After looking at things like OSRIC, it occurs to me that there's a crossover in practice (No, not theory at all. The two are entirely separate! Really!) between something programmers *just started doing as a general group and some role-playing games.

Object-oriented design, boiled down to its essence, is separating each individual thing into its own class of things that does whatever it does without reference to how other classes do things.

...In other words, things like Magic-User spells, Fighter weapon proficiencies, Thief skills...Each its own idea that often had nothing to do with any of the others, *Aside from a common language*.

Or Hero System, in which each Power works by Effects, d6 dice, Active Points, Real Points and Endurance cost - But each does something different with them - Generally, entirely different.

* In recent-history time, not computer-time.


Just a random thought, wondering what people will make of it.

I think that too many designers approach tabletop game design in the same way they would a software project. They're fundamentally different things though, and I don't think this approach is a good one.

It can be a fun thought-exercise, but I think some people take it a step further -- which is a mistake.

I don't either.

However, 'object-oriented' as a concept is separate from programming - And one RPGs do indeed make use of, as I believe I demonstrated.

RPG game design is better off using design patterns than the notion of object oriented design.

There are several reasons why Object Oriented programming langauges were developed. One was reuse of code, which what you are basically talking about it. This turns out be be largely a chimera only usable in specific instances (notably User Interface design).

The reason it doesn't work is that the specific problems that a piece of software tries solve require unique solutions. It require unique solution because no pieces of software choose the exact same things to solve the problems. Because of all the interconnections this leads to poor compatibility.

For RPGs the focus of want the game is about will also work against making use of this idea. Realistic vs non-realistic, genre, level of detail, etc, etc.

However one area that is of great use would be design patterns. They are related to algorithms which describe how to make a sequential sequence of commands to perform some useful generic task. Design Patterns describe how to combine a set of objects to perform some useful generic tasks.

However the idea of design patterns didn't originate in computer software it originate in architecture as a means of teaching students the elements of making a beautiful yet functional building. The whole process of designing a building is highly subjective however there are common elements or patterns that architects use. A design pattern is a formal way of describing this. The final building is constructed from combining many different design patterns together.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_Patterns

The difference between the two approach is that that a object is functional and ready to use. While a design pattern is descriptive and a guide.

For example dice rolling systems can be described via design patterns. You have various dice pools, roll under vs roll overs, straight dice like d100 and d20, the T&T and FtA! style of multiple d6s, and so.

A design pattern can be created for each resolution mechanism, described how roll it, what are the typical forms that modifiers take place. A discussion of the probabilities it produces and so on.

The same can be done with the other areas of RPGs resulting a book of all the different approaches that been taken with RPGs. You then create a new RPG by combining the different patterns and writing up the actual implementation.

• JAGS
  
• RPG Design Patterns
  

ETA: wrt 1 (above), see this thread on this very site!

Quote from: James J Skach;283759

• JAGS
  
• RPG Design Patterns
  

ETA: wrt 1 (above), see this thread on this very site!

Marco is a professional Java programmer. That should tell you a lot.

-clash

Quote from: flyingmice;283769Marco is a professional Java programmer. That should tell you a lot.

-clash

He's always been gracious in discussion of this kind of thing. Really cool. I really liked where he was going when that thread was in progress. I wish I had time to pick his brain. Alas...

Quote from: estar;283757RPG game design is better off using design patterns than the notion of object oriented design.

---CUT---

While your objection is entirely relevant to the notion of lifting object-oriented design wholesale, that is not what I said.

What I said was that the idea of leaving things bound only by a 'common language' was an interesting and potentially useful one - Such as the 'design' vs. 'interface' of the magic-user, fighter and thief.