Making people care about things in games is hard. Not to say it’s impossible – but when most decisions boil down to ‘save the hostage’ or ‘restart the level,’ it doesn’t exactly fill the player with overwhelming empathy. So it…
Blog Archives
Don’t Let Bad Lip Sync Break the Spell
Your helicopter touches down on the deck. You’ve arrived at the outskirts of a magnificent city of the future – gleaming skyscrapers pierce distant clouds, flying robots of all kinds swerve in airborne traffic patterns, and a sunset so real…
Tagged with: Bioshock Infinite, game design, immersion, Silent Hill, Thomas Was Alone
Posted in game design, game dev tips
Posted in game design, game dev tips
Cracking the Touchscreen Code
Nothing says “videogame” quite like a controller. For those of us raised on the early consoles, holding a game controller evokes memories of getting lost in some elaborate fantasy world, made even more wondrous by our young imaginations. With controller…
Tagged with: culture, game design, Infinity Blade, Lili, mobile, Morningstar, Republique, tablet
Posted in culture, game design
Posted in culture, game design
Why Aren’t There Games About [Blank]?
There’s a common narrative occurring for people whose lives have been touched by videogames in their formative years. First intrigued by the novelty of interaction and control, you become enamored with the concept of manipulating a digital avatar until you…
Letting the Player Find the Fun
Ever notice how nobody ever wants to add more guesswork? The phrase is always “taking the guesswork out” of something, and lately, games are no exception. More and more games these days come loaded with overdone tutorials, excessive pop-ups and…
Tagged with: exploration, game design, Starseed Pilgrim, Super Metroid
Posted in game design, game dev tips
Posted in game design, game dev tips
The Importance of Making Players Feel Important
Everybody likes feeling important. It’s the reason why you’re more inclined to listen to someone if they address you as “Sir” or “Miss” as opposed to “Hey you” or “Listen, schmuck.” It’s the reason why older siblings often feel a…
Tagged with: game design, Half-Life, Max Payne, motivation, narrative
Posted in game design, game dev tips
Posted in game design, game dev tips
Why Are You Making Games?
Why should anybody care about your game? Ask the seasoned game designer this, and he’ll describe an enticing feature set, an innovative game mechanic or some other combination of reasons why players would be interested. Playtesting the game in question,…
Tagged with: choice, game design, Jesse Schell, motivation
Posted in business, culture, game design, game dev tips
Posted in business, culture, game design, game dev tips
Revive Your Game (And Life) with CPR Design
Game designers are among the most curious people in the world. Always on the lookout for new ways to engage players, they’re fascinated by psychological principles, behavioral science and the uncovering sources of motivation. Talking with New York graphic artist…
Virtual Goods and the Loss of Authenticity
Picasso’s beret. Mark Twain’s notebook. John Lennon’s glasses. If you’ve ever gazed at a relic once owned by a notable historical figure, you know the feeling that follows: a sense of peering into history, the sum total of your knowledge…
Tagged with: critique, f2p, microtransactions, virtual goods, Zelda
Posted in culture, f2p, future, game design
Posted in culture, f2p, future, game design
Three Strategies for Curing Developer’s Block
Imagine this: Your indie studio’s newest title, Dream Game, is a surprise hit! As accolades pour in, sales climb and climb, and your head seems to be wrapped in a shimmering fog of pride and disbelief. Your baby, the dream…
Tagged with: development, game design, Halo, Metal Gear
Posted in culture, game design, game dev tips
Posted in culture, game design, game dev tips
I'm Ben Serviss. I design games for hire and write about game design, narrative and NYC developers. New posts every Thursday.