PreMortem.Games

NOVEMBER 4, 2024

As players build their cyberpunk metropolis, balancing relationships with factions that hold competing visions of the future, they’re drawn into a world where each card played brings them closer to either utopia or ruin. But initially, Techotopia was a completely different game. We developed the game with financial backing from Alawar.”

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Fantasy Balance AI Games 104

Brand Game Development

MARCH 29, 2021

You have to block off time for your creativity to flow, do the hard work, and take tough feedback to make the best game you can. I also think that if you’re brand new to board game design, it’s worth pushing a small project all the way through its full lifecycle from start to finish. All of this means trying hard!

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Game Design Game Designer Games Playtesting 130

Logic Simplified

AUGUST 14, 2023

It is one of the best ways to improve the game quality by focusing on real player behaviour and learning what players really think about particular aspects of your game. Designers use this method to test different game versions frequently to find faults and provide input for improvements. Let’s find out.

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Playtesting Game Design Game Designer Games 92

Brand Game Development

JANUARY 13, 2020

This is a nice change of pace from normal cooperative games because it adds a necessary element of stress that makes Spirit Island feel satisfying. I think Arah’s review on Board Game Geek says it best. Balanced asymmetry leads to greater variety. “Vibe: brain burny whack-a-mole.”

Game Design 130

Game Design Game Designer Games Balance 130

Logic Simplified

AUGUST 8, 2023

Since most of us are unaware of the process of creating a game, we usually confuse game design and game art as being the same. In this blog, we will discuss the difference between game art vs game design and how each plays a unique role in game development. Who is a Game Designer?

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Game Design Game Designer Art Prop 86

GamesIndustry.biz

MAY 22, 2024

If you’re a game designer, you’ll point to the systematic nature of the game. It’s the balance between all these elements. "If you’re a business exec at a major publisher, you’d say it is the live service element that keeps players coming back, and the cheaper price point. Read more

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Co-op Software Balance Game Design 145

Game Wisdom

MAY 25, 2023

The Clash of Choices in Game Design Josh Bycer josh@game-wisdom.com One of the many balancing acts of game design is the act of creating cool, interesting, unique, abilities for the player to use, and then balancing said abilities within the scope and design of your game.

Game Design 59

Game Design Game Designer Balance Games 59

Brand Game Development

SEPTEMBER 24, 2019

This week while working on my current board game design, a lot of things have come into focus. Now it’s time to start tweaking board game rules. This is where board game design often becomes very tricky. Need help on your board game? Making Balanced & Clear Rules. Rules vs. Rulebooks.

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Balance Games Communications Mechanics 130

DameDev.tv

FEBRUARY 21, 2023

There are some game design elements you don't want to forget, because if you miss them, your game could lack the polish it needs. Parallax Backgrounds Parallax Backgrounds, in 2D games, give the illusion that you are in a real world. Parallax shows up, especially in side-scroller games, when a character is moving.

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Game Design Game Designer Balance Games 62

iXie gaming

APRIL 16, 2024

Establishing a sustainable and balanced game economy is crucial to the success of any game, as it helps drive player satisfaction and engagement. However, the gaming world has been evolving constantly. Creating a sustainable game economy using game analytics can be challenging. Where Do You Start?

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Balance Games Data Game Design 52

Logic Simplified

APRIL 4, 2025

The game utilizes dedicated servers to handle real-time interactions, player movements, and voice chat across multiple virtual worlds. Optimizing bandwidth usage through data compression and server load balancing is crucial for large-scale multiplayer experiences. What worked?

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Games Texture Render Balance 78

PreMortem.Games

MARCH 15, 2024

In Guntouchables by Danish indie developer Game Swing , enemies randomly power up from the upgrades that a team of four players can’t lift out of the levels. This leads to some unexpected and quite frankly, explosive situations as the game progresses. Game Swing was founded in 2013 by five Danish game design students.

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Co-op Playtesting Balance Art 138

Sirlin

JULY 21, 2015

We discuss techniques I use to balance games. Hosts: David Sirlin and Matt "Aphotix" DeMasi We discuss techniques I use to balance games. Hosts: David Sirlin and Matt "Aphotix" DeMasi We discuss techniques I use to balance games.

Balance 40

Balance Game Design Game Designer Games 40

iXie gaming

MAY 24, 2024

Developers have long utilized game analytics for various purposes, such as understanding player behavior, enhancing user experience, and improving game design. In this article, we dive into the ethical considerations developers must consider in-game analytics to ensure a balance between data usage and player privacy.

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Data Balance Games Game Developer 52

PreMortem.Games

FEBRUARY 24, 2025

. “From there, we kept exploring and experimenting, refining the concept into a story-driven adventure where players have real narrative agency aboard their flying ship, says Casals Meet deadlines Ticking Clock Games was founded in the summer of 2023 by Game Designer Roman Gushcha and Casals, who met while working in Poland.

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Point and Click Games Feature Balance 104

PreMortem.Games

OCTOBER 28, 2024

“I used to attend a lot of game development events and conferences, but now I’m more interested in just focusing on making games.” The development of Selfloss was initially funded by Khoroshavin himself through his job as a lecturer in game design and Unreal Engine at ITMO University in Saint Petersburg.

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Prototyping Indy Games Concepts 104

PreMortem.Games

AUGUST 30, 2023

I wanted to make a game completely on my own to balance my professional life as a game developer working with big teams.” AI affects game design The project’s trajectory shifted with the integration of AI tools. So, the AI does affect the game design, but mainly by its limitations”, Kemppainen says.

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AI Game Developer Game Development Point and Click 190

Logic Simplified

JULY 31, 2023

There is one area every game designer must focus on to ensure that their games are captivating enough to entertain and provide an impactful experience to the user: game mechanics. When creating a new game, video game mechanics are often considered the most important factor. What are game mechanics?

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Mechanics Puzzle Games Balance 94

Game Analytics

DECEMBER 9, 2022

They could check logical problems in the game design itself by using custom design events. Now that Splitting Point had the data they needed, they were able to fix bugs and game design issues with every new update. Rage Runner is a game where the player races along a speed course. Dive into your own games.

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Data Bug Game Design Game Designer 97

Brand Game Development

DECEMBER 11, 2017

Board game development is a very individual process. Every single developer has different methods for creating their games. This article is the sixth of a 19-part suite on board game design and development. Need help on your board game? Sean: Sure! Let’s start with a simple mechanic such as dealing damage.

Mechanics 130

Mechanics Writing Concepts Games 130

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? I studied Game Design at UAT in Tempe, AZ and graduated with honors in 2009.

Mechanics 130

Mechanics Games Game Design Game Designer 130

Brand Game Development

JANUARY 29, 2018

Board game development is a very individual process. Every single developer has different methods for creating their games. This article is the thirteenth of a 19-part suite on board game design and development. This week, I want to zero in on the subject of making the perfect board game rule book.

Writing 130

Writing Games Mechanics Balance 130

Sirlin

APRIL 4, 2015

Flash Duel is a simple and fast card game that in high level play ended up being bogged down by lengthy calculations. We talk about the design changes that address this as well as at least one tricky balance puzzle we faced. At the time of this post, Flash Duel is on kickstarter right now. Please support it if you can.

Game Design 40

Game Design Game Designer Puzzle Balance 40

PreMortem.Games

OCTOBER 25, 2024

We were really inspired by watching streamers like Ludwig tackle games like Jump King and Getting Over It,” says Isaac Iozzi, acting as director and game designer on Ascending Inferno. We’re all juggling other jobs and responsibilities, so we’re working late nights and weekends on the game.

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Studios Indy Mechanics Games 118

PreMortem.Games

APRIL 19, 2024

Things were getting serious three years later when Ryding decided to quit his job as a software engineer and work full time as a game developer. One of my close friends, Ches Denison, joined me working 5-10 hours a week as a playtester, game designer, and just a general jack-of-all-trades-guy.

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Playtesting Games Mobile Mobile 129

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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Art Concepts Dev Studios 147

PreMortem.Games

JULY 8, 2024

His turning point came in 2019 at Comic Con Africa, where he discovered a Game Design degree at Wits University’s stand. “I However, it still took a nudge from a dreadful experience in an Applied Mathematics class to propel him to switch from Computer Science to Game Design. It was great!

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Studios Educational Education Point and Click 129

Brand Game Development

MAY 12, 2017

Want to learn game development? Use BoardGameGeek’s database , blogs such as Stonemaier Games Kickstarter Lessons , Dice Tower videos , design books such as the Kobold Guide to Board Game Design , and even academic research papers (which you can find on Google Scholar ).

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Dev Game Developer Game Development Balance 130

Brand Game Development

DECEMBER 22, 2017

After all, I’m checking to make sure there are no serious balance issues that come out of repeated plays. I’ve already play-tested this game a ton. I even blind play-tested it at a game design convention. Need help on your board game? “How many blind play-tests does your board game really need?”

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Point and Click Dev Games Mechanics 130

Big Games

MARCH 27, 2025

Graphics and Visual Quality Unity It provides good graphic capabilities suitable for 2D and 3D games. While it doesn’t match Unreal’s rendering power, it balances quality and performance well for smartphone devices. Advantage Balanced graphics that ensure smooth gameplay across all Android devices.

Engine 52

Engine Engineering Game Developer Game Development 52

Logic Simplified

OCTOBER 18, 2023

The Demand for Multiplayer Games There is a great demand for multiplayer games and it is the tech experts, creative thinkers, and game designers who have made them what they are today. Let’s elaborate on how multiplayer game design isn’t as simple as just throwing together some mechanics and calling it a day.

Game Design 52

Game Design Game Designer Balance Concepts 52

Deconstructor of Fun

NOVEMBER 19, 2024

Integrating IAP into traditionally ad-driven games requires rethinking game design and player experience, proving that hybrid monetization demands more than simply adding IAP options. Ryan agrees, but he emphasizes that implementing hybrid monetization is no easy plug-and-play solution.

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AI Mobile Gaming Mobile Mobile 52

Lost Garden

DECEMBER 12, 2021

INTRODUCTION The problem with picking up sticks Recently I was designing the harvesting and crafting system for our Animal Crossing-like game Cozy Grove when I ran into a problem: picking up a stick is not that fun. The core activities in a life sim are generally not full of mastery and depth. You chop trees. […].

Balance 52

Balance Animation Animation Games 52

Logic Simplified

SEPTEMBER 23, 2024

This sense of putting a player's abilities to use against a difficult situation in a game (challenge), and rewarding their potential for every challenge they overcome and every progress they make in the game (achievement), makes a player want to play. What is Level Design? Process of Level Designing and Game Development 1.

Mechanics 64

Mechanics Games Playtesting Concepts 64

Deconstructor of Fun

NOVEMBER 25, 2024

GIFTING: One very innovative use of Stars is the ability for apps to allow their players to send Paid Gifts to each other — special badges or achievements that live outside of the game and that players can show off on their Telegram profile. Experience with idle games — making a repetitive action seem fun and not taxing — is key.

Games 52

Games Platformer Balance Mobile 52

Sirlin

OCTOBER 20, 2015

Codex is a new take on customizable card games. Though you might as well wait until next week because there will be a balance update within a week. Within a couple days, I plan to post a big update to the Codex print-and-play version (for $25+ patrons) that has dozens of balance changes based on the last month of playtesting.

Fantasy 52

Fantasy Fighting Balance Concepts 52

PreMortem.Games

OCTOBER 2, 2024

I think we have a similar attitude about what ‘good game design’ is, mechanically. One of the things we talked about was the possible implementation of a timer in Axe Ghost’s Daily Challenge mode, which was prompted by talking about chess timers and how they alter chess games.

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Dev Development Mechanics Writing 104