Gökhan Üzmez’s Post

Game design is a craft at the crossroads of creativity and problem-solving. It’s not just about innovative gameplay or beautiful worlds—it’s about creating systems that engage players, spark emotions, and offer a seamless experience. A great game isn't just played; it's felt. The challenge is in designing worlds where players lose themselves, without losing the underlying structure. That balance between freedom and control, between immersion and clarity, is where magic happens. As game designers, we don't just build entertainment—we create memories, moments that stay with players long after the screen goes dark. The real reward is knowing we've connected with our audience in a meaningful way. #GameDesign #IndieGames #Creativity #PlayerExperience #GameDevelopment

I came across a fascinating online discussion about "support" classes and whether the term is so broad that it actually hurts game design. Basically, we have 3 main character classes: Offense (deals damage) Defense (prevents/soaks damage) Support (does everything else) Most people associate the "support" class with healing and buffing/debuffing. (Your basic healer/bard characters.) Those who argue "support is too broad of a class" generally want this type of support character recategorized under something more specific, like "healer" or "status". They make two interesting points for doing so: 1) Because so many people make the "support = healer/status" association, it hinders many designers (and players) from considering the myriad of OTHER potential support activities that could be implemented in team-based games. (For example: recon/misdirect, build/demolish, taxi, collect, distract, charm, coordinate, etc.) 2) As designers, we tend to focus on balancing between the 3 main class types. By lumping so many skills under the umbrella of a single "support" class, we are less likely to balance the various sub-classes of support in a way that encourages a variety of unique and fun gameplay strategies. While there are certainly games that have implemented and taken advantage of non healer/status character skills, this does seem to be less common and something junior designers don't often consider. For that reason, I'm leaning toward agreeing with this. What do you think? #gamedesign, #gamedevelopment

GAME DESIGN isn’t just about DESIGN 😵👾🎮 You know, along with learning Unity, I've also been delving into the field of game design, and as I've learned, it's very similar to what I'm doing in product design There is also a client (player), and his needs, but games cover the needs not from the point of view of external factors (like food delivery, buying something online, etc.), but internal (I want to feel like someone, I want to win, etc.) But the difference is not only in the emphasis on the inner motivations of the individual, but also in the breadth of tools that game designers use - direction, atmosphere, story, plot, stylistics, and so on I think that creating a game is a much more creative area of design, because here you can let your imagination fly and create something incredible What do you guys think about it? Share in the comments! #gamedesign #design #games #productdesign #thought

🎮Game Design Reflections || Week 6 🔍Topic: Game Design Documents - Part 1 🧠A game design doc is a comprehensive blueprint outlining a video game's concept, mechanics, story, characters, art, sound, and technical aspects. It serves as a reference for the development team to ensure a cohesive vision and execution throughout the production process. Think of it as a huge map that helps the game development team stay on track. It's super detailed, covering stuff like how the game will look, what the player can do, how everything fits together, and even technical details like what kind of software or technology will be used. 🤔 So How would one get started? 1️⃣ Conceptualize: Brainstorm and articulate the game's essence, like its genre (e.g., RPG, puzzle), target audience (age group, interests), and key features that make it stand out (unique gameplay elements, innovative mechanics). 2️⃣ Outline Mechanics: Define how players interact with the game: controls, rules, progression systems (levelling up, unlocking abilities), and any distinctive gameplay mechanics crucial to the experience. 3️⃣ Story & Characters: Craft the game's narrative: outline the plot, world-building elements, and characters' backgrounds, roles, and relationships, creating a compelling context for players. 4️⃣Technical & Artistic Direction: Detail technical aspects (platform, engine) and the art style (visuals, animation) to establish the game's look and feel, including sound design considerations and any specific tools or technology necessary for development. 💡Keep in mind a design document is an continuously updating document so you might have some things at place but the other things keep on changing while the game development is being done. There isn't a specified right or wrong in a GDD , The main objective of a GDD is to convey the game vision and idea to others. 🪄Lets discuss more on how to write and enhance a GDD in coming weeks. Looking into other GDDs is also a great way to understand the Dos and Don'ts , will link a few in the next post. As always , If you stuck around till here , do share what do you think of the reflections. Lets discuss below! ✨Time to AFK, friend. Until our avatars meet again, may your quests be epic!✨ #gamedesign #gaminginsights #gamedesigndocument #WeeklyReflections #staytuned #gamingcommunity #gamedev #learningtogether

💡 Make Your Game Accessible Design it for Colorblind Players 🤔 When designing your game think about colorblind players. Some color combinations may be challenging for them to differentiate. Use color palettes that are friendly to individuals with color vision deficiencies. Incorporating cues or patterns can improve the gaming experience for colorblind players. 1. Protanopia: Red difficulty 2. Deuteranopia: Green difficulty 3. Tritanopia: Blue difficulty 4. Protanomaly: Red cones abnormal 5. Deuteranomaly: Green cones abnormal 6. Tritanomaly: Blue difficulty 7. Monochromacy: Total color blindness ✅ Engage in usability testing with groups to ensure that accessibility features are effective and properly integrated. Seek feedback from players with accessibility needs to pinpoint areas for enhancement and implement changes. Prioritizing accessibility in game design elevates the experience, for all players. 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴! 📖 ♻ REPOST = Your connections will learn how to make their game more accessible If you liked what you read, consider joining 200+ other engineers in my newsletter and improve your game development and design skills. Subscribe here → https://dev-insights.tech/ #unitydevelopment #indiedev #gamedev #cleancode #gamedevelopment #optimizationtips 

🌟 Exciting News! 🌟 I’m thrilled to share that I’ve just designed my second basic game! 🎮 It's only the beginning of my game design journey, but I’m so proud of the progress so far. In this game, you play as a ball 🟣, and your challenge is to jump over obstacles like cacti 🌵 and bombs 💣 to score points! The score is shown on the terminal, and when the game ends, you get your final score along with a "Game Over" message. It’s a simple concept, but every project brings me closer to creating more complex and engaging experiences. Looking forward to growing, learning, and building more games in the future! 🚀 #GameDesign #IndieDev #GameDevJourney #NewBeginnings #SecondGame

One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned in game development is the power of modular systems. In Silent Scream 2, we’ve been focusing on creating modular components for key gameplay systems, which has allowed us to scale up and iterate more efficiently. By breaking down complex mechanics into smaller, reusable parts, we can quickly make changes and add new features without having to rewrite entire systems. This not only speeds up development but also gives us the flexibility to experiment creatively—something that’s essential in a project of this scope. Whether it’s managing story progression, character behaviors, or environmental interactions, modular design ensures everything works together seamlessly and is easy to maintain. It’s been a game-changer for our team’s workflow. Do you incorporate modular design in your game projects? How has it impacted your development process? #ModularGameDesign #GameplaySystems #GameDevelopment #Unity3D #Scalability #CSharp #IndieDev

🎮 I'm really excited to share the third post in my series of fan-made Game Design Documents (GDDs)! This time, I’m focusing on the stunning ✨ Ori and the Blind Forest 🌲 Not only are the visuals gorgeous, but the storytelling, music, and smooth gameplay really stuck with me. As I grow as a game designer, I'm planning to change how I write these GDDs. From now on, I’ll be adding my personal thoughts and feelings about each game at the end of every document, and I’ll adjust my writing style to include that. I think it’s a great time to mix my design analysis with my personal experiences. This will help both me and others better understand how games can impact us emotionally and why they resonate so much. I’d love to hear your thoughts on Ori and how similar games inspire you. Let’s talk about the magic behind these games and keep learning from one another! You can find my earlier fan-made GDDs on my portfolio: https://lnkd.in/dyu-DeeY 🎮 #GameDesign #OriAndTheBlindForest #FanMadeGDD #GameDevelopment #IndieGames #EmotionalGaming #Platformers #PersonalGrowth #PortfolioExpansion

In video game design, simplicity is the ultimate power move. Here’s why: -------------------------- 1. Accessibility. -Simple designs are easy for new players to pick up, lowering the entry barrier for a wider audience. 2. Focused Gameplay. -By reducing complexity and emphasizing several core mechanics, you make it easier for players to stay engaged. 3. Faster Learning Curve. -Players can quickly understand how to play, which increases enjoyment and retention. 4. Clarity and Usability. -A clean, straightforward design reduces confusion and enhances the user experience. 5. Replayability. -A fun game that is quick to access is very easy to come back to. ---------------------------- Simplicity doesn’t mean less fun. It means focused, engaging experiences. Less is more, as long as it does not sacrifice the soul of your game. #advice #gamedesign #videogames #leveldesign #gamedevelopment

Procedural generation in world creation has always fascinated me, both as a game designer and an avid gamer, particularly in rogue-like games. However, a procedural generation often lands in one of two extremes: it's either stunningly intricate or a chaotic, disjointed mess. Achieving a "good enough" balance is a challenging feat, often demanding more time than traditional-level design. Yet, when it works, it's truly rewarding. The "Generating World Maps for Unexplored 2" article caught my eye for its technical and mathematical approach to procedural generation (link below). Although I haven't yet played "Unexplored 2" (it's on my virtual shelf!), the use of Voronoi diagrams for both macro and visual design seems like an ingenious blend of art and science. The article highlights a key aspect I admire: the way gameplay design shapes and inspires technical solutions. It's a vivid example of effective collaboration between engineers' technical prowess and designers' creative vision. This synergy suggests a future where game designers are also tech-savvy, working closely with developers. Perhaps we're witnessing the emergence of the role of the Technical Game Designer. Check out the article here: https://lnkd.in/dr9xAZNJ #gamedesign #gamedev #proceduralgeneration #gameart #interesting