Fullerton ended the prototype chapter writing, “And most importantly, making a prototype gives you the freedom to experiment—and through experimentation comes innovation” (pg 235). I thought that this profound statement has a deep connection to the game we partially played through in class, The Beginner’s Guide. While looking through the games by Coda, that Daniel Wreden carefully stitched together to tell a story and make a point about his friend, I think we saw a lot of both experimentation and innovation in this process. 

I found Wreden’s game to be particularly beautiful and intimate in a very unique way when it comes to games. He was clearly exploring a personal relationship with his friend Coda while reflecting on the timeline of his game-making career. It was extremely bold, especially considering how rare and difficult it is to make a game that is so outwardly and unapologetically  about himself and a friend (here i am referring to this type of expression as rare in games compared to other forms of art). Games like this very much expand the idea of what a game can/should be, beyond the typical selling points of interactiveness and enjoyability.

The question that came up in class about whether or not a player should understand what they are playing is a particularly interesting question to me. As a player I would like to say yes, I want to understand everything about what I am participating in. However, as a creator, there are many things that I express (in the creation of games and in other forms of self expression and art) that I know I cannot convey to others who will see that content and try to understand it. I don’t believe it is possible to understand all of the complexities that come with any form of expression, especially those that can be as extensive as an abstract game that somebody made. The reality is that forms of expression are not always comprehensible or understandable and they are not meant to be, even if we want them to be. 

Works Cited:

Fullerton, Tracy. Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, 4th Edition. 2019.

Wreden, Daniel. The Beginner’s Guide. Steam. 2015.