Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
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Random number generator
: Dice, spin wheels, sticks, coins, and so on
are optional ways to add some spontaneity to the game process. They can
define the distance a game piece may move on the board or demonstrate the
chances on certain actions, for example, fights.
•
Cards
: These are symbols or texts incorporated into the game board's single
square or provided separately. Usually, they have certain feedback on the
player's action.
•
Bonus
: This is a special prize that a player gets when he/she reaches a spe-
cific place on the game board. The position has a visual mark (by a card) or
can be determined in the game rules; for instance, when a Draughts' game
piece reaches the farthest row forward it is proclaimed a king and receives
extra talents. Usually, the bonus zone rewards the player with a free turn, in-
vulnerability, new types of attack, and so forth.
•
Pitfalls (force majeure)
: These are the various types of unpleasant exper-
iences the player has. He loses his turn, moves his game piece backward,
and so on.
Amusingly, now you can try to remove some items from the list and then you can
get new types of games. For example, if a game board is removed, a card game
can be created. The cards can be a partial representation of many things: game
pieces (each has a unique design and look), a random generator (in a case a deck is
shuffledthoroughly),agameboard(asequenceofcardscandepictthegameworld),
and finally, they can hold bonuses and pitfalls. The greater the number of cards a
deck has, the more complex can the game is. Bear in mind that besides traditional
playing cards, there are a lot of card decks with unique designs that let you play so-
called dedicated deck card games. If you drop most of the game attributes but keep
the random number generator, a world of dice games can be introduced to you.
The dice and the game board can together create their own class of games, a good
example of this is Crown and Anchor, the game played by British sailors, which in-
cluded special game board (playing mat) and original dice covered with symbols, not
with dots (visit
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_and_Anchor
for more info).
Many strategy and tactical games have no random generator, and bonuses and pit-
falls are not clearly expressed.
Hypothetically,therecanbeagamewithoutanyactualrules;justimaginehowchaot-
ic it would be. There would be total freedom, and this would be fun, but this also
