toy story midway mania and carnival games: fun to play vs. fun to watch
Front of mind for most game designers is making games fun to play. But there’s another side to games, too. Especially with Twitch and online streaming, it’s more and more important that games are also fun to watch. But making…
goodbye, subpar mini golf, you were anything but
It was an exceptionally cold afternoon on August 13th 2017, when I stepped into Subpar Mini Golf in Alameda, CA. More than anything, it was an idea of something to do on a Sunday, with visitors in town. Our group…
an afternoon at the musée mécanique, san francisco’s retro arcade
Back in 2015, I wrote an article about arcades becoming archaic, based on thoughts on a visit to Dave and Buster’s. I thought it was time to revisit, or perhaps reimagine the topic, with thoughts on a recent visit to…
escape room design: story first, puzzles second
Because escape rooms have their roots in games, I think an all-too-common design problem is the focus on creating really great puzzles. While clever, interesting and unique puzzles do add to the player experience, they are not the most interesting…
a rhapsody for disneyquest
There is a nondescript blue block of a building in a corner of the newly-reimagined Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort. This unremarkable structure contains five floors of arcade games, virtual reality experiences and interactive exhibits. The place is…
the game design of rock climbing
Lately, I’ve gotten into rock climbing, and it has quickly become one of my favourite pastimes. While climbing is a great workout and a fun social activity, it is the design of rock climbing in gyms that separates it from…
virtual reality is a platform for art and museums
Before Saturday, the last time I visited a museum was eight months ago. It was the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York during a brief visit. Although I live in a city with state-of-the-art public museums, I never seem…
frustration at marvel avengers station: interactive exhibit review
Marvel Avengers Station, stylised “S.T.A.T.I.O.N.”, an interactive exhibit showcasing the Avengers from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, seemed right up my alley. The tagline for the experience, from the Las Vegas exhibit at Treasure Island, reads: Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. (Scientific Training…
cmu carnival “game night” booths
CMU’s annual spring carnival is a big deal, so when we found out the theme for the booths this year was “Game Night”, Julian, Amy and I decided to go check them out and pass judgment. The booths ranged in…
