Why Game Design Doctor

21/7/2013

This video about the book "Anything you want" by Derek Sivers tells something that resonated with my new course of action towards my vision. Since I started AlejoLab I have been working on different projects that are progressing at various speeds. None of them have properly catch a nice momentum and I have been realizing that even when they are interesting projects they are useful just for me.

Commit myself to something just for me is less motivating than doing it for another person

In what know seems totally logical to me, I see that I work more focused and motivated when there is someone who needs what I want to do.

Game Design Doctor

The idea of Game Design Doctor is to assist and coach other game designers and game developers to achieve their professional goals. It's not the first time I am in the position of helping and teaching others about game design. It can looks similar to consultancy or teaching, but the concept is a mix of coaching and mentoring. When coaching my knowledge and experience about game design and development allow me to be able to understand better the context and situations of the coachee but I don't really need to know more, or be a better designer, than him. Then, sometimes, I can suggest some data or tools useful for the subject which I will know from my own experience and previous work with others. In the end, having a nice set of tools for a wide variety of situations in the game development process.

Selling the concept in just one sentence:

You will receive advice, tools and help managing information to set and achieve your goals across diferent sessions in which I work with you to develop the full potential of yourself and your game project.

Some examples of situations can give a better idea:

You are stuck and need to see a situation with fresh eyes, from different perspectives.
You want to improve you game designing skills but are not sure what to begin with.
You want to improve a process or workflow in your project.
You want someone to look over your shoulder and suggest things to improve.
You want to check something you are doing in your project is ok.
You just need help with a game design related problem.

Not everything in that list is strictly coaching. That's why I am using the metaphor of a doctor. Sometimes is coaching, sometimes is looking at symptoms, giving a diagnostic and providing a treatment in the form of a conceptual tool or a piece of information.

First steps

The first thing to do is to start working in the idea as stated in the video above. I am looking for 2-3 people (first among my friends) to start working with to see the results and make sure I can do this and enjoy it. Then I will need to find if someone will actually pay for this service.
The other part of the project is the site www.GameDesignDoctor.com which is currently in private alpha and will be developed with the experience and knowledge adquired throughout the coaching sessions and personal research. The site aditionally supports the coachees and other users providing references to data and tools in a natural and efficient way.

Trying Air persons

Air persons is a new platform to offer live services. It's not probably going to provide me clients very soon but you can never know if you don't try and can be useful to validate the idea and try prices. I am offering the service just in spanish for the moment. You can click the banner to see the offer.