Another of my columns… Going with the flow Ensuring that a game works as a whole is very important to the satisfaction the player will feel as they complete it. As with story and research, the flow of a game can make or break the experience. I’m not, of course, talking about the story flow …
Yet another installment of my column from 2004. Researching the Unexpected The key to establishing authentic detail is plenty of research – geography, terminology, clothing, equipment or historical facts, for instance. The level of authenticity can determine how deeply players will immerse themselves into the world that’s been created. In the early stages of Revolution …
A further installment of the original Developing Thoughts Column. Let me tell you a story… At school one year, when I was about eleven, we used to have one hour each week put aside for writing stories. It was always the final hour before lunch every Wednesday and I would look forward to that part …
Continuing the posting of the Developing Thoughts column from 2004. Taking the Rough with the Smooth When Revolution released In Cold Blood, after working on it for nearly three years, one of the first magazines to review it gave it only four out of ten. I remember being quite shocked that this thing of beauty, …
The third of my Developing Thoughts columns from 2004. Getting the ball rolling When starting out on the process of making a game, the initial concept – the project vision – is vitally important to get right, whether you’re developing your first game or your tenth. If the direction is not clear from the outset, …
The second in my series that’s reproducing the original column here on the blog. A Penny for Your Thoughts While thinking of a way to open this piece, I pondered on the number of times I’ve read of writers proclaiming that, on meeting readers, the first thing they are asked is, “where do you get …
Because the Randomville site appears to have removed my Developing Thoughts column, I thought it might be a good idea to re-publish them here on the blog. They will be reproduced exactly as they originally appeared and I shall be taking them in order. Perhaps I’ll even continue the series once I’m caught up. Oh …