Video Game Design/Archetypes

Archetypes

There are many genres (type classification) of games, each one within its own defined domain, that commonly will have sub-domains (in a tree like form). All the games in a particular genre tend to share certain conventions, since they are the defining element. A game can also be classified in more than one genre, by layering (sectioning the game-play) or as a result of experimentation in an attempt to innovate or simply by a need to place very similar games in distinct categories.

For instance strategy games that are real time, will often share most common elements of turn base games, in fact RTS (Real time strategy) can be defined as a logical evolution of TBS games, due to the possibilities opened by the increase of computational power and graphics capabilities. In this example strategy games will then be the common root of TBS and RTS genres, and will include for instance the card game of Solitaire. Continuing with the example the Solitare game would be part of the simulator genre and its sub-domain of card games.

The game genre can also be defining in the type of people who would play it.

An archetype is a game that implements the purest set of conventions that is commonly accepted as defining a genre. A good example of an archetype would be any game that first implemented a genre or later implementations that strictly re-uses those conventions without any form of game-play innovation in terms of capabilities.

Classic Game Types

Nintendo's Arcade version of "Donkey Kong" – this is one of the oldest video games.

Arcade Classics

Digdug – Pac-man – Asteroids – Space Invaders – Breakout – Pong – Pitfall

Maze

Example:

• Pacman

Platform

Celeste, a 2D platformer.

A platform game has the character(s) as anything from the protagonist to Arcadic Conventional and the player-character relationship being 1st or third person.

Platforms:The levels are designed as side scrollers (meaning that you see everything from the side almost like a cross-section. The character jumps between platforms to progress through the level and often times there are large 'bottomless-holes' in which the character dies.

Collectibles: Levels consist of collectibles such as coins, items, etc. which increase abilities and score. A subgenre of 3D platformer, the Collectathon, makes gaining collectibles the primary goal.

Some platform games:

• Super Mario Bros
• Super Mario 64

Puzzle

A Puzzle game usually uses both character and player-character relationship as an influence in the game. It uses concepts of score and level progression through logic and skill.

Some Puzzle games:

Myst – Tetris – Lumines

Medium Qualifiers

The appearance of 3D environments in games that first started with vectorial simulations creates the need to distinguish 2D games from 3D, in arcades there was also attempts to create real 3D games, with minor successes and game studios attempted also a new type of system, the interactive video game that one day will probably make a come back. While not an archetype this type of qualifiers are often part of a game description.

Extended Game Types

The end of the arcade matches well with the increase of affordability of powerful game systems for home use. A time that sees the rise of the 3D environment over the older 2D. As the game specific arcade starts to become unprofitable new genres starts to appear, especially due to the home computer and long play models that wouldn't fit the arcade model.

Strategy

Turn-base Strategy

The turn base strategy genre usually focus on tactics rather than superiority of arms such as in many RTS, the genre is therefore preferred by many gamers who desire long duration, complexity and greater tactical challenges instead of the hectic and repetitive game-play that is the basis of most recent RTS that is more focused in optimization of actions and returns.

The context were turn-base strategy can be applied is very vast, from military campaigns to businesses and fantasy all is opened to create the background.

• Lords of Magic

Real Time Strategy (RTS)

RTS, obviously stands for Real Time Strategy and as a game type it attempts to categorize any game system that permits strategizing over the game’s elements and actions in real time. This may include resource management, territorial control, unit coordination, and the ability to issue commands while the simulation continues to evolve. In many modern implementations the player may pause or slow the game to queue actions or set future behaviors, especially in more modern titles where hardware improvements allow increased complexity and the management of many interacting assets. In its more archaic form the game’s action and user interaction unfold without discrete turns that characterize classical board games or early computer strategy titles. This continuous flow of time is a mechanical constraint that shapes how players perceive the game world and how developers must structure interactions. In early implementations the player acted directly in real time, issuing commands as events unfolded, while modern hardware allows temporary pauses or slowdowns that let the player queue actions or define future behaviors. These differences reflect the evolution of computing power, memory, and interface design, all of which expanded the expressive range of RTS mechanics.

The conceptual roots of RTS design appeared long before the term existed. Early home computers such as the ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64 hosted games that required players to react to unfolding situations, manage multiple agents, or control territory under time pressure. These titles did not yet form a coherent genre, but they introduced the essential idea that strategy could occur in real time. As hardware improved, developers gained the ability to simulate larger worlds, track more units, and update game states continuously. This shift from discrete to continuous simulation is central to understanding RTS design, because it forces players to think in terms of flow, timing, and prioritization rather than isolated decisions.

The emergence of RTS as a distinct type occurred on personal computers when higher resolutions, expanded memory, and mouse‑driven interfaces became standard. The mouse allowed rapid spatial commands, while the keyboard provided hotkeys and control groups that let players manage many units at once. These interface innovations were structural enablers of RTS complexity. Without them, the genre could not have developed its characteristic mechanics of base construction, resource economies, and multi‑unit coordination. The viewpoint used in these games, often top‑down or isometric, became equally important. It provided a clear representation of the battlefield, allowed rapid scanning of threats, and supported the mental mapping required for strategic planning. The open‑source project 0 A.D. illustrates how this visual language persists, with its isometric depiction of ancient cities demonstrating the clarity and readability that RTS design demands.

0 A.D., an open source RTS.

As the genre matured, developers began exploring how terrain, physics, and environmental conditions could influence strategy. Games such as Tiberian Sun introduced height differences, destructible terrain, day‑night cycles, and weather systems that altered visibility and movement. These features encouraged players to consider elevation, cover, and environmental timing as strategic tools. The game also demonstrated how faction identity could be reinforced through mechanical asymmetry, with the GDI relying on heavy mechanized units and the Brotherhood of NOD emphasizing stealth, mobility, and unconventional tactics. Sound design played a crucial role in reinforcing these systems, with unit acknowledgments, construction cues, and musical pacing guiding the player’s attention across the battlefield.

(Dark Reign is not mentioned but the topology and unit terrain effect was innovative)

Other developers focused on readability and empire‑scale clarity. Age of Empires II refined the classical RTS interface into a highly legible system where a single glance conveyed the state of the economy, the army, and the battlefield. Its emphasis on historical progression, resource balance, and clear visual language made it a model of strategic readability. The game demonstrated that clarity is not merely aesthetic but a mechanical requirement for large‑scale decision‑making.

The genre expanded further when developers began experimenting with three‑dimensional space. Homeworld introduced full 3D movement, requiring players to think in terms of volume rather than surface. This shift demanded new camera systems, new selection mechanics, and new spatial reasoning skills. Homeworld also pioneered persistent fleets, where surviving units carried over between missions, creating emotional investment and long‑term strategic consequences. Its ambient soundtrack and minimalist interface demonstrated how audio and visual design could support cognitive clarity in complex spatial environments.

Other titles explored stylistic experimentation and thematic extremes. KKND embraced exaggerated post‑apocalyptic aesthetics and fast‑paced combat, demonstrating how tone and visual identity could shape player expectations even when core mechanics remained familiar. In contrast, Total Annihilation pushed the technical boundaries of the genre with physics‑based projectiles, deformable terrain, and a streaming economy that reduced micromanagement. Its automation systems allowed units to behave intelligently without removing strategic agency, and its large‑scale battles demonstrated how hardware advances could support unprecedented simulation depth.

Some developers pursued scale as a defining feature. Cossacks supported thousands of units simultaneously, emphasizing logistics, formations, and the industrial scale of early modern warfare. Its economy demanded constant attention, turning resource management into a strategic race that mirrored historical supply challenges. The game demonstrated that RTS design could model not only tactical engagements but also the logistical and organizational demands of large armies.

Other titles explored customization and community‑driven evolution. Warzone 2100 introduced a modular unit design system where players combined chassis, propulsion, and weaponry to create bespoke forces. Its sensor‑driven artillery and automated counter‑battery systems showed how information flow could become a strategic resource. After the original studio closed, the game’s source code was released, and the community maintained it as an open‑source project, illustrating how player dedication can preserve and extend a game’s legacy.

The genre also produced titles that defined competitive play. StarCraft demonstrated how asymmetrical factions, tight control mechanics, and high mechanical skill ceilings could transform RTS into a competitive sport. Its emphasis on actions per minute, multitasking, and predictive play created a new form of strategic expression where physical speed became a resource. The game’s sound design, from unit barks to alert tones, reinforced the player’s cognitive map and supported rapid decision‑making under pressure.

Hybrid designs also emerged. Kingdom Under Fire blended RTS with action‑oriented hero control, requiring players to manage both large‑scale strategy and direct combat execution. Earth 2150 expanded the use of 3D terrain by allowing players to dig trenches, carve tunnels, and manipulate the environment as a tactical tool. Submarine Titans explored verticality in underwater environments, requiring players to manage depth as a strategic dimension and to maintain complex logistics in a hostile environment.

Not every experiment succeeded. Conquest Earth attempted to innovate with picture‑in‑picture views, fog generators, and direct unit control, but its interface complexity and lack of cohesion demonstrated that innovation must support, rather than obscure, the core strategic loop.

The foundational model of the genre remains Command & Conquer, which established the basic loop of harvesting, building, training, and attacking. Its use of full‑motion video, asymmetrical factions, and accessible controls created a template that influenced nearly every RTS that followed. Licensed adaptations such as Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds demonstrated how established engines could be repurposed to support new thematic settings while preserving mechanical clarity.

Within the broader Strategy category Real Time Strategy represents the lineage of games built around continuous decision‑making, simultaneous control, and evolving game states. It differs from turn‑based strategy through its uninterrupted flow of time and from tactical or simulation subtypes through its emphasis on the player’s influence over multiple agents and interconnected systems. RTS design continues to evolve, but its roots stretch back to the earliest experiments in real‑time control, and its modern form reflects the combined influence of hardware development, interface design, player psychology, sound design, and the visual languages that define how game worlds are perceived and controlled.

Tactical Combat Simulation

• Laser Squad, turn based.
• Jagged Alliance, initially turn based, newer releases are mixed mode.

War Simulation

• Romance of the Three Kingdoms, turn based.

Business/Economy/Social simulation

OpenTTD simulates the transportation business.

• OpenTTD, real time.
• Civilization, turn based.

Other with no specific niches

• Final Fantasy Tactics, turn based.
• Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War, real time.
• Heroes of Might and Magic, turn based.
• Black and White
• Imperium Galactica
• Real War

Role Playing

This defines any games wherein there the character(s) is/are the protagonist and the player either has a 3rd or 1st person interaction with it/them. Usually these games incorporate a personal view point of fantastic or futuristic settings, although others certainly exist.

Role Playing Game (RPG)

RPG or Role Playing Game should not to be simply confused with the more broad definition of role playing. The RPG genre evolved directly from complex table games.

The elements of an RPG generally include:

Battle: Most RPGs have some form of battling in them. Historically they can occur in a resolution stage, based on a turn-based battle system, which shows players a new screen where the enemies are on one side of the 'field' and the characters are on the other. Each side must then wait till to gain enough energy to attack the other. The battle system often contains elements such as HP (health points), MP (Magic points), attack, speed, stamina, defense, and so forth.

A major portion of the battle system is EXP (experience) points. When the character(s) defeat an enemy it gain EXP and when it gains enough it will gain a level, which increases some or all of its game statistics. This can be new or increased magic, spells, and special attacks.

recently however with more powerful processing power available, this static battle system have fallen in disuse, most RPGs today tend to be 3D and real-time combat is often the solution adopted.

Inventory: A database of items, armor, weapons, and so forth the characters hold.

Story line: Usually the player starts out with one or a few characters and the challenge is presented. Then as the game progresses members of the player's party leave and new ones enter. Games like this are generally divided into regions wherein the player must fight through and discover the problem then fight a boss. At the end of the game the player usually fights the final boss which generally has 3 stages. RPGs have a lot of talking and usually have deeper storyline than other game types.

'Character Progression: As an extension of the battle system mentioned above, most RPGs heavily emphasize the player developing their character(s) over the course of the game. Systems that increase the character's prowess in battle are most common, although others, such as crafting systems to create equipment for the character, are also relatively common.

Some RPGs:

Final Fantasy

Kingdom Hearts (Series)

Baldur's Gate – Dark Stone – Fallout – Ultima – Star Ocean – Dragon's Quest – Elder Scrolls – Icewind Dale

Hack n' Slash RPG Games:

Diablo I and II – Dynasty Warriors – Gauntlet Legends – Champions

These games are considered a variance of the RPG genre; however, they fall under the Hack n' Slash category. These games differ by the character's depth as well as the core game-play mechanics of how the game runs.

Action/Adventure

Action/Adventure Games usually have 3rd person (sometimes 1st person) player character relationship and the character is usually the protagonist. They may mix several other types but ultimately they are role playing games.

Examples:

• Zelda
• Lost Planet
• Tomb Raider

First Person Shooters (FPS)

Xontic, an open source FPS.

First Person Shooters are games based on the so called 1st person perspective (although this very often puts your point of view in about chest height of the character) that places you behind the eyes of the protagonist. The elements of an FPS are:

Weapons and artillery: The character is able to collect and use weapons and artillery with which they use to attack and destroy other characters/enemies.

Story line: Usually an FPS does not have a very deep story line and is more about staying alive than anything.

Some FPS's:

• Metroid Prime
• Quake
• Duke Nukem 3D
• Doom
• Halo
• Half-Life
• Goldeneye
• Perfect Dark
• Turok
• Bioshock

Racing

Super Tux Kart, an open source racing game.

A racing game usually uses a 3rd (sometimes 1st) person player-character relationship where the character is an arcadic convention. Elements of Racing games are:

Vehicles: Usually there is some type of vehicle which the character drives, sometimes these vehicles are customizable and the game lets you choose a vehicle. Different vehicles usually have different stats such as faster speed but worse turning etc.

The Race:The race is separated in laps and judged by time and placing. Usually the game will have a 'time trial' mode wherein the player can try to beat a time. In the race the character will race against other characters (2+) the standard being 8.

Some Racing Games:

• Mario Kart
• Ridge Racer
• Gran Turismo
• Forza
• Wave Race 64
• Need For Speed
• Project Gotham Racing
• Burnout

Simulation

FlightGear, an open source flight simulator.

A simulator is as it says a simulation of reality, even an imaginary reality will do. The differences on how that reality is reflected is not very significant in classifying a game as a simulator, it only suffices that a simulation is clear on the bounds it intends in replicating and the level of detail it provides. Most simulators will include several sub-genre but they are clearly in a class of their own.

Most simulator in 3D tend to have a hight degree of quality in regards to the simulated reality, that may indeed not satisfy the player beyond the specific purpose of the simulation. They are also mostly real time (or with real-time capability). This are often dedicated to things planes, helicopters, railroads, cars and tanks or even submarines in specific or generalized scenarios.

Isometric simulators are mostly relegating to economic simulation, management and construction, the need to reflect reality is not as important and modelization will suffice. They tend to be turn based or include very carefully designed pause events.

A simulation game can also have a variety of character and character relationships. Usually however, the player-character relationship is influence and the character are archaic and conventional.

Some Simulation Games:

• City-building and management simulator
  • Sim City
• Family simulation
  • The Sims
• Flight simulator
• Management simulator
  • Theme Hospital
• Trade simulation
  • Space trade
    • Elite, Freelancer ...

Grow-like games

The Grow-like games can be considered a kind of puzzle game, but the way the narrative emerges with little information about rules, boundaries, and outcomes causes some to consider them in a genre all their own.

Rhythm games

Ferts on Fire, an open source rhythm game.

Also a sub-genre of puzzle gaming, that specifically deals with the reproduction of actions and movements to replicate specific sequences of visual or audio queues.

Cross Genre Games

Hellgate: London – Rampart

MMO

MMO or Massively Multiplayer Online consists of all forms of all game genres where a nearly infinite number of players interact with each other via the Internet. MMO's usually consist of players killing monsters, doing quests, etc. to get to the highest level. MMO's are often PvP (Player vs. Player), where players from around the world will battle with each other with their custom-formed character.