1. Game Design
Fundamentals
S p r i n g - 2 0 1 0
C l a s s # 1

2. To-do List
What is Game Design?
Introduction
My Path
Index Cards
Syllabus/Website
Game Design Workshop: Intro
Game Design Workshop: Chapter 1
We Didn’t Playtest This at All

3. What is Game Design?

4. What is Game Design?
Problem Solving!

5. Introduction
Anyone can be a game designer
Game design is hard
Getting into the game industry is also hard
Teaching game design is hard too

6. Introduction
Anyone can be a game designer
Game design is hard
Getting into the game industry is also hard
Teaching game design is hard too

7. Introduction
Anyone can be a game designer
Game design is hard
Getting into the game industry is also hard
Teaching game design is hard too

8. Introduction
Anyone can be a game designer
Game design is hard
Getting into the game industry is also hard
Teaching game design is hard too

9. Introduction
Anyone can be a game designer
Game design is hard
Getting into the game industry is also hard
Teaching game design is hard too

10. My Path

11. My Path

12. My Path

13. My Path

14. My Path

15. My Path

16. My Path

17. My Path

18. My Path

19. Index Cards
Name (Nickname)
Email (Preferred)
Job Title (Prospective)
Favorite Game
Last game you played

20. Syllabus/Website
http://gamedesignclass.tumblr.com/

21. Game Design: 3 Steps
1. Understand how games work
Rules, goals, objectives, patterns
What is a game? What makes a game fun?
2. Prototype and playtest cycle
Paper, digital, mod
Give good feedback, take feedback
3. Discover the industry

22. Skills of a Game
Designer
Be a good listener
Be a good playtester
Critical analysis of games
Always ask questions! What, how, WHY?
Be driven, inspired, creative and relentless
Never stop experiencing

23. Playcentric Design
Process
What will the player feel? (Set player
experience goals)
Prototype the mechanics
Playtest the game
Iterate (solve problems)

24. Iteration
1.Generate ideas
2.Formalize ideas
3.Test ideas
4.Evaluate results

25. We Didn’t Playtest
This at All
What mechanics are involved?
What good choices (strategy) do I have?
What makes this game fun / not fun?
How do I feel when I play it?
How do I feel when I win / lose?

26. Structure of Games
Players
Objectives
Procedures
Rules
Resources
Conflict
Boundaries
Outcome
Formal Elements