Comments on: Experience Driven Game Design

By: David

David — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:51:54 +0000

I really think the experience-oriented game design is already beginning to cause a major revolution in how games are made. Look at flOw and Flower. Also, the tremendous “Shadow of the Colossus.” Heck, even Age of Conan, in some respects. What jumps out to me is that all these games are “entertaining” not because of their objectives but because of their means. I throw AoC in here as an example because I see it standing out from all other MMOs by having entertainment value provided through its fighting not through its leveling. In other words, I found the experience of fighting itself to be inherently rewarding due to its “feel” and not due to any particular desire to level up or obtain an objective. Shadow of the Colossus is a purer example of your principle, and, of course, your idea is so perfectly represented in flOw and Flower that I’d be hard pressed to admit that you weren’t employed by thatGameCompany.

In short, REALLY nice article.

By: Vlad

Vlad — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 13:12:36 +0000

Took a bit of time to read your article after your post in our blog. I heartly agree with what you wrote here, but you (like me and many others) are still a bit too obsessed with the word or definition of ‘fun’.

Reread your article and substitute the word ‘fun’ for ‘entertainment’. This subtle switch offers you a grand new perspective, especially when it fits the paradigm you just presented so well.

Think of the possibilities. Instead of designing a fun experience, let us design an entertainment experience. Fits today’s games much better, don’t you agree?

I’ll be following up this subject on our blog later on.

By: Sash

Sash — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 04:36:05 +0000

Thanks Jeremy!

By: Jeremy Apthorp

Jeremy Apthorp — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 06:11:18 +0000

Awesome article. Definitely going to think about things from this perspective more