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This post reminds me of some PG essay I once read (too lazy to look it up). Did you use the PG essay as reference material? Because if yes it might be nice to put some links that served as inspiration for the article?

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I remember reading a book about game design (can't remember the title) that viewed game design through the concept of 'lenses'. One of the lenses was "first make a toy, then make a game around it". For example, a ball is a toy, and football, basketball and volleyball are games.

Yeah the book is The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses by Jesse Schell. It seems likely this principle was inspired by the book, the author recommends it on a different page.

It’s a good book which would also be great as a set of prompt cards IDEO style.

Edit: On a whim I googled and it does exist as a card deck as well!

As long as we are here: that book by Jesse Schell is wonderful, I highly recommend it!

Possibly related:

Why Toys - https://blog.ycombinator.com/why-toys/

The Next Big Thing Will Start Out Looking Like a Toy - http://cdixon.org/2010/01/03/the-next-big-thing-will-start-o...

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