In this 2018 GDC session, inkle's Joseph Humfrey demonstrates the design techniques they use to make the text frictionless and easy to interact with in games like 80 Days and Heaven's Vault.

Humfrey explored the principles of good typography and typesetting across a range of devices. and showed the value of animations for their critical role in leading the eye. He also showed attendees how eliminating distractions helps the player focus on the act of reading, and demonstrated how all these techniques underlie two of inkle's major pillars of text UX design: focus and pacing.

It was a fascinating talk about a rarely discussed (but often critical) aspect of game design, and now you can watch it for yourself over on the official GDC YouTube channel!

About the GDC Vault

In addition to this presentation, the GDC Vault and its accompanying YouTube channel offers numerous other free videos, audio recordings, and slides from many of the recent Game Developers Conference events, and the service offers even more members-only content for GDC Vault subscribers.

Those who purchased All Access passes to recent events like GDC or VRDC already have full access to GDC Vault, and interested parties can apply for the individual subscription via a GDC Vault subscription page. Group subscriptions are also available: game-related schools and development studios who sign up for GDC Vault Studio Subscriptions can receive access for their entire office or company by contacting staff via the GDC Vault group subscription page.