Software architecture for digital game mechanics: A systematic literature review

Abstract

Game mechanics, the rules that simulate the virtual world inside a game, take a great part in what makes a game unique. For digital games, this uniqueness reduces the opportunity for software reuse. A high-level software architecture for game mechanics, however, can still be reused where a single, specific implementation cannot. Despite that potential, existing research on game development lacks a comprehensive analysis of how game mechanics could benefit from the field of software architecture. This limits the opportunities for developers and researchers alike to benefit from findings on the subject. To help guide future research on game development, we analyzed the state-of-the-art architectures in game mechanics through a systematic literature review. This work carefully documents data from 36 studies, analyzing the reflections and compromises between design requirements, practices, and restrictions, as well as how they contribute to different types of mechanics. The main findings are that researchers favor reduced development complexity, but often tailor their solutions to specific games or genres. We conclude that a valuable avenue for future research in the field is the generalization of architectural solutions around specific types of mechanics and formalizing the use of software engineering for game mechanics.