Design Cookbook
I’m always thinking about games, whether I’m playing them, creating them, talking with friends and family, showering, or cooking. It’s a constant stream of thought. I often find myself questioning how and why games are made a certain way. I want these notes to serve as a kind of cookbook. I don’t think the "recipes" are perfect, but if you’re looking to start creating, I hope they can provide you with an entry point.
My focus will primarily be on video games, tabletop games, TCGs, and TTRPGs, but I’m open to discussing anything, whether cultural (movies, books, etc.) or political, as I’m a fan of human sciences.
I usually jot these thoughts down in a notebook or on paper, keeping the articles short, so they’re no longer than a 5-minute read.
#2 : ON THE NARRATIVE PACING OF LIKE A DRAGON 8
So here’s the second part of the diptych about RPGs. I found it really interesting that two 'RPG' AAA games came out around the same time— LAD (Like a Dragon) clearly taking a broader approach with its bombastic and cinematic style, while Baldur's Gate tried to pull players into a niche by making the game more attractive through good graphics, voice acting, and a lot of cinematics.
P.S.: It feels a bit unfair to compare them since the core of RGG’s production is more about a "baggydesign", blending dramatic tones with humor and silliness within the same game. That framing comes from an editorial choice.
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#1 : On the Narrative Architecture of Larian Design
This thought came out as i played Baldur's Gate 3 and Like a Dragon 8 simultanously. I already came with the broad idea years ago while digging into DOSII.
The following part on Like a Dragon 8 will be available next.
