Comments on: Game Design: “Too many minds” http://markskaggs.com/game-design/game-design-too-many-minds/ Making games and other interesting adventures Mon, 18 Jan 2010 17:49:49 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Andrew Pellerano http://markskaggs.com/game-design/game-design-too-many-minds/comment-page-1/#comment-62 Andrew Pellerano Tue, 12 Jan 2010 15:54:32 +0000 http://markskaggs.com/?p=304#comment-62 The reason why you want one person at the top of the design tree is because every design has bucket loads of unspoken elements contributing to the air surrounding the game. Games are more than the mechanics printed in the rule books, they're a chance for the player to escape. Only with a consistent vision of how and where they escape to can players make that jump and join the designer in the fantasy. I do believe that there is one other person that the lead designer should be intimate with, though, and that's the lead artist. If that person does not understand what is motivating you when you make decisions for the game, the art will come back flat and you'll have missed out on one of the key ways to pull players from reality. The reason why you want one person at the top of the design tree is because every design has bucket loads of unspoken elements contributing to the air surrounding the game. Games are more than the mechanics printed in the rule books, they’re a chance for the player to escape. Only with a consistent vision of how and where they escape to can players make that jump and join the designer in the fantasy.

I do believe that there is one other person that the lead designer should be intimate with, though, and that’s the lead artist. If that person does not understand what is motivating you when you make decisions for the game, the art will come back flat and you’ll have missed out on one of the key ways to pull players from reality.

]]> By: Mark Skaggs http://markskaggs.com/game-design/game-design-too-many-minds/comment-page-1/#comment-61 Mark Skaggs Sat, 09 Jan 2010 08:57:45 +0000 http://markskaggs.com/?p=304#comment-61 It's a balance. Common misconception is that the single strong voice = "comes up with all the ideas". That doesn't work. Instead the single strong voice makes the call of "in or out". It’s a balance. Common misconception is that the single strong voice = “comes up with all the ideas”. That doesn’t work. Instead the single strong voice makes the call of “in or out”.

]]> By: James Tucker http://markskaggs.com/game-design/game-design-too-many-minds/comment-page-1/#comment-60 James Tucker Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:11:45 +0000 http://markskaggs.com/?p=304#comment-60 The other side of the coin is we all get creative thoughts and energy to improve. How do you draw the line between "too many minds" and "single strong voice?" The other side of the coin is we all get creative thoughts and energy to improve. How do you draw the line between “too many minds” and “single strong voice?”

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