Video Game Design: Structure: An Open Learning Guide

Though there are many different types of video games, there are a few properties that are constants: Every game requires at least one player, every game gives the player at least one challenge, Every game uses a display, Every game has at least one method of input/control.

As described at the beginning of this chapter, the user interface is made up of sprites, menus and so forth. Its what the user is given to control the actions within the game. These graphics are defined as buttons' which can be pushed, or a character which can be moved by the arrow keys. All of these elements are a part of the user interface.

To start off with, just about every video game boots up to a main menu. This is usually a screen with some type of background, with an arrangement of buttons for actions such as new game or start game, options, load game and quit game.

This screen acts as a control panel for the game, allowing the player to change settings, choose modes, or access the actual game.

Sometimes, a game will use the main menu as the in game menu. The in game menu is usually accessed by the escape key or the start button during gameplay. The in game menu allows the player to access most of the main menu actions with additional ones such as displaying character stats, points, inventory and so forth. Not all menus have to be squares with words in them though. The game Secret of Mana uses a creative menu where the level stays in focus while the choices form a circle about the player.

When you first start up the game a series of splash screens are shown. A splash screen contains elements such as logos, movies, and so forth. This often is used to tell the player the companies that contributed to the game firsthand and sometimes gives part or whole introduction to the plot.

When the actual game has started there is often an introductory movie that gives the prologue to the plot. This is not a movie like you see in the theater but usually a better rendered use of the game's own graphics and sounds.

In most games, you will then be asked for your name and in some games you will be allowed to customize your character, settings and so forth.

This stage of the game is called the tutorial. It is not always considered a part of the game's plot, but in some games it is integrated into the game that even though it is the tutorial stage it is a part of the game's plot anyways. We will call this tutorial integration. It is widely used in games such as The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario 64

3rd person: The player is not the character but instead is controlling the character/characters impersonally.

Source and licence

Text adapted from Video Game Design/Structure by Wikibooks contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0. Paragraphs have been selected and abridged, and formatting adjusted. This adapted text is shared under the same licence. Contributor history.