Before taking this class, I had specific genres of games that I enjoyed and didn’t explore much outside of them. I was intimidated by the idea of creating serious games. I thought making games that were both educational and engaging was incredibly difficult. Most educational games I had encountered focused so heavily on the learning aspect that they lacked motivation and enjoyment for me as a player. However, I also realized I had already played games that taught complex systems in subtle ways—games I didn’t categorize as “educational” but that I found engaging and informative. I was particularly curious about how choices in games affect player interaction with both the narrative and the systems at play.
Throughout the class, playing a variety of games was crucial to my learning. It helped me understand how mechanics interact, how games are designed, and how aesthetics and mechanics support an intended message. As the course progressed, I found myself naturally analyzing games—breaking them down into systems, mechanics, and aesthetics. I learned to consider not only how the pieces worked together but also how objects in the system contributed to the overall player experience.
Board games were especially insightful because their tactile nature allowed me to directly experience feedback loops in a way digital games often obscure for a smoother experience. This direct interaction with system mechanics helped me understand the underlying structure of games more clearly.
The first project was particularly challenging because we struggled to accurately measure learning. Our game, focused on roommates, included a roommate contract players had to make before playing. In hindsight, I question whether this approach effectively supported learning. I wish there had been more formal instruction on how to measure learning outcomes in games, as this would have guided our design decisions more effectively.
Project 2 introduced me to interactive fiction (IF), a genre I had never seriously explored before. Initially, I found the learning curve for parser-based fiction frustrating due to its reliance on precise language inputs. However, I discovered that choice-based interactive fiction, with links between passages, felt smoother and more immersive. Creating my own IF taught me how player decisions—or the lack thereof—can shape narrative and reinforce themes. I intentionally experimented with reducing player agency to make the experience more uncomfortable, mirroring the emotional journey of the narrative. This exploration expanded my understanding of how player interaction supports storytelling and game objectives. I also learned how small decisions could greatly impact the player’s experience, like being able to select a character’s pronouns. However, I significantly overscoped with the message I wanted to deliver. Because I wanted the theme to creep upon the player, the length of my initial story kept growing until it hit a whopping 13k words (likely more from the player perspective because of the loops).
Looking ahead, I’ll definitely pay close attention to player decisions, both big and small, and how those choices shape the game’s objectives and experience. While I don’t think I’ll make interactive fiction games in the future, working on one taught me a lot about designing maps for player decisions and crafting narratives. It was a valuable step in understanding how to balance story and agency in game design.
Project 3 was a turning point for me because it was the first time I got to code a game. Figuring out how to design a system with so many moving parts was as tough as I expected, but breaking it down into something manageable was a huge learning experience. This project really taught me how to create serious games that are still fun to play. In a previous course, 247G, I mostly focused on art, but this time I leaned more into development while still bringing in some artistic elements. I also came to realize just how important sound design is for making a game feel satisfying and immersive. Working on this project showed me how the technical and creative sides of game design come together to build something cohesive. The limited class time meant I had to focus more on the core game loop, which helped sharpen the game’s foundation. I only got to test the larger loop outside of class, but that restriction pushed me to keep things simple and focus on what really worked. Beyond the actual game, I learned a lot about how to work.
Continuing my P3 project into P4 turned out to be an incredibly rewarding experience, especially during playtesting. Before, I used to feel like asking my friends to playtest was more of a favor I was asking from them. But with P4, I was genuinely excited to see their reactions. Some of them even played longer than we had originally planned, purely out of their own motivation, which was such a big win for me. It was deeply satisfying to see people enjoy something I created and to watch their responses in real time.
This class has been such a rewarding experience, helping me step out of my comfort zone and explore new ideas in game design. I started off intimidated by the idea of making serious games, but now I have a much better understanding of how they can be both fun and educational. Every project taught me something new, whether it was breaking down complex systems, crafting narratives that balance agency, or figuring out how mechanics and player choices shape the overall experience. Moving forward, I’m excited to keep designing games that blend storytelling, systems, and player interaction in ways that feel meaningful and fun.
