Which Comes First?
This is an age-old question in the realm of game design: Which element takes precedence—the narrative arc of the story, or the functional constraints and mechanisms of the gameplay? We must consider this question from two perspectives: which comes first in the design process, and which is more important for the final version of the game? For an established adventure, the gameplay is largely predetermined by the ruleset, but for designing an entire game from the ground up, the choice of starting point fundamentally alters the outcome.When tackling game design, it’s a common mistake for newcomers to begin with a rich story. When I taught game development (now retired), and I asked beginners to write a treatment for a game (a brief description of a game, a few pages), they wrote about a story. They didn't have a game at all, because they hadn't thought about how the mechanisms of the game might support their story.
Ernest W. Adams, founder of the International Game Developers' Association (IGDA), argues strongly against this approach:
Starting with the story is appealing because it is creatively easy and fun, but it often leads to a substantial investment of time and money before determining if the game is actually enjoyable to play. In essence, a strong narrative without a fun mechanical core is not a game at all; it's just a treatment.
Mechanisms Define the Game
A game, fundamentally, is a set of mechanisms that provide constraints which players must follow. Whether these constraints are built into the code of a video game or written into the rules of a tabletop game (where a GM usually enforces them), they are the necessary engine of action. While a few genre-specific video games might prioritize "experience" over mechanism, true game design is not equivalent to writing a story. What happens in a game may resemble a story, but that is the result of the mechanics, not the starting point.This mechanical-first approach is supported by industry veterans like Mark Maratea, Technical Director and Software Architect for AAA and mobile games:
This 1% of story is vital because it determines foundational decisions: Is the game about combat? Are the enemies bipedal or flying? Is it 1st or 3rd person? These mechanical questions must be answered before a full story can be properly supported.
Player Agency vs. Designer’s Story
Ultimately, the goal of a game designer is to design a game, not write a story. As Adams notes:If players only wanted story, they would watch television. In the final design, prioritizing story severely limits replayability, as players "beat the game" and move on. More significantly, a dominant, built-in narrative can alienate "serious" players by reducing their agency—their ability to make a significant difference in the outcome.
Game First, Context Second
While there are many excellent, small-scale RPGs that are based on specific, story-heavy situations, the "big" tentpole RPGs—the ones designed for enduring, long-term play—invariably prioritize the gameplay mechanisms first, even if they are situated within a rich setting. What matters in the end is the designer’s intent, but the most enduring titles are those where the mechanics are solid enough to let the players write their own story.Your Turn: Do you prefer to play specific-scenario RPGs, or the “big” ones that let you attach your own setting/stories to it?
). As an example, I'm a big fan of Warhammer (40k). When Warhammer Total War came out, I bought it, I bought every DLC, every standalone expansion at as good as MSRP. I also liked WFRP, 1st edition bought a few books, because back then I couldn't afford more. I liked WFRP2e, bought it all, disliked 3e (as I still really like 2e), and when I got the Humble Bundle with all the WFRP4e pdfs, eventually I bought all the Foundry VTT modules for WFRP4e. I mostly bought RPG products for concept/theme beyond the D&D we played. I have a similar tendency with board games, often buying the heavily themed miniature games, but a few I actually bought for mechanics. Century: Spice Road, Star Realms, Splendor, Raiders of the North Sea, Lords of Waterdeep, and Dune Imperium are good examples of mechanics over theme for me (doesn't mean that some don't also have an excellent theme).
