or a focused playtesting and ideation session, we met with Simone Kühn from the Max Planck Institute for Human Development to explore how the LUNA Framework can support the development of meaningful game concepts. The shared goal of the session was clear: to design a game concept that motivates younger people to spend more time outdoors and reconnect with nature.

The ideation process began with the Frame cards, which served as a common starting point for discussion and exploration. From there, the session quickly opened up into a rich landscape of ideas. Participants experimented with different approaches, testing how playful structures could encourage real-world behavior beyond the screen.

Among the concepts explored was a game idea that invites players to collect litter in natural environments, scan their findings, and receive AI-generated “trash monsters” in return — echoing familiar collection mechanics while reframing environmental action as playful discovery. Another concept envisioned an escape-room-like experience in nature, where players must explore and navigate real locations to solve challenges and progress through the game.

The ideation ultimately converged on a particularly engaging concept: a hybrid of Werewolf and geocaching. In this setup, participants follow a shared route through natural spaces while simultaneously deducing which player among them is the imposter. The combination of physical movement, social interaction, and deduction created a compelling framework for outdoor play.

Overall, the session demonstrated how the LUNA Framework can generate a wide range of promising design directions within a short time. Rather than producing a single finished concept, the ideation phase surfaced multiple strong approaches — each offering potential for deeper exploration and further development beyond the workshop setting.

In a dedicated game mechanics session, the LUNA Framework became both a shared language and a practical tool for exploring how games work beneath the surface. Through discussion, analysis, and hands-on ideation, participants engaged deeply with the core elements of the framework and applied them directly to existing games and new design concepts.

The session began with a collective exploration of the LUNA vocabulary. Frames, Entities, Ludic Agents, Human Agent Motivations, Activities and Actions, Process Segmentation, Human Agent Situations, and Agent Setups were examined not as abstract theory, but as living components of playable systems. Existing games were discussed and dissected using this terminology, allowing participants to articulate design decisions with greater precision and clarity.

Frames served as an early focal point. Participants identified the underlying frames of well-known games, developed new game ideas starting from a single frame, and experimented by applying alternative frames to existing concepts. These exercises revealed how profoundly a change in framing can reshape player experience and systemic behavior.

From there, attention shifted to Entities, Actions, and Activities. By distinguishing between player actions and broader activity loops, participants broke down existing games into their functional components. Entities were defined and contextualized, and complete game systems were explained through the relationships between these elements.

Motivation and agency followed. Using Ludic Agent and Human Agent Motivation cards as starting points, participants developed game concepts driven not by mechanics alone, but by player intent and desire. This perspective encouraged designs that foreground meaningful engagement over conventional genre expectations.

Process Segmentation introduced a temporal dimension to the analysis. Participants explored what process segmentation means in practice, analyzed different combinations, and developed game concepts based on segmented player journeys. This approach highlighted how pacing, progression, and structure can fundamentally shape a game’s experience.

The session also ventured beyond commercial conventions. By starting from Human Agent Situations, participants designed game concepts rooted in specific human contexts rather than market-driven formulas. Finally, existing games were categorized through Agent Setups, offering a clear overview of interaction structures and player relationships.

Across all exercises, the LUNA Framework functioned as both guide and catalyst. It enabled structured analysis while leaving room for creative exploration, demonstrating once again how playful methodology and clear conceptual tools can deepen understanding and expand the possibilities of game design.

The rooms were buzzing once again, cards shuffled, pens ready, and minds fully engaged: the latest LUNA-Framework playtest with DE:HIVE students has come to an end. Over two intensive days, participants stepped into the framework to explore how social frames, mechanics, and decision-making intertwine in playful design practice.

What quickly became apparent was how differently teams approached the process. While the LUNA Framework encourages starting from Social Frames, some groups instinctively gravitated toward mechanics first – a reflection of prior learning habits and established design routines. This tension sparked meaningful discussions and revealed how deeply ingrained design pathways can shape creative thinking.

As the sessions unfolded, unique group dynamics emerged. Teams varied widely in their speed and confidence when making decisions. Many employed a process of elimination, carefully narrowing down options before opening the floor for discussion. When consensus proved difficult, some groups even turned to good old-fashioned pen voting – a surprisingly effective democratic tool in moments of creative deadlock.

Day two brought an important insight: smaller teams thrived. Groups of two and three participants proved especially agile, navigating the framework with greater focus and efficiency. To keep momentum high, some teams introduced self-imposed timers, transforming decision-making into a playful challenge of its own.

Beyond testing mechanics, the playtest offered valuable insights into how participants perceive Social Frames – often as agent-based setups such as rivalries or partnerships. This feedback now feeds directly into the ongoing development of the LUNA-Framework, helping refine its structure and accessibility.

At Lucca Comics & Games in Italy, the LUNA – Framework was put to the test in a vibrant exhibition setting – and the results were both encouraging and inspiring. Even participants with no prior experience in game system design or game development were able to generate their own game concepts within just one to two hours, demonstrating the framework’s accessibility and ease of use.

The structured card system played a central role throughout the sessions. By offering targeted prompts and guiding questions, the LUNA-Framework helped participants navigate complex design processes step by step. This structure highlighted key aspects of their emerging concepts and supported a focused, methodical approach to building game systems.

Interest in the framework was remarkably high. Many participants expressed enthusiasm about using the LUNA cards directly in schools and educational environments, actively asking about the planned release date. This strong response reinforced the framework’s potential beyond professional design contexts, positioning it as a valuable educational tool.

Alongside the positive feedback, valuable insights for further refinement emerged. Some cards and card stacks – particularly those related to Ludemes – were perceived as difficult to understand. Additionally, certain stacks felt redundant once participants’ ideas had become more concrete. This sparked discussions about whether these elements should be introduced later in the process, adapted, or potentially removed altogether.

Despite these points for improvement, the overall response remained highly positive. The Lucca exhibition once again confirmed the LUNA-Framework’s ability to empower creativity, support structured thinking, and open game design to a broader audience – regardless of prior experience.

The LUNA-Framework playtest with DE:HIVE students offered a focused look into how guidance can actively support playful creativity. From the very start, participants engaged confidently with the LUNA-Framework, requiring only minimal guidance from the game master. The clear sequence of steps and card-based mechanics empowered groups to navigate the framework independently and with ease.

Beginning with the situation card proved to be a strong entry point. It helped participants anchor their ideas early on, sparking more focused and active engagement. The four-card limit functioned effectively, encouraging deliberate choices rather than overwhelming possibilities. Even in moments when facilitation was not immediately present, groups intuitively self-regulated, respecting the restriction and maintaining the flow of play.

Feedback throughout the session was overwhelmingly positive. Students highlighted how the defined structure supported creativity rather than limiting it. “Having defined steps makes idea generation much easier,” one participant shared, while another reflected, “I feel much freer during ideation.”

At the same time, valuable points for improvement emerged. Some participants noted that the font size on the cards was too small, and certain card names did not accurately reflect their descriptions. The mechanics deck, in particular, sparked mixed reactions, with some dissatisfaction around specific card contents and noticeable duplication.

Overall, the playtest demonstrated the strength of the LUNA-Framework in supporting autonomous, playful design while offering clear insights for refinement. Each observation feeds into the ongoing development of the system.