Making and Breaking Rules: A Workshop on Game Design

Mon-Fri, 5th-9th February 2007
University of Art and Design, Helsinki

Creating games requires both an understanding of the craft of game design, as well as an appreciation for the ways in which games are played in the real world. This workshop will investigate both sides of this equation, focusing on the creation of games both on and off the computer. Students will work in groups to create board and card games; real-world social games for many players; levels for small-scale digital games; and proposals for large digital projects. Through discussion, analysis, and short readings, students will also explore fundamental game design concepts, including rules and play, systems and emergence, narrative and meaning, and the relationship of games to the social contexts in which they are played and modified. The workshop is not just for aspiring game creators: bridges will be made from the workshop content to other forms of digital interactive design, and you need not be a gamer to attend. Please come prepared to design hard and play hard!