I think the entry in Medium is the Massage that connects the most to game design is from page 52-53. It’s the page that talks about how the invention of the vanishing point in Renaissance art created artwork that involved the viewer more, and made them feel more like they are actually there. I think games can do similar things. For instance, modern board games seem much more intent on making the player feel like they are actually part of the game.
Take The Settlers of Catan, for example. The game’s art, including the board, cards, and even the rulebook portray a very specific theme: the player is an explorer during the age of discovery. Compare that to older games, such as Parcheesi, Backgammon, or even Monopoly. None of these games have an explicit theme (with possibly the exception of Monopoly) and generally involve moving pawns or tokens over a simple board with little artwork. The difference between these games and The Settlers of Catan is that Catan actively tries to make the user feel like they are more involved in the game.
By creating a game where the user feels more involved, the creator accomplishes the ultimate goal of a game, in my opinion. For me, playing a game- at least a successful game, is about more than winning or losing. Playing a game that truly succeeds makes me feel emotionally involved, where I care about the characters and what happens in the game, and it makes me able to suspend disbelief, and really feel part of the game.
Comments:
Quin Robert
Megan Peterson