Accessibly Efficient Game Design

I’ve been fascinated by small games that are efficient in their design. The first instance that really left an impression on me was a game called: Parameters. It was a simple flash game featuring a bunch of basic UI bars that you could click upon meeting certain stat requirements or other criteria such as obtaining a key.

The game required very little effort from the player and it boiled down the gameplay of a multi-million dollar RPG into a single screen UI-focused experience. It provided the same amount of reward and challenge at a fraction of the time and effort required from the player. I couldn’t believe how much fun it was. I was captivated.

The incremental genre shares some aspect of this design. It shifts the effort required into passive planning and strategy. But even so, many of these games can still be played and enjoyed with minimal effort or exclusive attention from the player.

These games that focus on passive gameplay and minimal time commitment have now become essential to my continued enjoyment of the hobby. Long gone are the days where I can consistently play games for long periods of time. Nowadays, I yearn for games that can deliver experiences as efficiently as possible, that respect my limited time, and those that allow me to step in and out as quickly as possible.

It has become a new layer of accessibility that focuses on supporting our lifestyles so that we are not limited or restricted by how much (or how little) free time we have.

Logged on August, 19th 2022