Resisting the fallout During my first full playthrough of Fallout 4, which you can read more about in my article The world that he wants: the aftermath of siding with Shaun, I focused on being a morally good character, but there is a disconnect that comes from trying to maintain a goody two shoes outlook…
Category: Game Lessons
How genres shape the impact of a game: Strategy & Simulation
Genres and what a game means to a player The use of genres to identify and categorize the content of different forms of art is nothing new, however the change in genre in games can have a massive impact on the gameplay experience. The differences and defining points of genres within gaming have grown and…
How genres shape the impact of a game: Roleplaying Narratives
Genres and what a game means to a player The use of genres to identify and categorize the content of different forms of art is nothing new, however the change in genre in games can have a massive impact on the gameplay experience. The differences and defining points of genres within gaming have grown and…
Tutorialize the conversation: speaking to non-gamers about games
I love talking about video games and games in general with my fellow gamers. We have shared experience that make it easy for us to connect and discuss the structure, strengths, and weaknesses of the games we play. However, I find it equally enjoyable to explain games and gaming culture to the uninitiated; people who…
Going with what works: why designing a game requires a surrender to change
When a developer decides to create a game they often begin with wanting to create an experience they themselves find interesting. The truth of the matter is, as I discussed in my article Children are Game Designer: how child’s play mirrors professional game development; developers are children at heart, seeking ways to express play, with the…
Off the top ropes: always playing the underdog and only winning by an upset
I have always loved playing video games, and I’ve never felt that they were impossible for me to beat. However, when it came time to play against my friends it became clear that some of them were way better than me at the games we played. Thus I figured out early on that if I…
Chasing perfection & fearing failure: the problem with relying on guides
In need of guidance We have all at one point or another, looked up how to defeat a boss, or where the final key was for a chest that would give us the perfect sword for our build. Whatever the circumstances, sometimes we don’t feel like figuring out the most challenging problems on our own…
The world that he wants: the aftermath of siding with Shaun
*Spoiler alert, this article contains descriptions of the events after completing the main story line in Fallout 4.* A wandering lab coat My time in the Commonwealth took me in many directions. To complete my first playthrough I focused on roleplaying as a scientist, curious about the science behind the things I encountered in…
TerraGenesis: transforming failure into success
Building a world or just passing through? The immersiveness of TerraGenesis comes from the striking change that can be observed from transforming a world through gameplay. The first moment you notice clouds after building an atmosphere for an entire day in real time. Spotting water on the planet’s surface, carving out continents after a week of…
Falling Sand: cause and effect toys
Video games have grown and evolved over time to include certain core features; the most recent to be seen as a requirement for a successful game is a compelling narrative. Almost all games in some form or another have implemented narrative elements; even games as simple in concept as Angry Birds feature heavily developed stories for the player to…
Turtling: the fearful, the arrogant, and the lucky
Within RTS games there is a strategy known as turtling; in which the player builds a formidable base and waits for their opponent’s assault. The idea is that when the player has survived the onslaught of their opponent’s aggression the player can then easily counter attack while their enemy is busy rebuilding their army. However,…
Play Professor 