A game becomes much more interesting when its rules do more than sit quietly in the background. Imagine entering the same combat area twice. During the first visit, heavy rain reduces visibility and makes fire…
Game Design
Designing Interconnected Mechanics for Deep Strategic Gameplay
A game does not become strategically deep simply because it contains dozens of mechanics. You can give players crafting, combat, trading, diplomacy, research, stealth, and character upgrades, but if those systems barely affect one another,…
How Complex Gameplay Systems Create Emergent Player Strategies
Some of the most memorable moments in games are situations the developers never explicitly scripted. A player might lure a predator into an enemy camp, set nearby vegetation on fire, use the chaos to sneak…