The Grafisch Lyceum Rotterdam is a well-known school specializing in media, entertainment, and technology. Fun fact: some of our own Total Mayhem Games team members studied here, never imagining that one day they’d return, not as students, but as guest speakers representing their own game studio. It was both an honor and a nostalgic moment to be back.
For these students, game design isn’t usually their main focus, as their studies tend to lean more toward technical development. But this week, they had a challenge: design a game prototype. And that’s where our experts Doris and Kevin stepped in!
Doris, as a game designer, and Kevin, as our game design manager, gave an in-depth presentation on the importance of design thinking when creating a puzzle. They shared insights into the creative process behind one of our most well-known puzzles: “The Illusions”, a mind-bending challenge famous for its surreal visuals and intricate mechanics. What might seem like pure chaos in the final puzzle actually required extensive design thinking, prototyping, and countless iterations to get just right.
Inspiring the Next Generation of Game Designers
Seeing so many eager students dive into the development world (and perhaps the game design world) was truly inspiring. We hope our talk sparked new ideas and helped them approach their projects with fresh perspectives. Who knows? Maybe one day, some of these students will be standing in our shoes, sharing their own experiences with the next wave of aspiring game developers.
Until then—keep creating, keep experimenting, and, most importantly, keep having fun with game design!
