Video games have evolved to offer immersive, realistic environments that reflect both creativity and technical detail. Cities in games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild are designed around characters and gameplay mechanics, showing originality through fantasy.
Read MoreCheng “Chris” Chen, assistant professor at Elon University, co-authored a study exploring how narrative-driven game design can influence prosocial intentions, particularly regarding school bullying. Published in Media and Communication, the research found that players who assume the role of a bully and make narrative decisions show increased empathy and prosocial intent toward victims.
Read MoreGreat video games blend plot, playability, visuals, and music to stand out among thousands released annually. Only a few make top lists, thanks to skilled designers often trained at leading universities. Abertay University excels with cutting-edge programmes like the MSc in Technical Art and the MProf in Games Development, producing grads who land roles at major studios.
Read MoreIn The Rule Book: The Building Blocks of Games, Jaakko Stenros and Markus Montola explore the foundational aspects of games through a constructionist ludology lens. They introduce five categories of rules—formal, internal, social, external regulation, and material rules—to analyze game structures.
Read MoreThe article discusses how game design at the AAA level has shifted, focusing more on analytics and creating the "perfect game" through numbers, rather than emphasizing the intangible "feel" of a game. It argues that game design isn't just about mechanics and metrics but about creating memorable experiences that resonate emotionally with players.
Read MoreIan Dallas, founder of Giant Sparrow, is known for his experimental approach to game design. Following the success of What Remains of Edith Finch, he is now working on a new game centered around a biologist studying animals.
Read MoreWalter Lewis, president of Homewood Children’s Village (HCV), saw potential in expanding beyond a six-week digital game creation course. This led to the creation of Village Games+, an in-house game design studio where students design and build games while learning art, science, and entrepreneurship.
Read MoreWhile traveling for a game preview, I encountered an annoying hotel elevator that required a keycard scan to select a floor. The elevator emitted a negative-sounding beep when the card was accepted, causing confusion as it contradicted the expected positive confirmation. This experience highlighted how crucial small auditory and UI cues are in game design.
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