What are some effective ways to develop resilience in Game Design?

As an escape room designer, I've come to see that messing up is just part of the game. Every time a puzzle flops or a story falls flat, it's actually a chance to get better. I take these slip-ups, gather feedback, and tweak my designs. It's all about learning what works and what doesn't from the player's point of view. This trial-and-error approach has really sharpened my skills and made my escape rooms more fun and engaging. Honestly, rolling with the ups and downs and learning from them is key in this creative biz.

Falling short of goals in game design often triggers stress and frustration. Yet, failure isn't a dead end; it's a chance to learn and grow. Rather than dwelling on setbacks, concentrate on refining your approach. Analyze mistakes, solicit feedback, and apply these lessons to upcoming projects. Successful game designers have conquered numerous failures, using them as stepping stones to triumph. Embrace setbacks as opportunities for improvement, shaping a resilient and evolving path in the dynamic world of game design.

As a designer, trying out new ideas and processes and then iterating on them is a part of our day to day job. The same applies to long term projects or short term milestones. Learn as much as you can and iterate on your processes. I see two major reasons, when a designer can fail. First, a failure to correctly understand the goals of the project, level, combat, etc. Incorrect understanding of goals leads to wrong design choices down the line. Communicating regularly with your peers, leads and directors about project goals keeps you on track. Second, a failure to iterate enough on proposed ideas. So quicken your processes and iterate as many times as you can to meet your goals. With each iteration, it will become more difficult to fail.

Owning failures-- as an opportunity, not just as a negative thing-- as an experience to grow, improve-- and honor to receive any feedback on your journey will change your perspective. We are all humans who grow and change every day. You carry your experiences with you that change your ideas, and with every step back, you're a little wiser with your step forward.

There are several effective ways to develop resilience in game design. One approach is to embrace failure as a learning opportunity, encouraging designers to iterate and improve their work based on feedback. Another strategy is to foster a collaborative and supportive work environment, where team members can rely on each other for support during challenging times. Additionally, setting realistic goals and expectations can help prevent burnout and maintain motivation. Finally, promoting a healthy work-life balance can contribute to the overall resilience of game designers.

Game design thrives on collaboration, not isolation. Seek support from fellow designers, developers, testers, players, and mentors. Their diverse perspectives provide valuable insights, advice, and encouragement. Share your challenges and achievements, learning from their experiences. Actively engage in communities, networks, events, and platforms to connect with like-minded individuals who share your passion. Embrace collaboration as a source of inspiration, growth, and shared success in the dynamic realm of game design.

As the gaming industry can be challenging, working with a team and seeking help when needed can provide fresh perspectives and solutions. Game designer Jane McGonigal once said, "Gaming is an unparalleled social experience," highlighting the power of collaboration. Building a support network and collaborating with colleagues can help overcome obstacles, share knowledge, and foster creativity, ultimately enhancing resilience in the face of industry demands and setbacks.

If you can, get a mentor. They are always willing to help you succeed. You gain the benefit of being under the wing of someone with experience in the industry and the know-how of how things in your field operate. Or maybe you lack in level design, but you know code. Get with someone who has the level design skills and do a barter system by teaching them to code (P.S. I learned that from my mentor). As long as you're willing to learn and take feedback, you'll have a wide network of people who are willing to help you on your journey.

I usually say that we as designers aren't alone in creating/designing a game - we are simply the keepers/curators of the design, but ideas can (and should!) some from anyone and everyone, no matter what their role is! That is how the best games are made. What Game Designers then do is to massage all those ideas into a coherent design that fits the vision of the game that is actually being made; even the best ideas can be unfitting for certain types of games, for example, but those ideas should be saved for future work in that case! It is important to remember that everyone is working to make the best game possible - not everyone will agree what that is, and that is where the designers come in to ensure that the direction is on track.

Actively engaging in discussion groups and social media platforms focused on game design content is an god way to connect, share experiences, and seek collaborative opportunities. Getting involved in open-source projects or contributing to independent game development teams not only enhances skills but also broadens networking, solicits feedback, and demonstrates expertise. Regular interaction within the community, whether through workshops, events, or even creating educational content, not only enhances personal knowledge but also solidifies reputation and opens doors to new career opportunities. By seeking support and collaboration, a GD can turn job loss into a period of learning, skill enhancement, and professional network expansion.

Maintaining a balance between work and life is crucial in game design. The demanding nature of projects, especially with tight deadlines, can lead to burnout and creativity loss. Prioritize self-care by setting realistic goals, managing time effectively, and taking breaks. Engage in activities that rejuvenate you physically, mentally, and emotionally, such as exercise, hobbies, socializing, or meditation. Remember, a healthy work-life balance is essential for sustained creativity and overall well-being in the dynamic field of game design.

Early in my career, I would constantly think about new designs, improvements, or solutions throughout the entire day. Even when I was with family or loved ones, I could only think about work. Weekdays I would work 9 am to 9 pm and I would come in on weekends to do more work. It came to the point that I burned out and stopped innovating. All my creative energy was lost for months. From that, I learned to separate my work from my life by finding new avenues. I focused on working out, playing board games, and learned the hard skill of shutting my mind off. There is nothing wrong with wanting to succeed but there is also nothing wrong with being more than just your work.

Something I learned after a few years working with games is making sure that your time off from work actually IS off! Early in my career, I definitely was an overachiever, but I have since learned it wasn't good for anyone: not for me, as it made me exhausted, and not for the company/game as it lead me down a path to burnout if I hadn't taken steps to avoid it, which made my work quality and speed worse in the long run. I feel that I work far better now and get much more done, even though I am technically working fewer hours than I did then - the work I do now is just better, and I spend the time I do work better. It is easy to get caught in this track, especially as a young and fresh person, but it will come back and bite you in the end.

Cultivating a growth mindset in game design is pivotal. Unlike a fixed mindset that assumes talent is innate, a growth mindset asserts that skills can be honed through effort and feedback. This mindset fosters resilience, making you more receptive to challenges and learning opportunities. Rather than viewing limitations as permanent, a growth mindset sees them as areas for improvement. Embrace challenges as chances to evolve, and remain open to feedback, fostering continual growth in the dynamic world of game design.

One of the best ways to grow as a game designer is to, surprise, surprise, play games! Understanding different perspectives and approaches to gameplay, empathy, genres, culture, events will really open up your mind. Also experience as many things as you can outside the virtual world. Ultimately, your experiences as a designer will turn into exciting gameplay for players. The industry is moving so fast, that any sort of gameplay gets boring for players in a few years, so as a designer you need to innovate gameplay with every new project. If your game has nothing new to offer, the game has already failed in the eyes of a player since they have already experienced what your game has to offer, so why pay again for the same experience.

I am of the mindset that innate talent is overrated - having "talent" can absolutely help, especially early on as you will likely have an easier time learning things you have an affinity for. But, all talents will hit the ceiling of what it can do at some point, which varies from person to person, but after that it all comes down to learning from experience and especially learning from others experience. Once you are at that level, it all comes down to putting the time in to improve, and you will never be done learning. This industry moves forward so quickly that there is always new ideas and new tech that can be explored to create bigger and crazier games, and that is what makes this industry such a fun one to work in IMO :)

Experiencing repeated failures without progress can be incredibly disheartening, but game designers need to become accustomed to this. As innovators, part of our job is to discover what doesn't work. Even the most flawless designs and the most advanced techniques can fail. In fact, each time a development resets to square one, it doesn't mean your design skills have regressed. Instead, it indicates that you've identified a new design method or process that needs to be modified or avoided.

Growth is the thoughts in your head that say, “How can I do better?” or “What else can I learn? '' whenever you complete an assignment or project. However with growth, there is a higher chance of failure because you’re trying new skills, ideas, or problems. I’ve seen many designers stop growing because they become afraid of failure. They become paralyzed and will only do simple, straightforward tasks because they’re afraid that it will reflect poorly on them. My advice to anyone who wants to grow is to look at each failure as an opportunity. Each failure gets you closer to an answer, a new skill, or a viewpoint that you’ve never considered. You may fail again and again, but no one will remember that after you succeed.

Try to cultivate the mindset that everything you do is a learning experience - even the failures. ESPECIALLY the failures! It is also important to remember that you can be proud of projects that fail for whatever reason. For example, the first ever project I worked on was cancelled by the publisher a year or so into me starting to work on it, but it was still a super cool project where we did a lot of cool and new things, and I learned so much from it that I still view it fondly to this day! It is also important to celebrate the projects that do get finished though! Sometimes it may feel like you only see the flaws after working so intimately on something for multiple years, but take a step back and appreciate it as a whole!

In game design, building resilience involves celebrating achievements and progress, regardless of size. Amidst the challenges and complexities, don't overlook acknowledging and appreciating the steps taken and results achieved. Celebrating even small victories boosts confidence, motivation, and overall satisfaction. Moreover, it provides a crucial moment to recognize your strengths and value as a game designer. Regularly pausing to appreciate accomplishments contributes to a resilient mindset in the dynamic landscape of game design.

There are plenty of games that never make it to release- a lot of factors go into releasing games and its almost always out of your control, but what you can take away is the small victories. The fixes to a mechanic, the changes in playtester behavior from a tiny rule tweak, the changes to components/ level design, even the speed at which you had to come up with solutions are all gains for your design muscles. A lot of designers skip the step of post mortems, which is a shame because that is the best opportunity to concretely document and capture everyones thoughts on the design, process, release or cancelation. It's a great way to meditate and close the book on that game‘s development journey and to highlight your new skills.

One thing that I've implemented on game projects that refreshes my perspective consistently is the archived scrum/sprint sheets. I can look back at what I have accomplished in a week, a month, or even a year's time to feel a sense of achievement. This is also why having a partner in development is crucial, because having someone to celebrate with me on every difficult achievement gives a positive feedback loop that can drive difficult development.

Have a solid balance in what to expect as far as the game and it's design. Be a FINISHER. Not a STARTER. Don't change the path. You will be constantly fighting against the course of the game, yourself and the whole team. Hope that makes sense.