#gamedesign — Public Fediverse posts

So, let me pitch the experience to you- #GameDesign 🧵

Space ship game. You want to be a miner, so you go out to mine an asteroid.

Instead of firing a laser gun at the asteroid and vacuuming up space loot in space, you park your ship at a deposit and deploy your crew.

They set up scaffolds and get to work by hand. You can either go do something else, or direct them to target specific places along the scaffold and avoid others for best results.

Ore is loaded into your cargo, covered in dust.

Anyway, for the archive, #GameDesign

Pegasus and Tulpar are, structurally, the same myth told an ocean apart. Instead of picking one, this entry treats them as two names for the same animal and builds outward from what both versions already agree on. Neither tradition needed the other to exist. Neither one had to lose.

#TTRPG #TTRPGCommunity #IndieGameDev #WorldBuilding #CreatureDesign #GameDesign #DesignIntent

[P] I'm going to finish up this with a treat as a starting point for younger gamers

https://www.randomeower.com/random-game-generator

I love that thing. Just put in '06 as the end year, and give it a spin! If you get a PC game, don't forget to drop by PC Gaming Wiki.

#psychology #actuallyautistic #videogames #gamedev #gamedesign #writing

-9

[P] The choice for a modern kid is obvious. "A three-course meal for free? Or access to the slop lever for $80?" And why '06 as a cut-off? Thaf was the birthplace of ensloppificatoon. Devs play by the same rulebook today with only slight alterations. DLC, Mtx, preorder content, brolen console games that need patches from now-dead servers. Ensloppification began in '06 and only got worse. So, yes, easy choice.

#psychology #actuallyautistic #videogames #gamedev #gamedesign #writing

-8

[P] And being so few? They're *very* hard to find amidst the slop-factory of modern gamedev. Sfeam is a better bet than most, but even there it's a hunt. A hunt that takes time and energy. Or, one could go year-by-year on MobyGames, from the late '70s of UK home computers to the death knell of the sixth gen in '06. That's a lifetime's worth of games, and it's what modern devs are competing with, and failing.

#psychology #actuallyautistic #videogames #gamedev #gamedesign #writing

-7

[P] So when younger people learn about these older games? It's an introduction to a vast, diverse menu of three-course meals. If they use emulation and/or opt for abandinware, these meals are free! If they opt for PC gems from GOG, they can get a bucket of classics for a pittance. It isn't that there aren't any great games anymore. I've named some, prior. Omno, Little Gator Game, Neurodiver, but they're too few.

#psychology #actuallyautistic #videogames #gamedev #gamedesign #writing

-6

[P] And most devs prefer this, they provide access to the slop lever. Just look at how many soulless tidy-up games exist. I keep coming back to Edens Last Sunrise because it's a masterclass, it's a great complete experience, an intentionally finite, delicious, and nutritious three course meal. A tiny dev team did the best with what they had, and built a slop-free experience. But that kind of game is vanishingly rare.

#psychology #actuallyautistic #videogames #gamedev #gamedesign #writing

-5

[P] But BGIII was the closest thing to a completr experience in years, it was heralded. It had af least half of a meal from that three-course meal there, so they gobbled it down hungrily, even if the rest was utter slop. The issie with modern games is that devs—even indies—have locked themselves into incomplete experiences. And most now even believe that it's what they want to create. Fill the gap with slop.

#psychology #actuallyautistic #videogames #gamedev #gamedesign #writing

-4

[P] We need variety and complete experiences, this is especially true for neurodivergents. I remember seeing the reaction to BGIII and thinking "oh, you poor bastards." Only Act I was even half complete, and thanks to a last minute rewrite, the characters were one-dimensional yes-men and the narrative was a spaghetti-junction joke, with hundreds of threads that went nowhere. The second and third acts wrre ephemeral.

#psychology #actuallyautistic #videogames #gamedev #gamedesign #writing

-3

[P] If one puts an impoverished younger person in front of a three course meal, delicious, nutritious, and quite intentionally finite, then offer them an empty bowl and access to a lever for an infinite slop machine that pumps out infinite-yet-flavourless mulch, barely palatable gruel? Even the most impoverished teen would take the three-course meal. We all know, instinctively, that we can't live on slop.

#psychology #actuallyautistic #videogames #gamedev #gamedesign #writing

-2

[P] I've seen critics loosely ruminate on why Gen Alpha is obsessed with retro games from '06 and earlier. This one's been on my mind too, I think I have the answer. Astoundingly rare indie games aside (looking at you, Eden's Last Sunrise), how many games provide a complete experience? Almost none. Even most indies don't. This is the age of slop. I have a food analogy for this! Let's talk about actual slop.

#psychology #actuallyautistic #videogames #gamedev #gamedesign #writing

-1

Will It Table-Top? | Converting My Old Steampunk LARP To A TTRPG

Chill is streaming on a Friday? What's going on?! Watch and find out!

Starting Now!

https://www.twitch.tv/chilltheeffout

#Canadian #TTRPG #GameDesign #RPGs #NoAI #GameWriting #Steampunk

Will It Table-Top? | Converting My Old Steampunk LARP To A TTRPG

Chill is streaming on a Friday? What's going on?! Watch and find out!

Starting Now!

https://www.twitch.tv/chilltheeffout

#Canadian #TTRPG #GameDesign #RPGs #NoAI #GameWriting #Steampunk

A #PF2e conversion of my older #Pokemon #MagicItems, with a fusion of #Zangoose, #Luxray & #Pyroar for a #gi of guts and glory!
Come vote for future items on my Patreon

#MagicItem #Pathfinder2e #RPG #RPGArt #PokemonArt #Pathfinder #TTRPG #PathfinderArt #Illustration #FantasyArt #TabletopRPG #PokemonFanArt #FantasyIllustration #Homebrew #TabletopGaming #FantasyGaming #RolePlayingGames #TabletopArt #GameMaster #FantasyWorld #HomebrewContent #GameDesign #MagicItemDesign #PathfinderCommunity

Designed a 3D printed case for Hop Shot my micro dexterity board game currently in final testing.

Also commissioned an illustrated card back that's pending; once done will order a batch of cards and be ready to ship out prototypes to those interested in playtesting.

#boardgames #gamedesign #gaming #3dprinting #3dprint

Designed a 3D printed case for Hop Shot my micro dexterity board game currently in final testing.

Also commissioned an illustrated card back that's pending; once done will order a batch of cards and be ready to ship out prototypes to those interested in playtesting.

#boardgames #gamedesign #gaming #3dprinting #3dprint

Designed a 3D printed case for Hop Shot my micro dexterity board game currently in final testing.

Also commissioned an illustrated card back that's pending; once done will order a batch of cards and be ready to ship out prototypes to those interested in playtesting.

#boardgames #gamedesign #gaming #3dprinting #3dprint

Designed a 3D printed case for Hop Shot my micro dexterity board game currently in final testing.

Also commissioned an illustrated card back that's pending; once done will order a batch of cards and be ready to ship out prototypes to those interested in playtesting.

#boardgames #gamedesign #gaming #3dprinting #3dprint

Designed a 3D printed case for Hop Shot my micro dexterity board game currently in final testing.

Also commissioned an illustrated card back that's pending; once done will order a batch of cards and be ready to ship out prototypes to those interested in playtesting.

#boardgames #gamedesign #gaming #3dprinting #3dprint

A #PF2e conversion of my older #Pokemon #MagicItems, with a fusion of #Steelix & #Sirfetchd for a #sword and #shield of shining strikes!
Come vote for future items on my Patreon

#MagicItem #Pathfinder2e #RPG #RPGArt #PokemonArt #Pathfinder #TTRPG #PathfinderArt #Illustration #FantasyArt #TabletopRPG #PokemonFanArt #FantasyIllustration #Homebrew #TabletopGaming #FantasyGaming #RolePlayingGames #TabletopArt #GameMaster #FantasyWorld #HomebrewContent #GameDesign #MagicItemDesign #HomebrewMagic

Threat rating stays low by design — this isn't a boss fight. Speed and a disappearing act handle most encounters before combat starts. The one exception: corner it, or threaten whoever it's bonded to, and it stops leaving.

#TTRPG #TTRPGCommunity #IndieGameDev #WorldBuilding #CreatureDesign #GameDesign #KoFi #Patreon

One of the things I've been thinking about a little bit with persistent world games is "exaggerated death".

If a player dies somewhere, it's tradition to leave their corpse so they can go loot it or whatever.

But I always preferred the Nethack approach, where you're more likely to find them wandering as a ghost or ghoul, armed up with what you had when you died.

If the death penalty is unrelated to you recovering your corpse, a lot of potential avenues of play/content open up-

#GameDesign

A #PF2e conversion of my older #Pokemon #MagicItems, with a fusion of #Bisharp, #Kricketune & #Gallade for a strumming #sword!
Come vote for future items on my Patreon

#MagicItem #Pathfinder2e #RPG #RPGArt #PokemonArt #Pathfinder #TTRPG #PathfinderArt #Illustration #FantasyArt #TabletopRPG #PokemonFanArt #FantasyIllustration #Homebrew #TabletopGaming #FantasyGaming #RolePlayingGames #TabletopArt #GameMaster #FantasyWorld #HomebrewContent #GameDesign #MagicItemDesign #PathfinderCommunity

A #PF2e conversion of my older #Pokemon #MagicItems, with a fusion of #Dragonair & #Bisharp for a #sword, #shield & #axe combo!
Come vote for future items on my Patreon

#MagicItem #Pathfinder2e #RPG #RPGArt #PokemonArt #Pathfinder #TTRPG #PathfinderArt #Illustration #FantasyArt #TabletopRPG #PokemonFanArt #FantasyIllustration #Homebrew #TabletopGaming #FantasyGaming #RolePlayingGames #TabletopArt #GameMaster #FantasyWorld #HomebrewContent #GameDesign #MagicItemDesign #PathfinderCommunity

"Descent Mission Archive" is a custom level archive made for the Descent 1, Descent 2, Descent 3, D2X-XL and Overload communities. It's important to have these archives so the work of people is preserved:

https://sectorgame.com/dxma/

#VideoGames #GameDesign #Descent #GameAssets

A #PF2e conversion of my older #Pokemon #MagicItems, with a fusion of #Beedrill, #Cacturne & #Escavalier for a stinging #spear!
Come vote for future items on my Patreon

#MagicItem #Pathfinder2e #RPG #RPGArt #PokemonArt #Pathfinder #TTRPG #PathfinderArt #Illustration #FantasyArt #TabletopRPG #PokemonFanArt #FantasyIllustration #Homebrew #TabletopGaming #FantasyGaming #RolePlayingGames #TabletopArt #GameMaster #FantasyWorld #HomebrewContent #GameDesign #MagicItemDesign #PathfinderCommunity

A #PF2e conversion of my older #Pokemon #MagicItems, with a fusion of #Chandelure & #Corviknight for a #greatsword to burn some souls!
Come vote for future items on my Patreon

#MagicItem #Pathfinder2e #RPG #RPGArt #PokemonArt #Pathfinder #TTRPG #PathfinderArt #Illustration #FantasyArt #TabletopRPG #PokemonFanArt #FantasyIllustration #Homebrew #TabletopGaming #FantasyGaming #RolePlayingGames #TabletopArt #GameMaster #FantasyWorld #HomebrewContent #GameDesign #MagicItemDesign #PathfinderCommunity

Dynamic weather, shifting light, and reactive environments make Whisper of the Veil feel like a living, breathing world.

https://whisper-of-the-veil.netlify.app

#GameDevCommunity #Gaming #RPGMakerMV #PixelArt #GameDesign #RPGCommunity

A #PF2e conversion of my older #Pokemon #MagicItems, with a fusion of Kantonian & Galarian #Rapidash for a #katana of healing warmth!
Come vote for future items on my Patreon

#MagicItem #Pathfinder2e #RPG #RPGArt #PokemonArt #Pathfinder #TTRPG #PathfinderArt #Illustration #FantasyArt #TabletopRPG #PokemonFanArt #FantasyIllustration #Homebrew #TabletopGaming #FantasyGaming #RolePlayingGames #TabletopArt #GameMaster #FantasyWorld #HomebrewContent #GameDesign #MagicItemDesign #PathfinderCommunity

Are #IndieGames Developing a Gambling Problem?

https://thisweekinvideogames.com/feature/are-indie-games-developing-a-gambling-problem/

> Gambling-themed #roguelikes are helping #indiedev hit the jackpot.

This article goes deep on the #gamedesign mechanics that make games feel addictive, and their ethical implications.

I've explored these topics in the context of #instructionaldesign and #gamification where they affect #motivation, #persistence with hard tasks, and #grit.

A #PF2e conversion of my older #Pokemon #MagicItems, with a fusion of #Weavile & #Sneasler for some #katanas of painful deaths!
Come vote for future items on my Patreon

#MagicItem #Pathfinder2e #RPG #RPGArt #PokemonArt #Pathfinder #TTRPG #PathfinderArt #Illustration #FantasyArt #TabletopRPG #PokemonFanArt #FantasyIllustration #Homebrew #TabletopGaming #FantasyGaming #RolePlayingGames #TabletopArt #GameMaster #FantasyWorld #HomebrewContent #GameDesign #MagicItemDesign #PathfinderCommunity

A #PF2e conversion of my older #Pokemon #MagicItems, with a fusion of #Cryogonal & #Carbink for a #katana of chilling moonlight!
Come vote for future items on my Patreon

#MagicItem #Pathfinder2e #RPG #RPGArt #PokemonArt #Pathfinder #TTRPG #PathfinderArt #Illustration #FantasyArt #TabletopRPG #PokemonFanArt #FantasyIllustration #Homebrew #TabletopGaming #FantasyGaming #RolePlayingGames #TabletopArt #GameMaster #FantasyWorld #HomebrewContent #GameDesign #MagicItemDesign #PathfinderCommunity

A #PF2e conversion of my older #Pokemon #MagicItems, with a fusion of Unovan and Galarian #Darmanitan for a #maul to mix hot & cold!
Come vote for future items on my Patreon

#MagicItem #Pathfinder2e #RPG #RPGArt #PokemonArt #Pathfinder #TTRPG #PathfinderArt #Illustration #FantasyArt #TabletopRPG #PokemonFanArt #FantasyIllustration #Homebrew #TabletopGaming #FantasyGaming #RolePlayingGames #TabletopArt #GameMaster #FantasyWorld #HomebrewContent #GameDesign #MagicItemDesign #PathfinderCommunity

Я искренне беспокоюсь по поводу «GTA VI»

Компании Rockstar Games и Take-Two Interactive — это явно не те люди, за судьбу чьего творения стоит переживать. Любое детище «Рок-звёзд» после «GTA III» автоматически заносится в стан культовых проектов индустрии (даже такие спорные вещи, как «Red Dead Revolver» или «Manhunt 2»), а чтобы описать масштаб культурного феномена серии «Grand Theft Auto», потребуется материал размером с увесистую монографию. Rockstar уже заработали сотни миллионов долларов на одних только предзаказах шестой части франшизы, а что ожидает мир на релизе игры, страшно представить — множество людей готовятся брать больничные и отпуска, а люди конспирологических взглядов на мир видят в этом попытку отвлечь человечество от насущных проблем (что очень в стиле второстепенных героев серии). Не хочу делать вид, будто я кардинально отличаюсь от массового игрока — я, как и многие, рос на этих играх и хочу вновь окунуться в мир истинного американского безумия и беззакония. Однако за прошедшие со времён пятой части 13 лет прошло много времени и новых игровых опытов, чтобы не начать переосмысливать наследие безусловно великой серии. Многие привычные для этих игр элементы, которые были простительны в эру шестого поколения приставок, почему-то обнаруживали себя в играх предыдущего десятилетия. А успех сначала сингловой, а потом и онлайн-составляющей «GTA V» мог дать разработчикам и сценаристам впечатление, будто всё хорошо и в изменении не нуждается. Я уже давно хотел выразить искренние опасения по поводу предстоящей новинки, так что не думайте, что это просто попытка присосаться к хайптрейну недавно прокатившихся утечек геймплея и расширенного показа геймплея. Ни то ни другое не смогло в полной мере избавить меня от сомнений в том, что Rockstar не повторит ошибок «GTA V» и «RDR 2» — игр, которые в своё время оставили смешанное впечатление (чего не ожидаешь от проектов такого масштаба). Итак, приглашаю скоротать время перед релизом гиганта индустрии за ретроспективой не самых удачных геймплейных и сценарных решений компании, которые преследуют их последние детища. «You picked the wrong house, fool!»

https://habr.com/ru/companies/ruvds/articles/1077968/

#gta #gta_v #gta_vi #gta_online #gamedesign #ruvds_статьи

I'm still sick, but I went through my posts about collaborative MMO play and I think it still holds up. It's a fun way to think about creating play in slightly nonstandard ways.

What I like most about it is the natural way it expands player options as more players congregate.

For example, if smelting ore in the sun's heat is the most efficient thing going right now, how many players are smelting near a solar jump point will depend on how many players are active-

#GameDesign 🧵

Although the visualizer is still a bit rough, I've put together an index page where you can now download maps/stats, but also go straight to visualizations of exploration traces for the games I've been mapping (mostly Metroidvanias). The visualizer doesn't show multiple links or complex requirements well yet, and layouts are a challenge. But you can click around and see stuff, and the CSV files have interesting stats now (just submitted a paper for EXAG 2026 talking about metrics for discrete exploration games).

https://cs.wellesley.edu/~pmwh/mvmap/maps/

#Games #GameDesign #Metroidvania #Maps

Interesting video: "GTA: San Andreas Really Takes You Places" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRj9HGZp6UY

#gaming #gamedev #gamedesign

You know what, I was thinking. In MMOs with PVP focus, inducing players to tend to go certain places is a core facet of making the PVP happen at all.

I was thinking - what if we had a better cooperative framework and did cooperative multiplayer PVE the same way?

Instead of always relying on a party system and centralized mission setups, what if we allowed for organic cooperative player content in the same way as some games allow for organic PVP?

#GameDesign 🧵

My #DnD #Pokemon #MagicItem of the Day, with a fusion of #Aron, #Rolycoly, #Eevee, #Ditto for a core that can shift into anything!
Come vote for future items on my Patreon

#DnD5E #MagicItems #DnDHomebrew #Art #RPG #RPGArt #TabletopGaming #FantasyArt #HomebrewMagic #PokemonArt #DnDArt #DungeonsAndDragons #TTRPG #MagicItemDesign #Illustration #GameDesign #RolePlayingGames #FantasyGaming #GameMaster #HomebrewContent #FantasyWorld #FantasyIllustration #PokemonFanArt #Homebrew #TabletopRPG

My #DnD #Pokemon #MagicItem of the Day, with a fusion of #Aron, #Rolycoly, #Eevee, #Ditto for a core that can shift into anything!
Come vote for future items on my Patreon

#DnD5E #MagicItems #DnDHomebrew #Art #RPG #RPGArt #TabletopGaming #FantasyArt #HomebrewMagic #PokemonArt #DnDArt #DungeonsAndDragons #TTRPG #MagicItemDesign #Illustration #GameDesign #RolePlayingGames #FantasyGaming #GameMaster #HomebrewContent #FantasyWorld #FantasyIllustration #PokemonFanArt #Homebrew #TabletopRPG

I was thinking a bit more about "mechanics" that are outside of what we normally consider "game mechanics", like what areas tend to attract players due to shopping opportunities or social space design.

These... processes? Arrangements? Chemistries? Well, they're critical to how players experience the game, and critical to where players want to go and how well they like traversal and delay.

As an example -

#GameDesign 🧵

... For archival purposes, a tag: #GameDesign

A #PF2e conversion of my older #Pokemon #MagicItems, with a fusion of Kantonian and Hisuian #Arcanine to be a burning light for justice!
Come vote for future items on my Patreon
#MagicItem #Pathfinder2e #RPG #RPGArt #PokemonArt #Pathfinder #TTRPG #PathfinderArt #Illustration #FantasyArt #TabletopRPG #PokemonFanArt #FantasyIllustration #Homebrew #TabletopGaming #FantasyGaming #RolePlayingGames #TabletopArt #GameMaster #FantasyWorld #HomebrewContent #GameDesign #MagicItemDesign #PathfinderHomebrew

A #PF2e conversion of my older #Pokemon #MagicItems, with a fusion of Kantonian and Hisuian #Arcanine to be a burning light for justice!
Come vote for future items on my Patreon
#MagicItem #Pathfinder2e #RPG #RPGArt #PokemonArt #Pathfinder #TTRPG #PathfinderArt #Illustration #FantasyArt #TabletopRPG #PokemonFanArt #FantasyIllustration #Homebrew #TabletopGaming #FantasyGaming #RolePlayingGames #TabletopArt #GameMaster #FantasyWorld #HomebrewContent #GameDesign #MagicItemDesign #PathfinderHomebrew

A #PF2e conversion of my older #Pokemon #MagicItems, with a fusion of #Metagross and #Bronzong for a prosthetic #eye to open your mind!
Come vote for future items on my Patreon

#MagicItem #Pathfinder2e #RPG #RPGArt #PokemonArt #Pathfinder #TTRPG #PathfinderArt #Illustration #FantasyArt #TabletopRPG #PokemonFanArt #FantasyIllustration #Homebrew #TabletopGaming #FantasyGaming #RolePlayingGames #TabletopArt #GameMaster #FantasyWorld #HomebrewContent #GameDesign #MagicItemDesign #PathfinderHomebrew

My #DnD #Pokemon #MagicItem of the Day, with a fusion of #Horsea, #Ralts, #Frillis, #Kricketot for a #violin like a cold shower!
Come vote for future items on my Patreon

#DnD5E #MagicItems #DnDHomebrew #Art #RPG #RPGArt #TabletopGaming #FantasyArt #HomebrewMagic #PokemonArt #DnDArt #DungeonsAndDragons #TTRPG #MagicItemDesign #Illustration #GameDesign #RolePlayingGames #FantasyGaming #GameMaster #HomebrewContent #FantasyWorld #FantasyIllustration #PokemonFanArt #Homebrew #TabletopRPG

My #DnD #Pokemon #MagicItem of the Day, with a fusion of #Horsea, #Ralts, #Frillis, #Kricketot for a #violin like a cold shower!
Come vote for future items on my Patreon

#DnD5E #MagicItems #DnDHomebrew #Art #RPG #RPGArt #TabletopGaming #FantasyArt #HomebrewMagic #PokemonArt #DnDArt #DungeonsAndDragons #TTRPG #MagicItemDesign #Illustration #GameDesign #RolePlayingGames #FantasyGaming #GameMaster #HomebrewContent #FantasyWorld #FantasyIllustration #PokemonFanArt #Homebrew #TabletopRPG

A #PF2e conversion of my older #Pokemon #MagicItems, with a fusion of Kantonian and Alolan #Ninetales for some #armor to turn your soul hot or cold!
Come vote for future items on my Patreon

#MagicItem #Pathfinder2e #RPG #RPGArt #PokemonArt #Pathfinder #TTRPG #PathfinderArt #Illustration #FantasyArt #TabletopRPG #PokemonFanArt #FantasyIllustration #Homebrew #TabletopGaming #FantasyGaming #RolePlayingGames #TabletopArt #GameMaster #FantasyWorld #HomebrewContent #GameDesign #MagicItemDesign

A #PF2e conversion of my older #Pokemon #MagicItems, with a fusion of Kantonian and Alolan #Ninetales for some #armor to turn your soul hot or cold!
Come vote for future items on my Patreon

#MagicItem #Pathfinder2e #RPG #RPGArt #PokemonArt #Pathfinder #TTRPG #PathfinderArt #Illustration #FantasyArt #TabletopRPG #PokemonFanArt #FantasyIllustration #Homebrew #TabletopGaming #FantasyGaming #RolePlayingGames #TabletopArt #GameMaster #FantasyWorld #HomebrewContent #GameDesign #MagicItemDesign