Fern Griffiths

Welcome to my first blog post that will focus on being Critical Reflective of my work during my Masters! I will use these blog posts to discuss my research and activities, providing an area for self-reflection as I progress through the MA Game Design course at Falmouth University.

CHALLENGE: Reflect on this question: What themes and skills do you think you will need to focus on during your Masters and how do you think it might change your work?

My aim for taking this course is to not only develop new skills directly relevant to game design but also to continue to further develop my existing skillset as well as my general approach to work. This course will provide me with the opportunity to create games with other like-minded individuals which is something I am very excited to do.  Working to specific briefs and with others in group projects will force me to create projects I wouldn’t normally consider as well as providing me with the opportunity to create games based on my specific interests.  My aim is to tackle all of the briefs with enthusiasm and dedication even if it pushes me outside of my comfort zone in order to produce the best quality work I can; so that I can leave the course with the best possible portfolio in order to enter the gaming industry.  I will use this blog as a place to reflect on both my achievements as well as my failures throughout the next year with the aim of continually improving the way I approach a task as well as my efficiency and the quality of the output.

“That’s what games are, in the end.  Teachers. Fun is just another word for learning”
Raph Koster (2005: 46)

My main goals for this course are:

• Produce a portfolio of quality pieces
• Use my blog to reflect and improve on my existing skills and develop new ones
• Experience a broad range of roles within Game Design
• Develop specific skills and experience within Level Design
• Play a variety of games genres
• ‘Finished not Perfect’ – (Jake Parker 2016)
• Keep a good work-life balance and have fun

My goals will continue to change and develop as I progress through the course, but I feel that they are a good starting point for now.  I feel that these goals will change my work for the better as they will enable me to develop the skills and portfolio of work I need to gain a job in the games industry.  By learning about the broad range of roles available in Game Design I hope to achieve a wider understanding of the game creation process.  This combined with developing specific skills in Level Design will enable me to create playable games which convey my ideas and help me to develop my own personal practice.  I feel like the last two goals are going to be the hardest to stick to as two of my biggest weaknesses are being a perfectionist and not wanting to let myself and others down.  To combat this, I am going to try and stick to Jake Parker’s mantra of ‘Finished not Perfect’.  In his video ‘Finished Not Perfect’ (2016), Parker says ‘finishing a thing is way more important than having something that’s perfect but not finished’ –  a pitfall that I have often fallen into in the past.  My goal is to create finished projects even if I don’t feel that my work is perfect as the act of finishing a project will teach me more than creating an unfinished perfect piece ever will. I am excited to undertake the challenges of this module and the modules to come!

“A game is an opportunity to focus our energy, with relentless optimism, at something we’re good at (or getting better at) and enjoy. In other words, gameplay is the direct emotional opposite of depression.”
Jane McGonigal (2011: 28)

References:

KOSTER, Raph. 2005. A Theory of Fun for Game Design. Scottsdale, AZ: Paraglyph Press.

MCGONIGAL, Jane. 2011. Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World. London: Jonathan Cape.

PARKER, Jake. 2016. Finished Not Perfect [YouTube user-generated content]. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRtV-ugIT0k [accessed 21 September 2021]