game design
Crafting interactive entertainment
Game design is the craft of creating the rules, systems, and experiences that make up a game.
This includes everything from core mechanics and player objectives to difficulty curves and reward structures.
A game designer decides what players can do, what challenges they face, and what makes the experience engaging.
The discipline spans board games, video games, card games, and sports.
She studied game design before working on indie puzzle games.
Principles governing behavior
- balanceSteadiness or amount owed
- systemsOrganized sets of elements
- mechanicsScience of motion
- feedbackReturned response data
iteration · playtesting · prototyping · difficulty curve · progression · scoring · rewards · risk-reward
Abstract mental construct
- brainstormingGenerating many ideas freely
- prototypingMaking preliminary models
- playtestingEvaluating games before release
- iterationRepeated procedural pass
production · documentation · scope · milestone · sprint · alpha · beta · polish
Commitment to wed or attend
- challengeTest of ability
- flowUnbroken forward movement
- immersionState of being submerged
- funAmusement or pleasure
satisfaction · tension · surprise · discovery · mastery · autonomy · achievement · frustration
Explosive launcher or fantasy genre
- platformerLeap-based video game
- roguelikePermadeath procedural game genre
- shooterOne who fires weapons
- simulationImitation of real processes
racing · sports · survival · horror · sandbox · MMORPG · battle royale · visual novel
Recounting events aloud
- plotStoryline or land parcel
- charactersPersons in a narrative
- protagonistStory's central figure
- antagonistOne who opposes another
dialogue · lore · world-building · backstory · setting · theme · cutscene · player choice
Visual design elements
- art styleDistinctive creative approach
- aestheticsTheory of beauty
- environmentExternal conditions affecting life
- textureSurface tactile quality
lighting · rendering · animation · HUD · color palette · concept art · sprite · particle effects
Machine producing motion
- physicsScience of matter and energy
- AISimulated cognitive processing
- pathfindingCalculating efficient travel routes
- procedural generationAutomated content creation via algorithms
netcode · optimization · framerate · collision detection · save system · loading · scripting · middleware
No-cost base game model
- premiumAdded cost for better
- microtransactionMinor digital goods payment
- loot boxRandomized virtual reward container
- battle passPurchasable progression track
DLC · expansion · subscription · gacha · pay-to-win · cosmetics · season pass · live service
Member-owned organization
- competitiveDriven by rivalry
- matchmakingArranging romantic connections
- lobbyEntryway or influence-seeking
- netcodeMultiplayer communication programming
latency · leaderboard · ranking · guilds · clans · PvP · PvE · online
rules
Principles governing behavior
feedback · iteration · playtesting · prototyping · difficulty curve · progression · scoring · rewards · risk-reward · randomness
concept
Abstract mental construct
- brainstormingGenerating many ideas freely
- prototypingMaking preliminary models
- playtestingEvaluating games before release
iteration · production · documentation · scope · milestone · sprint · alpha · beta · polish · QA
engagement
Commitment to wed or attend
fun · satisfaction · tension · surprise · discovery · mastery · autonomy · achievement · frustration · onboarding
RPG
Explosive launcher or fantasy genre
- platformerLeap-based video game
- roguelikePermadeath procedural game genre
- shooterOne who fires weapons
simulation · racing · sports · survival · horror · sandbox · MMORPG · battle royale · visual novel
storytelling
Recounting events aloud
- plotStoryline or land parcel
- charactersPersons in a narrative
- protagonistStory's central figure
antagonist · dialogue · lore · world-building · backstory · setting · theme · cutscene · player choice · NPC
graphics
Visual design elements
- art styleDistinctive creative approach
- aestheticsTheory of beauty
- environmentExternal conditions affecting life
texture · lighting · rendering · animation · HUD · color palette · concept art · sprite · particle effects · iconography
engine
Machine producing motion
- physicsScience of matter and energy
- AISimulated cognitive processing
- pathfindingCalculating efficient travel routes
procedural generation · netcode · optimization · framerate · collision detection · save system · loading · scripting · middleware · Unity
free-to-play
No-cost base game model
- premiumAdded cost for better
- microtransactionMinor digital goods payment
- loot boxRandomized virtual reward container
battle pass · DLC · expansion · subscription · gacha · pay-to-win · cosmetics · season pass · live service · retention
co-op
Member-owned organization
- competitiveDriven by rivalry
- matchmakingArranging romantic connections
- lobbyEntryway or influence-seeking
netcode · latency · leaderboard · ranking · guilds · clans · PvP · PvE · online · cross-play
- Recreation Designsports equipment, miniature golf, trampoline park, go-kart track, obstacle course
- game designmechanics, balancing, playtesting, difficulty, prototyping
- game developmentrendering, programming, pathfinding, scripting, prototyping
- gamingvideo games, buff, games, PlayStation 4, gameplay
- creationsnovel, artwork, poem, song, film
- creative fieldsillustration, animation, photography, video production, art direction
game designgameplay
Interactive elements of gaming
playing games · gaming · spectatorship · game streaming · let's play