Thinking Time for game design
As game designers we tend to solve everything through iteration. That works—until it doesn’t. But when you're lost, making more prototypes won't help. You need clarity first.
I've been starting to use a new tool to get clarity in personal development and creative problems in film, but I think it could be applied to game design just as effectively.
Thinking Time is scheduled solitude. No Slack, e-mail or phone. Nothing fast, nothing digital. Just disconnected and focused time to think about one hard question.
The idea comes from Keith J. Cunningham, who explains it in his book The Road Less Stupid. My life coach told me about it and it's been helping me a ton. Here's now it works:
Thinking Time Exercise
Sit somewhere quiet
Hit the bathroom, get some water, etc. first so your body doesn't find an excuse for you to get interrupted.
Write a high-quality question at the top of a blank piece of paper
Don't use a computer or phone. The author uses the same "thinking chair" and has a dedicated journal.
Set a timer for 45-60 minutes
Best to use a dedicated timer instead of a phone, to avoid getting distracted and to lean into "analog mode".
Write and think about this one problem until the timer finishes
Do this without interruptions - no querying, or web or phone use. The goal is write a lot, without editing. Your goal is ideas and possibilities, not absolute answers.
When you're done, read it over
This might give you answers, or may give you direction for another thinking time session. You may find that your best works shows up later in the session, so make sure to sit through the whole 45-60 minutes (I've found the best ideas come in this extra time in group working sessions also).
That's it.
Thinking Time forces you to slow down and see where you’re standing before you keep walking. It:
- Slows your thinking down.
- Surfaces hidden assumptions.
- Reconnects you to what you actually believe.
The discoveries you make while doing this will be uniquely "yours" and are often quite inspired. I've found it a powerful practice in my life, but I also think it could be quite useful in game design for:
- Defining theme or tone
- Blending or breaking genre
- Clarifying emotional goals
- Finding what’s fun
- When something feels off
- When you’re stuck, lost or don't know what direction to take the next iteration
Sample questions for game designers
Theme & Core Idea
- What game do I want to play that doesn’t exist yet?
- What feeling or idea is under the surface of this design?
- What metaphor is hidden in the mechanics?
- What idea feels risky but necessary?
Genre & Structure
- What genre rules are holding this back?
- What daring aspect or staple could I remove to reinvent the genre?
- What tension exists between the genres I’m blending?
- What if I picked genre last?
Game Pillars
- What three words define the feel of this game?
- What would hurt to cut—but probably should be?
- Are these pillars guiding me, or just filler?
Finding the Fun
- What part do I actually enjoy playing?
- Where does this game lose energy?
- What’s surprising in the first five minutes?
Design Lenses
- What changes if I shift the scale, time, or POV?
- What does this look like as a board game?
- What would a 5-year-old notice that I don’t?
Emotional Territory
- What human truth is buried in this design?
- How can I create emotional tension without melodrama?
- What emotion stays with the player after they quit?
- Why am I doing this?
Or even...what do I want my legacy to be?
I hope this helps. Let me know if this leads to any breakthroughs.