Within video games there typically is a degree of resource management which comes into play while one is navigating ones way through the various stages of the game. Theses resources can and do appear in a variety of forms throughout games and often offer a multitude of different functions which alter game play or perform a specific action within the game to modify the users experience as they play.
The backbone which constructs and supports this previously mentioned system to a much more thorough degree is referred to as economy. Economy within video games is a structure through which resources are fashioned, used and exchanged in units which the user can accurately monitor. Imbedded within the economy based system of videogames are a series of subparts which construct the economy these include source, drains, converters, traders and production mechanisms.
Source is the method through which a given resource comes into the constructed world of the game. These methods appear in a variety of ways be it interacting with the environments such as walking through grass or breaking a box or killing an enemy; the specific method through which the resource appears is limitless and new methods are always appearing in different games. However, each game may only have a handful of methods which have been built into the videogame.
Drains refer to the methods through which the resources are expelled and or consumed by the user(s) or environments. It is these drains which can differ greatly between videogames, however each drain performs the same function and take something from the user; typically to establish some method of equilibrium within the a game such that the user is not all powerful all the time.
Converters are mechanisms within videogames which allow or cause one resource to turn into another item which performs a different function. Most commonly in video games resources are converted by the users own accord however that is not always the case some resources my convert of overtime or may convert when a user interacts with a portion of the environment inadvertently.
The final subcategory of which constructs the pseudo physical aspects of the economy structures is that of production mechanism. Production mechanism refers to a “class of mechanics which makes a resource available for the user” examples of this include objects such as factories or in the case of games such as Starcraft there are a variety of buildings which aid in the production of resources.
The economy of videogames is based off a series of mechanics which create the rules and methods through which the economy is based upon; these include whether or not the specific resources are tangible, feedback loops, dead locks and the concept of equilibrium.
The tangibility of resource is an immensely simple concept for the resource and it refers to whether or not a resource is physical presence within a video game or is it a resource which is intangible.
Feedback loops are term which is commonly associated with biology more then often referring to positive feedback loops a situation where one action causes another action to occur which causes another action to occur which would bring one back to the first stage only to continue the trend indefinitely. What this action does is it creates deadlocks for the user through which they can not escape and as a result aids in controlling the users power through resource restrictions.
Finally the equilibrium within games is created relative to the economical makeup of their resources typically in two methods static equilibrium, and dynamic equilibrium. Static equilibrium is an easily calculated balance for the user to determine relative to one resource management in comparison to usable materials and the creation of new materials relative to time and resources available. Dynamic equilibrium works in a very similar way the largest difference being that it is not easy for a user to calculate because it works off more variables embed in the mechanics of the game.
The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
The economy built in to the mechanics of Ocarina of Time has a variety of sources, drains, converters and traders all of which the user must take into account while navigating through the game. However before divulging into the portions which make up the overall economy one shall explain the types of resources present within the game.
The resources present within the game include but are not limited to hearts, magic, and arrows (all resources present within the game are physically tangible).
The source of the resources within this game includes the environment and a variety of interaction with environmental objects such as cutting grass or breaking boulders. However other resource sources include treasure chests or the slaying of enemies.
Drains on a user resource bank though out the game most typically occur as a result of over aggressive fighting. During the course of the game there are a large number of portions in which a user can avoid enemies; however that is not always the case. When users enter combat portions of the game they expel one if not 3 or more resources; first off would be that of health or hearts for each hit a user’s health depletes. The next potential depletion would be that of magic; however that depletion comes on the users according utilizing it to unleash more powerful attacks such as Dynn’s fireball or a tornado spin attack. Other methods of resource depletion come from the users own accord such as using arrows to shoot targets or enemies off in the distance.
As a game it does not contain a large sum of converters regardless there are three all of which form the same basic function the user has the ability to convert ones basic arrows to that of the ice arrows, fire arrows and finally light arrows. What this does is it adds a secondary level of damage to that of the arrows at the added cost of magic for the user.
The final aspect of economy present within the game is that of traders a function in which the user can interact with other characters present within the game and sell resources they may have acquired such as deku nuts for rupees (the games monetary equivalent) or buy supplies or resources one may require.
Resident Evil 4
As a game it utilizes only a moderate number of resources relative to the overall economy of the game. These resources include ammunition, guns, health and incendiary devices (all of which are tangible resources).
The source of these resources includes the slaying of enemies the interaction with environments and the closer examination of already acquired resources. As a user moves throughout the game one must kill and dismember all the enemies present in order to carry on as this action occurs said corpses may drop supplies which allow the user to move on more successfully. These items include ammunition and health most often the not however other items can include a variety of explosives.
The drains on these resources occur in methods which are identical to that of the Zelda game previously mentioned above. A user can lose health through landed attacks from enemies as the user navigates through the levels; other methods of resource loss include the use of ammunition and incendiary devices as well as health packs and herbs to heal the user.
Converters present within the game include the ability of the user to combine multiple items together such that they can yield different results. The most common of these uses would be the combination of various herbs such that the user has the opportunity to expand ones overall life meter such that they are less likely to die quickly.
The finals aspect of economy present is that of traders, throughout the game there is a lone stranger who follows the user’s avatar as one plays. Should the user ever be inclined to interact with him one would discover that one can purchase better weapons and supplies from the stranger. As a result the user has an easier time working through the hoards of enemies as apposed to struggling through them.
It is these functions which make up the resource and economical mechanisms within the Legend of Zelda and Resident Evil 4.
sunday, march 30, 2008