How Game Design Teaches Players

In this brief, informative video Youtuber Mark Brown demonstrates Director Hayashida Koichi’s design process, and how it’s been utilized to create some of the most critically acclaimed games in the Mario series.

Brown’s analysis of Hayashida’s design, however, goes on to discuss an integral part of gaming in general: That good games are inherently designed well, and actually do something with the interactivity that characterizes the medium. Through responsive design, Hayashida teaches players to utilize a toolset and come out of each level with a concrete, new skill. While some of these skills are arbitrary — useless outside of the contexts in which they were learned — through Design Hayashida still manages to provide a take-away from the interactions he provides for players.

In a discussion with Gamasutra, Hayashida discusses his perspective on Design and teaching through games, and how it has affected his overall design philosophy. His discussion mirrors Brown’s analysis, and stresses similar points on providing experiences people can take away and keep long after their time with the game is over.

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