Holistic Game Development with Unity

CHAPTER 4

Game Rules and Mechanics

But how can we speak of mere play, when we know that it is precisely play and play alone, which of all man’s states and conditions is the one which makes him whole and unfolds both sides of his nature at once?

Friedrick von Shiller

4.1 Introduction

Games for recreational use are as old as known civilization. The oldest complete board game set thought to be the precursor of backgammon, the Royal Game of Ur (played with seven markers and three tetrahedral dice), dates back to 3000 BC. Other such games include Wei-qi, otherwise known as Go, played in China as far back as 2000 BC, and the Egyptian Dogs and Jackals ...