He has posted the text of a talk he gave at Arisia '03 about
eleven principles of game design.
-
Rule #0: Don't Expect To Make Money
-
Join A Gaming Group
-
Cherish Your Playtesters
-
Encourage Honest Criticism
Rule #2: First Attempts Are Always Lame
Rule #3: Keep the Rules Short (SimpleAsPossible)
Rule #4: Keep It Exciting (OpportunityToWin)
Rule #5: Don't Forget To Play
-
In other words: The toy industry calls an activity that lends itself to a toy 'toyetic'. Games should be toyetic.
Rule #7: Game Pieces Should Be Beautiful
-
Caveat: Think About Production Issues
-
This seems to just be the author's aesthetic, which brings us to #9 -
-
Almost all game design rules are going to appeal to one class of gamers and not another. Some want their game cinematic. Some immersive. Some simple. Some complex. Some deep. Some broad. When coming up with game design patterns, it's worth noting what kinds of games and what kinds of audiences those patterns work for.
