Course Reflection

After a semester in Intro to Game Studies, I feel like my appreciation for all games has increased. Whether I was designing a video game, a board game, or just a simple party game to play with friends, I learned that there is more to it than just developing the rules. Other factors like how the audience feels, what kind of style the game uses, and who the target audience is affects the gameplay.
The most interesting thing I learned was how audience perception of the game affects the play. For example, in one of our in class demos, we played a "game" called Lonliness, where the player was nothing more than a black square, and interacted with other black squares. While the game itself is incredibly simple, as the audience began to realize the meaning of it, the game carried a more serious tone. We first started out laughing as the little black square tried to catch the others, but as it became apparent that the square was always alone, the audience grew sad. The game then felt more real and hold deeper meaning.

Another interesting thing I realized was during the final presentations, how the style affected the gameplay. One example was from Spellstrike, a fast paced 1v1 battle of wits. This was one of the only PvP games that our class presented, and it created excitement among the players and the viewers. The style of competition made a simple game into an exciting display of wits.
I found that throughout the entire semester, I learned that games were about more than just a ruleset. They can carry a story, create feelings, and create an emotional response. As a game designer, I now have a unique insight into how games can be more than just a set of rules, but a medium to transfer information to a player.