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5 Environmental Storytelling Techniques Every Game Writer MUST Know
Environmental storytelling is one of the most powerful tools in game design—and one of the most immersive forms of narrative. It delivers information through the environment itself, the game’s world—without relying on other forms such as cutscenes, dialogue, or traditional exposition. It communicates information through world design—via architecture, prop pl
How to Spot a Bad Tutorial in 5 Minutes
A good tutorial is invisible. It integrates seamlessly into gameplay, teaches through doing, and encourages players to keep playing without making them feel dumb or restricted. But when tutorials are poorly done, they’re not just minor annoyances, they can, yes, kill interest in the game altogether. So how do you know if a tutorial is […] The post How to Spo
The Wheel of Emotions: What Do We Feel When We Play a Story?
We have a special word for the feelings that rise up from within us: emotions. I’m talking about those instant, unfiltered reactions, a jumpscare, a burst of laughter, the little eyebrow lift of surprise, or just leaning forward expecting something to pop up. Our logical mind can easily dismiss emotions as unimportant, but they are […] The post The Wheel of
The 4 Enemies of Replayability
We’ve all done it. You look at your Steam’s library, this massive list of incredible games you swear you’re going to play someday, and then… you start that one game right after. Again. The one you’ve already played for 300, 600, maybe 1,000 hours. And you tell yourself, “Just one match, just one run, then […] The post The 4 Enemies of Replayability appeared
How to Think Like a Game Designer
How to Think Like a Game Designer What is Design? If you really think about it, design is about how people use things, and how using those things should make them feel. This applies whether you’re talking about any sort of design: graphic, industrial, or, of course, game design. But games are unique because they’re […] The post How to Think Like a Game Desig