We're back, and we're trying something a little different this time! It turns out that some design topics don't necessarily justify a full hour-plus episode all on their own, but are still worth talking about! To that end, we're introducing PGI Quickplays -- shorter, more frequent episode that deliver bite-sized chunks of game design bullshit to you on the weeks where we don't have a full-sized episode for you.
In our inaugural Quickplay, we dig into Valeria: Card Kingdoms, a dice-rolling and tableau building game that is suspiciously similar to Machi Koro, and yet somehow a lot more fun to play...
How do you turn an idea into a game, and how do you make sure that game maintains the spirit of that idea as you develop it? We're joined by Meat Boy level design maven, TowerFall world champion, and all-round charmer Kyle Pulver to solve these problems once and for all! Along the way, we discuss the value of applying constraints to your design, how to define your game by 'pivoting' through your design space, and how making a game is kind of like navigating a canoe. Or blowing up a flour mill. If you like strained metaphors, this is definitely the episode for you.
It's been a little while since we got everyone together in front of the mic, so we're taking it easy this episode to catch up and talk about some games we've been playing!
Rob's been exploring Fantasy Flight's line of Arkham Horror tabletop games, Jon's got lost in Hollow Knight, and Ryan took a relaxing vacation in Super Mario Odyssey.
Join us as we talk through what we like and dislike about each of these games... except Super Mario Odyssey. There's basically nothing bad we can say about that game.
The classic trio is back on the mics, and we're celebrating by diving into that most classic of game mechanics — grinding! Join us as we debate grinding's definition, discuss why it has such a bad reputation, and explain how it can help players get more from your game and make your life as a game designer easier, then marvel as we do all of this without any relevant credentials or experience to back up our convictions. With no guest to guide us, we're loud, we're sassy, and we're just as pretentious as ever.
How do you make games that feel competitive for players of all skill levels, while still feeling fair to the players with the most experience? Catch-up mechanics!
Joseph Chen joins us to chat through different kinds of catch-up mechanics, how overpowered catch-up mechanics can take over your game, and that dark cousin of the catch-up mechanic: the runaway leader.
How do you open your game with a bang, hold the player's attention through hours of gameplay, and wrap things up in a way that feels satisfying and complete? We sure the heck don't know, but special guest Nina Freeman (Cibele, Tacoma, how do you Do it?) does!
In this episode, we discuss game introductions, how difficulty progression and story can both drive player engagement, the value of vignette-style storytelling, the way that sports tell stories, and whether games even need endings, plus lots more incisive and indecisive discussion about your favorite games!
More is always better, right? Wrong!
We're joined by games critic and all-around smart egg John Brindle to discuss his Waypoint article analyzing Frank Lantz's brilliant clicker game Universal Paperclips. Along the way, we cover why simple games are often the most impactful, how to make sure your game says what you want it to say, and the dangers of including mechanics without considering all of their implications.
We also talk about paperclips. Lots and lots of paperclips.
Everyone plays games, but games aren't always designed with everyone in mind. In this episode, we're joined by [Dee Del Rosario](https://twitter.com/scumbling) as we discuss how to build games that include and appeal to as many people as possible. We cover why representational inclusivity is so important, tools for making your games more accessible, how to support marginalized creators, and the importance of putting in the effort to do your research and remaining critical of your own work.
Plus, we recommend tons of great groups, conferences, and talks for you to investigate and get involved with to learn even more!
Remember: be critical of your own work, keep and open mind, and always be willing to listen.
We talk a lot about how to make your games better, but how do you make yourself better? Emma Larkins joins us to discuss honing your analytical skills, the importance of daily practice, valuable game design resources, and how to not take feedback personally.
Join in the fun by posting your own design practice to #gamedesigndaily on Twitter, Instragram, or your hashtaggable social media service of choice!
We're back with the next episode of our increasingly numerically fraught Reading List subseries! This time Ryan, Rob, and Jon are joined by special guest Vivian Wong to discuss some of our favorite 'unpolished gems' -- games that might not be remembered as best in class (or remembered at all), but that still have great ideas that are worth taking a second look at.
Games covered this time include Candy Box, Dream Quest, High School Dreams: Best Friends Forever, and Chulip.
Apologies for the inconsistent audio quality this episode. We had some technical issues while recording, and Jon had to patch the episode together from multiple backups like some terrible audio Frankenstein. (Happy Halloween, everybody!)