Building Word Games Without Frameworks With Cassidy Williams
Aug 6, 2024
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Cassidy Williams, a developer and co-founder of Cosigned and Contenda, dives into her journey creating Jumblie, a word game inspired by coding challenges. She shares insights from her time in Spain and her unique experience as a college mascot. The conversation touches on her love for board games, the challenges of puzzle editing, and the importance of balancing creativity with technology. Cassidy discusses the influence of AI in gaming and recounts her innovative approach to game design, alongside humorous anecdotes from her internship days.
Cassidy Williams emphasizes the importance of personal branding and SEO strategies to build a strong online presence in a competitive digital landscape.
Her journey in game development, particularly with Jumbly, reflects a passion for casual gaming combined with innovative approaches to player engagement and puzzle curation.
Deep dives
Cassidy Williams and Her Online Presence
Cassidy Williams has effectively dominated search results for her name, managing to secure three of the top four spots on Google. This achievement stems from her strategic approach to personal branding and SEO, including creating content that highlights her various roles and projects. With a diverse background as a developer and content creator, Cassidy has built a significant online presence that resonates with both tech enthusiasts and casual gamers. Her ability to draw people in through relatable and engaging content serves as a valuable lesson for anyone looking to enhance their own visibility in a crowded digital space.
The Creation of Jumbly
Jumbly is a unique word game developed by Cassidy, where players decipher hidden words from a jumble of letters. The inspiration came from her love for word-based games like Wordle and Connections, aiming to create a fun daily challenge that is more accessible to players. Each puzzle features a thematic connection among the words, which adds an element of creativity and engagement, enhancing the overall gaming experience. Cassidy utilized AI to generate initial word lists, but she found that human curation was essential for maintaining quality and player satisfaction.
Cassidy's Gaming Background and Inspirations
Cassidy's journey into game development is fueled by her passion for casual gaming and her experiences in various tech roles. She started creating games as fulfilling side projects, with a focus on making them enjoyable without the stress often associated with professional game development. Her earlier game, Thirteen Potions, was born from a hackathon challenge, showcasing her knack for innovation under pressure. Cassidy's favorite games, such as Civilization and Agricola, reflect her love for strategic thinking, which also spills over into her game design philosophy.
Challenges and Future Directions for Jumbly
As Cassidy juggles her responsibilities as a puzzle editor for Jumbly, she recognizes the challenges of maintaining the game's content and player engagement. She's exploring potential features like hints or adaptive difficulty levels to recycle puzzles and enhance the gaming experience. The interest stemming from her game's appearance in shows like Devil’s Plan has contributed to its popularity but also raised expectations. Cassidy is currently contemplating collaborations or support options that could help sustain the game's growth while alleviating the burden of solo puzzle editing.
Cassidy Williams is a prolific content creator, developer advocate, and builder. Aaron Kardell and Joseph Rueter discuss Jumblie—a word game inspired by a coding challenge—and Cassidy's previous games.
Cassidy shares her journey, the influence of her time in Spain, SEO, her love for board games like Agricola and Civ 6, and her stint as a mascot at Iowa State University.