Darran Jamieson - Envato Tuts+ Profile

Tutorials

Keep Things Clear: Don't Confuse Your Players
Losing a game because the rules weren't clear isn't fun. Here's a look at how some games make things frustrating, and how to avoid it.
Darran Jamieson
6 Dec 2017
Game Development
Class Design in Games: Beyond RPGs
From Hackers and Medics to Sonic and Knuckles, classes are no longer limited to RPGs. Learn what class means, and how to enhance gameplay with class design.
Darran Jamieson
27 Oct 2017
Game Development
Making Healing Fun
What role does healing play in games, and how does it affect gameplay? A look at one of the most overlooked aspects of game design: keeping the players alive.
Darran Jamieson
14 Apr 2017
Game Development
The Four Elements of Game Design: Part 2
What is a game, and what matters when designing one? A look at the most fundamental aspects of game design—the elements which are vital to creating an...
Darran Jamieson
26 Jan 2017
Game Development
The Four Elements of Game Design: Part 1
What is a game? What matters when designing one? Here's a look at the elements of game design, and how to ensure your game follows the most fundamental game...
Darran Jamieson
25 Jan 2017
Game Development
Making Difficult Fun: How to Challenge Your Players
What makes a game difficult, and what attracts different players? A look at how to ensure your game has mass appeal, and what separates casual and hardcore...
Darran Jamieson
20 May 2016
Game Development
4 Ways to Teach Your Players How to Play Your Game
If we want to play a game, we first need to learn the rules. But reading tutorials is boring... so how can we make sure we don't scare off the player? In...
Darran Jamieson
31 Aug 2015
Game Development
Making AI Fun: When Good Enough is Good Enough
Making good artificial intelligence for computer opponents is difficult, but it's often difficult for the wrong reasons. What makes an AI fun, and should we...
Darran Jamieson
25 Mar 2015
Game Development
Let Them Play: Don’t Lock Your Players Out of Playing
Interactivity is a fundamental aspect of game design. Without it, a game isn't a game: it's a TV show, or a book, or an instance of some other static medium....
Darran Jamieson
21 Jan 2015
Game Development
The Snowball Effect (And How to Avoid It) in Game Design
The snowball effect exists in nearly any game where having resources can gain you more resources. It's a type of feedback loop, with effects that can make a...
Darran Jamieson
9 Aug 2014
Game Development
A Look at Luck in Game Design
The luck vs. skill aspect of games is one which is fairly central to good design—indeed, it's something we've covered before. But before we worry about...
Darran Jamieson
16 Jan 2014
Game Development
Don't Frustrate the Player: 3 Rules for Keeping Them Involved
It's not enough to just say that a game is simply "bad", and that it has nothing it can teach us: why is it bad? Is there a problem with the level design or...
Darran Jamieson
4 Oct 2013
Game Development