- Question Set 1
- what is the difference between a game designer and a game developer? A designer generally creates and actually designs the original game concept and prototypes. Developers take those designs and make them better. They test them and improve them over many iterations and ultimately finish the game.
- what commonly occurs during the game development process? Tweaking rules and concepts within games to make them better and more cohesive.
- what are the challenges of balancing a game? Primarily, “Numbers” and the cost of making decisions. The detailed challenges stem from these things but these are the overarching categories. Basically, controlling and balancing “imbalance” without completely eliminating it.
- what should every player of your game believe? why? (I couldn’t directly find it in the readings) but they should believe that your mechanics of the game will work and it is possible to win – i think having a believable metaphor is also very important so the players are immersed in the environment
- how can you avoid stealing players fun? Well there are quite a few ways, but it basically comes down to not making it complex and eliminating extra confusing stuff.
- what 10 maxims should you follow when writing rules? No intermediary words, use real words, make no more words than necessary, add flavor (but not too much), make your text no smarter than the reader, discard rules that can’t be written, take a breath, go easy on the eyes, get your final version, fix it in the FAQs
- Question Set 2
- how has play testing changed your game? it exposes flaws and fine tunes rules
- who from class would you like to play test your next game or version 2 of your first game? Well if it is version two, I would like at least two people who played it first (like Harmony or Zach or Maria) and at least two other new ones. I think same for my new game honestly – I think Brice also gives honest and constructive advice
- who is the audience for your game? well the game i have for this week is probably for older kids who understand card games to adults of any age
- who should play test your game outside of class? mmmm, I guess I might give it to some of my friends to play. I’d also like to see how my family would react to it with a wide range of ages and types of gamers.
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