Games as Cybernetic Systems - Ch 18

Cybernetic: a system that gives feedbacks about the system and makes necessary adjusments
three elements: sensor, senses something about the internal state of the system
 comparator, decides whether or not to change the system

 activator, activates the change

positive feedback vs negative feedback:
positive feedback: if the data causes the system continue moving in the same direction,
negative feedback: data causes the system to change direction
effects of the negative feedback stabilizes the system

feedback in games
game state → scoring function →  controller → game mechanics bias  
        

game state: formal way of understanding the current status of the game
scoring function: system’s sensor
controller: comparator, makes decisions about the change
game mechanical bias: activator, a game event that can be turned on or of according todecision of comparator.

Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment:
DDA, uses feedback loops to adjust the difficulty of play
- constantly anticipates the abilities of the player, reads the players’ behavior and makes adjustments accordingly

Negative feedback stabilizes the game
-can prolong the game
-magnifies early success
Positive feedback destabilized the game
-can end the game
-magnifies late success

Feedback systems -can emerge from the game system by accident

       -can take control away from the players