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Game Rules
Ben SALEM
School of Design
University of Northumbria

Content

1.Defining Rules
2.Content
3.Writing a design document
4.Using the design document

Defining Rules

Rules constitute the inner, formal structure of games.
All games have rules that are one of their defining
qualities
Rules are different from the experience of the game
Rules are abstract tools for thinking about the formal
structure of a game

What are Game Rules

Limit players actions
Are explicit and unambiguous
Are shared by all players
Are fixed
Are binding
Are repeatable

Rule Levels 1

Constitutive Rules
The abstract, core mathematical rules of a game
Operational Rules
The rules of play that players follow when they are playing the game
Implicit Rules
The unwritten rules of etiquette and behaviour that generally go un-
stated.

Rule Levels 2

The operational rules of the game build directly from the
game constitutive rules
There is a fuzzy boundary between operational and
implicit rules
The formal identity of a game emerges from the
relationship between the constitutive rules and the
operational rules
The formal meaning of a game emerges from the
bridging of the three level of rules

Good Rules

Good and elegant rules allow player to focus on the
experience of play rather than on the logic of the rules

Board & Computer Game Rules 1

In general the rules of a computer game are the same
than the rules of a board game
They are directly concerned with the actions players take and the
outcome of those actions
The internal functioning of formal game logic is also part
of the rules

Board & Computer Game Rules 2

The constitutive rules of B&C Games are quite similar
The constitutive rules of a computer game handle the game internal
events
The operational rules of computer games are not only
concerned with the internal events but also with the
player inputs and the game outputs
B&C games share implicit rules

Rule Levels in Computer Games

In computer games is it sometimes not possible to
clearly determine what aspect of the game belongs to
what type of rule

Games as Complex Systems 1

Fixed Systems remain the same for ever
Periodic Systems repeat the same pattern endlessly
Complex Systems exhibit patterns of behaviour more
complex than periodic systems
Chaotic systems behave in a complete random fashion
(within the scope of gaming).

Games as Complex Systems 2

When a game lacks complexity it also lack meaningful
play
Complexity ensures that the space of possibilities of a game is
large enough to support meaningful play
Emergent systems generate unpredictable patterns of
complexity
e.g. In language the rules of grammar and all possible statements

Games as Emergent Systems

Emergence in games results from the formal system of
the game put to use by the players
e.g. bluffing in poker is not explicitly stated in the rules
Emergent games have a space of possibility large
enough to reward players for exploring the game

Games & Uncertainty

Uncertainty is a key component of every game
Relationship between game decision and outcome
have three degree of uncertainty:
Certain outcomes are completely predetermined
Risk outcome has a known probability of happening
Uncertain outcome is completely unknown to the player.

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Game design 3

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