Empathy Engines

Games are about connection: use them to connect to something worthwhile.

In this guide, Elizabeth Sampat takes designers through a process of reaching through themselves to reach out to others. Drawing on influences as varied as history, politics, psychology and theater, EMPATHY ENGINES sketches a complex network of interaction and community, and shows that system design is at its beating heart. With thorough breakdowns of a multitude of games (blockbuster and indie) and thought-provoking exercises at the end of each chapter, EMPATHY ENGINES will make any game designer think more closely about how to wield systems with intention.

Chapter List:

• Introduction
• Systems Make Statements
• Extinguishing Neutrality
• Minimalism & Autobiography
• Cognitive & Emotional Empathy
• Real-World Emulation
• Games Are Broken; Reality's Fine
• Designing For Cognitive Empathy
• The Problem With Winnability
• Afterword