Documentation

Claire says that teachers are the worst people to give lectures to, because they're impatient, inattentive, and don't listen. Similarly, game designers are the worst people to write documentation for - they don't read docs. And when they do, they skim and walk away with wrong impressions, yet have complete confidence that they understand the overarching points.

I'm fully guilty of this myself...

David Mamet writing a screenplay for Diary of Anne Frank

Three interpretations of what that might sound like:

Salon

Village Voice

New York Magazine

The player experience

Trying to keep the direct player experience at the forefront of my mind often feels like falling asleep while driving. It's so easy to get lulled into a meta-design space where the systems and abstractions take precedence. And that's not to say that the systemic design isn't important, but it tends to suck up all the oxygen in the room because it's familiar, safe, and above all, clean. Comparatively, the player experience is dirty, filthy business, all wrapped up in interface and challenge and learning and boredom.

So I end up with a lot of marks on my arm from pinching myself. Stay awake, man!