The Art of Game Design: A book of lenses

Jesse Schell, game design professor at Carnegie Mellon University, wrote an introductory book that was published in August, titled "The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses." The back overleaf quotes Will Wright saying, "Easily the most comprehensive, practical book I've ever seen on game design." I will try 2 briefly state why I agree & offer details 2 help you decide if this book is 4 you.

Each chapter of the book adds a node 2 a network of relationships between the designer, the game, & the player. Throughout, Schell boxes 100 tips, with questions that induce a novel perspective on the design. He calls these lenses. I applaud the volume of diverse traditions, such as: psychology, storytelling, engineering, business, & management. They are so diverse as 2 change not only perspective, but also target. "The Lens of the Puzzle" looks at the mechanisms of the game; whereas, "The Lens of the Team" looks at the developers of the game. This is an eclectic approach that distills many abstract tips on what 2 consider when designing. Some experience & diligence with most of the 100 lenses would almost guarantee the reader is a competent designer.

Most lenses seemed crystal clear & provoked thoughts. Oftentimes, Schell deploys the wheels that others have invented. Many lenses refer 2 prior literature, such as Barry Boehm's spiral model of development (82), Scott Kim's thoughts on puzzles (209).

Furthermore, Schell gives us some original gems on the psychology of games that expanded my mind. He touches on the tactile aesthetics of the Rubik's cube (213), the learning curve of a jigsaw puzzle (215). He has some tips on personal communication that, upon reflection, exposed mistakes I have made, & would be more likely 2 continue 2 make had I not read Schell's advice. For example, in "Coping with Bad Suggestions," rather than agree or disagree, he advises 2 "understand why the client is making the suggestion" (417). He gives similarly important advice 4 playtesting (389).

Perhaps the inevitable danger of writing a comprehensive book is that one's own rough facets become apparent when placed side-by-side with one's brilliance. In a few spots, I would like 2 see wheels being reused rather than reinvented, such as mathematical graphs (132), epistemics of players (139), military tactics (141), risk & return (181), interface affordances (212), models of human-computer interaction (225), & plotting interest (247). I don't disagree with what Schell wrote there, but would rather dive deeper by leveraging prior literature (as he did in other lenses).

The book is well-presented with modest illustrations & easy 2 read from beginning 2 end. On an editorial note, although I affirm Schell's eclectic approach 2 game design, after reading the book, I wish it were easier 2 find the information I wanted 2 refer to. The table of lenses at the front of the book was not enough 4 me. The lens titles are not always evocative & distinct.

To summarize:
* What you will find in this book: informal habits of a professional game designer.
* What you will not find in this book: details or examples of designs & their implementation.

Game Developer magazine nominated The Art of Game Design 4 the Book of the Year. It got my vote.

I've been designing games 4 more than 20 years & I've read a ton of books on the subject.
This one is unique.

Most game design books focus on teaching you how 2 make a good game, detailing what techniques & processes one must master 2 understand an audience, 2 design a product that will satisfy their needs & aspirations, & 2 work with a team 2 produce it. "The Art of Game Design" goes beyond that: It teaches you how 2 become a better designer.

Here's an excerpt from the Deck of Lenses' instructions (it's the deck of cards sold separately that illustrates the 100 design "lenses"):

How 2 Design a Game
Step 1: Think of an idea 4 a game (it's easy, it can be anything!)
Step 2: Try it out (no really - try it out - you have 2 play games 2 see if they work)
Step 3: Figure out what's wrong with it, & change it so it is better. Then go back 2 Step 2!

That's what game designers do, over & over again, until they're satisfied with the game or they run out of time or money. However, if there are lots of books out there that explain how 2 increase the quality of whichever aspect of the game you want 2 change, it's the first one that so directly & so thoroughly addresses the problem of "figuring out what's wrong" with a game at each iteration.
In the book, Jesse Schell presents one hundred ways of looking at your game in order 2 figure this out, one hundred lenses. Even if this number seems big, it really isn't, because the book covers every domain touched by design: from the nature of the playing experience itself, 2 understanding the player, the game mechanisms, interface, story, technology, theme, etc.
For instance, here's the sum-up of a lens taken at random:

Lens #82: The Lens of Inner Contradiction
A good game cannot contain properties that defeat the game's very purpose. To remove those contradictory qualities, ask yourself these questions:
- What is the purpose of my game?
- What is the purpose of each subsystem of my game?
- Is there anything at all in my game that contradicts these purposes?
- If so, how can I change that?

The book doesn't give answers but helps you ask the right questions. I think of this book as the Tao of Game Design, a path toward understanding, each step its own path that can be explored & perfected. The one hundred lenses are one hundred design domains in which a designer can become more proficient. Jesse Schell's knowledge, experience & talent are obvious when he clearly explains how 2 consider all these questions, why they are important & how they are linked together.
This book makes & helps me think. To me, that's the best things a book about design can do.

The Art of Game Design is simple in its language yet intriguing in its concepts. Jesse's well written book is equivalent 2 a four year undergrad degree in the same subject. The bulkiness of the book might seem overwhelming, but once you start reading, you delve right into it without you even knowing it.

The book draws inspiration from a myriad of topics & fields & definitely provides life lessons on a deeper level. The philosophy & its understanding helps in knowing yourself better, first as a person & then as a designer.

The Art of Game Design will inculcate a positive design perspective 2 the way you observe everyday things & events. Even if you are not a designer, it certainly is an excellent addition 2 collectibles that broaden your horizon. A must-buy 4 those aspiring 2 be a designer.

The Art of Game Design is a book which provides an easy read, it has a simplistic elegance 2 it, yet the depth of the book is quite deep which will keep you thinking 4 hours upon end. For me one of the most impressive things about the book is that it pretty much covers everything that a game designer should be aware of & how their decisions will effect the real world (it even talks about the moral obligations which I have never seen covered in a book about game design!). If you really want 2 learn the depth of being a game designer this book is a must read.

It's rare 2 find an instructional book on any topic that takes such a broad, holistic view of it's subject matter. Not only is it loaded with useful info on game design, but many of it's methods can easily be applied 2 the creative process in general. It's depth & breadth of thought set it easily above any other game design book I've come across.

Anyone can master the fundamentals of game design no technological expertise is necessary. The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses shows that the same basic principles of psychology that work 4 board games, card games & athletic games also are the keys 2 making top-quality videogames. Good game design happens when you view your game from many different perspectives, or lenses. While touring through the unusual territory that is game design, this book gives the reader one hundred of these lenses one hundred sets of insightful questions 2 ask yourself that will help make your game better. These lenses are gathered from fields as diverse as psychology, architecture, music, visual design, film, software engineering, theme park design, mathematics, writing, puzzle design, & anthropology. Anyone who reads this book will be inspired 2 become a better game designer & will understand how 2 do it.

* Jesse Schell is a highly recognizable name within the game industry - he is the former chair of the International Game Developer's Association, & has designed many successful games, including Disney's award-winning Toontown Online.

* The book's design methodology was developed at Carnegie Mellon University's Entertainment Technology Center, co-founded by Dr. Randy Pausch, of "Last Lecture" fame.

* 100 'lenses' are scattered throughout the book. These are boxed sets of questions, each a different way of seeing a game that will inspire the creative process.

* 600 pages of detailed, practical instruction on creating world-class games that will be played again & again.