Communicating Mechanics: Embodiment

There are multiple ways a player of a game can gain understanding of the mechanics of a game, such as direct communication, metaphor, through experience. I think each of these is fully deserving of its own post, or even several posts.

As I discuss these, I'll use the "Communicating Mechanics" heading.

"The mind is inherently embodied. Thought is mostly unconscious. Abstract concepts are largely metaphorical. These are the three major findings of cognitive science."

The quote above is the opening sentences from Philosophy in the Flesh by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson. Embodiment is probably the most immediate tool for helping a player experience the world of the game. If a people understand the universe through their bodies, then giving them a body in a game world gives them an immediate way to understand how to approach a game.

Many traditional boardgames give the player a single piece that represents them. It moves i nthe game world, and only interacts with the parts of the game that piece is on. This method is used so often board game often have this mechanic, even when it isn't the core part of how a game is played.

Monopoly has a piece that represents the player, but most of the games action is not where the piece is. Cluedo is similar, you could realistically play the game without the game pieces moving around, but just calling out your guesses, and following the formal response system.

Other games don't have a single piece, but several, but these are often game "men".

Most computer games have it easy, the player is playing a person. The person acts in the game world. This is immediate embodiment.

In other games, such embodiment is not so straight forward. For example, in strategy games, where the player has several tokens. However, some form of embodiment helps the player. In Civilization the player chooses a leader for their side. All their opponents in the game are represented by other leaders. In diplomacy elements it is the leader you interact with.

In Empire based boardgames the embodiment may be a bit further removed. In many Euro strategy games, there is a player board.

This is the player board from Endeavor. Each player has one, and it is seperate from the main board. Everything on this board represents the players side, even though the player also has pieces on the main board.

This is a form of embodiment. There is a bit of the game that is "them". It helps a player put themselves in the game. We get to teach the player about the game with this. The player knows anything on this board is "theirs". In Endeavor a players holdings on the player board care not effected by other players, while their pieces on the main board may be.

It is a simple thing, but providing a player a way to put themselves into a game world is very powerful. Anything a player can use to think "this is me, I act on the game using this" provides a meaningful way to get a player to understand a game and its mechanics.

Good information on embodiment can be found at Wikipedia, and the book I quoted above.