The term 'game tectonics' is derived from Greek 'tektonikós' - concerning the architecture, a designated, new science around the design elements of rulesets, in which people act.
rnThis can be compared to poetry, where 'tectonics' describes the ' proper structure ' of a text, whose parts are aggregated to build e.g. a exciting drama.
rnSame in arts, architecture, where style elements, aggregated according complex sets of rules are felt as being interesting or rather boring.
rnIn the same way new games are constructed.
rnGame tectonics is the art of arranging rulesets, resulting in productive and cooperative, team-oriented and conflict-free, inspiring dynamics. In games as well as in enterprises.
rnSome rulesets are found to produce escalating and deflective, others deescalating dynamics.
rnRules are not 'regulating' anything, but they are neccessarily needed in every system of human interaction. No rule, no game!
rnSurprisingly, many parallels could be found between the inner architecture of boardgames, card games, enterprise games, social games, inventive systems, contracts and all sorts of negotiation, voting.
rnGame theory examines rulesets (considered as cause) an their effect on human behaviour. Game inventors, on the other hand, need to have cause and effect reversed. They want to have a certain dynamic and they ask for the set of rules. Same in enterprise management, legeslators,
rnGame tectonics therefore is commonly interested in the elements of rulesets, which result in a certain behaviour of groups, either in gaming communities, workgroups, discussion groups, internet – communities, programming-teams, TV, Radio ...
rnThose elements have been isolated, reverse engineered, by research over years and can psychologically be considered as 'psycho-logical' elements to build new, interesting games as well for building productive, cooperative (non-deflective) enterprise cultures, enterprise games - called 'serious games'. This led to a completely new aspect on psychology, based on 'reversed', 'common game theory'.
rnAll group-dynamic phenomena (as far as recognised, e.g. 'mobbing') were analysed on their 'implicit logics' and their 'elements' were determined.
rnMáren Kruse, international game inventor and brand game designer, and Dr. Guido Stepken, scientist, analyst of enterprise cultures, succeed in determining a 'component system' from psychological components, which is suitable for the construction of new sets of rules.