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Ideas for game design class

10 replies [Last post]
Mon, 08/19/2013 - 15:25
Jonsan
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Joined: 02/09/2010

My own game design projects are languishing due to the day job, but I am facilitating a weekly game design challenge with my son and another homeschooler in our neighborhood. I will have them for about 2 hours once a week. I am going to focus each week on a type of game or an important design concept or mechanic, and then they will create a simple prototype of their own design and we will play test.

I have a list of game types, design principles, and mechanics we can cover but I was hoping to borrow the collective brain power here and see what categories and topics y'all would include.

For context, the two kids are 7 and 13, both avid table top gamers who enjoy games like Magic, King of Tokyo, Elder Sign, Fluxx, Ticket to Ride, Legendary, Eminent Domain, and more. They are both experienced with play testing prototyped games I've made as well.

Thanks for any and all input!

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Mon, 08/19/2013 - 16:15
#1
regzr
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Joined: 05/27/2012
Movement Programming

Do you remember video game Lemmings? A herd of little men marching around. A tool to program one man at a time to dig a tunnel. Can Lemmings be turned into a board game? The ultimate goal of the game could be a) design a puzzle for your friend and b) solve a problem made for you. http://videogamegeek.com/videogame/73895/lemmings

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Mon, 08/19/2013 - 17:01
#2
Jonsan
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Joined: 02/09/2010
I do remember that game and

I do remember that game and enjoyed it, but I'm not sure if that is relevant to the topic. I am having the kids create basic games each week centered around a game type or topic. Examples of stuff I have planned so far: race to the finish, press your luck, symmetry vs. asymmetry, shared vs. personal resources.

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Mon, 08/19/2013 - 18:15
#3
McTeddy
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Joined: 11/19/2012
One thing that I'd recommend,

One thing that I'd recommend, though I'm not sure it's your goal... is to have people bring in their own favorite games one day... EVEN IF people come in with monopoly or risk. The big thing you'd want to show is that even games you don't personally like... CAN be good design for someone else.

Learning that different players will look for different experiences is one of the most important rules of game design. Sadly, too many designers* mistake their own opinions for facts of the universe. I've even worked with professionals who turn down all feedback as "Not matching my artistic vision"... and yet they wonder why their games are always poorly rated.

Good design is relative. It all depends on who will be playing the game and the experience you hope to create.

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Mon, 08/19/2013 - 19:57
#4
Corsaire
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Joined: 06/27/2013
Along McTeddy's lines, having

Along McTeddy's lines, having other game as reference points allow for deconstruction. From deconstruction you can select elements to fuel their projects.

I would make sure to include idea/feel stuff along with mechanics, like story arc and tough decisions. As well as doing multiple designs from a base using different levels of randomness as live experiments. Which riffs into dynamic playtesting and iterative design.

You've inspired me to do a little design education with my seven year old as we are working as a family on a game and it would be good for him to have analytic eye for the process. Good design is a reusable skill.

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Sun, 08/25/2013 - 02:58
#5
radioactivemouse
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Joined: 07/08/2013
Get yourself the book "A

Get yourself the book "A Theory of Fun for Game Design" by Raph Koster (yes, that's "Raph", no "l").

There's a lot you can do with "Game Design"; In fact I teach it on a college level. But as a simple answer, I say get that book. It's easy to read and has A LOT of relevant information.

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Mon, 08/26/2013 - 00:11
#6
Ecarots
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Joined: 08/23/2013
Jonsan Great Idea. I wish

Jonsan
Great Idea. I wish I had thought of it we have 3 who have been homeschooled (well ones in college now). Our game DeRail was designed by my wife 13 years ago to help teach geography to my son (the one in college). So I wish you luck. As an avid history nut I would suggest one of the subjects is take an event from history as a basis for a game.

Good luck again.

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Wed, 09/04/2013 - 15:33
#7
regzr
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Joined: 05/27/2012
Lemmings and programming

I meant something like this:
http://www.robotturtles.com/

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Fri, 09/13/2013 - 09:49
#8
Jonsan
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Joined: 02/09/2010
I've read Theory of Fun a few

I've read Theory of Fun a few times and found it incredibly insightful.

I'm really excited about robot turtles too! I'm backing the kickstarter so we can give it to my 4 year-old daughter for Christmas.

We've played with Race to the Finish and Press Your Luck so far. Both classes the kids came up with some interesting and fun designs. I found that my 7 year-old understood the idea of Press Your Luck but had a very hard time creating his own mechanic.

Today we will work on a territory acquisition game.

Anyone with ideas for topics for the class, please post them. I still have about 10 classes I need to plan.

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Fri, 09/13/2013 - 14:20
#9
bonsaigames
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Joined: 12/20/2010
Free Game Theory Class

https://www.coursera.org/course/gametheory
Hope that helps!
-Levi

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Fri, 09/13/2013 - 20:22
#10
Traz
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Joined: 04/06/2009
who'd a thunk?

Check out the Boy Scout Game Design Merit Badge instructions -pretty comprehensive.

http://usscouts.org/usscouts/mb/mb151.asp

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