Comments on: Thinking 3D

By: Anti

Anti — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:07:38 +0000

Aren’t most games borrowed design these days ; D

My concern with visual cues stemmed from a gamedev.net post. If I remember correctly, someone said how hard it was to notice the indications below the health bar. I think today they’re just about required though.

By: D.Jimma

D.Jimma — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:14:01 +0000

(Well, I did a quite nice fan game, so I borrowed most of the design)

To get back on topic, something I learned from your games is how good visual indications can be, like the talk indications mentioned. I think there was that context sensitivity in… Tandem Tales even.

By: D.Jimma

D.Jimma — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:43:04 +0000

You’re right about Mirror’s Edge – I’m just stumped to the ground by its incredible IK animations, adaptive eye filters and stuff.

I looked at old games of mine (I don’t dare show them hehe) and realized I have no designer side yet, but I am practicing : )

By: Anti

Anti — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 20:16:08 +0000

From my experience, my programmer side wants to make things more efficient and smooth and more professional capabilities while the designer in me what’s to just take it easy and concentrate on making the game fun. They sometimes collaborate to make me do somewhat technical things because it will really make the game more polished and more fun at the same time.

I gotta say, my designer side is losing right now.
I guess it’ll show up again outside tool work. : (

I think it might seem Tandem Tales had more design to it because it was based on a dream. But being longer as you said, probably played a major role. Imagine if it had stopped at the first stage

Games IMO that relies only on impressive technology are doomed to be forgotten. Mirror’s edge seemed to be more about speed running and the feeling of doing all those stunts in first person than showing off to me. A happy medium perhaps? : D

By: D.Jimma

D.Jimma — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 11:04:19 +0000

I wonder how much designer versus programmer shows in a finished game. Tale of Night seems more technical and polished than Tandem Tales, while I have a feeling I enjoyed Tandem Tales more… maybe because it is more designed overall. Except the Trickster ; P

There are some commercial games that are nicer as one time experiences than replaying them, because they rely on impressive technology. One of my favorites is Mirror’s Edge but I cannot say I enjoy replaying it as it is more about audiovisual effects than game flow (the effects are the rewards X )

It is a matter of taste, too, I realize.

By: Anti

Anti — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 18:24:43 +0000

A feat? Well that’s pretty uplifting!
Strangely enough after all this, I don’t feel like a programmer. It’s as if I’m just reading ideas and piecing them together really. The real feat is how much I’ve spent in books.

I like to take it as a sign that I haven’t wandered from my designer background!

By: D.Jimma

D.Jimma — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 15:04:39 +0000

Technically it is a show, though players rarely realize, it is a feat for any programmer to make a 3D game with their own engine. I was impressed by Tandem Tales to start with, and have not yet finished any game on that level.