Game Design Theory

PREFACE: Due to the rigor of other classes and my weekends being consumed as a result of my job, this week’s blog posts will be scheduled for Tuesday (8/1) and Thursday (8/3). I apologize for the short notice and the inconvenience, but I plan to resume the normal uploading schedule by the following week.

This blog is designed to examine and comment on the many different aspects, routes, and methods behind video games and game design. In order to address the attestation–the facts, and the evidence–I’ve divided my commentary into four main categories: Graphics and Technology, Marketing and Social Optimization, Public Opinion and Game Reviews, and Stories/Plots/Characters. Each week, both scheduled blog posts will pertain in some way, shape, or form, to one of the four categories; in sequential order starting from Graphics and Technology. The first post of that week will refer to the history of the selected category, while the second post of that week will examine a specific game in that time period with regard to that week’s category. So for example, tomorrow I plan to comment on the origins of video games and visual related media, as well as what exactly today’s society constitutes as a “game”. Then on Thursday, I plan to examine what could very well be regarded as the very first video game, Tennis for Two.

Other than some minor visual and aesthetic changes to the blog-site, that just about wraps up every major update for this week. I hope you all have a great rest of your day, and I look forward to sharing more with you tomorrow!

-Ethan

Hello world! Welcome to my blog, “Game Design Theory”. Here, I intend to post regular commentary regarding articles about game design, how certain mechanics and engines have evolved through the years, and more. At the end of the day, I hope to spark some interest within you about the many areas within video games, and just how extensive this community has become in just the past few years alone.
I’d like to start by describing a bit about myself, my personal life, and the reasons why I’ve chosen both drawing and game design as career paths. I’d like to believe that I’ve always had an affinity towards the creative, the unnatural, and the fantastically unrealistic. As an introvert, it was wildly seldom seen for me to actively help shape this reality, and not one of my own design. While a large majority of my peers are content with their social lives, creating and maintaining new friendships, I’ve made great strides within isolation. It’s in those moments of browsing the internet or running through old games in the dead of dusk that really started to push the creative narrative for me. The courses that I’ve taken throughout my time here at UW Whitewater have all been somewhat geared towards different aspects of game design and world building, such as figure drawing and 3D modeling/animation classes.
I chose these career paths because like I said above, I’ve always loved creating new worlds, manifesting new stories for others to enjoy, but moreover, I’ve always found profound enjoyment in watching a project progress from a mental thought to a physical game, drawing, or work. This blog, I believe, will be just one more creative outlet for this endeavor.
I intend to post updates every Monday and Wednesday before 5PM (CST), but due to the rigor and demand from my last year of classes in college, that schedule may have to be pushed around a bit in the future. Regardless if there has to be a change, I will make sure to post an update here at least 24 hours in advance.
With that, I will wrap everything up. I really hope you enjoy the coming updates and posts, and wish you a great rest of your day!
-Ethan