The document discusses designing games for families playing together. It suggests deciding to design for families, finding themes both kids and parents care about like nostalgia, and understanding what families want which is shared experiences and accomplishments. Parents want to teach and feel useful while kids want to learn and feel emotionally connected. The document recommends creating opportunities for teaching and learning, co-opting existing roles, reversing roles for fun, considering gender issues, and making safety paramount. Design should focus on the family and individuals connecting with each other.

1. Designing for Kids and Parents Playing Together Jesse Schell – GDC 2010

5. 1) You have to decide to design for it!

6. 2) Find themes both kids and parents care about

9. Nostalgia bridges the generation gap

10. 3) Understand what families want – and provide it!

11. Families want shared experiences

12. Families want shared accomplishments

13. Parents want to feel they have provided meaningful, useful experiences Parents want to feel they have provided, period

14. Kids want to feel more emotionally connected to their families Both kids and parents want to connect to distant relatives

15. 4) Parents want to teach;children want to learn Create opportunities for parents to teach Kids are aspirational – create situations where they are in over their heads Create opportunities for kids to show what they have learned

18. 5) Co-opt existing roles for quick immersion

20. 6) Reverse roles to delight everyone Everyone wants a break from the parent/child relationship When a child surpasses the skills of the parent, it is a landmark moment

21. 7) Consider gender issues 12 Points of View!

22. 8) Deciding to pay is a collaboration between kids and parents

25. 9) Safety is PARAMOUNT!

26. 10) Design for the family as well as for the individuals Design to let them connect with each other Families are very busy!

27. Finally…

28. The connection between parents and children is the strongest emotional force we know

31. Questions? You have to decide to design for it Find themes both kids and parents care about Understand what families want – and provide it! Parents want to teach; children want to learn Co-opt existing roles for quick immersion Reverse roles to delight everyone Consider gender issues Deciding to pay is a collaboration between kids and parents Safety is PARAMOUNT! Design for the family as well as for the individuals

32. Thanks! Email: jesse@schellgames.comTwitter: @jesseschell Slides: slideshare.net/jesseschell