Deep Game Mechanics

Defining Deep Game Mechanics

Deep game mechanics can be summarized with, it's a game mechanic that changes the way we interact and see the game world and have a profound effect on them. In Crusader Kings III: Roads to Power a new way to interact with the game world was introduced become and play an adventure. Adventures are deeply integrated in the game world itself. Every realm can interact with them and every adventure can interact with every realm. This strongly deepens the game mechanic. Now imagine instead they implemented a new government type that gives a new way to interact with the realm and character in that regions with said government, with new resources, buttons to press... I think you get my point. Having 30 similar ways to interact with something getting only minimal results from said interactions is not a deep mechanic.

Wide As An Ocean Deep As A Puddle

A core issue with "deep" game mechanics is that often they look on the surface deep but are in reality quite shallow. This often happens with game mechanics that have numbers associated with them. A crafting system adds depth. But there are diminishing returns. A crafting system with 10 items is less deep than a system with 500. But having 1000 items is not twice as deep as just having 500.

In grand strategy games there often exists a concept called provinces. Some games have 200 provinces other have 10000. But just having more of something does not mean getting depth.

Victoria 3 has many different religions and cultures defined. But their impact is questionable. If you played Victoria 3 did you know that they had an impact, and what could it be? I am serious it does something in Game. The developers took their time developing a complex system that can represent cultures and religion. Its impact on the systems the player interacts with are quite shallow.

Core Principles of Deep Mechanics

Defining principles of deep mechanics are often perspective. Using a feature should give a different angle to interacting with something and reaching the goals of the player. Adding character interactions adds depth, if those interactions can be meaningful. You don't need to add 30 interactions. Just add the most meaningful ones.

Having 15 government types that play similar is not something deep. The more they share in perspective the more they are the same.

A rule of thumb for meaningful interactions are those that change relationships over time. A character is now a zombie his relationship to the world changes. A nation is now at war. A nation is experiencing a rebellion. Meaningful interactions shake things up.

A meaningful interaction does not have to be instant. Its effects can develop over short, medium and long term. Often in shallow mechanics the effects are only small and only short term. Here killing a character might result in an immediate effect. That looks on a surface like a big decision turns out is in reality just a small one with limit long term effect.

Deep interactions often result in effects that linger over time. A decision not to fight a plague can result in vastly depopulated areas. That in turn results in lower taxes and postponing a war or losing one, years later. Those interactions need to be somewhat transparent. One must be made aware of the effects of a plague do correctly understand its ramification. A player should be somewhat able to guess effects that make logical sense in his head. This discussion is not about historical accuracy. We want a good deep player experience not player frustration for the sake of historic accuracy.