Three meeples

Finding the Fun in Games


IN THIS LESSON:

Creative Prompt - get juices flowing on fun in games

  • Simple, low stakes warm up activity
  • Invite students to think aloud, share ideas with group

Ideation Activity - practical ways to explore fun

  • Encourage students to write ideas down, capture concepts in sketchbooks
  • Invite students to share favorite ideas aloud

Playtest - practical ways to test for fun in games

  • Find out what questions to ask to know if games are fun
  • Encourage students to pair up and explore familar games to practice playtesting for fun

STEP 1

WARM-UP PROMPT

(5 mins)

PROMPT: What makes a game fun?

  • How can we tell if a game is fun?
  • Invite participants to share ideas out loud to the group

STEP 2

FINDING THE FUN IN GAMES

(10 mins)

EXPLAIN: We can’t always be sure ideas will be interesting or fun. Iterating on early prototypes is a way to ensure game concept and actions are fun.

Here some ways to explore different types of fun:

  • Introduce new characters, bizzarro scenarios and weird events
  • Recombine add new game mechanics. Modify, remove or add new rules
  • Change play space, platform or game environment
  • Increase or decrease speed or session time

PROMPT: Consider a favorite game...how would you improve it?

Write ideas down individually in notebooks or sketch paper and then show and tell ideas aloud with the group

STEP 3

TESTING FOR FUN

(15 mins)

ASK: How do we know if our game is fun in testing?

Below are questions to help measure the fun factor

  • On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate the game?
  • What was the most fun part of playing the game?
  • Were there any moments that felt tedious or bored?
  • Would you want to play this game again?
  • What's one thing you remember about this game?
  • How did playing the game make you feel?
  • Did you feel a sense of accomplishment?
  • Were there any moments that surprised you?
  • Is this a game you would recommend to a friend?
  • What would you say is the best part of the game?

PRACTICE: In pairs, ask students to run a game test session (interview format) on a familiar game. Ask them to use questions from list above to explore why they are “fun

SHARE OUT: Regroup together and share aloud 1) the name of game and 2) what responses they uncovered