-
Minecraft? Microsoft? (The Builder Generation?)
As I write this it is still only rumor that Minecraft may be sold to Microsoft, so my rambling here might be completely irrelevant (but what is the Internet for anyways, if not to host my rambles?) Minecraft is a valuable product. I think in more ways than any other game, it has really infiltrated culture. Yes, games like Mario and Pokemon and the like are huge, but I don’t recall them having quite such a hold on kids (that said, I was not a parent during the rise of those franchises, so I may be mistaken). My sons and their friends play Minecraft-themed games all the time. By this,…
-
Game: Hauler Version 0 (Part 1)
As I mentioned I have started to work on an almost-game. I said I would start releasing prior milestones and discussing them and so this is the first of those discussions. THE IDEA Up until Spring 2014 I had been tinkering with a couple different prototypes, including one that I had put a lot of time into and really enjoyed (developing and playing). But I came to the realization that these games were too complicated for me to pull off on my own (at least for now). I need to expand my working knowledge of Unity first. I decided instead to work on a simpler game and push it all…
-
New Feature: Couch Games
I know I’ve been terrible with keeping to my blog posting schedule so I hesitate to commit myself to anything else, but here I go, anyways. Over the past few months I’ve continued learning how to use Unity to build games. I’ve moved a bit beyond some of the cruder prototypes I’ve put together and shown here previously. Starting next month I’ll begin blogging (probably just once each month) about the design process I’ve been using on the current title. The updates won’t be overly detailed, but should provide some insight into what’s going through my head as I work on the game. They will also be paired with a…
-
Want to Read the Lazy Designer for Free?
I’ve started a newsletter. Well, actually I’ve had a newsletter for a long time but have not really done much to promote it. My intention going forward is to begin releasing sections from the Lazy Designer, starting with the first book. But before I proceed I’d like to acquire a few more subscribers. So if somebody you know has been wanting to read the Lazy Designer but hasn’t bought it yet, maybe direct them to the sign up form for the newsletter: http://blog.brentknowles.com/brents-mailing-list/ Let me know if you have any questions. In regards to newsletter frequency, I’m thinking 1-2 newsletters a month to start. (And I still intend to post…
-
Console vs PC?
I don’t think I’ve spoken much about how I play games on this blog beyond mentioning that I strongly disliked the previous xbox and that mostly we play PS3 games (with a bit of Wii mixed in). At one point I was not playing any games on the PC anymore. Over the past couple years things have slowly started to shift. I started using Steam again and purchasing more games. Then our xbox finally died. When I carted off all the games I had owned for it and its predecessor, I became rather pissed. We owned some fun games and with the console’s demise I knew I would never be…
-
Designer Checklists
Ages ago I bought a book called “The Writer’s Book of Checklists” by Scott Edelstein. This was a reference manual for aspiring writers, with everything they needed to know summarized in handy checklists. For whatever reason the checklist format has always been appealing to me. As part of my efforts to create secondary, bonus content to encourage readers to consider purchasing the Lazy Designer directly from me, I decided it would be [fun|exciting|worthwhile] to create my own set of checklists for the Lazy Designer. At the end of this point is the first third of the list. I’ll add the others in later posts. If you would like the full…
-
How to be a Lead Designer
The final book in the Lazy Designer game design series is now available. This standalone volume in the Lazy Designer series provides insights on becoming an effective lead designer or creative director. Learn to manage large teams of specialized designers, improve your decision making process, and write clear and usable documentation. http://www.amazon.com/Lead-Designer-Lazy-Game-Design-ebook/dp/B00JUYRB18/ I know I mentioned this last week as part of another post, but every other book has received its own post, and I want to be fair :) And the excerpt for my Amazon Breakthrough Novel quarter finalist, “The Pool”, is still available to read here. I don’t know if reviews/downloads matter much at this point in the…
-
The OTHER Solution in Game Design
The Other Solution For the most part throughout my Lazy Designer series I focus on what I believe is the right way to implement particular design tasks. Based on my experience I have a recipe book, so to speak, of design solutions to specific problems. Throughout the books I make reference to these. The other day I was wondering if there was a different way to go about solving problems. What if you selected a random, or rather bizarre, solution? (Admittedly I hadn’t slept much the night before). Low Morale Some early RPG games (including Baldur’s Gate 1) allowed enemies to flee once their morale broke. The players basically kick…
-
Story Review and an Amazon Update
SOME WE EAT I stumbled across the following review for my story “Some We Eat and Some We Keep” which appeared in the second issue of Robots and Rayguns: “And Brent Knowles unique style was also awesome….reminded me of Blade Runner for some reason, which is great! I can see Philip K. Dick in him for sure.” I was very pleased to see that! I am always grateful when somebody enjoys something you wrote enough to take the time to write a comment about it. You can read the full review here: http://www.amazon.com/Robot-Raygun-2-Brent-Knowles-ebook/dp/B00J3519O4 (And as an aside, this particular story was written as an experiment. I wanted to try to…
-
Back In Province
We had to make a quick trip out of province, but are finally back home. I don’t have much to say, still busy catching up on late tasks, but I’ll provide a quick update and if you have any questions throw them into the comments and I’ll be sure to reply. Lazy Designer — The Design Manager The final book in the Lazy Designer series is almost ready to go. I anticipate by the end of April, it will be available on Amazon. At that point I’ll start editing the variety of bonus materials I’ve written for those who have bought copies directly from me. My Unity Game Meanwhile I’m…
