作者：Farshid Palad

作为游戏设计师，你的目标应当是为玩家创造令人印象深刻的体验，一种既有趣又能让人产生丰富情感的体验。这便是《The Art of Game Desig》一书的理论基础，我将阅读此书视为自己游戏设计之旅的起点。

多数人会认为，要研究游戏设计原则，我们应当关注那些现代游戏，包括目前的AAA视频游戏。但是，Jesse Schell（游戏邦注：《The Art of Game Design》作者）的想法有所不同。

the art of game design(from artofgamedesign.com)

基本原则

关注桌游、纸牌游戏、运动游戏、赛场游戏、聚会游戏、赌博游戏、解谜游戏、街机游戏、电子游戏、电脑游戏、视频游戏和其他类型游戏，以及其背后的游戏设计基本原则会让你成为更好的游戏设计师。单单研究几个题材和当前市场巨作会限制你的想象力和创新意识。如果你单纯关注现有产品，最多只能向玩家创造出其他游戏中的体验。但是如果你关注基本原则，这会帮助你创造出比其他作品更为丰富的体验。

《愤怒的小鸟》采取多次关卡扩展手段来挽留用户。而且，我们应该都还记得《FarmVille》、《EmpireVille》、《CityVille》以及Zynga投放到市场上的同类产品。你可知道过去一年Zynga的用户数量并无增长？

各种题材在市场上淡入淡出，AAA巨作也终有逝去之时。研究游戏设计的核心基本原则，你可以创造出真正为玩家带来欢乐和兴奋的游戏，而不是单纯的复制产品而已。

成为优秀电子游戏设计师需要什么技能？

要为玩家创造出真正独特和有趣的体验，你需要以下方面的技能：动画、人类学、建筑学、头脑风暴、业务运营、电影学、交流、创造性写作、经济学、工程学、历史学、管理学、数学、音乐、心理学等。

对游戏设计师来说，最重要的技能是什么呢？

你的答案是“创造力”吗？这正是我之前认为的答案。但事实上，我现在觉得最重要的技能是倾听。要真正设计出绝妙的游戏，你需要极为擅长倾听。相信我，你需要预先做好准备工作，因为在游戏设计方面，倾听的种类很多。

五种倾听类型

1、你需要倾听团队意见

2、你需要倾听用户意见

3、你需要倾听游戏意见

4、你需要倾听客户意见

5、你需要倾听自己的意见

游戏设计师承载的期望很多，成为优秀设计师需要掌握如此多的技能。此刻或许你会感到不知所措和困惑。你甚至会开始怀疑自己的能力满足成为视频游戏设计师的需求。Jesse Schell给出的回应如下：

如果觉得自己能力不足，没关系，因为人们可以最终成为他们希望成就的人。只要继续做你认为游戏设计师应该做的事情，不久之后，你会惊奇地发现，自己已经成了游戏设计师。

游戏邦注：本文发稿于2011年7月2日，所涉时间、事件和数据均以此为准。（本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译，拒绝任何不保留版权的转载，如需转载请联系：游戏邦）

Fundamentals and Skills for Game Designers

Farshid Palad

As game designers, your intentions should be to create an unforgettable experience for the players. An experience that is both enjoyable and emotional. And this is the foundation of The Art of Game Design, a book that I picked up as my first step on the journey to game design.

Most people would assume (I know I did) that in order to study the principles of game design we should focus on the most modern games that are out there – including current AAA video games out there. But, Jesse Schell (the author), believes differently.

Fundamental Principles

A focus on board games, card games, athletic games, playground games, party games, gambling games, puzzle games, arcade games, electronic games, computer games, videogames, and just about any other game that you might think of, and the fundamental principles of the game design behind all these games will make you a better game designer. Looking into genres and the current hits will limit your level of imagination and innovation. At the very best you will create the same experience for the player as other games did before you, but if you focus on the fundamentals, as an artist you can create the same experiences with so much more.

Let see, how many expansions does it take before we are sick from the cannon physics Angry Bird brings to the table? While, we are at it, let us not forget FarmVille, EmpireVille, CityVille and their copycats that Zynga has put on the market. Did you know Zynga’s user base has not grown in the past year? Coincident or repetition after effects? (Via Mashable)

Genres come and go, and the AAA hits fade away. By studying the core fundamentals of game design you will be able to create a game that brings joy and excitement without being a copycat.

What skills do you need to posses as a great video game designer?

In order to create a truly unique and enjoyable experience for the player you need to be skilled in the following: Animation, Anthropology, Architecture, Brainstorming, Business, Cinematography, Communication, Creative Writing, Economics, Engineering, History, Management, Mathematics, Music, Psychology and so many, many more.

What is the most important skill you must posses as a game designer?

Did you answer “creativity”? I know I did. But it is actually listening. In order to truly design a wonderful game. You need to be highly skilled in listening. And trust me you got your homework cut out for you because there are more than one kind of listening when it comes to game design. Whah!?

The five kinds of listening

You will need to listen to your team

You will need to listen to your audience

You will need to listen to your game

You will need to listen to your client

You will need to listen to your self

Woah! That is a lot of expectations from a game designer. So any skills and requirements to being a good designer. At this point you might be overwhelmed and confused. You might even be doubting your skills to be a video game designer. Jesse Schell has the following response for you.

And that’s fine. Because people become what they pretend to be. Just go on pretending, doing the things you think a game designer would do, and before long, to your surprise, you will find you are one.

This blog post was a summary of what I gathered from the first two chapters of The Art of Game Design. I believe this book has a lot of potential and is teaching me a lot about game design. It might not be that beneficial to professionals but as a beginner I find it extremely helpful. It is also well written, which is always a plus in any book. (Source: Farshid Palad)