This week we talked about Game Design Pillars, the core principles that underpin the gaming experience. To be honest, this concept sounds too systematic, and I personally prefer to understand it as “a principle or element that must be adhered to when creating”.

For the game “Whispers” I did on bitsy before, I established three pillars:

Pillar 1: System is narrative

I wanted the game’s system logic to tell the story on its own, rather than relying on dialogue or text.

In my project, the player has no clear goals or guidelines, just repeated trial and error.

This vague feedback is actually the story – the more indifferent the system, the more real the player’s anxiety.

Pillar 2: Anxiety of observation

I want players to experience the tension by “watching” rather than “acting”.

Their main task is to feel, not to complete.

As they wander through the empty space, the sense of uncertainty becomes the driving force of the game in itself.

Pillar 3: Limitation is language

Because of Bitsy’s limitations, I realized that “unattainable” is also a design language in itself.

When the system is unable to express emotions, white space, noise, and loss of control become new narratives.

I learned that sometimes a lack of expression can make the theme clearer.

This roundup of Game Pillars has made me re-understand the relationship between “rules” and “expressions”.

The design pillar is more than just a project framework, it’s more like a self-reminder.