Exploring the design, architecture, and development of video games
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is an insanely complicated game. The excellent battle mechanics is just one example of how complex this game is. With all this complexity, surely there are things we can learn about how to teach players mechanics in games. Let’s explore how Xenoblade 2 teaches players and how it could be better. Self-Evidence …
Here are my blog posts related to this outstanding game: Where did Mario Odyssey’s Level Design Come From? How Unordered Challenges make Mario Odyssey Special The importance of linearity in Mario Odyssey Super Mario Odyssey is outstanding! Here are some notable thoughts I had at the end of the game: The many different ways to …
Final Fantasy X (FFX) is a turn-based RPG originally released by Squaresoft in 2001 for Playstation 2 and remastered on PS3, PS4, PC, and now on Nintendo Switch, thank Yevon! Why is FFX so well loved and engaging? One reason is the use of challenge layering to keep players in flow. Challenge layering is the idea of …
With the remaster, The Zodiac Age, coming out this week, I want to remember some of the things Final Fantasy XII did right. Future JRPGS and WRPGs borrowed some of the revolutionary game design of FFXII, but it doesn’t get as much credit as it deserves (even from me). Judging by more recent Final Fantasies, …
Even though I love Final Fantasy XII now, when it came out, I was let down. I felt the story wasn’t up to the standard the series had set. The gameplay was entirely different than what I was used to. After a few years, I started appreciating FFXII more and more. With the remaster, The …
Over the past month, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about Breath of the Wild. Here’s a summary of my posts related to it. Game Design BotW does an incredible job of keeping a broad range of players engaged and in flow by having multiple objectives and multiple ways to play the game. However, …
What is your favorite divine beast quest in Zelda Breath of the Wild? What order should you play the quests in to enjoy the game the most? In March, I posted a survey on the Zelda subreddit. I published results related to dungeon order and difficulty here and results of how the master sword affected difficulty here. I’ve …
Controlling player flow is one of the most crucial aspects of a game’s design. Flow is what keeps players playing your game. As my favorite game, I’ve spent a good deal of my time in flow in Banjo-Kazooie throughout my life. Now that Yooka-Laylee is coming out this week, I wanted to analyze how Rare …
In preparation for Yooka-Laylee, I wanted to talk about my favorite game. Banjo-Kazooie was an early 3D platformer created by Rare that has a very magical quality to it. It’s a game all about exploring open worlds and finding secrets. I want to explain some of the level design choices made that impact how players …
In the beginning, it seems like Zelda Breath of the Wild is refreshingly difficult. People find themselves dying more often than most games, especially other Zelda games. I recently posted an article on how BotW keeps a wide variety of players in flow and managing difficulty is a large part of that. One thing I …
In Zelda Breath of the Wild, ever wonder when players get the Master Sword? What about how the Master Sword impacts difficulty of the game? A couple weeks ago, I posted a survey on the Zelda subreddit. I posted results related to dungeon order and difficulty here. Since then, I’ve had time to analyze the data …
In Zelda Breath of the Wild, items found along the way can be cooked together to create interesting combinations that improve various attributes when eaten including attack, stamina, temp resistance, and more. While there tends to be some complaints, cooking ultimately adds another layer of breadth to the game that ultimately gives players more choices …
Durability has been the biggest source of contention in Breath of the Wild. Some players detest the mechanic, while others praise it. I’ll explain how this durability system is one of the crucial pieces that make Breath of the Wild such an amazing open-wold experience and how it sometimes feels like a necessary evil. Players …
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has achieved universal acclaim amongst reviewers and fans of the series due to its open-world gameplay and amount of interesting decisions the players can take at any moment. Its predecessor, Skyward Sword, has been a controversial title in the series due to its hit-or-miss motion controls and …
In Zelda Breath of the Wild, ever wonder what order people usually complete the Divine Beast Dungeons? What about which boss was hardest? Well, I surveyed Reddit /r/zelda to find out. This post is only 1/3 of the survey results. You can find more results from the survey here. The following results are based on 428 responses …
Flow is a state of mind where people are engaged in whatever they are doing completely. In games, players being in flow keeps them attached to your game and more unlikely to put it down. Players tend to be in flow when they are playing towards goals they care about using mechanics they care about …