Hey!
I've got an early sneak peek for you. On Friday I'll be releasing the next episode of GMTK - which is all about Rollerdrome.
This is an excellent arcade arena shooter, which deftly combines Tony Hawk's and DOOM gameplay - and adds a whole lot of style. So the video looks into some of the game's smart de...
2022-10-17 11:42:51 +0000 UTC View Post
Hello! I've just published a new episode of Game Maker's Toolkit about game design problem solving. A bunch of stories ended up on the cutting room floor, so I've gathered them together for a bonus video. Please enjoy!
This is technically September's video, delayed due to illness. So there will be another in October, la...
2022-10-07 15:22:59 +0000 UTC View Post
Being a game designer means being a problem solver. In this video, I share stories of how game creators overcame huge design conundrums, so you can fix your own issues when they crop up.
Thanks for your patience on this one! Really appreciate it, and thankful that my flu has finally gone away! Here's to a blowout schedu...
2022-10-07 15:05:08 +0000 UTC View Post
Hey everyone!
Thanks so much for your patience on this one. That illness ended up lasting two weeks - though, I'm still coughing!
But, video is now done and you can watch it early above. The Patreon bonus video mentioned in the video will also come soon, before it goes live to the world.
Cheers!
...
2022-10-06 07:43:58 +0000 UTC View Post
Hello! Thank you for your well wishes earlier - I'm still not feeling very well, this one's a lingerer! Might have to do another 'rona test. But I'm resting up with games and movies and looking forward to returning to work properly next week.
In the mean time... articles! And videos! About games! Here's a jam-packed rea...
2022-09-29 10:02:39 +0000 UTC View Post
Hey all! Just wanted to check in as it's been a while.
So September has been quite a travel-y month. Because of delays and rescheduling, I ended up out of the country for about two weeks in a row.
First up, to Sweden for a pair of talks. One in Boden and the second in Skellefteå. Rather chilly, though the l...
2022-09-26 17:30:36 +0000 UTC View Post
Hello!
For your bonus video this month, I thought it would be fun to record a sort of "Director's Commentary" for my two Untitled Magnet Game demos. I play through them, reminisce about how they were designed, and feel just awful about how bad the first demo is.
Enjoy!
Mark
2022-08-31 14:43:13 +0000 UTC View Post
Hey everyone! Is it just me or is 2022 going impossibly fast? August over... already!? Ah well, time for another instalment of everyone's favourite Patreon reward: the reading list! 25 articles and videos, hand-picked by yours truly. Get reading and watching (or saving to Pocket and then instantly forget about them).
In this new episode of Developing, I talk about the three events that inspired me to get off my butt, and really start to bring Untitled Magnet Game to the finish line.
Exciting! Thanks for your support and patience - I think it's really paying off, making the channel more well-rounded and informed. I can't wait t...
2022-08-19 15:00:09 +0000 UTC View Post
Hello!
While I was working on the jam, I was also making a new episode of GMTK. This one's about mixing genres.
Great video games can come from combining genres - but getting the mix right isn't easy. In this video we'll explore the three main methods for merging genres, and look at the problems - and solution...
2022-08-03 08:19:25 +0000 UTC View Post
Hello! So back in April I stopped doing monthly playlist videos in favour of a more general "bonus" video each month. But that doesn't mean the playlist is gone forever. In fact, here's a new one! Right now! With a big bunch of games I've been playing since we last chatted. There's a lot of them, so let's get straight into it...
2022-07-29 15:56:36 +0000 UTC View Post
Hello! Last week I asked you to send me the games you made for the GMTK Game Jam, and offered to play them. I expected to receive a few. A small handful. A little pile.
By the time the deadline was up, I had received 100 games! Eek.
But! Here we are. I played almost all of them and shared my thoughts, feelings, an...
2022-07-28 17:45:56 +0000 UTC View Post
Hey! This month I’ve been ridiculously busy with the GMTK Game Jam, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t found time to squeeze in some reading and watching!
Below are articles and videos that I recommend you check out - with a special section devoted to GMTK Game Jam 2022 dev logs.
The Design of Games 2022-07-28 12:00:01 +0000 UTC View Post
Hey Patrons!
So, if you somehow missed it… July was GMTK Game Jam month!
Every year I hold a game-making marathon, where people try to design and develop a game in 48 hours. And even though the jam itself takes a weekend, the whole event - with planning, making videos, doing streams, etc - essentially eats up an...
2022-07-27 06:38:38 +0000 UTC View Post
Hello!
At the weekend, I hosted the sixth annual GMTK Game Jam. There was an incredible response: over 22,000 sign-ups and more than 6,000 games. That makes it the biggest jam in Itch.io history. Again. And before you ask: yes, we did crash ...
2022-07-21 05:27:48 +0000 UTC View Post
Hello!
Apologies for the one-day-delay on this one. I was just in Berlin and ended up utterly exhausting myself by walking around the city for about six hours straight. But I am awake now! And ready for a hand-picked selection of articles and videos on the games biz.
The Design of Games
[Wat...
2022-07-01 05:39:11 +0000 UTC View Post
Hey Patrons
Your bonus video this month is a Developing-style look at how I made Platformer Toolkit, from the idea to the final release. I hope you dig it!
Also, I just released the character controller code and a blog post about how it works ove...
2022-06-22 11:49:10 +0000 UTC View Post
Hello! I've just come back from a very fun and relaxing break in Denmark and Sweden. And I'm rolling back into work with an exciting secret reveal for Patrons.
Over the past month I've been working on a new project... a video essay that you can play.
A few years back I made a rather popul...
2022-06-14 15:08:45 +0000 UTC View Post
Hey y'all! New episode of Developing to round out the month. Hope you dig it - the game's starting to come together now!
A quick note that I'm off on holiday from tomorrow. Popping to Sweden and Denmark for a quick break. Then I'll be back in June - I've got something quite special cooking for you. I think you'll like i...
2022-05-31 15:49:49 +0000 UTC View Post
Hello party people! A wild Reading List appears. As always, I hope you dig this collection of articles and videos. And I’ll see you next month for more!
The Design of Games
Hello Patrons! Here's your early look at tomorrow's new video. It's a new episode of Developing where I talk about making managers, level structures, and tools. I.e. all the boring bits of game development. But reveal how they helped me generate content for ...
2022-05-30 04:57:21 +0000 UTC View Post
Hey! Me again
A quick note to let you know that the GMTK Game Jam is coming back for 2022, starting July 15th. You can sign up here if you'd like to take part.
Cheers!
Mark
2022-05-16 16:30:17 +0000 UTC View Post
Hello!
I'm currently working on a new episode of Developing, in which I announce that I've finished another playable demo of my work-in progress magnet game.
Following the feedback from the first minimum viable product, I have overhauled the character controller, focused the game on puzzles, built six brand-new pu...
2022-05-16 12:09:01 +0000 UTC View Post
Hello! I just released a new video all about Hitman 3's excellent Berlin episode. Patrons, as always, get access to the full, lightly edited original call. So if you're interested in level design, watch my play through the stage while asking the devs all about crowd technology, cut content, systemic vs scripted design, and mo...
2022-05-12 16:23:21 +0000 UTC View Post
Hey there!
I've done two videos on the Hitman trilogy - one that focused on Hitman 2016's Sapienza, and another that dove deep into Hitman 2's Miami. So it's about time I finished my trilogy, with a look at my favourite level in Hitman 3: Berlin.
This is a return to my On The Level series. I previously said ...
2022-05-12 16:21:00 +0000 UTC View Post
Hello! As promised, I've brought back On The Level for a new episode. This time, looking at my favourite stage from Hitman 3, Berlin (aka Apex Predator).
I wanted to try a slightly different approach with this one - so it's more of a normal GMTK video but with developer interviews towards the end. With these thing...
2022-05-11 09:56:07 +0000 UTC View Post
Hello!
Welcome to your reading list for April. This month we've got tilt-shift Elden Ring, sales number breakdowns, DIY immersive sims, and wrestling with director intent.
Enjoy!
The Design of Games
[Watch | CC | 23 mins] 2022-04-27 05:29:00 +0000 UTC View Post
Hey early-access Patrons! I wanted to give you a heads up about the next video I'm working on.
In 2016 I made a video about the amazing new Hitman game, and broke down my favourite level in the game - Sapienza. For Hitman 2, I spoke to t...
2022-04-26 07:15:01 +0000 UTC View Post
Hello!
I've got a new video coming out in a bit. But you can check it out right now. It's called "How Video Game Economies are Designed", and it's a 101 crash course in designing resource management systems - and squeezing them for interesting gameplay.
I'll give you a little behind the scenes story on it...
2022-04-25 15:06:33 +0000 UTC View Post
Hello!
Earlier this year, I gave a series of guest lectures at a university in The Netherlands
One of the talks, on economy design, will be released as a GMTK video very shortly. And as a Patreon bonus on this tier, you get to watch another one of those talks... right now!
This is a recording of the talk, wi...
2022-04-25 13:49:17 +0000 UTC View Post
