We’ve talked extensively on this blog about why you should design games, why they are so awesome for self-expression, and how you can create your first game. But once you’ve taken the first step, it can be hard to know where to go to learn more. Today, I’m going to share some of the resources I personally use to expand my knowledge of game design. Though there are countless amazing creators out there, here are ten of my personal favourites.
Read moreCaptain's Log: Titus
Despite their many revisions throughout the development of Captain’s Gambit, the core concept behind Titus has remained the same. Inspired by D.Va from Overwatch, Alvin pitched Titus as a “last-stand” captain. The idea was that right when they were about to die they would suddenly explode, taking multiple players down with them. By tying the amount of damage dealt to their blood, players could estimate the impact someone would have if they died and were secretly Titus. This created a tricky tension between killing Titus off early to reduce their reveal’s power, or leaving them alive as a potential ticking time bomb.
Read moreHow Hades Appeals To Different Players
A few weeks ago, I broke down some of the many ways that designers can classify their players. I purposefully kept that post broad and mainly focused on what some of the different typologies are. But this week, we’re going to focus in on how a game can appeal to different types of players using specific features and mechanics. For this case study, we’re going to break down Supergiant Games’ Hades using Nick Yee’s Motivations of Play. Keep in mind that this is not going to be an exhaustive breakdown of every single mechanic in the game, but rather a highlight on some of the game’s key features and their effectiveness.
Ready? Let’s go. In the name of Hades!
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