These 5 Books Taught Me How to Design Games

Summary

In this video, the creator shares the five most influential books that shaped their journey as a game designer. These books include 'The Art of Game Design' by Jesse Shell, 'Theory of Fun' by Raph Koster, 'The Design of Everyday Things' by Don Norman, 'The Hero with a Thousand Faces' by Joseph Campbell, and 'Steal Like an Artist' by Austin Kleon. The creator explains how each book provided valuable insights into game mechanics, player psychology, intuitive design, narrative structure, and creativity. They emphasize that while reading is helpful, creating games and learning from experience is essential to mastering game design.

Takeaways

• 😀 Game design is not something you can simply learn through books or tutorials; it's best learned through practice and creating games.
• 😀 'The Art of Game Design' by Jesse Schell is considered the Bible of game design, teaching how to think like a designer through the concept of 'lenses'—creative tools for analyzing and improving games.
• 😀 Good games are like teaching tools that challenge players and reward them for learning, as seen in games like Tetris and Portal.
• 😀 Flow state in games occurs when the challenge is balanced. Too easy or too hard breaks the engagement, much like the ideal challenge in sports.
• 😀 'The Theory of Fun' by Raph Koster shifts how we think about game mechanics, emphasizing that fun comes from learning and problem-solving.
• 😀 'The Design of Everyday Things' by Don Norman teaches that design should be intuitive, and its principles are relevant to game design, especially for controls and layouts.
• 😀 Good design is often invisible; if players are struggling with controls or navigation, it's a sign of poor design, not the player's fault.
• 😀 Game designers should draw inspiration from all areas of design, not just video games, as broader design principles can lead to better solutions.
• 😀 Joseph Campbell's 'The Hero with a Thousand Faces' shows how the hero's journey is used in popular narratives, including video games, to create compelling stories.
• 😀 'Steal Like an Artist' by Austin Kleon emphasizes that creativity is about remixing ideas and making them your own rather than creating something entirely original.
• 😀 These books provide critical insights, but becoming a great game designer still requires asking the right questions, thinking critically, and consistent practice.

Q & A

What is the main idea behind Jesse Schell's 'The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses'?

The main idea of 'The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses' is to teach game designers how to think critically about their designs. It introduces the concept of lenses, which are different perspectives or questions that help analyze and improve games. Rather than offering one-size-fits-all solutions, the book encourages designers to ask the right questions at every stage of development.

How does 'The Theory of Fun' by Raph Koster view the concept of fun in games?

'The Theory of Fun' explores how fun in games is driven by learning. It argues that players enjoy mastering patterns and solving problems. Koster emphasizes that games are teaching tools, where players learn new challenges and are rewarded for overcoming them. This book also touches on the psychological aspect of how games engage players and keep them in a state of 'flow'.

What role does 'The Design of Everyday Things' by Don Norman play in game design?

'The Design of Everyday Things' is about general design principles, focusing on how to create intuitive and user-friendly products. While not specifically about game design, the book's ideas on affordances, usability, and user experience are highly applicable to game design, especially in areas like controls, menus, and level layouts. It reminds designers to make their creations seamless and easy for users to interact with.

How does the book 'The Hero with a Thousand Faces' influence game design?

'The Hero with a Thousand Faces' explores the universal narrative structure of the hero's journey, which appears in myths and stories across cultures. This structure has been used in successful franchises like Star Wars and Harry Potter. In game design, understanding this narrative structure can help designers create compelling, emotionally engaging stories that resonate with players, even if the gameplay is the primary focus.

What is the core message of Austin Kleon's 'Steal Like an Artist'?

The core message of 'Steal Like an Artist' is that creativity doesn't involve starting from scratch, but building on what already exists. Kleon encourages embracing influence, remixing ideas, and adding personal twists to create something new. This book is a reminder that it's okay to borrow ideas from other sources as long as you make them your own.

Why is the author’s physical copy of 'The Art of Game Design' covered with personal notes?

The author’s physical copy of 'The Art of Game Design' is covered with personal notes because the book contains valuable insights that the author continues to revisit with each new project. The notes serve as a reminder of the book’s key principles and help apply the lessons learned throughout their game design career.

What impact did 'The Theory of Fun' have on the author's approach to game mechanics?

'The Theory of Fun' helped the author shift their perspective on game mechanics by emphasizing that good games are learning tools. The author realized that games should introduce players to new challenges and reward them for mastering those challenges. This led to a deeper understanding of how players' cognitive processes influence the enjoyment of a game.

How does 'The Design of Everyday Things' challenge the author's early approach to game design?

'The Design of Everyday Things' challenged the author's early focus solely on game-specific design principles. The book taught them to look beyond video games and learn from other design disciplines, such as industrial and product design. This broader perspective made the author realize the importance of intuitive, user-friendly design in all types of creations, including games.

What does the author mean by 'game design isn’t about following the rules but asking the right questions'?

The author means that successful game design is not about strictly adhering to predefined rules but about approaching the design process with curiosity and critical thinking. By asking the right questions, designers can discover innovative solutions and better understand what makes a game engaging, rewarding, and fun for players.

What did the author learn from reading 'Sapiens' by Yuval Noah Harari and 'The Theory of Fun'?

After reading 'Sapiens' by Yuval Noah Harari, the author found that games, much like other aspects of human culture, are rooted in our evolutionary desire to learn and adapt. This realization resonated with the ideas presented in 'The Theory of Fun,' where learning through games is central to why they are engaging. The combination of these two books deepened the author’s understanding of why games are fun and how they reflect human nature.