Mucks! Games’ Post

I have a confession to make. Some of the best games I have played this console generation have been remasters or remakes. Remakes and remasters are generally not taking the spot of a completely new games - they're increasingly popular as ways to fill gaps in release schedules due to ever bloating development times. Games are taking longer to make with each generation. Remakes don't actually take resources away from these games, they're often handled by a smaller team (or different developer) as a project to help keep a franchise in people's minds so the next big game based on that IP can have the time it needs. On top of that, there are companies and studios that focus entirely on remasters and remakes, often for games that would never be available on modern systems otherwise. Another positive of remakes/remasters is that they're great projects to onboard new staff/studios up to speed, as well as keeping studios busy with meaningful projects that will pay the bills. And there's still far too many new games than anyone could play.

Calling all developers, artists, and anyone involved with the gaming industry - entries for the Develop:Star Awards are now open for 2024, so you can nominate your favorite coworkers - or yourself - to stand a chance of winning. You can enter at the Star Awards site online and submit your entries for nominations. A panel of industry experts will judge and shortlist entrants, and then we’ll find out who made it in the spring. After that, there’s an industry vote to find the winners. Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/djVCut4B For all the latest mobile, Nintendo Switch, and industry news, follow Pocket Tactics, the biggest mobile and Switch gaming site in the world! #gaming #mobile #DevelopBrighton #DevelopStarAwards

As a writer for a variety of games (both tabletop role-playing and video-based) I feel like there might be a bit of a disconnect. So let's talk about how story hooks gamers in and keeps them coming back for more. Nobody is saying it's easy to develop mechanics. Setting stuff like hitboxes, collision, any rolls or number generation in play, art design, character design, player interactivity and more are key to making a game that feels great to play. But I've also seen gamers in my friend group put down titles because the story doesn't hook them. The combat, world traversal, and everything else was solid, even good... but the story was either forgettable to non-existent. The mechanics could only entertain them for so long with nothing else to keep them invested. So let's think about that. Mechanical setup and stability can't be understated, but game story and writing is another crucial breaking point. The best games mechanically can still fall short if the player isn't emotionally invested. Consider the "20 Bear Asses" trope and how so many quests in games boil down to going around killing certain things and collecting items to turn in later. The experience gain makes it worth doing, but the player also sees that the quests are simply filler. It's so transparent at that point that even someone trying to avoid acknowledging it can see it clear as day. So why not try to spice it up? Instead of telling the player to go collect twenty bear pelts arbitrarily, give a reason for doing so that connects to the world. Let the player feel like they're influencing the game around them: people are freezing at night, and the person in charge of supplying these people needs blankets or something similar. Suddenly it's not "Go here, kill [X] number of this specific enemy, turn the collectible item in". Now it's trying to help NPCs who are in danger. (Bonus points if you have the player craft the blankets from the materials they collect before turning them in. That makes it even more impactful.) It's this kind of storytelling and this type of grounding that makes the player feel like there's a reason for doing what they're doing. It can make even the most tedious side quest feel worth doing because it feels tied to the world rather than tacked on at the last minute. And that's the power of a writer working in tandem with the team behind the mechanic-heavy stages of development. These two facets of the process need to communicate and work alongside each other. Writers aren't disposable, or solely meant for story-driven games. They can change the very fabric of what might otherwise be exposed game design and make the player feel that much more at home in the universe the team has created.

If you have a body, you have a life. If you have a life, you might find some time to play games you love. But games should learn to acknowledge that this time belongs to us (i.e., players') — not to them. As someone who loves to play and make games, what could I do to improve this? Read my newsletter's lattest edition:

Retro gaming has re-emerged from the shadows, captivating both nostalgic older players and curious new gamers. 🎮 This revival is more than just a passing trend; it’s a movement back to the basics of gaming, where simplicity, challenge, and pure fun reign supreme. Here’s why classic games are making a comeback and what it means for the gaming industry: Rediscovering Simplicity: In a world of high-definition graphics and complex game mechanics, the straightforward, pick-up-and-play nature of retro games offers a refreshing change. Classics like “Super Mario Bros.” and “Sonic the Hedgehog” provide simple yet challenging gameplay that’s easy to learn but hard to master. The Power of Nostalgia: Retro games evoke fond memories of childhood and simpler times, driving a booming market for vintage consoles and remastered classics. Nostalgia fuels this resurgence, reminding us of gaming’s early, formative days. Cultural Renaissance: Retro gaming’s influence extends beyond gaming into music, fashion, and media. The 8-bit aesthetic has permeated pixel art exhibitions, chiptune concerts, and even mainstream media, broadening its appeal. Accessibility and Inclusivity: Modern platforms re-release classic games, making it easier and more affordable to explore vast libraries of retro titles without needing original hardware. This accessibility has democratized retro gaming for all. Indie Inspiration: Indie developers draw from the retro style, creating new games that blend nostalgic visuals and mechanics with modern innovations. Retro gaming’s revival is more than a trend; it highlights the timeless appeal of simplicity and fun. #RetroGaming #Gaming #Web3 #Senet

During my time at Zynga, we were working on a project to bring a mini-game scratcher card feature from mobile to the web version. I was managing the Senior Product Manager leading the initiative. When we presented the feature to the Product Council—a team of execs including the GM and Head of Design—their focus was on fun design elements. They debated whether players should "scratch" or simply press a button. While these were interesting questions, I felt the conversation potentially missed the bigger, less intersting issues. After the meeting, I asked the PM to review his funnel analysis—looking at impressions, clicks, and engagement. He identified that the biggest risk was low click rates on the web version, where the scratcher card was accessed by just a button, unlike the mobile version where it took over the whole lobby. We shifted our focus to driving awareness. We tested some bold approaches, like adding a bouncing arrow pointing to the button. We also tested the "scratch vs. button" debate from the meeting (as requested by the execs). The results were clear: the bouncing arrow drove nearly 100% more clicks, while the scratch vs. button question had little impact. The takeaway? Focus on the fundamentals. Fun design choices are great, but real success often comes from addressing less glamorous factors like user flow, engagement, and friction points. Electronic Arts (EA), for example, recently tackled a huge pain point for players—Disk Space Errors—through innovative engineering. Their team analyzed data and found that over 60% of update errors came from insufficient disk space. By developing their In Place Updates (IPU) technology, they eliminated nearly 100% of those errors for their largest games, making updates smoother and more efficient. Sometimes, the biggest wins come from solving the less visible problems. Data-driven insights and attention to overlooked friction points are often what truly move the needle.

As I mentioned in my last post, the amazing EA app team's singular focus is on providing our players the best experience possible while playing EA's games. Today, this "experience" starts well before the player presses the "play" button to launch a game. Often, players will need to update the game before they can jump in and play - a major source of frustration and friction! The team took a deep look at this important moment and made some startling discoveries: ❗ More than 60% of game update errors are caused by a lack of disk space ✖ Players experiencing disk space errors are likely to experience them more than once before they are resolved ⬇ Today's games are updated more frequently than ever and updates can be >100GB, and freeing up that much space for an update can be challenging The team came up with an incredible and innovative solution to this problem we call "In Place Updates". Check out the details in the attached blog post! The result is a NEAR COMPLETE ELIMINATION of this entire category of errors for most large game updates, getting players back into their favorite games faster. Congratulations to the entire In Place Updates team for their amazing work! https://lnkd.in/gUnNx-kS

I decided to make a series of short posts dedicated to the history of mobile games. After all, we make them, promote them, but do we really know where they come from? It's really interesting out there! So, I present to you the first series #mobilegamehistory, part 1️⃣! The rapid development of games began in the 1980s, but they were not related to mobile devices. Back then, you could only play on home consoles or huge arcade machines🎰👾👾 The industry was revolutionized, as usual, by Nintendo… by releasing the first Game Boy. They proved to the world that you could play on a small device. Also, thanks to them, everyone understood that you don't need a big screen to have fun (dopamine and so on). The diagonal of the first Game Boy was only 66mm!!!🤯 At that time, mobile phones couldn't handle even the simplest games. Plus, they were as expensive as an airplane wing, and only loaded folks could afford them😎 Everyone was saved by the Hagenuk MT-2000 released in 1994, which allowed users to play that same "Tetris". So technically, "Tetris" is the first game in history on a mobile device! 🎆✨🎆 I will continue this series of posts regularly, as I am incredibly interested in understanding how and when the first games appeared and how they evolved. I welcome feedback, as well as likes and shares.

⁉ "Hey Julien, you don't work at a publisher or a games' studio, and still you are working for the games' industry? How does your company support the enthusiast pc gamers?" "Phillip, that is easy to explain. Did you ever ask yourself who, and how does your PC keep running? That where we come into play! " .... 🚀 #TechInnovation for the #GamingCommunity: Powering Your Play 🖥️ 🧠 Have you ever considered the powerhouse behind your gaming setup? At be quiet! by Listan GmbH, located near Hamburg, we specialize in creating PC hardware that’s not just about performance, but also about enhancing the gaming experience for enthusiasts around the world. 👨💻 As a professional in the #PCHardware industry, I’m immersed in the world of silent yet potent components that are crucial for gamers. It’s not just about the specs; it’s about the seamless integration of technology that elevates every session into an epic journey. 💻 The #GamingHardware we produce is at the heart of every immersive game. From whisper-quiet cooling systems to robust power supplies, our products ensure that your focus stays on the game, not on the gear. 🤝 Join me in exploring how be quiet! contributes to the gaming world by providing the silent strength that every gamer craves. 🎮Let’s connect and push the boundaries of gaming technology together! #bequiet #GamingGear #Performance #SilentPC #TechCommunity

I’m so excited to give my talk 'Agency as Negotiation' at IndieDevDay 🎮🧡! This talk will build upon the ideas of how players use implied designers and implied players to build their gameplay experience that I discussed at devcom. This time, I will highlight a few of the games being featured at this event, so after my talk you can go play the demos, analyze them yourself and consider how you can use the ideas I will present in your own games! The games will be: Patattie Games’ Wax Heads, MaxiMJdev's The Hayseed Knight, JanduSoft’s Byte the Bullet, and Rave Team’s Space Diva As a disclaimer, I have no affiliation with any of these studios. I chose these games because each one interested me in different ways, particularly in how they each approach the nuances of how gameplay can be perceived by the player. I did not have the chance to test all of the games that will be featured there, so I’m sure I’ll find other games I’d love to talk about as well!