Context

Rule & Gameplay analysis

With Analysis of playtested games

In this analysis task I am going to analyse the importance of rules in a game and how it affects the overall gameplay and level of fun from the game. I am hoping to take away important elements that I should include in my game and not include in any factors or elements that may harm the gameplay experience of my game. I will also be analysing how the rules affected the overall game experience in hopes to learn what I should include and not include in my rulebook. I have also included a recording for each game displaying the groups feedback on the game.

Kites: Time To Fly

Rule Analysis

The rule book in Kites is very simple and consists of many diagrams and example gameplay, this in turn makes the experience as simple as possible and reflects the age range that this game is aimed at (10+). The rules of Kites are not confusing and are very easy to understand, it consists of a contents page that includes visual diagrams and also includes a very handy setup guide that eases the setup process. This setup guide also includes different rules based on the amount of players in the game, this customises the player experience and allows for replay ability as the rules change on the level of player ability. The rules of the game only took 3-5 minutes to understand which created a better gameplay experience because all of the players understood the rules and were able to enjoy the core gameplay. Whilst learning the game I did not feel overwhelmed or confused as the rules were very clear and concise and created a welcoming experience to enjoy the game. In addition to this, I felt that the rule book was very well planned out and utilised a lot of white space, which created a clear and welcoming atmosphere as I was not bombarded with tons of information based on every possible scenario or outcome. Whilst playing the game, I felt very immersed with the gameplay, as it included physical game pieces that required the player to interact with on each turn, also I really enjoyed the level of speed and skill that was needed to quickly flip a sand timer before it ran out and the game would be over. I also really liked the bonus rules that were included in the rule book, these extra optional rules included a warm-up mode that could be used to ease in a younger player or a player who felt overwhelmed by the gameplay. I think this is a really good idea as it widens the target audience of the game and allows the players to target rules based on the level of skill of the players involved. Furthermore, an extra challenge mode was also included in the rule book, this mode introduced 12 extra challenge cards that completely reworked the rules of the game and increased the speed at which the players would have to react to the decreasing sand timers. This is a really great bonus mode because it allows players to feel challenged and adds an extra layer of speed and skill to the game. The language used in the rulebook was clear and didn’t over explain any features of the gameplay, this created a happy and non-confusing effect that carried over into the main gameplay of Kites. The overall game is simple and includes different levels of difficulty which allows it to be perfectly targeted towards the age range of 10+

Gameplay Analysis

My gameplay experience was exactly what was explained to me in the rule book, every element in the rule book allowed me to successfully and joyfully play the game. As I was playing I could feel a sense of challenge and tension because me and my teammates were making quick decisions and actions to ensure that the timers did not run out before we had a chance to turn them. The game was very fair for all of the players as each player has the same amount of cards and the turns of the players are carried out in a clockwise turn base. Each player has cards that indicate the timer in which they should turn, every player can choose what timer is turned based on the symbols displayed on their cards. The game can be played by anyone, each of the timers are colour coded and the icon matched to the colours and icons displayed on the player cards, so even if you are colour blind you can still join in with the fun. The overall design of the game, its rule book, packaging and interactive elements all adopted a similar art style, which creates a well rounded and sleek design that flows throughout the whole experience of the game, from unboxing to diving into the core gameplay, every design feels interconnected. The graphics used on all of the elements in the game are in some way linked to the idea of kites whether this be a cloud or an aeroplane. This creates a well rounded experience. The gameplay can range from 5-15 minutes based on the players' reactions to flipping the timers in time, I believe that this length of time is just right when it comes to a game of speed. I feel that the game is really enjoyable and has the potential to be played multiple times, but I think the concept of the game would become boring after about 3-4 playthroughs as it becomes repetitive overtime. But saying this, the gameplay is really addictive because all of the players are rushing to flip timers and you never know what is going to happen between each turn. On a scale of 1-5 I feel that Kites: Time To Fly would sit at 4 on the scale of fun, because the gameplay difficulty can be increased or decreased and the overall feel of the game is enjoyable and brings out a tense and hasty side to every player. The fun experienced in the game could be described as a happy, tense fun.

From the analysis of Kites: Time To Fly I have learned that a good game must not only include enjoyable gameplay but also include a concise and clear rulebook that is easy to interpret for a fast and quick understanding of the game. This fast rulebook understanding is something that I intend to include in my game, because you do not want to overwhelm, confuse or possibly lose a player because the rulebook was too long or went into unnecessary detail. Furthermore, I have learned that the overall design of the game needs to flow throughout the whole experience to create a well rounded and polished gameplay experience, because if the game design does not reflect that target audience then you are potentially going to lose customers or players, so I will ensure to create a targeted and flowing design that follows into all of the elements of the experience. I have also learned what definitely needs to be included in a rulebook, so I will ensure that all of these elements are included within my rule book of my own game: Contents, set-up, gameplay, win conditions, extra rules (Increasing or decreasing difficulty) and diagrams on every aspect of the game. I will not include long paragraphs of information that is going to bore the player before they have even experienced the game.

The Crew: The Quest For Planet Nine

Rule Analysis

The rules included in The Crew feel very long and complex to understand, this negatively impacts the experience of the game from the get go, as the rules are hard to interpret and seem to go into too much detail. Although the rulebook includes several diagrams of each element of the game, I feel that the rules are not in any way tailored toward the target audience of ages 10 and up because even I was struggling to grasp the idea of the game, it wasn’t until I watched a full playthrough of the game that I was able to understand to core mechanics and rules. It took about 15 minutes to fully read and understand the rules of the game, I think that this is too long for anyone to read an instruction manual, so I will ensure to not include a long-winded rulebook in my game. Whilst learning the game and understanding the instructions I felt very confused and overwhelmed which poorly impacted my experience of the game because every 2 minutes I had to keep referring back to the rulebook. I think that the creator of the game spent too much time on the theme and story of the game that they completely forgot about the experience and enjoyment of the players. This is present in the logbook and instruction book that is more than 30 pages long, every aspect of the logbook is linked with the theme of astronauts which is really great, but the theming feels too much and overpowers the gameplay. The language used in the game is a mix of complex and simple language which does not work together because it takes a while to understand the rules fully. The game, if understood properly, would be suitable for the age range but, if the players do not understand the rules and theming correctly then the age range of 10+ would not be suitable for this game because the rules are complex and include too much unnecessary information.

Gameplay Analysis  

My gameplay experience was not in any way enjoyable; this was due to the fact that the rulebook was hard to interpret. But the overall theming and gameplay of the game was aligned with the rulebook and was reflected in the game, well all that I was able to understand. The overall gameplay experience was hard, stressful and not very enjoyable, because of the difficult rules and an overwhelming amount of different scenarios and interactive elements in the game. The game is balanced because the players work together as a team to complete a set amount of tasks and objectives, but I think this balance would be impacted by the level of ability from the players. The design of the game and its contents was very well polished and represented the theme perfectly but the gameplay did not reflect this level of excellence because of the lack of understanding that I gathered from the encyclopaedia of a rulebook. I was not able to fully experience a full playthrough so I think that I would not be able to comment on the length of gameplay. If the player is able to understand the mountain of rules then I believe that the game could be repayable and addictive, but from my disappointing experience I think that this game would not be in any way addictive or enjoyable after many playthroughs, but this is just my opinion. I do not think that the game is fun or can be enjoyable for any player so with that in mind, I think that this game would fall into the category of boring with it being placed on 1 on the level of fun scale.

In conclusion, from my analysis of The Crew I have learned many elements that should be included in my game. For example, difficult and long winded rules and several interactive elements. These elements greatly reduced the amount of fun that I felt when “playing” this game so I will ensure not to include complicated essay rulebooks and more than three interactive elements such as cards or coins because this confused me as to what each element added to the game. On the other hand, I have also learned many things that I should include in my game. I believe that I should include a theme or story to my game because this is what drew me into the game, so without it I would have completely given up and refused to play the game. 

Cockroach Poker

Rule Analysis

The rules of Cockroach Poker are very simple and consist of a single page that sticks to the basic rules and scenarios of the game. The rulebook is very easy to interpret and understand for anyone of any age, as it uses diagrams and includes an example game going through each step from beginning to end. These simple rules are also accompanied by a table of contents to ensure that the player has all of the correct elements that are needed before they move into setup. I encountered no confusion when learning the rules of this game, as it was simple and explained perfectly, unlike The Crew. Furthermore, it took no longer than 3 minutes to fully read and understand the rules which allowed more time for me to enjoy the game with many playthroughs. This was excellent because my whole team found the game instructions concise and to the point, which created a more fun gameplay experience. There were little theming and story elements in the game but this was made up for from the great gameplay experience that I enjoyed. Although, the cards which the characters play the poker with are all themed around different bugs and insects which links somewhat with the theme of cockroaches. The language used in the instruction manual was very simple and easy to understand and the age range of 8+ was reflected in the gameplay experience. I believe that the age range of 8+ was very appropriate because the game is simple and not in any way complex. 

Gameplay Analysis

My overall gameplay experience with Cockroach Poker was very enjoyable as it involved a sense of backstabbing and double crossing players by tricking them into collecting four of each kind of card, at which point that player is rejected out of the game. This game is a great game to play in a group of friends because you can really annoy players by bluffing your cards. The gameplay experience reflected what was written out in the rulebook perfectly and was exactly what I expected in a poker based card game. The game is very balanced and fair for all players as each player takes it in turn to play their cards and force a player to collect a card. The overall design of the game and the contents are very well planned and greatly reflect the theme of bugs, insects and cockroaches. The designs are simple and reflect the age group that this game is aimed at excellently. The game took roughly 10 - 15 minutes to complete which I feel was just the right amount of time for a game of this genre and theme, anything longer than this then the player would have been bored. I feel that the game is very addictive and can be enjoyed for many playthroughs, this is due to the unpredictable nature of the game and the fun involved in playing this game as a team.

This game was very fun and I believe that it would fall at 4 on the scale of fun. Furthermore, the fun enjoyed can be described as social fun.

In conclusion, this game was by far the best and most enjoyable one that I played. Moving forward into creating my own game, I will make sure that my game is tailored toward the target audience and ensure that instructions are simple and understandable.