Books › Theory of Fun for Game Design
Theory of Fun for Game Design
300 pages
A playful, illustrated journey into the cognitive science of why we play, turning the abstract concept of fun into a tangible, fascinating science.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like sitting down with a brilliant, enthusiastic mentor who sketches on a napkin to explain the secrets of the human mind. It moves at a brisk, engaging pace, propelled by a unique format where every page of text is paired with a charming illustration. The mood is relentlessly inquisitive and playful, stripping away technical jargon to focus on the pure psychology of learning and mastery. You are guided through a conversational yet deeply philosophical exploration of why our brains crave patterns and how boredom is simply a symptom of a solved puzzle. It will delight designers, educators, and anyone who has ever lost track of time in a state of flow, leaving you with a profound new lens through which to view both play and human nature.
- Mood
- playful
- inquisitive
- intellectually stimulating
- Tone
- conversational
- enthusiastic
- philosophical
- accessible
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- the psychology of learning · the joy of mastery · play as human nature · cognitive pattern recognition · games as art
- The writing
- Breezy and highly visual, pairing conversational explanations with charming, hand-drawn illustrations to distill complex cognitive concepts.
- The arc
- Begins with a lighthearted exploration of play and deepens into a profound appreciation for how our brains learn and grow.
- Who it's for
- Creators, educators, and curious thinkers who want to peek under the hood of human psychology to see why we love to play.
About the book
What fun is - Why some games are fun and some games are boring - How different people respond to different kinds of fun - What makes a game fun or not - How games fit into the wider human culture - Whether games can be art - What degree of social responsibility game makers need to have - How games can develop
At its core, though, it is about why games matter.
Description from Open Library.
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