I didn’t really understand why my friends liked playing games before. I think I’ve always been more of a serious person who gets satisfaction out of “real” achievement or very physical sports for the endorphins, health benefits, and feeling like I am reaching my potential in life. This class really opened me up to the importance of games as a form of art, a way of facilitating empathy building with diverse narratives, and bringing joy to the world, especially in the form of fellowship with others. I also fell in LOVE with Stardew Valley and can’t wait to keep playing when I have more free time this summer:) Link to my Stardew Valley Assignment: https://mechanicsofmagic.com/2023/06/06/critical-play-stardew-valley-feminist-analysis/
If I continue making games, I will explore more party games/mods that are simple and may be created on paper with my friends. These folk games are so creative and can weave in inside jokes/ be personalized to your friend group. I’d like to keep figuring out ways to help people get to know each other. I was very inspired by this unit in class, and by a party game my peers created that was similar to cards against humanity but involved answering questions with pictures from one’s camera roll. I’ve had some amazing times in this class, and I’m so grateful I decided to explore gaming and figure out what makes them so awesome! Thank you so much for your support throughout the quarter, and the accommodations that allowed me to get the most out of my learning experience this quarter despite health difficulties! <3
