Kids are the most difficult clients you can get for creating game
This article is about my experience during educational game design workshop held in IIT Guwahati in last summer under Kanimuni. The Workshop was an active participatory design exercise with kids from nearby schools.
The objective of the workshop was to create an exciting game which can help students organically ‘make sense’ of various concepts in languages, science and mathematics. We chose word problems in mathematics for class II-V as our area to create game. Each team had three members from different backgrounds.
Assumptions before play-tests with kids
- Our game is best game designed in the whole world
- Kids are going to love it
- Game design is very easy
- Kids will tell us how to improve the game( they never will)
Realities after playtest #1
- Why did we even design this :(
- Kids left the game midway saying its too boring
- The Kids showed us that the game wasn’t even worth playing once
After each play-test, gameplay started to improve. Revised and eliminated the boring and unnecessary part of the gameplay, and kept good part of gameplay. We perfected Thar trails after a lot of play-tests.
Kids judge the game based on only one thing. Is it fun to play it or not? A good gameplay and great theme can make the game fun and dramatic.
As the title says, kids are the most difficult clients to work with, but at the same time, they are the best ones. Children don’t provide a verbal feedback, but on keen observation while watching them play, we can get a deep insight on our design.They are not worried about what people around them think, they walk out if they don’t like the game.
Observation and analysis of how kids playing the game is the most important part of the game design process, without that the game will reach nowewhere.
Few things I learned while creating a game and some parameters to consider while desiging a board game (applicable for other games also)
Variables of game dynamics
There is no perfect formula for creating a game. However considering following variables will provide clarity while creating a game.
- Strategy: Player can become expert in the game by developing natural reflexes. Eg.Field games, Settlers of Catan
- Memory: Mostly doesn’t require preparations, makes use of ability to recollect certain things. Eg.Antakshri, Quiz
- Skills: Effective response, speed. Players agility and skill to spot identify certain elements. Eg.Football, Dobble
- Luck: Easy to learn, No prior knowledge required. Mostly doesn't require any sort of preperations for playing the game. Eg. Snake and ladder, party games
A successful game makes use of combinations of the variables in different depths. First player’s action/move affects the next player and his plan of action and so on. First player challenges the next player with his strategies.
Controlled Uncertainty
The following excerpt explains importance of uncertainty(luck) in game.
“We try to avoid uncertainty in our everyday lives, but uncertainty is a critical element in games. If there’s no uncertainty about path or outcome, the game won’t hold our interest. Uncertainty can, however, come from many sources — random factors, hidden information, difficulty of perception, and strategic complexity among them”
[“Uncertainty in Games” Greg Costikyan, Playdom — YouTube]
Instant Fame
Many games relies on instant winner at one point of time.Board games also no exception to this, which result in a moment of joy for the winner. There is exceptions like monopoly which generally finds a winner by setting timer.
Beyond the borders
Unspoken rules of board game. Game should enable a lot of physical interaction between the players rather than restricting it. After all the good time spend with your fellow players matters more than anything else.
After effects of a successful game design
Kids are the best clients as their expressions of happiness is natural and authentic. They will express their interest while playing, after playing for a successful game. These are feedbacks which you can never get from any other ‘client’.
For the people who reached to this part of post and would like to know education game in details, plese check the following links
Game we developed during workshop : Thar Trails
Talk on Games beyond hardwares by Prof Uday Athavankar : Youtube
Games created during workshop : Kanimuni- Game Design for education
Games created in IDC, IIT Bombay : Y not games
Please feel free to provide your thoughts and feedback on the article. That will definitely helps to bring in more dimensions to it.
