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
#indie development
4 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.
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.
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.