Journal Entries

Hamlet’s Hit Points, Intro + Explanation

This part of the text went into the origin of the game Dungeons and Dragons, and how the story building of that game influenced the rpg community.  One thing that I found interesting was that the creators didn't just come up with the game ideas. They were trying to improve and combine the aspects of games that already existed. The freedom that the story gives both the GM, and the players allowed the game to expand and evolve quickly. I learned that a reason why DnD is successful, is because there is enough freedom given to the player that they don't get bored, but enough restrictions that it doesn't get out of hand.

Medium of the Video Game, Ch 5

This chapter talks about what makes the narrative of videogames different from other forms of media.  The difference is that videogames bring interactivity to its players. It's interesting to learn that as graphics were getting better, so too did the narratives as a result.  I learned that narrative can be a very important, if not the most important aspect of a game, because it can become the game's identity. Games succeed when players are immersed in them. The narrative is one of the aspects of games that will draw players in.

Theory of Fun, Ch 2+3

Chapter 2 is about how the brain perceives the world. It was very interesting to learn about how the brain uses patterns to analyze the world. I learned about a process called "Chunking" which is a process the brain uses to store information. It was reinforced just how much stuff the brain does without us realizing. The next chapter continues on about patterns. It gave me another way to think about what makes games fun. My understanding of the chapter is that fun is based on how engaging the patterns of a game is. If a player doesn't understand how a game works, chances are they won't like the game.

Lenses, Ch 10

This chapter talks about different mechanics that you can find in all kinds of games, not just digital games.  The first mechanic that was spoken about was space. I was very interested to see that space doesn't necessarily have to be physical. You can argue that games like heads up and 20 Questions have a game space. Another mechanic that I feel is very important is rules. I liked that the chapter distinguished between different types of rules. The list of the different types of rules helps me think more critically about the rules of my game.  

Level Up, Chapter 9

Chapter 9 of Level Up is about level design. One thing I liked about this chapter is that it explains that most games have levels. even if the game doesn't call them levels. Another thing about levels, is that the term "level" has different meanings in games. Levels could be a room where you have to do something to complete it. Levels could also be way bigger, being entire map or sequence.  Another thing that the chapter speaks about is beat charts. Beat charts help you organize your game.  Although my game doesn't really have a story, I think beat charts can help me manage the difficulty of the puzzles.