Grumpy Gamer

JULY 15, 2014

While cleaning out my storage unit in Seattle, I came across a treasure trove of original documents and backup disks from the early days of Lucasfilm Games and Humongous Entertainment. Gary and I were trying to make sense of the mansion and how the puzzles flowed together. More design flow and ideas. Grumpy Gamer style.

Puzzle 52

Puzzle Entertainment Concepts Art 52

Game Analytics

DECEMBER 5, 2022

One of the reasons why hyper-casual games are so popular is due to how quick and easy they are to make. Simple controls, artwork, and game design make it easy for any developer to pick up. There are other ways to build a game on a budget. Secondly, you don’t need a lot of design. One way is narrative. Change: 9/10.

Horror 109

Horror Mobile Mobile Games 109

iXie gaming

NOVEMBER 25, 2022

Games are more than just a diversion. They are an interactive form of entertainment that can be enjoyed from beginning to end in a short time. However, developing games has become very time-consuming and expensive. This is why game art studios have emerged over the past decade. Scaling your team’s skills.

Art 52

Art Game Developer Game Development Studios 52

Deconstructor of Fun

FEBRUARY 24, 2020

Using the thought framework of Ikigai , I managed to crystallize my ‘ reasons for being ’ in games - my ‘ Why ’. Industry peers asked me: “What games will you make?” “Do Will you make another puzzle game?”. Some of the puzzle games I’ve worked on. But now I have a team of specialists making puzzles.

Studios 52

Studios Build Puzzle Concepts 52

Grumpy Gamer

JANUARY 18, 2018

I had worked at Lucasfilm for 8 years and learned a lot, not just about game design and programming, but also marketing, PR, and production and I felt like I needed to try it all for myself. I also had the idea of making adventure games for kids. I floated it by Lucasfilm Games and they weren't interested.

Puzzle 52

Puzzle Point and Click Playtesting AI 52

Deconstructor of Fun

JANUARY 24, 2023

A cold calculating trader would only care about the outcome, but human beings seem to love watching the outcome unfold - a puzzling topic for economists. Sports betting is probably the best example, where the outcome of a wager is a live sporting competition; the bettor’s stake makes them all the more invested to watch the game.

Games 52

Games Point and Click Asset Balance 52

Deconstructor of Fun

APRIL 25, 2022

System The system design of the game and the in-game stats balance demonstrate Devsisters’ high standards. The consistency in design logic and gameplay integrating multiple systems show players the wit and excellence in game design choices.

Baking 52

Baking Simulation Build Animation 52

Game Design Advice

FEBRUARY 4, 2018

Every game he makes is a fascinating journey into a dense thicket of game design ideas. They’re all worth spending time with and the best ones unfold under the light of your attention into the kind of transcendent experiences that make a life spent playing games worthwhile. A Quick Game Design Digression.

Game Design 40

Game Design Game Designer Puzzle Communications 40

Designer Notes

MARCH 31, 2023

Welcome to My Elephant in the Room: An Old World Design Postmortem. Here are the games that I’ve worked on. Spoiler alert: Civilization 3 and 4 are going to come up a lot in the presentation… I also do a podcast where I interview game designers about why they make games, so check it out if you have time for 4-hour interviews.

Tile 98

Tile Point and Click AI Mechanics 98

AWS Games

DECEMBER 1, 2022

The responses represent a diverse set of developers – they work for small studios with less than 20 people (58%), medium studios of up to 150 people (26%), and large studios of over 150 people (16%) that develop games across 22 genres including action (33%), role playing (30%), and puzzle (22%).

Game Developer 52

Game Developer Game Development Development AI 52

Grumpy Gamer

MAY 31, 2009

About a year and a little more ago, as I began designing the uber-awesome DeathSpank , I played all the way through The Secret of Monkey Island to refresh myself on the puzzles and dialog. No point in having to solve the same puzzle over and over. Never be afraid to edit you game down if it needs it.

Puzzle 52

Puzzle Point and Click Fighting Animation 52

Deconstructor of Fun

MAY 18, 2023

If you liked this analysis, you’ll love: Why Rovio is Such a Juicy Catch #1 What is the rationale and Strategic interest behind Sega Sammy’s desire to acquire Rovio Entertainment Firstly, Rovio is an earnings-generating mobile gaming company with studios in Europe and Canada. So potentially, we’ll see Sega IPs adapt Puzzle+RPG bets?

Mobile Gaming 52

Mobile Gaming Mobile Mobile Advertising 52

Grumpy Gamer

MAY 12, 2004

I wrote this article to help fellow Adventure Games designers back in 1989, but the RPG, FPS and RTS designers of 2004 could use a little of the self-proclaimed wisdom of the past. I learned a lot from Monkey Island 1 and 2, plus countless kids Adventure Games at Humongous Entertainment. Backwards Puzzles.

Puzzle 64

Puzzle Games Entertainment Graphics 64

Radiator Blog

NOVEMBER 10, 2021

This is similar to my tactics games writeup and Enderal (huge Skyrim mod) writeup where I spoil some interesting game designer / systems design things. I don't discuss much of the game narrative. I assume general game design knowledge but minimal Deathloop-specific knowledge.

Fighting 52

Fighting NPC Puzzle AI 52

Deconstructor of Fun

JUNE 6, 2022

But they’ve long since stopped being exclusive to mid-core, cosmetic-driven games and nowadays are present in a constantly growing amount of genres and games. The fact that Battle Passes have been successful on audiences so alien to each other like MOBAs and Match-3 Puzzle fans shows how versatile its design can be.

Content 52

Content Mechanics Balance Mobile 52

Deconstructor of Fun

NOVEMBER 3, 2023

Addressing the initial learning curve, introducing enticing mid-game offers, and refining unlocking progression are essential for the game’s long-term success. With Blizzard's expertise in creating compelling end-game content, Warcraft Rumble has the potential to become a major success and influence future game design trends. ?

Mobile 113

Mobile Mobile Mobile Gaming Concepts 113

Deconstructor of Fun

NOVEMBER 2, 2023

Addressing the initial learning curve, introducing enticing mid-game offers, and refining unlocking progression are essential for the games long-term success. With Blizzard's expertise in creating compelling end-game content, Warcraft Rumble has the potential to become a major success and influence future game design trends.

Mobile 52

Mobile Mobile Mobile Gaming Concepts 52