Building Empathy & Emotion into Your Game, with Robin Hunicke

Playmakers - The Game Industry Podcast

In this episode:

Jordan interviews Robin Hunicke, an innovative video game artist. Robin was a professor of game design at UC Santa Cruz and also the co-founder of Funomena, a studio focused on creating emotionally engaging and experimental games. She is known for her contributions to games like The Sims and Journey, and is recognized in the industry for her support of independent game development, experimentation in game design, research in dynamic difficulty adjustment, and the advocacy of women within the games industry. Robin shares her unique takes on games as art, approach to game design, emphasizing how games can be used as a medium to evoke emotion, foster empathy, and more.

Topics covered:

• Robin's journey into the game industry and her work on The Sims and Journey
• The role of empathy and emotion in game design
• How games can explore complex human emotions such as love, grief, and recovery
• The process of designing games that offer emotional connection between players
• Robin’s approach to game mechanics, dynamics, and aesthetics (MDA) theory
• Her experiences co-founding Funomena and creating games that focus on innovative gameplay
• Robin’s insights into productivity, balancing creative work, and leadership in game design
• The importance of representation and diversity in game development

For more game industry tips:

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• Visit www.playmakerspodcast.com for the full blog post and more!

Timestamps:

[03:02] Robin’s early inspirations: from Legos to video games

[07:04] The first Game Jam and being a pioneer for experimental gameplay

[12:00] Early mentors and influences in the game industry

[16:40] Exploring emotion and empathy in game design: Journey and Luna

[20:50] Designing games from the feeling backward: Mechanics, Dynamics, and Aesthetics (MDA)

[25:00] Mistakes, learning, and transformation as central themes in game development

[30:40] Robin’s work on Luna and the emotional depth behind the game's concept

[35:10] The importance of relaxation in game mechanics

[39:00] Lessons from Journey: Creating trust and connection between players

[41:00] Designing games with a focus on community and empathy

[45:00] Robin’s thoughts on the future of games and the importance of diversity in the industry

[48:20] Robin’s productivity tips and how she balances multiple creative projects

[52:00] Final thoughts: Building a fulfilling career in game design and being a leader in the industry

Resources & media mentioned in this episode:

Learn more and Connect with Robin Hunicke:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter

Games & companies mentioned:

• The Sims, My Sims, SimCity(Maxis)
• Journey (Thatgamecompany)
• Luna (Funomena)
• Phenomena (Funomena's new game)
• The Marriage (by Rod Humble)
• Facade (Interactive Storytelling)
• The Witness (Jonathan Blow)
• Horizon Zero Dawn (Guerrilla Games)