Cardinal Directives

When I design games (or pontificate about other game design), I keep a few things in mind:

• Give players choices, and give those choices consequences
• Keep the core concept simple, but easy to expand
• Fun before finance
• Keep the brain engaged
• Don’t waste players’ time
• Aim high

Of course, there are genre-specific concerns, but I’ve found that these are the basic things that I try to incorporate into what designs I contemplate or create.  A card game that I recently designed used these as much as the crazy convoluted concepts that I have rattling around for MMOs and RPGs.

Is any of that groundbreaking?  Not likely.  It’s just my little way of getting down some thoughts I’ve had, and perhaps putting some of my other writings into context.  I see games as a unique and precious art form, and I’m always trying to raise the “state of the art”.

Games have given me a great deal over the years, and I’d like to return the favor by making any games that I work on something special.  They keep my brain alive and learning, and I hope that my work can do the same for others.