I read this book, Don’t Make Me Think, a few years ago and I find that it’s helped me out in many, many ways. Originally it was written with the intent on helping educate web peeps on how to build more effective websites. It focuses on use and usability of the web experiences you’re trying to create.
Many of these lessons carry over into game design and development, especially regarding the flow and learning curves of games. WoW does an amazing job of this, for example, with it’s extensive tooltip system, as well as the help tip system that works the very first time you play the game.
Granted, I’m not saying all games should be thoughtless. Of course you shouldn’t spoonfeed your user everything that they need all of the time. Certain game genres require your user to think as a base principle of the game. I’m mostly referring to more general and broad concepts like having intuitive controls and such.
That being said, one of the main reasons why I don’t play adventure games is *because* they make me think, and if you don’t think exactly along with the authors mind, you don’t get anywhere.
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