I overall had a great time in this class! Before this class, I considered game design to be a purely technical thing—how to use Unity, coding elements, and similar things. I learned the importance of narratives and overarching game mechanisms in this class, particularly the MDA framework. In particular, the second project let me see this in action. Our project had a variety of minigames in it, similar to Mario Party, and they didn’t really come together into a cohesive game until narrative elements like cutscenes were added. I also saw how mechanics could be adjusted, like making a typing game tougher or making it so that a shooting game couldn’t have instant firing and a button had to be clicked multiple times.
These insights were quite profound because they underscored how crucial it is to think about the player’s overall experience, not just the individual components of the game. By focusing on how different elements of the game interact with one another and contribute to the player’s journey, we were able to create a more engaging and immersive experience.
One of the most valuable lessons I learned was the importance of balancing difficulty to maintain player engagement. We implemented gradual increases in challenge to keep players in a concentrated state, where the game is neither too easy nor too difficult. This balance is key to preventing frustration or boredom, ensuring that players remain invested in the game.
I faced several challenges during the course, particularly in aligning the narrative with the gameplay. Initially, our cutscenes were too short and disrupted the flow of the game. It took several iterations and playtesting sessions to find the right balance, making the narrative elements concise yet impactful. This process taught me the importance of iteration and the value of feedback in game design.
Moreover, incorporating player feedback was a significant learning curve. We learned to prioritize which feedback to act on and how to implement changes that enhanced the overall player experience without compromising the core vision of the game. This iterative process of refining mechanics and narrative elements based on player feedback was instrumental in improving our game’s design. Playtests helped with this but so did testing our own game often and making sure we slowly refined it to a point we were proud of.
Through these experiences, I grew not only as a game designer but also in my ability to collaborate and communicate effectively within a team. The nature of game design requires clear communication and a willingness to listen to diverse perspectives, which I learned in project one, as my team needed to work through communication issues. These skills are invaluable and will undoubtedly benefit me in future projects. Overall, this class taught me a great deal about teamwork and creating awesome games!
