Hey all. Okay, we’re not using “Randomness” anymore. Or, this is a proposal to use some different terms, for different, specific things. The word “randomness” is really overloaded with a lot of different uses and I find that it’s sometimes difficult to talk about different kinds of variance in games in a way that is […]
“Randomness” alternatives Read More »
Today I streamed and had a good conversation on the stream, thinking out loud about whether it might be a *good thing* to have 10-20% of plausibly deniable guaranteed losses in your game. Watch the video! You can also read the notes on Google Docs, here. Enjoy, and let me know what you think,
Maybe it’s good to have 20% unwinnable matches in your game? Read More »
While it is occasionally possible to have a design come together right away, there are times when you need to toil over a design for some time before something changes, and only then will the system start to shine. Many times, this change comes in the form of a breakthrough rule that unlocks the potential
Spellstorm’s Breakthrough Rule Read More »
I decided to make a word cloud that lays out some of the associations between certain qualities of a game, and the term “RPG”. Check it out, and let me know what you think.
Videogames, at least the kind I’m talking about (RPGs, adventure kinds of somewhat narrative videogames, Zelda games, Elden Ring, etc), have essentially three “places”: Outside – Hyrule field. Most of the game is Outside, just running around in a grassy area or a snowy mountain. It’s kind of the glue between all of the elements
Outside, Dungeon, Town: integrating the Three Places in Videogames Read More »
One of the principles that has been important to me over the years, which I have talked about a lot, is the idea that strategy games should always be moving toward their conclusion. In a way, this extends from the basic Clockwork Game Design model. In this model, you have a goal, and a “core
Strategy games should always be moving toward their conclusion Read More »
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