ambient games are a form of spectator sport where the audience has limited interaction with what they are viewing. depending on the level on interaction implemented by the game designer(s), the player may have little to no interaction with the magic circle. the player simply becomes enthralled by the game world and its mechanics, which serves as the player's engagement.
implementing ambience
implementing ambient gameplay can serve the player as a method of enriching the world of its characters. in the game animal crossing new leaf, the player has limited interaction with the non-playable characters (npcs). these npcs will exhibit self-acting behaviors, such as fishing and bug-catching, making it seem as though they have intent behind their behavior. for the game designer, implementing narrative behaviors that can spark between npcs may give rise to procedural side quests or moments of intimacy with the world the player breathes life into.
characterizing ambient games
on measured axes, the ambient game will likely follow these characteristics (1, 12:07):
- system autonomy = high
- unpredictability = high
- player's influence = low
ambience in general
in general, most games are a blend of choice driven gameplay and ambient gameplay (1, 15:09). in games where npcs can interact with each other, the player could also be manipulating the opinion of the npcs to get a more desired outcome. this mechanic could be used in a game that explores politics, relationships, or the more general microinteractions that different parties exhibit when interacting with each other.
common play styles
common play styles of ambient gameplay are (1, 19:10), (1, 21:12):
- the golden result
- players are looking for a particular result.
- ex. finding shiny pokemon, pulling the right gacha, the dvd logo bouncing the corner.
- my result, not yours
- players betting on a particular result over another against another player.
- ex. rooting for a team, gambling for an outcome.
- divination/interaction
- a community or individual interpreting the results of an ambient game to have additional meaning beyond the scope of the game.
- ex. deriving higher meaning, chancing chances in game.
- narrative creation
- a player or multiple interpreting the interactions as part of an in-game narrative.
- ex. the sims, sim city, npc interactions
- just observing
- the most passive behavior of the player, just viewing the mechanics of the ambience.
- ex. nature, sports spectating, sandboxes, screensavers, simulation.
uniqueness of ambient games
ambience games differ in player experience from choice-driven games because of the emphasis on the lack on control in the system. most games have the player able to make wide-sweeping decisions that alter the pre-existing narrative of the world. ambient games highlight the lack of control the player has in their own life. ambient games also present a reflection the meaning of skill and luck. due to the lack of interaction the player has in the game, the player doesn't have the option to impose much of their skill. instead, much of what they see is based on the "luck" of experiencing it. the random rolls of a number generator powering the game can be interpreted as the luck a player has in viewing them. some players may never see a particular interaction for themselves legitimately.
ex. of ambient games (1, 24:40)
- bouncing dvd logo
- after dark screensavers
- horse race test
- senet
- brave mouse cartographer
- emisaries archive.org mirror