#dev hell

[akyrahaiato]

brain: damn, our current game is so ambitious and takes a lot of effort.

me: so we're gonna focus on it?

brain: nope, lets make a new one and add it to the pile of overly complicated ideas that will burn you out even more if you try :D

[scaphismpriest]

i am so hyped for this game

SPARE SCRIPTER...SPARE SCRIPTER..?

[scaphismpriest]

reminder!! we are still looking for a head scripter for our game!! so if you want to get hired for work HMU!!!!!!!!!11

[aaurus-deactivated20260324]

3D MODELLING IS HELL 3D MODELLING IS HELL 3D MODELLING IS HELL GRAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[streetlightsontheriver]

chapbook Why

do you only allow random numbers to match the sides of common dice types

have you considered? that maybe I have reason to use a different number than that??? what if I need seven random things???

[streetlightsontheriver]

Me, hearing about any video game remake: oh wow I can't wait to see how they faithfully recreate the original with greater color depth, accessibility features, particle effects, smoother rendering...

The remake, almost invariably: we took everything special about the game and threw it out to make a generic crowdpleaser

Me: of course you did

[streetlightsontheriver]

Hot take: While we should of course be angry, we shouldn't be surprised when Silicon Valley types don't understand consent in interpersonal relationships because they clearly don't understand it in their code either

[streetlightsontheriver]

“Railroading” has a bit of a negative spin in games, but it’s often implemented for practical reasons, because otherwise major decisions would end up with a completely different plot as a result. And, okay, that might be fun, but where would the resources come from to make that other plot happen? Devs need to eat.

So you give the player the illusion of choice, which:

makes them feel like they’re Part Of The Game

facilitates roleplay

keeps them engaged

crucially, does not double your required budget by sticking a second game worth of content onto your game

For example, imagine you’re talking to someone who was attacked by the villain, and your character needs to say they’ll fight him or else the plot breaks down. Would you rather they just say “I promise,” without you picking anything, or choose what your character says from this menu?

I won’t let him get away with this.

Leave it to me.

(Lie) I promise.

Doesn’t that menu have a lot more substance to it? Even if all these lead to the same plot point, you’ve got a lot more room for your own character interpretation.

Alternatively, having all the choices be the same can build character (good for specific player characters, rather than the Shepards and Wardens of the world) or enhance feelings of helplessness (good for horror and drama).

Some games occasionally cross out options you’ve locked yourself out of (for example, you can’t call Ms. Smith because you threw away her business card, but in another playthrough where you kept it, you’d be able to), and I think a variant where one option is always disabled because it runs counter to the narrative could be fun.