Designer Notes Designer Notes 41: David Sirlin - Part 1
Aug 8, 2018
David Sirlin, a veteran game designer known for his work on Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, shares his insights on game mechanics and design philosophies. He argues that more mechanics don’t necessarily equal deeper gameplay. The conversation amusingly veers into whether fighting games should include cake baking. Sirlin also candidly discusses why he didn’t design Street Fighter 4, reflecting on early gaming influences and the complexities of balancing competitive integrity with accessibility in game development.
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Episode notes
Emergent Depth in Fighting Games
- Early Street Fighter players discovered gameplay nuances week by week, revealing emergent depth.
- Many advanced techniques were not intentionally designed but discovered over time.
Depth Fallacy in Fighting Games
- Not all new execution techniques add depth; some make games shallower and lessen decisions.
- This "depth fallacy" causes confusion when players equate new tricks with richer gameplay.
Design for Player Enjoyment
- Avoid rewarding players for annoying or unpleasurable actions even if they increase effectiveness.
- Games should encourage enjoyable strategies over tedious or frustrating execution tactics.
