The term “meaningful games” has been recurring in my thoughts. It’s been rolling over and over in my mind. How can we create games that have a deeper significance? What is it that drives my desire for a game to be meaningful?
First I’ll share my list of meaningful games that I wholeheartedly recommend everyone to play. And no I’m not going to tell you anything about them, but rather I ask you to have faith in me and just step out into the unknown with an open heart.
The meaning of something is what it expresses or represents
A game with meaning is a game that expresses or represents something, be it an idea, an opinion, a story, an emotion or something ineffable. It is a game that places a player in a situation which triggers them to learn about or question something important.
I was recently introduced to play fighting. And just like it sounds you fight, playfully. I experienced being helplessly pinned down to a mat, but I also learned how to navigate my way out of that vulnerable situation without relying on brute strength. Similarly, when I rock climb, I confront intense fears of getting hurt from falling, but I’ve also had moments of success where I overcame that fear. These are examples of experiences that give us a new perspective on challenges we face in our usual day-to-day lives. I don’t think they were designed specifically to evoke or challenge a certain topic within me, but rather they were designed as a way to experience life.
And this is why I’m now creating a game that reflects life. A reflection of the different perspectives, complexities and stories of life. A game that’s a mix of both a crafted experience with specific intentions but also an open expression of an alternate way of life.
Creating a meaningful game
My approach and process always start with my vision board.
At the core of it is the goal. What is the player experience takeaway? What topics or emotions do we want to evoke in them? What change do we want to aim towards? This both guides and is influenced by the rest of the pillars. A core part of the vision is the theme. The theme is often intertwined with the goal and can often be one and the same.
And then from there, I create, I write, I dream, I tweak. And during that journey, I question myself. So often I wonder if this will have any impact. But from my experience with Season: A letter to the future, if just one person gains something meaningful out of your creation, then it was all worth it.
Creating is an outlet for me, so the whole journey in itself is meaningful. But of course, we as social beings want more. We want to affect one another and relate to one another.
When we create to express, when we create meaningfully, we end up creating beauty.
Leave a Reply