The Secret Science of Games

by John Hopson

The Secret Science of Games is an entertaining tour of games research with behind-the-scenes stories from blockbuster games including Halo, Destiny, Age of Empires, and World of Warcraft. Written by a games industry veteran, this book is a friendly and practical guide to games research by someone who’s done the work.

Some of the things you’ll difference between a good player and a good playtesterHow to give feedback to game designers that they’ll actually listen toWhy asking players if a game is fun isn’t all that usefulWhat happened when we met the most toxic players in OverwatchHow game designers are different than normal peopleWhy players said they cheated in Destiny’s competitive modesThe right way to use online feedback to make a better game
Instead of a dry list of research methods or theory, this book is a lively exploration of how science and games mix together to make fun experiences that work for all players, including real stories from games everyone knows.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Game Design, Video Games, Games

210 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 3, 2023

Reviews

[Pete · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Secret Science of Games (2023) by John Hopson is an interesting book about user research in the computer games industry. Hopson has a PhD in Psychology and has worked on user research in the games industry for decades. He has worked extensively for Bungie.

I wasn’t aware that there was systematic user testing in the games industry for selected problems. Most people would be aware there is extensive play testing, but the systematic user testing that Hopson writes about is different. It’s about finding testing the game play in specific areas.

Hopson’s account is interesting. He comes how the games industry differs from experimental psychology.

It’s really interesting to read what Hopson says about how designers are crazily into games and that they have a different perspective on games than most people. Also the suggestion that as with much criticism suggestions of problems are to be heeded but suggested of solutions are generally not good.

The stories of how things went with various Bungie and Blizzard games are really interesting.

The Secret Science of Games would be a great book for anyone who was going to do or work with user research in games. For people who are interested in games it’s worth a look.

[Boz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really was hoping for more technical knowledge and war stories with more detail, but the bits that you do get are pretty good. I get the feeling that the writer seems themselves somewhat distanced from players, judging on how they talked about them. I think the list of games on the tin are somewhat misleading when it's 80% talking about Bungie games - I sort of created this idea in my head that it would be knowledge compiled from talking to UX researchers across several companies, but it was a little more like one person's sterilized anecdotes over their time working. That said, their time working is very impressive, and there's a lot of knowledge embedded. I would be very interested to read a book like this that compiles stories from across the industry from many perspectives and I think this author is a person who could do that.

[Luke Hooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating look at the role of a User Experience Researcher in the video game industry. John Hopson has a lot of experience to share and he does so in a way that is approachable and filled with practical advice for not just how to start your career, but succeed in it.

The second half of the book is filled with case studies from his career and each one was enjoyable. This really is a fantastic book, and I think the topic is universal enough that even people not trying to work in UX would enjoy this book. Tons of video game nuggets in here from some popular games like Halo, Age of Empires and Destiny.

[Blake Gama · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is an interesting look inside the industry and especially for the playtesting side. It wasn't at all what I had in mind when I got it, but it was informative and enjoyable. If you're looking for a more general side of the industry or for a book that focus on design. That's not it. But if you're looking for a book detailing the day to day struggles and successes of a researcher conduction research into player, that's the one.

[Benas Aukštikalnis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book due to its interesting stories about video game testing, but there was a lack of structure. Some chapters were like learning material in a specific industry, and others were like stories the author shared.

Neither is fully covered - just some snippets.

[Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it. Cool stories about Halo and Destiny. Hearing from a game researcher conducting these tests is a great perspective on game development.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a very nice and informative view of some of the backend stuff that goes into game development. A slightly less technical overview than what I was expecting, but I really enjoyed the narrative descriptions and the examples of marque games the author has worked on. The ending was pretty awful in my opinion. The author didn’t really wrap things up or give a good conclusion in my opinion and instead pitched how to become a games researcher. Definite recommend for this who taking taking somewhat more seriously.