Prof. Linda Kruse has been teaching Applied Game Concepts and Game Design in the Time-Based Media program since early November 2020.
Professor Kruse, what prompted you to move to Mainz University of Applied Sciences?
Through teaching assignments at institutions such as Freie Universität Berlin, the Technical University of Cologne, and SRH Heidelberg, I was able to explore various degree programs, their focus, and their areas of specialization. What I find particularly exciting about Mainz University of Applied Sciences—especially in the Department of Design, where my field is media design—is the broad range of programs in Time-Based Media. These programs offer students the opportunity to acquire creative skills, technical expertise, and theoretical knowledge in animation, audio, film, and, of course, interaction.
As a game designer, my focus is on the conception and development of games—that is, applied game concepts. This means creating meaningful experiences, or opportunities for meaningful experiences, for the players. For example: In an interactive story, players have the opportunity to determine the protagonists’ fate through their individual decisions. As a result, each player experiences a unique story that can also be interpreted in different ways. In addition, games are always developed for a specific target audience. Typically, the target audience is also involved during production; they test the game and thus contribute significantly to its successful design.
The target audiences for games are as diverse as the media fields themselves. This is precisely where interdisciplinary exchange is wonderful and inspiring. Skills acquired across all creative fields can be applied in games to expand, transform, or comment on existing concepts—or to create something entirely new.
In addition to research findings from game studies and computer science itself, interdisciplinary work is, for me, a core element in designing innovative, socially relevant, and forward-looking games for the people of today and tomorrow.
It is precisely this interdisciplinary approach that is practiced in the Media Design department at Mainz University of Applied Sciences, and that is why I am very excited to enrich the Interaction field through my specialization in Applied Game Concepts and Media Informatics.
What appeals to you most about your new position?
What I find particularly appealing about this new position is that I can shape and build up the academic field centered on research and teaching in the area of games. That I can create and leverage theoretical and practical connections. And, in addition, that I can provide students who wish to focus on game design and development with the opportunity for in-depth exploration. Furthermore, I’m looking forward to collaborating with my colleagues.
What topic would you like to discuss with students in a casual setting?
Personally, I think informal gatherings are ideal for examining socially relevant topics from different perspectives and finding solutions together for a better future. Since games are complex systems based on rules, the following topics, among others, would be suitable: What contribution can and must games, as the leading medium of the 21st century, make? How can games contribute to a better understanding of complex (global) processes—such as democracy, a pandemic, or the climate crisis? What will the sustainable design and development of tomorrow look like? And afterward, I’d just play a game with the students.
Under the heading “Three Questions for…,” we’ll be introducing newly appointed professors in an irregular series and asking them about their interests, their areas of focus, and what they hope to discuss and drive forward at Mainz University of Applied Sciences.
