such, the experience given to the player by “limitations” in the game offers a variety of possibilities beyond the conventional existing games.Small and limited tools like Bitsy and Flickgame are great when experimenting with these alternative possibilities. Both tools are so easy to use that you can experiment with various games on your own without any tutorial, so they are suitable as the early-stage experimentation with the poetic expressiveness of the game.Bitsy allows you to design small and limited games by drawing space, avatars, items, and text necessary for the game based on dots. The visual elements expressed in the game are simplified as dots, and obstacles and items are limitedly used until the player reaches the goal, but this allows the game designers to find more creative ways to deliver efficient and effective message methods within the “limitations.” Flickgame must also create the mechanics only with variables such as “drawing” and “color” while removing various elements of the game. In order to diversify the game within the limited mechanics, the designers often condense to express their creativity. Therefore, “limitations” in the game bring positive results not only to the player but also to the game designer.
Using Bitsy and Flickgame, we made a poetic game with various expressions in a game using only one limiting factor.
We experimented with what kind of limitless expressive possibilities are implied in the game design process from a one-room game in which gameplay is played in only one space, to a game that provides a narrative with words instead of sentences to the player.
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