Designer Notes

In this episode, Soren interviews veteran game designer Caroline Marchal, best known for her work on Heavy Rain, Beyond Two Souls, and As Dusk Falls. They discuss how much a narrative game should acknowledge that it is a game, if a 50/50 player split for a binary choice is desirable, and whether you are in the shower or under the shower. This episode was recorded on September 6, 2024.

In this episode, Soren interviews veteran game designer Caroline Marchal, best known for her work on Heavy Rain, Beyond Two Souls, and As Dusk Falls. They discuss whether narrative games should show all paths to players, should we care if characters walk up stairs correctly, and how Heavy Rain was built for non-gamers but enjoyed the most by gamers. This episode was recorded on September 6, 2024.

Anton Strenger, a game designer renowned for his contributions to the Civilization franchise, shares fascinating insights into his journey. He reveals how his passion led him to pay for his education at Carnegie Mellon to work at Firaxis. The discussion dives into the evolution of Civilization's gameplay, touching on why post-1900 Great People are scarce. Anton also explores the intriguing idea of the franchise transitioning into a live-service model, revealing the challenges and innovations that come with this shift.

Zach Barth, indie creator of SpaceChem, Shenzhen I/O and Opus Magnum, mixes programming themes with puzzle design. He talks about making assembly-language games, paper-first puzzle prototyping, ensuring solvability with playtests, surprising hits like TIS-100, joining Valve for VR, and returning to indie freedom.

Zach Barth, an innovative independent game developer known for his unique puzzle games like SpaceChem, shares his journey from creating games for passion rather than profit. He discusses the surprising challenges of designing engaging puzzles and the interplay of chemistry in gameplay mechanics. Barth also reflects on his nostalgic gaming influences and the balancing act of creativity within corporate constraints. Their conversation delves into how community engagement and competitiveness shape player experiences, revealing the art of crafting compelling game puzzles.

Venture capitalist Mitch Lasky discusses the evolution of game design, the impact of user interactions on game development, monetization strategies, the shift towards free-to-play models, the evolution of the gaming industry, challenges in game development across platforms, emotional gameplay, gifting and altruism in video games, game complexity, growth of Discord, AI in game development, character balance in games, past collaborations, future opportunities in the gaming industry, and the evolution of video game business models.

Venture capitalist Mitch Lasky discusses game industry insights, shareware models, EA buying Maxis, paying for mobile visibility. Memories of arcade gaming, legal complexities, early revenue strategies, theory of fun in game design, Spore evolution. Negotiations, founding a mobile game studio, online gaming business models, narrative-driven games evolution, customer data consolidation strategy, EA restructuring vision, sports subscriptions, and VC success.

In this episode, Soren interviews veteran game developer Jake Solomon, best known for the XCOM reboot and Midnight Suns. They discuss his first, failed attempt at XCOM, why 75% does not mean 75%, and how many copies of XCOM he sold at Power Gamer in Glen Burnie, MD. This episode was recorded on April 26, 2023.

In this engaging discussion, Jake Solomon, a veteran game developer known for the XCOM reboot and Midnight Suns, shares his journey through the gaming industry. He reveals the interesting quirks of game animation, delves into the nostalgic gaming experiences that shaped his career, and reflects on the unique challenges of game development. Solomon also humorously recounts his early career decisions and influences, offering insights into the evolution of strategy gaming and the emotional connection players have with their game mechanics.

In this episode, Soren interviews veteran game developer Trent Kusters, co-founder of League of Geeks, best known for the strategy game Armello. They discuss why Armello has so much output randomness, whether they fudge the odds, and how to turn off a Game-as-a- Service. This episode was recorded on September 8, 2023.