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Elena Berman
Elena Berman

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Nov 10, 2020

Narrative within Tower Defense Games: a Critical Play of Plants vs. Zombies and Battle Cats

How can narrative strongly shape the game experience within games of the same genre? I played Battle Cats (PONOS) and Plants vs Zombies… — How can narrative strongly shape the game experience within games of the same genre? I played Battle Cats (PONOS) and Plants vs Zombies (Electronic Arts) as iOS apps to look at how the game experience differed. Both games are “Tower Defense” games, meaning that there is some stronghold that is…

3 min read

Narrative within Tower Defense Games: a Critical Play of Plants vs. Zombies and Battle Cats
Narrative within Tower Defense Games: a Critical Play of Plants vs. Zombies and Battle Cats

Nov 10, 2020

Terror in Subnautica: Sketchnote

How does the game Subnautica so effectively channel terror? I made a sketchnote based on this video. — How does the game Subnautica so effectively channel terror? I made a sketchnote based on this video.

1 min read

Terror in Subnautica: Sketchnote
Terror in Subnautica: Sketchnote

Terror in Subnautica: Sketchnote

How does the game Subnautica so effectively channel terror? I made a sketchnote based on this video.

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Nov 5, 2020

Tutorial in Games: Learning from Plants vs. Zombies

I created a Sketchnote for George Fan’s talk at GDC, “How I Got My Mom to Play Through Plants vs. Zombies.” — I created a Sketchnote for George Fan’s talk at GDC, “How I Got My Mom to Play Through Plants vs. Zombies.”

1 min read

Tutorial in Games: Learning from Plants vs. Zombies
Tutorial in Games: Learning from Plants vs. Zombies

Tutorial in Games: Learning from Plants vs. Zombies

I created a Sketchnote for George Fan’s talk at GDC, “How I Got My Mom to Play Through Plants vs. Zombies.”

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Oct 27, 2020

Mystery in Games: A Critical Play of Spider

Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor, is a game developed by Tiger Style which I played on iOS. — Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor, is a game developed by Tiger Style which I played on iOS. It is primarily a puzzle game: the player must navigate the manor as a spider, starting from the outside and venturing in, weaving webs strategically along the way. However, there is a…

2 min read

Mystery in Games: A Critical Play of Spider
Mystery in Games: A Critical Play of Spider

Oct 27, 2020

Puzzles in Games: A Sketchnote

I created a Sketchnote for “What is a Puzzle?” and “Designing Puzzles,” two articles about creating puzzles in games. — I created a sketchnote for “What is a Puzzle?” and “Designing Puzzles,” two articles about creating puzzles in games.

1 min read

Puzzles in Games: A Sketchnote
Puzzles in Games: A Sketchnote

Puzzles in Games: A Sketchnote

I created a sketchnote for “What is a Puzzle?” and “Designing Puzzles,” two articles about creating puzzles in games.

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Oct 21, 2020

Architecture in Game Design

I read Ernest Adams’s article about Architecture in Game Design and made a sketchnote. — I read Ernest Adams’s article about Architecture in Game Design and made a sketchnote.

1 min read

Architecture in Game Design
Architecture in Game Design

Architecture in Game Design

I read Ernest Adams’s article about Architecture in Game Design and made a sketchnote.

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Oct 19, 2020

Designing Games for Real Life: Escape Rooms and Virtual Reality

I watched Laura E. Hall’s talk at GDC 2017 about designing games such as Escape Rooms and VR games. My sketchnote is below. — I watched Laura E. Hall’s talk at GDC 2017 about designing games such as Escape Rooms and VR games. My sketchnote is below.

1 min read

Designing Games for Real Life: Escape Rooms and Virtual Reality
Designing Games for Real Life: Escape Rooms and Virtual Reality

Designing Games for Real Life: Escape Rooms and Virtual Reality

I watched Laura E. Hall’s talk at GDC 2017 about designing games such as Escape Rooms and VR games. My sketchnote is below.

Sketchnote for VR and Escape Rooms

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Oct 15, 2020

How Walking in Games leads to Fun: A Critical Play of Journey

I played Journey, a game made by That Game Company, as an iOS app. Journey uses walking as a mechanism to promote discovery, curiosity… — I played Journey, a game made by That Game Company, as an iOS app. Journey uses walking as a mechanism to promote discovery, curiosity, and engagement with a story. Journey, like walking simulation games are known to do, challenged my expectations for what a traditional video game may look like…

2 min read

How Walking in Games leads to Fun: A Critical Play of Journey
How Walking in Games leads to Fun: A Critical Play of Journey

Oct 13, 2020

Game Design as Narrative Architecture: a Mindmap

I created a Mindmap for Henry Jenkins’s essay, “Game Design as Narrative Architecture.” — I created a Mindmap for Henry Jenkins’s essay, “Game Design as Narrative Architecture.”

1 min read

Game Design as Narrative Architecture: a Mindmap
Game Design as Narrative Architecture: a Mindmap

Oct 8, 2020

Chance / Skill Balance in Game Design: a Sketchnote

1 min read

Chance / Skill Balance in Game Design: a Sketchnote
Chance / Skill Balance in Game Design: a Sketchnote
Elena Berman

Elena Berman

CS @ Stanford

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