Here’s one of those oh-so-useless posts where I link you to a bunch of random pages that you probably will never read or care about. The idea here is to spread some good stuff that I’ve read in the hope that I don’t have to cover the same material, but instead can reference it freely without feeling like I’m leaving everyone behind.
I’ll also point you to some games I’m enjoying.
I think I’m going to start doing this monthly instead of just providing a “what I’m playing” list that tends to be even more ludicrously useless.
To Read
- Some basics about RTS design from a small game studio. I’m going to start writing about RTSes soon, particularly AI War, so I advise you brush up on your RTS lingo. I won’t take baby steps.
- Sirlin’s blog needs your attention. He writes well about topics game designers should care about. Don’t rot your mind with Tobold and Keen—give yourself what your brain craves with some good, juicy Sirlin articles.
- The No Twinkie Database: plenty of design gaffes in stockades at the center of town.
To Play
- Romance of the Three Kingdoms X. It’s a niche title and certainly isn’t for everyone, but a game that does this style of play right would win my undying gratitude by providing me with thousands of hours of blissful enjoyment. There are so many things about RoTKX that sit right with me—it needs its own article. Too bad no one gives this game the attention it deserves.
- Board Space, a place for board games that will destroy your mind in the best way possible. It isn’t pretty, but boardspace allows you to play some very cool minimalistic strategic board games online. They’ve got 30 games up now. And it’s free.
- AI War. I’ve already given this game enough praise. Just play it. If you love strategy games, you won’t regret it. (Analysis articles on AI War are being assembled and should be posted this week and next.)
Posts
4 comments:
"Don’t rot your mind with Tobold and Keen—give yourself what your brain craves with some good, juicy Sirlin articles."
Good advice :)
I used to read Sirlin - long before I got into the MMO blogging scene, actually - but always found that he forced his analogies on too regular a basis for me, and tried to "Square peg round hole" using fighting games all the time. Maybe I'll pay him another visit just to see if a new perspective on things will do me some good.
On another topic entirely, I loaded up the AI War demo and didn't last through the first tutorial mission.... the scope of that game appears to be far larger than I have time for at the moment. It looks awesome though.... I used to have a blast with MOO and games like that. Space battles are almost always fun. =)
Sirlin is doing better lately at toning down the fighting game mindset. It's still there, and if you're familiar with his work, you'll spot it easily, but his writing is much more accessible to a wider field these days.
Any game dev who hasn't pored over the No Twinkie database just isn't doing their job, methinketh.
Thanks for the links!
"Don’t rot your mind with Tobold and Keen—give yourself what your brain craves with some good, juicy Sirlin articles."
That made me laugh. And thanks for the suggestion.
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