Final Reflection
Game creation is one of my most anticipated topics to learn. Many years ago, I learned how to create digital games through a program called Game Maker. I made simple clones of Break Out, Load Runner, as well as an incomplete board strategy game. The process I followed at the time was to go with an idea and try to make it perfect. I tended blindly add different features until the game felt complex. In retrospect, This made my games have a lot of breath and gimmicks, but little to no depth or fun. After taking this class and doing 3 separate game projects, I feel that my view of game creation has completely changed.
The first important lesson that I learned was the MDAO framework (Mechanics, Dynamics, Aesthetics, Outcomes). I used to think that we should start with a game mechanic and then try to bend it until it reaches the correct outcome. However, not all mechanics are suitable for the outcome you are aiming for. With the MDAO framework, you will start with the intended outcome and work your way back to the mechanics. In the first project, games that teach, we wanted to create a game that teaches geography. We initially started from a bingo-like mechanic to teach geography. As we iterated, the bingo mechanic did not work as we expected. If we had stuck to the mechanics, we would have to spend a significant amount of time figuring out how to make bingo teach geography. By starting from outcomes we decided to change our game to play more like rummy, and we are always ready to make significant changes to the mechanics.
The second thing I learned is the importance of research. For my second assignment, interactive fiction, I decided to create a game about suicide and suicide counseling. I was pretty sure that this would require a lot of research. What I did not expect was the amount of information and insights that the background research gave me in developing the game. A lot of the character back story and dialogue were influenced by suicide-related stories that are available on Reddit. Scripting on the counselor’s side also became more natural from talking to people with counseling experience. Research also helps structure the narrative of the game. I had trouble ending the narrative as the conversation in the game is definitely not enough to solve all of the character’s mental problems. After talking to peer counselors, I learned that the counselor should create an actionable plan so that the consultee could move on. This conversation with the peer counselor also influenced me to make sure that the game is heavily focussed on listening and empathy.
Nevertheless, too much reliance on research can harm your game. In the third assignment, systemic game, I worked on a game about gentrification. Gentrification has many moving components including economic factors, location, laws, etc. At first, my team tried to implement all the complexities and ended up with a game that was overly complex. We tried to cut down, but we were unsure which feature to take out. I later learned that this occurred because we have not settled down the core gameplay.
Developing games should start from the core gameplay. In the case of the gentrification game. The core idea and message is the displacement of houses by businesses and rich people. This lead to us cutting out all other mechanics that do not represent this core idea. Once the core idea is solidified, it is easier to begin flushing out the details of the mechanics.
The most important lesson I learned is how to conduct playtesting, and how to iterate on your game. Before this class, I tend to think of playtesting as a way to look for glitches or make slight adjustments to the game’s balance late in development. However, iteration can serve many more purposes in the early stages. It can help you understand your game better and help you discover new things about your game. In the first game, my team started out with a prototype where you play cards that matches a country and then putting a pin on the map. I was originally very skeptical about the mechanics, but playtesting made me realize how fun the game actually was. As we did more playtests, we ran into the problem of fact-checking and players bluffing, which harms the learning experience of the game. This, however, gave us the inspiration to create a challenge system, where players can gain more points by calling out the mistakes of other players. This eventually became one of the core mechanics of that game.
So far, this is one of the most pivotal and enjoyable class I have taken so far. I have gained a lot of experience in crafting games that are both fun to play and contain serious content. Moving forward, I hope to make use of the lessons from this class. I will start by thinking about the intended outcomes. Do the necessary research. Focus on making tight core gameplay, and iterating early and often.
