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.

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?