With James

Direct and Indirect Gaming

The concepts of direct and indirect gaming. Most games fall upon a spectrum between each state.

Direct gaming experiences are linked to the players ability to react to game events by their own input responses. Usually incorporates environment.

Indirect gaming experiences are managed by player initiation through background assessment’s or use of statistics. Usually used to run sub-game systems, assessments and rewards.

Treat the indirect aspects of an experience as a sub-game. Test it vigorously. Prototype.

An example of a combination of these states is the Skyrim lock picking puzzle.

You should be thinking in terms of indirect gaming at the beginning of development. Split mechanics into things which are direct and indirect. Tackle the states separately and consider whether there are actually two games concurring.

Benefits of direct gaming:

• Great variety in how a direct experience can be achieved
• It is a more personal experience
• There is less balancing to achieve

Drawbacks:

• The efficacy can only be shown through continuous and strenuous testing
• They are more dependent on factors external to themselves