People as Pieces – Social Mechanics in Games
People as Pieces – Social Mechanics in Games
People as Pieces – Social Mechanics in Games
July 27, 2022
By Sarah Le-Fevre
Summary
I started to write this article, which is intended to look at 'Social' mechanics and structures in games, and naturally I turned straight to 'Building Blocks', which was when I noticed there was no 'Social' section, gathering together those mechanics which use players themselves as 'pieces' in the game, manipulate player dynamics and relationships, and otherwise 'play with' people.
The criteria which separates the mechanics I think of as specifically 'social' from the rest is that they utilise social interaction or dynamics as an experience in the game.
Even in games where plays can have complete knowledge of the goals of other players - take Root - A Game of Woodland Might and Right - each of the 'factions' in the games has differing moves and goals and therefore completely different strategies.
There is a whole class of games where one plays as oneself, by which I mean that the games asks the real 'you', not some in-game character to make moves and take decisions based on your actual beliefs, values or other 'real' characteristic.
While party games which are actually designed to cause disagreements might be seen as somewhat unpleasant, some games recognise that the immersion that some from play can be potentially damaging to social bonds.
What is most interesting to me from a games for learning perspective, is the kinds of gameplay and behaviours that emerge from 'social' mechanics.
If in addition to 'targetting' mechanics, the game includes social mechanics which influences one's feeling towards another player, we have a recipe for polictickingbehaviour.
Reference
Le-Fevre, S. (2022, July 27). People as pieces – social mechanics in games. Retrieved August 12, 2022, from https://ludogogy.co.uk/people-as-pieces-social-mechanics-in-games/