Game Studies

on
Games Studies

Games Studies

26/10/2025 - 12/12/2025 / Week 10 - Week 12
Emily Ong Su Yu / 0365304
Games Studies / Bachelor of Design in Creative Media / Taylor's University

LECTURES

WEEK 1 LECTURES: PLEASE CLICK HERE

WEEK 2 LECTURES: PLEASE CLICK HERE

WEEK 3 LECTURES: PLEASE CLICK HERE

WEEK 4 LECTURES: PLEASE CLICK HERE


WEEK 1 — Principles of Game Design

Principle 1: Player Experience

  • Determine emotional journeys provided (e.g. adventure, excel oneself, caretaking).
  • Consider the target audience and how they interact with the game.

Principle 2: Gameplay Mechanics

  • Determine the primary mechanics (e.g. card actions, dice rolling, turn actions).
  • Identify secondary mechanics such as resource management, trading, stealing, or gambling.

Principle 3: Storytelling in Games

  • Immerse players in the game’s story.
  • Design environmental visuals and connect storytelling with UI.

Principle 4: Balance and Challenge

  • Establish a smooth difficulty curve.
  • Balance challenge with player skill.
  • Consider skill versus luck and ensure player progression.

Principle 5: Feedback and Iteration

  • Carry out playtesting regularly.
  • Identify difficulty or bland storytelling.
  • Fine-tune the experience based on feedback.

Principle 6: Immersion and Worldbuilding

  • Help players feel invested through intriguing storytelling and context.

Challenges in Game Design

  • Monetization vs. Player Experience
  • Balancing revenue models with enjoyable gameplay.
  • Overemphasis on monetisation may disrupt immersion.
WEEK 2 — Balancing Education and Fun in Games
  • A game can be enjoyable through mechanics alone.
  • Games become more engaging when they teach players something.
  • Educational elements should feel natural and rewarding.

Strategies for Fun & Education Balance

  1. Learning Through Play — Integrate real-world scenarios into gameplay.
  2. Layered Learning — Allow players to uncover concepts gradually.
  3. Game Mechanics as Educational Tools — Embed problem-solving into mechanics.
  4. Storytelling with Purpose — Establish meaningful narratives.

Avoiding Over-Instruction

Ensure learning emerges from play rather than heavy instruction.

Player Motivation and Rewards

  • Balance intrinsic motivation (curiosity, mastery).
  • Use extrinsic rewards (points, badges, unlockables).
WEEK 3 — Play Week

Daphne, Emily, Jensen, and I visited Unboxmou Café in SS15 to experience board and card games firsthand. This helped us understand gameplay mechanics and informed the development of our own card game.

WEEK 4 — Iterative Design Process
  • Design (Game Mechanics)
  • Playtest (Player Behaviour)
  • Refine (Adjust Mechanics and Balance)

Playful Experiences

  • What emotions do players feel during gameplay?
  • Thrill, challenge, curiosity, or engagement.
  • How emotions influence decision-making.
WEEK 5

Public Holiday and lecture ends.

Completion Requirements

INSTRUCTIONS

Figure 1 Instructional — Overview of submission guidelines and requirements.

ASSESSMENT

Figure 2 Final Compiled Slides, Canva.

Figure 3 Proposal, Canva.

Figure 4 Weekly Progress, Canva.

Project Links

Feedback

  • Week 2: Likes the "Heartbeat" concept, have potential , keep the game speed, make more engagement, think of a way for next person to cover back; For the "Lost of Translation" concept: Come up a winning mechanism, can look at existing game mechanism; For the "Medical" concept: Differentiate it with happy family, think about the narrative, more scenario, the roles can have more conditions.
  • Week 4: The 'Heartbeat' concept is unique and has great potential, but having a host made the game feel a bit less accessible. It’d be better to keep everything on the tabletop without relying on online tools like a metronome. That said, the game could use additional mechanics to make the overall experience more dynamic and exciting.
  • Week 6: The fact that you managed to change the gameplay mechanics by eliminating the metronome concept is already good. Make sure there is balance in the gameplay..

REFLECTIONS

Through this Game Studies module, I learned how game design principles influence player experience, engagement, and decision-making. Playtesting allowed me to observe real player behaviour beyond theory.

Visiting a board game café provided valuable insights into how rules, pacing, and clarity affect enjoyment. Iterative testing helped us refine mechanics and balance gameplay more effectively.

Overall, this module strengthened my understanding of iterative design, teamwork, and the importance of player-centred thinking in game development.

© 2025 Emily — Games Studies
Sem 1

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