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Programmer Experience — why UX matters everywhere
How to build the tools, systems and features in such a way that they are easy to use and build upon. How to get simplicity and user experience of your fellow co-workers as the centerpiece of your development.
Aug. 2, 2016
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Post-Mortem: Discover O - Design with Data
Discover O was a super casual game on the surface, but for anyone coming into mobile game development afresh, this post will give you an inside look at the systematic process that goes into building, publishing and measuring a mobile game.
Aug. 1, 2016
JikGuard
First Convention Booth Post-Mortem
I recently attended a convention where I ran my first booth. In some ways the experience was a success, but I could have improved many things. In this post-mortem, I dissect the good and the bad of the experience.
Aug. 1, 2016
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What Makes Pokémon Go So Popular?
My obligatory article on Pokémon, in which I use several prisms for analyzing why the augmented reality game is so popular.
Aug. 1, 2016
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The Elusive Power of Video Games for Education
Educators interested in using video games for educational purposes should be aware of the considerable difficulties developing a fun and engaging game, and take into account the user experience (UX) as well as the principles of learning and transfer.
Aug. 1, 2016
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10 psychosocial reasons why ‘Pokémon Go’ is so appealing
Pokémon Go has appears to have taken the world by storm. But what has made the game so popular do quickly? Here are my top 10 reasons from a psychosocial perspective
Aug. 1, 2016
JikGuard
Must Have Monetization Mechanics for Match3
Based on Newzoo’s chart of the most common reasons for whales’ payments in the U.S., I have created a short list of mechanics for Match3. So, in this article, I’m going to discuss what mechanics should be included in Match3 games to increase monetization.
Aug. 1, 2016
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Why Bethesda should reveal Paid Mods 2.0 soon
Bethesda now has a more compelling business case than ever to resurrect its controversial paid mods system ("Paid Mods 2.0"), with its cross-platform mod system, Bethesda.net. But it has a narrow window of opportunity.
July 29, 2016
JikGuard
A Theory on Pokémon Go's Location System
In this post we're going to try to crack open Pokémon Go and determine how and why each pokémon are placed.
July 29, 2016
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How Pokemon GO's Design Creates Systemic Crowds
Pokemon Go has the unique ability to create systemic crowds of players in real world locations. What are the components of this system, and how could it be replicated?
July 29, 2016
JikGuard
Flat Kingdom post-mortem. 30 months of learning and shaping our first indie game.
Redesigning the main character of a game after launch is something very rarely seen in games, especially after 30 months of development. In this article we analyse the story and reasons behind this and other steps we took in Flat Kingdom.
July 29, 2016
JikGuard
Hunt The Syntax, Part One
This series sets out the historical roots of the text puzzle and the influence it has had on the evolution of video games. It begins with the first text adventures, moves on to the representation of the quest within MUDs. Part one of two.
July 29, 2016