In “Video Game Mechanics Design, Part 1,” we discussed how beneficial it is to have a defined goal to form the rules of a game. A defined goal allows you to create the game rules, and with this information the developer can create a prototype using a process known as “Rapid Prototyping.”

You can define a prototype as, “an iterative process of systems development in which requirements are converted to a working system that is continually revised.”

Rapid Prototyping is the part of game development known as the iterative approach. The iterative approach involves designing the core rules of a game, implementing the rules into a workable prototype, play testing the game, and evaluating the end results.

But before we go further into prototyping, and explaining how to use the defined goal to form the rules, we must first understand the definition of a rule, and the different types of rules. The creation of rules is known as Systems Design in Video Game Development.

Following the goal, the rules are the second most important aspect defining a game.

“The rules of a game are absolutely binding and allow no doubt.” - J. Huizinga

There are three important characteristics concerning rules:

• Rules in a game must be defined explicitly in a manner that is unambiguous.

• Rules are completely binding for the duration of the game.

• Rules are repeatable and similar with each game session.

There are three kinds of rules that define the player’s actions; permissive or affirmative, binding and forbidding or limiting rules.

Rules that define the space of possibility of action for the player, and explain what the player can do are known as the permissive or affirmative rules.

Rules that delimit the space of possibility of action, and explain what the player must do are the binding rules.

Finally, rules that are explaining what the player must not do are known as forbidding or limiting rules.

Let’s analyze “Tag” commonly referred to as “It”.

Tag is a playground game where at least one of the players chase the other players in order to “tag” them, or touch them with their hand. There are many variations to this game, a popular one being “Duck, Duck, Goose.” In this form of tag, players form a circle facing inward. Then, one of the players, called the “fox”, walks around the circle, tapping each player. As they tap each player, they say the word “duck” until finally choosing one to be the “goose”. The goose then rises, and chases the fox attempting to tag that player before he or she can sit in their vacated spot.

Going further and examining the different kinds of rules in this game, a permissive or affirmative rule would be that the fox is allowed to pick any duck to be the goose. The goose needing to tag the fox before they sit in their spot or they become the fox, or the new “it”, would be an example of a binding rule. Finally, no favoritism is an example of a forbidding or limiting rule. No favoritism means that any player, who has already been a goose, cannot be a goose again until the other players have had their chance.

You should now understand the different types of rules concerning games. In order to create rules for your own game, you must be able to identify them in other games. For practice, find one of your favorite games; digital games, board games or playground games, and see if you can pinpoint the different types of rules.

Up Next: Rapid Prototyping: The Importance of Iteration

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