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Lesson 10.1: Game Design Basics - What Makes Games Fun?

Welcome, game designers! Before we can build a game, we need to figure out the secret ingredients that make games fun. Today, we’ll be game analysts, investigating our favorite games to uncover the recipe for a great interactive experience.

What You’ll Learn

By the end of this design session, you’ll be able to:

  • Name the four secret ingredients of any game: goals, rules, challenges, and rewards.
  • Analyze your favorite games to see how they use these ingredients.
  • Brainstorm your own unique game idea.
  • Create a simple, clear plan for the game you want to build.

Your Design Workshop Plan

What’s the Recipe for Fun? (15 minutes)

  • Let’s talk about our favorite games (board games, sports, video games). What makes them so much fun to play?
  • We’ll discover that all great games have the same four “secret ingredients.”
  • Together, we’ll create a class list of what every fun game needs.

The Four Secret Ingredients (15 minutes)

  • Let’s break down the recipe for a great game:
    • Goals: What is the player trying to achieve? (e.g., reach the finish line, get the most points)
    • Rules: What can the player do or not do? (e.g., you can only move one space at a time)
    • Challenges: What makes it tricky? (e.g., obstacles, a timer, an opponent)
    • Rewards: What happens when you do well? (e.g., points, winning, a fun sound)
  • We’ll look at a simple game, like Tag, and find all four ingredients.

Brainstorm Your Game Idea! (15 minutes)

  • Now it’s your turn to be the inventor! On your design worksheet, you’ll start planning your own game.
  • Keep it simple and achievable! Think about fun, easy game types like:
    • A “catching” game (catch falling objects)
    • A simple “maze” game (get from start to finish)
    • A “racing” game (who gets to the end first?)
  • Plan the four secret ingredients for your game idea.

Pitch Your Idea (5 minutes)

  • Share your game concept with a partner.
  • Get some feedback. Does it sound fun? Are the rules clear?
  • This is how real game designers improve their ideas!

Your Designer’s Toolkit

  • A few simple games (like a deck of cards or a board game) for us to look at
  • Game design worksheets to help you plan your big idea
  • Big paper for our class list of “secret ingredients”

How to Be a Master Designer

  • We’ll see how you analyze games to find the four secret ingredients.
  • Your game design worksheet will be your blueprint. Is your idea clear, simple, and fun?
  • The Fun Test: When you describe your game to a friend, do they say, “Wow, I want to play that!”? If so, you’re on the right track!

New Tech Words to Master

  • Game Mechanics: A fancy term for the four secret ingredients (goals, rules, challenges, and rewards) that make a game work.
  • Design Thinking: The process of planning something for a user, like a game, to make sure it’s fun and easy to use.
  • Prototype: A simple plan or drawing of your idea. Your worksheet is your first prototype!