Game Elements

There are many elements to a game, some more important than others. This book refers to these list of elements as atoms as they are the smallest parts of games that can be studied individually. Here are some of the more important elements that are necessary for every game. 

Players

A game is nothing without players, what would be the point without them? This is an element of games that game designers figure out as early as possible, it is the core of every game. In this article there are many examples given of questions that developers need to answer for every game. Some of these questions include "How many players does the game support?" or "What is the relationship between players?".  These questions are so important as they are the foundation on how the game is built. For example, before designing a map or game you need to have a very good idea of the player base you are building it for. You build a map that you are so proud of and you then realize that it doesn't suit your game at all, this could be for many reasons.  

1. It isn't suitable for teams
2. The map is too small
3. The game can't support many players, map is too large
4. Doesn't fit game style (2v2, 4v4) 

This is why taking players into account is so essential, you can't build a game without knowing your player base. The article talks about many different player structures including Head-to-Head, Free-for-all, Team Competition and One-against-many. Knowing which of these games you are designing for is very important.

Rules - unsplash

Rules

Rules are also essential for every game. There are three categories for rules in gaming. In this article you are given many examples of these rules and why they are so important. Here are the three general rules.

1. Setup (beginning of the game) 
2. Progression of Play (game as you go on)
3. Resolution (How does the game end and why) 

Throughout a game there could be many types of rules. This all depends on the game. For example let's take the popular survival game Until Dawn. This is an example of a game that involves mostly player choice. This means that you have full control of how your story goes, it's very rare that people will pick the same path 100%. 

Now another example is a game called Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, a call of duty classic. This campaign has a very linear rule set in comparison to Until Dawn. You are restricted from making important choices that change the game in any way, this game is more about the experience of a set story rather than creating your own path. 

Objectives

This is one of the most important elements to every game. Every game needs an objective, something to build the story on. Once you know the objective of your game everything else begins to fall into place. This is when you can start thinking about the player base and the rule set. In this article you are given many examples of the types of objectives you may see in all genres of games. Some examples that are given are Solving puzzles, destroying, controlling, escaping and strategy. 

Another article by David Mullich talks a lot about objectives and the many different types. David writes that every goal or objective for a game should include these important qualities.

1. Clear - The game should always clearly communicate what the next goal is.
2. Obtainable - Every goal should be achievable with all information obtained.
3. Concrete - Notification of success or failure, should be obvious. 
4. Challenging - The game shouldn't be easy (unless built for casual play)
5. Rewarding - There must be value in reaching a goal.

All of these qualities are essential for making a great game and keeping people interested and wanting to play more!

These were all examples of essential elements to every game. If you want even more information be sure to visit this article that has so much extra information that I found really informative for anyone trying to expand their knowledge on gaming.