The Appeal of Push-Your-Luck
Push-your-luck mechanics present players with the dilemma of whether to stop or keep going. Each time you keep going, your rewards increase, but you might lose everything. This simple choice is
Ananda Guneratne
Prediction Is A Form of Agency
We normally think of agency as something that requires action. You have agency in a game because you can affect the outcome of events in the game. But there is another form of
Exciting Moments Require Agency
One of my current projects is a game called "Letterjack" that involves playing cards to spell words. Gameplay felt flatter than I wanted, so I came up with an exciting new
The Advantages of Binary Health For Combat
In the real world, injuries weaken people. A healthy soldier is more capable than a wounded one. In most games with HP and damage systems, however, health is binary. TCG players like to
Reframe Upkeep So You Can Reward Players For Their Work
Upkeep in games feels tedious partly because it does not reward the player. Setting up the game board, shuffling cards, and restocking markets are the cost of playing. Rewarding players for these tasks