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Rules
“rules, play, culture”
COSC 4126 rules
Rules of Tic-Tac-Toe
1. Play occurs on a 3 by 3 grid of 9 squares.2. Two players take turns marking empty
squares, the first marking X’s, the second O’s.3. A row is any three squares on the grid,
adjacent diagonally, vertically or horizontally.4. If one player places three of the same marks
in a row, the player wins.5. If the spaces are all filled and there is no
winner, the game ends in a draw.
COSC 4126 rules
Which game structure is part of the rules?
e.g. rules are distinct from aesthetics rules specify the constitution of the deck
used in a card game (jokers included?) the formal relationship of the cards is
part of the rules (e.g. 4 parallel sets of 13 ordered values) but the suits (diamonds, hearts, spades, clubs) and ordered sequences (A,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,J,Q,K) are not
COSC 4126 rules
strategies are not rules Two players take turns marking empty
squares, the first marking X’s, the second O’s.
is a rule of Tic-Tac-Toe but If an opponent has two marks in a row,
place a mark to fill the third in the row.
is a strategy
Which game structure is part of the rules?
COSC 4126 rules
Game rules compared to rules in other activities
Rules: guidelines that direct, restrict or guide behaviour
etiquette: rules of polite behaviour laws: rules of legal behaviour policies: rules of acceptable activity
COSC 4126 rules
Qualities of rules limit/restrict player action – what can
be done with the artifacts of the game are unambiguous and explicit are shared by all players (does not
imply symmetry) are fixed are binding are repeatable / portable
COSC 4126 rules
Rules in context
game rules create artificial, clear conditions inside the magic circle a temporary escape from the ambiguous,
shifting, unfair conditions of real life.
COSC 4126 rules
Game space and rules
the formal structure of games can be regarded as a parameter space where the current state of the game is a point in the parameter space
rules define the possible edges in the space connecting states
a particular game is a path through the state space
COSC 4126 rules
Game space example
Tic-Tac-Toe is a set of 9 parameters, each of which can take on three values: {X, O, e}
The start state of the game space is[e,e,e,e,e,e,e,e,e]
[e,e,e,X,e,e,e,e,e] is connected to the start state by an edge but there is no path to [e,e,O,e,O,e,e,e,e]
COSC 4126 rules
Categories of rules in games
operational constituative (sic) implicit
COSC 4126 rules
3 to 15: another game
1. Two players alternate turns.2. On your turn, pick a number from 1
to 9; you may not pick a number already chosen.
3. If any three of your numbers add to 15 you win.
Let’s play….
COSC 4126 rules
Pick a number…
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
COSC 4126 rules
3 to 15 == Tic-Tac-Toe
2 9 47 5 36 1 8
The space of Tic-Tac-Toe is isomorphic with the space of 3 to 15
they share a mathematical structure below the level of the rules
COSC 4126 rules
Implicit rules of games
What if O player refuses to move?
X O OX X
implicit rules can be formalized (e.g. clock in chess matches) and often must be considered explicitly in digital games
COSC 4126 rules
Categories of rules in games
operational constituative implicit
COSC 4126 rules
operational rules
rules of play guidelines for players usually the explicitly written “rules of
the game”
COSC 4126 rules
constituative rules
underlying formal structures – the formal game space
logical / mathematical rules –the parameters and algorithms of the coded game
COSC 4126 rules
constituative rules - example1. all players begin with value total of zero2. players alternate turns adding a random
value of 1 to 6 to their total3. first player with to achieve value total of
100 wins4. if the random value would take the total
beyond 100, it is not added5. if a player achieves a value in this table,
the other value in the pair is substituted
value
8
16
28
44
67
71
83
96
substitute
19
23
7
30
79
47
55
72
COSC 4126 rules
Making constituative rules operational
how to measure progress write score, amass chips, follow number line
how to make random move throw die, use spinner, draw card
how to substitute values look-up table, links on line
COSC 4126 rules
Making constituative rules operational
in code constituative rules are coded in the
underlying game algorithms operational rules are coded in the
interfacequestion for educational game:where is the knowledge to be learned?
COSC 4126 rules
implicit rules
etiquette, sportsmanship, other rules of behaviour
infinite in number “house rules” - may not have some of
the ‘qualities’•are unambiguous and explicit•are shared by all players (does not imply symmetry)•are fixed•are binding•are repeatable / portable
COSC 4126 rules
Designing a game
constituative rules and operational rules both determine a game’s identity
both are part of creation of meaning for the players action and response involves both
COSC 4126 rules
Designing a game
formal (mathematical / algorithmic) model
operational, concrete model
dictionary
defines relation between abstract symbols and operations
and
concrete objects and player actions
COSC 4126 rules
Designing a digital game
game core as constituative model interface – inputs plus display plus
sound as operational model
COSC 4126 rules
Elegant design
The core of good design is in the operationalization of the constituative rules. Salen and Zimmerman, p.136-7, 149
Designs can be evaluated for meaning by the criteria ofdiscernability and integration
COSC 4126 rules
Examples
variations on Tic-Tac-Toe variations on Chutes and Ladders
compare with interface alternatives:e.g. – inputting an integer: type in text field; select from menu;
position a slider; click on a button
COSC 4126 rules
Designing a game
original idea can be at either level – constituative or operational
where is your content? is it an interaction model that needs a
constituative algorithm behind it? is it a conceptual model that needs an
operational interface to make it accessible?
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