Ever since the 1970’s when video games first started to emerge, architecture played a prominent role in video game aesthetics. To program video games to be realistic or at the very least, glitch-free, one must program each detail to be without structural flaws, much the same way one designs a building. A videogame designer and an architect both must consider every conceivable obstacle their project will be subjected to and plan accordingly.
There are, of course, differences between the two. There are only a handful of reasons as to why people need buildings in the first place.These reasons include: Protection from harsh weather, the need to organize human activity effectively, (movie theaters, dance clubs, job offices), the need to protect personal belongings from theft, the right to personal privacy, the need to keep dangerous people contained (prisons), and of course, the need to make an impression on people who see the buildings, or to honor someone or something (monuments and commemorational buildings). However, when looking at these reasons with regard to games, some of these factors are irrelevant.Weather, for instance, if present in games at all, is usually for aesthetic purposes.
Privacy is also irrelevant, as most games don’t allow you to see a character naked. The primary purpose of architecture within video games is purely to support the gameplay. Buildings in games are not comparable to buildings in the real world, because in most cases, their real life functions are either figurative or irrelevant. One main factor for the use of architecture within video games is constraint.
For instance: In board games, there are no existing restrictions except for the literal end of the board.In chess, for example, the challenge of the game is produced by the set of rules concerning how each of the pieces are allowed move. Architecture institutes limitations that bound the freedom of movement in other genres of games as well. For instance: As a common rule in most combative video games, explosions do not generally knock down walls in video games, nor do projectiles and bullets have the ability to bypass through walls.
Architecture is also used in video games for the purpose of concealment.Few video games provide perfectly concise information; meaning the player knows absolutely everything there is to know about the condition of the game. In this case, architecture is utilized to conceal important (and in some cases dangerous) objects from the player. It can also be used to hide one player from another, or even hide them from their enemies. Another example of the use of architecture within video games is the use of particular landscape architecture to provide obstacles and tests of dexterity.
For instance: Hills to climb, rivers to cross, gaps to jump across, and trapdoors to evade.Some of these obstacles can be overcome through the use of careful examination and judgment, whereas others can only be conquered by hand-eye coordination and refluxes. Another component of architecture within video games is for the purpose of exploration. Though it sounds similar to the purpose of conquering obstacles, there are several differences. Exploration dares the player to comprehend the exact shape of the particular space that they’re moving through, for the end result of knowing what path leads to what conclusion.An example of this would be a classic maze.
If a particular game doesn't provide the player a map, they may have to depend on his memory to make his way through the game until the end. Some architectural landscapes may help to provide a visual aid in remembering which path to follow. Exploratory games can also use buildings for more than just a trigger for the players memory, for example: In more modern games such as the role-playing game Everquest; the player can use architectural buildings for a large variety of social functions.Lastly, the final component of architecture within video games is for the function of familiarity. Familiar locations provide indications of a place's role, and the proceedings that are most likely to take place there.
For example: if a player sees a bathroom, they won’t expect to find a sous chef preparing a four-course meal. Video game designers depend on the player’s use of their common sense about the particular function of familiar spaces, and it would be considered a game glitch, or a theoretical non sequitur to go against their valid expectations without any kind of explanation.In conclusion, the relationship between video games and architecture is one of storytelling. Both the video game designer and the architect come up with a sort of dream landscape, building or narrative, and it is up to them to make their reflection functional and aesthetically pleasing.
Whether it’s a simple brick wall or an elaborate virtual four-story mansion, the architectural environment in video games in an important component in designing any engaging game.
