Thread by @dylancuthbert

This is a great set of tips (by @jmechner ) and a process I’ve also followed naturally over the years. If you’re in game dev you need to embrace these. Ironically the only time I break these rules is when dealing with publishers 🤣 Let’s go through them one by one! (LONG POST)

(1. Prototype and test key elements asap.)
It’s important to test things immediately via the shortest possible method to get stuff visceral and on screen. Too many devs get caught up building systems or in idealistic logic traps, but all that’s important is “is this gonna work?”

(2. Build incrementally)
Draw, Program, and Play. Rinse and repeat. If you need a big design document before you even start you’ve already wasted a lot of time. Always look directly at what you are making, as you make it.

(3. Reinforcement)
Some elements take time to understand. Little by little expand the ideas that work and move away from the ideas that don’t. Don’t be quick to judge though, some elements begin to work through the effect of other features.

(4. Be open to serendipity)
Many a killer feature in a game has come about from a fortuitous bug or glitch. Games are dynamic, you need to be too. (Publishers have a /very/ hard time understanding this). It follows on from 3, but run with your discoveries, see where they lead.

(5. Always give the player a goal)
Entice the player to discover the game for themselves. This point doesn’t mean tell the player “go to point A”. Give the player agency and a motive. Think of the beginning of Half Life and how that motivates you for the rest of the game.

(6. Give the player clear and continuous feedback)
If the player is moving away from the intended destination or achievement, design ways to coax them back onto track. Also, don’t assume the player will do what you do in the same situation, they will tend to do the opposite! :)

(7. Cheap tricks)
I’ve come across many a dev that will turn up their nose at cheap tricks, but cheap tricks work. eg. Why develop an aerodynamic physics system when feeding a few variables back and forth emulates it enough and also plays better. Often the expensive way is crap.

(8. Moment of truth)
The game becomes playable, and hmm.. it’s not as fun as you thought it might be. It seemed great in your mind though! Don’t give up yet though, double check your concept, focus tightly on the innovation and not the mediocre ideas anyone can come up with.

(9. Listen to criticism)
Criticism is always right but criticism rarely will give you the correct solution. Take everything on board and /think hard/. Finding the best solution is where your true skill as a game designer comes into play. This is really hard.

(10. Your original vision isn’t sacred)
I learnt this at a very young age working at Nintendo. It surprised me how they would chop and change the vision so much and I learnt to do the same. The Tomorrow Children began as a 3D Adventure :)

(11. Cut sooner)
Don’t be afraid to throw your work away. I once designed a cool feature and Miyamoto and I loved it, but we couldn’t work out how to put it in the game. So after two weeks we dropped it, and it was a relief. It was the wrong path for Fox but influenced Mario 64.

(12. Don’t be afraid to consider BIG changes)
This! This is unbelievably important. Also something for you to fight with publishers (and sometimes your fellow devs) over. If your game needs a big change, you will feel it in your bones, discuss it, brainstorm it, and then DO IT!

(13. Draw inspiration from life and other sources)
It’s really important to have a wide range of interests, it’s easier to find inspiration! Go to museums, enjoy art, watch movies, read books. Get out and see the world, and bring that all back into what you are making.

(14. Develop personal practices that allow you to step back)
I call this the clinical process. Pull back from what you are making and consider it coldly, like a foreign substance. You need to find a way to be dispassionate. Making games requires so much passion this is tricky!

(15. Work on paper!)
This is incredibly important, it may feel backwards but grab a pencil and scribble,make a mess! Nintendo had amazing “game design” paper which was three boxed areas to draw in and lines for notes to the right of each one. I’m trying to bring that format back.

(16. Constraints are awesome)
Working within constraints has produced some of the most innovative game designs ever. Push against them as hard as you can and your synapses will fire. Self imposed restraints also work! eg. the lack of a typical jump in many Zeldas.

(17. Discover the heart of your game, and re-align)
Once you’ve discovered the heart you will know it, and perhaps some ideas no long line up. This is sometimes called pivoting, find the heart and pivot everything around it. That’s your center now, put everything else in orbit.

(18. Put your ego aside)
Ego is important to get a game moving in the first place but use it sparingly. At the end of the day /drive/ is more important than ego. Focus on drive and passion, and then your ego will fall to the side.

(19. Keep a journal)
This is something I’ve never been good at, I’m just not a diary writing kind of person and rely on my relatively good memory, but I really wish I had done this on a number of projects. Maybe I will start now!

(20. Nobody knows what will succeed)
Yes you heard that right, not even yourself. Everyone on the team should be trying to figure out what will succeed and suggesting things to make the game better. All ideas are welcome and all ideas can fail. A few succeed!

Hopefully everyone enjoyed this little write up, Jordan Mechner’s list of tips certainly stirred a little fire in me! Let’s get out there and make great games!