Game Dev December #4: "Understanding Games"

Understanding Games
Credits: Pixelate, 2006-07
Genre(s): Weird/unknown (game development)


It's time for Game Dev December!--a very special "mini-issue," if you will, of transcending pixels where every week's new game of interest will come from the area of game design and development. In the same way that we write books on how to write books, some people have designed games or gamification methods that provide instructions on using a game designer's toolbox. 


Throughout December, we have looked at games and gamification methods that teach you how to code, animate, and handle level design in making your own games. Today's final "game" broadly surveys game theory across four 8-bit "lectures" covering rules, motivation, learning, and player identification. [The following screenshots come from the second lecture, or Episode 2.] 

Bob and Bub (occasionally joined by girlfriends Flip and Flop) use built-in gameplay sessions to demonstrate their game theory wisdom--and well, it's pretty darn entertaining too.

Together, these interactive lectures demonstrate academic principles as useful design skills. Referencing a variety of well-known games to exemplify critical points, and providing plenty of engaging hands-on gameplay for the student, Understanding Games logically teaches a general design foundation, admittedly somewhat similar to what Gamestar Mechanic had to offer, but cutting down to the fundamentals without any potentially distracting external story to follow. On Pixelate's site there's even a handy dandy reading list of game development resources for follow-up on your own time.


The gameplay segments of each lecture are undoubtedly the series' strongest point. Not only do they outline Bob and Bub's thesaurus of game theory terms, but they're actually rather enjoyable alone, for their own sake, which demonstrates their practicality as instruction more clearly than any overt bland reference to the lesson portion of each episode.

Blackboard lessons with Bob and Bub!

True to its name, the "Understanding Games" series is intended to help players understand just how and why their own media of choice of is so ridiculously addicting, and how and why some games excel and others fail. But if you're looking to be more than just a player in the game industry, you'll want some more theoretical knowledge in game design. These unique, fun lectures will get you started in exactly that.


Watch for a special New Year's announcement tomorrow concerning the future of "transcending pixels"!