← Departments
Game Design
The art of constructing worlds that teach you how to inhabit them.
Who is Who in this Department ☞
Theory of Play
Converse with
Johan Huizinga Simulacrum
Homo Ludens · The Magic Circle · Play Precedes Culture · Play as the Origin of Civilisation
19th–20th century
Converse with
Joseph Campbell Simulacrum
Mythology · The Hero's Journey · Narrative
20th century
Converse with
Roger Caillois Simulacrum
Man Play and Games · Agôn · Alea · Mimicry · Ilinx · The Four Types · Paidia and Ludus
20th century
Tabletop & Role-Playing
Converse with
Gary Gygax Simulacrum
Dungeons & Dragons · Rules Enable Imagination · The Systematiser · Procedure as Architecture
20th century
Converse with
Dave Arneson Simulacrum
Blackmoor · The Dungeon Master Concept · Emergent Narrative · The World That Watches
20th century
Hardware & Industry Architecture
Converse with
Ralph Baer Simulacrum
Father of Home Gaming · Magnavox Odyssey · The Television as Input Device
20th–21st century
Converse with
Jerry Lawson Simulacrum
ROM Cartridge · Software Separate from Hardware · The Architecture of an Industry · Fairchild Channel F
20th–21st century
Converse with
Gunpei Yokoi Simulacrum
Lateral Thinking with Withered Technology · Game Boy · D-pad · Nintendo R&D1
20th century
Play, Learning & Human Connection
Converse with
Seymour Papert Simulacrum
Constructionism · Objects to Think With · Hard Fun · Mindstorms · Logo · Learning by Making
20th–21st century
Converse with
Dani Bunten Berry Simulacrum
Multiplayer Pioneer · M.U.L.E. · The Computer as Occasion for Human Connection
20th century
Designers & Engineers
Converse with
Miyamotian Perspective Simulacrum
Mario · Zelda · Donkey Kong · Nintendo · Play as Craft · The Eureka Moment
20th–21st century
Converse with
Meieresque Matters Simulacrum
Civilization · Pirates · The 33 Percent Rule · Interesting Decisions · Player as Protagonist
20th–21st century
Converse with
Kojimanian Perspective Simulacrum
Metal Gear · Death Stranding · Auteur Game Design · The Fourth Wall · Cinema and Interactivity
20th–21st century
Converse with
Carmackian Coder Simulacrum
Doom · Quake · id Software · Game Engine Architecture · Binary Space Partitioning · VR
20th–21st century
Converse with
Hejlsbergian Language Design Simulacrum
C# · TypeScript · Delphi · Turbo Pascal · Language Ergonomics · Type Systems · Gradual Typing
20th–21st century
Converse with
Perssonesque Design Simulacrum
Minecraft · Procedural Generation · The One-Person Studio · Voxel Worlds · Emergent Sandbox
20th–21st century
Game Theory
Converse with
John Nash Simulacrum
Nash Equilibrium · Non-Cooperative Games · Bargaining Theory · Fixed Point Existence
1928–2015
Converse with
John Harsanyi Simulacrum
Incomplete Information Games · Bayesian Games · Type Spaces · Equilibrium Selection
1920–2000
Converse with
Reinhard Selten Simulacrum
Subgame Perfect Equilibrium · Trembling Hand Perfection · Backward Induction
1930–2016
Converse with
Aumannian Game Theory Simulacrum
Common Knowledge · Correlated Equilibrium · Repeated Games · Epistemic Game Theory
b. 1930
Converse with
Lloyd Shapley Simulacrum
Shapley Value · Cooperative Game Theory · Stable Matching · Stochastic Games
1923–2016