Introduction I have recently been considering learning how to map and it has caused me to think about exactly what type of maps and levels I want to create. Questions like “why exactly do I want to map? Who will the map be for, me or other players?” With the release of Leon’s Coastline to… Read More

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The introduction of Steam and episodic content has changed the way we buy games and I thought I’d take a quick look at some financial models within the gaming industry and see whether they would work for FPS games. Standard Retail Box Out of all the options available this is my favourite. I like having… Read More

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Introduction Many readers here are probably aware of playlists, these allow people to control the music they listen to. Many create different types of play lists to suit their mood or even the time of day. Why can’t we do this with levels?

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In a post entitled Loading Screens: A Waste Of Time? Leon said; “it’s even nice to have small break between all the action.” I disagreed because I feel that’s the job of the developer but it got me thinking about the flow of levels and the constraints of a game engine. Let me explain.

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Introduction For those that don’t know (is that possible?) the Source engine used to power Half-Life 2 and a number of other games include the ability for developers to insert comments anywhere within the game. This allows them to discuss certain design features, gameplay decisions etc. It’s a great idea but one that I believe… Read More

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Introduction I’m not the first to discuss this, nor the last, but whilst there are many aspects about Valve that really annoy me, I can’t help but congratulate them on their creativity. The image above (Sorry it’s not very clear!) is taken from the video below of a newly discovered weapon, from HL2 Ep1, which… Read More

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I want to challenge a gameplay concept that we take for granted. It’s been on my mind for a while now but starting Half-Life 1 Episode 1 brought it to the forefront of my thinking. The weapons included in a game are one of the most, perhaps THE most, important element of that elusive thing… Read More

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I think I am beginning to see a pattern emerging regarding the cultural influences of FPS games. I have been thinking about this longer than I have been playing games and have been planning a post about it for a long time. The announcement of Inhabited Island: Prisoner of Power has forced me to write something.

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Introduction When you are new to something it can be very daunting; there seems to be so much to learn, resources can be hard to find and use, help is often focused towards more advanced users. What’s needed is a gentle introduction with a specific focus for the type of questions you are likely to… Read More

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