The "I Wish/What If" Game Design Critique: Unleash Hidden Game Design Solutions

February 25, 2025

Did you know preventable design flaws are a primary reason why games fail? The “I Wish/What If” critique is a powerful technique to proactively de-risk game development by catching design weaknesses before they become major problems. Design flaws can be expensive to fix. The “I Wish/What If” technique helps de-risk game development by identifying and addressing potential design weaknesses before they become major problems.

This technique unlocks creative solutions that directly improve the game’s design and help identify unforeseen problems.

The Downside of Direct Criticism

Direct criticism, while sometimes necessary, can stifle creativity. Simply stating “This level is boring” rarely inspires a designer and can trigger defensiveness. The “I Wish/What If” technique offers a more constructive, solution-oriented path.

The “I Wish/What If” Technique: A Positive Reframe

This technique reframes criticism as possibilities, focusing on potential enhancements rather than perceived flaws. It’s about what could be, rather than what is.

Here’s how it works:

Present the Work: The designer presents their work (level layout, character design, game mechanic).
The Critique: Instead of direct criticism, the team offers “I wish…” or “What if…” statements.
Iteration: The designer considers the suggestions and iterates on their work, experimenting with the proposed changes.

Examples in Game Development

Let’s examine some specific examples in different game genres:

Scenario: Level Designer reviewing a section of an RPG dungeon. The design goal is to create a challenging and rewarding dungeon experience for players level 5-7.
Instead of: “This room is too generic and doesn’t offer anything new.”
Try: “I wish this room’s puzzle mechanic required players to use skills they learned earlier in the dungeon, like combining a fire spell with a water source to activate a mechanism. What if failing the puzzle triggered a minor trap that drained the player’s resources, emphasizing the need for careful observation?” This revised statement provides a clearer direction for the level designer by tying the puzzle mechanic to the dungeon’s existing lore and challenging the player’s problem-solving skills.
Scenario: Gameplay Programmer reviewing enemy AI in a stealth game. The design goal is to create a tense and strategic stealth experience.
Instead of: “This enemy is too easy to avoid.”
Try: “What if the enemy’s heightened hearing was tied to their patrol route and stress level? An enemy further from their post and on high alert would have more sensitive hearing, forcing the player to adapt their approach based on the enemy’s current state.” The revised statement encourages the programmer to create a more dynamic and believable enemy AI by connecting its behavior to the game world and internal state.
Scenario: UI/UX Designer reviewing the player inventory screen in a survival game. The design goal is to create a UI that is both functional and immersive.
Instead of: “This inventory screen is too cluttered and confusing.”
Try: “I wish the inventory screen had a limited field of view that mimicked the player character rummaging through their backpack. What if the drag-and-drop system had slight physics, making it slightly more challenging to quickly organize items in a dangerous situation?” This revised statement focuses on making the inventory screen more engaging and realistic by tying it to the player character’s actions and the game’s survival theme.

Structuring “I Wish/What If” Sessions for Targeted Feedback

To maximize the effectiveness of the “I Wish/What If” critique, structure sessions to target specific areas of concern. Proper structure is vital to proactively de-risk game development:

Playtesting Feedback Integration: After playtesting, dedicate a session to addressing player feedback. “I wish the movement felt more responsive” can translate into actionable tasks for the programming team.
Difficulty Curve Assessment: Focus on the game’s difficulty curve. “What if the early levels were slightly easier to allow players to learn the core mechanics?” can lead to adjustments that improve the player experience.
Targeted Design Overhaul: When a project feels “stuck,” dedicate a session to blue-sky thinking. No idea is too wild; the goal is to unlock new creative avenues.

The Core Benefits

This technique offers several key benefits that extend beyond simple feedback:

Reduces Defensiveness: It softens the impact of feedback, making it easier for designers to receive and process.
Encourages Creativity: It sparks brainstorming and generates a wider range of fresh, innovative ideas.
Identifies Blind Spots: It helps designers see their work from different perspectives, revealing potential problems they might have missed.
Facilitates Rapid Prototyping: The “What If” questions can lead to quick experiments and prototypes, allowing designers to test new ideas rapidly.

De-Risking Game Development

The “I Wish/What If” technique directly contributes to de-risking game development. Studies have shown that fixing a bug during pre-production can be up to 100 times cheaper than fixing it post-release. This technique allows you to catch potential design flaws early in the development cycle when adjustments are less costly and time-consuming. Focusing on preventative design saves significant development time.

The “I Wish/What If” technique directly contributes to de-risking game development in several ways:

Early Problem Detection: By proactively seeking potential flaws, the technique helps identify issues before they become deeply ingrained in the project.
Cost-Effective Solutions: Addressing design problems early in the development cycle is significantly cheaper than fixing them later.
Improved Team Morale: A positive and collaborative critique process fosters a more supportive and productive work environment.

Active Listening: Unlocking the Potential

Effectively receiving “I Wish/What If” statements requires active listening and a willingness to explore new ideas.

Two people in a remote video call actively listening and nodding, with one person gesturing to emphasize their point, fostering a sense of connection and collaboration despite the distance.

Focus on understanding the design intent behind the statement. Ask clarifying questions to delve deeper. For example: “When you say you wish the enemy had a heightened sense of hearing, what kind of challenges would that create for the player?”

Supercharging Nextframe with Targeted Prompts

Wayline’s Nextframe text-to-image feature becomes even more powerful when fueled by specific “I Wish/What If” critiques. For example, after the team decides, “I wish this character had more visible wear and tear,” a designer can use Nextframe with the prompt “a grizzled warrior with torn armor and numerous scars” to quickly generate concept art. This targeted approach transforms Nextframe from a general idea generator into a tool for realizing specific, actionable design goals, resulting in more relevant and immediately usable assets.

From Feedback to Innovation

The “I Wish/What If” critique transforms feedback into a catalyst for design innovation and helps identify potential design flaws early in the development process, de-risking the entire project. It fosters an environment where new ideas flourish and encourages designers to think outside the box. Embracing this technique can significantly improve your game design process and unlock its full creative potential. See how this technique builds on the importance of collaboration highlighted in "Level Up Your Indie Game: Why Collaboration Beats the Lone Wolf Myth" and "Beyond the Code: Building Games with a Balanced Team."