Ride Theory reviewed Things We Think About Games by Jeff Tidball
A very quick, aphoristic read
4 stars
I first saw this book at Powell's in Portland when it came out, and I picked it up, enjoyed what I read, and for some reason, didn't buy it. Then it stuck in my mind for years, and I finally picked up a used copy on Alibris. Fifteen years is a long time to anticipate reading a book, and I was bound to be slightly let down -- but not much.
There's no central thesis, just very short, very pithy statements from a range of idiosyncratic, opinionated game designers. These are people who have thought deeply about games, and they've been able to boil their ideas down to some pretty brief paragraphs. I started reading before I made dinner, and finished before I took dinner out of the Instant Pot.
There's nothing earth-shattering here, but it's nice to hear /someone/ out there arguing for clarity in game rules, courtesy at …
I first saw this book at Powell's in Portland when it came out, and I picked it up, enjoyed what I read, and for some reason, didn't buy it. Then it stuck in my mind for years, and I finally picked up a used copy on Alibris. Fifteen years is a long time to anticipate reading a book, and I was bound to be slightly let down -- but not much.
There's no central thesis, just very short, very pithy statements from a range of idiosyncratic, opinionated game designers. These are people who have thought deeply about games, and they've been able to boil their ideas down to some pretty brief paragraphs. I started reading before I made dinner, and finished before I took dinner out of the Instant Pot.
There's nothing earth-shattering here, but it's nice to hear /someone/ out there arguing for clarity in game rules, courtesy at the gaming table, good graphic design, etc. Worth picking up if you have an interest in games, but don't come to this book expecting much more than a quick read.