Think about a game you've played recently, or one that's especially beloved or memorable for you. Think about a sequence of scenes from this game, and play it again if you need to (or watch a video of someone playing, if available). Next, draw what you think the shape of this scene might look like if it was represented by lines on paper, with the scene taking shape and changing from left to

right, representing the player's experience over time. (Reread the Discussion Activities at the end of Chapter 2, as well as the Chapter 3 section "Shaping and Pacing," if you're not sure how to think about this.) Exchange drawings with another classmate, without telling each other what game you were thinking about during drawing, and think about the shape they've drawn for you. In writing, describe a scene in a game that could fit this shape. It could be any kind of game, because you probably won't be able to guess the exact game your partner was thinking of.

Describe what happens as the shape changes and what kinds of decisions the player is faced with. Finally, share what you've written and reveal the games that originally inspired the drawings.

As a second project after creating scenes or entire stories with a tool like Knytt Stories, play another student's game and take notes on the shape of the scene or scenes, what you thought worked well or less well, how difficult various moments in the game were, and what kinds of design decisions you might do differently. Copy the game you just played, and make the changes you described in your notes, creating your own version of their game. Finally, have a third student play both games, and discuss the pros and cons of each version as a group.