Where the game is played, headspace wise. This determines a lot about the game.
Private Venues
The Hearth
Games played at home, in private or with a close group, for relaxation. Mario Kart, Stardew Valley MP, Terraria, Minecraft. Social first.
The Workbench
Games that are played because the joy is in the mechanics. Complex systems, high skill cap. Mechanics first.
The Reading Nook
The book equates this to Mobile games because they're sort of idle and you can play them on the couch. However, I would argue this is the domain of the single player story-driven game. Something that is you, the art, and your imagination. I would call this story first.
Public Venues
The Theater
A collective story-driven or social experience. This is a tough location for games because player agency must be distributed amongst multiple players and the theater is usually quite one-sided. That said, things like VR Chat and BigScreen are sort of trying this.
The Arena
An easy parallel. Fast paced, competitive, online. A million shooters and strategy games.
The Museum
Collections! Any game that encourages you to seek out things, especially if they're cosmetic items. Appeals to the collector and the lover of variety. Animal Crossing, or how I play WoW.
Half Private, Half Public
The Gaming Table
Board, card, dice games. Online Casinos, Tabletop Simulator, etc.
The Playground
Sandboxes. Player freedom. Minecraft Creative Mode, Roblox, etc.
Anywhere
Mobile games, simple fast games like sudoku or crosswords. Idle games probably too.
Venues Mixed and Matched
These are not exclusive. It's not a bad idea to try to cover as many as you can.
LENS 003: The Lens of the Venue
The places that we play exert tremendous influence on the design of our games. To make sure you aren't designing in a vacuum, ask yourself these questions:
1. What type of venue best suits the game I'm trying to create?
2. Does my venue have special properties that will influence my game?
3. What elements of my game are in harmony with my venue? What elements are not?
Chapter 3: The Experience Takes Place In A Venue
The Shifting Sands of Platform
Where the game is played, headspace wise. This determines a lot about the game.
Private Venues
The Hearth
Games played at home, in private or with a close group, for relaxation. Mario Kart, Stardew Valley MP, Terraria, Minecraft. Social first.
The Workbench
Games that are played because the joy is in the mechanics. Complex systems, high skill cap. Mechanics first.
The Reading Nook
The book equates this to Mobile games because they're sort of idle and you can play them on the couch. However, I would argue this is the domain of the single player story-driven game. Something that is you, the art, and your imagination. I would call this story first.
Public Venues
The Theater
A collective story-driven or social experience. This is a tough location for games because player agency must be distributed amongst multiple players and the theater is usually quite one-sided. That said, things like VR Chat and BigScreen are sort of trying this.
The Arena
An easy parallel. Fast paced, competitive, online. A million shooters and strategy games.
The Museum
Collections! Any game that encourages you to seek out things, especially if they're cosmetic items. Appeals to the collector and the lover of variety. Animal Crossing, or how I play WoW.
Half Private, Half Public
The Gaming Table
Board, card, dice games. Online Casinos, Tabletop Simulator, etc.
The Playground
Sandboxes. Player freedom. Minecraft Creative Mode, Roblox, etc.
Anywhere
Mobile games, simple fast games like sudoku or crosswords. Idle games probably too.
Venues Mixed and Matched
These are not exclusive. It's not a bad idea to try to cover as many as you can.
Recommended Reading