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Explore the critical concepts of abstraction and simulation in game design through this 82-minute lecture from MIT's Game Design course. Learn to identify relevant features in source material and understand the assumptions that shape resulting models when creating simulations. Examine how games make deliberate choices about what elements to include, simplify, or abstract, and discover how these decisions impact the player experience and meaning. Analyze real-world examples including September 12, Every Day the Same Dream, and Super Chick Sisters to understand how different games approach simulation and abstraction. Develop skills in evaluating the effectiveness of game simulations and generate ideas for creating your own simulation-based game projects. Gain insights into the relationship between reality and digital representation, and understand how abstraction serves as both a design tool and a means of conveying specific messages or perspectives through interactive media.
