real video games for readers of tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow by gabrielle zevin
Gabrielle Zevin’s novel Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow follows three young game designers as they start a video game company. The book refers to several real-world games, in particular retro favourites like Super Mario Bros. and Donkey Kong, which a…
figment: a mind full of incoherent video game design
For a game that’s set inside a human mind, Figment doesn’t make a lot of sense. Released in 2017 by Bedtime Digital Games, Figment is a single-player action-adventure game including platforming, puzzles, and boss battles where the boss sings an elaborately…
black lives matter: diversity resources for gamers and game developers
In light of recent events and the Black Lives Matter movement, I am writing this blog post to help fight against the racism and police brutality against African-Americans that have come to the forefront in the past couple of weeks.…
kind words game review: a rare haven of companionship
Online games have long been notorious for toxicity amongst players. A 2019 study said that 74% of US gamers have experienced harassment in online multiplayer games, with offensive names and trolling or griefing topping the list of incidents1. As an…
building a game about the berlin wall
When I visited Berlin, I was struck by how profoundly the city impacted me in the 2-3 days I was there. Wandering around on foot from the Brandenburg Gate to Checkpoint Charlie to the Reichstag Building, I was surrounded by…
foldit, player motivation and video games for science
Picture this: You’ve just come home from a long day at work, and have the promise of a free evening before you. It’s been a stressful day, and you want to relax. Do you a) fire up your favourite video…
we are addicted to progress: designing progression in games
On a car ride in the passenger seat, my friend handed me his phone and asked me to help him hatch some chickens while he was driving. He was talking about Egg, Inc., this game where you tap a red…
the wall, a game about berlin during the cold war (game dev process)
The Wall is a stealth game based on the political climate of Cold War Germany and its effect on the citizens of Berlin. The game’s four levels reflect the structural evolution of the Berlin Wall and its “Death Strip”, with…
