Only A Game Play Spec Symposium
From GameOntology
Contents |
Introduction
On May 30, 2006, Chris Bateman initiated a blog symposium called the Play Spec Symposium. During the course of a little over a week, different people contributed play specifications for an assortment of games.
This page collects the specifications that were presented.
Breakout! (Atari, 1976)
Specified by Ben of zenBenland. (original specification)
Verbs
Move (Rotary Joystick) Bounce
Nouns
Bat (avatar) Ball (or sphere, polyhedron, polygon, cube, etc depending on your philosophical outlook. I'm a glass half full person (I prefer to ask the more pertinent question - who stole the top half?) so I say its a ball) Blocks Power-ups Extra Lives Life Counter Score
Adjectives
Length (of Bat) Speed (of Ball) Consistency (of Blocks) Effect on Verb (of Power-up)
Doom (id Software, 1993)
Specified by Jack from Gausswerks. (original specification)
Verbs
Move (walk, run, turn, strafe, run over items) Open/Search (operates doors and switches, also probes for secret doors) Shoot (punch, chainsaw, fire guns) Toggle Map
Nouns
Doom Marine (avatar) Weapons(Fists, Chainsaw, Pistol, Shotgun, Chaingun, Rocket Launcher, Plasma Gun, BFG) Items (Health, Armor, Ammo, Powerups, Keycards) Enemies (Former Humans, various Demons) Boss Monsters (Cyberdemon, Spider Mastermind) Levels
Halo: Combat Evolved (Bungee, 2001)
Specified by Patrick of King Lud IC. (OriginalSpecification)
Verbs
Move{Look up/down, turn left/right, strafe left/right, run foward/backward}
Jump
Shoot
Throw
Bash
Toggle Flashlight
Pick-up
Commandeer
Toggle Follow/Wait
Use
Nouns
Space and Obstructions (Move, Jump)
Lighting (Toggle Flashlight)
Alien (Shoot, Bash) {Grunt, Elite, Hunter, Priest(?), Floodie, Flood Elites and Flood Marines, Sentinal Probe}
Vehicle (Commandeer/Move) {Warthog, Scorpion, Banshee, Ghost ect.}
Soldier (Toggle Follow/Wait)
Switches (Use)
Power-ups (Pick-up) {Invisibility Tetrad, Overshield, Weapons, Ammo, Med Pack}
Adjectives
Health Shield Ammo Supply Grenade Supply Vehicle Health Invisibility Boolean
Killer 7 (Capcom, 2005)
Specified by Jack from Gausswerks. (original specification)
Verbs
Move (run forward, 180 turn, navigate) Aim and Shoot (primary attack, special attack) Reload Use Special Ability(Character-specific ability) Access Map Interact (Iwazaru, Travis, other)
Menu Verbs
Switch Killer (change into one of 7 killers) Use Item Replenish health Upgrade abilities (at save points)
Nouns
The Smiths (Dan, Kaede, Kevin, Con, Coyote, Garcian, and Mask de Smith - avatar) Blood (collected from enemies, bonus for headshots) Informants/NPCs (Iwazaru, Travis, Samantha, Harmon) Heaven Smile (various enemies, bosses)
Resident Evil 4 (Capcom, 2005)
Specified by Donald
Verbs
Move {walk, run, strafe, step backwards, 180 turn)
Context Sensitive Actions {climb, dodge, swim, jump, roll, open, close, push, pull, hide Ashley, and various other specific tasks which all involve pushing one button or a combination of buttons when the game tells you to. This includes the interactive cutscenes}
Aim and Shoot
snipe (a variation of aim and shoot)
grenade (a variation of aim and shoot)
knife (a variation of aim and shoot)
Reload
Stay/Follow (commands for Ashley)
Kick (even though it is context sensitive, kinda, it is a part of combat and not only used in special circumstances)
Pick up (Item)
use (item) {heal, special items, read notes}
combine/mix (items)
arrange (items)
Look around
Look at map
Shop {buy item, buy weapon, upgrade weapon, buy special item}
Nouns
Leon (avatar)
Ashley
Enemies
Vendor
Animals (you can interact with them, but most don't do that much. A few animals when interacted with provide items, like fish and chickens)
Environmental "obstacles" {fences, windows, doors, ladders, etc. Most environmental obstacles are interacted with using the context sensitive verbs}
Items {health, ammo, special items, notes}
Weapons
Adjectives
health {Leon's and Ashley's}
ammo
River Raid (Activision, 1982)
Specified by Chico from NonGames.
Verbs
Steer (avatar) Dodge (enemies, River borders) Shoot (enemies, bridges, Fuel Tanks)
Nouns
Plane (avatar) Jet (enemy) Ship (enemy) Helicopter (enemy) Bridge (checkpoint) Natural limits (collision map) Fuel Tank (health) Squad (lives) Fuel Meter (health meter)
Adjectives
Acceleration (avatar and enemies) Speed (avatar and enemies) Refueling (avatar) Vertical Scroll (map)
Robotron 2084 (Vid Kidz/Williams, 1982)
Specified by Jose. (original specification)
Verbs
Move (stick1 - 8 discrete directions) Fire (stick2 - 8 discrete directions) Save (collide with a human to score points)
Tactical verbs
Dodge (to move with the intention of avoiding a collision) Circle-Strafe (to move in a circle or arc while firing towards the center) Strafe (to move in a direction, whilst firing in another) Lead (to move with the purpose of causing an enemy to move in a certain way) Wait (to stop moving until a certain condition or state is reached) Flee (to move in the opposite direction of an enemy) Circle (to move along, or close to the walls) Attack (to move towards the enemy while firing)
Nouns
Spark from Enforcer Shell from Tank Missile from Brain Prog Grunt Enforcer Tank Brain Spheroid Quark Human "Bullet" (fired by player) Walls
Thief, the Dark Project (Looking Glass, 1998)
Speficied by Corvus of Man Bytes Blog. (original specification)
Verbs
Move
*look: up | down
o turn: left | right
o walk: forward | back | left | right
sneak*
dash*
o Swim: up | down
o lean: left | right
o shift perspective: crouch | stand
o jump
o mantle | climb
* Hide
o hide self
o hide body
* Choose Objectives/Difficulty**
* Purchase
* Pickup | Drop
* Equip | Unequip
* Restore Health
o Eat
o Drink (potion)
* Open | close (door)
* Open | close (chest)
* View Map
* Attack (use equipped object with NPC)
o strike: chop | slash | thrust (blackjack, sword)
o aim (bow)
zoom
o shoot (bow)
burn (fire arrow)
suffocate (moss arrow)
knock out (gas arrows)
sanctify (holy water arrow)
o throw
burn (mines)
blind (flash bomb)
burn undead (flash bomb)
knock out (gas bomb)
* Interact (use equipped object with environment)
o Pick lock
o Shoot (bow)
distract (noise arrow)
clean blood (water arrow)
douse torch/fire (water arrow)
light torch (fire arrow)
muffle (moss arrow)
create path (rope arrow)
o Throw
create noise (object)
Nouns
* Garrett
* Bystanders
* Enemies
o Town Guards
o Hammer Guards
o Undead
Zombies
Restless Dead
Hammer Spirits
o Creatures
Burricks
Spiders
o Craymen
* Surfaces
o Wood
o Stone
o Tile
o Carpet
o Grass
* Weapons
o BlackJack
o Sword
o Bow
* Arrows
o Broadhead
o Water
o Fire
o Rope
o Moss
o Gas
o Noisemaker
* Tools
o Lockpicks
Square
Triangle
o Explosive Mines
o Flash Bombs
o Gas Mines
* Torches
* Holy Water fonts
* Loot
* Potables
o Food
Bread
Cheese
Meat
Vegetables
o Health Potions
* Incidental (cannot be equipped)
* Notes
Adjectives
* Health * Visibility * Noise level
