Designhead Dungeon
@designheaddungeon.bsky.social
📤 87
📥 119
📝 117
Carefully collected bits of game development wisdom.
#gamedev
#gamedesign
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
Adam Millard
3 days ago
youtu.be/Fuf_SpKCYVY
There are some games out there which contain incredibly interesting ideas that just can't quite seem make them work - like one of Magic The Gathering's most infamous design failures and Mewgenics' Mage, but what causes this disconnect between potential and practicality?
loading . . .
Games That Are Too Cool For Their Own Good
YouTube video by Adam Millard - The Architect of Games
https://youtu.be/Fuf_SpKCYVY
1
19
4
@manfightdragon.bsky.social
examines FromSoftware’s “interconnected spiral” level design philosophy through early Bloodborne test maps:
#gamedev
#gamedesign
loading . . .
unseen history of bloodborne's most iconic shortcut
YouTube video by Lance McDonald
https://youtu.be/oMxRELVUBVs?si=Xm6ng8SeXUe2na9M
11 days ago
0
7
2
@dannyweinbaum.bsky.social
on quality and quest design patterns of acclaimed quests:
#gamedev
#gamedesign
loading . . .
What Makes a Quest Good?
YouTube video by Eastshade Studios
https://youtu.be/AVv35-FhuVo?si=G17SyroQSheU3gW0
27 days ago
0
9
3
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
Mina Pêcheux 🔶 WISHLIST Locktale & type:def on Steam!
about 1 month ago
So - wanna tweak your game design easily thanks to Godot curves? Check out this quick tutorial! 🔥 👉
youtu.be/BoHYvtGHBVg
#gamedev
#game
#godot
#GodotEngine
#godot4
#madewithgodot
#csharp
#gdscript
#programming
#tutorial
#gamedesign
loading . . .
You need to know this Godot tool!
YouTube video by Mina Pêcheux
https://youtu.be/BoHYvtGHBVg
2
22
4
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
Stein Makes Games 🔜 GodotCon
about 1 month ago
Bennett Foddy (Getting Over It) held a talk yesteday about his unconventional games - "Why Did I make this"?
#gamedev
#gamedesign
@foddy.net
www.twitch.tv/videos/27148...
0
32
5
@chrisbodegard.bsky.social
on interactive writing, attention, agency, choice and feedback design for the exceptional
@esotericebb.bsky.social
(script below slides):
#gamedev
#gamedesign
loading . . .
PLEASE (DON’T) MAKE MORE GAMES WITH INTERACTIVE WRITING
PLEASE (DON’T) MAKE MORE GAMES WITH INTERACTIVE WRITING Player Engagement / Agency / Tips & Tricks Okay. So… I have a confession to make. I’m using a bad term here. And that’s interactive writing. Let...
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1SZB2_i6p2hvoR0Qq1Zge_hh7IN_JbKrM7Suhk0aAZuY/edit?usp=sharing
about 1 month ago
0
15
4
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
Will Perkins
3 months ago
To celebrate id Software’s 35th birthday,
@johnromero.bsky.social
produced a great mini-doc on the making of Catacomb 3D (1991) – and it really illustrates just how foundational this game was for their later, more influential first person shooter work:
youtu.be/ZcUqwMf01pI?...
loading . . .
Making Catacomb 3-D
YouTube video by John Romero
https://youtu.be/ZcUqwMf01pI?si=zFJTPrYMVUcCuSXB
2
65
25
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
antoine
about 2 months ago
our wizard-in-chief at
@thegamebakers.com
Anthony Beyer made a breakdown about ミ🪨 rocks 🪨彡. check it out!
www.artstation.com/artwork/AZzrJm
loading . . .
Cairn - Technical Breakdown - Rock Rendering, Anthony Beyer
I was lucky to work on Cairn as Technical Art Director, and now that the game has been released, I thought it might be interesting to share some of its "development secrets". At the beginning, i want...
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/AZzrJm
6
170
55
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
Derek Yu
about 2 months ago
While we're celebrating Zelda's 40th, I want to give some love to some of the foundational action adventure games that predated it. Hydlide, in particular, deserves more respect outside of Japan for what it did for the genre in '84 (PC88). Tower of Druaga, Courageous Perseus, Dragon Slayer, Hydlide
18
494
176
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
/noclip
2 months ago
🚨NEW DOC ALERT🕹️ The fourth episode of our Disco Elysium series is now live. In it we talk to Aleksander Rostov about his own artistic journey, and how the art team collaborated to create the narrative playground of Martinaise. WATCH:
youtu.be/-eUtrUW2QVU
loading . . .
The Making of Disco Elysium - Part Four: Art
YouTube video by /noclip
https://youtu.be/-eUtrUW2QVU
3
224
78
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
My Perfect Console podcast
2 months ago
For his perfect console
@jon.inkle.co
, narrative designer and co-founder of
@inkle.co
, chose: 1. Plundered Hearts 2. Blade Runner: The Adventure Game 3. Riven: The Sequel to Myst 4. The Last Express 5. Shadow of the Colossus Listen to Jon discuss his picks in this week's episode:
sptfy.in/3lqj
1
33
8
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
Robin-Yann Storm
3 months ago
My 2025 talk 'Gyms, Zoos, and Museums: Your documentation should be in-game' is now also available in text format, for those who like to read instead of watch:
rystorm.com/blog/gyms-zo...
And if you haven't seen it yet, there is an all new video too, with bonus material on the history of Zoos!
loading . . .
Gyms, Zoos, and Museums: Your documentation should be in-game — Robin-Yann Storm, Product & UX Designer for Tools
Gyms, Zoos, and Museums: Your documentation should be in-game
https://rystorm.com/blog/gyms-zoos-museums-your-documentation-should-be-in-game
9
252
94
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
/noclip
3 months ago
🚨NEW DOC ALERT🕹️ Our Disco Elysium series continues with a 72 minute deep dive into Writing. From how characters were created, to the tech the team used, the collaborations between writers and editors, and the struggles they had along the way.
youtu.be/fpjHZc9bbFk
loading . . .
The Making of Disco Elysium - Part Three: Writing
YouTube video by /noclip
https://youtu.be/fpjHZc9bbFk
2
244
95
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
Detective Fantasia: EXCALIMURDER
3 months ago
Sprite stacking 101 🧩
#pixelart
#indiedev
#GameMaker
loading . . .
24
1555
477
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
/noclip
4 months ago
🚨NEW DOC ALERT🕹️ The Making of Disco Elysium - Part Two: Building Elysium
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrVW...
In the second episode of our Disco Elysium series we explore the crumbling studio space the game was created in, and tell the story of the people who quickly made it there home.
loading . . .
The Making of Disco Elysium - Part Two: Building Elysium
YouTube video by /noclip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrVWe_ZCAko
1
220
89
@simondev.bsky.social
on math fundamentals for
#gamedev
, very accessible for less mathy folk:
add a skeleton here at some point
4 months ago
0
8
2
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
Game Maker's Toolkit
4 months ago
New on GMTK - The World Design of Hollow Knight: Silksong
youtu.be/l7xXW0EbK4g
loading . . .
The World Design of Hollow Knight: Silksong
YouTube video by Game Maker's Toolkit
https://youtu.be/l7xXW0EbK4g
6
361
58
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
ThatGuyGlen
4 months ago
A detailed look at how Sandfall Interactive created
@expedition33.bsky.social
and why it wasn’t supposed to be so successful. Watch here →
youtu.be/pLSRlzSxEPw
0
6
2
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
/noclip
5 months ago
🚨NEW DOC ALERT🕹️ The Making of Disco Elysium - Part One: Foundations
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH6m...
After over 18 months of research, interviews & editing our Disco Elysium series is here. In this first episode we focus on the cultural and personal foundations of the world of Elysium.
loading . . .
The Making of Disco Elysium - Part One: Foundations
YouTube video by /noclip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH6mUTHZ5C4
6
610
308
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
Oskar Stålberg
5 months ago
The boundaries is where the interesting things happen!
0
19
2
@foddy.net
@gcuzzillo.bsky.social
@maxiboch.bsky.social
on designing Baby Steps. “Making it interesting to get lost is a big creative challenge.”
#gamedev
#gamedesign
loading . . .
The Baby Steps Interview: Does Bennett Foddy just want to make us mad?
YouTube video by GoGoGaming
https://youtu.be/Vdhh3C2RpU0?si=BQS3G-Zi1mkeuN4w
5 months ago
0
9
3
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
Mike Cook
5 months ago
New Paper: Game Design is Generative Design. Designing a procedural generator and designing a game share a lot of skills, problems and philosophies, even if we think of them as distinct. I try to connect them here, for good! Read here:
ojs.aaai.org/index.php/AI...
2
55
14
On
#silksong
‘s surprisingly complex damage calculations:
#gamedev
#gamedesign
loading . . .
Explaining Silksong's Misleading Damage System
YouTube video by Rusty.
https://youtu.be/_SXBXQYRBp8?si=rUffWa8rC0ESfJLL
5 months ago
0
5
2
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
Raph Koster
6 months ago
Game design is simple, actually. Except when it isn't. Here are the 12 things you need to know.
loading . . .
Game design is simple, actually
So, let’s just walk through the whole thing, end to end. Here’s a twelve-step program for understanding game design. One: Fun There are a lot of things people call “fun.” But most of them are not useful for getting better at making games, which is usually why people read articles like this. The fun of a bit of confetti exploding in front of you, and the fun of excruciating pain and risk to life and limb as you free climb a cliff are just not usefully paired together.
https://www.raphkoster.com/2025/11/03/game-design-is-simple-actually/?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=jetpack_social
3
377
121
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
Game Maker's Toolkit
5 months ago
New on GMTK - let's talk about the power of prototyping -
youtu.be/8tHJgtbj6rs
loading . . .
What's the Point of Prototyping?
YouTube video by Game Maker's Toolkit
https://youtu.be/8tHJgtbj6rs
1
180
34
@oskarstalberg.bsky.social
’s excellent presentation on efficient and flexible tile-based procedural generation:
#gamedev
#gamedesign
loading . . .
SGC21- Oskar Stålberg - Beyond Townscapers
YouTube video by Sweden Game Arena
https://youtu.be/Uxeo9c-PX-w?si=TJKnN0HZAd9-uzsn
6 months ago
0
27
5
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
Joe Baxter-Webb
6 months ago
It is time to shout about fun in a car park // What is Fun? A Game Design Introduction
youtu.be/56ENqlUST9U
loading . . .
What is Fun? A Game Design Introduction
YouTube video by Indie Game Clinic
https://youtu.be/56ENqlUST9U
1
11
4
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
Lucas Pope
6 months ago
"Return of the Obra Dinn" is seven years old this week. For this not-particularly-special anniversary, here's a re-cammed and narrated timelapse of (nearly) all character creation, object modeling, scene posing, and general 3D work for Obra Dinn from 2015 to 2018:
youtu.be/90vqCKEEj3s
loading . . .
Return of the Obra Dinn - Narrated Modeling Mega Timelapse
YouTube video by Lucas Pope
https://youtu.be/90vqCKEEj3s
30
1099
354
Old but always makes me smile. Appreciate your testers:
#gamedev
loading . . .
Dev vs. Tester: Guess who’s got the edge in this epic meme showdown? 💻
YouTube video by codemug
https://youtube.com/shorts/IujbAfkeGRM?si=yT-8I27CDo9VYDE8
7 months ago
0
9
2
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
Dom2D 💜
7 months ago
I love mock-ups so much. It was my first job in the game industry, and it's still what I love doing the most. You learn so much from making these, throwing out ideas quickly, finding opportunities and ideas, at no risk and low cost.
#gamedesign
#gamedev
5
154
11
Mildly condescending BBC visit to uniformed Shigeru Miyamoto at work in the 90s:
#gamedev
#gamedesign
loading . . .
BBC Archive 1990: Inside Nintendo
The Money Programme looks at the rise of Nintendo, and speaks with Shigeru Miyamoto.
https://www.bbc.com/videos/cd1pr7n4w2xo
7 months ago
0
7
1
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
Slynyrd
8 months ago
Make your dream castle!
www.slynyrd.com/blog/2025/7/...
#pixelart
#tutorial
1
27
2
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
/noclip
8 months ago
🚨NEW DOC ALERT🕹️ The Making of Wolfenstein We revisit the team at MachineGames to discuss the design and development of their Wolfenstein series. From narrative design to combat and everything in between. WATCH HERE:
youtu.be/E189QG28rnE
loading . . .
The Making of Wolfenstein - Noclip Documentary
YouTube video by /noclip
https://youtu.be/E189QG28rnE
6
441
132
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
Derek Yu
8 months ago
This convo I had highlights the difference in what "respect your time" means in games. A lot of players want to trade time for in-game progress. It's purely transactional: 1 hour = 1 progress But I want to feel like my actions matter i.e. what I do with time creates progress, not time itself.
add a skeleton here at some point
60
1673
439
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
Tommy Thompson
8 months ago
Design Dive returns to
@aiandgames.com
for this short but fun analysis of narrative design in Donkey Kong Bananza. Pauline's emotional journey is the real heart of the game's story. With the narrative team relying on a game AI bark systems that react to player progress.
youtu.be/DyGYxtJL_GM?...
loading . . .
Donkey Kong Bananza's Simplest Design Trick | Design Dive
YouTube video by AI and Games
https://youtu.be/DyGYxtJL_GM?si=7dZckZkmhFgsM8eQ
2
13
6
@indiegameclinic.bsky.social
on prototyping, feasibility testing, and game design intuition:
#gamedev
#gamedesign
loading . . .
Prototypes, Hunches, and Short-Cuts
YouTube video by Indie Game Clinic
https://youtu.be/Kf4j_okqIFk?si=eAuGHYPg2uQPEu0e
10 months ago
0
6
2
Jonathan Blow on filling the emergent space created by interacting game mechanics:
#gamedev
#gamedesign
loading . . .
Jonathan Blow on Designing Game Mechanics
YouTube video by gamedev cuts
https://youtu.be/0BG_KfC3bDI?si=fsg4wiO_Y3KLXI_P
11 months ago
0
7
1
Game devs on what people get wrong about game dev:
#gamedev
#gamedesign
loading . . .
"We cough up a chunk of our soul": 32 game devs, from Doom's John Romero to Helldivers 2 and Palworld leads, explain what people get wrong about games
Sam Barlow, Metaphor: ReFantazio leads, ConcernedApe's business head, indie legends, and many more weigh in
https://www.gamesradar.com/games/game-devs-explain-what-people-get-wrong-about-games/
11 months ago
0
3
1
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
Joris Dormans
11 months ago
Today I'm musing about the importance of escalation in adventure stories & ttrpg sessions. Trying to come up with a list of possible ways to escalate. Mostly interested in the broad categories. In the following posts you can find what I came up with so far. Let me know what I am missing.
#gamedev
2
15
5
@slynyrd.bsky.social
on pixel perfect parallax:
#gamedev
#gamedesign
loading . . .
Pixelblog - 23 - Parallax Scrolling — SLYNYRD
How to make stand alone parallax animation loops with pixel perfect motion
https://www.slynyrd.com/blog/2019/11/12/pixelblog-23-parallax-scrolling?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR7rby14N7xx0Dp2NG8dhAjdOQSUhX6ijEHwP3I_um_ztiw28oIlRn0Ply5asQ_aem_pEPAQj4AU5eFlsZgZWM8eg
11 months ago
0
3
1
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
Robert Yang
11 months ago
new blog post: turned my gdc 2025 level design theory talk into a blog post
www.blog.radiator.debacle.us/2025/05/spac...
loading . . .
Space is not a wall: toward a less architectural level design
Maybe video game level design theory needs less focus on architecture? And maybe I'm part of the problem? My bad.
https://www.blog.radiator.debacle.us/2025/05/space-is-not-wall-toward-less.html
20
1028
319
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
Fronkon Games
11 months ago
Reservoir Sampling, a technique for selecting a fair random sample when you don't know the size of the set you're sampling from
samwho.dev/reservoir-sa...
#gamedev
#gamedevelopment
#indiedev
0
5
4
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
grapefrukt
11 months ago
few things are as good as a proper shader. i love this shit.
loading . . .
2
38
5
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
Tom Francis
12 months ago
The discourse around the design of Blue Prince has been fascinating, but I wanted to hit room 46 before weighing in. Minimal spoilers!
youtu.be/BItfjfaqW2Y
Also: how it fares as an information game, and how it overlaps with our next game idea.
loading . . .
Blue Prince and its awkward relationship with hunches (minimal spoilers)
YouTube video by Tom Francis
https://youtu.be/BItfjfaqW2Y
3
64
12
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
Nate Purkeypile: Solo Indie Dev🤘
about 1 year ago
Announcing my next game!🤘 "Deedlee Doo! Carkour!"🔥 -A game where you do parkour with a car using explosions 🚗💥 -Everything in the game is made out of clay in real life🎨 -The sound effects and music are all mouth sounds👄 Wishlist it now on Steam, out on May 12th, 2025!🎸
loading . . .
10
135
54
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
Rubeki Games ⛏️ Lorn's Lure DLC OUT NOW!!! ⛏️
12 months ago
Dropping a little teaser demo soon. Keep an eye on Keymailer (and inboxes) :)
store.steampowered.com/app/3708790/...
loading . . .
MEGANAUT Demo on Steam
A 3rd person narrative horror game with modernized retro 3D graphics, and unique floating mechanics. Travel past The Habitat walls into the deep megastructure in search of your missing friend Seija, a...
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3708790/MEGANAUT_Demo/
1
31
10
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
Joe Baxter-Webb
12 months ago
Today’s video turned out a bit of a monster; some reflections on genre, mode and mood in games, and how certain ways of categorising games can be confusing or unhelpful in the design process.
youtu.be/3KJbYdNP5js?...
#gamedev
#gamedesign
#indiedev
loading . . .
Game Genres - a Design Perspective
YouTube video by Indie Game Clinic
https://youtu.be/3KJbYdNP5js?si=E1XOWVD46mSiuEFy
0
10
5
Atlus's Kenichi Goto on designing turn-based combat for Metaphor: ReFantazio:
#gamedev
#gamedesign
loading . . .
Developing 'Metaphor: ReFantazio' and the Potential of RPG Command Battle Systems
How has the genre of command battle RPGs, often ridiculed as old-fashioned, been updated into the latest titles? This presentation will cover the twists and turns, decisions made to realize the direct...
https://gdcvault.com/play/1035147/Developing-Metaphor-ReFantazio-and-the
12 months ago
0
1
1
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
/noclip
about 1 year ago
🚨NEW DOC ALERT🕹️ In the forth episode of our Dwarf Fortress Series we revisit the brothers two years after launch to explore the ways in which their lives have changed forever, and the ways in which they've stayed the same. WATCH:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5zg...
2
152
32
reposted by
Designhead Dungeon
Walaber
about 1 year ago
Will you wishlist Replicube? “Signs point to yes”
s.team/a/3401490
loading . . .
16
652
208
Load more
feeds!
log in