Entries by Jeroen Wimmers

Playtest like you aren’t there

If you are too focused by what the player is doing during a playtest, they will notice it and play differently. They will be more aware of what they’re doing and the pressure of failing will rise. You’ll always have this problem, players will never play like they would on their own, in a safe […]

Good design is good communication

Just as a writer uses words, a game designer uses visuals, text, sound, interaction (or any input really) to communicate its message. But a good book is not just a collection of words. It’s words chosen with purpose and intent. So in the same way a game designer chooses its ‘words’ carefully to convey a […]

Design should not only be judged by the problems it solves, but by the problems it creates

Often it’s easy to tunnel-vision when solving a particular problem, forgetting about the problems it could create. And when the solution becomes complicated, there’s a good chance it will create more problems throughout your game. Keep it simple. This happened to me while designing a level select. Tried out many intricate versions that solved all […]

Explore the design space of your game

When you have a game system, it will have all kinds of properties and possibilities that you can make use of. Try to get as much out of it as you can and explore the limits to its logical and artistic extend. Explore the mechanic to the depth it deserves –Chris Hecker

Start your idea at the player, start with Aesthetics

These kind of Aesthetics When coming up with ideas, think about why it would be fun/interesting for the player, not simply how cool it would be. If you start your idea with a mechanic, it can often be hard to imagine how well it will work. You will need to playtest and iterate to achieve that […]

Value ideas based on the experience they support

Anyone can come up with ‘cool’ ideas, but seeing their value for the experience you want to create is what matters. A collection of cool ideas doesn’t make a great game. It may be refreshing at the start, but it won’t become a solid experience as a whole. To get a solid game/experience all the […]