What are the benefits of balancing innovation and familiarity in game mechanics?

1 What are game mechanics?

Game mechanics are the rules, systems, and interactions that define how a game works and how players can interact with it. They can include elements such as movement, combat, puzzles, dialogue, inventory, leveling, and more. Game mechanics are the core of any game, and they determine the gameplay experience, the challenge, the feedback, and the learning curve for the players.

2 Why is innovation important?

Innovation is the process of creating something new, original, or different that adds value or solves a problem. In game development, innovation can help you create game mechanics that are fresh, exciting, and memorable. Innovation can also help you differentiate your game from others in the market, attract attention and curiosity, and showcase your creativity and skills. Innovation can also challenge you as a developer, and push you to experiment, learn, and grow.

3 Why is familiarity important?

Familiarity is the state of being well-known, comfortable, or easy to recognize. In game development, familiarity can help you create game mechanics that are accessible, intuitive, and satisfying. Familiarity can also help you build on existing genres, conventions, and expectations, and appeal to a wider audience. Familiarity can also reduce the risk of frustration, confusion, or boredom for the players, and increase the retention and engagement.

4 How to balance innovation and familiarity?

Finding the right mix of innovation and familiarity in game mechanics is not a straightforward task, but rather a process of trial and error. To achieve the perfect balance, identify your core mechanic and make it as innovative and polished as possible, while using existing or common mechanics to support it. This will reduce the learning curve and increase the immersion for players. The best way to assess the balance is to test your game mechanics with real players, get feedback, observe their playstyle, and iterate on your game mechanics accordingly. With this approach, you can find the optimal balance for your game and target audience.

5 What are the benefits of balancing innovation and familiarity?

Balancing innovation and familiarity in game mechanics can have many benefits for your game development and portfolio, such as creating game mechanics that are both unique and enjoyable, showcasing design skills and knowledge of different genres, increasing chances of getting noticed by the media, the platforms, and the community, and building a loyal fan base. Additionally, you can demonstrate your versatility and ability to create original and engaging gameplay experiences, as well as build a reputation as a game developer who can deliver quality and innovation.

6 What are some examples of games that balance innovation and familiarity?

Many games have achieved critical and commercial success by balancing innovation and familiarity in their game mechanics. For example, Portal is a puzzle-platformer game which uses a portal gun as its core mechanic, allowing the player to manipulate the environment and physics. It also integrates familiar mechanics such as first-person perspective, movement, and buttons with the portal mechanic and the game's narrative and humor. Similarly, Limbo utilizes a minimalist art style, dark atmosphere, and silent protagonist as its innovative elements while implementing familiar mechanics such as jumping, pushing, pulling, and avoiding hazards to create challenging puzzles. Finally, Tetris Effect reinvents the classic Tetris mechanic by adding stunning visuals, immersive sound, and dynamic gameplay modes to the familiar mechanics of rotating, dropping, and clearing blocks.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?