Real interactivity in interactive entertainment

Interactivity The task of a computer game designer is to create an experience, using a computer, which is interesting and fnrl for' the player. The designer must create a system of behavior such that the player enjoys interacting with that system and will continue to interact with it. The key word is interact. The computer is by nature an active, participatory medium. Players who prefer a passive enjoyment can get a far superior experience for less cost through the medium of videotape or laser disc. The modem computer game is an audiovisual "engine" capable of keeping an internal model of some dynamic system. It can effectively present one or more facets of that model on the player 's graphic display, and accept player input that affects how the system behaves. Unlike a "real" application, however, a game often deliberately bides certain pieces of information about its internal state, working against the user to create a greater challenge. Game engines tend to evolve over time. Each time the publisher creates a sequel, spin-off or related product, the designer usually has the opportunity to refine his or her previous work, as well as create a foundation for more ambitious future works. Some of these programs are quite sophisticated, and bon'ow algorithms and techniques from many other areas of computer science, all in the service of some particular aesthetic result. Making the game interesting is the designer's most important task. Part of this involves creating a set of design documents which specify the rules and parameters which determine the behavior of the game 's internal model. This specification can come in a variety of forms, depending on the nature of the game and which company you ' r e working for. These forms could include a traditional Hollywood-style "script," source code in ei ther C or a custom game-specif ic language, equations for a fuzzy logic engine or even a set of rules for a cellular autolnaton.