What this is about. To know the Sims series is to either love it or not get it. Initially pitched to EA as a “virtual dollhouse”, Will Wright’s masterpiece has never quite evolved past that blurb understanding of the game. For millions of gamers, this is enough. You have dolls that walk and talk and […]
Entries Tagged as 'Design'
Sid’s Rules
May 2nd, 2009 · 7 Comments · Blogs, Crispy Gamer, Design, Media
Sid Meier is one of the most interesting people I’ve ever met. Even when he’s talking about other people’s games and how much fun he is having, I get the sense that he is appreciating them on more levels than I can imagine. Soren Johnson, his former colleague at Firaxis, has just posted “Sid’s Rules”, […]
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Sid Meier’s Gettysburg (1997)
April 25th, 2009 · 13 Comments · Design, Feature:Map, Firaxis, Wargames
What this is about One of the defining features of historical wargames is the use of terrain to capture important features of the battle(s) being portrayed. An acquaintance is developing a tabletop game based on Foronovo, so he is working out how to reflect the riverside and mud. Hastings needs a hill, Teutoberg Forest needs […]
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Three Moves Ahead Episode 7 – Collectible Card Games
April 7th, 2009 · 21 Comments · Design, Podcast, Three Moves Ahead
The full panel is on hand this week and Troy is way out of his element as they talk about Collectible Card Games as strategy games, starting with Battleforge and moving through Star Chamber, Culdcept Saga and Magic. Should Bruce by a PSP? Who uses the phrase “synergy of modalities of gameplay”? Why does Julian […]
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Hearts of Iron 3 Updates
March 15th, 2009 · Comments Off on Hearts of Iron 3 Updates · Design, Paradox
I’m a little annoyed that I won’t be at this month’s Game Developers’ Conference. There are a couple of journalism panels I want to see, including one with my friend and podcast panelist Tom Chick, and another about the flight of journalists to the development side of the industry. But the big annoyance is that […]
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Losing the Intimate Epic
March 7th, 2009 · 7 Comments · Creative Assembly, Design
“Epic” is a terrible word to use when you talk about video games. It’s usually just reviewer shorthand for “This is big” or “This is long” or “Worlds will shatter”. It’s been used to the point where it is as useless a descriptor as “fun”, “immersive” or “easy to learn, hard to master”. Part of […]
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