In this episode, we consider how to make your game stand out from the others, the importance of a clear hook or appeal to the player, as well as how to translate the sense of innovation you might find more easily in solo projects back into larger, collaborative efforts. Download the Sympathetic Memories demo for free on our Itch.io site: https://fu…

In this episode we delve into the subject of playtesting: how to choose the right playtesters for your game as well as learning how to go after the criticism you need, not necessarily what you want to hear. We talk about the qualitative differences between testing for smaller indie and mass market games, as well as how you develop a community of pe…

This month we tackle the concept of friction in game design, how it's not necessarily the same thing as challenge or difficulty, and why it's important for making even the tiny little things you do in a game an engaging experience. Download the Sympathetic Memories demo for free on our Itch.io site: https://furidashipod.itch.io/sympathetic-memories…

This month we stop talking around the fact that the games industry is imploding and tackle it head on. We address the collective psychic damage we all seem to be suffering as a result, as well as how not to despair in dark times. In the end, we need to protect the creative parts of ourselves from those who only want to profit from our talents at an…

In this episode, we discuss the sensuous side of gamedev, the upsides and downsides of "friction," and how to better understand what your player wants to be doing, so as to craft a better suited gameplay experience for them. Download the Sympathetic Memories demo for free on our Itch.io site: https://furidashipod.itch.io/sympathetic-memories Substa…

In this episode we deconstruct the concept of auteur theory and show how even when a game's production has a strong creative direction, often that means getting people to buy into that vision and contributing to it rather than having their work dictated to them. We talk about the documentary Hideo Kojima: Connecting Worlds and how it reveals the wa…

In this episode Lauryn and Nicholas tackle how game designers translate their own interests and influences into tangible elements in their own games. Working from Nicholas' ongoing work on Sympathetic Memories, we first examine the way historical and literary influences work their way in. Then, we round out the episode by exploring how solo work of…

In this episode we talk about the uses of first and second person narration in games, not only in terms of basic storytelling but also how they work their way into systems like objectives and quest logs. We explore the philosophical underpinnings of first person perspective and try to show how games can actually meaningfully collapse what we typica…

In this episode we focus on where ideas come from, how they develop out of our experiences and interests, and how they ultimately coalesce into specific pillars and themes for a game. We also discuss what it means for these pillars to be in tension with one another, and how that can play out both in terms of a game's narrative as well as its mechan…

In this episode, Lauryn and Nicholas pick up where they left off in discussing how Baldur's Gate 3 structures its skill check encounters. We look at how encounter design in video games generally seems to privilege a system of challenges and achievements where the player's subjective experience is either an afterthought or simply a second order effe…

In this fourth season of Furidashi, Nicholas is making a game! So, the first thing we need to figure out is... well... where to even begin. We discuss the good and bad of game engines, licensing agreements, how to leverage your existing skills, and where to draw inspiration from. In the past, we've focused more on top down, theoretical consideratio…

In this episode, we extend our discussion of Baldur’s Gate 3 into thinking about how video games translate various aspects of their tabletop counterparts. More than just mechanics, we look at how video games try to simulate the more subjective and social aspects of pen and paper roleplay, something that, historically, video games have struggled wit…

In this episode, we sit down to tackle Larian’s colossal new game, Baldur’s Gate 3. We really only scratch the surface here, but we try to focus on the many ways in which the game addresses the question of freedom, both in gameplay terms as well as thematically, and we dig into how, unlike most RPG video games, Baldur’s Gate 3 actually lets you rol…

In this episode we examine the three epochs or eras of Final Fantasy. We trace its early, now legendary, days as a tactical, turn-based RPG, the shift to more cinematic gameplay, and the subsequent turn away from the game’s roots toward a more high-paced, third person action gameplay. The point of all this is to show that there is a clear throughli…

In this episode, we delve into Final Fantasy 16 and the recent trend in Final Fantasy games towards more action oriented gameplay. But rather than make all the same tired comparisons others have already made to Devil May Cry or Game of Thrones, we focus on the clear evolution Final Fantasy games have undergone, and how this seemingly recent develop…

Greetings! In this episode, we make Lauryn explain herself and her gamedev journey. We talk about what it was like to make the transition from writing to level design and eventually back to narrative systems as well as what it means to take on a leadership role in the games industry. Unlock the full episode (and more!) for $5 a month on Patreon: ht…

In this episode, we ask an admittedly clickbaity question that, nevertheless, raises some points: is Diablo 4 an RPG? We cover a bit of the history of roleplaying games, the awkward transition from tabletop to video games, and how character progression maps onto–or, in some cases, fails to map onto the player’s evolving gameplay experience. All of …

In this episode we continue our discussion of AI, focusing on its potential within the games industry, as well as its pitfalls. We consider the labor issues involved and how, despite all the hype, the reality of the many things that fall under the AI umbrella is an incredibly murky one, touching on issues of copyright as well as the basic question …

In this episode, we take a look at a visual novel from 2019, the incredibly prescient Eliza. We spend some time laying out the unique mechanics of a visual novel and how those reading mechanics parallel the counseling methods the game interrogates. We also spend quite a long time thinking about the way the game reflects the culture of tech and the …

In this episode, we talk about the concept of contiguity in worldbuilding and in game design more generally. We focus on longstanding franchises like Assassin’s Creed and Final Fantasy to look at how game worlds retain a clear sense of identity, despite evolving over time and in some cases even branching out into other media. You could call it vibe…

In this episode, we discuss Kingdom Hearts 2 from 2005. We contextualize it in terms of the transformation of AAA games taking place in the 2000s, how the game functions like a theme park… because Disney… how that theme park design presents the concept of a multiverse for a younger player demographic, and how the allegorical structure of the game c…

In this episode, we discuss character progression, how it differs from player and subjective progression, and how character can manifest not just as an arc through the story, but through gameplay as well. We look at examples as wide ranging as The Witcher, Street Fighter, X-COM, Battletech, and Gran Turismo. What do all of these games have in commo…

In this, our one hundredth episode, we finally tackle 2013’s The Last of Us. While we acknowledge that the story is, well, just okay, we also dissect the game’s level and encounter design to see how The Last of Us creates compelling experiences for the player. We also look at the companion system and how the game elicits empathy through the complex…

In this Patreon episode we jump off last week's Wordle episode to think about what it means for a game to work its way into the daily rhythms of our lives, as augmentation, versus carving out a sequester moment in our lives, as simulation. We delve into the early history of PC games and their relationship to hobby gaming, in an effort to provide a …

In this episode, we discuss the popular browser game, Wordle, which was a worldwide phenomenon and yet somehow escaped notice when it came time to list the best games of 2022. We also discuss the way some video games work their way into the daily and weekly rhythms of our lives and why those games often find themselves on the outside or on the frin…

In this clip from our Patreon episode we discuss many of the elements that make up mystery plots, how they work on a gameplay and not just a narrative level, as well as the effect these elements have on creating compelling characters. Unlock the full episode (and more!) for $5 a month on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/furidashi Twitter: https://t…

In this episode Lauryn and Nicholas discuss the 2022 game Pentiment from Obsidian Entertainment. We look at how the game functions as a form of productive historical revisionism and how attention to historical circumstances works itself out in terms of game mechanics and systems. We also discuss the mystery plot structure and the many ways in which…

Lauryn and Nicholas dive into their not game of the year, because that concept is silly, but rather the game they both feel really pushed for the possibilities for narrative and narrative systems design: Half Mermaid's Immortality. Also on the docket: why it's good sometimes for a game to make you queasy. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/furidashi …

Our gift to our Patreon subscribers this holiday season: a chill playthrough of the first book in the Choose Your Own Adventure series! Join Lauryn and Nicholas as they make bad choices and critique the game's UI design! Unlock the full episode (and more!) for $5 a month on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/furidashi Twitter: https://twitter.com/fur…

Lauryn and Nicholas discuss gamedev industry trends from the past year and try to explain why endless series of sequels and remakes may not necessarily be a bad thing. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/furidashi Twitter: https://twitter.com/furidashipod Lauryn: https://twitter.com/thelaurynash Nicholas: https://twitter.com/academicality…

Last year Lauryn and Nicholas went through a year in Furidashi and as part of that recorded a behind the scenes for their Patreon subscribers. We're unlocking that episode now for all to enjoy! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/furidashi Twitter: https://twitter.com/furidashipod Lauryn: https://twitter.com/thelaurynash Nicholas: https://twitter.com/…

Nicholas tries to help Lauryn exorcise all those academic demons that still haunt her brain, as they look back on her thesis project re: ludonarrative harmony and try to reconceptualize it based on what they've learned over Furidashi's two years of existence. Clint Hocking on "Ludonarrative Dissonance" Unlock the full episode (and more!) for $5 a m…

Lauryn and Nicholas dive into why virtual reality gaming seems to keep tripping over itself, how the body does and does not function as a "controller," and why we need to look more broadly to understand the efficacy of simulated experiences. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/furidashi Twitter: https://twitter.com/furidashipod Lauryn: https://twitter…

Lauryn and Nicholas take a page out of their current book project--quite literally--and discuss how you as a player develop through gameplay both in response to but also independent of the particular game in question. Also: Lauryn is a crow? Unlock the full episode (and more!) for $5 a month on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/furidashi Twitter: ht…

Riffing on Sakurai Masahiro's recent video on the origins of Super Smash Bros., Lauryn and Nicholas discuss fighting games, accessibility, and how to innovate by responding and adapting to genre conventions rather than trying to wholly reinvent them. Sakurai on Super Smash Bros. Furidashi Ep. 11 on controls and accessibility Patreon: https://www.pa…

Following up on previous discussions concerning the relationship between subjectivity and gameplay, Lauryn and Nicholas look at combat not from the perspective of mechanics and systems but more holistically, through the encounter. Episode 53: Character and Social Class in Dishonored Unlock the full episode (and more!) for $5 a month on Patreon: htt…

Lauryn and Nicholas continue on the theme of thinking of gameplay in narratological terms by looking at combat encounters as a microcosm of broader narrative structures. Also on the docket: what it feels like to be pumbled. Tilda vs. The Widow - Into the Badlands Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/furidashi Twitter: https://twitter.com/furidashipod L…

Following up on the previous episode, Lauryn and Nicholas explore the concept of the "immersive sim" and how games try to teach their players what do through more seamless, tutorial-like elements. Interview with Warren Spector from Glixel Guardian Piece on Immersion Unlock the full episode (and more!) for $5 a month on Patreon: https://www.patreon.…

Lauryn and Nicholas finally get around to defining (and critiquing) the concept of immersion, what flow is, and why the two concepts are not all that distinct. Also: Lauryn hates chess. Jason VandenBerghe, "Applying the 5 Domains of Play" Episode 3 - Gaming Player Psychology Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/furidashi Twitter: https://twitter.com/fu…

Lauryn and Nicholas continue from the free episode's conversation to critique the distinction between hard and soft world building in game narrative, how to avoid common pitfalls, and how to properly address the subjective feel of a game. Unlock the full episode (and more!) for $5 a month on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/furidashi Twitter: https…

Lauryn and Nicholas cancel the Furidashi experience to become an Alchemy of Souls fancast... or they discuss the joys and pitfalls of world-building for game design. Also: Lauryn gets heartburn over Assassin's Creed. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/furidashi Twitter: https://twitter.com/furidashipod Lauryn: https://twitter.com/thelaurynash Nichola…

Lauryn and Nicholas get into the weeds about how progression and narrative systems both overlap and are distinct from one another. 67. Adventures in Management: Backpack Hero Unlock the full episode (and more!) for $5 a month on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/furidashi Twitter: https://twitter.com/furidashipod Lauryn: https://twitter.com/thelaury…

Riffing on the dichotomy between dev driven game design and player driven design, Lauryn and Nicholas discuss the particulars of plotting game narratives and making them work with video game mechanics and systems. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/furidashi Twitter: https://twitter.com/furidashipod Lauryn: https://twitter.com/thelaurynash Nicholas: …

Lauryn and Nicholas dive deeper into the question of what story is in video games and address things like audio cuing, nonverbal signaling, and when the dissonance between gameplay and what's "supposed" to be happening can be used toward productive ends. Unlock the full episode (and more!) for $5 a month on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/furidash…

Setting aside the endless talk of systems and mechanics, Lauryn and Nicholas discuss what story in games looks like and the ways in which it differs from other media, such as film or literature. Furidashi Youtube Channel Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/furidashi Twitter: https://twitter.com/furidashipod Lauryn: https://twitter.com/thelaurynash Nic…

Lauryn and Nicholas address the occasional overlap between narrative and progression systems but also get into the weeds about what make them distinct from both a gameplay and backend perspective. Unlock the full episode (and more!) for $5 a month on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/furidashi Twitter: https://twitter.com/furidashipod Lauryn: https:…

Lauryn schools Nicholas about the several methods games use to convey narrative content, and no... we're not just talking cutscenes. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/furidashi Twitter: https://twitter.com/furidashipod Lauryn: https://twitter.com/thelaurynash Nicholas: https://twitter.com/academicality…

Lauryn and Nicholas return to the MDA (Mechanics, Dynamics, Aesthetics) framework to show how it was of a particular time and describes a game production process that may not be as useful in the current era. Unlock the full episode (and more!) for $5 a month on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/furidashi Twitter: https://twitter.com/furidashipod Lau…

Lauryn and Nicholas take a look at the MDA Framework for game design, how it envisions games as "artifacts," and how it structures the design process as a discrete series of movements from mechanics to systems to player experience. MDA: A Formal Approach to Game Design and Game Research Episode 3: Gaming Player Psychology (re: Jason VandenBerghe) P…

Lauryn and Nicholas discuss the similarities and differences between narrative and progression systems as well as how games have in recent years moved away from the "narrative wrapper" to make storytelling a more fully integrated game function. Unlock the full episode (and more!) for $5 a month on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/furidashi Twitter:…