Game Design Zen : Episode 011

Who will win? We’re just days away from seeing if SKT will once away be crowned champs as they take on new comers, Koo Tigers. So with eyes turned toward Korea, let’s have our own battle - League of Legends versus Heroes of the Storm.

The Game Design Zen Podcast is the intersection of games, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for Game developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of developing better games. Level up to zen!

Game Design Zen : Episode 010

It never fails. Iâ€m chatting with friends when I stumble across the Newbie Letter. Itâ€s full of wild ideas, crazy ambitions, and most telling, the 5-year plan for a game that is ‘truly unique’. This episode is an open response.

Game Design Zen is the intersection of game design, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of better games. Level up to zen.

Game Design Zen : Episode 009

What Now? I’ve got a great story, set in a far-distant future. Not sure what to do next. As crazy as it sounds, this happens sometimes. This episode explores what a game is to help us all improve our designs.

Game Design Zen is the intersection of game design, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of better games. Level up to zen.

Game Design Zen : Episode 008

What do Total Biscuit, Motivation, and the Indiepocalypse have in common? Even after 2 years, I hadnâ€t picked up a next gen console. Until this one, specific game was announced. $750 later it was all about the experience!

Game Design Zen is the intersection of game design, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of better games. Level up to zen.

Game Design Zen : Episode 007

Joe challenged me, “balanced difficulty is missing the mark.” And then, he pointed to games like Farmville, city simulators, and Cookie Clicker. He had some good points. He is not your average Joe.

Accomplishment!

Game Design Zen is the intersection of game design, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of better games. Level up to zen.

Game Design Zen : Episode 006

My wife dropped the gauntlet – “6 episodes by Christmas!” This episode explore the gauntlet that leads to building your first game, with some inspiration, practical advice, and real life stories.

Game Design Zen is the intersection of game design, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of better games. Level up to zen.

Game Design Zen : Episode 005

What should I talk about? When I asked my friend, there was no hesitation – “Squares, Circles, and Triangles.” I asked, “Really?” And he answered, “It was my favorite! You said it would change the way I saw the world, and it did.”

Game Design Zen is the intersection of game design, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of better games. Level up to zen.

The interest curve – initial spike, rising spikes, and a climax (ending immediately afterwards)

Game Design Zen : Episode 004

What is our most important skill? Though we need creativity, logic, and business, the path to excellence is the rocket surgery of Story, Yes And, and Charisma. This episode tackles practical ways to communicate better.

Game Design Zen is the intersection of game design, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of better games. Level up to zen.

Game Design Zen : Episode 003

How can you level up? Whether breaking in, or looking for the next opportunity, we pursue excellence through deliberate practice – building a portfolio of finished projects. Stand apart, improve, and level up.

Game Design Zen is the intersection of game design, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of better games. Level up to zen.

Game Design Zen : Episode 002

What is the one thing you must know? When we play games, we become so involved in the activity that nothing else seems to matter. Minutes can be so intense they feel like an hour, and yet, hours can fly by in minutes. That experience is flow, and itâ€s the reason we play. In this episode, we discuss what flow is, why it matters, and the simple recipe we can use to promote it in our games. Then, we discuss a brand new visualization that makes it easier to remember : Flow Space.

Game Design Zen is the intersection of game design, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for all things Game Design including the science, art, and business of developing better games. There is always room to level up.

The Flow Diagram