Game Design
Ongoing coverage on Game Design.
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Gen.G Crushes JD Gaming in Under 30 Minutes Per Game at First Stand
Gen.G decisively defeated JD Gaming with a 3-0 sweep in League of Legends, with each game concluding in under 30 minutes. Player of the Series Canyon, along with strong performances from Ruler and Chovy, highlighted Gen.G's superior team synergy and execution, positioning them as tournament favorites. JD Gaming faces significant challenges in their drafting and early-game strategy following this dominant loss.
LOTRO Legendarium: The weirdest things about Lord of the Rings Online
This opinion piece explores the peculiar and often humorous quirks found within the MMORPG Lord of the Rings Online. It highlights unusual elements such as the distinct voices of child characters, the eccentric pastimes of Hobbits, the static NPC stances, the quest to clean up virtual puke, characters seemingly talking to themselves, and the game's unique approach to time travel within its narrative.
Sunday Postmortems/Retrospectives
Lionhead Studios' 1997 game Black & White is being celebrated for its innovative and unconventional game design, which is seen as a precursor to modern AI implementation in video games. The article reflects on the unique development process and lasting impact of the title.
DayZ creator Dean 'Rocket' Hall has over 2,000 hours in Kerbal Space Program and played the original XCOM at Mount Everest base camp: 'I think when I die, I will still be playing that game'
DayZ creator Dean Hall discusses his extensive gaming habits, revealing over 2,000 hours in Kerbal Space Program and a lifelong love for XCOM, which he played at Mount Everest base camp. Hall, founder of RocketWerkz, also shares his current passion for RimWorld and Ostranauts, and his belief that XCOM is a game he will play until he dies.
Secrets Of Strixhaven: Why We're Excited For MTG To Send Us Back To School
Magic: The Gathering is returning to the Strixhaven setting with the Secrets of Strixhaven set, which is generating excitement among players. The article highlights five key reasons for this anticipation, including the unique wizard school theme, the return of published MTG fiction with a companion novel, the fresh two-color focus of the colleges, the introduction of the Emeritus creature cycle with unique mechanics, and the reopening of the Mystical Archive bonus sheet featuring iconic spells.
Black & White at 25: how Lionhead's hairbrained, stoner-powered game design became the harbinger of modern AI
Lionhead Studios' 25-year-old game Black & White is examined for its groundbreaking AI, particularly its creature companion, which learned and evolved based on player interaction. This early application of AI in games, developed by figures like Richard Evans and Peter Molyneux, is contrasted with modern AI advancements and their societal implications, highlighting games as a crucial testbed for AI research.
6 things we want to see from a Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake
This article discusses desired features for a hypothetical remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on the Nintendo Switch. Suggestions include updated combat, potential voice acting for key scenes, a post-game epilogue, and a departure from the Breath of the Wild engine. The author also hopes for a 60 FPS frame rate, remastered music, and enhanced characterization for supporting characters.
Don’t Starve Elsewhere Drops Announcement Trailer: This Thing Looks Absolutely Brutal
Klei Entertainment has announced Don't Starve Elsewhere, promising a brutal and uncompromising survival experience that builds upon the franchise's core mechanics. The trailer suggests a focus on deep systems, challenging gameplay, and potentially new settings or mechanics. The game aims to maintain the series' signature difficulty and sense of accomplishment while potentially refining its technical execution.
If you love Diablo 4's Necromancer, the next Titan Quest 2 update is made for you
Grimlore Games announced that the next update for the Greek mythology ARPG Titan Quest 2 will launch in April, introducing summons and talismans. The update aims to enhance the class mastery system, allowing players to utilize summons that are not restricted by class choice. Additionally, Epic items are receiving an overhaul to improve their rarity and impact.
League of Legends lead Phroxzon says "frustrating" counters like Mel are part of the MOBA's "secret sauce"
League of Legends lead gameplay designer Matt 'Phroxzon' Leung-Harrison discussed the game's design philosophy, particularly regarding challenging champion matchups like Mel. He stated that while some champions can create frustrating experiences, these difficult counter-play situations are a valuable part of the MOBA's 'secret sauce.' Phroxzon also addressed the concept of 'loser's queue,' reiterating that the matchmaking system aims for a 50% win probability for all players before a game begins.
Crimson Desert's latest update beckons you to abandon the last of your attention span with its new 4x cutscene speed option
Pearl Abyss has released a new update for Crimson Desert, increasing the maximum cutscene speed option to 4x. The patch also introduces several accessibility features, including a minimum font size and camera adjustments. Additionally, the update adds new abilities for characters Kliff, Damiane, and Oongka, and improves the Abyss puzzles with more hints and clearer terrain.
EverQuest Legends briefs players on its multiclassing and class loadout systems
Game Jawn has detailed the multiclassing and class loadout systems for their upcoming MMORPG, EverQuest Legends. Players can combine up to three classes, with a third class unlocked at level 10. Loadouts can be customized with race, classes, gear, and UI, and character level adjusts automatically when switching loadouts.
The Village of Dali and Loss of Innocence
This opinion piece explores how the Village of Dali in Final Fantasy IX serves as a narrative device to explore themes of loss of innocence and coming-of-age. The seemingly idyllic village contrasts sharply with the underlying sinister plot, forcing characters like Vivi to confront difficult truths. The article argues that true safety and peace in JRPGs are found in human connection rather than physical locations.
10 Open-World Games That Actually Respect Your Time (2026) | TAG
This article ranks 10 open-world games that respect players' time by offering meaningful content, natural stopping points, and efficient traversal. Games like A Short Hike, Outer Wilds, and Assassin's Creed Mirage are highlighted for their design philosophies that prioritize player time over excessive filler. The author emphasizes that game design, not just length, determines if an open-world experience respects the player's schedule.
You can finally rescue Half-Life's guards and scientists thanks to this mod inspired by Lemmings
A new mod for Half-Life: Source, inspired by Lemmings, allows players to rescue scientists and guards who were previously unrescuable in the original game. The mod enhances NPC navigation and combat capabilities, covering approximately half of the game's content from the 'Unforeseen Consequences' chapter up to 'Apprehension'.
ESOTERIC Ebb and All Will Fall
This article provides previews for two games: Esoteric Ebb and All Will Fall. Esoteric Ebb is an RPG praised for its writing and worldbuilding, drawing comparisons to Disco Elysium. All Will Fall is a survival crafting game set on a collapsing ocean rig, noted for its unique physics but currently suffering from bugs in its Early Access launch.
Nintendo needs to bring back Animal Crossing’s weirdness
This opinion piece argues that the next Animal Crossing game should return to the series' roots by reintroducing the 'weirdness' and unique character interactions found in the original GameCube title. While Animal Crossing: New Horizons achieved massive success on the Nintendo Switch with its extensive customization, it has lost the distinct personality and emotional depth that made earlier entries special. The author suggests that incorporating more unpredictable villager behavior and a less uniform art style could revitalize the franchise.
Legendary Capcom artist says Elden Ring's visuals hold up against higher fidelity games like Crimson Desert because "the viewer's imagination is constantly stimulated to the fullest"
Veteran Capcom artist Akira Yasuda believes Elden Ring's visuals remain appealing due to a controlled level of fidelity that stimulates the viewer's imagination. He contrasts this with games like Crimson Desert, suggesting that higher fidelity can leave less room for imagination.
Bethesda king Todd Howard isn't a master of game design or programming, says Pete Hines, "but there is nobody that is better" at combining them: "Look around the industry. Who else?"
Former Bethesda publishing head Pete Hines stated that while Todd Howard may not be the best programmer or designer, he is unmatched in his ability to combine these skills. Hines highlighted Howard's success with player-first, mass-appeal games like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 4.
Half-Life writer was surprised how few FPS games followed Valve's approach to story: "Medal Of Honor, for instance, and Call Of Duty both followed those principles, but it was inconsistent"
Marc Laidlaw, writer for the influential game Half-Life, expressed surprise that more first-person shooter games did not adopt Valve's approach to storytelling. While games like Medal of Honor and Call of Duty showed some influence, their application of immersive, first-person narrative techniques was inconsistent. Laidlaw believes this approach is risky but can be highly effective when executed well.
