The mechanics of random possibilities in video games can be exhausting. You missed 90% XCOM, when you need it most to hit, it can cause other players to throw their control or stop being angry. But not all the randomness found in video games is the same as how developers use Random can make you laugh or have fun.
In a recent video from the Game Build Tool, the random theme is explored and broken down. Things are not as easy as you might think. Games don't just throw a visible dice in the background to make everything happen.
There are two types of randomness in games. Random input, which is when something random happens before a player has to add something to the game. This is often seen in roguelikes, where levels are generated randomly without the player's input. Another kind of randomness is the randomness of objects. This is when a player makes a decision or takes an action and the game calculates what happens based on a random chance. This is how you shoot XCOM work.
For most players, random casting is the most frustrating of the two. The lack of a valuable shot or attack in a game can make players feel like the game is cheating them or cursing them more. This is because people are just bad at numbers. In fact, some games will fool some scenes into making sure the consequences of your decisions are not indeed random For example, at Civilization Players who lose two consecutive fights will win the next battle. This is because our minds are too rigid to expect that outcome.
But random installations can also cause problems. In games with random Powerups, for example, a player can get something good early on. This can be fun, but it can make the player feel confused. Did they play this race well or was it a matter of luck that helped? This kind of random chance can even lead players to start the game over and over again, trying to get a better result.
Any random or random input is better or worse. Both can be used to create a positive feeling or ruin a player's happiness. The key is knowing where to use it, how to measure it correctly and letting players see enough details and statistics to help make things feel right.
The full video is worth a watch to learn more about how disadvantages in video games work and how developers use them to make games more fun and to make players feel more creative.
