Motivation - Why Game Design/Development?

For a long time I've always had a lot of ideas and scenarios popping in my head and constantly developing. All this time I've hoped to one day be able to put them on paper or/and screen. I've been writing and drawing every change I've got, but without enough motivation to continue and get better.
I realise that there isn't really anything special about this, a lot of people have ideas they want to put into practice. That is what made me put down the pencil for a while.

One year ago, I was introduced to a course in Basic Game Design at a public college in Vetlanda, Småland. In a introductory course that lasted 3 days, we were given the assignment to create a space shooter. We were asked: what would be your space shooter? That question gave the spark for a whole new universe of ideas and inspiration.
So I spent a whole year at the full course, doing one of my new favourite activities: Making games, unfinished and full of flaws but games that are mine and came from my mind and hard work spent. 

One game in particular made me realise just why I want to continue in this field. A game I developed with a fellow student. I made the graphics and he programmed, a horror game. It didn't have any legit scares but during our presentation, our fellow students eyes widened and moved towards the edge of their seats in complete silence.
With basically a 2 week prototype, we had successfully created an spooky and unnerving atmosphere. After the presentation, they demanded that we make this into a full fledged game. 

The game can be seen in my YouTube clip shown below. It's a montage of all the small 1-2 week projects I did during the year. The horror game is shown last.
  

Download Link:
http://www.mediafire.com/?2voaihs6t09igzr

The major problem with the course however, was the lack of opportunities for playtesting. And I mean playtesting by people other than yourself. I feel that I can't really improve unless I receive proper criticism and reactions from players that doesn't have any ties to the development itself or have any strong relationship to you. Ties like that get in the way of proper criticism.

That is what I received when I let some people play my 4 week project. "Desperate at Dusk", an adventure game meant to put yourself in the shoes of an immigrant, forced to crime.

Download Link:
http://www.mediafire.com/?mr3l1122859b192

I recieved tons of criticism in terms of design and narration. As well as learning a great deal as a project leader, from a slew of mistakes made. This has given me strengthened resolve to get better and create more games.

Better went the 6 week project where I simply took the role as graphics designer.

This received much better response and our programmer/project leader did an outstanding job. This project has taught me the value of good communication and teamwork. I had a lot of fun, working with very talented people on this game.

Download link:
http://www.mediafire.com/download/s1ci04dx4e4jzx3/Magnesia.exe


Please feel free to give comments and criticism. But instead of plainly saying "it's good", "it's bad", "it's horrible" or "it's aweosme". Tell me what exactly makes it good or bad, which parts and what needs to be improved. I learn a lot from comments like those.

Greetings

I'm a Swedish student in game design and -programming at Uppsala University, Campus Gotland. Last year I finished a one year course of "Game Design" at Ädelfors Public College. I was inspired to continue my studies and work in the field and Campus Gotland seems like great place for just that.

I've spent the first five weeks of the program's first two courses:  
"Game Analysis and Game Design - an Introduction" and "Written and spoken communication".

Here are my experiences so far:

Game Analysis and Game Design - an Introduction

The main reason I came here was to get more opportunities to make games and get more experience. But apparently since Gotland University got merged with Uppsala University, there needs to be a certain amount of theoretical studies and research in every program and course.
That's exactly what we've been up to so far. Not so much research per say, but definitely a lot of theoretical study.

I'm not exactly complaining, the course and its studies fills an important purpose for all the aspiring game developers here (me included I hope). Not to mention that the course literature are interesting to read and well written by one of our guest teachers: Ernst Adams. He's made a name for himself in both game development and -education and it definitely shows during his lectures.

There was of course two short and easy assignments, but s**t got real recently when Adam Mayes (brilliant teacher) announced the course's main assignment.
A full fledged concept document, that we'll have five weeks to complete. I heard most of my fellow students gasp and swallow in terror for this seemingly huge project they were about to undertake. As for me, I'm really looking forward to it. This is what I came here for. Although there won't be (much) production involved, I can finally start designing "proper" games.
However, I'm not fond of the amount "professionalism" and marketing strategy that Adam put an emphasis on the assignment. I definitely understand that it's very important, but this early for the first year students? Most of them are fresh out of high school and we're asked to act as professionals after five weeks.
Either way like I said, I'm really looking forward to get to work.

Written and spoken communication

This course is mainly to help us write papers and make vocal presentations like proper academic students. It's been going really well so far. The lectures gives invaluable advice and the seminars allows us to make use of them.
The assignments feels almost too easy (which doesn't bode well for me).

The state of my group however bothers me. We never seem to have enough time to finish the obligatory critique on some of our members' written assignments during the seminars. The solution would be to finish them outside the seminars and that's where the problem lies. There never seems to be any proper communication in our group. The only means seems to be through a Facebook Group, but most of my group members aren't very active there and never upload their assignments even though they've agreed on doing so on multiple occasions. I've reminded every chance I got, but to no avail.
I'm worried that my group members might be lagging behind on the assignments because of this.