I just got this book called challenges for game designers and have just started to get into it. Has any one else read this book or is reading this book? I am interested in seeing some of the designes that other people have come up with for the challenges that are provided. Also i would like to find out what other people who have read the book think.
Challenges for game designer
Fri, 01/29/2010 - 17:32
Sat, 01/30/2010 - 09:15
#1
Great book/teacher
I couldn't believe that a book could be so valuable in this day of online sources, but Challenges for Game Designers is crammed with fun and very challenging game design lessons.
The author led a class online (for free!) and you can still read (and recreate) all the submissions/lessons here:
Sat, 01/30/2010 - 15:34
#2
my response is not quite
my response is not quite as... advertisement-text-y as jason's, but it's a solid book for board game design, better than i expected it to be based on the title. good coverage of different topics.
Sat, 01/30/2010 - 17:50
#3
"my response is not quite
"my response is not quite as... advertisement-text-y as jason's,"
Why was that comment necessary?
Sat, 01/30/2010 - 19:38
#4
why is ANY comment
why is ANY comment necessary?
Tue, 02/02/2010 - 03:40
#5
design challenge
Cool - can't wait to get into this material. I wasn't sure if this warranted an entirely new thread, or simply made sense to reply here:
My Own Game Design Challange: I Will Design Games
I have started a blog "iwilldesigngames.blogspot.com" with the aim of posting 1 new game idea per week. Of course, I have to immediately say I don't expect to post 1 new *good* game idea per week, but much like the 500 word per day writing project, or the theory that it takes about 10,000 hours to actually excel at something.
The aim is just to exercise my creativity, stretch my mind and try to become better at game design.
d3
(daniel)
Tue, 02/02/2010 - 23:01
#6
Great Asset
Hi Daniel
About your blog. Why don't you take 10 days instead and try to post a print-and-play version of your ideas. You see, a game idea takes about 10 minutes to take enough form to post it in a blog. Designing the components and writing the rules is also a big part of the process, so it could be a good training, and it could make it more interesting for your readers. Also, you can have your own blog in this site, and get comments from registered users that actually do design games.
The reference material is really something you should check upon. Thanks Jason for the post. As for me, it help me figure out that there can be a board design stage in videogame development. I was restarting my 400 pages videogame blueprint for the third time by then, because changes made me have to start over every time I got by page 200. Now, instead, I'm making a board design of the videogame, and it turns out that is simpler to test, simpler to communicate, and much more simpler to modify.
Read it all, if you can. You'll be amazed how it can turn things around for you.
Keep thinking!
Wed, 02/03/2010 - 07:29
#7
d3nial wrote:I have started a
I have started a blog "iwilldesigngames.blogspot.com" with the aim of posting 1 new game idea per week. Of course, I have to immediately say I don't expect to post 1 new *good* game idea per week, but much like the 500 word per day writing project, or the theory that it takes about 10,000 hours to actually excel at something.
Brute force might work, but I don't think it's the only or the best approach. It's great to set yourself a goal that makes you to work, but plain quantity will hardly turn automatically into quality.
Forcing yourself to post one new game idea per week will most likely result in preventing you from spending the time those ideas require to become full blown games. It's like trying to learn to drive by starting your car engine 10 times a day. You need to actually drive the car!
Coming up with a game idea will take you a few minutes, figuring a decent idea might take more, but even the best idea is not a game, it's just the seed of a game. Nurturing the idea and thinking of all the details required to turn it into a playable game is where the designer does the magic. Instead of spending your time collecting 50 ideas in a year, I think you'll learn a lot more if you devote your time trying to make those ideas work. It doesn't really matter if the original idea is good or mediocre. Your goal is learning how to design a game, not being published (which you wouldn't anyway with just a ton of game ideas). And as you work on a game, the changes might drive you away from the original idea anyway, so it really doesn't matter too much what you start with, as long as you keep working on the right direction.
Trying to turn an idea into a playable game will teach you a lot. Playtesting that game and listening to the players comments, as well as observing their reactions when playing, will give you invaluable feedback, and help you become a better designer.
Another good way to start is taking part in the Game Design Showdown we have every month (sometimes every other month). There you will get comments on your ideas that will let you know what your strengths and weaknesses are, and help you become a better designer.
Wed, 02/03/2010 - 11:26
#8
It depends on what your goal is...
I have started a blog "iwilldesigngames.blogspot.com" with the aim of posting 1 new game idea per week. Of course, I have to immediately say I don't expect to post 1 new *good* game idea per week, but much like the 500 word per day writing project, or the theory that it takes about 10,000 hours to actually excel at something.
Forcing yourself to post one new game idea per week will most likely result in preventing you from spending the time those ideas require to become full blown games. It's like trying to learn to drive by starting your car engine 10 times a day. You need to actually drive the car!
Coming up with a game idea will take you a few minutes, figuring a decent idea might take more, but even the best idea is not a game, it's just the seed of a game. Nurturing the idea and thinking of all the details required to turn it into a playable game is where the designer does the magic. Instead of spending your time collecting 50 ideas in a year, I think you'll learn a lot more if you devote your time trying to make those ideas work.
Trying to turn an idea into a playable game will teach you a lot. Playtesting that game and listening to the players comments, as well as observing their reactions when playing, will give you invaluable feedback, and help you become a better designer.
If your goal in posting one game concept a week is to improve your ability to come up with game ideas and write clear and concise treatments for those concepts, then it sounds like a fantastic plan. If your goal is to become better at taking games from concept to playable prototype (or beyond), then I agree with Seo. Regardless of what your goal may be, I hope you get what you're looking for out of your blog and wish you success.
(I'd like to say more, but I have an appointment to go to!)
Wed, 02/03/2010 - 19:31
#9
re: feedback
Hi all
I take these points on board; yes, the brute force aspect is not going to be the best way to get quality. But constantly exercising my mind like that will have benefits.
I should point out that I imagine quite a few times, revisiting ideas already posted, applying/refining new game mechanics, adding ideas about game board/piece/card design.
Like the very game ideas themselves, I am sure that with time and useful feedback the concept and realisation of my blog will improve!
Thanks again.
Daniel
