Game devs talk design methods, system mechanics in design summit
Game Developer
MARCH 13, 2023
For anyone with an interest in game design, Polaris' developer summit has different articles covering various aspects of design development.
Solo dev Walter Woods (Here Below) of Dark and Deep “Strategic partners are crucial”
PreMortem.Games
APRIL 12, 2024
In the upcoming first person horror game Dark and Deep players take on the role of an underachieving IT guy who gets caught up in a conspiracy podcast. Woods started his studio Here Below with the vision of becoming the A24 of game companies. Here Below is an attempt to pool resources between small devs. I’m nimble.
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Solo dev Matthieu Houllier lets you take a paper plane on an adventure in Paper Sky
PreMortem.Games
MAY 6, 2024
French solo dev Matthieu Houllier , operating under the name Brute Force , has been making games by himself for five years. In that time he has released the 3D platform game Crumble. “It Because Houllier is working alone, he needs player’s feedback to shape his games. “I ” Why did you become a solo developer? “It
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Teleportation Mechanics
Grid Sage Games
NOVEMBER 16, 2023
Cogmind generally has fewer such direct escape options, but teleport mechanics are out there, if an advanced tech not usually available until the late game. As a general concept teleportation technology exists in quite a few varieties throughout the world of Cogmind, though the player only has access to some of them.
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Games Speak through Mechanics, Not Rules
Brand Game Development
APRIL 28, 2017
Dev Diary posts are made to teach game development through specific examples from my latest project: Highways & Byways. The mark of a great game developer is to make great complexity and interaction come out of simple elements. Need help on your board game? Games tell stories – whether they mean to or not.
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Game Dev Glossary: Prototype, Vertical Slice, First Playable, MVP, Demo
Ask a Game Dev
MARCH 29, 2024
It’s a functioning version of all planned game systems in the game working together for a representative final game experience. Examples might be character movement, a combat combo system, or a specific game mechanic. was modeled in this prototype before being translated to the 3D game world.
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Spotting and Dropping Bad Mechanics
Brand Game Development
APRIL 21, 2017
Dev Diary posts are made to teach game development through specific examples from my latest project: Highways & Byways. Most board game mechanics will not work as well as you intend them to. Good board game developers need to know when to drop mechanics and when to refine them. Click here. So it goes.
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Solo dev Josh Salley (HALbot Studios) “I believe in keeping a good work life balance”
PreMortem.Games
AUGUST 3, 2023
Josh Salley has always been a big fan of gaming, but thought that game development was out of his reach. “I I just assumed game development involved writing code all day.” I have always been a huge gamer, but never imagined I want to actually make games. The Nightmare Escape is a horror game.
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How to Design the Mechanics of Your Board Game
Brand Game Development
NOVEMBER 20, 2017
Board game development is a very individual process. Every single developer has different methods for creating their games. This article is the third of a 19-part suite on board game design and development. Need help on your board game? Join my community of over 2,000 game developers, artists, and passionate creators.
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Solo dev Chris Arvanitis: “Total control can be a double edged sword”
PreMortem.Games
AUGUST 25, 2023
Operating under the name of Xenoplasis Games , solo developer Christos Arvanitis is about to release his debut game Ontosis. It’s his first endeavor working completely alone after a failed attempt at developing a horror game with 2 others back in 2015. “A Why did you become a solo developer? “I years of development.
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Top 7 Game Dev Myths Explored
DameDev.tv
DECEMBER 16, 2022
Have you ever questioned your ability to make a game? as we explore the top 7 game dev myths Laurie (Avocado Fire) joins Rick Davidson & Tim Ruswick* to discuss these 7 game dev myths and address any concerns that you have. Listen to the whole chat here: [link] and see below for all 7 game dev myths.
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Solo dev Almar works on debut game Repunk “I’ve had some darker moments”
PreMortem.Games
NOVEMBER 17, 2023
For some, the idea of developing a game alone is daunting. Yet, for indie dev Almar, it offered an escape from the corporate rat race he felt trapped in. Sadly, the reality of the business showed me that the type of games that pay the rent weren’t the type of experiences I wanted to create”, he says. Which are its verbs?
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Solo dev Michael Schmidt “Adding spiritual traditions to games is hard”
PreMortem.Games
OCTOBER 23, 2023
Michael Schmidt has been interested in spirituality and Islamic spiritual tradition for a long time, and in his latest game Islands of the Caliph it all comes together. Schmidt developed the game by himself, because “I’ve never been any other kind of developer”. Each game has been different. Yes, a video game did that!
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Solo dev Mario Malagrino “The psychological pressure is the worst part of game development”
PreMortem.Games
NOVEMBER 3, 2023
On his company Twitter account Next Game Level , he introduces himself with a great sense of humor. Game developer from Italy! Although his first game Remote Life was quite successful and his next game Crude already amassed thousands of wishlists on Steam, Malagrino admits to sometimes struggle with motivation.
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How to Play-Test the Mechanics of Your Board Game
Brand Game Development
NOVEMBER 27, 2017
Board game development is a very individual process. Every single developer has different methods for creating their games. This article is the fourth of a 19-part suite on board game design and development. Need help on your board game? Join my community of over 2,000 game developers, artists, and passionate creators.
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Solo dev Jason Larabie of Rodent Games works after hours on Artificer’s Tower “I live a dual life”
PreMortem.Games
MARCH 13, 2024
When the allure of game development clashes with the necessity of a traditional job, the only choice is to juggle both endeavors simultaneously. Operating under the name RodentGames, Larabie has taught himself the necessary skills to create his upcoming game Artificer’s Tower, a happy mix of base building, management sim and boss battles.
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Why has every with some kind of “designated climbable ledge” mechanic seemingly settled on marking such ledges with yellow?
Ask a Game Dev
MAY 10, 2024
When we create a visual style for a game, we must establish a visual language. In a game with climbable ledges, players must be able to differentiate climbable ledges from non -climbable ledges. Short questions: Ask a Game Dev on Twitter Long questions: Ask a Game Dev on Tumblr Frequent Questions: The FAQ
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Theme vs. Mechanics
Brand Game Development
NOVEMBER 28, 2016
“Theme-first or mechanics-first” might be the most asked “big question” in the board game community. Need help on your board game? Join my community of over 2,000 game developers, artists, and passionate creators. Theme and mechanics are inseparable parts of board games as a whole.
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Solo dev Evan Polekoff of Critter Crossfire “Motivation is a limited resource”
PreMortem.Games
JANUARY 8, 2024
During the day he works as a Senior Software Engineer at Blizzard Entertainment, creating games like Hearthstone, together with a large group of specialized professionals. This game represents me as a developer”, he says. With the game now announced for a 2024-release, the part time solo dev is motivated to finish the game.
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Indie dev studio Wikkl Works takes virtual rock climbing to New Heights
PreMortem.Games
MAY 19, 2023
Wikkl Works , a Netherlands-based game studio, is working hard on the climbing game New Heights. By using photogrammetry the game offers real life locations like famous rock faces or even well known landmarks. Then we got the idea to scan real world cliffs and mountains into the game using photogrammetry.
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Solo dev Jonathan Barbosa Dijkstra “Learning new skills is a great motivator”
PreMortem.Games
SEPTEMBER 28, 2023
When Jonathan Barbosa Dijkstra lost his job, just before the pandemic hit, he decided to give his dream of making a game by himself a proper go. He took some online courses on programming and he was in business, as a solo dev operating under the name of Frambosa , only six months later. Why did you become a solo developer? “I
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Solo dev Diego Ras of Raccoo Venture “Everything starts with paper and pencil”
PreMortem.Games
FEBRUARY 2, 2024
He started his career in advertising, but the world of video games always held his real interest. Making games was something that seemed very far from reality”, he says. Yet, with help from the internet and some classes in college, he realized that he too could create games. Why did you become a solo developer? “I’ve
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Hello. Do you think having a game programming YouTube channel can be useful as a portfolio? Like recreating game mechanics from existing games or creating new ones, and explaining my thoughts and decisions through the videos. Similar to Artstation for artists, but in this case for programming.
Ask a Game Dev
APRIL 29, 2024
First, doing personal game development projects earns top marks. There's no better way to stand out as a candidate than to have experience doing that work already and game development is no exception. Your personal public posts will likely be read and dissected by the game's fans and used as potential ammunition against your employer.
Make a Board Game in 28 Days: A Challenge by Brandon the Game Dev
Brand Game Development
FEBRUARY 1, 2021
Today, I have a challenge for you as a board game designer. I want to see you make a board game in 28 days. That’s why I’ve provided a 28-day game design challenge for you. Need help on your board game? Join my community of over 2,000 game developers, artists, and passionate creators.
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5 Games to Make You a Better Board Game Dev for $64.63
Brand Game Development
SEPTEMBER 4, 2017
Getting started in board game development can be both intimidating and expensive. I’m almost certainly not the only blogger you’ve looked to for advice, and I can probably guess one thing you get told a lot: “play more games!” Need help on your board game? ” (Yeah, gee thanks, Sherlock.).
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20 New Year’s Resolutions for Board Game Devs in 2020
Brand Game Development
DECEMBER 30, 2019
Need help on your board game? Join my community of over 2,000 game developers, artists, and passionate creators. With that in mind, I want to help you come up with some New Year’s Resolutions of your own, ones specifically related to board game design. Create your first board game. Card games count, too!
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Ascent of Ashes dev switches to Godot halfway development “Not as chaotic as Unity”
PreMortem.Games
NOVEMBER 15, 2023
Studio owner and Lead Developer Max Hermann originally developed the idea for the game in the time when he was still a computer science student and active in the RimWorld modding scene. “I Exceedingly difficult The team first built the game in Unity. Ascent of Ashes is inspired by other games besides RimWorld as well.
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Two engineers build the physics-driven engineering parody The Enjenir
PreMortem.Games
OCTOBER 9, 2023
They are both well aware of the irony of two engineers developing a parody engineering game, but that hasn’t stopped Cillín Farrell and Neil Mackenzie from devoting the majority of their spare time doing just that. With the game’s 100% physics-based building system, players can solve each mission in infinite ways. As long as it works.
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Describe “depth” in a video game. In a general sense. What have you come to learn makes a video feel deep mechanically?
Ask a Game Dev
OCTOBER 25, 2023
Many decisions in games have a clearly correct answer - shoot the enemy in the weak spot, avoid the enemy attack, study and react to the enemy pattern, choose the weapon with higher DPS, and so on. Players are thus able to demonstrate their skill in the game through making good decisions.
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Dev Diary: 03/31/17
Brand Game Development
MARCH 31, 2017
Need help on your board game? Join my community of over 2,000 game developers, artists, and passionate creators. Naturally, this game is nowhere remotely close to completion. Also, the game doesn’t have a defined win condition yet. The post Dev Diary: 03/31/17 appeared first on Brandon the Game Dev.
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How to Fight “Tired Mode” as a Game Dev
Brand Game Development
JULY 28, 2017
Dev Diary posts are made to teach game development through specific examples from my latest project: Highways & Byways. This week in Start to Finish , I wrote Choose Your Own Adventure: Self-Publish or Not , an article dedicated to the benefits and pitfalls of self-publishing your game. Need help on your board game?
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Hello! I have a question about cutscenes. How does a decision get made about whether a cutscene can be skipped or not? I know some games have certain skipable cutscenes and others unskippable, and that in HD remakes of old games developers will sometimes add the ability to skip them. Do these decisions tend to be story-motivated or is there commonly a background mechanical reason to force a cutscene to play fully through?
Ask a Game Dev
APRIL 19, 2024
Cinematics are mostly for storytelling purposes, but they also hid a very real secondary purpose - we would do a lot of game setup during cinematics, like streaming data off of a physical disc while the cinematic is playing so that we can load what comes next.
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Out Now • Solo dev Pat Naoum of the handpainted The Master’s Pupil: “Creativity is a tool”
PreMortem.Games
AUGUST 9, 2023
As if developing a game by yourself wasn’t daunting enough, Pat Naoum decided to completely handpaint his debut game The Master’s Pupil. But the end is here, the game is out now on steam. Every man and his dog has made an indie game but no one has painted a game yet. A point of interest in the indie game sea.”
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what should one focus on, mechanics-wise, so that in the end players will enjoy losing?
Ask a Game Dev
AUGUST 8, 2023
Battle Royale games have only one ultimate winner, but they hand out rewards to all participants. Many games have achievements and secondary goals that grant rewards even if you don't win the match. We can, instead, offer the loser a quick exit and an option to get into a new game quickly.
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Creating the First Version of Game Rules
Brand Game Development
APRIL 7, 2017
I’m trying something different on the Dev Diary. I’ll be explaining my development processes for this game so that you can learn from them. I’ll be explaining my development processes for this game so that you can learn from them. We’re in this together, game devs. This is a teaching blog.
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Slot Game Template
Cocos
JANUARY 12, 2024
I would like to find out where I can get or buy a really good quality Slot Game template for online and mobile that I can update and skin here. I am a 2d & 3D Animator so having a template where the Dev is already setup will be easier for me to work from and learn how the mechanics are put together.
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Do you have any tips on making enemy factions feel different to fight against, without spending too much designer and programmer time making full sets of different abilities for each faction? For context, I’m working on a cyberpunk brawler with 3 major enemy factions (corp, gang, cop).
Ask a Game Dev
MARCH 5, 2024
Starcraft, for example, had all Zerg units regenerate, all Protoss have a combination of shields and health, and Terrans have a mix of organic (healable) units and mechanical (repairable) units. To do this, think about what makes a Corp and try to capture that in gameplay mechanics. Your faction abilities should be similar.
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“Game critics” often talk about putting critical plot points in DLC, and then when they describe the story in said DLC it’s clear that the original game’s story works perfectly fine without them. But that makes me wonder where the story in the DLCs came from. Is it usually a cut-for-time-or-budget thing, like other early DLC? Ideas that came later (and if so, how much does player feedback affect things)? Ideas that the devs wanted to work in, but that would just clutter the original narrative?
Ask a Game Dev
DECEMBER 27, 2023
for example, if there’s some sort of new unifying game mechanic in the DLC or expansion (think artifact weapons in WoW Legion), we may need to build content around that new mechanic and old stuff might take too much effort to repurpose.
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Solo dev Pat Naoum of the handpainted The Master’s Pupil: “Creativity is a tool”
PreMortem.Games
FEBRUARY 13, 2023
As if developing a game by yourself wasn’t daunting enough, Pat Naoum decided to completely handpaint his debut game The Master’s Pupil. But the end is near, the game will release on steam sometime in the foreseeable future. Every man and his dog has made an indie game but no one has painted a game yet.
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What confuses you most about board game development?
Brand Game Development
MARCH 30, 2020
Board game development is incredibly complex. To create a board game from start to finish , think of everything you have to do: Come up with a board game idea and design a game around it. Create rules and mechanics that help you express your idea in the best way possible. Play-test the game until it feels right.
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Fly around on a broom in cozy adventure Mika and the Witch’s Mountain by Chibig
PreMortem.Games
MARCH 11, 2024
When the Kickstarter campaign ended, cozy adventure game Mika and the Witch’s Mountain by Spanish indie developer Chibig didn’t just achieve its goal. The team had asked for a modest €40,000 to complete the game’s development, but managed to raise a whopping €1,300,368. It pulverised it!
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How to Create Video Game Atmosphere
Game Designing
FEBRUARY 13, 2023
Video games today are far more immersive than ever, and that isn’t simply because consoles and PCs have gotten more powerful. A lot of the beauty and appeal in modern games comes down to a less quantifiable factor: Atmosphere. What Is Game Atmosphere? Compare two games Breath of the Wild and Elden Ring.
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5 Levels of Communication through Game Development
Brand Game Development
JULY 17, 2017
After spending a lot of time last week talking about how to make games, let’s talk about how to make them well. When it comes to games, there are a handful of truths that are very important to realize. Need help on your board game? Join my community of over 2,000 game developers, artists, and passionate creators.
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How to Build up a Facebook Page as a Board Game Dev
Brand Game Development
APRIL 23, 2018
Need help on your board game? Join my community of over 2,000 game developers, artists, and passionate creators. Much like my old staple How to Get Big on Twitter as a Board Game Dev , I’ll be covering everything you need to know to get started on Facebook as a board game developer. Getting Started.
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