How To Think Like A Game Designer

TL;DR

Game mechanics play a crucial role in shaping player actions and emotions, and designers must carefully select mechanics that align with their game's vision and intended player experience.

Transcript

Okay, so during the development of Alien:   Isolation, the game had a  pretty basic save system. It would automatically cache your data  whenever you tripped invisible checkpoints,   which were dotted throughout each level. It was added because it was easy to  implement, simple to understand - and,   in truth, because that's how saving  worked in p... Read More

Key Insights

• 👾 Game mechanics are the building blocks of a game, shaping player actions and emotions.
• 👾 The MDA framework provides a useful tool for analyzing the impact of game mechanics on player experience.
• 👾 Designers must carefully consider how mechanics align with their game's vision and intended emotions.
• 👾 Game mechanics can interact, overlap, and even undermine each other, requiring careful balancing and consideration.
• ⚾ Aesthetics are subjective and can vary based on individual skill levels, requiring designers to understand their target audience.
• 👾 Other elements of a game, such as visuals, music, and story, also contribute to the overall aesthetics.
• 👾 A strong vision for a game helps guide the selection of mechanics and ensures coherence in the player experience.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why did the development team behind Alien: Isolation decide to change their save system?

The team realized that the automatic checkpoint system led to players not feeling the intended fear and tension in a horror game. By implementing a manual save system with limited save points, they were able to create a more terrifying experience.

Q: What is the MDA framework and how does it help designers?

The MDA framework breaks down games into mechanics, dynamics, and aesthetics, allowing designers to analyze how mechanics influence player actions and emotions. It provides a systematic approach to understanding the impact of different mechanics on the player experience.

Q: Why is it important to have a strong vision for a game?

A strong vision helps guide designers in selecting mechanics that align with the intended emotions and experiences they want to deliver to players. It ensures coherence and creates a more impactful game.

Q: Why is it challenging to design game mechanics that cater to players with different skill levels?

Aesthetics, or the emotional responses players have, can vary based on individual skill and ability. What may be fun and exhilarating for one player could be anxiety-inducing for another. Designers must balance mechanics to cater to a wide range of players.

Key Insights:

• Game mechanics are the building blocks of a game, shaping player actions and emotions.
• The MDA framework provides a useful tool for analyzing the impact of game mechanics on player experience.
• Designers must carefully consider how mechanics align with their game's vision and intended emotions.
• Game mechanics can interact, overlap, and even undermine each other, requiring careful balancing and consideration.
• Aesthetics are subjective and can vary based on individual skill levels, requiring designers to understand their target audience.
• Other elements of a game, such as visuals, music, and story, also contribute to the overall aesthetics.
• A strong vision for a game helps guide the selection of mechanics and ensures coherence in the player experience.
• Designers should continuously playtest and iterate on mechanics to align them with the intended player experience.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Game mechanics are the rules, systems, and stats that make up a game, while dynamics describe how players behave in response to those mechanics, and aesthetics refer to the emotional responses players have while playing.

• The MDA framework (mechanics, dynamics, aesthetics) provides a tool for analyzing game mechanics, understanding how they influence player actions and emotions.

• Borrowing mechanics from other games can be useful, but designers must consider how those mechanics align with their game's vision and intended emotions, avoiding mechanics that clash with the overall design.