Skinning - A Secret Game Designer Cheat

When we look at the Concentric Game Design Method taught in the Basic Game Design Course, we see clear divisions of the layers, making them interchangeable. The core elements of the concentric model are Goals, Rules (Mechanics), Declarative Layer (Narrative), and Social Layer. Many of these layers can be changed around, like a new wrapping of an onion.

Serious Game Designers Know The Audience Is The Goal

When designing Serious Games, we are crucially aware of who the core audience for that game will be. This is much more important than when designing entertainment games, typically Serious Games are made for a specific group. With that core group and real-world Goal in mind, the Serious Game Designer begins to fill in the Mechanics and Narrative to enforce the group to accomplish the real-world Goal.

Through research, the Serious Game Designer looks at which games are already known and loved by the core audience. The Mechanics of the game are copied, however, a different Narrative is used for the game. The Narrative chosen needs to re-enforce both the real-world goal set for the game, as well as be appealing to the core audience.

This clip from our Livestream talks about an example of such a skinned serious game. The game is called "Go Poop”. It teaches how to identify animals by their skat. It actually proved to be very effective. This game, in my experience, is popular among children and seniors. Two different audiences, which goes to show, that you can have spillover into other groups if the mechanics are fun enough.

If you want to learn more about Serious Game Design, try our Basic Game Design Course, or sign up for our Masterclass for those that are really Serious.