The Civilization series is turning 25 this year, and I join Sid Meier, Bruce Shelley, and Brian Reynolds at DICE to discuss the history and design of the franchise. A video of the panel is now available on YouTube.
I also joined Jon Shafer and Rob Zacny on Three Moves Ahead to discuss the Civ series, especially the ones that Jon and I designed: https://www.idlethumbs.net/3ma/episodes/civilization-at-25
In this episode, Soren interviews game designer Ananda Gupta, best known as the co-designer of Twilight Struggle and the lead designer of XCOM: Enemy Within. They discuss why DC has no fort in For the People, whether Labyrinth‘s neocon design is intentional, and should Twilight Struggle use dice to resolve conflicts. They also assume quite incorrectly that Command & Conquer: Generals was released before 9/11. Who knew?!?
Games Discussed: Lode Runner, Ancient Art of War, Diplomacy, Risk series, Paths of Glory, Twilight Struggle, History of the World, Labyrinth, A Distant Plain, Sept. 12th, Civ 3: Conquests, A Force More Powerful, X-COM, XCOM
https://www.idlethumbs.net/designernotes/episodes/ananda-gupta
In this episode, Adam Saltsman interviews Tyriq Plummer, who is the artist, designer, and programmer behind the roguelike platformer Catacomb Kids. They discuss why a game should let you eat your severed arm, how items can be adjectives instead of verbs, and how to design a deep game when you don’t see the bottom yet.
Games Discussed: Lonely Hated Rock, Powder, Spelunky, Catacomb Kids, Cibele
In this episode, Soren interviews Nels Anderson, who was the lead designer of the critically acclaimed Mark of the Ninja and is currently a designer/programmer at Campo Santo working on the upcoming game Firewatch. They discuss how he almost went into law enforcement, whether Mark of the Ninja actually has AI, and why designers should be able to write code.
Games Discussed: Thief, Planescape: Torment, DeathSpank, Mark of the Ninja, Firewatch
https://www.idlethum…s/nels-anderson
In this episode, Bruce Geryk interviews veteran wargame designer Mark Herman, former CEO of Victory Games and best known for pioneering card-driven wargames with We The People. They discuss designing games for less than $100 per week, why he couldn’t release a game because Saddam Hussein might play it, and how Magic the Gathering helped him create a new genre.
Games Discussed: Chess, Battle of the Bulge, October War, The Next War, MechWar 2, Gulf Strike, Desert Shield, We The People, For The People, Empire of the Sun, Churchill
https://www.idlethumbs.net/designernotes/episodes/mark-herman
In this episode, Soren interviews Jamie Cheng, founder of Klei Entertainment which is known for the Shank series, Mark of the Ninja, Don’t Starve, and Invisible, Inc. They discuss paying back the Canadian government, why Mark of the Ninja‘s AI needs to be dumb, why Don’t Starve has no extrinsic rewards, and how free-to-play games are his white whale.
Games Discussed: The Legend of Zelda, Aerobiz, SD Gundam, Dawn of War, Eets, The Outfit, Sugar Rush, Shank 1 & 2, Mark of the Ninja, Don’t Starve, Invisible, Inc.
https://www.idlethumbs.net/designernotes/episodes/jamie-cheng
In this episode, Adam Saltsman interviews indie game developer Davey Wreden, who is best known for his work on The Stanley Parable and The Beginner’s Guide. They discuss why he worked as a bartender while making The Stanley Parable, how they fit the “gnawing void” into the game, and why he is looking forward to getting old.
Games Discussed: The Stanley Parable, Dear Esther, English Country Tune
In this episode, Soren interviews game designer Chris Avellone, who is best known for his work on Fallout 2, Planescape: Torment, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2, Fallout: New Vegas, and Wasteland 2. He is currently working at inXile Entertainment on Torment: Tides of Numenera. They discuss why he owes his career to publisher desperation, how Torment reflects that players only care about themselves, the mystery of how Black Isle lost the D&D license, and why game writing is overrated.
Games Discussed: The Bard’s Tale series, Etrian Odyssey, Dungeons & Dragons, Fallout, Planescape: Torment, Ultima Underworld, the Icewind Dale series, Van Buren, KOTOR 2, Alpha Protocol, Fallout: New Vegas, Pillars of Eternity
GDC started posted lecture videos a couple months ago, and they recently posted my talk from 2014 on transparency in board game design. Enjoy the mohawk!
I am very late to post these links, but I have also been on a few podcasts since the release of Offworld:
In this episode, Adam Saltsman interviews indie game developer Nina Freeman, who is best known for her personal vignette games How Do You Do It?, Freshman Year, and the upcoming Cibele. She is currently working at Fullbright as a level designer on the upcoming game Tacoma. They discuss why all VR games are about sitting in chairs, how a background in poetry influences her work, and how to write about your own personal flaws in a game.
Games Discussed: How Do You Do It?, Cibele, Digital: A Love Story, Gone Home, Dys4ia, MMO’s, Final Fantasy 10
https://www.idlethumbs.net/designernotes/episodes/nina-freeman