2. Seriously Fun: Agenda
• 8:30-9:00: Lecture A: Intro to Games and Gamification
• 9:00-9:15: Exercise 1: (team) Meet your teammates
• 9:15-9:45: Exercise 2: (all) What problems could gamification solve?
• 9:45-10:00: Exercise 3: (team) Pick a problem to solve
• 10:00 -10:30: Lecture B: Game Brainstorming 101
• 10:30-10:50: BREAK
• 10:50-11:30: Exercise 4: (team) Brainstorm potential solutions
• 11:30-11:50: Lecture C: Narrowing the Game Idea Space
• 11:50-12:10: Exercise 5: (team) Choosing one solution
• 12:10-1:00: LUNCH
• 1:00-1:30: Lecture D: Developing Your Game Idea
• 1:30-2:30: Exercise 6: (team) Develop a Three Minute Pitch
• 2:30-3:10: Pitch session! All teams give their pitches!
• 3:10-3:30: Lecture E: Final Thoughts
8. The voyage of discovery is not in seeking
new landscapes but in having new eyes.
– Marcel Proust
9. Magic Words
• I am a game designer.
• Who is a game designer?
• I am a game designer.
• No you’re not.
• I am a game designer.
• What kind of designer?
• I am a game designer.
• You mean you play games.
• I am a game designer.
10. What does “game design” mean?
Game Design is the act of deciding
what a game should be.
11. What skills does Game Designer need
to be good at?
• Animation • History
• Anthropology • Interface Design
• Architecture • Management
• Art • Mathematics
• Brainstorming • Music
• Business • Psychology
• Cinematography • Public Speaking
• Communication • Sound Design
• Creative Writing • Technical Writing
• Economics • Visual Arts
• Engineering • …and much more!
12. What is the most important skill for a
game designer?
?
15. Experimental Film by TMBG
• I already know the ending /
• it’s the part that makes your face implode /
• I don’t know what makes your face implode /
• but that’s the way the movie ends.
20. “Hafta” “Wanna”
Duty Fun
Work Play
Slavery Freedom
Efficiency Pleasure
21. “Work consists of
whatever a body is
obliged to do, and
play consists of
whatever a body is
not obliged to do.”
- Mark Twain
22. Games are special because…
• They are interactive
• They are designed
ENTIRELY for pleasure
23. Games provide:
• Clear Feedback
• A Sense of Progress
• The Possibility of Success
• Mental and Physical Exercise
• A Chance to Satisfy Your Curiosity
• A Chance to Solve a Problem
• A Feeling of Freedom
24.
25.
26.
27.
28. Laughter
Discovery Thrill
Fantasy Story Triumph
Expression Challenge Sensation
35. Exercise 1: Meet Your Teammates
1. What is your name?
2. What is your company and role there?
3. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
4. When you were ten years old, what was your
favorite game?
5. How do you hope to use what you learn in
today’s session?
Finish by
6. One question from a teammate. 9:15am
40. Exercise 3: Pick one!
1. Pick a problem that you personally are
interested in solving – write it down
2. Get everyone’s written ideas up on the easel
3. Come to consensus one which one you will
pursue
Finish by
10:00am
45. Reasons for a clear problem statement
1) Broader creative space
2) Clear measurement of success
3) Better communication
46. The best way to
have a good idea
is to have a lot
of ideas.
- Linus Pauling
47. Nine Brainstorming Tips
1. Yes, and…
2. Write down EVERYTHING
3. Number your lists!
4. Acknowledge the power of the marker
5. Jot notes if interrupting is hard
6. Use Images
7. Crack Jokes
8. Listen to your subconscious
9. Mix and Match categories
56. Exercise 4: Brainstorm Solutions!
1. Yes, and… Finish by
11:30am
2. Write down EVERYTHING
3. Number your lists!
4. Acknowledge the power of the marker
5. Jot notes if interrupting is hard
6. Use Images
7. Crack Jokes
8. Listen to your subconscious
9. Mix and Match categories
63. The Eight Filters of “Good Enough”
1) Artistic Impulse – Does this game feel right?
2) Demographics – Will the intended audience like this game?
3) Experience Design – Is this a well-designed game?
4) Innovation – Is this game novel enough?
5) Business and Marketing – Will this game be profitable?
6) Engineering – Is it technically possible to build this game?
7) Social / Community – Does this game meet our social and
community goals?
8) Playtesting – Do the playtesters enjoy this game enough?
69. Exercise 5: Choose one solution
1. Each person pick 3-5 you like, and write them
down
2. Go through each, one at a time, and mark
down the votes
3. Come to consensus on a solution that you
will go forward with
4. Write it down on a piece of paper, and give it
to me
Finish by
12:10pm
82. Player Experience of Needs Satisfaction
(www.immersyve.com)
Competence Autonomy Relatedness
I want to be I want I want to
good at what freedom! connect to
I do! others!
104. Exercise 6: Develop Your Pitch!
• You will create a three minute Powerpoint
presentation that explains your idea
• But…
• Your powerpoint will have NO WORDS!
105.
106. Exercise 6: Develop Your Pitch!
Finish by
1. What problem are you solving? 2:25pm
2. Why is this problem worth solving?
3. Who is the audience for your solution?
4. How does your solution work? (Walk us through
an example of it being used)
5. Is there a compulsion loop? What drives it?
6. What are the key moments?
7. What are the social forces?
8. Why is this a good investment of time and
resources?
108. Pitches!
1. What problem are you solving?
2. Why is this problem worth solving?
3. Who is the audience for your solution?
4. How does your solution work? (Walk us through
an example of it being used)
5. Is there a compulsion loop? What drives it?
6. What are the key moments?
7. What are the social forces?
8. Why is this a good investment of time and
resources?
111. You CAN make your experiences better
• Ask yourself these simple
questions:
– Given what I know about
my guests…
– Why will they like this
experience?
– How can I get them to like
it more?
121. “Long experience has taught me that the
crux of my fortunes is whether I can radiate
good will toward my audience. There is only
one way to do it and that is to feel it. You
can fool the eyes and minds of the audience,
but you cannot fool their hearts.”
- Howard Thurston