In the past few years we've seen a rapid increase in the role of player-directed creativity in video games. The most well-known of these is likely Minecraft from Mojang software. However, there is another wave of titles calling players to create; and some of them are already runaway successes.
Steam store is the major games distribution platform for Windows, Mac and Linux games, and offers a substantial number of games strongly featuring player creativity.
For example, this year we've already seen the release of Scrap Mechanic, Factorio, and the extraordinarily popular Stardew Valley. These games hold creativity as a key part of the playing experience: why is this trend so popular?
Creative rewards
The experience of playing a game can generally be broken down into a reward loop—typically a challenge followed by a success—however, if you always succeed it wouldn't be a challenge, so this structure also contains a certain amount of failure.
A creative challenge is one example of this conceptually simple system. A game designed with rules and constraints, but an otherwise open slate lets the player choose their challenge. The challenge is then realised within the confines of the game's rules.
When the player succeeds at their challenge they rightly feel a sense of achievement. This feeling of elation can be addictive, and as long as there is sufficient challenge and complexity to the problems presented a player's attention can be held for extended periods of time.
Riding this sweet spot of challenge and complexity is where the creative capacity of games excels as it allows players to direct the level of challenge they are after.
Variations
Among the wave of new games so far this year there are some notable variations in approach. The contrast between these three games is in the emphasis of story and how it directs the player.
For example, Scrap Mechanics is a game revolving around the concept of giving players an open world to build machines. The game is all about creating contraptions.
In the middle is Factorio, a game based around the construction of factories and processes. The game starts with the player crash-landing on an alien world and their only hope for survival is to industrialise the world around them—possibly making some comments on our care for the environment on its way.
Stardew Valley follows from this comment on our environment while also taking a look at our social interactions. At the start of the game you inherit the deed for your grandfather's farm. When you arrive at the farm it is overgrown and falling apart. Throughout the game you fix up the farm and become an integral part of the local town's community. This game is in many ways a role playing game as much as it is about running and building a farm.
Stardew Valley strikes an amazing balance of providing challenges while not feeling particularly competitive. It is pleasant to see a game where helping people and giving gifts to others is an important part of the experience.
The embrace of creativity
These three titles each offer different ways to be creative in a game. Stardew Valley provides a more directed experience where your creativity helps you perform to your best—however you choose to judge it. Scrap Mechanics showcases the creativity for reactivity's sake. While Factorio is more of a hybrid of the two and is, in many ways, about striving for bigger and better.
Even from the handful of games released in the past few months we find a strong focus on creativity—games have embraced creativity in a big way.
Sam Gillespie is a postgraduate research student at the University of New South Wales.
Sam Gillespie's previous articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/sam-gillespie.html