Icon-based game
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
An icon-based game is one in which pictorial images are used to represent characters, objects, and other elements of the game within. Some good examples of icon-based games are simulations such as SimEarth, as well as turn-based strategy games such as Sid Meier's Civilization.
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[edit] What makes a game icon-based
Icon-based gamepieces are characterized by the fact that they represent a specific object or group of objects. The icon consists of an easily-recognizable picture so that the player can quickly associate the icon with its specific purpose in the game.
[edit] Characteristics of game icons
Any and all gamepieces of a specific purpose are often uniform in appearance, although slight variations are often used to differentiate similar objects with somewhat different functions. One example is in the game SimEarth (icons shown to the right), in which cities that have reached the technological level of the Industrial Age are represented by a box containing an image of a factory. At the same time, the colored border is representative of the city's population. In this instance, a red border represents 4 million people, a blue denotes 8, and a yellow 12. The truck represents an industrialized population that is traveling.
Icons generally are not as complex or intricate as the artwork used in other parts of game. This has both aesthetic and practical reasons. In the case of SimEarth there are often a large number of such aforementioned icons filling the screen at a time. Keeping the icon image simple in appearance allows the player to evaluate the situation at a glance, without it becoming overhwelming to view. In addition, when a computer is required to redraw a large number of icons, the game can more quickly process simple images than complex ones. Using pictorial icons of a simple nature maintains the pace of the gameplay both on the part of the player and the machine.
[edit] Use of icons within a game
A game is said to be icon-based when the primary, and often prediominant mode of player interaction involves identifying and using pictorial icons. Such a game is often described as having a "board game-feel" to it.
[edit] Arguments concerning icon-based games
There is often a distinct opposition regarding icon-based games; people tend to love them or hate them. This raises the age-old gameplay versus graphics argument, where some argue that a game doesn't need to rely on graphics in order to have good gameplay, while others suggest that superior graphics helps to maintain smooth and interesting gameplay.
[edit] Arguments for
One of the reasons why icon-based games are successful is that they allow the player to use his or her imagination. In the case of SimEarth, the player sees a screen populated with icons, yet is able to envision an entire planet teeming with life in his or her mind.
[edit] Arguments against
Some people dislike icon-based games because of the lack of variety in graphics. Every part of the game looks more or less the same.
[edit] Examples
There are countless games of an icon-based nature to be found. The implementation of icon-based gaming goes back as far as the conception games themselves. Gamepieces, cards, and other objects were icons, serving as a represetation for players and objects of the game world.
[edit] Pre-computer examples
In the Parker Brothers board game Monopoly, players could purchase houses and hotels. These buildings were represented by small, plastic house-shaped gamepieces. The pieces were all uniform in appearance, but the size and color differentiated between what was a house (small, green) and what was a hotel (large, red).
[edit] Early computer examples
Icon-based games were prevalent among games of early PCs, arcades, and home entertainment consoles, often due to hardware limitations. Since graphics capabilities were limited, images had to be kept simple in order to maintain processing speed. In addition, having large numbers of complex graphics was often impossible due to memory limitations. These problems could be circumvented by having a small number of simple images used to represent game objects that would appear frequently. This allowed the programmers to "recycle" game graphics, time and again, for use in as many instances as required within the same application.
[edit] Contemporary examples
Just because computers have surpassed the limitations of the past does not make icon-based gaming obsolete. Even games as new as Sid Meier's Civilization III are primarily icon-based. In this game, entire armies are represented by an icon depicting a single soldier. Battles are fought between military icons on the map, after which, the losing unit simply vanishes. Other elements of the game are represented using icons a well, such as cities and natural resources.
