Game Decisions

In order for the player to be optimally engaged, challenges should be presented at a level equivalent or slightly higher than their current skill. Not too easy, not too hard”(Gigity McD)

This week I watched a video called " Flow experience in computer game playing among Thai university students". The video explained Game Flow.

What I learned from this video is the game flow is how the game designer can keep the player interested and keep on playing the game. In simple terms this would be called 'being in the zone'.

All games new created on a scale of based on skills and the players expereince. If the game is too hard they become frustrated and bored because they're not winning so this causes them to quit the game. This can also happen if the game is too easy to play, there is skill being learned or challenges being achieved so the player becomes bored and quits. 

I learned that there needs to be a balance between skill and challenge as this will then create a flow that will entice the player wanting to stay and continue to play. When designing a game we must challenge the player but not too much, so this is why when you play a game each level gets slightly harder as the player needs to be pushed a little bit in order for them to stay in the game flow.

Below is a flow chart that describes how games are formed on skills and experience and this is how a good game is created.

The x axis is the player's skill and the y axis is the challenge. When the player starts off, the challenges are easy in order to introduce the player to the game system. Overtime, this will  increase the player's skill. After the player has progressed through the game the challenges get more difficult. This is known as the flow channel and is the ideal place to maintain the player in the flow state. If the challenges are too easy the player will become bored of the game. If the challenges are extremely difficult for the player, the player will get overwhelmed, frustrated or fed up with the game. This is the point where the player reaches the anxiety state of the flow map.

Studies have found Cook (2008) that there are both positive and negative consequences with game flow. The positive representing cognitive flow   “composed of challenge-skill balance, clear goals, and unambiguous feedback,” and a negative element viewed as the emotional flow “composed of action- awareness merging, concentration on the task at hand, sense of control, loss of consciousness, and time transformation.” In the development of computer games, designers must be aware of these two characteristics when developing games.

References -

Numinous.productions. Dan Cook 2008. Building A Princess Saving App. Available at: <https://numinous.productions/ttft/assets/Cook2008.pdf> [Accessed 9 November 2020].

McD, Gigity (14th June 2018). What is FLOW THEORY in game design? - The Basics - (Part 1). Game Design with Michael, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H8pQyyXxHg [Accessed 9 November 2020].

Sanjamsai S, Phukao P. 2018 Flow experience in computer game playing among Thai university students. Available at: <shorturl.at/rtvGM> [Accessed 9 November 2020].

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