I learned a lot about games over the semester. From the basics of what defines a game (which it turns out is a bit more difficult than one might expect) to how to make games, be they board games or video games. I learned about game theory, game mechanics, and game design. I learned about iterative design and how it can be used to quickly develop a playable prototype. I also learned that making a board game can be a useful way to help in prototyping for a video game.
What I enjoyed most was learning how to make video games. I am not the most talented programmer, but I know now that I am at least capable of making a simple video game. I know that most popular/complex video games have entire teams of people who work together to make them, but for me, making an entire game mostly by myself, even the ones as simple as I made, is a big accomplishment. When I wasn't completely frustrated with it, I enjoyed learning GameMaker. I am also interested in looking into RenPy and other game making toolkits to see what they offer.
And now, I'm off to go play my current favorite game...
