Ultima Ratio Regum 0.8 Finale Update III

March 30, 2019Game Design, Ultima Ratio Regum, Updates

Continuing to chop down the list of URR stuff to be checked before 0.8’s release! Here’s what has happened in the last couple of weeks: – Resolved some strange issues with churches, especially if you approach them at night. Priests weren’t sure where to spawn or where to sleep, and random worshippers kept appearing off … Read More

The Unpredictability of Gameplay is out!

January 23, 2019Academic, Game Design

I am very proud to announce my first book, The Unpredictability of Gameplay, is now out and available from Bloomsbury Academic!  The main goal of the work is to unpack what I’ve taken to calling “unpredictability” in games – the ability to put in one input, and not know what output will occur – into a … Read More

How Basic is Basic Gaming Literacy?

May 15, 2017Academic, Commentary, Game Design

I’d like to start this entry with an anecdote, which outlines the basic issue I’m pondering far more effectively than an abstract discussion. A few years ago I found myself in the position of trying to teach someone who had never played a single video game in their life – and had extremely limited experience of board or card … Read More

Bloodborne, PCG, and the Unknowable

November 26, 2016Commentary, Game Design

A Hunter is a Hunter, even in a blog entry… Regular readers of my blog may remember a comment I made a while back about a game I’ve been deeply anxious to play for some time. This was Hidetaka Miyazaki’s new masterpiece (or so the reviews told me) – Bloodborne. I know I’m rather behind the times … Read More

Perfect Dark Retrospective

July 27, 2014Commentary, Game Design

A few years ago Perfect Dark was re-released on Xbox Live Arcade. Whilst it was generally met with a positive reception as an impressive modernization of a classic game, especially since the new engine was built ground-up to be as close a copy of the old engine as possible, several reviewers claimed the game’s level design … Read More