Conceptualising Inspiration Networks in Game Design

Authors

  • Xavier Ho Design Lab, University of Sydney & Digital Productivity Flagship, CSIRO 148 City Road Darlington NSW, Australia
  • Martin Tomitsch Design Lab, University of Sydney 148 City Road Darlington NSW, Australia
  • Tomasz Bednarz Digital Productivity Flagship, CSIRO 41 Boggo Road Dutton Park QLD, Australia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26503/todigra.v2i1.41

Abstract

This paper examines the concept of inspiration and proposes a design process for inspiration networks using survey data from Global Game Jam. Global Game Jam is a 48-hour game development competition that invites anyone to participate worldwide. The study illuminates the presence of the famous ‘six degrees of separation’ effect in these inspiration networks, leveraged to model ideations as related concepts, identifying four major lodestars. It follows research through design, embodying the body of knowledge in the inspiration network as a design artifact. Inspiration networks offer a novel way to discover game genres that have not yet been formally recognised, but have displayed a large influence. The findings offer three design implications: an understanding gained by “thinking with networks”, the ability to identify emerging game genres, and the support for intuitive, visual browsing of ideas. Formalisation of inspiration network poses an open field for research.

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Published

2015-12-14

How to Cite

Ho, X., Tomitsch, M., & Bednarz, T. (2015). Conceptualising Inspiration Networks in Game Design. Transactions of the Digital Games Research Association, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.26503/todigra.v2i1.41

Issue

Section

Articles