Red Pill Blue Pill - Narrative AI for Deep Emotions
Explore AI's potential in narrative design beyond traditional methods, unpacking stage mechanics from popular media to create deeper emotional experiences and conflicts.
Disintegrating Meshes with Particles in God of War
Explore Sony Santa Monica Studio's innovative particle emission technique for mesh disintegration in God of War, its versatile applications, and future potential in game development.
Swiping on the Six Strings - Crafting an Interactive Guitar in The Last of Us - Part II
Explore the design process behind the interactive guitar mechanic in The Last of Us: Part II, from initial concept to final implementation, including challenges and lessons learned.
Tackling Audience Experiences in Games
Explore UI and game mechanics design for live and streamed gaming experiences, focusing on spectator engagement, community building, and strategies for viewer retention.
Designing Radically Non-Linear Single Player Levels
Explore non-linear design techniques for single-player sandbox levels, their unique value and challenges, and how to adapt them to linear levels. Learn from industry expert Aubrey Serr's insights.
Cementing Your Duct Tape - Turning Hacks into Tools
Explore techniques for transforming temporary hacks into robust tools, with practical examples from Total War games. Learn to create scalable solutions and improve development workflows.
Environmental Narrative - Telling Stories in Spaces Without Saying Anything Aloud
Explore immersive game design techniques for creating engaging environments and narratives without dialogue, focusing on physical storytelling, worldbuilding, and player experience.
The Schema is Still Mightier than the Sword - How Cognition Predicts Player Spatial Coding Systems
Explore how players navigate game environments through spatial mapping schemas, mental rotation, and feature detection, impacting game design and player experience.
Critiquing Game Visuals - Common Problems and How to Solve Them
Learn to analyze and improve game visuals with tools for addressing common issues like saturation, clarity, lighting, and contrast. Gain practical skills for enhancing your game's visual appeal and effectiveness.
End-to-End Procedural Generation in Caves of Qud
Explore procedural generation techniques for creating immersive village environments with unique histories, cultures, and quests in roguelike games.
Super Humans of New York - Managing the Many Faces in Marvel's Spider-Man
Discover Insomniac Games' efficient pipeline for managing 150 facial rigs in Marvel's Spider-Man. Learn about character tiers, feedback processes, and innovative solutions for open-world head integration.
Can You Make a Good Game Without Good Play Mechanics?
Explore game design beyond mechanics with Square Enix's Prasertvithyakarn, using Final Fantasy XV as a case study to illustrate the importance of a broader vision in creating engaging experiences.
Low Cost Facial Scanning Using Photogrammetry in State of Decay 2
Learn cost-effective facial scanning techniques using photogrammetry for game development, with insights from Undead Labs' implementation in State of Decay 2 over two years and 200+ scans.
Taking an Axe to God of War Gameplay
Explore God of War's gameplay design evolution, from camera changes to combat mechanics. Gain insights into character development, enemy interactions, and innovative features that shaped this iconic action-adventure game.
Illustrating Tamriel - Creating Key Art for The Elder Scrolls Online
Explore compositional strategies and character-centric techniques for crafting compelling narrative key art in The Elder Scrolls Online with ZeniMax Online Studios' Lucas Slominski.
Ask Me Anything - Q&A with Yacht Club Games
Insights into game development from Yacht Club Games' David D'Angelo, covering design, programming, and industry experiences in Cyber Shadow and Shovel Knight.
What I Learned About Tools Development From Games Industry Legends
Insights from game industry veterans on developing effective tools, focusing on user needs, learning from existing solutions, and understanding workflow integration.
AMA - Brian Horton on Insomniac Games' Marvel's Spider-Man - Miles Morales
Insomniac Games' creative director discusses Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales development, covering character differences, diversity, technical aspects, and balancing gameplay with cinematic experiences.
The Lighting Technology of Detroit - Become Human
Explore Quantic Dream's transition to photometric lighting in Detroit: Become Human, covering PBR, material calibration, volumetric lighting, and irradiance techniques for enhanced realism.
Designing for Multiple Minds - Crafting the Craft of Player Dynamics
Explore player dynamics design, focusing on enhancing interactions and motivations in games. Learn strategies for cohesion, cognitive biases, and creating positive player experiences.
Designing Social Play for Sky - Children of the Light
Explore social design strategies in game development, focusing on player interactions, cooperative gameplay, and fostering natural relationships within virtual environments.