Eggplant: The Secret Lives of Games EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Mini & Max
Aug 1, 2025
Join game developers Billy Basso, creator of the whimsical Animal Well, and Ben Wilson from Saltsea Chronicles, alongside Kayin, famed for I Wanna Be the Guy, and comedian Adam Conover. They dive into the quirky adventure of Mini and Max, exploring themes of nostalgia and the magic of miniature worlds. The conversation touches on game design intricacies, the emotional connections players foster, and humorous anecdotes about life and gaming. They also delve into the artistry of procedural generation and share insights on their creative journeys.
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Finite Parts Generate Infinite Worlds
- Mini & Max creates a sense of infinitude by layering a huge micro-world onto a tiny starting room.
- The game achieves vastness through smart design, not raw technical complexity.
Curiosity Pays In Design
- Mini & Max rewards player curiosity by making tiny details meaningful across scales.
- Paying attention yields consistent payoffs, turning small clues into large discoveries.
Childhood Discovery Feeling
- Rob imagined discovering Mini & Max as a childhood birthday gift and learning deeper layers with cousins.
- He described peeling back worlds and exploding possibilities as you shrink further.
