This class was an entirely new experience for me.  I was never one to have played many games, so I had a lot to learn coming into this course.  Not only did I learn the history and elements of a variety of games, but I learned how to make them from the first phase to the last.  It was interesting to learn each stage of game making and how the initial phases revert back to simple marker and paper prototypes.

I think when you initially plan on creating an elaborate digital game you don’t envision creating a paper mock up, you kind of just want to jump right in to the digital part.  However, after learning the benefits of each game making step and process, you begin to understand that it’s all interrelated.  For example, after reading about the aesthetics of games and then play testing game prototypes, you get to see exactly how aesthetics present themselves within those play testing your game.  In my case, it allowed me to decide which aesthetics I wanted to include based on the emotions I wanted to evoke from those playing my games.

This course required that I consistently read and write about games, how they came to be and how to create my own.  However, I was also able to play games and more importantly create my own.  I think the most important thing I learned from this course is that foundation is key.  Any good game relies on an even better foundation.  This foundation includes, fundamental knowledge of game history, game play and game design amongst many things.