Throughout the ‘Serious Games’ module, I gained valuable insights into both parts of the theory relevant to the game industry and the various types of games, as well as the concepts and structures used in them. The combination of reading about the industry, looking into existing games, and designing concepts for our own projects has enhanced my understanding of game development and the challenges it entails.
A great starting point for understanding game design came from the discussion on ‘meaningful play’ by Salen and Zimmerman. For me, this served as a useful framework for evaluating existing games and designing new ones. The broader context of the game industry was explored through topics such as gamification, as discussed by Jane McGonigal. Her arguments to integrate games into various aspects of life highlighted how games can enhance our reality, pushing me to think more outside the box and consider new applications for games. Also, discussions around the diversification of games and the toxic ‘crunch’ culture within the industry, were useful in shaping my understanding of the industry’s current state.
In addition to theoretical discussions, examining a wide range of existing games broadened my knowledge of different game types and their mechanics. This includes the historic games written down by Peter Attia, watching the game rules for ‘Small World’ and an example game by actors of D&D, and reading about role-playing games and wargames. These games gave me a source of inspiration and insights.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of the module for me was designing game concepts based on what we have learned. For all of these, I liked that we had the chance to explore our own chosen topics and integrate these into our game concepts, in my case the UNHCR and Limburg Mines. Developing the matrix game and hero’s quest narrative was interesting and challenging at first, as I struggled a bit to create a good-flowing narrative while meeting the requirements. Personally, I really liked creating the Twine game (based on the matrix game) and the board game ‘Beneath the Surface’. These allowed me to figure out interesting, engaging, and logical game mechanics, while also having a visual aspect to focus on was really enjoyable.
Overall, the module provided me with a comprehensive understanding of current discussions in the game industry, insights into a diverse range of games, and a better understanding of concepts and structures involved in game development.