Game Design Workshop Chapter 1
Richard Garriott
Akalabeth, Ultima
Using the playcentric approach of playtesting, controlled, iterative changes
Aspects of a good process
Understanding how game systems work, analyzing how they make meaning, and using your understanding to create your own game systems.
Being game literate
What is step one?
Brainstorming
Shigeru Miyamoto
Donkey Kong, Mario, Zelda, Starfox, Pikmin
Gary Gygax
Dungeons and Dragons
another key to thinking like a game designer
Having a good solid process for developing an idea from the initial concept into a playable and satisfying game experience
What can rescue a game from being dead on arrival?
Instilling good processes in your team from the beginning
design, test, and evaluate the results over and over again throughout the development of your game, each time improving upon the gameplay or features, until the player experience meets your criteria. deeply important to the playcentric process.
Iteration
Richard Garfield
Magic The Gathering
People who play your game and provide feedback on the experience
Playtesters
Peter Molyneux
Populous, Syndicate, Fable
Will Wright
Sim games, Spore
Warren Spector
Ultima, Deus Ex
Aspects of good communication
Writing, speaking, listening, and compromising
Most important skill that a game designer can have
communication
what is step five?
design documentation
What is iteration?
design through play
The first step to practicing any art form
develop a deep understanding of what makes the art form work
The game designer...
envisions how a game will work during play
As a designer, the team members you will interact with include
everyone
Sid Meier
father of PC gaming, Solo flight, Civ
Player Experience Goals
goals that the game designer sets for the type of experience that players will have during the game
What is step two?
physical prototype
Objects, behavior, relationships, etc. of things you are passionate about
potential foundation for an interesting game
what is step three?
presentation (optional)
what is step six?
production
what is step seven?
quality assurance
why is it important to playtest early on in the design process?
so you don't waste time coding and designing a concept that will need major changes
what is step four?
software prototypes
how to assure that your core design concept is sound before production begins
taking a playcentric approach to the design and development process
What is the single most important thing to keep in mind when designing a game?
the people who will be playing it
A great source of inspiration for games
things you enjoyed in childhood
First role of the game designer
to be an advocate for the player
