Following up on linguistic tokens, in which we discussed how words, and collections of words, are abstract tokens that represent meaning… I contend that game mechanics themselves function much as words do, in that they are tokens, or symbols, that communicate meaning. Rather than write endlessly about the theory, let’s take a look at what [...]
Tag Archives: storytelling
Ludowhereigive-what now?
August 2, 2010 – 5:22 am
There’s a particularly irritating fight scene at the very end of Syfy’s Riverworld, which is based on the writing of Phillip Jose Farmer. Of course, I’m just calling out one irritating thing about the two-part offering because it proves a specific point I’ve been trying to make. There are a great many things in the [...]
I am your new master
July 16, 2010 – 9:00 am
It’s not enough for game mechanics to serve the plot. In fact, this most often results in weak gameplay and a deeply unsatisfying story experience. Instead, the the plot must spring directly from the game mechanics themselves. And this means abandoning our traditional notions of what makes for a “good” story structure and focusing on [...]
