Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
units like me can my general build? And how fast? Are we close to a goal such as
capturing a strategic point where we may want to throw everything we have at the
attack? Are we defending a strategic point and need to do so for as long as possible
—therefore causing us to be conservative and careful? All of these could possibly be
valid points, but they also complicate things somewhat—and make Friar Occam
shift a little uncomfortably in his chair. For purposes of making the point, we have
to resort to our standard disclaimer of “all other things being equal.� (Trust me, as
we progress further through this topic, we will dismiss the good friar from the
room so we can start having some real fun.)
Sure, the puzzle isn't completely “solved.� It remains a dilemma, but it's not as
cryptic as it once was. (Unfortunately, it's also not as superficially clear-cut either.)
What you realize through the process is that the correct decision depends on other
information that wasn't given and that, in a hypothetical, depersonalized setting,
you can't ferret out for yourself (e.g., the knowledge of whether or not your partner
is a selfish moron or a suicidal, berserking maniac). That is the point I am trying to
make.
Many problems have mathematical solutions that take a limited number of
parameters into account. Often, those lead to strictly dominating strategies. At that
point, the problem is solved and the hunt is over. However, by putting other factors
into play, such as a rational, intelligent person with a possible twist of malice… or
loyalty… on the other side of the table, we have created something that goes beyond
a simple mathematical solution. We have created a dilemma that, in our established
vernacular, is an “interesting decision.�
Up to this point, the games we have touched on have been symmetrical. Both sides
have had the same decisions, risks, and rewards available to them. Certainly, that is
not always the case. In fact, even in a symmetrical game such as an FPS or RTS,
plenty of situations will arise where an individual encounter is not symmetrical.
Theoretically, those encounters are, in and of themselves, complete games with de-
cisions to be made.
Our rocket launcher example above would be entirely different if the rules were
changed so that the unarmed player A was deciding to grab the rocket launcher
while player B was already armed with a sniper rifle. Staying put behind meager
cover is now no longer a low-risk solution, which makes taking your chances running
into the open a lot more attractive.
