Slides from the 2016/2017 edition of the Video game Design and Programming course at the Politecnico di Milano. More information at http://www.polimigamecollective.org Some of the video games developed by the students during the course are available at https://polimi-game-collective.itch.io

1. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
Transparency in Game Mechanics
Videogame Design and Programming

2. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
transparency
http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1020408/A-Study-in-Transparency-How

3. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
Board games are defined
by their transparency
Soren Johnson

4. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
Memoir ‘44 – Battle Dice

5. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
Power Grid

6. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
Innovation

7. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi

8. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi

9. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
Transparent and consistent rules run
in the player’s head, creating engagement

10. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi

11. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
Transparent abstraction focuses
players on the inner game.

12. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
Drafting & Deck Building

13. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
Fog of war?

14. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
Transparent, visible mechanics
increase player comfort

15. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
pre luck vs. post luck
RPGs typically favor post luck

16. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
Pre-luck is a transparent way to
present interesting decisions

17. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
Pre-luck is a transparent way to
present interesting decisions
Transparent, visible mechanics
increase player comfort
Transparent abstraction focuses
players on the inner game.
Transparent and consistent rules run
in the player’s head, creating engagement

18. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
What connect these games?
These games are static

19. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
What does “being dynamic” entail?

20. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
static dynamic
It is a continuum

21. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
static dynamic
Some static games use dynamic systems

22. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
static dynamic
Some dynamic games use static content

23. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
static dynamic
In static games, the content is primary
In dynamic games, the mechanic is primary

24. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi

25. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
What engages the player with the
mechanics of a dynamic game?

26. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
bad transparency good transparency

27. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
bad transparency good transparency

28. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
transparency via interface

29. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
transparency via system

30. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
transparency via theme

31. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
transparency via help

32. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
transparency via help

33. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
if mechanics are primary, then
the key factor is transparency

34. Prof. Pier Luca Lanzi
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