The monthly game design podcast you haven't been waiting for

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Reading List 2: Everything Old is Good Again

This month we go back to the reading list as we analyze 3 recent releases that have managed to breathe new life into their long-running franchises. Did 2016's Doom revitalize the stale first-person shooter genre? How does Resident Evil 7's first-person perspective reflect the series' pre-rendered roots? Is Breath of the Wild the best Zelda game since the original? Will we actually answer these questions, or will we just rant about how much we love these games for an hour? You'll have to listen to find out!

Questions? Comments? Recommendations for other great entries in big series? Contact us on Twitter or email mailbox@pgipodcast.com. And if you liked the show, please review us on iTunes!

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Header image from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild by Nintendo

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episode

Designing for Different Players (Lily Dodge)

Different players want different things from their games. How do you make sure that your game caters to as many of them as possible, without losing sight of what makes your game unique? And how is this complicated when designing for a pre-determined set of players, such as at a live gaming event?

We're joined by Lily Dodge, former moderator of Goucher College's epic weeklong Humans vs Zombies games, to discuss these questions and more!

Questions? Comments? Want to share your Bartle type? Contact us on Twitter or email mailbox@pgipodcast.com. And if you liked the show, please review us on iTunes!

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Header image from The Sims 4 by Maxis

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Multiplayer Modes (Max Grossman)

Multiplayer games have the rare opportunity to feature multiple modes, distinct ways to play that can provide wildly different experiences for players. But how do you design the modes that will work best for your game, how does your roster of modes change how players engage with your game, and when is an idea for a new mode just too "out there"?

Special guest Max Grossman (First Strike Games, Halo 5: Guardians) joins us to discuss these questions and more.

Questions? Comments? Ideas for a great new mode? Contact us on Twitter or email mailbox@pgipodcast.com. And if you liked the show, please review us on iTunes!

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Header image from Overwatch by Blizzard Entertainment

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Making Loss Matter

Everyone knows that feeling — you die in a game, you respawn, you try again, you die again. You keep attempting the same section, frustration mounting until you shut the game off in disgust.

Are there better ways to handle failure in games? (Yes.) Can improving your fail states make players engage more with your game? (Absolutely.) Will we manage to explain how in an hour-long podcast? (Doubtful.)

Correction: The Just Cause series is developed by Avalanche Studios, not Frictional Games.

Questions? Comments? Want to share your own failures or complain about ours? Contact us on Twitter or email mailbox@pgipodcast.com. And if you liked the show, please review us on iTunes!

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Header image from Darkest Dungeon by Red Hook Studios

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Co-op Games

It's well known that co-op makes just about every game more fun. But how do you design a game that takes good advantage of its co-op, and how do you avoid some of its common pitfalls?

Questions? Comments? Just need someone to talk to? Contact us on Twitter or email mailbox@pgipodcast.com. And if you liked the show, please review us on iTunes!

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Header image from Overcooked! by Ghost Town Games

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