GIGnews - Designers

For you creative, multi-talented, big picture types, we bring you designer inspiration and direction...

Power-up Nomenclature Part 3: Scarcity/Omnipresence and Conclusion
by François Dominic Laramée
In this concluding installment of FDL's power-up series, he takes a look at power-up supply as a gameplay device, and then examines a handful of classic power-ups...More (October 2003)

Power-Up Nomenclature Part 2: Persistence and Supply
by François Dominic Laramée
Last month, FDL discussed one of the properties of power-ups, namely the level of active engagement required on the part of the player to exploit them to the fullest. He examined the consequences of focusing on passive, active and middle-of-the-road (i.e., equippable) power-ups on gameplay styles and audiences. This month, he extends the picture by adding the Permanence/Immediacy axis...More (September 2003)

Power-Up Nomenclature Part 1: The Activity/Passivity Axis
By François Dominic Laramée
We designers are our players' greatest allies. Sure, we expend considerable effort crafting enemies and traps that present increasing levels of challenge for the player, and sometimes we get carried away and don't stop until the latter stages of the game require the skills of a minor deity. But at the same time, we mitigate the impact of these growing challenges by giving the player new powers and abilities to toy with. Recently, I have been thinking about the properties of the various kinds of power-ups we see in games...More (August 03)

Travel and Communications in Science-Fiction Games
By Francois Dominic Laramee
The three-named wonder is back with an all new game design article. When designing a science-fiction game, the form of space travel you choose for your players will have a tremendous impact on gameplay choices and possibilities. In this article, FDL takes a look at several of the modes of transportation invented by science-fiction authors and game designers, and discusses some of their gameplay implications...More (February 2003)

Design Document Skeleton
Since he began contributing to this publication, designer and President of Eagle Claw Studios, William Anderson, has been receiving loads of emails from readers of GIGnews asking for advice on how to setup a good design document. He is now making available to GIGnews readers the design document skeleton that he has used for many years in one form or another....More (August/September 2002)

Fighting Player Burnout in Massively Multiplayer Games by Damion Schubert
When creating a roleplaying game, most design teams try to aim towards providing 40 hours of gameplay. More expansive visions, such as Ultima Ascension or Baldur’s Gate, easily surpass that, offering 80, 120 or even 200 hours of gameplay, depending on who you ask. The costs of providing this additional content are substantial – both games cost millions of dollars and had schedules that surpassed two years – and in the end, all but the most hardcore of fan had a hard time completing every quest and exploring every area in these two games...More

THE DEVELOPER'S LIFE
PART II: PUTTING THE HOUSE IN ORDER
By François Dominic Laramée
As the Fall release season begins, we are reminded of one of the truisms of our business: you can't postpone Christmas. Since most of us ultimately depend on those all-important holiday sales for our livelihoods, shipping product on time is even more important for game developers than for just about anyone else, in any industry...More

THE DEVELOPER'S LIFE (OR LACK THEREOF)
PART I: A CALL FOR FREEDOM by François Dominic Laramée
...While researching his recent book, Free Agent Nation, author Daniel Pink spent more than a year on the road talking to hundreds of them, all over the United States. What he found out is staggering: soloists, microbusinesses and temps now account for 33 million American workers. One out of four. And their numbers are growing fast...More (August 2001)

Designers Chris Bateman of International Hobo Ltd and Sienna of Dynamix recommend their favorite reads -- both technical and inspirational -- from a game designer perspective. What are the must-reads for game design professionals? Click here. (July 2001)

The Fundamentals of POC or Proof of Concept Development by William Anderson

How to Get Your Design Ideas into Production by William Anderson

The Stealth Designer's Handbook Part I: Five Ways to Sneak Originality Into Your Game While Management Isn't Looking by François Dominic Laramée

The Stealth Designer's Handbook Part 2: Five More Ways to Sneak Originality into Your Game While Management Isn't Looking
By François Dominic Laramée

Pedersen's Principles on Game Design and Production by Roger E Pedersen

Grid Based Game Design by William Anderson

Mise-en-scène by Sienna.

Where We SHOULD Be Going With Online RPGs by Sean Patrick Fannon

Designing for the Mainstream by François Dominic Laramée

Design and Revenue Considerations for "Instant Play" Online Games by Ben Exworthy and Marina Fish, GameHouse, Inc.

21^st Century Game Design Primer by Joe Hitchens

The Making of a Monster by William Anderson