There are some games I know I won’t like, but still buy and play. I feel it’s part of being a good game designer. Here’s my short list and reasons.
Category: Gaming
Game’s right to exist – of flash physics puzzles and truck simulators
Voltaire once said – “I disapprove of what you play, but I will defend to the death your right to play it.” Are all games worthy of being made?
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My interview for DailyDPad.com about my game and inspirations!
So I got interviewed by DailyDPad.com about my upcoming game Postmortem the other day, and it’s now up (English and German version available), Go Read It >
Thanks Rian Voß!
Case for Dumbing Down – because others deserve to enjoy games too
Item highlight, arrows or contextual controls make “hardcore” gamers rage but developing my game I learned they’re not always about dumbing, but accessibility.
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Curing GameDev blues – the other Dev Blogs that inspire me
Developing a game you inevitably face frustrating setbacks that destroy your motivation. Here’s a shout-out to my fellow devs and bloggers who give me the much needed reboot!
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If you can build a virtual empire, why not a real one?
I used to make fun of Eve Online players, sinking countless hours in what has often been called “Spreadsheets in Space.” But as I sank timeless nights into Patrician 3, I realized there really is something about games that brings out the brilliant organizers and managers in us. Why not do the same in real life?
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Banality of Evil – video game moral choices vs. pragmatism
The banality of moral choices in games, boiling down to “Choose between being an Angel or Satan” has been criticized ad nauseum. But even with properly ambiguous gray areas, moral dilemmas don’t fully work in games because at their core they are just, well… games.
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Lets stop the fan game remakes already
Recent RPS article on yet another System Shock 2 (first-level) remake reminded me how much I hate fan game remake projects, and how those efforts could be put to a much better use.
Using games to change ourselves
Open-world games like Skyrim or GTA create increasingly complex environments to explore. Whether an evil dual-wielding barbarian or Russian heartbroken thug, the gamer’s playstyle is often characterized by certain underlying tendencies and patterns, reflecting his unique personality traits. But if games can reveal our personality, could they also not be used to fundamentally change it?