Before taking CS247G, I had a relatively simplistic view of game design. As an avid gamer, I appreciated well-designed games on an experiential level, but didn’t have much insight into the intricate process and rigorous discipline required to craft engaging play experiences. I naively assumed that good games sprung forth fully formed from the minds of brilliant game designers. Little did I realize the immense amount of research, prototyping, playtesting, and iteration that goes into refining even the most basic of game mechanics and systems. Over the course of this class, I was immersed in the theory and practice of game design through a series of hands-on projects spanning various genres. From narrative-driven adventures to pure strategy games, each project presented unique challenges and learning opportunities.
It was one thing to hear about game design concepts in lecture, but quite another to grapple with them directly in the trenches of development. I quickly realized that translating a cool game concept from my head to a playable prototype that delivered the intended experience was a significant challenge. Seemingly small design decisions had unexpectedly large impacts on the feel and flow of gameplay. Features that sounded great on paper sometimes fell flat in practice. Balancing variables to achieve the desired pacing and difficulty curve required constant tweaking and player feedback. Through this repeated cycle of design, building, playtesting, and iteration, I slowly honed my game design skills and intuition. I learned to think more systemically and to always consider the player experience. I gained an appreciation for the importance of rapidly prototyping ideas to validate them as early as possible before investing too much in any one direction. Perhaps most importantly, I came to embrace the inherently iterative nature of the design process. Crafting an elegant game that appears simple on the surface actually requires immense care and relentless refinement behind the scenes. While I’m proud of my growth and the games I created in this class, I’ve barely scratched the surface of this deep and fascinating discipline. If I continue working on games in the future, I hope to further explore some of the areas we touched on in class. I’m excited to apply the mindsets and methods I’ve learned to my future endeavors in game design and beyond. Regardless of the specific domain, I believe the ability to tackle ambiguous problems, rapidly prototype solutions, and tirelessly iterate based on feedback will serve me well in my career
