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It's been 5 years since I started Game Maker's Toolkit. Let's take a moment to look back at what's happened in the last half decade...
Thank you.
Many video games these days boast having a dynamic soundtrack, but that usually just means the score kicks into a high tempo beat when you start shooting. Mark Brown shares some more inventive uses of adaptive audio.
Original Title: The Mechanics of Movement
In this video, I look at "versatile verbs" - player actions that can have multiple uses, depending on how you perform them - in a number of excellent games.
In this three part episode of Game Maker's Toolkit, I will be looking at the shifting design of the three major Dead Space games. A new episode will be available each week.
In part two, we look at Dead Space's major sequel and how Redwood Shores (now named Visceral Games) started to shift the focus of the franchise away from horror - and towards action.
In the final part of this series, we look at the final game in the Dead Space saga, and look at the reasons why this series shifted so far towards being an action-heavy shooter.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is platforming level design at its best. By taking Nintendo’s level design philosophy to the next level, Retro Studios made a handful of incredible stages that all modern platformers should be judged against.
The rise of games inspired by Dark Souls has led some to suggest that Dark Souls invented a whole new genre of games. In this video, lets look at the ramifications of turning a game into a genre.
Check out all the games here - https://itch.io/jam/gmtk-jam/entries Links to the top 20: Roaring Streets https://cottontrek.itch.io/roaring-st... Vintage Flashlight https://dylsdestiny.itch.io/vintage-f... A Slime’s Quest for Freedom https://hrgames.itch.io/a-slimes-ques... AAAAA!!! https://bynine.itch.io/aaaaa Geflect https://gaziter.itch.io/geflectgame Magnetic https://prodigalson.itch.io/magnetic Orbital Punch https://indepth-gaming.itch.io/orbita... _Barrage_ https://kano-stuff.itch.io/-barrage- Delta https://culturebosh.itch.io/delta Plover Parent https://albatrosssoup.itch.io/plover-... Oeufwakening https://quentindelvallet.itch.io/oeuf... Stuck Recoil https://matheuscunegato.itch.io/stuck... ODA https://sicerat.itch.io/oda Void https://nicmagnier.itch.io/void HOPSHOT https://bearishmushroom.itch.io/hopshot A Tale of Wind and Sea https://tobiasbruch.itch.io/a-tale-of... powerCore https://sanjeev.itch.io/powercore Lockstep https://aioob.itch.io/lockstep Resize https://zorro-svardendahl.itch.io/resize SuperFunkyLightShow https://ostsenior.itch.io/superfunkyl...
Everyone who has played Ori and the Blind Forest will remember the Ginso Tree. In this video, I break the level down - beat by beat - to show you why it's so special.
Detective video games promise to turn us into Sherlock Holmes - but why do so many of them bungle the execution? In this video I mine ancient DOS games, forgotten mobile apps, quirky indie titles, and games that aren’t even about solving crimes, for good murder mystery mechanics.
Game Boy classic Metroid 2 has been completely remade by two different teams. So how did AM2R and Samus Return update the gameplay of this retro title, and how did they capture that original game’s tone?
A designer’s job often involves making sure players are experiencing the game in the most fun or interesting way. In this video, I look at examples of games that have tried to achieve this - sometimes with success, and sometimes with controversy.
In my last video, I talk about how XCOM 2 encouraged players to speed up, by using turn timers. Here's three games that take a different approach to the same topic.
Cuphead is a master class in boss attacks. Let's look at the game’s patterns, phases, telegraphing, predictability, and more. This video shows off bosses from the game’s first three areas.
Super Mario Odyssey’s success can be traced back to the design philosophies we’ve discussed on earlier episodes of Game Maker’s Toolkit. Let’s look at how these different ideas have been put into practice, in Mario’s latest game.
2017 saw an abundance of great levels, chapters, maps, areas, and sequences. Let's recap the year, by looking at the best stages from the past 12 months.
This year’s most inventive game was Snake Pass - a squirmy interactive toy that came together thanks to some smart design decisions, and a dash of good luck.
Playing Pyre over Christmas got me thinking about feedback loops: the reward structures in games that can reinforce or balance out winners and losers. In this episode I’ll explain what this all means, and talk about the design of Pyre’s positive and negative loops.
Let’s take a break from Nintendo’s level design - and look at how Ubisoft explored a single mechanic through an entire world’s worth of levels in Rayman Legends.
From Breath of the Wild to Watch Dogs 2, we’re seeing a boom in so-called “systemic games”. What does that mean, how do they work, and what makes them tick?
Developer intention can often come at the expense of accessibility and player preference. In this video, I look at some recent games that have found a middle ground.
Puzzles can be one of the most complex things in game design. In this video, I break down some great conundrums from favourite games, and share some knowledge from sharp puzzle designers, to find out what makes a good puzzle.
Why do some games keep us rapt and entertained until the closing credits, while others fizzle out and end up on our pile of shame? Let’s look at some key ways developers can keep players interested (without being evil about it)
One of my most requested video topics is combat systems. So let’s look at everything from Bayonetta and Yakuza, to Batman and God of War, to break down the essential elements of a good melee combat system.
Arcade classics were all about high scores and personal bests - but can scores still be relevant when mixed with more modern game design? Let’s find out!
Kratos has used the same type of weapon for the last six God of War games. Now he’s using something completely different: the versatile, tactical, satisfying, and enjoyable new Leviathan Axe. In this video I look at what makes this weapon interesting, and how Sony Santa Monica came to design it.
Video games are for everyone. But disabled people can be left out if developers don’t consider their needs.
Video games are for everyone. But disabled people can be left out if developers don’t consider their needs. In this series of videos, I’ll be sharing guidelines and best practices for making games more accessible to a wide range of disabilities. This time, I’m looking at design choices and menu options that will affect those who are colourblind or have low vision.
In the manual for Elder Scrolls 2, Bethesda encouraged players to avoid reloading a save game after making mistakes. So why should gamers follow this advice, and how can designers help them play past their screw ups?
Let’s look at my favourite games from the second GMTK Game Jam.
Overcooked is one of the best co-op games I’ve played, because it seems to force players to not only work with each other - but talk to each other. In this video, I’ll explain how the kitchens themselves encourage this behaviour.
The new Spider-Man game on PS4 is being praised for making you feel like Spider-Man. But what does that actually mean, and what does it mean for web-swinging?
Video games are for everyone. But disabled people can be left out if developers don’t consider their needs. In this series of videos, I’ll be sharing guidelines and best practices for making games more accessible to a wide range of disabilities. This time, I’m looking at design choices and menu options that will affect those who have motor, mobility, or physical disabilities.
After looking at level design in Mario, Donkey Kong, and Rayman, it’s time to see how the blue bomber’s stages work - by taking a look at the levels in Mega Man 11.
Skill trees, upgrade systems, ability trees - call them what you want, they have become an integral part of modern day game design. So let’s look at how these things work, where they fall down, and what we can do to build better skill trees.
The most fascinating game of 2018 looks like a relic from the early days of Mac gaming, comes from the dude who made Papers, Please, and is the best detective game I’ve played so far.
Stealth games were few and far between for much of gaming’s history - until the year 1998 when three huge stealth games came out in the same year. In this video, I’ll explore the conventions that these games established, and ask why ’98 was the year stealth games got serious.
One of the biggest decisions for any developer making a roguelike, is whether or not to add persistent upgrades. Should every run be the same, like Spelunky? Or should your character get more powerful over time, like Rogue Legacy? Let’s look at the pros and cons of both approaches.
Video games are for everyone. But those with disabilities can be left out if developers don’t consider their needs.
Stealth games are known for their open-ended and realistic levels. And no franchise does this quite like Hitman. In this video, I chat to IO Interactive’s Jakob Mikkelsen and Eskil Mohl about the making of the Miami level in Hitman 2
I have been obsessed with a card battling roguelike called Slay the Spire. And a big reason for that is how the game uses synergies. What are they, and why are they so cool? Let’s find out.
Balancing a game is one of the most complex pursuits in game development - especially when you’re dealing with a cast of completely distinct and diverse characters. So how do devs do it?
Halo 3: ODST was a bold move for Bungie. A non-linear and open world Halo game, with a melancholic vibe and without Master Chief. In some ways it was wonderfully clever, in other ways it fell on its face. Let’s explore the highs and lows of this forgotten game.
Choosing a camera for a 3D game is a huge challenge, because cameras can serve gameplay and aesthetic goals at the same time. What happens when these goals clash?
Making a strong trailer for your game can be a huge challenge, so I’ve collected a bunch of tips and best practices from the industry’s top trailer makers.
2019 has already seen the release of four post apocalyptic open world games - but 4A's Metro Exodus is by far the most immersive. So what does that phrase actually mean, and what design decisions help create that feeling?
Making your very first Super Mario Maker 2 stage is a daunting prospect. What parts should you use? How should you lay them out? How do you pace your level, and make a fair challenge? To help you clear this hurdle, here are ten steps you can follow to get your first level made, published, and open for feedback.
Certain RPGs make the tantalising promise that you can skip combat altogether, by talking your way past the bad guys. But how can we turn this into genuinely interesting gameplay? Warning - This video contains story spoilers for Mass Effect (1) and Life is Strange (Episode 2), and also features content related to suicide.
Celeste is one of the most satisfying platformers released in recent memory. And a big part of that is due to the tight and responsive controls of the game’s main character: Madeline. In this video, let’s look at how designers Matt Thorson and Noel Berry made the hero of Celeste feel so good to play.
The third GMTK Game Jam has come to a close. In this video, I look at my favourite games from among the 2,600 projects that were uploaded.
Design Icons is a new series from Game Maker's Toolkit, charting the history of game design through influential and important games. Starting with an invasion from space...
There’s a handful of games where time is taken very seriously. In this video, I look at the design, challenges, and opportunities of what we might call “clockwork games”.
While a nascent games industry was laser focused on emulating the success of Taito’s Space Invaders, one designer tried to make something completely different - and ended up creating our second design icon: Pac-Man.
One year on from my “Designing for Disability” series, let’s take a look at 50 of the year’s biggest games to see how the industry is tackling accessibility in 2019.
Every year, I celebrate one game that went above and beyond in terms of innovation, invention, and imagination. From Her Story to Snake Pass to Return of the Obra Dinn, these games have stunned us with their unique ideas and excellent execution. This year, the award goes to...
From critical hits to random encounters, and from loot boxes to procedural generation, video games are stuffed to bursting with randomness. In this episode, I look at the way randomness is used in games - and why some forms are more contentious than others.
Making a signature move for your platforming hero is hard work: just ask developer Yacht Club Games, who has had to make four of them for Shovel Knight, Plague Knight, Specter Knight, and King Knight. In this video, I talk to Yacht Club about the design decisions behind these iconic platforming actions.
Can a video game level tell a story? In this video I look at a bunch of examples and best practices for embedding narrative elements into the very spaces and places we visit in games. We’ll tackle environmental storytelling, evocative architecture, and contextualising player identity.
You know I love a good multipurpose game mechanic. Prey’s Gloo Cannon is one of the best. Let my tell you why. There are no major spoilers for Prey in this video, so please do watch it if you've yet to try the game.
Welcome to the School of Stealth, a GMTK miniseries on how stealth games work. In episode one, I’m going to tackle guard perception and awareness. How do guards see and hear, and how do different solutions lead to different game experiences?
This is the first part of a series of videos on editing for YouTube.
A DOOM Eternal combat encounter might only last five minutes, but they’re five, utterly intense minutes: filled with quick movement, smart decision making, and more. In this episode of GMTK, I’m going to break down just one fight in the game to see how it works, and how it makes players act.
Welcome back to the School of Stealth, a GMTK miniseries on how stealth games work. In episode two, let’s look at stealth game gadgets. From optic fibre cameras to camouflage outfits to the trusty silenced pistol.
Players certainly aren't shy about sharing their thoughts on video games. So what should developers do when players tell them they hate a certain game mechanic, character, or level? This video will explore some tips for responding to feedback and criticism.
Welcome back to the School of Stealth, a GMTK miniseries on how stealth games work. In episode three, it's time to tackle the biggest challenge of stealth game design: detection. In a genre that's all about staying hidden, what should designers do when the player is found?
Original Title: Mass Effect Analysis - The Shared Ownership of Commander Shepard When Mass Effect launched in 2007, the heroes of western RPGs were typically blank-slate nobodies. But Commander Shepard is different. What does it mean to have a character whose personality and identity is shared between the player and the character?
There's only one genre that we divide down strict geographical lines: the RPG. But western RPGs and Japanese RPGs have way more in common than you might first realise.
The GMTK Game Jam for 2020 was our biggest one yet. In this video, Mark runs down his 20 favourite games.
Original Title: How a Last of Us Part II Level is Made // This video focuses on one of Ellie's level in the chapter "Seattle: Day 1", and does not contain any major story spoilers // In this episode of Game Maker's Toolkit, I chat to The Last of Us Part II designer Evan Hill about the creation of the game's best level.
It's easy to assume that amazing indie games like Gunpoint, Crypt of the Necrodancer, Ape Out, and Into the Breach were designed in a flash of inspiration. But that's not true - find out how these games came to be in this episode of Game Maker's Toolkit.
Original Title: The Psychological Trick That Can Make Rewards Backfire Goals and rewards can be a great way to motivate players to learn, try out features, and play longer - but in certain circumstances, they can actually backfire on you. To find out more, let's jump into the psychology of motivation.
GMTK's game history series Design Icons takes a trip to the UK, to see how the early British games business started as a cottage industry of bedroom coders.
Are lives an outdated relic of the arcade era, or are they still relevant to game design in 2020?
Many games come with the promise of letting the player live out some kind of awesome, aspirational fantasy. But the game's design will dictate who gets to live the fantasy, and who might get left behind.
It's time for my annual investigation into the accessibility of the year's biggest games. From Cyberpunk to Demon's Souls, and from Miles Morales to Valhalla, let's look at how these games do in terms of controller remapping, subtitles, colourblind settings, and more.
Every year I break down the design and development of the year's most innovative game system. This time: it's Watch Dogs Legion's "Play as Anyone" concept. How does it work - and is it any good?
Every year I break down the design and development of the year's most innovative game system. This time: it's Watch Dogs Legion's "Play as Anyone" concept. How does it work - and is it any good?
The Nemesis System in Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor is a unique villain generator. But in the sequel, Shadow of War, it's a full on story generator. Here's how it makes narratives that are interesting, meaningful, and memorable.
I love games that make movement into a primary game mechanic. From the parkour thrills of Mirror's Edge to chaining moves in Mario Odyssey to dive-bombing in a wingsuit in Just Cause. How do developers come up with amazing movement systems? Let's find out.
If you watch GMTK, you might be inspired to turn your passion for game design into an actual career. In this video, I've gathered advice from dozens of designers from around the world to help you land a job in the games industry.
The heads-up display can change how a game works, feels, looks, and is made. Let's find out how.
In the first episode of On the Level, I speak to Chris McEntee about the awesome desert world in Ori and the Will of the Wisps.
Games in complex genres, like strategy and simulation, can be really hard to learn. So are there ways to make the tutorials for these games more enjoyable and more effective?
The GMTK Game Jam for 2021 was - once again! - our biggest yet. In this video, Mark runs down his 20 favourite games.
In this episode of On the Level, I speak to Arkane designers Dana Nightingale and David Di Giacomo about the shape-shifting Clockwork Mansion in Dishonored 2.
In this episode of On the Level, I speak to Hazelight designer Oliver Granlund about creating co-op conundrums in It Takes Two.
Every year, I like to take a moment to check in with the games biz, and see how things are going in terms of accessibility. I check out 25 blockbuster games, and countless indie titles, to gauge the current state of the industry.
Every year I break down the design and development of one of the year's most innovative games. This time: it's the time-travelling, day-looping, crime-solving, remake of a Skyrim mod, The Forgotten City. How was this remarkable game made?
Every year I break down the design and development of one of the year's most innovative games. This time: it's the time-travelling, day-looping, crime-solving, remake of a Skyrim mod, The Forgotten City. How was this remarkable game made?
Action games typically borrow from RPGs and adventure games when it comes to making choices. But there are significant advantages when using the normal verbs of the games. I call these “invisible choices”.
I got a strange sense of déjà vu playing Deathloop, and not just because the game features a time loop…
In this video, I’ll show you how a typical video game economy is designed - and how resources flow around the system. As we go, I’ll show you how these economic entities can be used to create interesting gameplay for the player.
In this episode of On the Level, I look at Hitman 3’s best level, and speak to designers Bjarne Kristiansen and Håkan Almer about how it was made.
The GMTK Game Jam for 2022 was - once again! - our biggest yet. In this video, Mark runs down his 20 favourite games, from a jam where every game fit the theme “Roll of the Dice”.
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 solutions - of each approach.
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.
GMTK's Surprising Connection to Rollerdrome
Every year, I dedicated my last video to the most innovative game of the last 12 months. This year's pick is Neon White: a game that turns you into a speedrunning superstar through its clever "Insight" system.
Every year, I dedicated my last video to the most innovative game of the last 12 months. This year's pick is Neon White: a game that turns you into a speedrunning superstar through its clever "Insight" system.
When it comes to mechanics, a great source of inspiration is other video games. But how do you make sure those features will gel will the game you're actually making?
We're in the age of the remake - every publisher is recreating its old favourites with new engines and assets. But there's one publisher that's doing things differently. Here's why Resident Evil's remakes stand out above the rest.
To mark the release of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, let's look back at the making of Breath of the Wild's open world.
Valve is famous for crafting games that are polished and intuitive. But that's no accident: the developer has a near-religious obsession with playtesting. Learn more, in this video.
The Sims uses a super smart AI system to make virtual people who think, feel, and interact in a believable way. Here's how.
Back in 2017 I made a video about detective game design. And I had to dig deep to find good crime-solving games to talk about - like old PC games from the 90s and obscure indie titles on Itch. But in the last five years we've seen an explosion of great detective games - so it's time to revisit the topic and ask, again, what makes a good detective game?
Making a 2D game? Then you'll need to code a camera. But there's more to it than just following the main character. Here are five tips for making a better camera.
Chants of Sennaar is an innovative puzzle game about deciphering cryptic languages. It's the first entry in a new series of indie game recommendations called "Weekender".
In The Legend of Zelda:| Tears of the Kingdom, Links newest tool isn’t a weapon, or a musical instrument, or a shape-shifting mask. Instead, it's a magic arm that lets you whip objects around in mid-air and then stick them together with big wodges of glue. Here's how Nintendo made this madcap new game mechanic.
This Year's Most Innovative Game is...
From Super Mario Bros. to Mario Wonder, Nintendo has explored and experimented with a genius way to let players dictate their own level of difficulty.
Spec Ops: The Line has been removed from all digital storefronts, due to licensing issues. Why was this game so important? Let’s understand the context surrounding its release.
Balatro is the current game design darling. But even the designer is aware of a ‘fundamental design flaw’. What is it, can it be fixed, and what does it teach us about making games for people?
