Functionality - Game Design Basics

In designing a game, there are four basic steps of design:  foundation, structure, formal details and refinement.    The idea is you visualize the concept of your game from whatever seed of inspiration it was channeled from, and then proceed to build a structure around the concept to make it playable.

In the design stage of foundation, it is essential to identify clearly the goals of the learning game, and then build the foundation of fun and player engagement around that.  The game structure is where you identify the rules of the game while maintaining functionality and fun.  In my game designed for hospitalized children, it was important for me to build rules that also gave the player choice in how to continue on their path.  So although the player had to learn specific self-help skills and demonstrate use of them, the player had some flexibility in choosing which skill to use to assist them through certain tasks.

In designing the formal details of the game, I kept in mind that not every child might feel like completing the entire game at one time.  Yet they should be able to complete identifiable sections of the game, and see concrete achievement and progress toward the final goal which will engage them and make them want to continue, either now or later. And, even during a shorten time of game play, they should be able to escape into a world of adventure and engagement.  In this phase, I modified the rules to help maintain emotional engagement.

To this end, I remembered reading in one of my textbooks that the frequency of success in gameplay was more important than the size of the success.  This was a significant piece of inspiration and information that came at the exact time I needed it.   So, I broke the game in various levels, and within the levels, there would be various challenges that the player could engage in and achieve. This reinforced the player's confidence in their gameplay ability to succeed at the game.   But there were also elements of humor and levity that were woven in with the challenges in the interplay of the lead characters of a magical cat, and a lovable dog.  I wanted the player, if they didn't feel well, to still be able to complete one task within a level, and also enjoy the comedic theme and interplay of these two animal characters.  Breaking the game learning goals into smaller challenges, and spreading them out, resulted in the player earning more successes, even if spread out over several hours or days.

I also provided a "Power-Up" function where players could go and practice their skills and by doing so, earn special powers and equipment to play with.  In this way, I designed the game rules to maximize player engagement and emotional response if they only felt like exploring with certain earned items like a drone.

In the last phase, refinement of game design would come as players play the game and test its functionality and "fun" factor.  Is it engaging?  Is it fun?  Are the levels appropriately long?  Are the opportunities for success and reward reasonable?  Does it drag anywhere?  Are there sections to hard, or too easy?   Were the learning goals reasonable and achievable?  Reading emotions on player's faces as the play is a reliable "tell" as to how they are feeling then, and this can be confirmed in player feedback.

In short, the functionality basics of a learning game design, to me, is to create a game that allows the player to achieve the identified learning goals while engaging and maintaining the player's emotional and mental investment in the game.