Chapter 1 The night started to go wrong when I invaded the mind of a rare earth trader and convinced him he was a cat. Waiters wielding tiny hors d’oeuvres patrolled the ballroom. I stood under ostentatious chandelier lighting, waiting. Long ago I’d crafted a persona as an aficionado of luxury goods to keep the hillborns […]

Behold, the game writer’s fundamental paradox: I want to focus on the second point — the multiple responsibilities of game writers, things that aren’t directly about telling a story or creating a character — and how these responsibilities add value to the player experience and game at large. Then, I want to take a wider […]

Invisible blockers are everywhere in video games. Blockers are designed to prevent you from going somewhere that might get you into trouble. Could be an area you’re not leveled-up enough to explore. Or just the edge of a level. We’ve all had that experience before — wanting desperately to explore an area in a game, […]