The Unlimited Rulebook: architecting the economy mechanics of games

Abstract

My academic journey through the world of game development officially began in November 2009, when some college friends and I decided to make a game together. That team went on to become USPGameDev, a student special interest group at the University of São Paulo. I love to tell everyone I find in the street how many of us now work on real game companies all over the world. Except for me, that is. I spent the last decade learning, programming, teaching, organizing events, participating in game jams, researching, and dedicating myself to many, many other smaller activities involving USPGameDev. Even though I always admired my friends that now actively take part in the game industry, it seems something kept drawing me to that place. The place I helped build where anyone could go to start their own journey in the game development world.This thesis was the way I found to materialize everything I lived these past 12 years. It is my tribute to everyone I met during this time, for every single one of you taught me something that made its way into the process of making this work. That said, not everything found a place among the pages of this final manuscript. These are dark times and I grossly overestimated my willpower to properly tie all the loose ends. Instead, I shamefully offer these simple words of gratitude to all of you.There are a few names I do want to shine the spotlight on. First of all, Vinícius, one of the fellow founders of USPGameDev, who agreed to co-author a journal article with me. Also my eternal Age of Empires mentor -may your villagers never meet the unforgiving tusks of the wild boar! Next, I would like to offer my eternal gratitude to those who joined me in my shenanigans to put the Unlimited Rulebook to the test: Rica, Zé, and Heitor. Heitor also taught me the joy of writing and convinced me to finally create something of my own. Thank you three for always indulging me. Speaking of indulging, I am forever indebted to the four patient souls that agreed to the interviews needed for my research (and sorry I cannot put your names here!). Professor Paulo and fellow researchers Higor and Leonardo showed me the light when the time came to design the more formal steps of my research methodology. And, of course, I thank my advisor, professor Fabio, for making sure I had all the reasons to be proud of my work. During the worst times of the last two years, the ones I could always count on were my partner, Maki, and my brother, Akira. It is thanks to both of you that I had the safest and most welcoming home to shelter in while the storm raged outside.Last, there will always be a special place in my memories for the Institute of Mathematics and Statistics from the University of São Paulo. The professors, the staff, and the hundreds of colleagues I met there give me the unshakeable certainty that it was worth it seeing this work through.