Each time a major awards ceremony nears, one notices an outcry for the addition additional classifications to acknowledge overlooked contributions and fill the hearts of fans with niche passions.
My colleague has already made for a horror game category. That would rule. So would tabletop games, representing a passionate advocate's mission. But they will have to forgive me for pushing forward because like all blinkered fanatics, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand stands as crucial above others. Here's the proposal: There should be an award type for logic-based games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Organizing artistic expressions isn't exact; it’s very subjective, and typically spark debates and end in fuzzy definitions. It's understandable that film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. Yet it remains a necessary evil within the realm of video games, that demonstrate such variety they barely qualify a single creative category.
For the full spectrum of gaming accomplishments to gain proper attention, and to ensure all game types to receive proper recognition, classification by type becomes crucial.
Present Award Structure
The major gaming awards presently include award types recognizing Action, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these award types effectively encompass numerous genres, and you can find room for most games within them.
This doesn't apply to puzzle games. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Consider three of outstanding current releases, each quite distinct: building puzzles in a particular game, fast-paced pattern recognition in a different title, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles from additional release. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Simply put, no category fits.
The Representation Problem
Many instances occur outstanding logic titles released every year without proper recognition at major award shows, except when they manage to fit for categories like Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, or the extremely competitive small studio competitions.
- A renowned logic title wasn’t nominated in any category in 2014
- Another creative title missed out that year
- Popular arranging title was overlooked that year
- Limited numbers of brain-teasers scraped into small studio or handheld classifications
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often compact experiences, however the design in brain-teasers is of massive significance. Iconic mobile puzzle games count as most popular titles in the world continuing this trend for an extended period.
The legendary block-stacking game challenges popular creative games claiming status as highest-selling title ever; it also contends for best game of all time. Puzzle games are foundational for gaming as medium, and engaging with diverse game types.
Proposal and Rationale
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter that issue. One could readily select a field of five engaging, different, qualified experiences annually without trouble — actually, with challenge, because you’d have to leave many worthy titles.
To emphasize again, these represent titles without proper classification in important events. Puzzle game makers function at the hard edge game development, producing among most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Similar to film action specialists, they deserve recognition. We shouldn't delay decades.
