Game, Develop, Repeat

In this episode, we discuss... Completionism Choices Raising the stakes World building Analysis Paralysis Dynamic Difficulty Game: Choose your own adventure novel Genuinely impactful choices No right choices Player choice and difficulty Immersive world building The illusion of infinite possibilities Develop: How can you make the world feel worth exploring? How can you add stakes to smaller decisio...

In this episode, we discuss... Commitment and Variety Control schemes Mini games Charming characters Communication Game: In a word - charming Fishing, management, and an tiny bit of farming Commitment and variety Continues introducing mechanics and mini games throughout the game Incredible, short animated videos that add depth to characters Develop: When trying to map controls efficiently, what wo...

In this episode, we discuss... Fatal flaws Planning Character personalities FF9's item skill system Game: The futility of planning Music makes the game A few fatal flaws Item skill system Character design/art style Exaggerated character personalities "Steinering" Develop: Are exaggerated character personalities applicable to a smaller scale game? Is it necessary to set an overarchin...

In this episode, we discuss... Simple but deep mechanics Playful game design Types of play Combinatorial explosions Satisfying realism Getting stuck Game: "realistic" elemental skills Extremely simple yet innovative magic system Shows how much you can do by focusing on combinations Humor and lighthearted dialogue Feels genuinely playful, rather than emotional, serious, or high-stakes Dev...

In this episode, we discuss... Pacing Addictive gameplay Color pallets Rewarding players Level Design Game: Addictive gameplay Slot Machine feeling Every moment an MMO level-up Fast paced Highly saturated color pallet Total and complete absorption in the gameplay loop, but oddly high stress Develop: How does this game hook me so hard? Would this game have the same impact with a less saturated colo...

AIn this episode, we discuss... Level scaling Efficiency as a game-play mechanic Discovery based crafting Ethics in game design the feedback I got on my first ever game demo Game: Loot & Grinding Speed as a core game-play mechanic Beating the system Discovery based crafting Rare items Unique builds & Synergy Permanent build decisions Develop: How to balance player power Feeling of gaining...

In this episode, we discuss... Unrelenting Optimism Making players care about the game world Well refined turn based combat Respecting the player's time Game: Well refined classic turn based combat Avoiding the grind Abilities that feel unique to each character  Unrelenting Optimism and Cozy Vibes A beautiful art style Goofy but great voice acting Simple but rewarding crafting minigame Has bo...

In this episode, we discuss... Blending Genres Easy to hate characters Encouraging specific playstyles Small twists on classic tropes Game:  Sacrifice's unique take on the real time strategy genre  Unique, interesting, bizarre lore  The power of emotionally engaging characters  God I want to play this game again  Using combat to collect resources Develop: How does Sacrifice succeed at it&apos...

I have uploaded a free demo of my game!! https://mistergrr.itch.io/sut In this episode, we discuss... Enjoyable Stress Cheerful Post-apocalyptic world building Customizable Difficulty Perfectionism Game: Addictive gameplay loop Highly customizable difficulty Encouraging perfectionism Bizarre world building Skill development and Memorization A brief note about Cook Serve Forever  Develop: Why does...

Game:  - Bringing the player into a specific state of mind  - Deeply empathetic gameplay  - Difficulty as an emotional journey  - Resting points for the character help the player rest  - Relatable Characters Develop:  - How can we connect gameplay elements to the player's emotions (other than frustration)?  - Could you make a game have an emotional story arc through nothing but mechanics and...

In this episode, we discuss open world game design, the idea of "tourist attraction exploration" vs "wilderness exploration," and also player customization. Game: Character Customization Inviting exploration "Old school" open world design Allowing players to "break" the game Develop:  What different ways are there to invite exploration?  What elements of Mor...

Game: General summary of series Removing tiny annoyances UI Scouting Hero Level-ups City Management/sectors Building Roads Develop: How can I notice the tiny annoyances in my game's design? What makes for a smooth user experience? Repeat: Don't sweat the small stuff My first game, "Sut" is out: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2638880/Sut/ Email me: anxiousbuddhagames(this se...

Questions:  How can we make it easier to design incredibly detailed worlds?  How important is it that the player experience everything in a game?  What lessons can I actually apply to my own projects, as a fledgling indie game developer? Links: Stanley Parable GDC talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLbmZT70rtA Building Blocks: https://www.audiblegenius.com/buildingblocks My first game, "Su...

Questions I ask this episode: What is the core flaw of FF8? How do you invite players to enjoy your game? Are design risks worth taking?  How can I take design risks effectively? My first game, "Sut" is out: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2638880/Sut/ Email me: anxiousbuddhagames(this sentence is to confuse bots@)gmail.com Join our discord: https://discord.gg/GvYRtTQM9m Send me any f...

Questions I ask in this episode:   What controller schemes haven't been explored?   What parts of full body gaming interest me?    Assuming I always develop for gamepad/keyboard, what can DDR teach me? Feel free to stop by our discord and share anything you're working on! My first game, "Sut" is out: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2638880/Sut/ Email me: anxiousbuddhagames(t...

What we discuss in today's episode: Why you should play Tales of Maj Eyal The power of building hidden parts of the world Making death/failure into a learning experience Satisfying skill trees and Character investment Roguelikes and Power of Iteration/repeatedly failing Link to official Tales of Maj'Eyal website: https://te4.org/ My first game, "Sut" is out: https://store.steam...

Questions: What's up with the AI in black and white? How is this game so good, despite being so janky? My Development: Quit by Annie Duke (Audiobook on Libby, check your library) Menus and Fundamental game features Game Releases I'm following: Age of Wonders 4 Last Epoch Diablo IV My first game, "Sut" is out: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2638880/Sut/ Email me: anxiousbudd...

Questions: What are the most actionable lessons from FF7, for a solo developer or small team? What can we learn from the materia system? Development Progress: Audio Menu Locking in scope My first game, "Sut" is out: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2638880/Sut/ Email me: anxiousbuddhagames(this sentence is to confuse bots@)gmail.com Join our discord: https://discord.gg/GvYRtTQM9m Send...

Questions I ask this episode:   How does Eastshade establish such a calming aesthetic?   Style vs Realism?   Is peace fun? Comments about my development   Learning animation   Deleting massive swaths of code   Choosing what to ignore My first game, "Sut" is out: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2638880/Sut/ Email me: anxiousbuddhagames(this sentence is to confuse bots@)gmail.com Join o...

Questions I ask this episode:  How is combat compelling in a game without visuals?  What limitations could I set to create interesting ideas? Devlog: More player controller changes (remove autojump) Tilemaps Started my first song. Drafting levels in Aesprite My first game, "Sut" is out: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2638880/Sut/ Email me: anxiousbuddhagames(this sentence is to confu...

 This episode, I discuss my childhood love of Warcraft III and ask: How can a game's design inspire the players to "get good? My first game, "Sut" is out: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2638880/Sut/ Email me: anxiousbuddhagames(this sentence is to confuse bots@)gmail.com Join our discord: https://discord.gg/GvYRtTQM9m Send me any feedback, suggestions, or questions! I'...

Questions I ask myself this episode: What happens when you go extreme with difficulty? How essential are the quotations & taunting? How am I impacting the player's emotions? What did I develop this week? Game development books? What fields have good crossover with game design? What to do when I get stuck? My first game, "Sut" is out: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2638880/Su...

Questions I ask myself this episode:   Was there anything in Nox that I wish was in more games?  What do I want to make, as a result of playing Nox?  Are there any tiny tweaks I want to make to my current project, having thought about Nox?  What did I develop this week? How is this podcast affecting my game development? What keeps me making things? My first game, "Sut" is out: https://st...

Questions I ask myself in this episode: - What makes Katamari Damacy so charming? - Could a game like this be made by someone who is chasing after success? - What is it that makes me love this game? - How does this game communicate so much, so indirectly? My first game, "Sut" is out: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2638880/Sut/ Email me: anxiousbuddhagames(this sentence is to confuse...

Why is the Yakuza series so compelling, satisfying, and genuinely moving? My first game, "Sut" is out: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2638880/Sut/ Email me: anxiousbuddhagames(this sentence is to confuse bots@)gmail.com Join our discord: https://discord.gg/GvYRtTQM9m Send me any feedback, suggestions, or questions! I'd love for us to build a strong, supportive, creative communit...