The document discusses a presentation given by Clay Ewing and Lien Tran about designing games. They teach an interactive media master's program at the University of Miami. The presentation covers designing games by considering objects, attributes, relationships and environment. It also discusses game mechanics, dynamics, agency, and different types of rewards and feedback in games. The attendees are then split into groups to design simple games fitting assigned themes using provided objects.

1. with Clay Ewing and Lien Tran

2.  We teach at the University of Miami
 Our MFA in Interactive Media starts this
Fall
 Clay
• @claytical / c.ewing@miami.edu / claytical.com
 Lien
• @lient / l.tran@miami.edu / lienbtran.com

4.  Designing non-digital games is a great way
to learn about systems
 The ideas we’re going to talk about apply
to interactive media and user experience
 Designing digital games isn’t much
different, there is just a lot more pieces to
worry about

5. Objects
Attributes
Relationships
Environment

6. Objects
Attributes
Relationships
Environment

7. Objects
Attributes
Relationships
Environment

8. Objects
Attributes
Relationships
Environment

9. Objects
Attributes
Relationships
Environment

11.  What’s up with golf?

12.  We abide by artificial rules
 Subject ourselves to constraints
 Suspend our disbelief
 Usually, because it’s fun

13.  Let’s
play a game, it’s called “HIGHEST
NUMBER”

14.  Choices are ambiguous
 Immediate rewards vs. delayed
gratification
 Actions have consequences

15.  Mechanics
• What you do in the game:
shooting, building, running, jumping, bidding, etc.
 Dynamics
• Sets of mechanics that build the core gameplay:
territorial
acquisition, survival, collection, trading, etc.
 Agency
• The ability for a player to make a choice

16.  Intrinsic Reward
• Intangible. A sense of achievement. For the love
of the game.
 Extrinsic Reward
• Tangible. If you play my game I’ll give you candy

17.  Positive Feedback
• Hooray! Have some more points!
 Negative Feedback
• Die! Give me back those points!

18.  Split into groups
 Draw a card, this is your theme.
 Make a game with at least two objects
from the table that fits into your given
theme.

20.  Imagineyou are a detective trying to figure
out what works and what doesn’t
 Have questions to ask before you even
start the test to ask afterwards
 Sometimes it can be super specific, but it
doesn’t have to be

21.  People learn by playing, not reading the
rules
 Let
them make mistakes, but take notes
when they do
 Youwant to see how they solve the
problem

22.  Think outloud
• “I’m not sure if…”
• “I don’t understand…”
• “I’m confused because…”
• “I like… because …”

23.  Group 1 plays Group 2’s game
 Group 2 plays Group 3’s game
 Group 3 plays Group 4’s game
 Group 4 plays Group 5’s game
 Group 5 plays Group 1’s game

24.  Itcan hurt, but it will lead to a better final
product
 Of course, be constructive, not nasty

25.  Hold up one of the objects you used

26. I always wanted one of those, hand it over!