Indie Insider

If you've ever played a video game, you likely understand the power of a good story. But have you ever wondered how developers create storylines that keep players invested? It all starts with an idea. A developer comes across something inspiring, whether it’s a personal experience, a news story or a concept found online, and this spark places the pen to paper. A new concept is born. After the initial draft is formed, developers begin to figure out how to turn it into a playable experience. CG Spectrum notes in their article “How Video Games Are Made: The Game Development Process” that they often create storyboards to map out the plot visually. These early sketches help them see where major events belong in context. Once the structure is clear, worldbuilding begins. Artists create concept art that defines how locations and characters should look. Sometimes indie developers create their own concepts; often, however, they outsource this work to someone else. Storyboarding, Photo Court...

Welcome to my blog, where I explore the ideas and design choices that shape the games we play every day.  Whether you’re a casual player or someone who hopes to work in the gaming industry, my goal is to break down concepts in a way that’s easy to understand and fun to read. Each post will take a closer look at a different element of game design and why it matters more than we realize. Have you ever played a game and became frustrated over how slow your character walks, how weak their weapon is or how the tutorial never seems to end? If so, you have identified some pesky game mechanics. But have you ever considered how important they really are? Game mechanics are the rules that determine what you can do, how the world reacts and what options you have as a player. According to Jesse Schell in his book “The Art of Game Design,” mechanics are the procedures that define player actions and how the game world responds. A jump button, a stamina bar and turn-by-turn combat are just a fe...