Before the class, I thought designing a game would be easy. I wasn’t expecting to create something like GTA 5, but I didn’t think simpler games would be so hard to make. I’ve always just assumed you could throw some ideas together, and it would all come out fine. It turns out, even basic games take way more work than I imagined.
One thing I really liked about this class was how it introduced the idea of flow in games. Flow is when you’re so into something that you lose track of time and forget everything else. I’ve always been fascinated by that feeling, but I never thought about how games can create it. Before this, I thought games were just a way to waste time. I figured they didn’t leave you with anything meaningful, just made you less aware of the world around you. I realize now that’s not true. Even games that don’t seem to have a purpose still have so much value hidden in them. They teach lessons in ways that are fun and satisfying.
I don’t play games that much, but I still found a lot of value in this class. It changed how I think about games. They aren’t just something to pass the time. They can be tools for learning, for connecting with people, and even for thinking differently. I used to think of games as a distraction, but now I see they can actually have a big impact.
In class, I was pretty engaged most of the time. I think Christina’s teaching style helped with that. She has ADHD, and I feel like her lectures just made more sense to me. They were easy to follow and kept my attention better than most classes. I spent more time in the present during this class than I usually do in others. It helped that we got to interact with other people and play games together. The relaxed atmosphere made it easier to have fun and learn at the same time. I’ve honestly had a lot of fun in this class.
One thing I learned is how much experience and knowledge you need to understand systems in games. That was the hardest part for me. Since I don’t game much, it felt like I had to work harder to figure out how systems work and how to design them. In class, when we played systems-based games, I realized how tricky it is to balance the learning curve. If a game is too complicated, it’s frustrating, but if it’s too simple, it gets boring fast. I started thinking about how you could make a game easier to learn without taking away the fun. For me, systems games became more fun once I understood them, but getting there was tough. Sometimes juggling so many moving parts made the whole thing feel more like work than play.
When it came to the systems project, I started with all these big ideas. I thought we’d be able to create something amazing. Once we got into it, I realized how much time and effort even small things take. Adding a new mechanic might seem simple, but actually making it work and testing it takes hours. I learned that it’s important to focus on the core parts of a game first. You have to make sure the mechanics, systems, objectives, and design all work well before trying to make it more exciting. You need to build a good game before you can make a great one.
I also learned how important it is to test your game and get feedback. You might think everything makes sense, but watching other people play shows you what actually works and what doesn’t. Sometimes things you thought were obvious are confusing to others. It’s all about seeing how people respond to your game and making changes based on that.
When I make games in the future, I’ll keep all of this in mind. I’ll make sure the basics are solid before adding too much complexity. I know now that every extra thing you add takes a lot more time than you’d think. You need to take it one step at a time and make sure each part works before moving on.
This class has been such a good experience for me. It changed how I think about games and helped me understand all the work that goes into designing them. Even though I don’t game a lot, I have a new appreciation for what games can do. Designing games is so much harder than I thought it would be, but it’s also more rewarding than I expected. I’m really glad I took this class. It gave me a new way of looking at something I didn’t think much about before.
