Sue – The Mechanics of Magic

Final Reflection – Sue

June 6, 2025

Before this class, I thought of game design mostly in binaries: systems vs. story, mechanics vs. emotion, player vs. designer. I came in with…

Cursed Problems – Sue Shen

June 5, 2025

Critical Play: Play Like a Feminist – Sue Shen

May 31, 2025

Game Name: Florence Target Audience: Casual mobile gamers, especially young adults interested in narrative games and emotional storytelling. Game Creator: Mountains, published by Annapurna…

Sketchnote: Onboarding in Plants vs Zombies – Sue Shen

May 28, 2025

Critical Play: Games of Chance & Addiction – Sue Shen

May 23, 2025

Game: Arknights Target Audience: Strategic mobile gamers; fans of anime, sci-fi, and tower defense mechanics. Creator: Hypergryph (China), published globally by Yostar. Platform: iOS,…

Sketchnote: Addiction by Design – Sue Shen

May 21, 2025

Critical Play: Worldbuilding – Sue Shen

May 16, 2025

Game: Undertale arget audience: Fans of RPGs, players interested in moral choice and emotional storytelling, indie game enthusiasts. Creator: Toby Fox Platform: PC, Mac,…

Sketchnote: Loops and Arcs – Sue Shen

May 14, 2025

Critical Play: Puzzles – Sue Shen

May 9, 2025

Monument Valley, developed by ustwo games, is a visually striking puzzle game that blends optical illusions, architectural surrealism, and minimalist storytelling into a singular…

Sketchnote: Puzzles in Games, Puzzles as Games – Sue Shen

May 7, 2025

Individual Team Member Deliverables – Checkpoint 1 – Sue Shen

May 6, 2025

Emotions to Evoke Unease & Paranoia→ From the moment the ship is isolated, and especially as the parasite’s influence deepens. (e.g. Emma staring coldly,…

Critical Play: Mysteries & Escape Rooms – Sue Shen

May 3, 2025

Cube Escape: Paradox Developer: Rusty Lake Platforms: PC, iOS, Android, Steam Target Audience: Mystery game players, puzzle fans, and those who enjoy psychological or…

Sketchnote: Designer’s Notebook: The Role of Architecture in Videogames – Sue Shen

April 29, 2025

Critical Play: Walking Simulators – Sue Shen

April 25, 2025

Game: Yume Nikki (夢日記) Creator: Kikiyama Platform: Originally PC (RPG Maker 2003); also available on Steam and fan ports/emulations Target Audience: Fans of psychological…

Mindmap: Narrative Architecture – Sue Shen

April 23, 2025

Critical Play: Competitive Analysis – Sue Shen

April 18, 2025

Game Name: Goose Goose Duck Game Creator: Gaggle Studios Platform: PC, iOS, Android, Steam Target Audience: Social game enthusiasts ages 13+, particularly fans of…

Sketchnote: Game Design Patterns for Building Friendships – Sue

April 16, 2025

Critical Play: Bluffing, Judging and Getting Vulnerable – Sue Shen

April 11, 2025

Inhuman Conditions is a two-player interrogation and roleplaying game designed by Tommy Maranges and Cory O’Brien, with illustrations by Mackenzie Schubert. The game targets…

Short Exercise: What do Prototypes Prototype? – Sue

April 10, 2025

For my P1 project, our team is designing a bluffing and deduction game called “Word Clash Undercover,” inspired by the Chinese party game 谁是卧底….

Sketchnote: What Games Are and Aren’t — Sue

April 9, 2025