Archive for November, 2010
The Complexity of Discovery
Nov 11th
One hallmark of highly successful games in recent years is discovery within the game. Every game should strive to make the player think in different ways, but just the game itself is not discovery enough. You need elements within your game for people to discover. At the same time, you can risk putting too many routes to discovery within a game and making it too complex.
So, how do you do both?
Having Fun: Feeling Good
Nov 9th
As analytical gamers, when we move to the field of design we often try to set our emotions aside. We’ve taught ourselves to look at game aspects on their own merits, carefully carving out a bookshelf in our mind for what matters. Even when it comes to what makes a game fun, we can sit around for hours and coldly debate what is and isn’t enjoyable.
But you know what? Sometimes, you should just run with what feels good.
Here are some examples of things that “feel good” in gaming:
The Dark Side of Achievements
Nov 4th
As I talked about in my last blog post, goals are a powerful design element. They provide direction, give you something to work toward, and make you feel good when you accomplish them. Overall, goals are a good thing.
However, goals also have a darker side. If they are poorly made, goals can end up harming a game.
Read more on The Dark Side of Achievements…
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