What I’ve Learned
This list is dedicated to the things I’ve learned from a life spent playing, and the games that taught me by their examples. I will update it occasionally, and most topics will be covered in detail elsewhere on the site.
Games Should Have Personality
Any character can deliver dialogue, but there are precious few that can earn our admiration. It is not enough to make characters that are believable; they should be likable as well. Fond memories are essential to a game’s appeal.
Examples: Beyond Good & Evil, Rayman 2: The Great Escape
Featured: Lessons In Design, Vol. 1: Personality
Anything Can Be A Character
Relic’s Homeworld stars one of the most memorable characters in PC gaming, but this character is not even a person - it’s a civilization. When conveyed with restraint, the hopes and dreams of an entire culture can be every bit as compelling as those of a traditional hero.
Featured: Lessons In Design, Vol. 2: Group Hug
“Immersion” Trumps “Realism”
As alluring as photorealism may be, it does not necessarily make a game more convincing. An emotionally consistent atmosphere that faithfully obeys its own aesthetic rules can create a feeling of familiarity, like a dream.
Example: Ico
Controls Can Be Emotional
Emotional content need not be restricted to cutscenes. When vanquishing giants in Shadow of the Colossus, the player must literally cling to one button for dear life, and even riding on horseback requires subtle coaxing. The mechanics evoke the emotion, not the dialogue.
Example: Shadow of the Colossus
Games Should Facilitate Exploration
“Non-linear” is not enough. A game’s core design should encourage the player to go everywhere and try everything, not just provide distractions. The distant horizon is a universe of possibility, and the player should be aware of this at every moment.
Examples: Super Mario 64, Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
Large Teams Aren’t Always Necessary
In an environment where many publishers actively draw attention to their enormous budgets, it’s easy to forget what a single person can accomplish - be it a side-scrolling adventure, a musical shooter, or even an experimental MMO.
Examples: Cave Story, Everyday Shooter, Love
Let The Player Find Your Story
Games are not movies; passive exposition is confining at best, and insulting to the player’s intelligence at worst. Figuring out the story should be part of the game, not something to sit through while the game plays itself.
Examples: Metroid Prime, Marathon, Half-Life
Empower The Player With Mobility
Give the player many places to go, and many ways to get there. Think of the freedom one experiences during a lucid dream; any place that can be seen can be reached. If the act of traversing the environment is exhilarating, there will never be a dull moment.
Fluidity Is Bliss
Proper control is like a good dance partner. A game should react with absolute precision to even the most subtle input while striving to anticipate the player’s intent. When controls are effortless, gameplay challenges feel rewarding and never “cheap.”
Examples: Genji: Dawn of the Samurai, Ninja Gaiden
Promote Flow State
Create challenges that require finesse and zen-like focus, not miraculous reflexes. Push the player to perform at his peak, and eliminate all obstacles that cannot be anticipated. A failed challenge should never break the player’s concentration.
Humor Is A Design Tool
Clever dialogue is not the only way to make the player smile. From character animations to environmental details to harmless practical jokes built into the level design, any part of a game can potentially be built for comedic effect.
Examples: Oddworld series, Katamari Damacy
Anything Can Be Narrative
Meaningful storytelling need not be restricted to RPGs and character-driven adventures. A properly justified story can breathe life into any game, even if it belongs to a traditionally “shallow” genre.
Examples: Rez, Gitaroo Man
Art Before Technology
Game art often benefits from technology, but should never rely on it. Beautiful images can be created under surprisingly rigid constraints, and these same constraints can even be a source of inspiration in themselves.
Examples: Odin Sphere, Ōkami
Brevity Is Soul
“Total hours of gameplay” is not a measurement of quality. A game should only be as long as it needs to be, and padding your story with irrelevant subplots and grinding will only dilute the experience.
Cultivate New Realities
Plenty of games take place in fictional worlds, but when all the imaginary details are placed in a coherent and logical context, an entire universe is born from whole cloth. The French in particular seem to have a firm grasp on this.
Examples: Omikron: The Nomad Soul, Outcast