Final Reflection

Honestly, before this class, my experience with mini games (or really any games) was never hands-on. Growing up, I never really played video games (my family’s finances just didn’t allow for a console or a computer.). Instead, I’d watch gameplays on my aunt’s phone whenever I could. I was always the one watching other people play: siblings, friends, even random people online. For me, games were something to observe, not actually make or even fully participate in.

Because of that, I never really thought about mechanics or aesthetics, or any of those “game design” concepts. If you’d asked me what a “mechanic” was, I probably would’ve guessed it had something to do with cars. “Aesthetics” was just… does the game look cool or not? The whole time, I was just an outsider, watching other people interact and make choices, but never connecting that back to actual design decisions or structure.

Coming into 247G, I had no idea what to expect, and honestly, I felt behind. But being forced to actually make things; tiny prototypes, awkward minigames, and eventually, bigger projects, completely flipped my perspective. Suddenly, I wasn’t just spectating. I was the one making the decisions, setting the rules, and trying to create an experience that made sense for other people, not just myself.

What really blew my mind was realizing how much goes into every detail of a game. The class concepts that stuck with me, like the MDA framework, player agency, and the importance of feedback loops, were all things I’d never even thought about as a spectator. I started to notice how even small tweaks in a rule or interface could totally change how people felt about playing. Mechanics weren’t just background noise; they were shaping how people had fun (or got frustrated).

I learned the hard way that it’s way easier to criticize a game than it is to make one. Every playtest forced me to rethink what I thought was “intuitive” or “clear.” Watching people get confused or just ignore parts of my game (which happened a lot at first) was pretty humbling, but also kind of liberating. I stopped being so precious about my ideas and started seeing iteration as part of the process, not a failure.

Some of the hardest parts were working on a team and dealing with scope. I’m used to having my own vision, but collaborating meant learning to let go and merge ideas, even when I didn’t fully agree. I also learned that it’s better to make something simple and solid than to try to impress people with complexity that just doesn’t work.

Looking back, I think the biggest way I’ve grown is just being willing to get my hands dirty and actually try things. I’m not just an observer anymore. I care more about the player’s experience, and I think more deeply about why a game feels a certain way. If I keep working on games after this, I want to start by thinking about what kind of experience I want to create, not just what I want to see. I want to listen more, test more, and keep getting better at turning an idea into something people actually want to play. Thank you for an amazing quarter, and for giving me the chance to learn and play games I might’ve missed growing up! 🙂