The Art of Game Design

Jesse Schell organizes game design around one hundred "lenses"—perspectives and rules of thumb that designers rely on to solve problems and create engaging experiences. The book introduces the Elemental Tetrad (Mechanics, Story, Aesthetics, Technology) as the four essential elements supporting each other in good games. Winner of Game Developer Magazine's Front Line Award, it defines games as "problem solving activity approached with a playful attitude," focusing on the player experience above all.

13 sections · 37 lessons

Course outline

Designer Foundations

  1. Designer Self-Knowledge
  2. Multiple Perspectives
  3. Experience Over Systems
  4. Venue & Context
  5. Designer Foundations

Core Frameworks

  1. Elemental Tetrad
  2. Elemental Harmony
  3. Theme & Resonance
  4. Core Frameworks

Ideation and Evaluation

  1. Infinite Inspiration
  2. Eight Filters
  3. Risk & Toys
  4. Ideation and Evaluation

Iteration Practice

  1. Iteration Loop
  2. Playtesting Fundamentals
  3. Playtest Analysis
  4. Iteration Practice

Player Psychology

  1. Flow State
  2. Types of Pleasure
  3. Intrinsic Motivation
  4. Novelty & Perception
  5. Player Psychology

Game Mechanics

  1. Mechanics Components
  2. Rules & Emergence
  3. Game Mechanics

Balance and Systems

  1. Game Balance
  2. Choices & Difficulty
  3. Puzzle Design
  4. Balance and Systems

Interface and Feel

  1. Interface Design
  2. Juiciness
  3. Interface and Feel

Narrative and Pacing

  1. Pacing & Interest
  2. Story in Games
  3. Indirect Control
  4. Narrative and Pacing

World Building

  1. Believable Worlds
  2. Character Design
  3. Aesthetics
  4. World Building

Social Design

  1. Multiplayer Fundamentals
  2. Nurturing Communities
  3. Social Design

Production Reality

  1. Team Collaboration
  2. Technology Constraints
  3. Production Reality

Impact and Ethics

  1. Transformative Games
  2. Designer Responsibility
  3. Your Secret Purpose
  4. Impact and Ethics

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