Game Design Academic Reading

Monopoly Board

In the first reading, the excerpt form "Original by Game Design Concepts" by Ian Schreiber, the author discusses the definition of the term "game" and how the definition of the term is complicated and widely debated thus there being no concretely accepted definition for the term outside of a certain group. He also discusses that the vocabulary and terminology surrounding games in general is very subjective and colloquial depending on your peers, making it difficult to communicate with others about games. He also states alternate definitions for "Games" from other authors and presents the commonalities between the definitions such as the requirement of Rules, Conflict and Goals. He also ponders several examples of subjects that do not fit the conventional definition of games such as Tabletop RPGs or Puzzles. At the end of the excerpt he provides an exercise to showcase the process of creating a simple game.

Brainstorming Graphic

In the second reading, an academic publication titled "The organic nature of game ideation: Game ideas arise from solitude and mature by bouncing" by Kultima Annakaisa, the author discusses idea generation in the new and rapidly developing game industry through the evaluation of several interviews with game designers on the topics surrounding idea generation. They discuss how many game studios practice fostering creative spaces for creative and like-minded individuals but how they should also foster more versatile viewpoints to allow for fresher new idea and support innovation. They then go on to examine how better and more efficient idea generation techniques are the key to innovation. They explain how purposefully affecting the creative process of idea generation can lead to new ideas and thus better innovations in games. The author then presents brainstorming as a common practice in the idea generation process but acknowledges that it boasts many benefits and virtues for the idea generation process. They explain how having more idea generation techniques can improve the outputs of developers and how they can aid in averting small incremental growth in favour of greater leaps in design by widening developers' perspectives. As they begin presenting the results of their interview they state their findings that game design was a very organic and subjective process that was found to be difficult to formally explain/discuss. The author begins to present the findings from the interviewees and finds that:

1. Inspiration for game ideas can be found within anything and by observing everything around you either passively or systematically.
2. Actively doing other things, even just as a distraction, other than focusing on idea generation can aid in maturing thoughts and ideas.
3. Solitude is a helpful and commonly used practice in idea generation.
4. Group processes such as brainstorming and other such activities are often/better used for developing ideas rather than generating them. They serve as good methods for finding alternate thinking on ideas.
5. Many attempts at group process are done informally and can be counterproductive to original idea presentation or generation.
6. Formal idea generation techniques or group processes can funnel thinking and ideas toward a singular topic.
7. Although formal techniques worked occasionally solitary techniques were still favoured and thus more solitary techniques should be delivered and formal techniques should be developed and tailored to work better in a game design environment.
8. During the idea generation process many designers favoured prioritising the mechanics of the game idea over the theme as the theme can be easily modified but mechanics were essential for a functioning game.
9. Initial ideas could serve as either an initial stepping stone for a project or serve as the whole foundation throughout the process.
10. Although mechanics tended to be favoured aspects such as emotional goals for the game or a singular gameplay 'hook' for players were also acceptable starting points.