A Manifesto for Development
We live in interesting times. On a daily basis, most of us spend some time interacting with a world that is separated from reality. Whether this is through games or social media, or just the abstract business operations that we perform, this alternate reality is constantly asking for our attention. Until we can teach animals and plants to create virtual presences, we are stuck in an entirely human constructed world. Even the algorithms that seek to replace individual humans, are in a sense a pure human creation. They will be limited by our own limitations.
As game designers we should embrace this concept. We should realize that we are humans building games for humans, and that we have a responsibility in this.
First, do not lie. Humans spend a lot of time learning how to deceive each other. The worlds we create are in fact another deception. However, we should not lie.
Do Not re-write history. It is fun to play the game of what-if. This is something that human’s do with one another all the time. This is part of developing our social interactions, and checking our common conceptions. However, in the game there is no way for the player and developer to step outside the fabrication and re-check their common conceptions. This can lead to a belief by the player that the fiction of the game is actually factual. If you want to deal with a historical subject, then it must be as correct as possible, and constantly remind the player to step out of the illusion and accept that this is not absolute truth.
Do not create shortcuts in a process for the purpose of game play. By this we mean do not remove steps from a complicated task in order to speed up game play, or make it easier. For example, if a player needs to assemble something, all the necessary parts should be illustrated in the assembly, and the required tools and crafting processes should be included. Do not say a player picks up some sand and in their hands creates a glass bottle. The ingredients are incomplete, and the tools are incomplete, and the crafting process is incomplete. If you need people to have glass bottles, and are not interested in the crafting process, then use a different method for distribution.
Do not invent science that you do not know. There is no need to understand how the frog’s brain works in order to use a frog in a game. Likewise, there is no need to understand how a robot or warp drive or magic works in order to include it in your game. If someone in the game is an expert, it may seem good to give them all the fundamental knowledge. However, this is simply not the case. If the purpose of the game is to teach some real concept, then it is worth finding real experts that can be cited or “show up” in the game to deliver the information in the exact way they would (not re-written for story convenience).
Second, attempt to make games that have purpose. The primary purpose of a game should not be to sell merchandise or other games. In physical games we can gain proficiency in tasks outside the game itself. When someone finishes playing your game, what comes next? How will the time they spent pay off in their daily life.
Do not make up for weak mental skills, strengthen them. If your game requires the player to remember something from the beginning of the game to use at the end of the game this can be very hard for some players. By providing an in-game flashback to remind them, means they do not need to rely on their own skills. Commit to your challenges. If the user cannot complete the game, it may be painful, but better than the expectation that the world will tell them what to do (honestly) whenever they get stuck.
Include references to activities that the player may engage in outside of the game. For example, gardening, building models, cooking, etc. However, if you want to include these activities in the game play, be sure to include the real process (see Do Not Lie above).
Education is a great reason for creating a game. However, what happens when the game is done? Make sure to include some kind of direction as to how the knowledge could be applied outside the game .
Finally, push for positive change in the world. All work should in some way be done to make the world better. Game development should do the same. In a way, a game can be seen as a detailed recreation of some aspect of the world in general. If all games pushed for positive change in the specific area of the game, and to the world as a whole what a positive force for change they could be. Defeating the monster at the end of the game does nothing to push for positive change. However, Defeating the monster who was polluting the water-supply for the town downstream is a start. However, in order to really make positive change you must stop the pollution (either by removing the monster or removing whatever the monster had).
Killing a thing does not intrinsically bring positive change to the world. Games that simply say killing an opponent is all there is does nothing. Killing should never be an objective in your game (even though it may be necessary to reach the final objective).
Do not replace one monster with another. There is no one person that can fix all the problems in the world. Kicking the monster out of the castle and putting the princess back on the throne does not suddenly make the crops grow, the sun shine, the water pure, and the people’s lives better. Likewise, there is not social system or political party that has all the answers. People will have to solve people’s problems.
Good and Bad are best used to describe the results, not the players. Neither the player nor any opponent should be labeled in a reductive way. Making all the opponent evil mushrooms is a good way yo reduce them, and make it easier to kill/destroy them. The good or bad of any character is based on the intended result of the actions they have taken. If the player spends the entire game destroying all the houses of the mushroom people because they get a reward, surely does not fall under the “good” intended result. If a player is acting in a bad way, they should be made aware of this, and there should be consequences.