Everything and more about Game Design © 2024 by Eduardo J. Reyes is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0 Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.

2. Basic definitions

2.2 What is Game Design?

Game design specifically focuses on the creation of the game's structure, rules, and systems. It is a subset of game development that primarily deals with the conceptual and functional aspects of a game. 

It involves the following core components:

1. Core Mechanics: Defining the fundamental actions, operations, and rules that drive gameplay. This includes how players interact with the game world, the controls, and the basic loop of play.

Example: In "Tetris," the core mechanics involve rotating and positioning falling tetrominoes to fit them into a grid and clear lines. The basic actions (moving and rotating blocks) drive the entire gameplay experience. 

2. Game Systems: Creating interconnected systems that define the game’s progression, such as resource management, scoring, leveling up, and player rewards.

Example: In "Civilization VI," the game systems include resource management, city-building, and diplomatic relations.  These systems interact with each other, such as how economic development can influence diplomatic relations and military strength. 

3. Gameplay Flow: Structuring how the game progresses, including pacing, difficulty curves, and the sequence of challenges or levels.

Example: In "Super Mario Bros.," the game flow involves progressing through a series of levels with increasing difficulty. Each level introduces new challenges and obstacles, gradually ramping up the difficulty to keep players engaged. 

4. Player Interaction: Designing how players interact with the game and each other, including multiplayer mechanics, user interfaces, and feedback systems.

Example: In "Among Us," players interact with each other through cooperative tasks and discussions to identify the impostor. The interaction involves both teamwork and deception, making communication and strategy crucial. 

5. Balance and Fairness: Ensuring that the game is fair and balanced, providing a suitable challenge for players of varying skill levels. This involves tweaking mechanics to avoid dominant strategies and ensuring competitive balance in multiplayer games.

Example: In "Rocket League," the balance between different cars and their attributes is carefully designed so that no single car has a significant advantage over others. This ensures fair competition in matches. 

6. Story and Narrative Integration: Incorporating story elements and ensuring they enhance the gameplay experience. This includes creating compelling narratives, characters, and scenarios that engage players.

Example: In "The Last of Us," the narrative is deeply integrated into gameplay. The story unfolds through character interactions, cut scenes, and environmental storytelling, which enhances the player's emotional connection to the game. 

7. Objectives and Goals: Setting clear objectives for players to achieve, which drive the gameplay and provide a sense of purpose and direction.

Example: In "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild," players have both main objectives (defeating Ganon) and numerous side quests (finding shrines, completing puzzles, and collecting items). These goals provide a structured yet open-ended gameplay experience. 

8. User Experience (UX): Focusing on how players experience the game, ensuring it is intuitive, engaging, and enjoyable. This involves play testing and iterating based on player feedback.

Example: In "Stardew Valley," the user experience is designed to be relaxing and enjoyable. The interface is simple and intuitive,  and the game’s progression is paced to allow players to manage their farm and relationships at their own speed. 

9. Theme and Aesthetics: Aligning the game’s visual and audio elements with its core mechanics and narrative to create a cohesive and immersive experience.

Example: In "Hollow Knight," the dark, atmospheric theme is reinforced through its hand-drawn art style, haunting soundtrack, and eerie environment design. This cohesive aesthetic enhances the game’s immersive experience. 

Exercise idea: After reviewing the examples for each core component, how do these apply to your favorite game?

Another interesting definition of games from the book Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals by Katie Salen and Eric Zimmerman is: 

“Design is the process by which a designer creates a context to be encountered by a participant from which meaning emerges."

This definition extends to art games or interactive stories, which might lack traditional gameplay but still convey meaning through their narratives. 

To conclude, one final tip is that any good game designer considers not only how the gameplay works but also how the game looks, sounds, and feels.

2.2.1 What are Game Designers? 

We could say that the game designers are the creative architects behind video games. They are responsible for:

• Conceptualizing and envisioning the game.

• Designing the gameplay mechanics and systems that define how the game functions.

• Continuously refining and improving their ideas based on play testing and feedback.

Here is a really nice perspective from CG Spectrum: 

2.2.2 What are the different types of game designer?

Depending on which industry we are talking about (Indie or AAA) and even depending the project itself, different needs for different types of game designer will arise. While typically in the Indie scene most game designers will be generalists in their craft, the AAA these can get very specified.  Here are some examples:

1. Game Mechanics Designer

   • Focuses on creating specific gameplay mechanics, rules, and systems governing player interactions.

   • Responsibilities include designing rules and behaviors for gameplay elements, balancing mechanics, and iterating based on feedback.

2. Gameplay Designer

   • Defines core gameplay elements, objectives, and overall game progression.

   • Responsibilities include setting main objectives, designing the gameplay loop, balancing difficulty, and ensuring alignment with the game’s vision.

3. Game Combat Designer

   • Specializes in combat mechanics and systems. Responsibilities include designing combat rules, creating unique abilities and equipment, and balancing combat encounters.

4. Level Designer (Most people will argue that this is not a subset of game design but completely separated profile from game design)

   • Creates engaging, visually appealing levels and environments. Responsibilities include designing layouts, incorporating narrative elements, and balancing challenges.

5. Narrative Designer

   • Integrates story and themes into gameplay through characters, dialogues, and quests. Responsibilities include writing dialogues, designing narrative choices, and crafting quests.

6. Game Economy Designer

   • Focuses on the in-game economy, including virtual resources, currencies, and rewards. Responsibilities include designing resource earning systems, creating virtual currencies, and balancing item availability.

7. Game Monetization Designer

   • Develops revenue-generation strategies such as in-game purchases and subscriptions. Responsibilities include designing monetization systems, setting prices, and integrating ads.

8. Technical Designer

   • Implements design ideas using programming and technology. Responsibilities include translating design concepts into functional systems, scripting, and integrating animations.

9. Game UI Designer

   • Designs visual and interactive elements of the game’s user interface. Responsibilities include creating layouts for menus and HUD elements, designing icons and buttons, and ensuring intuitive navigation.

10. Game UX Designer

    • Focuses on improving player experience through real-time play tests and feedback analysis. Responsibilities include identifying usability issues and streamlining the overall experience.

11. Game Balance Designer

    • Ensures fair and enjoyable gameplay by calibrating game systems. Responsibilities include balancing character power, item effectiveness, and game difficulty.

Internships are rare but offer opportunities for aspiring designers to gain experience. Entry-level positions favor candidates with a strong portfolio and relevant projects. Junior roles are part of a tiered system, differing from assistant and associate positions.

Mid-level designers handle moderate projects with some direction, while senior designers manage projects independently and mentor newer team members. Career progression typically requires several years of experience and successful project completion.

At the senior level, designers must choose between specializing in leadership (lead designers) or honing their craft (principal designers). These roles focus on either managing teams or refining design skills.

For another perspective in the subject, check this interesting classification of game designers by Extra Credits:

2.3 What is  Fun? What motivates people to play?

Exercise idea: Before reading, think on your favorite game. Is it fun? Why do you think it is? What parts are less fun? Why could that be?

Fun can vary widely depending on the individual's experience. The enjoyment derived from playing "Dark Souls" is distinctly different from that of "Stardew Valley". More than fun we should refer to the word "engagement".

In the following section, I will explore the different existent theories about fun and engagement. These are meant to be seen as different approaches that could work more or less depending on the type of experience that will be designed. 

2.3.1 Flow theory by Mihaly Csikzentmihaly

Video games allows players to acquire new skills, strategies, and concepts within a controlled environment that challenges various cognitive and dexterous abilities and, ultimately, fun hinges on achieving an optimal balance between challenge and skill, leading to a state of flow.

Flow theory describes a mental state where people become fully immersed in an activity, experiencing a sense of timelessness and deep engagement. This state, often called "being in the zone," occurs when individuals are challenged just enough to match their skills, leading to a balance between challenge and skill. 

In video games, flow theory can be used to enhance player experience by ensuring that the game’s challenges are well-matched to the player's skill level. Here’s how it can be implemented:

1. Design for skill and challenge balance: Create game mechanics that require skill and provide increasing challenges that match the player’s ability, preventing frustration or boredom.

Example: In "Dark Souls," despite being called a very difficult game, actually starts with enemies that don't attack the player and it increases said difficulty by more enemies that first attack very slow, then attack in a similar way to the player till the first big challenge (The boss) is presented.

2. Provide clear goals and feedback: Ensure that players have clear objectives from the beginning and let them receive immediate feedback on their performance to help them stay engaged.

Example: In "Portal," each level starts with a clear goal: to reach the exit. Big levels can be broken into sub-goals.  Activate this button, destroy the turrets... In a certain order. Players receive immediate feedback on their actions, such as portals successfully opening or objects interacting correctly, helping them understand if they are on the right track. 

3. Facilitate control without overwhelm: Design controls and game mechanics to be either intuitive and responsive or known by your player base, in order to give players the sense of absolute control over their actions. This can be done by either:

• If a player wants to do something and have the ability to do it, it must be simple and quick to do.

• If a player wants information that the game provides to them, they must be able to get to it quickly.

Example: In "Super Mario Odyssey," the controls are highly responsive and intuitive, allowing players to perform complex maneuvers with ease. This sense of control enhances the player's immersion and enjoyment, making the game feel smooth and rewarding to play. 

4.  Congruence between task-specific and long-term goals: Players must feel that the tasks they're doing have some kind of long-term meaning and are not just there to fill in the play time.

In order for the player to be optimally engaged, challenges should be presented at a level equivalent or slightly higher than their current skill; not too easy and not too hard.

Example: In "Resident Evil 2 Remake," the game uses an adaptive difficulty system: If the player is doing well—landing accurate shots, conserving resources, and progressing quickly—the AI increases the difficulty by making enemies more aggressive, tougher to kill, and by reducing the availability of ammo and health pickups. Conversely, if the player is struggling, the game will ease up slightly, making enemies less aggressive and more resources available. This dynamic adjustment keeps the game challenging but fair, ensuring that the player remains engaged without feeling overwhelmed or bored. 

Always consider the following:

• Does your game have any difficulty spikes?

• Does the game have long sections of easy tasks or empty content?

• Do you always get the player to do roughly the same thing?

Exercise idea: Think on a good level of your favorite games and answer the three questions. Now think of a bad level of the same game and answer them again.

Challenge should always be increased as the player skill increases. Drastic changes will cause the loss of engagement either by boring the player or giving them anxiety or frustration. The designer will have to prevent both during the gameplay:

• To prevent boredom, the designer should for example either keep the game challenging for the player or / and vary the activities the player performs.

• In the other hand, to prevent anxiety/frustration, the designer should keep the difficulty of the challenges at a level they find reasonable and specially, make the game understandable and usable.

While many designers understand the essence of flow, there's often confusion about its utility and purpose: Flow wasn’t designed specifically for games. Instead, it aims to explain why focused individuals are generally happier. Some aspects, like a player’s concentration and self-consciousness, which are less controllable and depend on the individual’s skill and environment, can make designing towards the flow state a bit difficult. This is why I consider that thinking in all types of players, therefore; accessibility in all games is very important.

While some people enjoy the "hardcore" aspects of some games, not all the audience might have that time or the physical ability to enjoy the game, despite wanting to play it. Sometimes difficulty settings might help more people be able to enjoy the game and in the end, achieve this "Flow state".

Example: In Binding of Isaac: Repentance, all items require memorization of their effects. Some players might be thrown out of the flow state due to the frustration of not remembering an item's effect, possibly because they haven't played the game recently. A helpful mod called "External Item Description" allows players to see exactly what each item does, alleviating this issue.

In this video from Game Design with Michael, the reader can find very interesting techniques in order to design with the flow state in mind:

2.3.2 A Theory of Fun by Raph Koster

In his book "A Theory of Fun", Raph Koster identifies several aspects that will influence the engagement of the player:

1. Aesthetic Appreciation: Enjoyment from the beauty or artistic elements of a game.

Example: Part of the experience in "Journey" is to enjoy the beauty of the environment.

2. Visceral Reactions: Physical sensations and emotional responses evoked by the game.

Example:  Feeling the adrenaline rush and excitement during intense combat sequences in "DOOM".

3. Social Status Maneuvers: Fun derived from social interactions and status dynamics.

Example: Engaging in competitive multiplayer games like "League of Legends", where players strive to climb the ranks and achieve higher status.

4. Mastery: Satisfaction from mastering a problem or skill within the game.

Example: The satisfaction of mastering complex mechanics and strategies in "StarCraft II", where players continuously improve their skills.

5. Spatial Reasoning: Enjoyment from navigating and understanding spaces within the game.

Example:  Navigating and solving puzzles in "Portal", where understanding the spatial relationships is key to progressing.

6. Memory: Fun from recalling and managing complex chains of information.

Example: Managing and recalling intricate details and story lines in "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt", where players need to remember various quests and characters.

7. Teamwork: Satisfaction from working together with others to achieve a common goal.

Example: Collaborating with teammates in "Deep Rock Galactic", where working together is essential to achieve victory.

8. Calculation of Odds: Thrill of predicting events and calculating probabilities.

Example: Poker itself.

Exercise idea: Think on your favorite game. Does it fit into one or more of these categories? Why do you think so?

2.3.2 4 Keys 2 Fun by Nicole Lazzaro

Nicole Lazzaro’s 4 Keys 2 Fun is a very interesting framework that identifies four main types of fun that games can provide. These keys can help to understand how different elements of games can engage players and evoke various emotions. 

Here are the four keys:

1. Hard Fun: This type of fun is about overcoming challenges and achieving goals. It involves feelings of triumph and accomplishment-

Example: Completing Blighttown in "Dark Souls".

2. Easy Fun: This key focuses on curiosity and exploration. It involves the joy of discovering new things and engaging in creative activities. 

Example: Games like "Minecraft", since it allows players to explore and build freely through a massive world.

3. Serious Fun: This type of fun is about meaningful experiences and the impact of the game on the player’s life. It includes feelings of relaxation, excitement, and a sense of purpose. 

Example: Games like "Journey" that provide emotional and reflective experiences fall into this category.

4. People Fun: This key is centered around social interactions and the enjoyment of playing with others. It includes feelings of amusement, camaraderie, and competition. 

Example: Multiplayer games like "Among Us" that encourage social interaction and teamwork are examples of people fun.

Here is a very interesting video, going more in depth into the framework.

2.3.4  The Bartle Taxonomy of Player

Another very interesting way to understand engagement is to understand what kind of audience the game will have.

The Bartle taxonomy of player types is a classification system for different styles of play. It categorizes players based on their preferred activities and interactions within a game in four primary player types:

1. Achievers: These players focus on in-game goals, such as leveling up, accumulating points, and completing quests. They derive satisfaction from achieving objectives, collecting rewards, and showcasing their progress.
   For example: In "World of Warcraft," Achievers might aim to reach the maximum level, complete all achievements, and collect rare mounts and gear.

2. Explorers: Explorers enjoy discovering new areas, finding hidden secrets, and learning about the game world. They are driven by curiosity and the desire to uncover the game's lore, mechanics, and content.
   For example: In "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild," Explorers would spend time uncovering every corner of the map, solving all puzzles, and discovering hidden shrines.

3. Socializers: Socializers are primarily interested in interacting with other players. They enjoy building relationships, communicating, and participating in group activities. For them, the social aspect of gaming is the most rewarding.
   For example: In "Animal Crossing: New Horizons," Socializers might spend their time visiting friends' islands, trading items, and participating in community events.

4. Killers: Killers thrive on competition and often seek to dominate others. They enjoy PvP (player versus player) interactions, engaging in combat, and asserting their superiority over other players.
   For example: In "Fortnite," Killers would focus on achieving victory in battle royale matches, aiming to outlast and eliminate all other players to be the last one standing.

It's important to note that most players exhibit a blend of these motivations, and their preferences can change depending on the game and context. 

What about people who actively try to break the game? 

Exercise idea: What kind of players will your game appeal to? Why?

2.3.5 Self determination Theory

Self-Determination Theory is a macro theory of human motivation and personality that focuses on people’s inherent growth tendencies and innate psychological needs. The theory emphasizes three basic psychological needs:

1. Autonomy: The need to feel in control of one’s own behaviors and goals.

2. Competence: The need to gain mastery of tasks and learn different skills.

3. Relatedness: The need to feel a sense of belonging and attachment to others.

When these needs are satisfied, individuals experience enhanced self-motivation and mental health. Conversely, when these needs are thwarted, individuals may experience diminished motivation and well-being.

Self-Determination Theory can be used as well in game design to enhance engagement and satisfaction. Here’s how:

1. Autonomy: Games can provide players with a sense of control over their actions and decisions. Designers can amplify this sense of autonomy by:

• Presenting the player with choices.

• Rewarding as feedback or encouragement.

• Giving non-controlling instructions.

For example: open-world games like “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” allow players to explore the game world at their own pace and choose how to approach various challenges. This sense of freedom can increase intrinsic motivation and enjoyment.

2. Competence: Games can offer players opportunities to develop and demonstrate their skills.  This can be amplified by:

• Opportunities to unlock new things related to their skills such as abilities or skill trees.

• Challenging or bonus objectives.

• Controls / mechanics that can be mastered.

For example: puzzle games like “Portal” challenge players to think critically and solve complex problems, providing a sense of accomplishment when they succeed. This can enhance players’ feelings of competence and mastery.

3. Relatedness: Not only with multiplayer and communities, but also with responsive and interesting AI characters. 

For example: Games like “World of Warcraft” encourage players to collaborate and form social bonds, which can satisfy the need for relatedness and enhance the overall gaming experience.

This theory can be a powerful tool in prototyping stages by helping the game designer predict if or how players will be motivated to complete the goals. By fulfilling these psychological needs, developers can also  create more engaging and satisfying experiences for players. This approach not only improves player retention but also contributes to their overall well-being

Exercise idea: How does your game appeal to each one of these psychological needs? Why?

2.3.6 Maslow's hierarchy, but for Game Design

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a psychological theory that describes the stages of human needs, from basic physiological needs to self-actualization. 

Players will always search for experiences they cannot experience in real world specially, most of the times they will be dragged in to the fantasy of the classical trope "from rag to riches".

This hierarchy can help set the mood of the game and understand better player progression through gameplay.

The use of this hierarchy is very well explained by Extra Credits:

3.1 Game Design Frameworks

3.1.1 The MDA Framework

The MDA Framework by Robin Hunicke, Marc LeBlanc and Robert Zubek breaks down games component in three layers:

• Mechanics: Which are the foundational rules, systems, and components that govern a game; they define how players interact with the game world and with each other.

Mechanics encompass the core actions, choices, and behaviors that players can engage in. They are the building blocks of a game and can include things like movement, combat, inventory, resource gathering, puzzles, and more.

For example: In the game "Tetris," the mechanics include the falling tetromino blocks, the rotation and positioning controls, and the clearing of lines when they're filled.

Mechanics can even be further broken down, as four different types:

Quantity: Represents numerical aspects like health points or resources.

For example: Mario's health points (2 when big, 1 when small).

Spatial: Pertains to the physical space and positioning within the game.

For example: Mario's height (2 blocks when big, 1 block when small).

State: Involves the conditions or statuses that can change over time.

For example: Mario being big or small affects his health and abilities.

Action: Relates to the activities that cause changes in state or position.

For example: Mario eating a mushroom or taking damage from an enemy.

• Dynamics: The game in motion; the emergent behaviors that arise as players interact with the mechanics.  These describe how the game's systems and rules come together to create gameplay experiences.  Dynamics include the patterns of player behavior, strategies, challenges, and outcomes that result from the interaction of mechanics. 

For example: In the game “Pacman” players realize that avoiding ghosts while eating dots is key to survival. Strategies might emerge as players learn the movements of each individual ghosts.

• Aesthetics: which refer to the emotional and psychological responses that players experience when engaging with the mechanics and dynamics of a game. It's all about the feelings, moods, and overall player experience that the game evokes. They  encompass various aspects such as enjoyment, challenge, curiosity, fantasy, narrative engagement, and social interaction.

For example: In the game "Journey," the aesthetics might include the sensation of flying gracefully through the environment, the fantasy of exploring a mysterious world, the emotional narrative conveyed without explicit dialogue, and the fellowship experienced when encountering other players on the same journey.

The original MDA framework proposed eight different aesthetic categories:

Sensation: Immediate sensory gratification.

Fantasy: Immersion in an imaginative world.

Narrative: Engagement with a story or plot.

Challenge: Overcoming obstacles and achieving goals.

Fellowship: Social interactions and cooperation.

Discovery: Exploration and uncovering hidden aspects.

Expression: Player creativity and self-expression.

Submission: Relinquishing control to experience emotions.

EXERCISE IDEA: Decide any game you have played or are playing recently. Do an MDA analysis of the tutorial part of the game.

While very popular, this framework has faced several critiques over time. Here are some of the general criticisms:

• Narrative Design Integration: MDA does not clearly incorporate narrative design, making it difficult to fit narrative elements into the framework. 

• Linear Approach: MDA is often seen as a linear process, where designers first create mechanics, which then lead to dynamics, and finally result in aesthetics while game design is a more iterative and non-linear in practice.

• Neglect of Context and Culture: The framework does not sufficiently address the cultural and social context in which games are played, which can significantly influence player experience and interpretation.

• Aesthetics as Broad and Vague: The term "Aesthetics" in the MDA framework is considered too broad and vague, encompassing a wide range of emotional responses and experiences without clear guidelines on how to achieve them.

Example: Capturing the specific emotional response elicited by a horror game like "Resident Evil 7" might be challenging within the broad category of "Aesthetics."

• Separation of Design and Analysis: The MDA framework tends to separate the roles of the designer and the player, focusing more on analysis rather than the collaborative and emergent nature of game design.

Example: In games with strong community-driven content like "Minecraft," the emergent play and community contributions are integral to the game experience, which may not be fully addressed by MDA.

• Difficulty in Predicting Dynamics: Predicting the dynamics that emerge from mechanics can be difficult, and MDA does not provide detailed methods for anticipating or testing these emergent behaviors.

Example: In complex strategy games like "StarCraft II," the emergent strategies and player behaviors can be unpredictable, challenging designers to anticipate all possible dynamics.

3.1.2 The DDE Framework 

Wolfgang Walk in his blog post proposes some changes to address the issues from the MDA framework and provide a more comprehensive and practical design model. 

The components are of this variation of the original frameworks are:

1. Design: All elements under the direct control of the designer, subdivided into three categories:

• Blueprint: Conceptual design, including the game world, mechanics, narrative, and style. This is the planning and documentation phase.

• Mechanics: The implementation of the game in code, including game architecture, rules, and object handling.

• Interface: The physical representation of the game, including graphics, sound, and interaction design. This is what the player directly interacts with.

2. Dynamics: Very similar to the same component in MDA, this describes the interaction of designed elements and their behavior during gameplay. Dynamics are influenced by both the designer’s intentions and the player's actions, resulting in what we could call "gameplay experiences". The designer should look out for the following relationships:

   • Player with the game.

   • Player with themselves.

   • Game with the game itself.

3.  Experience: Replacing “aesthetics” with “experience,” this component focuses on the player's journey, taking into account sensory, emotional, and intellectual experiences.

It divides the perception of the experience in these parts:

• Senses: The sensory experiences from visuals, sounds, and interactions.

• Cerebellum: The emotional journey through the game, what kind of emotions the player is feeling through it. 

• Cerebrum: The intellectual challenges and decisions encountered during gameplay.

In conclusion, the DDE framework emphasizes the importance of iterative design, where every element can be adjusted to achieve the desired player experience. It also highlights the need to integrate narrative design into the overall design process, recognizing its critical role in shaping the player’s journey.

EXERCISE IDEA: Decide any game you have played or are playing recently. Do an DDE analysis of the tutorial part of the game.

3.1.3 The MGE Framework

This lesser known variation of the MDA framework, created by Robert Zubek (One of the creators of the original MDA Framework)  aims to be a more refined and updated version of the first framework. Is components are the following: 

1. Mechanics: Game elements, rules, narrative, player's inputs and outputs... When these are put together they form systems. Taking into account that games are a medium of agency, of "acting in the world", these could also be divided in the following building blocks:

• Nouns: Game elements

• Verbs: Actions the player can take

• Grammar: Rules and how they work together

The player would experience these mechanics by first using the "Nouns", then the "Verbs" and finally the "Grammar".

Example: Mario (Noun)  bumps (Verb) a "?" block from below, then it spawns a coin (Grammar)

Example: Mario (Noun)  hits (Verb) a Goomba from the side, then it dies  (Grammar)

2. Gameplay: Mechanics in motion, with its many permutations and combinations. This is an uncertain area, which designers will have only a rough idea on all these combination possible.

3. Experience: Emotions fostered through its mechanics. Designers don't have control but can design with these in mind.

For example: The designer should not create heavy-skill-based mechanics for a game that is supposed to be relaxing.

Exercise idea: Decide any game you have played or are playing recently, check its tutorial and answer the following questions: How do mechanics create engaging gameplay? How does this gameplay support the player's experience? Why do you think the experience meet your expectations? Pick a mechanic that you think it's not working and propose a modification.

3.2.1 The GDD

The Game Design Document (GDD) is a communication tool for between the designer and the rest of the team to explain the design of the game itself and will be constantly updated.

Rather than being a single huge document, the GDD should be composed of multiple documents or even better: a wiki, which is especially useful for team collaboration by minimizing time spent searching for specific information.

Game designers, most of the time don't work alone and should aim to create engaging and accessible documents. 

There is no universal template suitable for all game types; while templates can be a helpful starting point, different projects may have unique requirements. It is advisable to develop a customized template that fits the specific needs of each game project.

The first step is to build the reduced version of it, the game design concept document. Here is content that each game design concept document (Sellers, 2017) should at least include:

HIGH LEVEL CONCEPT / DESIGN

This part is also called the "One Page". 

1. Name of the Game

1. • Indicate whether it is the final name or a development name. Regardless, it should be as catchy as possible.

2. Technical Information

1. • Genre (Here is a huge list of all the genres: https://pixune.com/blog/video-game-genres/). 

   • Target Audience: Potential age, gender, ESRB rating for the game and any specific relevant motivation from them.

   • Platforms of Release: PC, Mobile, console, tablet, fridge... 

3. Brief Introduction 

1. • A concept statement; a description of the game in one or two phrases that say what the game is and why it's fun. A good way to create this introduction is to summarize the mood, main mechanics and the player's objectives.

4. Unique Selling Point (USP)

1. • This is critically important. Describe what makes the game unique and how it stands out from others.  

These could be:

A. Mechanics that we have never seen

Crazy example: Platformer mixed with RTS.

B. A context that has not been explored yet

Crazy example: Time traveler but cave men.

C. Something different that hasn't been done before. (Careful, if it's too different it might scare the publishers)

Crazy example: A platformer ARG mixed with an actual obstacle course in AR.

A good way to explain a USP could be, imagine (known) genre/context/product but with (new) change/twist.  

It should raise questions and interest.

PRODUCT DESIGN

5. Player Experience and Game POV:

• Who is the player? What is the setting? What is the fantasy the game grants the player? What emotions do you want the player to feel? What keeps the player engaged for the duration of their play? 

• The Three C's: Characters, Controls, Camera

  • Detail controls for each platform, preferably using lists, tables, or diagrams.

  • Avoid duplicating control keys in the mechanics section to prevent confusion.

  • Use references where necessary to clarify points.

6. Art and Music References: 

• Focus on the desired emotional response from players rather than specific instructions. 

• A detailed mood board will help.

• While concept art is not 100% required in the early stages of preproduction, these can help communicate the game's feel and mood.

• User Interface (UI) Design

  • Suggestions can be made, with larger projects typically having dedicated UI designers.

  • Propose the information for each screen and the screen flow, outlining transitions between scenes/menus.

  • Early planning helps artists and programmers understand UI complexity.

 7. Game World Fiction: 

• Briefly describe the game world and any narrative in player-relevant terms (as presented to the player). If you want a starting point on how to structure your story check this PDF by Ian Bousher.

8. Monetization:

• How will the game make money? Premium purchase? F2P? How do you justify this within the design?

9. Technology and Scope: 

• 2D or 3D? Gdevelop or Unity? How long to make, and how big a team? How long to first-playable? How long to complete the game? Major risks?

DETAILS AND GAME SYSTEM DESIGN

10. Core loops:

• How do game objects and the player’s actions form loops? Why is this engaging? How does this support player goals? What emergent results do you expect/hope to see? If F2P, where are the monetization points?

11. Objectives and Progression:

• How does the player move through the game, literally and figuratively, from tutorial to end? What are their short-term and long-term goals (explicit or implicit)? How do these support the game concept, style, and player-fantasy?

12. Mechanics and Systems: 

1. • Outline the mechanics and systems players use to achieve their objectives, ordered from most to least important.

   • Focus on player actions and proceed from macro to micro, explaining systems, mechanics, and components.

   • Use headings and subheadings for organization.

   • This section can be divided to first explain the overall system connections, then detail each system and its mechanics.

That would be all for the document. Here are some additional tips that might help: 

• Be specific whenever possible and use consistent terminology; for example, choose either "player" or "hero" and use it consistently. 

• Avoid vague descriptions in section 12. Instead of saying, "When the player defeats monsters, they drop gold," be precise and write, "A goblin drops 15 gold upon defeat." 

• Prioritize completion over perfection, as this is an iterative process that will be updated over time. 

• Use visual aids such as diagrams, tables, and sketches to enhance clarity. 

• Avoid repetitiveness and break up large blocks of text with bullet points for easier reading. 

• Lastly, separate story elements from design elements in section 12. 

Exercise: Write the first design document of your game.

Now, as mentioned before, each GDD will look different due to different needs arising on each project. The designer will need to adapt and update the documents / wiki constantly in order to provide documentation for the team. 

For some inspiration, here are some GDD examples:

• Gran Theft Auto GDD: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Wbp61Tt61pnn6Xp2KojoV06Y-gGLQxCY/view?usp=drive_link 

• The Doom Bible: https://5years.doomworld.com/doombible/ 

• Narbacular Drop GDD (Portal predecessor): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1w0MkGroT2Vi-j9VgsYiON2b6742FcDef/view?usp=drive_link 

• GDD Template by Mike Sellers: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mY5MTg0QkXZeIva7bwR-x1Wjx1m_adxd/view?usp=drive_link 

• GDD as a wiki Example by Rosa Carbo: https://rosacarbo.notion.site/Game-design-template-0132383574dd4c2dbff5d14e3a90761c 

• For more documents: https://gamedocs.org/ 

3.2.2 How to pitch

A pitch is a communication and selling tool.  Similar to the documentation mentioned before, there is not a single formula for the pitch. Depending on the project and/or publisher requirements it will change in content and in time (5min- 30min).

I strongly recommend to always ask the publisher what they want to see in the pitch and how much time the team will be able to present. Some publishers even have pitching guides for their specific needs. 

After all, every publisher will be different, ranging from investing in only the marketing to funding the whole project.

As a starting point, here is what a pitch should always have in general terms:

1.  An elevator pitch, a short description of your game. Keep it short and concise.

2. The USP, what makes your game cool and different. 

3.  Why should you be the one to do this? Highlight your team's experience and expertise.

4. A vertical slice of your game. Both in video (Between 1-2 minutes) and as an executable you can share at the end

Some very general tips: 

• Despite not being something mandatory (Or even common) in pitches, I strongly recommend to always, start with a short gameplay trailer. If the trailer is good enough, it will evoke some feelings and mood to the viewers, making them more interested and open to new ideas, therefore, listening to you.

• A very important thing to consider is the key art (The art used in posters, Steam Page, the pitch, advertisements...). This serves as the first impression when you present, so it is essential to have exceptional key art. Chris Zukowski recommends investing in key art as it is one of the few elements worth the expenditure.

• When talking about gameplay, use visuals to demonstrate the core loop effectively. I highly recommends using GIFs instead of still images or screenshots. (A good way to do this is by recording with the OBS app and converting it to GIF with ezgif)

• Don't just list mechanics or systems, but justify why these will be so engaging for the players.

• Always focus in the concept, the vision and the pillars. These are the most critical things the publisher will need.

• If it is a strong point, give a high level overview of the context/narrative of the game. Logline formulas can help a lot on keeping this short and straight to the point. 

• Avoid using huge walls of text. Use as many visual cues as possible (But don't just add art for the sake of adding it, it has to support what the presenter is saying). You want people to listen to you, not to read the presentation. Use bullet points instead if you need the text. Sometimes icons will be enough.

• If there is more than 30 seconds between one slide or another, the viewer might get bored. 

• Don't use complicate transitions between slides. It makes people lose the focus.

• Talk about Target Audience/Market Positioning: This is mostly about the genre and demographics of players you are targeting. Also useful to show similar titles and how you're positioning yourself with respect to them. Note that depending on the publisher, they might not want to see this in the pitch.

• If you have followers, wishlist's... Traction, show it. A reference for the order of importance could be:

Steam wish list/followers -> mailing list subscribers -> Discord members -> social media followers.

• If you have put an alpha demo out, show number of players and median playtime, and any positive feedback you got. If you had a successful Kick starter, talk about it.

• Show market opportunity. Depending on the genre this will be easier or harder, for example, if you are making a platformer/puzzle etc. game, this will be hard. But if you're making a strategy/simulation/survival etc. game there is plenty of data to back it up in several blogs. 

In addition to reading blogs, use tools like SteamDB, VGInsights, and Game-Stats to gather data on how similar games in your genre are performing. Include numbers for both successful and poorly performing titles to create a balanced perspective. Create some rough estimates and position your game's potential performance somewhere in the middle. This approach provides a realistic and data-driven projection for your game's success. 

• You need a production plan. Depending on the publisher, during the pitch they will like to see more or less of it. What is certain is that you will need a project management plan.  

One thing that could be included in the pitch is a timeline with key milestones leading up to and following the release. This demonstrates a pragmatic understanding of the game development process and helps publishers assess if your release window aligns with their schedule. A well-defined timeline can enhance credibility and show that you have a structured plan for bringing the game to market.

• You need a budget plan. A good starting point is to research the cost of similar games have  been developed in the past. The publisher will know how much your game cost so give a realistic number and never ask for less money than is needed. 

•  If you have an industry veteran on the team, highlight it.

3.4 Level Design

3.4.1 What is a level?

A Level is a vehicle that will carry the player from one system to another. It's a space that, with the correct design, it will affect the emotions and overall experience of the player, and it will make the game happen within boundaries. 

A level must always be believable, not necessarily realistic. 

Level design involves planning the stages, maps, missions, quests... within a video game. Not only their layout but their events, obstacles, enemies, objectives... that the player might find through the game. 

It is important to understand that good level design does the following:

• Makes a level fun to navigate.

• Does not rely on written words.

• Tells the player what to do but not how, so the player has some amount of freedom to approach problems in different ways.

• Constantly teaches the player something new, by introducing or subverting new mechanics.

• Is surprising, either by the aesthetics or the elements in the level.

• Empowers the player, lets them feel the impact of their actions. 

• Is always easy, medium and hard dynamically in different parts of the levels.

• Is efficient by using modularity, bi directionality and non-linearity.

• Creates emotion.

• Is driven by the games mechanics.

3.4.1 How to design a level 

Note that the process explained in the following part, is heavily inspired by Steve Lee's teachings. Depending on the type of game, these tools might not fit 100% of the needs of a specific process. It is recommended to check how other creators work on different types of levels.

The process of creating a level follows five steps:

1. Core loop definition: First, write down the series of repeated actions  that will be the foundation of the gameplay of your game. It is important to acknowledge that designers will have to use two types of loop based on their time cycle:  

Short: These are very satisfactory in the moment but player retention might be hard. (The player might not find motivation to keep playing after a while). These come with "moment to moment goals"

Long:  These give a more delayed satisfaction, but the player retention is easy, if. (It gives an abstract source of motivation to keep playing) . These come with "high level goals".

For example: In Pokemon, the short loop is finding monsters, fighting and deciding to capture them or not, then start again. The long loop would be, entering a new zone, finding the gym, fighting the leader and getting a badge, then entering the new zone.

Exercise idea: What will be the short and long loops in your level?

2. Pre-production / Context study: Before start sketching the level, it is recommended to make a study of context of the game. 

• Study the types of environments the levels are based  

• Gather real-life references 

• Gather concept art. 

Architecture and geology will always be the main points. 

For example: The Middle Earth will not play the same as New York. 

Exercise idea: Make a mood board specifying the context of your level. 

3.  Level concept document: This is all the previous work done before creating the first version of the level. Note that this document is not created in a linear way, but more as an iterative process. The parts this documents should have are:

• Goals of the level: The what, why and how. The goal can't be just "make a level", try to always have specific intentions and things you want to practice or achieve.

What is the end goal of the player? 

What is the playtime of the level?

Where is it situated?  

For example:"I want to make a short tutorial (3 minutes) for Half life 2,  which will serve as a piece in my portfolio, showing textbook level design skills, like light narrative, puzzles, implementation of gameplay… etc."

• Theme: A simple, understandable and scalable goal. 

 For example: Escape the Combine (HL2)

• Main Elements: What are the intractable ingredients (Mechanics and systems) that this level will feature? No need to specify to the atomized part, just a display of the elements that will be in your disposal during this level.  

For example: (HL2) Combine metro police and soldiers, head crabs and zombies, civilians, explosive barrels, car, crossbow, shotgun, SMG, Physic objects... etc.

Elements here could be divided in three types, depending on how they will affect the contrast of the level:

1. Physical:

• Timing elements: which give capability to anticipate moves

• Reflex: Reactions to a situation

• Precision: Sweet spot to succeed a certain action

• Endurance: The ability to button smash and complete complex combos

2. Mental:

• Tactical strategy: Premeditated plan before performing an action.

• Logical association: Understanding and linking patterns to create a bigger picture, understanding that A+B is C.

• Observation: A lean understanding of details.

3. Control:

• Actions: Any direct actions the player can do.

• Combinations: two actions at the same time

• Gameplay Beats / Types of contrast: What are the different style of gameplay through the level? Any game should have a bit of contrast in its playstyle. It's always useful to write down the things that you will want to have in, see them in the big picture, then work from there.
  For example: Sneakiness, starting with just a melee weapon, getting a pistol, getting a vehicle... etc.

• Questions: Temporal questions the designers will have or make when designing the sequence.

For example: How can the player escape the first room? Through a vent or by using the crowbar then breaking the door? 

• Sequence: How does the level start? How does it end? What is in the middle? What are the important parts? Write it down in a sequence or in a graph. I recommend a graph where the flow of the level can be seen in a more organized way.  Don't forget to mention all the relevant decisions the player can make through each one of the sections. 

It is recommended on to explain how the narrative will be expressed through the level as well.

Also, dividing the level in sections with objectives and its estimate playtime per section is always a good idea.

For example: You would first start with something like the following:

Level starts in a cell with player wondering where they are.

They realize they've been captured.

Player starts to wonder how they can escape - They feel stuck.

Maybe player can see a guard through a hole in the door to their cell.

(...)

Player spots a potential escape vehicle somewhere outside through a window.

Escape through vents? Multiple entrance from vents into a few different rooms.

Level ends with player escaping.

Depending on the linearity of the game, the level can have: 

• Linear paths: from point A to B, very straightforward.

• Forked path: giving options to the player.

• Spiderweb paths: Similar to any open world game, where the player can choose any way to go in any order. 

It's always good to watch level designers such as Steve Lee design a level for Doom:

3.4.2 Sketching the level

Once all the core pieces are set in place, the sketch (Either in a 3D software or even in 2D paper) can start. It is important to keep in mind that: 

• This is just a sketch, to see the main parts of the level.

• It need annotations of the gameplay beats, elements… and it has to be clear.

• Artistic details should not be added in this stage.

A great tool that could be used for sketching the first layout is Draw.io or  Virtual Graph Paper. 

Level design patterns

In the paper of Level Design Patterns for 2D Games, Ahmed Khalifa, Fernando de Mesentier and Julian Togelius , put together some patterns or techniques that are used in 2D games, but I consider that it could be extrapolated in 3D as well. 

These techniques are:

1. Guidance: The use of non-verbal game elements to guide players in an intended direction. This encompasses all the techniques that can be used to achieve this, such as:

•  Level shape (Spatial communication).

• Use of collectibles.

• With hazards.

• With Enemies.

Example: In “Super Mario Bros.,” coins are often placed in a line to guide players towards the correct path.

2. Safe zone: Zone where the players are not exposed to negative interactions. This creates breathing pockets of air to plan and recover for the next action. These are often used in spawn points, to not give them punishment before they are aware of their surroundings and can be sometimes not obvious, making the player identify them by observing patterns

Example: In “Celeste,” the campfires serve as safe zones where players can take a break and plan their next move.

3. Fore-shadowing: A part where the level designer will hint that something will happen later, such as introducing the player to an element under a controlled environment, before this element is more integral to the game.  This will be very helpful in order to teach players new game mechanics without tutorials. Once the players know more about these mechanics, the level designer will be able to present more challenges to them.  Foreshadowing also helps to instigate the players curiosity, making them excited about future possibilities, specially in exploratory games.

Example: In “Dark Souls” seeing a powerful enemy in the distance prepares the player for an upcoming boss fight.

4. Layering:  Layering is the pattern of combining multiple objects to create a new experience. It often relies on Foreshadowing to be able to present a fair challenge.  The most common use of layering is to introduce new and harder challenges without the need to present new elements to the player. The use of layering will create a whole new experience, making the players to use their skills and strategy in order to overcome the obstacle.

Example: In “Metroid,” players can explore different areas of the map by unlocking new abilities that allow access to previously unreachable places.

5. Branching:  Branching is the pattern of providing the player multiple paths to reach their objective. 

This can be used for:

• Provide a false sense of choice.

• Give actual choices.

• Conditional branching: Where the player needs to meet a specific requirement.

• To create a risk-reward scenario.

Example: In “Undertale,” players can choose to fight or befriend enemies, leading to different story lines and endings.

6. Pace-breaking: Pace breaking refers to purposely changing the dramatic arc of the game from one scene to the next. Audio and visual cues are sometimes the best tools to convey the emotion. It’s commonly used to:

• Increase tension (Alongside with Layering).

• Decrease tension (Alongside with Safe Zones).

Common more specific situations:

• Lowering tension before a boss, changing the scene and music.

• Lowering tension to let players test their new abilities or explore new environments.

• Lowering tension before a big climax.

• Increasing tension to create choke points, tighter spaces with unavoidable conflict.

Example: In “Ori and the Blind Forest,” intense platforming sections are often followed by calmer exploration areas to provide a balance.

To conclude it is important to note that these patterns are meant as convention to improve player experience and not requirements to create a quality game.  These patterns work individually but it is common for them to be used in conjunction. 

For example: Layering multiple hazards can create tension, resulting in Pace Breaking. Locket doors can foreshadow future branches. 

It is important to experiment with these and not be limited by them.

Common issues in a level

Here are some common issues the designer might find when testing their level: 

• Too much empty space: Is the player always sprinting? 

For example:  In “No Man’s Sky,” the vast procedural generated planets often felt empty and repetitive, leading to a lack of engagement for players.

• Camera too far away: Does the character get lost? Are they too tiny?

For example: In “Assassin’s Creed Unity,” the camera sometimes pulled too far back during parkour sequences, making it difficult for players to navigate tight spaces and see their character clearly.

• Level is too flat: Adding up, down directions might give more layers of contrast and drama for the players.

For example: “Mass Effect: Andromeda” faced criticism for its flat and uninspired planet surfaces, which lacked the verticality and complexity seen in previous games in the series.

• Everything looks similar: You never want your level to feel the same thing over and over again, we need variation.

For example:“Anthem” struggled with repetitive environments, where many areas looked and felt the same, leading to a monotonous experience for players.

• Layouts feel too generic: Most levels should emphasize what’s great about this specific game. You should focus on what your game is different, and showcase that to the players.

For example:  “Fallout 76” was criticized for its generic and uninspired level design, which failed to capture the unique charm and atmosphere of previous Fallout games.

• The level is too linear :  Every person will play the game differently, so you should make it so it can be experienced in different ways (Within the possibilities of your game and specific situation).

For example: “Final Fantasy XIII” was often criticized for its linear level design, which restricted player exploration and made the game feel more like a series of corridors rather than an open world.

• Everything is too symmetrical: Is the space too symmetrical? Symmetrical choices make the choices boring (Things like placing the enemies symmetrically, props in the room…) If you have to work on something that is symmetrical, populate it with asymmetrical elements , like putting the entrance on a side, changing the point of view of the player.

For example: Everything is too symmetrical: In “Mirror’s Edge Catalyst,” some levels had symmetrical layouts that made parkour routes predictable and less challenging, reducing the overall excitement of the game.

Exercise idea: Create the first version of the level in sketch and add it to your level concept document.

While Level design is a part of game design, it's a whole complete specialty. I am not specialized in Level Design at all, and for that, it is recommended to check more sources, such as Level Design Book or GDC talks such as the following:

3.5 The End! How to keep improving

Designing games is a never ending adventure. As a designer you will have to learn a little about a lot. In order to keep improving I recommend:

1. Read a loots of books about lots of different topics. Different points view and different ways to design.

2. Play a lot! But not only games you might like. Learn to analyze and play at the same time.

3. Rest. Do something away from games as a routine. Good ideas really do come when you will be doing something unrelated.

4. Share your prototypes to different types of players, not only other designers. Observe silently when they are playing your games. Listen careful about their feedback. What did work? What could be improved? What are their emotions during the gameplay?