{"author_link":"\/users\/mr-mesmer","author_name":"mr_mesmer","author_uid":"mr-mesmer","comments":[],"epoch":1744417437,"event":"LD57","format":"md","ldjam_node_id":414740,"likes":1,"metadata":{"p_key":"211288","p_author":"mr_mesmer","p_authorkey":"1409568","p_urlkey":"451092","p_title":"My 2 possible ways to game design","p_cat":"LDJam ","p_event":"LD57","p_time":"1744417437","p_likes":"1","p_comments":"0","p_status":"WAYBACK","us_key":"1409568","us_name":"mr_mesmer","us_username":"mr-mesmer","event_start":"1743811200","event_key":"111","event_name":"Ludum Dare 57"},"node":{"_collation":{"body_sanitizer":"TextUtils::SanitizeHTML via existing importer","event":"LD57","removed_author":false},"_superparent":406845,"_trust":1,"author":409568,"body":"**Disclaimer:** I\u2019m not a PC game designer, but I have extensive experience designing social games for real-life.\n\nIn my opinion, there are two approaches to game development:\n\n1. **Mechanics-Focused Design** This refers to everything that forces the player to make choices. This approach often works for strategy games, deck-builders, or logic-based games. Key principles here are:\n\n    - The player must constantly choose between options, with no single \"overpowered\" solution.\n    - The player shouldn\u2019t be able to develop an optimal strategy or \"solve\" the game. Instead, they should face unique situations requiring tailored solutions. \n\n2. **Narrative-Focused Design** This means making the player believe in the world you\u2019re creating. For example, if your game is about a gangster, it must include guns, cash, cars, and rap. Any elements that clash with this theme break immersion, making the player distrust the game.\n\n\n------------------\n\n**My Ludum Dare Jam Experience**: I had only 2 days and roughly 10 hours to work on the game. The theme was \"deeps\", which I interpreted as \"deep dark fantasies\"\u2014a nod to the niche gachimuchi subculture. I chose the narrative-focused approach.\n\n1. **How I Did It**:\n\n    - Listed everything I associate with gachimuchi: low-quality cross-fandom fanfics, music mashups, a neon-lit bar inspired by Blue Lagoon, gym rivalries, and Twitch emotes.\n    - Added all these elements into the game. The genres (visual novel + rhythm game) emerged naturally, serving the narrative rather than dictating it.\n    - Skipped core rhythm-game mechanics, like the pop-up messages for hitting notes in Guitar Hero. For my game, immersion through the fanfic storyline mattered more, and I spend my time for more important things. \n\n2. **Result**:\n\nThere is my thinks about this theme. I would be happy, if you share your opinion in comments and play my game! \n\nhttps:\/\/ldjam.com\/events\/ludum-dare\/57\/deepdarkfantasies\n","comments":1,"comments-timestamp":"2025-04-12T01:39:46Z","created":"2025-04-12T00:15:55Z","files":[],"files-timestamp":0,"id":414740,"love":1,"love-timestamp":"2025-04-12T01:14:28Z","meta":[],"modified":"2025-04-12T01:39:46Z","name":"My 2 possible ways to game design","node-timestamp":"2025-04-12T00:23:57Z","parent":409569,"parents":[1,5,9,406845,409569],"path":"\/events\/ludum-dare\/57\/deepdarkfantasies\/my-2-possible-ways-to-game-design","published":"2025-04-12T00:23:57Z","scope":"public","slug":"my-2-possible-ways-to-game-design","subsubtype":"","subtype":"","type":"post","version":1309331},"node_metadata":{"n_key":"414740","n_urlkey":"451092","n_parent":"409569","n_path":"\/events\/ludum-dare\/57\/deepdarkfantasies\/my-2-possible-ways-to-game-design","n_slug":"my-2-possible-ways-to-game-desig","n_type":"post","n_subtype":"","n_subsubtype":"","n_author":"409568","n_created":"1744416955","n_modified":"1744421986","n_version":"1309331","n_status":"WAYBACK"},"source_url":"https:\/\/ldjam.com\/events\/ludum-dare\/57\/deepdarkfantasies\/my-2-possible-ways-to-game-design","text":"**Disclaimer:** I\u2019m not a PC game designer, but I have extensive experience designing social games for real-life.\n\nIn my opinion, there are two approaches to game development:\n\n1. **Mechanics-Focused Design** This refers to everything that forces the player to make choices. This approach often works for strategy games, deck-builders, or logic-based games. Key principles here are:\n\n    - The player must constantly choose between options, with no single \"overpowered\" solution.\n    - The player shouldn\u2019t be able to develop an optimal strategy or \"solve\" the game. Instead, they should face unique situations requiring tailored solutions. \n\n2. **Narrative-Focused Design** This means making the player believe in the world you\u2019re creating. For example, if your game is about a gangster, it must include guns, cash, cars, and rap. Any elements that clash with this theme break immersion, making the player distrust the game.\n\n\n------------------\n\n**My Ludum Dare Jam Experience**: I had only 2 days and roughly 10 hours to work on the game. The theme was \"deeps\", which I interpreted as \"deep dark fantasies\"\u2014a nod to the niche gachimuchi subculture. I chose the narrative-focused approach.\n\n1. **How I Did It**:\n\n    - Listed everything I associate with gachimuchi: low-quality cross-fandom fanfics, music mashups, a neon-lit bar inspired by Blue Lagoon, gym rivalries, and Twitch emotes.\n    - Added all these elements into the game. The genres (visual novel + rhythm game) emerged naturally, serving the narrative rather than dictating it.\n    - Skipped core rhythm-game mechanics, like the pop-up messages for hitting notes in Guitar Hero. For my game, immersion through the fanfic storyline mattered more, and I spend my time for more important things. \n\n2. **Result**:\n\nThere is my thinks about this theme. I would be happy, if you share your opinion in comments and play my game! \n\nhttps:\/\/ldjam.com\/events\/ludum-dare\/57\/deepdarkfantasies\n","title":"My 2 possible ways to game design","wayback_source":[]}