Radiator Blog

MARCH 16, 2023

I assumed it was mostly for fans but after watching all 32 episodes (on 2x speed, skipping some parts) I've changed my mind and now I think it's essential viewing for all game designers / devs. Outside of game design, there's a growing tide against "design thinking" style methods, see "Design thinking was supposed to fix the world.

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Game Daily

APRIL 11, 2023

Lacking a single force able to coral the many competing entities right now, Pinnock is positive that mutual interest will bring companies together, most especially to resolve Web3 gaming’s most outlandish promise, and its thorniest problem – interoperability. “Think about a Marvel Universe, for instance.

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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. Lifeline by Three Minute Games. AI Dungeon by Latitude. Change: 10/10.

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Horror Games Mobile Mobile 109

Logic Simplified

OCTOBER 7, 2024

Thanks to its AI-assisted and physics tools you can dramatically speed up the animation process and get high quality results. Here are some of the standout features that make Cascadeur a game-changer, not just for veterans like me, but also for aspiring animators: 1. Let me confess.

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Game Dev Unchained

NOVEMBER 13, 2023

This episode is sponsored by Autodesk AU 2023 | November 13-15 in Las Vegas ⁠ ⁠ My conversation with Brian Canary, a seasoned game designer, reveals the intricacies of the industry’s shifting dynamics. Collaboration and Single-Player Game Resurgence The discourse delves deep into the essence of game design—collaboration.

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Game Dev Unchained

NOVEMBER 13, 2023

This episode is sponsored by Autodesk AU 2023 | November 13-15 in Las Vegas ⁠ ⁠ My conversation with Brian Canary, a seasoned game designer, reveals the intricacies of the industry’s shifting dynamics. Collaboration and Single-Player Game Resurgence The discourse delves deep into the essence of game design—collaboration.

Games 52

Games AI Technology Content 52

iXie gaming

AUGUST 12, 2024

By doing this, your game can be released in more places and has a better chance to earn more money. Compliance testing shows that you care about responsible game design, fair monetization, and protecting player data. This builds player loyalty, making them not only enjoy your games but also recommend them to others.

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CG Spectrum

JUNE 10, 2024

3D Modelling 3D Animation FX Concept Art 2D Animation Game Design Game Programming 3D Modelling: Shaping Virtual Worlds “3D modelling is a rewarding career where you get to bring concepts and 2D imagery to life, sculpting personality and story into characters, objects, and environments. What does a game designer do?

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CG Spectrum

APRIL 3, 2023

Penny was kind enough to share her experience at GDC and why she believes it's such a valuable event for people looking to break into the games industry. GDC is an annual event that brings together programmers, artists, producers, game designers, audio professionals, and business leaders from around the world.

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Ask a Game Dev

AUGUST 22, 2024

However, I don’t want to leave things too abstract - game design is about taking an idea and translating it into real game rules and mechanics. Today, I’ll go into some more specific implementation principles that designers can use while crafting their choices in order to get the player thinking.

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Game Dev Unchained

SEPTEMBER 18, 2023

. “Games can form a better motivational framework that we shouldn’t ignore with education,” he said. With AI technologies making rapid strides, and the information age turning students into consumers wanting immediate answers, there’s an urgent need to adapt. The future remains uncertain.

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Grid Sage Games

MARCH 10, 2022

Some roguelikes don’t strive for balance, but maintaining balance has always been important to me for Cogmind, since it fits better with my vision for this type of game, heavy on tough, complex, and consequential decision-making at multiple strategic and tactical levels. Alien Artifacts. Exiles Prototypes.

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Ask a Game Dev

NOVEMBER 3, 2023

However, I don’t want to leave things too abstract - game design is about taking an idea and translating it into real game rules and mechanics. Today, I’ll go into some more specific implementation principles that designers can use while crafting their choices in order to get the player thinking.

Mechanics 52

Mechanics AI Dev Racing 52

Deconstructor of Fun

MARCH 14, 2023

He stressed that games should hold true to the brand’s values, citing Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes as a perfect product-market fit. Diversify revenue model Cilingir urged game-makers with games skewed heavily toward either ad or IAP-based monetisation to balance their revenue mix.

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Games Cross platform Mobile Mobile 59

AWS Games

JUNE 13, 2023

A mage, a hacker, and a barbarian walk into a bar… What sounds like the start of a joke is the ultimate vision for cyberpunk, blockchain collectible card game “Metropolis Origins”, created by game industry veterans at QXR Studios. The game is free to play, though players can purchase faction-specific card packs on the WAX Blockchain.

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Logic Simplified

MAY 22, 2024

Data-driven design is the norm for applications and websites now, led by fusing data analytics with UX design. You may also read: Game Design and Development Process: Pre to Postproduction Why UX Design Evolution Matters “ The growth in UX is still to come. Data collection and privacy concerns are a balancing act.

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Grid Sage Games

DECEMBER 3, 2022

I’ve also been writing more general roguelike-related articles, too, looking at game design , item randomization , and backtracking. You can now find me on Mastodon , too, where I’ll be sharing info about roguelike development, other roguelikes, and of course the occasional Cogmind update. WARLORD FOREVER!

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Designer Notes

AUGUST 10, 2021

The term carpet-of-doom is an ironic reference to the “stacks-of-doom” of Civ 4 where an AI could invade with 20+ units stacked on a single tile. Tempting players to make an impulsive decision for a short-term gain but at the risk of a bigger loss later is solid game design. I was very pleased with myself!

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Tile Point and Click AI Mechanics 40

iXie gaming

MARCH 2, 2025

This technique isnt just a nostalgic throwback; its a strategic design choice that allows developers to craft visually striking, performance-efficient, and highly engaging experiences. continues to evolve, leveraging AI, modern rendering techniques, and cutting-edge game engines to push the boundaries of game design.

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Game Design Advice

JUNE 5, 2016

Deep games require knowledge, explanation, creativity, and cleverness. Such a model could also inform our discussions about game design, suggesting directions for design exploration and expanding our palette of analytical tools and techniques. Modeling depth may help us better understand how to think about these things.

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iXie gaming

MARCH 28, 2025

Pre-production lays the foundation for artistic direction, ensuring that all visual elements align with the games mechanics, worldbuilding, and narrative. This stage involves close collaboration between game designers, art directors, and concept artists. LOD optimization to balance quality and performance.

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PreMortem.Games

OCTOBER 16, 2024

Football Game Development Moss conducted over a dozen in-depth interviews with football game designers for the book. His research revealed just how difficult it is to create a great football game. Developers also have to balance realism and fun, something that Moss found fascinating.

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Game Dev Unchained

MAY 17, 2023

“Game schemes are expensive. The standards of the audience are getting higher and higher” Indeed, the balance between creative freedom and business efficiency is a delicate one. As the industry and its players continue to evolve, the dynamics of game development, distribution, and reception are bound to change.

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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.

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Tile Point and Click AI Mechanics 98

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. It would feel terrible.

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Deconstructor of Fun

JANUARY 24, 2023

For a market game designer, revealing information should be an orchestrated event. For example, a balance patch to Skyweavers that changes the power (and thus price) of different cards will shake up the market considerably. Major balance patches should be a planned event, similar to the Federal Reserve’s monthly meetings.

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Sirlin

JULY 25, 2019

The very specific way it works is actually innovative and is a general contribution to game design that many other games could use. Notice that this isn’t just about poorly balanced games. Even the best balanced asymmetric game will suffer this fate.

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Designer Notes

AUGUST 31, 2021

The following is an excerpt from the Designer Notes for Old World. The game, a historical 4X set in classical antiquity, released on July 1, 2021, and is available for purchase here. The first Civilization game was like a game design thunderbolt, sent from the heavens and marking everything it touched.

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Grid Sage Games

NOVEMBER 20, 2023

Well I don’t really want* to go as far as creating a full-blown in-game design system with a dedicated interactive UI like you might find in some sort of RTS or games with a vehicle design element. in order to force them to use alternatives, either from their inventory or provided by Cogmind.

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Mechanics Build Point and Click Tile 52

Radiator Blog

DECEMBER 12, 2022

Because the dialogue happens at the same time as the walking, I felt I had to keep the other game systems relatively simple too or else it would feel overwhelming. Balancing the weight of each system was difficult. Like many game prototypes, my initial sheepherding test began as something much grander and more complicated.

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Radiator Blog

JUNE 30, 2022

Zugzwang attempts to encode these New Sex Urbanism / Sex As Public Health ideologies into a first person broughlike design. Under your watch, these AI men wander the randomly generated sex maze and pair-up for sex based on proximity, line of sight, and sexual compatibility. You play as a sex angel.

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