Extra Credits

Ever wonder why most licensed games don't live up to all the hype? Game Developer Eddie Webb discusses the challenges associated with designing a game around an IP. Confessing all the gritty details of why these games might not please the fans and may be under-produced.

Player decisions make good video games great but what goes into making your choices truly matter? Join us as we discuss how your choices not only influence the game but create your own unique game state.

Does Canon Matter? Or should we even care? Canon refers to a collection of rules or texts that are considered to be authoritative. Which has come into play BIG TIME with today's, Marvel Movies, Game of Thrones, video games, and more. However, does the following canon ultimately help or hurt these creative projects? Let's join Game Designer Eddie Webb and find out today in "Should You Care About Canon"

After spending a few years away working on his next game in the wilds of Design Land, James Portnow writes in to tell us what he’s learned about crafting a High Concept for a video game and how you can avoid the many perils and pitfalls that happen along the way.

Why do designers make the choices they do in a game? Did Fromsoftware purposely discourage players from using the sword and board strategy? Why did they make more builds dependent on magic? We'll answer all that and more as we dissect Elden Ring!

After crossing through the Concept Cliffs of Design Land, James Portnow writes in to tell us what he’s learned about crafting the concept art for a video game in the Art Arroyo and how you can avoid the many perils and pitfalls that happen along the way to creating your very own game!

In 2018 we discussed blockchain and how it might potentially change the gaming industry. Now that it's 2022, we've found that the few games giving players the ability to acquire, buy, and sell virtual items in an open decentralized marketplace often are leading to legal troubles, money laundering, predatory crypto-related scams, and less interesting games with lower player retention. AKA: Not exactly the change we were hoping for. But since these open-loop economy games now exist, how might the industry (and the law) better protect players in the future?

Design documents! One of the most important things you can create for your video game. However, getting it right can be troublesome! Design docs don't only convey information to different groups but also retain all your gaming info. If it's done well it can provide your team with a straight path to follow to success! End formula for fun1 (angled brackets aren't allowed in descriptions lol): IF: - FAITHVALUE * RAND(0-100) greater than 1000 THEN: CRISISOFCONSCIENCE End formula for fun 2: RULERRESPECT = RULERRESPECT+ ((FAITH/100)*FAITHVALUEINCREASE)

EVERYONE has had to deal with a little tilt now and then, but would it help to let you know that there's a reason behind every death? In fact, failing just may help you win faster! Giving you the right data and feedback to push you further in your game. Join us as we talk about this Game Developer's secret and you'll Never Tilt Again!

Probability! A cornerstone for the design of any game. It can build excitement and suspense but, it can also confuse and upset players. So how do you keep probability and players' choices in games meaningful without bogging them down with the specifics? Let's enter the psychology of gaming and how you can twist and obscure probability to build anticipation and emotion for your next game design.

You deserve better side quests than having to bring 10 rat butts to the local tavern owner, in EVERY game EVER! That's right! Because creating meaningful relationships between characters and quests can make your world more insightful and interesting for the player. Keeping them invested in what's happening and ready to explore every corner of your world.

Emotes! They're everywhere! On your phone and in your games but are they making us worse people? Are they being used the way we think they should Or should we be trying to craft more emotes with the players' well-being in mind? Find out more in "Trolling with Emotes"!

How do you create emotion and heartbreak with math? Video games can create meaningful player interactions and connections with characters but we need to stop treating them like trophies. Instead, we need immersion that makes you connect with the character to make them feel more real in the world around you. So sit back and let us drop some mathematical knowledge into your game's next design!

"Cognitive behavior specialists are always working to reduce traumatic memories and flashbacks. In line with that mission, professor Emily Holmes began researching a new idea on how to lower the occurrence and severity of these flashbacks via an experimental preventive care method - one that uses Tetris to engage with a patient's mind in hopes to affect how long-term traumatic memories are formed. But is this method "too good to be true?"

Is there a franchise that you spend on average an hour a day playing, watching, engaging with on Wikis, Reddit, with friends or just generally thinking about? Do you ever wonder why you keep coming back and obsessing about these franchises? Have a seat as we discuss the intricacies of how companies design user retention and why we just can't stop playing their games.

Rock Band and Guitar Hero were two multi-billion dollar video game franchises that just disappeared practically overnight. So what's the story of what really happened to the most popular rhythm games on the market and why haven't they returned?

Would you believe us if we told you that game designers are constantly stealing open-world designs from Disneyland theme parks? From the moment you walk through the gates to the highly themed areas. Designers have been stealing these key points to find better ways to organize their own open world and help players feel more immersed in their content.