Designer Notes Designer Notes 92: Paul Kilduff-Taylor
Dec 26, 2025
In this conversation, Paul Kilduff-Taylor, co-founder of Mode 7 and designer known for Frozen Synapse, shares insights from his indie game development journey. He discusses innovative design choices like simultaneous turns in gameplay and the evolution of Frozen Synapse from a Nintendo DS idea to a hit on Steam. Paul reflects on the challenges of balancing production values in Frozen Cortex and hints at his future plans for narrative-driven micro-RPGs. Expect a wealth of design wisdom and the ups and downs of the indie scene!
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Sleeping On An Early Retail Deal
- Paul and Ian built Determinants, a mouse-driven flying sword game, and sold ~40–50 copies from their website.
- They later signed a retail deal that evaporated, leaving them only a boxed copy and a wild pub day story.
Reach Out To Press Directly
- Call journalists and show up in person; PR stunts and direct outreach gained them early coverage.
- Build a press contact list and hit it when you have a playable beta to maximize exposure.
Avoid Literal Mouse-Based Melee Controls
- If you must attempt direct-control physical inputs (mouse sword, motion), focus on gestural mapping and fatigue limits.
- Avoid pure literal mapping; design fatigue, arcs, and simple rock-paper-scissors counters for fun.