I have summarised all of the points from the video. I definitely advise watching the video in full, so consider this a resource to refer to after watching it!
If you’re looking for an excellent strategy game for Android, check out Condado (basically San Juan against AI opponents). Lost a close match this morning 30-28 can’t wait to play again.
Had a breakthrough about the design of the next game! Space mining deckbuilder!
This is BY FAR the best YouTube video I’ve seen in…maybe ever? Insightful. Approachable. Incredible.
I often encounter the opinion or perspective that exploitative mechanics like random loot drops, grinding and RPG mechanics are fine to have in games because people ‘enjoy’ them, and enjoyment is ultimately the goal of a game, and it’s impossible to show one kind of enjoyment to be superior or inferior to another.
Listening to Keith’s latest podcast episode, I was particularly struck by a particular section. He talks at length about how in a well-designed game of strategy, playing it is about pursing a discipline, or about mastering a system (becoming “good” at something). He goes on to say that the process of becoming good at something requires focus, perseverance, creative thinking and reasoning, all of which are desirable human attributes. In this way, well designed games provide tremendous value to those that play them, in much the same way that consuming any art provides value. And this is FUNDAMENTALLY different from a fleeting, shallow and ultimately exploitative experience.
Thanks for putting feelings that have been jumbling around my head into words Keith. Again.
An action platformer inspired by Megaman, currently in development for Windows. There are currently 8 levels and bosses, and each time you defeat a boss you’re rewarded with a new weapon.
Cool podcast interview with Keith Burgun and Richard Terell. Both are among the more formalist game designers out there, and actually give guidelines about what constitutes good game design, which is a great thing to do for a new discipline! Even if those ideas turn out to be wrong, we need to establish them and have the conversations, rather than shutting down and simply saying that it’s all art and that everything can work.
