Game Difficulty Design: How to Make Games Hard but Fair
Flow theory, dynamic difficulty, assist modes, and the cost of failure: game difficulty design principles from an indie studio, with famous examples.
Tag
#game design
9 articles
What Is Game Balance? Keeping Fairness and Meaningful Choice
From komi in Go, first-move advantage in chess, and StarCraft's three races to rock-paper-scissors design and buffs and nerfs, game balance explained.
Game Economy Design: Where Gold Comes From and Where It Goes
Faucets and sinks, inflation, EVE Online's economist, Diablo III's auction house, and dual currencies: game economy basics with real examples.
Game UI/UX Design: Why Good Interfaces Go Unnoticed
HUD types, Dead Space's on-body health bar, Red Dead Redemption 2's contextual HUD, Fitts's law, and mobile touch design: the basics of game UI/UX.
Level Design Basics: Building Spaces That Guide Players Silently
The basics of level design, from teaching order and wayfinding to pacing and playtesting, explained via Super Mario Bros. 1-1, Half-Life 2, and Portal.
Open-World Game History: From Elite and Zelda to GTA and Elden Ring
The history and design of open-world games, from Elite and The Legend of Zelda to GTA III, The Elder Scrolls, Breath of the Wild, and Elden Ring.
Why Players Keep Playing: Reward and Motivation in Game Design
Bartle's player types, self-determination theory, Skinner boxes, variable rewards, and Monster Hunter's loop: how games hold players, and the responsibility.
The History of Tower Defense and What Makes It Fun
Tower defense history from Rampart and StarCraft custom maps to Plants vs. Zombies, Kingdom Rush, and Bloons TD, plus how paths, upgrades, and waves work.
What Makes a Good Tutorial: Teaching a Game Without a Manual
From Super Mario Bros. World 1-1, Half-Life, and Mega Man X to Zelda's fairy companions and Undertale: how game tutorials teach well without boring.