The Game Developers' Library ep03 - Jesse Schell - The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses
Jul 31, 2025
Jeremy Johnson, an indie game developer and Assistant Professor at St. Edward's University, shares insights on game design wisdom from 'A Book of Lenses.' He discusses how the book bridges player psychology and design, highlighting its widespread impact on newcomers and critiques from more technically-minded developers. The conversation dives into the importance of storytelling in gameplay and the delicate balance between challenge and player engagement. Jeremy also emphasizes the role of empathetic design and community influences in shaping innovative game development.
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Holistic View Helps Designers Step Back
- The book gives a holistic, cross-disciplinary view of game design rather than narrow technical instructions.
- That birds-eye perspective helps students step back from code and analyse design choices effectively.
Use The Deck Of Lenses As Prompts
- Use the Deck of Lenses as a practical prompt system to evaluate your game from many angles.
- Pull random cards or pick relevant lenses and justify why a lens is or isn't applicable to your project.
Build A Fun Toy Before The Game
- Make a toy first: ensure core mechanics are fun before adding goals or systems.
- If the basic interaction isn't satisfying, higher-level features won't fix it.
