Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
structure
Participants
n
Energy
produced by the dynamic
engine
n
A
source
that produces energy
n
Upgrades
that affect the production
rate of energy
n
An
invest
action that creates
upgrades
n
Actions
the player can spend on,
including the
invest
action
collaborations
The dynamic engine produces energy that is consumed by a number of actions. One
action (Invest) produces upgrades that improve the energy output of the dynamic
engine. A dynamic engine allows two different types of upgrades a player can invest
in to improve its production:
n
The frequency at which energy is produced
n
The number of energy tokens generated each time
The differences between the two are subtle. A high frequency will create a steady
low, while a high number (but low frequency) will lead to bursts of energy.
consequences
A dynamic engine creates a powerful positive constructive feedback loop that prob-
ably needs to be balanced by some pattern implementing negative feedback, such
as any form of friction. Alternatively, balance it by using escalation to create chal-
lenges of increasing difficulty.
When using a dynamic engine, you must be careful not to create a dominant strat-
egy, either by favoring the long-term strategy too much or by making the costs for
the long-term strategy too high.
A dynamic engine generates a distinct gameplay signature. A game that consists of
little more than a dynamic engine will cause the players to invest at first, appearing
to make little progress. Beyond a certain point, the player will start to make more
progress and needs to try to do so at the quickest possible pace.
implementation
The chance of building a dominant strategy that favors either long-term or short-
term investment is reduced when some sort of randomness is introduced in the
dynamic engine. However, the positive feedback loop that exists in an unpredictable
