Comments on: A new, short speech about game design.

By: Jonathan Blow

Jonathan Blow — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 21:52:58 +0000

Of course there is room for more directed design.

By: Ian Schreiber

Ian Schreiber — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 14:08:42 +0000

Certainly, this is one way to design a game, especially anything involving emergent gameplay.

Is there no room for more directed design, though? Where instead of searching for an answer, the author believes they have FOUND an important answer to a question, and wish to express that in the form of gameplay?

By: Duccini

Duccini — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:10:59 +0000

Stephen King once said that stories are like fossils - not built, but discovered. He also said that plotting a story was like digging out a fossil with a jackhammer.

It seems like you have the same attitude towards games.

By: Matthew

Matthew — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 16:05:35 +0000

I always enjoy your lectures, and they keep getting better.

I don’t know if you’ve realized, but I feel that what you’ve touched on is the essence of artfulness in nearly all mediums. Setting out with a goal in mind, but being willing to completely change that goal if your work shows you something that’s more meaningful or at the least, more interesting.

The work is a living thing that is trying so hard to show you these paths to truly meaningful discoveries. Maybe it’s the voice of God, or the genius in the walls of the studio as Elizabeth Gilbert said. Either way, there is something about the creation of art that is clearly out of our hands.

The truth is, as a game designer, I’m not trying to “create” a good game. I’m just trying to find it. That may be a vague distinction to make. But as a beginning designer, it’s easier to believe that the best games are built like buildings–from the ground up–rather than through playful experimentation. Making games is always difficult, but a great designer must learn to play, and not just work. Great games can’t be created in a design document. They must teach the designer as much as the player.

Although I do wonder, what should you do when you feel doubtful about your current project? Is doubt just part of the process? Is doubt the seed of learning?

By: Gemedet

Gemedet — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:37:45 +0000

Hey Jon, I noticed the experimental gameplay sessions are marked as canceled. What happened?

By: Javi Rodriguez

Javi Rodriguez — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 03:09:33 +0000

Hey, I recently reviewed Braid on my animated webseries. I know we’re a bit late, but in celebration of it’s PS3 release, I thought I’d give it a go.

I meant to email this to you but I couldn’t find an address, so, I hope you enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOn_O9dLHog

-javi

By: Doug Orleans

Doug Orleans — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 04:22:03 +0000

I thought you’d enjoy this: Microsoft added achievements to Office.

http://lostgarden.com/2010/01/ribbon-hero-turns-learning-office-into.html
http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=29685

By: Henk Boom

Henk Boom — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 04:06:35 +0000

Thank you for the presentation, it helped me break a creative block I’ve been stuck with for several weeks

By: George Dudas

George Dudas — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 21:06:55 +0000

your speech reminded me a bit of Francis Bacon (painter) who was starting with some ideas for a painting, and then the painting could become something very different during the process of putting paint on a canvas. He was very open to the idea of finding a painting while painting (if that makes sense). Also he was very open to randomness, like throwing paint onto the canvas and working out the ideas from that randomness… (randomness in software would be something like bugs or glitches or even connections between rules which were not designed but happen to occur).

hm.. I think that’s what your talk was kind of about, right? thanks!

By: pocky00

pocky00 — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 06:40:57 +0000

Please, cliffnotes on the new game, I couldn’t make out much of the sound from the soundfile. If you could share some info then that would be much appreciated, I’ve been waiting a long time for some information on it.