How to do Internal Monologue in Videogames; plus, I’m in a book!
An interesting question came up on the IGDA Writer’s Special Interest Group‘s mailing list, from Anne Toole: When you’ve got players playing a PC [Player Character] that you want them all to strongly...
View ArticleHalo 4 is out today! P.S. I worked on it
It’s great to finally see my company, Certain Affinity, getting some love for our co-development of Halo 4’s competitive multiplayer, ‘War Games’, with 343, including working on game modes such as...
View ArticleValve’s “Cabal” System for Game Design
Valve produced a handbook for new employees at the start of 2012. It’s surprisingly gripping reading, for an employee handbook, and also features some of Valve’s trademark humor: If you stop on the way...
View ArticleCertain Affinity’s Majestic Map Pack DLC Drops Soon for Halo 4!
The Majestic Map Pack is launching soon for Halo 4, and Certain Affinity developed and produced the pack in co-development with 343 Industries: Halo jazz: How 343 Industries and Certain Affinity...
View ArticleInterview on Game Story with Wired Magazine
I was delighted to be asked about writing in games last week for a Wired Magazine piece by David Cornish. You can see the finished piece featuring some of my comments, which is well worth a read, here:...
View ArticleGuess the State Game
So, I was messing with the idea of making a new multi-player Hangman game for mobile, and I went home last night and put together this quick game between 8pm and 1am! I would love to know what you...
View ArticleThoughts on Videogame Pacing
I was tweeted last week by a student working on a “Best Practices of Pacing in Action/Adventure Games” essay. He wanted my thoughts, and I am happy to oblige with this post in the form of a Q&A. In...
View ArticleIt’s Not That Simple
So, I’ve just passed the 2-year mark working as a game designer at Certain Affinity. Although this isn’t my first rodeo, I’m blessed to work here. I continue to learn a great deal, both in practical...
View ArticleLetting Go: The Designer’s Dilemma
[originally posted to my LinkedIn profile] Creative people are trying to solve problems. Problems we haven’t realized we have, problems we forgot about, or problems of which we’re all too aware. Having...
View ArticleReason from First Principles in Game Design
Is there such a thing as a new idea? Or are all creative products ultimately X + Y = Z? When a newly announced game was presented to me via analogy with two previous games, I had to consider how much...
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