Sirlin

FEBRUARY 16, 2016

I have a free podcast series on game design, here. In this latest Raw Game Design episode, I discuss how we might use advanced AIs in the Fantasy Strike fighting game, if we had access to some pretty great AI tech. I also have a second podcast that's just for my Patreon supporters.

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Game Design Game Designer Fantasy AI 40

Keith Burgun

NOVEMBER 7, 2023

Starting somewhere in 2020, I started this huge dive into the Final Fantasy series – strangely enough, starting with the XIII trilogy. This article , in particular, from Nintendo Power, I have a distinct memory of reading and being totally transfixed by the concept of the world of Final Fantasy 1. (I A cool, fun game.

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Fantasy Pixel Art Fighting 119

Brand Game Development

JUNE 24, 2019

Tasty Humans is a 30-60 minute, tile-laying, pattern-building game for 1-4 players. You are a fantasy monster trying to sate your insatiable appetite. As you and your fellow monsters toss around the village king, you attract a steady buffet of adventurers who try – poorly – to put up a fight!

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Tile Writing Fantasy Fighting 130

Keith Burgun

NOVEMBER 25, 2023

FINAL FANTASY XVI – After playing a bunch more Kingdomheartslikes and getting more used to that, I’ve gotta say, this is a very well made Kingdomheartslike. Whereas if you compare that to something like Final Fantasy 13, there is a pretty central thing that’s being headed toward the entire time. Bad FIGHT pacing.

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Fighting Fantasy Balance Software 59

Sirlin

SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

We discuss "easy special moves" in fighting games. What is a game with "easy special moves" actually trying to do? Moves being easy—in and of itself—tells you nothing about whether the techniques and combos in a game are easy to do or not. Hosts: David Sirlin & Sean "MrGPhantome" Washington

Game Design 40

Game Design Game Designer Fantasy Fighting 40

The Bottom Feeder

OCTOBER 18, 2023

At some point in the last several decades of video games, everything became a role-playing game. Turns out, if your game design is a little lacking, all you need to do is spackle on a bit of "Make bars fill up to make numbers get bigger to make bars fill up." The trick is making sure the fighting part is engaging.

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Games Art Fantasy Fighting 75

PreMortem.Games

JULY 12, 2023

is one of the most striking indie games coming out this summer. With graphics that wouldn’t look out of place in a Dreamworks animated movie and sword fighting action that would make Zorro blush. To dig a solid fantasy out of that ‘omelette’, we found ourselves essentially relying on a good ol’ helping of subtractive design.

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Prototyping Games Fantasy Concepts 104

Sirlin

APRIL 26, 2019

As of this writing, we’re in the 8th year of Game of Thrones seasons with only 4 episodes left, and yet there are numerous major reveals still left. By looking at the show from a game design standpoint, I think we see how a lot of it has to end up. Game of Throne is, on a casual viewing, a very complicated show.

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Game Design Game Designer Games Writing 40

Sirlin

OCTOBER 20, 2015

Codex is a new take on customizable card games. Last week I posted a new Raw Game Design podcast episode (for $10+ patrons) where I discuss "reset buttons" in Codex (cards that blow up the board so you can possibly come back from a very bad position). Last month, I offered early access to (physical) Codex cards.

Fantasy 52

Fantasy Fighting Balance Concepts 52

Sirlin

JUNE 13, 2015

I want to show you some of what I'm working (Codex, Flowchart, and a Fighting game) and tell you about Patreon. Codex, Flowchart, and now.the Fantasy Strike fighting game (yes, really!). Everyone, even non-patrons, get my main podcast about game design for free. Instead.it's fun.

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Fighting Fantasy Art Build 52

Radiator Blog

JUNE 2, 2023

In this sense, playing a 75% finished game is more useful than playing a 100% finished game. So this post will focus on my read of the general game design and player experience. You're fighting not only the privatization of public health but also reckless climate engineering! But not really.

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Studios Co-op Open World Cutscenes 98

Keith Burgun

MARCH 13, 2024

There are almost never fights in town – you are almost always entirely safe in town. I’m playing through Final Fantasy VII Rebirth now (which I am loving) and it’s very clear in that game, whether you are in Outside , Dungeon or Town , pretty much at all times.

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Fantasy Fighting Balance Games 59

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. Limited regen (e.g.

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Fighting NPC Puzzle AI 52

Radiator Blog

APRIL 1, 2022

Within broader game design culture, the theme also invokes an awkward aspect of cultural appropriation and reduction. On the other hand, why shouldn't our fantasy settings involve Mesoamerican and Andean influences? The textures are fine! It echoes colonizer arguments about "savages" who "need" to be conquered.

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Texture Fighting Cutscenes Scripting 52

Sirlin

AUGUST 23, 2015

All the money goes to paying for artists on Codex and also for artists and programmers on the Fantasy Strike fighting game. You'll get to see all the behind the scenes versions of everything I work on if you're at the $25 level and you'll get my Raw Game Design podcast at the $10 level and above.

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Balance Prototyping Fantasy Fighting 52

Keith Burgun

JULY 29, 2022

So what we end up with, over time, is a “tradition”, or traditions within a blanket term like “RPG” There are so-called “ARPGs” like Diablo, JRPGs like Final Fantasy, CRPGs like Ultima, tactical RPGs like Fire Emblem, and so on. Over the years, I have loved games in all of these categories.

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Fantasy AAA Concepts Cutscenes 52

Rampant Games

NOVEMBER 7, 2022

Thanks to a crazy head engineer with a god complex, ten thousand players are now playing an ultra-realistic fantasy game in a virtual world with real-world stakes. So author Reki Kawahara drew on his familiarity with the games of the day and their systems to create what he thought would be a super-cool virtual reality game.

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Art Games Fighting Technology 52

Keith Burgun

JANUARY 27, 2023

I would have played it sooner, but I was on this huge Final Fantasy kick (which is still ongoing, to be honest). I mean, you spend a LOT of time fighting in this game. It stands in stark contrast to 1995’s Final Fantasy V, where it’s extremely exciting to play around with the classes. Wish me luck.

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Writing Fantasy Fighting Cutscenes 52

Radiator Blog

NOVEMBER 3, 2021

In a past era of game design, we complained when combat games had obligatory stealth sections -- now we have story games with obligatory combat sections. Before you begin the zombie-filled Palace quest, the game UI helpfully advises, "if you're not a fan of action or horror gameplay, feel free to decline this quest."

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NPC Fighting Art Dev 52

Deconstructor of Fun

JANUARY 29, 2024

Many game designers will instantly say: "How can we show the player the same thing? Yes, in an ideal world of paid games, this could be true: a unique gaming experience is played only once. People usually start talking about triple-A games as examples. This surprised us, as Clockmaker is a mystical game.

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Mechanics Content Puzzle Mobile Gaming 98

Moonmana

APRIL 7, 2023

The game development industry is booming, and it’s impossible not to notice how quickly it’s expanding. Thanks to groundbreaking technology advancements, developers can now take advantage of cutting-edge software and game engines which enable them to create fantasy worlds in video games.

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Engineering Engine Game Engine Games 52

Deconstructor of Fun

SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

This analysis is written by Taras Koshelev (Lead Game Designer at My.Games Venture Capital) who focused on game mechanics and loops and Michail Katkoff (Founder of Savage Game Studios) who covered the market and marketability. Players fight against the Dark Lord as a Boss in the final level of the first chapter.

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Puzzle Tile Mechanics Build 52

Deconstructor of Fun

MAY 15, 2022

When we talk about MMO, many may relegate this game category to “old-school” or “niche.” Only MMO like World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy 14 are still generally recognized by western gamers. Lost Ark outshines other MMO games because each element mentioned above is polished to the next level. The rough cutscene).

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Cutscenes Art Content Mechanics 52

Deconstructor of Fun

APRIL 25, 2022

Despite being a casual game, Cookie Run: Kingdom published a 200-page art collection with detailed backstories, characters, and designs, showing the developer’s ambition of building its own universe. As a mobile game, how did Cookie Run: Kingdom accomplish this through its gameplay mechanics?

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Baking Simulation Build Animation 52