Better Game Worlds by Design: The GAS Framework for Designing and Analyzing Games Based on Socio-Ecological Systems Thinking, Demonstrated onNusfjord(2017)

Jørn Weines,Melania Borit

doi:10.1177/15554120211027109

Abstract

The goal of this article is to propose Game World Design and Analysis for Socio-Ecological Systems (GAS), a framework for the design and analysis of game worlds through socio-ecological systems lenses. Game World Design and Analysis for Socio-Ecological Systems invites designers to a structured reflection of their choices regarding game world correspondence with a real or fictional reference system (assessed through accuracy, comprehensiveness, and balance) and game world consistency. The framework spells out the main elements to be included in the game world for that to be a credible socio-ecological system. The GAS framework is demonstrated on Nusfjord (2017) as an exemplar of natural resource management–themed analog game. The framework is built using an interdisciplinary approach to game studies, history, media and literary studies, and natural resource management research. The application of the framework has the potential of making the design and analysis of game worlds more relevant to the sustainability discourse of the 21st Century.

Highlights

Against the backdrop of the global development challenges of the 21st century, systems thinking is increasingly important for people’s daily lives
Based on socio-ecological systems (SESs) theory and worldbuilding design principles, our study expands the pool of tools available to the critical game designer by introducing the GAS framework, a tool for design and analysis of game worlds through SESs lenses
The framework shows how focus on the components of SESs can inform decisions taken when designers engage in worldbuilding for games, or researchers analyze game worlds

Summary

Introduction

Against the backdrop of the global development challenges of the 21st century, systems thinking is increasingly important for people’s daily lives. While there are several influential publications for guiding game design (e.g, Bjork & Holopainen, 2005; Duke, 2014; Elverdam & Aarseth, 2007; Engelstein & Shalev, 2019; Jarvinen, 2008; Juul, 2005; McCall, 2020; Schell, 2019), none of these includes a detailed description of how to design the game world Facing this challenge when designing our own games, we decided to build the GAS framework as a solution that we first used ourselves and decided to share with the wider community. [If you are a game analyst, answer the different parts of the framework in this order: A1, B, A2, C.]

Start decisions

Clarity of system boundaries

Indigenous peoples

Information sharing among users

Final Check

Conclusions