Fundaments of Game Design Ch 1 Richard Gesick

What is a Game?

WHAT IS GAME DESIGN ? Game design is the process of creating the content and rules of a game. Good game design is the process of creating goals that a player feels motivated to reach rules that a player must follow as he makes making meaningful decisions in pursuit of those goals.

What makes a game “good” Good game design is player-centric Player’s desires are truly considered game design is about creating opportunities for players to make meaningful decisions that affect the outcome of the game.

The “core” or “core dynamic” of a game the single thing gameplay is about A core is usually tied to a specific “core mechanic”

Some core dynamics Territorial Acquisition Prediction Spatial Reasoning Survival Destruction Building Collection Trading Chasing or Evading Race to the End

learning game design Learning by doing order to design, you must practice design, and you must play what you practice.

Approaches to design Blue sky Slow boil Mechanic MDA (mechanics-dynamics-aesthetics) aesthetics doesn’t refer to looks but emotional responses IP (of others) Story Research

an iterative process the game is quickly prototyped, played, and refined again and again and again Emphasis on game play, not appearance Rules: don’t write them until you have to Avoid patches that work around problems

Constraints Budget Time frame to completion Platform Audience Rating Cost to manufacture Physical dimensions

Designer’s block Force a change of dynamics by: Changing a resources’ availability Allow players to affect the play of others Change the order of play “kill” a rule The rule of 2