What is a setting? Game setting. What is a setting and why are there so many rules? Let’s look at what a setting is in games in more detail
Environment, shell or platform where it unfolds game world– this is the setting. It can also be compared to a human skeleton or the foundation of a house. Literally every game that could fall into our hands has a unique setting. If, for example, we consider “ EVE Online", this MMORPG presents a truly exceptional and special setting. This new world and a completely new universe that is open to the interested player. Register for EVE Online to experience the game and experience its capabilities firsthand. You compare it with other examples that you think are successful and draw your own conclusion.
Let's look at what a setting is in games in more detail.
The term “setting” itself comes from English language, where literally translated means “furnishings”. This is the skeleton of the game - its unique world and the surroundings, which are built in a separate way by the developer’s studio. This is the place and time where it flows game plot. It is interesting that the setting can be used not only in relation to video games, but also to ordinary literature, where the author builds a separate world of heroes.
The “setting” creates the boundaries of the game world, beyond which the key characters do not go. It is very rare to find that a separate artificial world has an alternative continuation of the map. As an example, let’s take “Eberron” - an independent world, which is very successfully described by the creators right down to space. The game world can be represented by a small kingdom or a large multiverse. This only emphasizes that the map within the game cannot be limited by certain rules. And if we talk about what a setting is in games, then this is certainly a separate world that is being developed by designers and scriptwriters. Its boundaries depend only on the diligence and talent of the game studio workers.
Offline games with the best setting
To understand what the setting is in the game, it is enough to install the recently released version of “Dead or Alive 5” on your computer. The game world here is represented by the only platform for battle. The game itself was released in the “Fighting” genre theme. Therefore, the plot is based on fighting tournaments that take place not in the ring, but in ordinary cities, the beach or in nature. All this is very colorfully written by the designers. That’s why the created world immerses the player headlong into the tournament scenario.
Another great example of a worthy game with the best setting is the new remake of the cult Resident Evil. In 2015, the video game developers decided to re-release the original 1996 version in new graphics and on a new engine. Now the colorful game world of the legendary plot opens before us. The player will be able to walk through long labyrinths of ancient buildings in search of attacking monsters. Obviously, the new remake will offer not only improved graphics, but also a more spacious gaming map.
What online games with a high-quality setting are already familiar to you?
Most of the presented MMORPG games have a very good setting. The developers are making considerable efforts to expand and enrich the gaming world as much as possible. This is exactly what we see when getting acquainted with EVE Online, because it is here that a unique setting is offered. Likewise good words one can also say about “ War Thunder"and other MMORPG games. And to understand what a setting is in computer games, it’s enough just to get to know them better. The truth is so simple!
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What would you call what happens in virtual world? Few people know that the environment in the game is called the setting. What is so interesting hidden by this concept, we will consider in the article.
Definition
From English “setting” is translated as “furnishings”, “room”, etc. In general, the concept itself describes the environment in which virtual events or artistic actions take place. It all depends on whether computer or board game.
The setting is the time and place of action, as well as the conditions of its process. Sometimes this concept refers to a special set of rules and history of the environment.
This versatility of the definition is due to the fact that the word is borrowed. Therefore, when trying to find out what a setting is, you need to turn to the Merriam-Webster dictionary.
Here the concept is interpreted in three ways:
- The location in which the action takes place, as well as the time of the process and its circumstances.
- Time and place in a work of literature, theater or cinema.
- Background curtain in a theatrical production.
Literature
Despite its prevalence, the concept is often referred to as computer games. We are talking about a fictional universe here. Such an imaginary world appeared a long time ago. It belongs not only to the world of gamers, but also to a work of art.
For example, many people know the fictional universe of John Tolkien, which was called Middle-earth. Such a virtual world may have its own space, geography, history and culture.
The setting can easily include the world of The Witcher, described by the writer Andrzej Sapkowski. The author managed to recreate not just a geographically intact location, but also add his own language, culture, political component and large-scale history to it. By the way, the Witcher Novigrad later moved into the game setting. It was most clearly displayed in the third part of the gaming series The Witcher 3.
If we talk about a work of art, then a fictional world can be not only fantastic and unreal, but also pre-existing. For example, the setting Medieval Europe, Great Patriotic War, etc.
Board games
Today, the variety of board games is so great that they are becoming more popular among adults than among children. For example, the well-known “Monopoly” has already gained large number variations. The rules of some of them will not be easy to explain to a child.
In addition to Monopoly, there are board games that have been adapted into digital form over time. For example, Dungeons and Dragons. This role play in the fantasy genre has an extensive setting. The translation of this word from English “furnishings” is ideal for this project.
Despite the fact that this is a board game, it opens up many possibilities for customizing your character and introduces you to a special story and world. Since 1974, 10 settings and several subsettings have been released.
Some of them were officially supported only for a few years. Wizards of the Coast is a company that still maintains some of the Dungeons and Dragons settings that were released first.
Eberron is another virtual world that librarian Keith Baker worked on. He competed in the Wizards of the Coast competition. At that time, the company was looking for a successful setting for the game “Dungeons and Dragons.” Baker won the competition with his version of the story.
Computer games
Despite the fact that the translation of the word setting is “settings,” there is a need for a more precise interpretation. This is due to the fact that the concept is directly related to another concept - “genre”.
Having heard about post-apocalypse, art deco, steampunk and other terms, every avid gamer will be able to say exactly what awaits him in the game. For example, the post-apocalypse is clearly depicted in every Fallout series, fantasy worked in Neverwinter Nights, sci-fi presented Star games Trek and Mass Effect. All this answers the question of what a setting is.
But there are projects in which it is not easy to determine the type of virtual world. Since setting is an unregulated term and has many definitions, game developers do not think about creating a specific virtual world.
This is where projects emerge that combine, for example, dieselpunk and steampunk. The first type of setting takes us back to the 19th century and the fantastic steam engines. Steampunk is a later movement of the 20th century. It takes us back to scientific progress.
Peculiarities
When trying to understand what a setting is, it is important to remember that it is not just a location in which events take place. This is a set of factors and attitudes that influence gameplay. They can change the physics of the virtual world, shape the character and behavior of the character.
Connection
Closely tied to the setting is flow. This concept defines the player's involvement in the process. To achieve flow, you need to complete tasks that match your abilities. But the process itself is influenced by several factors. One of them was the setting.
If you've ever played through the game, you know how important not only the moderately difficult gameplay is, but also the atmosphere around it. When everything is balanced, the participant achieves maximum involvement in the game process. Only then can he forget about time and surroundings.
Example
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is a multiplayer game that is one of the most popular in the world. Since its release, it immediately became an eSports discipline.
In CS:GO, the setting is not easy to describe, since this is an online multiplayer shooter game. However, since the launch of the first series of the project, its essence has not changed. The main amendments affected graphics. Otherwise, the war is still waged between terrorists and special forces.
The setting includes several dozen maps. Some of them remain permanent, and some are added in honor of events.
The virtual world also has an economic component. It also plays an important role and influences the game process. Gamers must clearly understand how to distribute the team's budget.
Versatility
It just so happens that setting as a concept has not received a specific definition. It can be interpreted as a game world, a written area with its own atmosphere, a genre, an idea, and a certain set of elements. This concept applies not only to the digital world, but is also found in theater, cinema and literature.
Project developers rarely think about purposefully shaping the setting. This is why games with a mixed typology of genres are so often found.