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The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses

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Lesson 9 of 10
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The Designer Usually Works with a Team / The Team Sometimes Communicates through Documents / Good Games are Created through Playtesting / The Team Builds a Game with Technology / Your Game Will Probably Have a Client

Matthew Colon October 14, 2020
  1. What types of playtesting have you done in the past for your project? How did it affect your project’s development?

Lens #100: The Lens of Love

  • Do I love my project? If not, how can I change that?
  • Does everyone on the team love the project? If not, how can that be changed?

Lens #101: The Lens of the Team

  • Is this the right team for this project? Why?
  • Is the team communicating objectively?
  • Is the team communicating clearly?
  • Is the team comfortable with each other?
  • Is there an air of trust and respect among the team?
  • Is the team ultimately able to unify around decisions?

Lens #102: The Lens of Documentation

  • What do we need to remember while making this game?
  • What needs to be communicated while making this game?

Lens #103: The Lens of Playtesting

  • Why are we doing a playtest?
  • Who should be there?
  • Where should we hold it?
  • What will we look for?
  • How will we get the information we need?

Lens #104: The Lens of Technology

  • What technologies will help deliver the experience I want to create?
  • Am I using these technologies in ways that are foundational or decorational?
  • If I’m not using them foundationally, should I be using them at all?
  • Is this technology as cool as I think it is?
  • Is there a “disruptive technology” I should consider instead?

Lens #105: The Lens of the Crystal Ball

  • What will ____ be like two years from now? Why?
  • What will ____ be like four years from now? Why?
  • What will ____ be like ten years from now? Why?

Lens #106: The Lens of Utopia

  • Am I creating something that feels magical?
  • Do people get excited just hearing about what I am making? Why or why not?
  • Does my game advance the state of the art in a meaningful way?
  • Does my game make the world a better place?

Lens #107: The Lens of the Client

  • What does the client say he wants?
  • What does the client think he wants?
  • What does the client really want, deep down in his heart?