#GameDev

Things TRUE gamers don't care about: Some game developers learn these the hard way…Don't get me wrong,DLCs, customization etc., they are all great..But they are not what truly matters!Here are 5 key elements that shouldn't matter:1. Early Access↱ Driven by mostly ‘’Fear of Missing Out’’,↱ Most of these are just money grabbing.2. Micro-Transactions↱ Pay extra on top of what you just paid,↱ Just to fast travel in game? No, thank you. 3. Release Date↱ Buggy gameplay mechanics, rushed story,↱ Tons of technical issues, including login issues,↱ Because of profit promises for upper management?↱ We don’t deserve this, we can wait. 4. Character Customization↱ Sure, diversity is great, but tons of cosmetics,↱ Details on eye lid colors and eye lashes? No…5. DLC Promise↱ Why do I pay for a promise that should have,↱ Been in the original game in the first […]

🎲 Bringing Friends = Bigger Rewards! Just unlocked an event in "Dice Dreams" that caught my eye. It ties rewards to your social network: the more friends you connect, the better your rewards. Simple idea, but it feels fresh and meaningful in execution. What stands out for me: 1️⃣ It adds a social layer. You’re not just playing solo—you’re encouraged to involve your friends, making the experience feel more collaborative and connected. 2️⃣ Win-win for players and the game. Players enjoy bigger rewards, while the game drives higher engagement and organic growth. 3️⃣ The Facebook connection. Beyond the rewards, it’s a clever way for the game to collect user data for future targeting. Whether it’s ads, re-engagement campaigns, or more personalized offers, this is data gold for game developers. It’s an interesting mix of player benefit and business strategy. What […]

𝟎𝟓 - 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 In previous posts about navigable levels, I've often been asked whether elevation changes and ramps significantly affect player's perception. The short answer is yes; ramps are also a design tool! By using ramps, we can guide the player's attention, control their visibility, and carefully pace their movement through the environment. This helps us tell a story through the space itself. In the sketch I'm sharing today, I illustrate two scenarios (extreme case examples) where elevation is used to craft different gameplay dynamics.In simple terms, the key elements of a route that we see in these examples are:- Where the player is (𝐎𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐧),- Where they need to go (𝐎𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞),- The surrounding navigable areas near the objective (𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧),- And the path to reach the objective (𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐡).𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨, the objective is positioned beyond an upward […]

Which game engine should you choose for your game? Here’s a breakdown of the top 10 game engines in 2024:1. Unreal Engine🔹 Complexity: High🔹 Price: $$🔹 Pros: AAA graphics, photorealistic rendering, robust tools.🔹 Cons: Steep learning curve, not optimized for low-end devices.🔹 Best for high-end 3D games on PC and consoles.2. Unity🔹 Complexity: Medium🔹 Price: $$$🔹 Pros: Versatile 2D/3D support, cross-platform deployment, huge asset store.🔹 Cons: High licensing fees, some features gated.🔹 Best for indie to mid-size games, mobile, and VR/AR projects.3. Godot Engine🔹 Complexity: Low to Medium🔹 Price: Free🔹 Pros: Open-source, lightweight, node-based architecture.🔹 Cons: Limited 3D features, fewer third-party tools.🔹 Best for indie developers, 2D games, and learning projects.4. GameMaker🔹 Complexity: Low🔹 Price: $🔹 Pros: Drag-and-drop interface, custom scripting with GML, great for rapid prototyping.🔹 Cons: Limited for complex games, paid export modules.🔹 Best for beginners, 2D indie […]

Do you believe that Time Boosters can increase not just player Engagement, but also Monetization?No? Then this post is for you. Many people underestimate the positive impact of Time Boosters. These boosters can elevate the gaming experience by adding VALUE:↳ motivating players to Stay Longer ↳ and Spend MorePopular Booster Types, that you can implement in your Game: ↳ Unlimited Lives ↳ Pre-Level Boosters ↳ Discount Boosters ↳ Extra Rewards ↳ More LiveOps Event Currency ↳ Faster Progression ↳ Other Specific Boosters (ex. Better Drop Rates)There are 3 options, how Boosters can HELP you to MAXIMIZE your KPIs: ↳ Prolong Player Sessions Length ↳ Encourage Currency Spending ↳ Smartly Remove a 'Session Limit' BarrierWant to know even more? - HOW boosters can help with 'New' and 'Returning' players? - WHY boosters are great currency for your Game Economy? - WHICH Boosters work best […]

This book helped me grow from Mid-level → Senior-level in Game Design 5 years ago. And no, it’s not ‘The Art of Game Design’ 😁 Even after 5 years, I still think this book is the BEST one!This Book is ‘Advanced Game Design: A system approach’ by Michael SellersTo understand WHY I like it so much:Here’s how I define a great Game Designer today. My TOP-3 criteria:↳ The way of thinking ↳ System approach ↳ Economy and balanceIt's hard to find one that truly builds all of them — but this one does.While reading it, I created one of my best-performing features of that period:↳ It boosted ARpDAU by +30%(!) whenever the feature was active↳ Even other projects in our company copied it↳ And it’s still alive, 5 years laterThe feature was as simple as it was smart:→ Solved a […]