Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
FIGURE 7.3
The scoring matrix for a theoretical game of
capture the flag shows that a turtling strategy (top row) may
either prolong the game into a stalemate or eventually lead
to a loss—but is not a valid strategy to win. The only
possible way of winning is to attack at some point.
Again, depending on the game and genre, building armies or spawning soldiers
is only part of the solution—just like holding on to Marvin Gardens. If the rules of
the game dictate that a goal needs to be accomplished to win, and achieving that
goal has an element of risk involved, then no amount of calculation will benefit you
if you do not first elect to take the risk.
Now certainly, there are risks worth taking and those that are not. Much of
the remainder of this topic is designed to help with those calculations. However, the
point made here is important. Just as Pascal posited that, in addition to the odds of
the game, “you must know what is at stake,� we must also know that there are times
when putting things at risk actually
changes
the odds of the game. The question is
not “Should I trade my properties in Monopoly?� The answer to that is “Yes.� The
question is actually “How should I trade my properties?� The answer to that involves
more detailed calculation, as we shall see shortly. However, the assumption can be
made that depending on how much and which properties you trade, the odds of
winning will actually change significantly… for better or worse.
Similarly, in a capture the flag game, the question is not “Should some of my
forces go on offense?� If your team ever hopes to win, again the answer is “Yes.�
The question would need to be “How many of my team members should go on
offense?� Once again, this is a question that demands more calculation than a two-
by-two matrix can provide. But, unlike betting on the fixed odds of a flip of a coin
