Game Design Zen : Design, Life, and the Pursuit of

So he asked, “Are you still a fan of the Purple Cow?” Game dev students were asking the same question, from Virginia to Detroit. It’s a simple question, without a simple answer. Let’s get zen on Purple Cows and Originality, via three of my heroes: Will Wright, Jonathan Blow, and Ira Glass. NOW AVAILABLE ON YouTube! The Question (0:35) Topic – What Is A Purple Cow? (02:05) Poo Pourri, Dollar Shave Club, and Squatty Potty The Witness Sims Topic – What Isn’t a Purple Cow? (07:15) World of Warcraft League of Legends Civilization Topic – Originality Takes Time (11:55) Threes The Witness Zen Moment (19:55) The Bubble of Innovation Will you forget this? It’s a Purple Cow The Game Design Zen Podcast is the intersection of games, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for Game developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of developing better games. Level up to zen!

Years ago, my boss asked, “How do you get all that stuff done?” Then, last week, my friend asked a similar question. And I realized, I didn’t have an answer. So I thought about it – podcasts, an indie business, and a family, on top of a full-time job. This episode is the answer – three tips for getting things done. NOW AVAILABLE ON YouTube! (upload in progress) I Finished A Paper! Flow Space How Do You Do It? (00:35) Topic – Focus (03:50) What Is It? Stephen Covey’s Idea of Focus Clearing Your Space Topic – Quality of Work (07:50) All Work Is Not The Same Topic – Habits (19:40) Cue, Behavior, Reward Lists of Tasks – The Good Idea Fairy Deadlines & Constraints Taking Breaks Zen Moment (36:25) I’m Not Special The Game Design Zen Podcast is the intersection of games, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for Game developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of developing better games. Level up to zen!

I broke my own rule! A few weeks ago, I shared a project I was working on, before it was really ready. And after that, I kept putting it off creating the video that I needed to get my project on Steam. Week after week, I did nothing, because I was afraid. This episode is about overcoming fear. NOW AVAILABLE ON YouTube! Breaking My Own Rule (00:35) Getting onto Steam Greenlight Overcoming Fear! Topic – Start With Something Small (05:30) From A to B, via Z The Path – Little Steps The Power of Community Topic – Set A Hard Deadline (14:20) Let’s Ride Bikes From Closet to Bedroom Zen Moment (21:10) Success Begets Success The Game Design Zen Podcast is the intersection of games, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for Game developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of developing better games. Level up to zen!

What about the business? Kenzai asked what it meant to start a business. So, this episode goes zen – covering everything from becoming an indie, to money, to products. It even discusses why you need a Purple Cow. NOW AVAILABLE ON YouTube! Kenzai’s Challenge (00:35) My Journey To Indie Topic – Start Your Business (04:50) The Legal Stuff Going Solo Topic – Money (7:50) Costs Cashflow Write Offs Topic – Products (15:00) Makes The Business Zen Moment (20:00) The Purple Cow The Game Design Zen Podcast is the intersection of games, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for Game developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of developing better games. Level up to zen! Will you forget this? It’s a Purple Cow

What must you know? At a recent game challenge, I met Matt Trobbiani the creator of HackNet. I got to know him and thought it’d be fun to invite him on. To keep the Game Design Zen vibe, I recorded this. It’s three things we should all know. Games Competition (00:35) Matt Trobbiani – Creator of HackNet (01:45) Guests vs Interviews (03:00) A Connection – Like a New Hire (05:00) Yes … And (7:00) A Knife In the Back No Buts! Working Together in Everything Interest Curve (13:45) Series of Spikes – image below (15:30) Jesse Schell – Art of Game Design (17:00) Story (18:00) “How Come You Never Talk About Story?” (20:20) Tell To Win – Peter Guber Question/Challenge Emotional Struggle Galvanizing Conclusion (with a Twist) Zen Moment (26:10) This means you! The Game Design Zen Podcast is the intersection of games, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for Game developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of developing better games. Level up to zen! The interest curve – initial spike, rising spikes, and a climax (ending immediately afterwards)

Ready for SEASON TWO?!? It’s a new year, with exciting changes in the works. To kick it off, let’s start with two giants! They’re at odds. The Indie giant, Jonathan Blow, argues that simpler is better, in almost all cases. Design guru, Brett Victor, argues for sophisticated real-time design tools. This episode digs deep, to find a winner. Check Out My Code! (00:35) What Is An Amateur? Brett Victor vs Jonathan Blow Brett Victor (08:00) Inventing On Principle The Gratitude Habit Jonathan Blow (13:45) Maximizing Resources Zen Moment (26:10) The winner is – The customer! The Game Design Zen Podcast is the intersection of games, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for Game developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of developing better games. Level up to zen!

What about failure? Your greatest ideas don’t live up to your expectations. You haven’t conquered the world. And yet, as Ira Glass says, your taste is killer. This is the season one finale of Game Design Zen – you won’t want to miss it. Happy Holidays! Andrew’s Story – Frustration, Feedback Friday, and Freaking Out (00:35) Season Finale (04:00) Failure (7:00) Freaking Out “If you’re not falling down, you’re not improving” The Fiery Crucible Platforms are Different (14:45) iOS vs Android vs Steam Good Sex, Great Marriage Challenge Yourself (22:05) Your Taste is Killer (Ira Glass) The Gauntlet Deliberate Practice – Dr. Anders Ericcson Zen Moment (25:20) The Journey Star Wars – Pucumir Thryss – Anagram of me! Try, Improve, and Repeat I’m part of the Star Wars universe! The Game Design Zen Podcast is the intersection of games, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for Game developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of developing better games. Level up to zen!

Game Design Zen : Episode 014 Fallout 4?! Some predicted – game of the century. Some predicted – not my cup of tea. And for some, like me, it was our first exposure to the Fallout franchise. I didn’t know what to expect. Now, fifty hours in – let’s get zen! Because … Fallout 4! (00:35) My First Fallout (02:45) Flow (4:45) The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly Choice (14:20) The Good (16:00) The Bad (18:05) Interest Curve – AHA! (25:00) Character Selection, Power Suits, and Companions Weather, Plot, and Story Da Shiznit! (28:30) Zen Moment (31:00) The Clear Vision Mystery Box The Game Design Zen Podcast is the intersection of games, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for Game developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of developing better games. Level up to zen!

Game Design Zen : Episode 013 I’ve been struggling to tell a story. Weeks of nights staring at the ceiling with ideas swirling in my head. It demanded to be told. Until finally, today, I did the whole thing in one take. This special episode is the story of being a Make-A-Wish father. Happy Thanksgiving! The sideways glance, with wave, is for the entire auditorium, who is on their feet. The Story Demanded To Be Told (00:35) 19 Years Ago – Kayla is Born (03:38) The Children’s Hospital of King’s Daughters (CHKD) (04:55) The Most Important Night of my Life (11:00) When I Was Wrong (17:50) To Be A Nurse (24:25) The Power of Will (33:45) Kayla’s Voice (35:20) Make-A-Wish – Kayla Bear (37:35) A Thanksgiving Wish of Gratitude (40:25) Kayla’s ballerina wish was selected by the Make-A-Wish Foundation to become the Kayla Bear. The Game Design Zen Podcast is the intersection of games, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for Game developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of developing better games. Level up to zen!

Game Design Zen : Episode 012 I’d waited months for Rock Band 4 to arrive. And when it did, the guitar didn’t work! Find out what happens as we explore the recipe for Simplicity in games. Rock Band 4 (01:00) Ikea Effect – Dan Ariely (07:00) A Recipe For Simplicity (09:10) “100 ways to simplify life” (11:00) Simplicity recipe (13:00) Core – “Your garden is not complete until there’s nothing else you can remove” – Will Wright Limited Choice – Barry Schwartz & Destiny (15:00) Intuitive – Block 64. Hearthstone. (17:00) Players’ Perspective (20:20) Civilization – Sid Meier CLIP (25:00) Zen Moment – Bushnell’s Law – (29:00) “Easy to Learn, Difficult to Master” The Game Design Zen Podcast is the intersection of games, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for Game developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of developing better games. Level up to zen!

Game Design Zen : Episode 011 Who will win? We’re just days away from seeing if SKT will once away be crowned champs as they take on new comers, Koo Tigers. So with eyes turned toward Korea, let’s have our own battle – League of Legends versus Heroes of the Storm. A Surprise Visit to Korea (00:40) League of Legends Versus Heroes of the Storm (05:40) Why? (10:00) Quality – AAA (11:05) Mechashark Versus MegaShark Graphics, Marketing, Technology Design (13:30) Flow, Paradox of Choice, Habit Loops Differentiators (15:45) Frustration (17:20) Last Hitting, Skill, Game Length (21:00) Social! (24:00) The Intrinsic Experience (29:30) Zen Moment (31:15) Build What The Customer Wants The Game Design Zen Podcast is the intersection of games, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for Game developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of developing better games. Level up to zen!

Game Design Zen : Episode 010 It never fails. I’m chatting with friends when I stumble across the Newbie Letter. It’s full of wild ideas, crazy ambitions, and most telling, the ‘5-year plan’. This episode is an open response. Something Different The Letter (01:45) Truly Unique (05:30) Ira Glass – My Taste Is Killer We Know What Good Is (08:00) 5 Years of Motivation (09:15) Making Progress (17:35) Once We’re Done (18:45) Don’t Tell People Can Say What They Want (21:10) Confirmation Bias Blink (Malcolm Gladwell) Think Fast, Think Slow (Daniel Kahneman) Shut Up and Watch Zen Moment (25:30) Anything Can Be Accomplished Game Design Zen is the intersection of game design, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of better games. Level up to zen.

Game Design Zen : Episode 009 What Now? I’ve got a great story, set in a far-distant future. Not sure what to do next. As crazy as it sounds, this happens sometimes. This episode explores what a game is to help us all improve our designs. Kenzai’s Request – More Conversational (0:40) League of Legends World Championships (05:15) “How do I fill this with something exciting?” (06:10) What is a Game? (08:40) Ted Brown’s Idea (13:10) Goals + Mechanics + Feedback Why We Care – The Definition In Our Head (18:20) What is a Mechanic? (20:45) What’s the Player Doing? (22:20) The Core Mechanic! World of Warcraft + GTAV Start With One (27:00) Zen Moment (28:00) The One Line Elevator Pitch Game Design Zen is the intersection of game design, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of better games. Level up to zen.

Game Design Zen : Episode 008 What do Total Biscuit, Motivation, and the Indiepocalypse have in common? Even after 2 years, I hadn’t picked up a next gen console. Until this one, specific game was announced. $750 later it was all about the experience! Va Tech Hokies, Rock Band, and the PS4 (00:35) Experience is Everything (5:15) Destiny (6:00) GTAV (8:15) Intrinsic vs Extrinsic Motivation (10:30) Control, fuzziness, and Chris Hecker (16:30) Indiepocalypse (18:20) Total Biscuit (19:30) The Hard Truth – Jeff Vogel (21:00) The game nobody wanted (22:00) Build What Your Audience Wants Zen Moment (24:45) Shut Up and Watch Game Design Zen is the intersection of game design, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of better games. Level up to zen.

Game Design Zen : Episode 007 Joe challenged me, “balanced difficulty is missing the mark.” And then, he pointed to games like Farmville, city simulators, and Cookie Clicker. He had some good points. He is not your average Joe. Joe’s Challenge – “Balanced Difficulty is missing the mark” (01:30) Joe’s Ted Talk Flow Revisited (03:15) Not Just Flow (09:00) Happiness – Accomplishment (09:40) Martin Seligman – Flourish Winning Can Be Boring (11:20) Raph Koster – A Theory of Fun (12:00) Habits (15:30) Charles Duhigg – Power of Habits Ziegarnik Effect (18:25) Zen Moment (26:35) Game Design Zen is the intersection of game design, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of better games. Level up to zen.

Game Design Zen : Episode 006 My wife threw the gauntlet – “6 episodes by Christmas!” In this episode, we explore the gauntlet that will help you build your first game, with a bit of inspiration, real life, and practical advice. My Wife Threw the Gauntlet (02:10) How To Build Your First Game? (04:45) The Gauntlet (05:15) 12 Week Challenge Don’t Tell One Mechanic (09:50) Moment To Moment Technology (15:56) Juice (16:55) Marin Jonannson & Petri Purho – Juice It Or Lose It Audio – BFXR.net Zen Moment (23:25) Shia’s – Just Do It Audio shared with Creative Common’s Attribution License – source – https://vimeo.com/125095515 Game Design Zen is the intersection of game design, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of better games. Level up to zen.

Game Design Zen : Episode 005 What should I talk about? When I asked my friend, there was no hesitation – “Squares, Circles, and Triangles.” I asked, “Really?” And he answered, “It was my favorite! You said it would change the way I saw the world, and it did.” Definitely – Squares, Circles, and Triangles (01:50) Interest Curve (03:08) First Idea – 8, 8, 8, … (05:18) Second Idea – 1, 2, 3, … 9, 10 (06:15) Initial Spike (07:10) God of War 3 – Kratos vs Poseidon (09:20) Convexity (10:35) Quests in World of Warcraft Squares, Circles, and Triangles (14:36) Chris Solarski – Aesthetics of Game Art and Game Design Circle (16:18) Square (17:15) Triangle (17:45) See It In The Music (20:05) Zen Spot – J J Abrams – Mystery Box (25:50) Game Design Zen is the intersection of game design, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of better games. Level up to zen. The interest curve – initial spike, rising spikes, and a climax (ending immediately afterwards)

Game Design Zen : Episode 004 What is our most important skill? Though we need creativity, logic, and business, the path to excellence is the rocket surgery of Story, Yes And, and Charisma. This episode tackles practical ways to communicate better. Building Games is the new Rocket Surgery (00:45) Dunning Kruger – Unskilled and Unaware (03:25) Listening & Jesse Schell (04:40) Tell Me (05:30) Yes And (08:00) Story (18:30) Question/Challenge Emotional Struggle Galvanizing Conclusion (preferably with a twist) Charisma (25:40) Nod Less (and slower) Pause Down Notes Game Design Zen is the intersection of game design, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of better games. Level up to zen.  

Game Design Zen : Episode 003 How can you level up? Whether breaking in, or looking for the next opportunity, we pursue excellence through deliberate practice – building a portfolio of finished projects. Stand apart, improve, and level up. The Hiring Perspective (02:30) Joel on Software – Smart and Gets Things Done Luck (05:30) – Lucky Luck and Prepared for Opportunity Networking (06:50) Portfolio (08:45) Dropping the Gauntlet (12:15) What Gets In Our Way (18:00) Perfection Sunk Cost Fallacy Loss Aversion Art, Coding, and The Design Guy (23:45) The Dream (26:25) Zen Spot – College or Not? (28:25) Game Design Zen is the intersection of game design, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of better games. Level up to zen.

Game Design Zen : Episode 002 What is the one thing you must know? When we play games, we become so involved in the activity that nothing else seems to matter. Minutes can be so intense they feel like an hour, and yet, hours can fly by in minutes. That experience is flow, and it’s the reason we play. In this episode, we discuss what flow is, why it matters, and the simple recipe we can use to promote it in our games. Then, we discuss a brand new visualization that makes it easier to remember : Flow Space. What Flow Looks Like (01:25) The State of Flow (04:00) Clear Goals (08:40) – Explicit, Implicit, Player Driven Goals Feedback (14:40) Balanced Difficulty (18:00) No Distractions (21:45) Zen Spot – Flow Space (25:00) Game Design Zen is the intersection of game design, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for all things Game Design including the science, art, and business of developing better games. There is always room to level up. The Flow Diagram