Tutorials are such a hugely important part of games that are often delegated as much effort and attention as an afterthought—perhaps unsurprisingly so, given that tutorials may be created only after the core mechanics and visuals are done, lest there … Continued
For how important sound design—especially sound effects and their usage, as opposed to music or voice overs—can be, it often feels treated as more of an after-thought: something to fill in the void. However, I believe sound design should be … Continued
One thing that games do that help ensure people keep coming back is what I think of as “rewarding people forward”. In life, many people reward themselves for doing good things by doing something that counteracts the benefits of their … Continued
![Trailer Design: Showcasing Gameplay and the Impact of UI [ELEX II]](http://www.gamedev-insights.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/ELEX-II-Combat-Trailer-YouTube-0-31-365x365.jpeg)
Today I’ll be referencing the game ELEX II, which just got a new “Combat Trailer”. (Alternate link.) The most important thing I noticed about this “Combat Trailer” is that it doesn’t seem to show a single bit of User Interface. … Continued
![Gameplay Design: The Beauty of Simplicity [Horizon Chase Turbo]](http://www.gamedev-insights.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/HCT.jpg)
Premise: As per the Steam page: “Horizon Chase Turbo is a racing game inspired by the great hits of the 80’s and 90’s: Out Run, Lotus Turbo Challenge, Top Gear (SNES), Rush, among others.” But what makes Horizon Chase Turbo … Continued
![Gameplay Design: Enabling Overachievement [NEO: The World Ends With You]](http://www.gamedev-insights.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/NTWEWY-screenshot-365x365.png)
For the first post of this blog, we’ll start with a broad topic and a relatively recent game (from last year), NEO: The World Ends With You—henceforth “NTWEWY” for short. NTWEWY is an action RPG with a notable emphasis on … Continued
Hello and welcome to my new blog dedicated to game design and game development! Here I will primarily be sharing thoughts on various games and elements of their design and how they’ve come together. I may also talk about topics … Continued