Lecture on Game Design and Role-Playing Games

Flashcards designed to review vocabulary and key concepts from a lecture on game design and role-playing games.

Game loops

Systems in games that enable player engagement through repeated actions.

FPS

First-Person Shooter, a genre of video games based on shooting.

Esports

Professional video gaming as a spectator sport.

Game mechanics

The rules and systems that govern gameplay.

Narrative endings

Different conclusions to a story determined by player choices.

Cooperative storytelling

The concept that players actively shape the story in games.

Dungeons & Dragons

A tabletop RPG that emphasizes character creation and storytelling.

Character creation

The process of defining a character's attributes and role in a game.

Campaigns

Extended play sessions in RPGs, often involving complex narratives.

Leveling up

The process of increasing a character's skills and abilities in games.

Shadowrun

A cyberpunk tabletop RPG that combines technology and fantasy.

Powered by the Apocalypse

A game system focusing on player-driven narratives and character actions.

One-offs

Single-session games with specific genres or experiences.

LARP

Live Action Role-Playing, where players physically act out their characters.

Character-driven games

Games focusing on personal interactions between characters instead of overarching plots.

Dread

A horror RPG where skill checks involve pulling from a Jenga tower.

Fiasco

A GM-less game about disastrous small-time capers inspired by Coen brothers films.

For the Queen

An RPG where players tell a narrative about a journey with a Queen.

Retinue

A group of followers or attendants accompanying someone, particularly a queen.

Skill checks

Mechanics to determine the success of character actions in games.

Digital RPGs

Video role-playing games adapted from traditional tabletop RPGs.

Innovations in RPGs

New mechanics and themes introduced in tabletop and digital games.

Freeform RPGs

Role-playing games that emphasize minimal rules and strong character interaction.

Game master

The person who facilitates the game and narrates the story.

Persistence

The capability to have knowledge and consequences carry over between game sessions.

Theme of storytelling

The underlying message or moral presented through narrative in games.

Character attributes

Statistics that define a character's abilities, such as strength and intelligence.

Exploration in games

The process of discovering new areas and items within a game environment.

Mechanics of engagement

Systems designed to keep players actively involved in gameplay.

Emotional transparency

A game mechanic that enhances player connection to the story through emotions.

Tabletop RPGs

Role-playing games played with physical components like dice and character sheets.

Miniature wargames

Games involving tactical warfare using small figurines.

Game genres

Categories that define the style and mechanics of a game.

AI ethics in gaming

Considerations of moral implications related to artificial intelligence in games.

Online games

Video games played over the internet, often involving multiplayer sessions.

Social interaction in games

The ways in which players communicate and build relationships during gameplay.

Game design principles

Fundamental guidelines that govern the creation of games.

Player feedback

Responses from players that help shape and improve game design.

Narrative dynamics

The ways in which a story evolves based on player actions.

Game aesthetics

The artistic elements that define the look and feel of a video game.

Role-playing interaction

The manner in which players engage with their characters and story.

Game immersion

The degree to which players feel absorbed in the game world.

Player agency

The capacity of players to influence the game narrative through their decisions.

Game narratives

The structured story that unfolds within a game.

Design feedback loops

Mechanisms that allow players to provide input back into the game design process.

Dread by Epidiah Ravachol

A tabletop role-playing game that emphasizes horror and suspense, where the players face escalating tension and uncertainty through a unique dice mechanic.

Star Crossed by Alex Roberts

A tabletop role-playing game focused on romantic tension and choice between two people, set in a world where characters navigate their emotions and relationships, with a Jenga Skill check

L.A.R.P

A form of role-playing game where participants physically act out their characters' actions in real-world environments, often featuring elaborate costumes and props.