GSML: Game System Modeling Language—spatializing play structures and interaction flow

The purpose of this research is to investigate game design practice in order to define a language and methodology that can be used to improve game systems design. Through our user research, we determined that game designers gain clarity about their game systems from externalizing and reflecting upon their games' mechanical structures and flow. We call our resulting language and approach the Game System Modeling Language (GSML). Our research has shown that GSML provides a practical, novel perspective that assists game designers in analyzing and refining their game systems independently of prototyping and player feedback.

本研究旨在探究游戏设计实践，以构建一套可用于优化游戏系统设计的语言与方法论。通过本研究的用户调研，我们发现：游戏设计师可通过外化梳理并反思游戏的机制架构与流程，明晰自身游戏系统的设计逻辑。我们将最终产出的这套语言与方法命名为游戏系统建模语言（Game System Modeling Language，GSML）。本研究证实，GSML能够提供一种实用且新颖的视角，帮助游戏设计师无需依赖原型制作与玩家反馈，即可对自身的游戏系统开展分析与优化工作。