4 Basic Elements of a Game

As part of the research for this unit, I used the documents provided to read up about the elements of a video game. The resource stated that there are 4 main elements that make up a game, which are Mechanics, Story, Aesthetics, and Technology. While these elements are the major parts, they can be broken down further into more granular elements. These 4 parts are intrinsically linked and no part is greater than the other when creating a complete interactive experience.

Mechanics.
The mechanics are in essence the interactions with the player. These are the parameters within which the gameplay can take place, what can and can't be done in the rules of the world, the story or the limitations of the character, or even the technology. It dictates how the player will progress and what interactions they have with the game world. This is the most solid link a game has with the player and these interactions are what can ultimately make or break a game.

Story
The story is what compels the player to continue, it is what dictates how the player will continue, or what leaves the options open for the player to decide. The story and mechanics are closely linked in that the rules of the world must be adhered to by the interactions, but also must also make sense in terms of the story.

Aesthetics
The aesthetics of a game are extremely important. It is the visual aspect of the game, the art style, the sound design, the player feedback. these are all what the player experiences most directly, as well as what is experienced by non-players (others watching the game being played, but not actually playing). While mechanics dictates how and why the player is continuing, this is how the story will be told most directly. In this area it is important to think about technology, as the target hardware will have limitations on what can be achieved visually as well as audio wise, and the designer needs to play to the strengths.

Technology
The technology of a videogame is dictated by the target hardware as well as the chosen engine. This can effect graphic and sound quality, as well as the complexity of interactions. Technology that can affect mechanics should be considered, for example the controller of the device being used, weather it be a keyboard and mouse, a standard controller or simply the touch-screen of a phone or tablet.

All parts are linked and no part is most important. All areas have considerations and affect all other parts in some way. These are things that must be considered when designing a game.