[Terry_B]

Thanks! I'd read Costikyan and plenty of Gama Sutra before but not the others.

When sitting down to prototype a game I usually find the first iteration turns out to not have the fun gameplay you had imagined at all. It's then a matter of how to think about the problem and what things you should try in attmpet to make it fun and challenging. Perhaps you could identify that the idea just stinks to being with..

Having not worked along side an experienced game designer I'm always curious as to whether they know of ideas and tools to apply that aren't commonly known or whether it is just instinct.

I feel like there must be a large catalogue of game design rules of thumb in the heads of successful designers that have not been written down and I'd love to know them :)