This talk was given to members of IFP Chicago as part of their "Meet Your Digital Partners" series.

1. A crash course in game design for puppetmasters

3. • It’s all about getting people to participate

4. • It’s all about getting people to participate
• Has been studied for over 30 years

5. • It’s all about getting people to participate
• Has been studied for over 30 years
• Good game design teaches players how to play

7. Some players want to interact with the game world.

8. Some players want to interact with other people.

10. Hearts, Clubs, Diamonds, Spades: Players who suit MUDs
- Richard Bartle
Why We Play Games: Four Keys to More Emotion
- Nicole Lazzaro

13. Game Atom: One specific way players can
interact with a game, and the way the
game responds to that interaction.

14. Player Game
Feedback
interaction response

16. Game.pressButton(‘A’, function(){
character.animate(xPos, maxjump);
chacter.animate(xPos, collidable);
if(collide){
character.stop();
return ‚Jump ended‛
}
});

18. Player Interaction
Logging into a character’s email account
Game Response
Character receives “login from unknown user” message
from his email server
Feedback
Character posts to his blog about needing to change his
password

20. Deus Ex

21. www.mustloverobots.com

22. The Lost Garden ( www.lostgarden.com )
- Daniel Cook

24. • Gating/Tethering

25. Game: Portal 2

26. www.whysoserious.com

27. • Gating/Tethering
• Temporary Mechanic Challenges

28. Game: Modern Warfare 2

29. www.sentryoutpost.com

30. • Gating/Tethering
• Temporary Mechanic Challenges
• Punitive Systems

31. www.die2nite.com

32. • Gating/Tethering
• Temporary Mechanic Challenges
• Punitive Systems
• Buffing Systems

33. topsecret.ning.com

34. • Gating/Tethering
• Temporary Mechanic Challenges
• Punitive Systems
• Buffing Systems
• Asymmetric Abilities

40. A Theory of Fun for Game Design
- Raph Koster

41. The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses
- Jesse Schell
Rules of Play
- Katie Salen
Reality is Broken
- Jane McGonigal
Game Frame
- Aaron Dignan

42. Ian Pottmeyer
Audiomatic Enigmatist, Studio Cypher
Email: ian@studiocypher.com
Twitter: @tonamel
Slides available at studiocypher.com/ifp