System Design
Assassin’s Creed flow, motivation and reward
Why the reach high point system is used in most open-world games since the original Assassin’s Creed.
Tips on game balancing
Game balancing is key for game design, but we often approach it from a number-driven angle which distract us from the big picture, the resulting dynamic. Read my tips on game balancing.
Zero-Sum Games for Game Design
Zero-Sum games is a very important concept for game systems as well as rewards, so here is my perspective on it, as well as examples on what it means for game design.
Warcraft 3 Randomness
Compared to Starcraft’s very predictible systems, Warcraft 3 and its randomness always puzzled me. Here are my conclusions on how such a random game can still be fit for competitive play.
Assassin’s Creed Combat system
How a simple combat system was the best way to match the target audience taste on Assassin’s Creed.
Shooting isn’t the key mechanic of Quake
There’s more to Quake than pure aim. Learn about the decisional challenge of this game.
Halo Multiplayer Combat
Halo’s 30 seconds of fun explained.
Lessons from Pac Man
Discover the hidden depth of this videogame classic.
Creating meaningful game systems
How to convey meaning through game systems.