The Phenomenon of “Magic: The gathering,” How analytical People Can Become”Creative”People, Finding the Third Right Answer, and How to Escape Your Need for Control.
I was hesitant to listen to this podcast since it was 2 hours long. I usually listen to podcasts in my daily hourly walk. My attention span usually does not last this long. I loved it, had to stop my walk several times to take notes. I want to share my notes, they were useful for my research, for my own personal life, for my work.
Justin Gary is a game designer, educator and coach. He designed many games, one of them is Discord. These are notes that I took while listening to the Podcast.
Elements a game should have:
- Immersion- experiences tell a story
- Connection – A place where you socialice
- Aspiration- Competition, wanting to win, to achieve
- Growth- Learn
- Expression- customise- role play- make it your own.
He recommends book:
A whack on the side of the head- by Von Oech, because it Demystifies creativity.
Some games he suggests: Turn object around. Random constraints. Move past the right answer. Take a random page from a book. Throw scrabble on the floor and pick three- that is your constraint.
A trick he uses at work: Assumptions challenge. You write down all your assumptions and you challenge them. What if that were not true- what if you take it around. 1. Make it explicit and 2. Turn it around
He says: “There’s nothing the differentiates a creative person from a noncreative person other than process.”
How do you create:
6 step process.
- Inspiration– what is driving you? The heart of what you are doing?
- Framing-put constraints around it. Short deadline. Constraints with components and time.
- Brainstorming – 3 steps. 20 minutes each. 1. Open exploring. Write down as many ideas as you can. 2. Organice- find patterns in your ideas. Put structure around it. Fill gaps in.
- Elimination – get to as few ideas as possible. How can I test each of these ideas?
- Prototype – What do I need to do- What is the smallest thing I can make/do to test my idea?
- Test Idea – Show others and get feedback
- Reiterating – See what you learn from testing and review idea.
- Repeat process
Tips for everyday: Three goals a day- Three goals for the week. We have long “To Do lists”, every morning choose three and make a goal to to these three. If you do more great, just make sure you do these three.
One piece of advice for everyone that you live by: Cultivate comfort with uncertainty and permanence. So much of what we do is because we are afraid we are going to loose something. If you can be OK in that space of not knowing, accepting the fact that things are going to change, then life gets so much easier.
Justin Gary website.