Conceptualising Inspiration Networks in Game Design

Abstract

This paper examines the concept of inspiration and proposes a design process for inspiration networks using survey data from Global Game Jam. Global Game Jam is a 48-hour game development competition that invites anyone to participate worldwide. The study illuminates the presence of the famous 'six degrees of separation' effect in these inspiration networks, leveraged to model ideations as related concepts, identifying four major lodestars. It follows research through design, embodying the body of knowledge in the inspiration network as a design artifact. Inspiration networks offer a novel way to discover game genres that have not yet been formally recognised, but have displayed a large influence. The findings offer three design implications: an understanding gained by "thinking with networks", the ability to identify emerging game genres, and the support for intuitive, visual browsing of ideas. Formalisation of inspiration network poses an open field for research.

Towards Standardizing Game Designing Processes: Game Designers’ Initiation Tool

“…Game Jams are also conducted yearly around the globe as a platform to provide game designers a way to rapidly prototype game design ideas. It inspires growth across the gaming industry through the use of a given theme and constraints [35,58,59], that are represented in annual game design competitions [60], and recognized as the world's most significant game development events, with approximately 150% growth per year [61]. For instance, Joel explained how this process allows game designers to develop their abilities to learn, challenge themselves, become creative, and work through macro and micro levels of design within time constraints.…”