Here is the key to compelling games!

It’s not just about mastering design techniques. Observe the behavior and emotions you enjoy in your favorite experiences.

How can you get the player to feel those too?

🕹️ I impusively signed up for a game jam

It was probably not the best idea. I have a newborn, and I’m helping the studio I work at launch its first game in the next couple of months… so time isn’t something I have a lot of.

Anyways: I decided to make a card game for the Godot Wild Jam. The theme is “Train”

  • I established the data structure for shuffling and dealing out the deck of cards
  • Picked the color palette for the game
  • Got a basic visual representation of cards to show up on the screen

The Concept: You’re a personal trainer for trains.

  • Your goal is to help them get fit by helping them shed their extra cargo
  • You’ll play cards and powerups to help them lose the right amount of cargo

Next up: I gotta work on the functionality for allowing the player to play cards.

🕹️ Clarify your game design with "If-Then" thinking

Why it matters: Gameplay becomes stronger when you talk about it the same way players talk about it.

  • “If you drink the potion, then you heal” (Every game ever)
  • “If you rest at a bonfire, then it unlocks a checkpoint” (Dark Souls)
  • “If you throw your axe, then you can press triangle to recall it” (God of War)

Pro tip: “If You” is one of the best ways to start a gameplay concept:

  • “If” implies choices and possibility
  • “You” puts the player at the center of the design

This method serves as a way to check how intuitive the concept is. If it’s confusing as a sentence, it will be confusing as gameplay.

Yes, but: Add a “but” at the end of the statement to introduce a twist to the concept. The Dark Souls example becomes, “If you rest at a bonfire, then it unlocks a checkpoint… But, it also respawns all the enemies in the area.”

Bottom line: Good game design starts with clear and easy-to-understand concepts.

I started working on a roguelike for the Playdate 🕹️

  • I’ve always loved fantasy consoles and the constraints that come along with designing games for them

🕹️ Game Design Tip: “If the player doesn’t see it, it may not exist.”

Why it matters: If you have something in your game that the player can’t perceive, those areas may not benefit your design.

Learn more: Ep. #236 of the Game Design Round Table with designer Tanya X. Short of Kitfox Games

Doing nothing in games should be meaningful.

Why it matters: In game design, not pushing a button can be just as important as pushing a button. Choosing not to do something should have gameplay consequences.

  • If there’s a benefit to doing something in your game, there should also be a benefit to not doing it. This approach creates tradeoffs. Tradeoffs are one of a player's most fun decisions in a game.

    • For example: Say you have a treasure chest in your game that the player can destroy to earn a reward; what are some ways to reward them for not destroying it?

    Maybe they could:

  • Gift the chest to an NPC to increase friendship with them
  • Use the chest to climb onto a ledge that’s out of reach

    • The bottom line: You can increase the depth of a single interaction if you consider how the player can benefit from not doing the interaction. 🕹️

    🕹️ Player verbs are gameplay.

    Why it matters: “But what does the player get to do?”

    This is the question I have to ask after most game announcements and trailers.

    The bottom line: Cinematic trailers are not gameplay. Backstory and lore are not gameplay. Beautiful graphics are not gameplay.

    Signs and Feedback are the language of video games.

    The player sees a sign, they provide input, and then receive feedback. Repeat. This loop is the heart of how games create a dialogue with the player.

    Why it matters: Sending clear messages and feedback about the state of the game allows the player to react and make informed choices. This is a critical element to making a game more enjoyable.

    The bigger picture: Creating gameplay that provides clear signs and feedback is more than just crafting a more fun experience. It’s about making a more accessible experience so that more people can enjoy games.

    Deeper dive: If you’re interested in this area of game design, check out GDKey’s excellent article (5 minute read).

    I can finally talk about what I’ve been working on for the last few years! Life By You is an open-world life simulation game coming to Early Access in September 2023. 🕹️