When you’re playing a video game, the graphics may be what catches your attention first. However, there’s more to the visual than just how it looks.

Ways How Architecture Affects a Game Visual

The design and architecture of a space can influence how you play in that area. Even if you’ve never studied architecture in detail, as a gamer you are aware of how different spaces affect the way you play games. If the architecture is confusing or feels restrictive, it will impact your gameplay negatively. On the other hand, if the layout feels open and free with lots of visual cues for navigation, it will positively impact your game.

If you’re new to gaming and have not spent much time thinking about how architecture impacts games, this article will explain why this is so. Understanding these principles can help make your game experiences better from now on, especially if you’re a beginner.

It Holds the Player’s Attention

The visual design of the virtual world holds most of the player’s attention when they’re engaged in the game.

Architectural details like the colour palette and textures of spaces are immediately apparent, and they can shape how the game is played.

Architectural elements encourage or discourage certain gameplay types in virtual spaces. For example, architectural features such as windows and doorways provide clear paths for navigation and allow the player to view the environment from different directions.

Types of Game Architecture

Architecture can be categorized in different ways. One way is to look at the degree to which the architecture is open or closed. Another way to categorize architecture is by its confidence or uncertainty in its own spatial relationships. Another way to categorize architecture is by its navigation strategies.

Open and Closed Spaces

One way to categorize architecture is by degree of openness. An open space is one where the player can navigate towards multiple directions. A closed space is one where the player can navigate towards only one direction. Open spaces include endless deserts and open fields. Closed spaces include maze gardens and forests. These architectural features influence how gamers navigate and interact with the game world. Open spaces allow for multiple paths of navigation. Closed spaces allow for only one path of navigation. This difference affects how gamers approach gameplay.