The art of game design: a book of lenses

Jesse Schell

Chapter 10 Some Elements are Game Mechanics - all with Video Answers

Educators

Chapter Questions

Problem 1

To use this lens focus on the parts of your game that involve randomness and risk, keeping in mind that those two things are not the same.
Ask yourself these questions:
What in my game is truly random? What parts just feel random?

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Problem 2

To use this lens focus on the parts of your game that involve randomness and risk, keeping in mind that those two things are not the same.
Ask yourself these questions:
Does the randomness give the players positive feelings of excitement and challenge, or does it give them negative feelings of hopelessness and lack of control?

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Problem 3

To use this lens focus on the parts of your game that involve randomness and risk, keeping in mind that those two things are not the same.
Ask yourself these questions:
Would changing my probability distribution curves improve my game?

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Problem 4

To use this lens focus on the parts of your game that involve randomness and risk, keeping in mind that those two things are not the same.
Ask yourself these questions:
Do players have the opportunity to take interesting risks in the game?

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Problem 5

To use this lens focus on the parts of your game that involve randomness and risk, keeping in mind that those two things are not the same.
Ask yourself these questions:
What is the relationship between chance and skill in my game? Are there ways I can make random elements feel more like the exercise of a skill? Are there ways I can make exercising skills feel more like risk-taking?

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