News

JikGuard
Delivering a Closed Alpha Build to a Store Channel on Discord
In this post I review the current methods for closed alpha distribution and talk about why I think Discord is a great, underutilized option. I then spend time walking through the distribution process itself as a guide for anyone interested.
Aug. 9, 2019
JikGuard
The Big Game Branding 101
A whistle-stop tour of game-branding from my experience in both indie and AAA publishing. This guide details eight actionable steps to creating an identity for your game - from concept to execution.
Aug. 9, 2019
JikGuard
Discoverability - A 'Hot or Not?' Genre Guide
Let’s say you’ve put $20,000 into your game, or $200,000 dollars, or $2 million dollars. And you still want your money - or your investors’ money - back. You should probably look at how crowded that genre/game feature is.
Aug. 8, 2019
JikGuard
The Door Problem of Combat Design 2
An examination of classic level design and techniques for inviting the player into arenas instead of fighting from the doors.
Aug. 8, 2019
JikGuard
The AI of Hitman (2016)
One of the most complex simulations in AAA games, IO Interactive's Hitman titles are laced with AI systems that helped bring their fictional worlds to life.
Aug. 7, 2019
JikGuard
Avoiding Helplessness – The Worst Feeling in Games
Nobody likes feeling powerless, especially in video games. If your game makes players feel this way they will often simply put it down and play something else instead. This article looks at some common causes, and potential solutions, to this problem.
Aug. 7, 2019
JikGuard
7 Questions to Answer Before Marketing on Twitch
Twitch is a strange puzzle for many marketers and brand managers, both inside and outside of the games industry. If you are a game developer, getting traction for your game on Twitch is now one of the cornerstones to successfully launching a new title.
Aug. 5, 2019
JikGuard
The JRPG Startup Cost, Part 2
A look at various gameplay elements of JRPGs during the PSX era. How long did it take to get comfortable with each title's mechanics, and where did the filler-bloat begin?
Aug. 5, 2019
JikGuard
Kliuless #43: The Mirage of Cloud Gaming
Each week I compile a gaming industry insights newsletter that I publish broadly. Opinions are mine.
Aug. 5, 2019
JikGuard
Video Game Deep Cuts: Fortnite World Cup's Fire-y Youngblood 2
This week's roundup includes a couple of looks at Epic's Fortnite World Cup, analyses of Nintendo's new Fire Emblem game and Wolfenstein: Youngblood, as well as time loops in games, Candyland, Elsinore and lots more besides.
Aug. 3, 2019
JikGuard
The Glorious, Profitable, Inescapable Art of Addiction
Video games have a quality unique in popular entertainment: They simulate actual achievement, which results in the release of powerful pleasure chemicals in the player's mind. Let's explore this powerful addictive effect that keeps us all in business!
Aug. 2, 2019
JikGuard
Changes to Google Play's average ratings: what to expect and how to prepare
At I/O 2019, Google announced that there will be some changes regarding how an app's average rating is calculated. In this post I will talk about why it is both good and bad news and what to do not to get the rating drop for you mobile game.
Aug. 1, 2019