This document discusses the need for a new taxonomy of applied games called "Tactical Forms" that classifies games based on their deployment design for specific contexts. It notes limitations of existing taxonomies in describing serious games and outlines how Tactical Forms could build on past work by focusing on how game mechanics are applied rather than genres. The document suggests Tactical Forms may help designers by providing examples of "tried and true gameplay solutions" for different domains.

1. Games and Interaction
Tactical Forms-A Classification of Applied Games for Game Design

2. Micah Hrehovcsik
HKU University of the Arts Utrecht
School of Games and Interaction
Game Design Lecturer, Researcher and Theorist
micah.hrehovcsik@hku.nl
gi.hku.nl

3. JoeriTaelman
Utrecht University
j.g.g.taelman@students.uu.nl
JoepJanssen
De HoogstraatRevalidatie
j.janssen@dehoogstraat.nl
NielsKeetels
HKU University of the Arts Utrecht
niels.keetels@hku.nl

4. Design research?
Game Design Research?
It’s about opening up the black box of game design.

5. There’s a problem with applied game taxonomy!?
What about Sawyer & Smith’s 2008 “Serious Games Taxonomy”?
No way!

6. Now pay attention! Serious games ≠ training & education games. -Sawyer & Smith 2008
Current applied game taxonomy is used as a way to “get all parties on
the same page” and “provide a snapshot of the current state of serious games industry” -Sawyer & Smith 2008
Uh? So… what kind of game do I need to design?
“The primary goal of any applied game is the use and usefulness of its game activity outside the domain of the game itself” –van Roessel& van Mastrigt-Ide 2011
An applied game could be any genre or have any
game mechanic as long as the game achieves its desired goal(s)-Michael & Chen 2006

7. Wow… All I need to do now… is read through allthe literature about applied games and become an expert in a specific domain.
What would really be useful though… is a few good examples.

8. Where are all the applied game clones?

9. Classification!!! My game design power has increased tenfold! I have the power of “tried and true gameplay solutions.”
-Fullerton, Swain & Hoffman 2004
However “genres are a mixed blessing to an entertainment game designer… genres also tend to restrict the creative process.”-Fullerton, Swain & Hoffman 2004
Restricted creative process!!!

10. Sorry, but those tricks won’t work for applied game design!
But… game mechanics like randomness, time compression, perfect communication worked for entertainment games fun!!! -Michael & Chen 2006
Aaah!?
Entertainment Genres !!!

11. But a lot of work has already been done on applied game taxonomy!
How can the idea of Tactical Forms really add to this?
What!? You mean… Tactical form is a term to describe the way an applied game’s deployment is designed
for a certain context.

12. GAMING: The Future’s Language
Richard Duke 1974

23. THANK YOU