Over the last few years we have seen the rise of "serious games" to promote understanding of complex social and ecological challenges, and to create passion for solving them. This project-based course provides an introduction to game design principals while applying them to games that teach. Run as a hands-on studio class, students will design and prototype games for social change and civic engagement. We will learn the fundamentals of games design via lecture and extensive reading in order to make effective games to explore issues facing society today. The course culminates in an end-of- quarter open house to showcase our games. Prerequisite: CS147 or equivalent. 247G recommended, but not required.
One game I enjoy is “The Witness” by Jonathan Blow. This game has a unique open-world architecture where the player is free to explore a vast island filled with environmental puzzles. The game’s architecture encourages exploration and discovery, with puzzles scattered throughout the island, each contributing to the overarching narrative and the player’s understanding of the game’s mechanics.
The game’s architecture incorporates a non-linear progression system, where the player can tackle puzzles in any order they choose, and solving puzzles in one area may provide insights or clues for puzzles in other areas. This creates a web-like structure of interconnected interaction loops, wherein players solve puzzles to get to other puzzles and encouraging them to think outside the box.
Additionally, the game’s architecture includes a minimal user interface, relying heavily on environmental storytelling and subtle clues embedded within the game world. This design choice creates an immersive and atmospheric experience, where the player must carefully observe and analyze their surroundings to unravel the mysteries of the island.