Structuralism in Game Designing

From what I learnt about Structuralism, it is the method of identifying something, whether it be simple or complex, as an intricate system of interrelated parts. In laymen’s terms, this would be the equivalent to breaking something up into easier-to-digest portions, so that once we finish slowly understanding each part, we would have a better understanding of the whole. To take it slightly further into meta category, these individual parts could also have Structuralism applied to them, further breaking them down into smaller system, and so on and so forth.

To me as a game designer, when examining a game, this would equate to me looking at the game as the different ‘systems’ that make it up, instead of the sum of its parts. Game mechanics, story, graphics, characters, environment, setting, etc. Each part is equally important, intertwined with each other and contributing towards a fantastic experience for the player. Breaking down the game into these fields allows me a better understand of a game’s flaws and good points. I can identify what portion of the game is its strong point, its core element, and in relating it to my own game, build upon its success, and succeed where it had failed.