Computer science students participate in the Global Game Jam from Jan 20-22 at Stamford's Ferguson Library. Sacred Heart University School of Computing Professor Bob McCloud was the on-site development expert for the event. Photo by Mark F. Conrad 1/21/17

Master of Arts in Game Design

IULM University

June 27 2018

gamedesign.university

Games User Research: How to avoid the designer's facepalm

Designers have to tell in advance how gamers will comprehend, feel and interact with their games in order to craft successful gaming experiences and avoid frustration, doubts or uncertainty. And since user testing is a powerful tool to verify designers' intents and predictions, Games User Research is a powerful ally. In this workshop, I will show how the science of user testing made your favorite games perfect and I will provide attendees with takeaways they can use to improve their own projects.

Short Bio

Pietro Guardini is an independent Games User Researcher with a PhD in Experimental Psychology and 19 years of research experience. He started doing research on Human-Computer Interaction in 1999 in the academy and later he entered the gaming industry by introducing User Research activity in Milestone – the major videogame studio in Italy – and by supporting Management, Design and Marketing departments with research and testing on 20+ published titles. More recently he founded StopGuessing.it and today he assists several studios in developing their best gaming experience. He had the pleasure to present his work in several publications and talks, including the Game Developers Conference.

For more info:

www.stopguessing.it

gamedesign.university

Imagine Cup 2012 participants are preparing for presentations of the first round of the Game and Software Design competition and Phone.

You are the STORY!

Find our MSP Social Media Team Member in orange,

Welcome to Sydney, Welcome to Imagine Cup 2012!

Imagine Cup Properties:

Website: www.imaginecup.com/

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Imagine Cup 2012 participants are preparing for presentations of the first round of the Game and Software Design competition and Phone.

You are the STORY!

Find our MSP Social Media Team Member in orange,

Welcome to Sydney, Welcome to Imagine Cup 2012!

Imagine Cup Properties:

Website: www.imaginecup.com/

Twitter: twitter.com/imaginecup

Facebook: www.facebook.com/microsoftimaginecup

Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/imaginecup/

See more of the MSPSMT online!

Facebook: www.facebook.com/imaginecupsocialmediateam

Twitter: www.twitter.com/mspsmt

YouTube: www.youtube.com/wwmsp

Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/mspsmt

Imagine Cup 2012 participants are preparing for presentations of the first round of the Game and Software Design competition and Phone.

You are the STORY!

Find our MSP Social Media Team Member in orange,

Welcome to Sydney, Welcome to Imagine Cup 2012!

Imagine Cup Properties:

Website: www.imaginecup.com/

Twitter: twitter.com/imaginecup

Facebook: www.facebook.com/microsoftimaginecup

Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/imaginecup/

See more of the MSPSMT online!

Facebook: www.facebook.com/imaginecupsocialmediateam

Twitter: www.twitter.com/mspsmt

YouTube: www.youtube.com/wwmsp

Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/mspsmt

Imagine Cup 2012 participants are preparing for presentations of the first round of the Game and Software Design competition and Phone.

You are the STORY!

Find our MSP Social Media Team Member in orange,

Welcome to Sydney, Welcome to Imagine Cup 2012!

Imagine Cup Properties:

Website: www.imaginecup.com/

Twitter: twitter.com/imaginecup

Facebook: www.facebook.com/microsoftimaginecup

Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/imaginecup/

See more of the MSPSMT online!

Facebook: www.facebook.com/imaginecupsocialmediateam

Twitter: www.twitter.com/mspsmt

YouTube: www.youtube.com/wwmsp

Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/mspsmt

Computer science students participate in the Global Game Jam from Jan 20-22 at Stamford's Ferguson Library. Sacred Heart University School of Computing Professor Bob McCloud was the on-site development expert for the event. Photo by Mark F. Conrad 1/21/17

gamesofa站內活動素材

To celebrate Digital Learning Day at Tygarts Valley Middle and High School, Globaloria students invited friends to join them in class, learnt about computer science, game design and coding, and brainstormed ideas for the upcoming games to build.

Sacred Heart University's School of Computer Science & Engineering participated in the annual Fairfield County Global Game Jam at Stamford's Ferguson Library on January 25-27, 2019. Photo by Mark F. Conrad

Strat-O-Matic allows players to simulate

the core gameplay underlying baseball using real-world player statistics.

Ferrara, John. 2012. Playful Design. New York: Rosenfeld Media. www.rosenfeldmedia.com/books/game-design/

Playtesting a game I designed with Borna, Jenny and Myra for Frank Lantz's Game Design class at ITP.

Imagine Cup 2012 participants are preparing for presentations of the first round of the Game and Software Design competition and Phone.

You are the STORY!

Find our MSP Social Media Team Member in orange,

Welcome to Sydney, Welcome to Imagine Cup 2012!

Imagine Cup Properties:

Website: www.imaginecup.com/

Twitter: twitter.com/imaginecup

Facebook: www.facebook.com/microsoftimaginecup

Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/imaginecup/

See more of the MSPSMT online!

Facebook: www.facebook.com/imaginecupsocialmediateam

Twitter: www.twitter.com/mspsmt

YouTube: www.youtube.com/wwmsp

Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/mspsmt

Im diesjährigen Weihnachtsworkshop in Wels wurden, gemeinsam mit Schülern des MRG Fadingerstraße Linz, die Grundlagen der Open-Source 3D Modelliersoftware Blender behandelt und fliegende Inseln für das Spiel 'Fragment Planet' modelliert, sowie texturiert.

'Fragment Planet' ist ein Echtzeitstrategiespiel von Simon Stix, in dem die Erde auf der Suche nach einer neuen Energiequelle vernichtet wurde. Die Überlebenden der Katastrophe bewegen sich mithilfe von Fluggeräten zwischen Fragmenten der alten Welt und bauen auf ihnen trostlose Städte und Militärbasen. Der Stil des Spiels ist eine Mischung aus Steam- und Cyberpunk und es verbindet die Elemente klassischer Strategiespiele, mit frei beweglichen, fliegenden Inseln, wodurch ein einzigartig dynamisches Gameplay entsteht.

Workshop-Leitung: Gerolf Nikolay, MSc

Mit freundlicher Unterstützung von GMF-Productions www.gmf.com.mx

cameraphone photo

Tony Tseng watches as Michael Nitsche plays Jason Rohrer's game "Sleep is Death" during the Art History of Games reception at Kai Lin Art.

Jennifer Argüello, Technology Evangelist, visited The Young Women's Leadership School of Astoria to speak with Globaloria students about her experience growing up as a Latina pursuing a Computer Science degree in university and her career in the technology sector. She encouraged all girls to learn programming and enter the technology field, capping the visit by presenting prizes to the NY winners of the 2014 Globey Game Design Awards and Competitions, and giving the students a chance to try on her Google Glass.

Order game on ICAH.org: www.icah.org/content/talk-the-talk

Sacred Heart University's School of Computer Science & Engineering participated in the annual Fairfield County Global Game Jam at Stamford's Ferguson Library on January 25-27, 2019. Photo by Mark F. Conrad

Computer science students participate in the Global Game Jam from Jan 20-22 at Stamford's Ferguson Library. Sacred Heart University School of Computing Professor Bob McCloud was the on-site development expert for the event. Photo by Mark F. Conrad 1/21/17

Imagine Cup 2012 participants are preparing for presentations of the first round of the Game and Software Design competition and Phone.

You are the STORY!

Find our MSP Social Media Team Member in orange,

Welcome to Sydney, Welcome to Imagine Cup 2012!

Imagine Cup Properties:

Website: www.imaginecup.com/

Twitter: twitter.com/imaginecup

Facebook: www.facebook.com/microsoftimaginecup

Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/imaginecup/

See more of the MSPSMT online!

Facebook: www.facebook.com/imaginecupsocialmediateam

Twitter: www.twitter.com/mspsmt

YouTube: www.youtube.com/wwmsp

Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/mspsmt

The student Game Arcade.

Find out more about VFS's one-year Game Design program at vfs.com/gamedesign

Clay Modeling im ersten Semester, 2012.

Ferrara, John. 2012. Playful Design. New York: Rosenfeld Media. www.rosenfeldmedia.com/books/game-design/

Considering how a game would be designed at opposite ends of a spectrum can spark ideas for design.

Ferrara, John. 2012. Playful Design. New York: Rosenfeld Media. www.rosenfeldmedia.com/books/game-design/

Globaloria students Brittany Arbogast (Tygarts Valley High School, WV) and Jennifer Carceres (The Young Women's Leadership School of Astoria (TYWLSA), NY) are recipients of the ESA LOFT Video Game Innovation Fellowship for their games created in Globaloria classes. They were given the opportunity to present their games to policy makers, STEM innovators, game designers and media in Washington, D.C. and were awarded innovation grants to continue developing their games. 2013 Recipients from Globaloria, Daniela Leguisamo and Geraldine Agredo (TYWLSA, NY), joined the celebration and events in D.C. as well.

Imagine Cup 2012 participants are preparing for presentations of the first round of the Game and Software Design competition and Phone.

You are the STORY!

Find our MSP Social Media Team Member in orange,

Welcome to Sydney, Welcome to Imagine Cup 2012!

Imagine Cup Properties:

Website: www.imaginecup.com/

Twitter: twitter.com/imaginecup

Facebook: www.facebook.com/microsoftimaginecup

Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/imaginecup/

See more of the MSPSMT online!

Facebook: www.facebook.com/imaginecupsocialmediateam

Twitter: www.twitter.com/mspsmt

YouTube: www.youtube.com/wwmsp

Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/mspsmt

In Grand Theft Auto IV, crimes are punishable only when the police are around to see them.

Ferrara, John. 2012. Playful Design. New York: Rosenfeld Media. www.rosenfeldmedia.com/books/game-design/

built in second life for my final major project, all textures were painted from scratch using photoshop CS3.

an ankh morpork inspired build, origionally intended to be an RP space

Players in Club Penguin can interact with one another only by selecting canned phrases from a list.

Ferrara, John. 2012. Playful Design. New York: Rosenfeld Media. www.rosenfeldmedia.com/books/game-design/

Imagine Cup 2012 participants are preparing for presentations of the first round of the Game and Software Design competition and Phone.

You are the STORY!

Find our MSP Social Media Team Member in orange,

Welcome to Sydney, Welcome to Imagine Cup 2012!

Imagine Cup Properties:

Website: www.imaginecup.com/

Twitter: twitter.com/imaginecup

Facebook: www.facebook.com/microsoftimaginecup

Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/imaginecup/

See more of the MSPSMT online!

Facebook: www.facebook.com/imaginecupsocialmediateam

Twitter: www.twitter.com/mspsmt

YouTube: www.youtube.com/wwmsp

Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/mspsmt

Im diesjährigen Weihnachtsworkshop in Wels wurden, gemeinsam mit Schülern des MRG Fadingerstraße Linz, die Grundlagen der Open-Source 3D Modelliersoftware Blender behandelt und fliegende Inseln für das Spiel 'Fragment Planet' modelliert, sowie texturiert.

'Fragment Planet' ist ein Echtzeitstrategiespiel von Simon Stix, in dem die Erde auf der Suche nach einer neuen Energiequelle vernichtet wurde. Die Überlebenden der Katastrophe bewegen sich mithilfe von Fluggeräten zwischen Fragmenten der alten Welt und bauen auf ihnen trostlose Städte und Militärbasen. Der Stil des Spiels ist eine Mischung aus Steam- und Cyberpunk und es verbindet die Elemente klassischer Strategiespiele, mit frei beweglichen, fliegenden Inseln, wodurch ein einzigartig dynamisches Gameplay entsteht.

Workshop-Leitung: Gerolf Nikolay, MSc

Mit freundlicher Unterstützung von GMF-Productions www.gmf.com.mx

VFS's Main Theatre.

Find out more about VFS's one-year Game Design program at vfs.com/gamedesign.

Shots of the prototyping work for Maguro.

Imagine Cup 2012 participants are preparing for presentations of the first round of the Game and Software Design competition and Phone.

You are the STORY!

Find our MSP Social Media Team Member in orange,

Welcome to Sydney, Welcome to Imagine Cup 2012!

Imagine Cup Properties:

Website: www.imaginecup.com/

Twitter: twitter.com/imaginecup

Facebook: www.facebook.com/microsoftimaginecup

Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/imaginecup/

See more of the MSPSMT online!

Facebook: www.facebook.com/imaginecupsocialmediateam

Twitter: www.twitter.com/mspsmt

YouTube: www.youtube.com/wwmsp

Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/mspsmt

"With Richard Garriott making headlines for his trip to the International Space Station, readers may be interested in learning more about his past. Last Fall, veteran video game executive Warren Spector invited several industry luminaries to come to UT to speak in his video game master class.

Video podcasts of several of the sessions are now available, including the class with Richard Garriott."

Rory talking to Adrian Cook (Wildfire Studios) and Duncan Curtis (The 3 Blokes)

Computer science students participate in the Global Game Jam from Jan 20-22 at Stamford's Ferguson Library. Sacred Heart University School of Computing Professor Bob McCloud was the on-site development expert for the event. Photo by Mark F. Conrad 1/21/17

John Sharp, Ian Bogost and Tony Tseng play Jason Rohrer's game, "Sleep is Death" during the Art History of Games reception at Kai Lin Art.

Announcement of the second round Game Design of the Imagine Cup 2012 in Sydney, Australia.

Complex puzzles can be quickly and cheaply designed and tested on paper using a few index cards, maps, and flowcharts.

Ferrara, John. 2012. Playful Design. New York: Rosenfeld Media. www.rosenfeldmedia.com/books/game-design/

Here's a nice, simple game prototype that took 10 minutes to design and 60 minutes to program using my new design tool. Rather, this is the half of a nice, simple game prototype that supports human play testing. I put up a video of the game in action for you lazy folks: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BcF1d8I1CE

Download and play it for yourself (self-contained, cross-platform): adamsmith.as/games/db6k/db6k.zip -- you have to click the jar (requires Java 1.6+). ADVANCED users are welcome to edit the included "script.pl" to INVENT AND TEST ENTIRELY NEW GAMES IN A SWEET GAME SKETCHING LANGUAGE (which is actually just Prolog: 150 lines for the game mechanics, 78 lines for ui binding).

This prototype is meant to represent what an early computational prototype for Motherload (http://www.xgenstudios.com/play/motherload) might have looked like. It focuses trading off exploration speed for energy safety while hauling up items of mixed value.

The new engine sports fancy new features such as the ability to describe the layout of spaces in the game logic (useful when you are using extra spaces as UI buttons) and the ability to link in streaming mp3s (which helps you "set the mood" until I decide on a styling interface for the other elements). I created the short loop used as background music in db6k, you can find more here: www.last.fm/music/adamsmith