Game Game - believe the hype!

After GDC I mentioned in an entry about a fantastic idea that I got on the plane from San Jose to Chicago. Well, I've been working on it for some time now, and here's some info:

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Theory as Design: The Game Game

The ’Game Game’ is a card game that aims to illustrate aspects of my overall theory. It is about building up a game from the different elements that are defined in the chapter ’Theory of Game Elements’ and a case study about game mechanics, i.e. my 'Game mechanics library'. I also try to incorporate my discussion of game-related emotions in the form of emotion cards that are used in focusing the aesthetic goal of the design.

The objective of the game is to collect cards which make up a design for a game. There are mandatory cards that each design should have, and extra cards that the player may use to make his/her design more effective and sophisticated. Different cards and their combinations give points, and the after three rounds – ‘milestones’ – the player with most points is the winner. During the milestone phase, the players pitch their game ideas to the player who holds the publisher card in the hope of getting extra budget as a reward.
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So, it's a bit like Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics, as Eric Zimmerman was kind enough to point out to me ;) (Strangely I hadn't thought about it before...)

The design is a bit complex at the moment, but I hope some more simulating and actual playtesting (soon, friends beware!) will iron it out. I don't have any illusions about the game itself turning out brillianly innovative or anything, but naturally I hope to be able to balance and tune it out to be as enjoyable as possible - and perhaps inspiring, even.

I plan to open up a new section on the site in late summer. It will be dedicated to the Game Game in the form of a design diary. I also hope to put out the cards and rules as a PDF so that perhaps some crazy enough reader may try it out...and in the best possible case, I might get some feedback, too!

Work estimation

I've just made an estimation of how many full work days it would take me to finish the first draft of the thesis: around 55. I've got some 21 days left until the holidays, so the result of the equation is obvious.

I do hope to finish the theory parts before my summer holiday. I know I shouldn't say this, but most likely I'll be doing some work on the case studies during the holidays...but hey, its just gaming ;)

Anyways, I've scheduled the remaining stuff to the time period between end of August and beginning of September. Realistically speaking, end of September might be it!

too many games, too little time...

...again, dear gaming diary :( I just got copies of Thief: Deadly Shadows and, finally, Harvest Moon, and I'm also writing a review on Red Dead Revolver . Then again, each of them is quite good :) More notes later!

the deadline is looming, again

I've shifted my first draft deadline for two times now, and the current one is little more than a month away. Scary. I should have most of the coming month and a half to dedicate for the thesis, but it will be one serious crunch if I'll make it. And, living in icy Finland, there's also the paradox of summer - any other season is so cold that its quite crazy having the most intense work period during the warm and sunny times. Actually, Finns really should spend their holidays during the winter when there is so much less light of day, and energy, subsequently - but no one wants to do that, myself included! Besides, my holiday is only the second full-time, paid holiday of my working life, so I'm really happy to have it...

Then there's another game-related issue hindering working this month - the European football (I refuse to use the ridiculous term 'soccer') championships. Screw the deadline - I will watch every single match. Forza Azzurri!