What is a Game? 10 Questions

Defining a 'Game' is not an easy task, which is why we use the 10 questions to help us conceptualise and define what we are trying to achieve. The 10 questions encompass games as a problem solving activity.

I will be answering these questions specifically to define our given brief, which is to make a Deathmatch or Capture the Flag map for the game Unreal Tournament.

Q1. Games are entered wilfully.

In the context of Unreal Tournament, the player wilfully enters battle against AI or other players.

Q2. Games have goals.

The goal of Unreal Tournament is to score more points than the opponent, either by killing them or scoring more points.

Q3. Games have conflict.

The conflict in Unreal Tournament is the battle between the player and the opponents, be they AI or other players.

Q4. Games have rules.

The Rules of Unreal Tournament are in DeathMatch, it's kill or be killed. In Capture the Flag, the enemies' flag must be captured and returned to base to score points.

Q5. Games can be won and lost.

Winning and losing in Unreal Tournament is the whole meaning of the game. More points or kills must be scored than the enemy to win, otherwise the player loses.

Q6. Games are interactive.

In Unreal Tournament, the interaction is player movement, collecting of powerups and weapons, and firing of said weapons. The game maps have simple collision based interaction for doors, lifts and other objects, but there is no advanced inventory system or player interaction except for with bullets.

Q7. Games have challenge.

The challenge of Unreal Tournament is effectively the difficulty setting of the AI or the player skill of the opponents, as well as the player's skill at aiming the weapons and avoiding death.

Q8. Games can create their own internal value.

The internal value in Unreal Tournament is the scores, the kill count, the player stats and the need to improve on those stats.

Q9. Games engage players.

Unreal Tournament engages the player by presenting the player with the challenge of defeating the opponents through skill.

Q10. Games are closed, formal systems.

The closed systems of Unreal Tournament could be interpreted as the maps, the weapon balance, the abilities of the player. This one kind of links up with Rules in a way.

Under these definitions, we can conclude that when playing Unreal Tournament, we are solving the problem of winning a match against the opponent.