Affordances are the main clues to the functional essence of game objects
Introduction
With the development of virtual worlds and interactive environments, the issues of designing game objects are becoming increasingly relevant. One of the key concepts in play space design is affordance, a concept that originated in the ecological psychology of James Gibson and refers to the possibilities of action that the environment provides to a living organism. In the context of video games, affordances act as implicit cues to the player about how an object can be used.
This article explores the historical context of affordances, the main types used in video games, and their practical applications in game design. We'll look at how affordances impact user experience and gameplay, and we'll also present well-known examples from popular games.
Why are affordances needed?
The audience for video games is huge and diverse, so game designers have to take into account the varying experience levels and expectations of players. Affordances help users quickly understand what actions can be performed in a game without having to read long instructions or go through a tutorial. This is especially true for mobile games or casual projects, where time to learn the mechanics is often limited.
Examples of affordances in the real world:
Door handle indicating push action.
A flat, rectangular handle that involves a pushing action.
Digital interfaces also have affordances, such as files and folders on a computer, that are based on real-world objects and interactions. The development of digital affordances has led to unique principles such as blue underlined text for hyperlinks, text that scrolls in a vertical column, and a hand-shaped cursor when hovering over links.
Consistency in digital affordances is important to the user experience, making it easier for users to navigate and use new interfaces. Designers use established principles and patterns to create intuitive interfaces, even if they are not directly related to the physical properties of the interaction.
Main types of affordances in video games
In games, affordances can be classified into several main types, each of which plays a different role in creating an intuitive and immersive gameplay experience:
Explicit affordances (Explicit affordances): They are presented in such a way that they stand out from the background of the game world. Examples include buttons or levers that the player can interact with. These elements are easy to find thanks to bright and noticeable visual cues.
Defined affordances: Directly related to specific mechanics in the game. For example, an object that can only be used in a certain place or situation to complete a task (pushing a box or throwing a stone).
Cultural affordances: Based on real world knowledge and expectations. Players can intuitively understand their functions based on their previous experience and knowledge, such as stairs, ventilation, locks.
Inferred affordances: Can be represented based on other game rules. These affordances require players to use observation and logical thinking to identify them.
Definition of Affordance
Affordance is a property of an object (game or real) that indicates possible ways of using it without the need for explicit training or instruction. For example, a door handle expresses “pull” or “press”, a staircase – “climb” or “descend”. In games, this could be a button that needs to be pressed, or interior items that indicate the possibility of shelter from enemy fire. These aspects highlight how affordances can serve as a bridge between the player and the game world, improving the overall gameplay experience and making the game more intuitive and immersive.
In classic platformers, the edges of surfaces are often rounded or have a special texture, which signals that the character can slide on them or cling to them. In shooter games, barrels containing flammable liquids are often made red or marked with hazard symbols to intuitively indicate the possibility of them exploding when shot at.
The role of audiovisual
Not only the shape or texture of objects can convey information about their functional purpose. Sound effects can also serve as auditory cues: for example, the sound of flowing water can indicate that there is a river somewhere nearby. Sounds are also used to create atmosphere. Imagine any horror movie without scary music. Would you want to play it?
Practical application of affordances in game design
In game design, affordances play a key role in guiding players and making game mechanics more intuitive. Developers must find a balance between technical capabilities and gaming experience. To achieve this, it is important to consider several aspects:
Explicit and Implicit Affordances: Explicit affordances are easily guessed by the user, while implicit ones are used when explicit ones are not possible or would look inappropriate. Examples of explicit affordances include buttons, indicators, icons, and switches, while implicit affordances can be hidden or metaphorical.
Visual and text cues: Visual affordances help users interpret graphic elements correctly or provide information directly, while textual affordances provide context or directly communicate information such as hints or instructions.
Cultural associations and the use of a consistent visual language: Cultural affordances such as levers or unlit torches should be used frequently as they naturally encourage certain actions. Creating a consistent visual language helps communicate affordances to players while keeping their perspective in mind when designing. This involves using visual cues, such as color or shape, to indicate possible actions.
Game designers should avoid using illogical visual cues for interactive objects, focusing on cultural and intended affordances instead. It's important to catalog all the mechanics that players can interact with and ensure that each mechanic has clear signals in the game world. This helps avoid creating arbitrary restrictions that can confuse or frustrate players.
It is also important to distinguish between alternative affordances – the hidden capabilities of an object that are not always obvious initially. Sometimes such hidden clues are used to create depth in the gameplay and stimulate the player's exploratory behavior.
Examples of these aspects are:
Hides behind false walls in the Dark Souls series, which can only be opened by hitting certain areas.
Various interactive environmental elements (such as switchable lights) in “The Last of Us”, indicating a more complex level strategy.
Magic spells in “Skyrim” that allow you to manipulate the environment in ways that are not obvious to a novice player (like using the “Telekinesis” spell to activate remote switches).
How do affordances influence user experience and gameplay?
Affordances play an important role in creating the gaming experience and influence the player's interaction with the game world. Here's how they affect the user experience and gameplay:
Impact on engagement and immersion:
The relationship between affordances and narrative can influence player engagement and immersion in the game world. Affordances can also influence the pace and structure of a narrative, allowing for dynamic and responsive storytelling.
Examples from games: In The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, players are provided with a mini-map and bestiary, providing information about the environment and monsters encountered, allowing them to make informed decisions. In “Dark Souls”, players find messages left by other players that provide hints and warnings about upcoming challenges, helping to create a sense of community and shared experience.
User Interface Improvements:
Affordances help users understand when and what to click, making interfaces more user-friendly. Examples of digital affordances include a checkmark indicating the completion of an action, and icons on tabs that offer different functions of the application.
Negative affordances indicate that an element or operation is not currently active, while false affordances create incorrect expectations about how to interact with the element.
Impact on player choice:
Players are faced with various affordances in the game that directly influence their choices and actions.
Depending on the player's choices, the narrative can branch in different directions, creating a unique gaming experience for each user.
Creating branching narratives:
Game designers use affordances to develop multiple storylines that complement the game's main narrative. This allows players to experience the depth of the game world and increases replayability by providing different story outcomes based on their decisions.
Thus, affordances not only define the player's interaction with the game world, but also serve as a powerful tool in the hands of game designers to create a complex and multi-layered narrative that adapts and responds to the player's actions and decisions.
Problems and difficulties of working with affordances in game design
When working with affordances in game design, developers face several challenges and challenges that can significantly impact gameplay and user experience:
Misunderstanding of object usage: If the user cannot understand how to use an object, then affordances are not working effectively. This can lead to player frustration and decreased engagement in the game.
Overdoing it with realism: Striving for excessive realism can lead to confusion in affordances, as players may not be clear what actions are possible. This is especially true in cases where the realistic game object does not offer the expected interactions, which can break the player's immersion in the game world.
The use of frameworks in game design: Frameworks such as MDA (Mechanical, Dynamic, Aesthetic) and SSM (System Structural Modeling) help define a game's structure, guide the development process, and provide a common language for developers. They can serve as a tool for solving problems with affordances, offering a structured approach to integrating them into gameplay and helping to avoid common pitfalls.
These issues highlight the importance of carefully planning and testing affordances during the game design process to ensure that game objects and mechanics are understandable and accessible to players.
The Future of Affordances in the Video Game Industry
The video game industry continues to evolve at an incredible rate, and affordances play a key role in shaping the future of game design. Below are the main directions that will determine the development of affordances in the near future:
Technological innovation:
Virtual and augmented reality: With the emergence of new Russian conferences and associations dedicated to VR and AR, these technologies are expected to become more accessible, offering players more immersive gaming experiences.
Cloud Gaming: Allows users to play demanding games on any device, which could radically change how games are accessed and distributed.
Artificial intelligence: AI is being used to create dynamic events and realistic NPC behavior, which promises to make game worlds even more alive and unpredictable.
Social and economic aspects:
Blockchain and cryptocurrencies: Will bring changes to game assets and economies, offering new forms of investment and content ownership.
Social aspect of gaming: Gaming platforms are becoming social spaces where events are held and cultural content is shared, expanding the social role of games.
Expansion of genres and availability of instruments:
Variety of genres: The range of gaming genres is expected to expand, including educational and informative elements, making games more diverse and rewarding.
Democratizing Game Development: Development tools like Unreal Engine and Unity becoming more accessible are helping to increase competition in the market and the diversity of games.
These directions show how affordances will adapt and evolve to meet new technologies and social trends, improving the gaming experience and making it more integrated into people's daily lives.
Conclusion
In conclusion, affordances in game design not only improve players' interactions with the game world, but also play a key role in creating intuitive worlds. They form a bridge between the user and the interface, making the process of learning the game more natural and less frustrating. The use of affordances allows developers to guide players, making it easier to understand game mechanics and promote deeper immersion in the game world.
Over time, affordances will continue to evolve and adapt to new technological, social, and cultural trends in the video game industry, enriching the gaming experience and opening up new possibilities for game design. This highlights their undeniable importance and contribution to video game development, emphasizing their ability to provide innovative and engaging gaming environments that are of interest to both developers and players.
