GAMES STUDIES - Exercises

✩ 22/9/25 - 7/11/25 (Week 1 - Week 7)

✩ WONG MEI YEE 0367857

✩ Games Studies / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media / Taylor's University

✩ Exercises 1 & 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Lectures
2. Instructions
3. Exercise 1
• Part A
• Part B
4. Exercise 2
5. Reflection




Lectures

Game Studies - Lectures by angel




Instructions




Exercise 1

Part A

Part B




Exercise 2




Reflection

Experience

These exercises pushed me to shift my perspective from a casual player to a critical analyst. Starting with The Sims FreePlay, I moved from simply enjoying the game to deconstructing it through the six Principles of Game Design, such as Player Experience and Feedback Loops. This required me to look "under the hood" to see how mechanics like time-based tasks actually drive engagement. Moving to Exercise 2, comparing UNO across physical and digital mediums challenged me to analyze how technology alters social dynamics. Additionally, integrating AI tools into my workflow taught me how to use technology as a brainstorming partner while maintaining critical oversight to ensure the tone remained academic and personal.

Observations

I realized that "remediation" is not just about copying a game onto a screen; it fundamentally changes the emotional rhythm of play. In my UNO analysis, I observed that while digital automation creates efficiency and speed, it sacrifices the spontaneous laughter, negotiation, and "social warmth" of the physical version. Similarly, in The Sims FreePlay, I noticed that what feels like "freedom" is actually a carefully designed system of constraints—waiting times and resource management—that creates a balance between frustration and reward. This process showed me that game mechanics are not just rules, but tools that manipulate time and human connection.

Findings

I learned that the essence of a game often transcends its medium, yet the platform dictates the experience. As seen in UNO, the core mechanics remained identical, but the play dimension shifted from social bonding to convenience. Through The Sims, I discovered that "emergent storytelling"—where the player controls the narrative—is crucial for emotional investment. Finally, using the AI interaction logs reinforced that while AI can identify design principles, it takes human insight to understand the nuance of "immersion" and the tactile satisfaction of holding real cards versus tapping a screen.