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In any creative endeavor, the first question is always figuring out what you want to make. In the case of MITTIN, that means getting input from many different people to identify a game topic and its associated learning objectives for the intended audience. Once Jake Richardson, Great Lakes Reality Labs (GLRL) Lead Game Designer, has the topic and objectives, he hits the drawing board and comes up with lots of ideas that cover the topic. For every aspect of the game, he asks, “Does this meet all the learning objectives?”, “Does this game already exist somewhere else?”, “Is the gameplay intuitive and inclusive for our audience?” and countless other questions. Once he narrows things down to a single idea that can answer the important questions, he moves on to the next phase, starting the game design document (GDD).
This first draft of the GDD typically includes overarching descriptions, a flowchart showcasing the gameplay, and a number of references that Jake uses to help communicate his vision of the game. Once the first draft is complete, he takes it to the rest of the development team to discuss feasibility and timelines and makes adjustments to the design as necessary. Next, it goes through a review process with the subject matter experts (SMEs). The group consists of people who have a wide range of experience with the game’s target audience. The SMEs can be educators (active or retired), transition coordinators, facilitators, parents, workplace coordinators, case managers, members of the MITTIN Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), and the list goes on. The SMEs provide Jake with invaluable feedback that he then uses to inform design choices. These feedback sessions can be both intense and humorous. Until the group sits down to discuss the “right” way to load a dishwasher, they don’t realize how many “right” ways there are! Eventually, after a number of cycles of review and refinement based on the feedback, the design is approved.
After design approval, Jake works on the final draft of the GDD. Everything from dynamic weather systems (think Rainforest Cafe on your computer) to the hum that the refrigerator makes all need to be spelled out in excruciating detail. After further intensive review and fine-tuning, the GDD gets the stamp of approval internally and is deemed development-ready.
With Jake, game design is always a community effort and involves a whole lot of people to make sure it hits the intended mark. The games that GLRL designs and develops are a testament to each and every person who has played a role along the way. From artists and testers to the PLCs and SMEs, they all greatly support the game design process and help to make the games a success!
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