The Design Philosophy of Famous Game Designers | Sid Meier, Will Wright, Miyamoto and Kojima

[@unparalleledgame1542]

Yomi -A term which came from the Virtua Fighter community. It means "Knowing the mind of the opponent", and is essentially an intangible asset required in fighting games. It's the ability to know what your opponent is going to do, and act appropriately. Whether you achieve this by "conditioning" the opponent to act one way, and then acting in another way, or simply work your way into the head of your opponent, yomi is just that: the ability to know what your opponent is going to do. awesome work another great video. I now know what yomi means and figured I'd share. Thanks! :D

[@thegameoveranalyser4835]

Thanks for writing this out! Yeah, I'm sorry about not defining the term in the video, I'll be sure to be more clear about obscure words in future videos. Here's a couple of things to make up for it. 1)An article by David Sirlin clearly explaining yomi through Virtua fighter www.sirlin.net/ptw-book/7-spies-of-the-mind 2) The book ''Designing Games'' by Tynan Sylvester goes into more detail about applying yomi in many different contexts, as well as how to manage it in a game. www.amazon.ca/Designing-Games-Guide-Engineering-Experiences/dp/1449337937

[@tech6hutch]

Also it's literally just Japanese for "reading"

[@ruslaniskh]

man... you deserve way more subs. There is not many channels that appreciate games as an art form. I love watching videos about game creators I think they do not get enough recognition but maybe it is a good thing since things tend to get worse when it gets into mainstream category.

[@thegameoveranalyser4835]

Thanks Ruslan! I hope to do more videos like this in the future where I cover more obscure designers, as well as the philosophy of studios in general.

[@Nezubñueltomichi]

What a piece of knowledge you have shared in under 25 mins. I can't thank you enough for sharing this.

[@UnluckyCarousel]

This also inadvertently serves as a list of amazing games you should play.

[@arjunmoses4315]

I dont mean to be off topic but does someone know a trick to get back into an Instagram account?? I was dumb forgot my account password. I appreciate any assistance you can give me

[@beckhamkellan2212]

@Arjun Moses Instablaster =)

[@arjunmoses4315]

@Beckham Kellan Thanks so much for your reply. I got to the site thru google and Im waiting for the hacking stuff atm. Looks like it's gonna take a while so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

[@arjunmoses4315]

@Beckham Kellan it worked and I actually got access to my account again. I am so happy:D Thanks so much you really help me out !

[@beckhamkellan2212]

@Arjun Moses no problem xD

[@patrickbiggs6022]

I do not understand why your vids don't get more attention. Anyone who is trying to get into game design should be watching these.

[@IdanRooze]

Awesome recap, it's good to have a video like this to return to as it sums up so many important lessons. Thank you very much.

[@thegameoveranalyser4835]

Thanks Idan!

[@DoomCatcher]

This deserves way more views, great video entertaining and informative.

[@1gnore_me.]

I really love this video ... it shows that being a good designer isn't necessarily about game design, but having a strong singular vision. maybe the reality is that good games come from the idea, not the process.

[@thatoneuser8600]

It's true that great games start with an idea, but the process of creating that game is used to reinforce that idea, so I'd say you need both.

[@theyellowarchitect4504]

Incredible. Simply incredible. You managed to condense so so many game design videos - GDC or otherwise - into a singular video... It felt like the "The Best Game Design Ideas from GDC" video, until I googled and realized you did that one too. But damn, comparing these 2... This one feels so similar, yet better. You literally simplified everything, without losing any meaning, but only detail. Damn. You have made both of these vids, and they are by far one of the best game design videos in the entire youtube, and kinda makes me wonder what is your "design philosophy" haha

[@thegameoveranalyser4835]

Thanks so much for the kind words The Yellow Architect! I honestly don't think i have a fully developed 'lens'of my own, it often takes a lifetime of creating games for these designers to figure that out. I have a slight bias towards Jonathan blow's dynamical meaning when analyzing games, but I also love systemic elements and deep gameplay systems as well. Part of the process of making these videos is figuring that out, and I thought putting all these ideas side by side might help clarify a lot of these things. Right now I come from a researcher/academic background, but maybe in the future if I publish a game it will finally become clear. Thanks for the engaging comment!

[@theyellowarchitect4504]

Interesting answer Indeed, I agree that it takes many many years of actual game development to have an "design philosophy", but I figured it was worth asking, and confirming that is perhaps the best answer you could have given xD Well, I am looking forward to more of your vids, from whatever angle you create them from, since they are really insightful! Also no need to thank for the reply/comment, I had to do it because your video was really engaging, from start to end, so I thank you hahaha

[@damirsfist]

Fantastic breakdown, there is nothing like this online. This should be watched over and over and taught at uni.

[@aek12]

Hei, you channel is great. I mean is top-notch in-game thinking. Please make more videos like this. It is amazing that these kind of channels exist. You seems like very interesting person. Keep up the excellent work. Thanks Games overanalyser

[@JoJoo.w]

Thank you for this video. But even more thank you for adding citations and links in the description, I really want this behaviour to become more popular on youtube to help when i'm doing my own research.

[@IMangame]

Without a doubt, one of the most interesting video I've seen on video games. Thanks a bunch. You speak about "yomi" a few times in the first part of the video, but didn't give any hint about it's meaning. Yomi is a japanese word meaning "reading". It is used especially in fighting games when it comes to "reading" your opponent's action, and more generally when it comes to "mind games"'.

[@thegameoveranalyser4835]

Thanks! Yeah, sorry about that, I should have defined it clearly before I spoke about it. I'll keep that in mind for future videos.

[@Sai557]

very well put together man, awesome job!

[@thegameoveranalyser4835]

Thanks OnionRider !

[@schlengeeer]

Holy moly, that was a loooot of content! Thanks for putting all together and creating such an extremely well researched video! Some feedback (I think most of it was already set): Make some shorter breaks in between and add some "chapter" like separators. Also some variation while reading with some emphasis would be nice. But that's all really just minor stuff. Keep it on, love your work!

[@fmoonek]

I didn't even get to the end of the video when I decided this is a MUST-SUB for me. Great video, I'm going to check out other videos too. This is the exact content I was looking for. edit: And your YT Name says it all, exactly the person I was looking for, somebody to overanalyze games for me because I'm too lazy to do it myself :P

[@thegameoveranalyser4835]

Thanks alot for the kind words fmoonek! Although i'm more than happy to overanalyze games for you, I provide all the links to my sources in my videos if you want to do it yourself . Sometimes the hardest part is just finding the sources, so my hope is to simplify the process for others!

[@wickeddelight]

This kind of arty game design philosophy is so fulfilling to study and do, EXCEPT I find it's actually counter-productive for anyone trying to get that first un-funded indie game made to start their career or studio. Why? Because artistry is expensive to implement, and often requires a large game to support it.

[@novaria]

Fantastic. Give this man a prize for best content creator.

[@Kayotesden]

There is so much to absorb & learn from these videos. Thank you!

[@Fjuron]

Another great video. Subscribed after the first video I watched. Not regreting it. :) Especially like the references to GCS talks, revolutionary games and their designers and what we can learn from them. After each of your videos I feel like I know 100 more things I need to learn about.

[@thegameoveranalyser4835]

Thanks for the subscription.Glad you are enjoying the content!

[@andresmfernandez1841]

Amazing, sensational, superb video! I find the amount of knowledge, research and ideas packed in here to be at doctorate level.

[@thegameoveranalyser4835]

Thank you Andres , i appreciate the kind words!

[@MariusPartenie]

Hello! Another awesome video. It is a great insight into the minds of video game designers and maybe into our minds as well. If we enjoy a game, I think a part of that is that we also agree with the designer's vision. partly or completely. Something similar with the relationship between film directors and film watchers. I really hope that you stick with making videos. You make really great videos and I always learn something new from watching them. A new perspective on why we play games. Why I play games. Thank you!

[@thegameoveranalyser4835]

Thanks! Interesting point, it might be that the games that resonate most with us are ones created by those whose philosophy aligns with our values. Although games are a little more collaborative than other art forms, there is still an auteurs visions that seeps in, especially with really strong designers. I hope to keep making videos, and thanks for supporting the channel Marius!

[@maximilian6830]

He didnt mention it in the end of the video, but fumito ueda is working on something new, speculated to be some kind of beauty and the beast.

[@holygon]

That was such an interesting video. Thank you! New sub here for sure.

[@thegameoveranalyser4835]

Thanks a lot Noah. Welcome aboard !

[@hayk3000]

That was excellent! I didn't understand half of it, but I don't usually visit academic circles. Keep up the great work!

[@rojanshabani]

Love to revisit your videos! ❤

[@insanekoz]

Like the ICO heal music, braid music, etc in the background 👍

[@thegameoveranalyser4835]

Thanks Rek!

[@nfr_ub]

awesome video! you deserve more subs, i'll share this video with people that might be interested

[@thegameoveranalyser4835]

Thanks Nicolasio!

[@jsoliday88]

Great video! I think that the marriage of both will lead to the greatest games.

[@unparalleledgame1542]

I add the video links to a playlist for easy access. enjoy everyone. kzbin.info/aero/PLpoJBXGrMlS3w_okBPLURs5mlXeV9lsqr

[@thegameoveranalyser4835]

Thanks Again for this Unparalleled Game ! You can be my official playlist maker haha

[@greatestgamer00]

glad to see my boi hideki kamia get some cred

[@TheGuyWithWifi]

Youre like a game design student’s holy grail

[@rodchang9141]

Your conclusion is spot on. Will there be a split in the future direction of games being driven by storytelling or by game mechanics? Over the last 25 years, the expansion of 3D games has given us more and more complex gameplay mechanics and richer, more realism is story telling. However, with the growth of mobile games recently we have seen a decline in both storytelling and game mechanics; The future tech that people are talking about, cloud, AI, machine learning, could could be the new toys that game designers play with. It is very exciting to see what creative minds can do with all this new technology.

[@disquettepoppy]

Yeah, but they seem to be used more for increasingly creative and predatory monetisation schemes :/ (like you said with mobile games, but AAA PC and console games slowly become like them)

[@thegameoveranalyser4835]

Thanks Teal! You bring up great points, and its particularly worth speculating how technology will alter the course of the future. More sophisticated A.I is probably the bottleneck for more dynamic and procedural storytelling systems, but even things like Vr, voice recognition and facial recognition show promise. I'm not sure about the influence of mobile games though, some argue they are creating perverse incentives, but others say they make games more accessible for a wider Audience. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

[@adog3129]

sid meyer's advice is great for anyone making civilization

[@dimas_games]

"ty" (thank you/"arigato/u") for: providing a concise summary, & introducing a dozen of: amazingly talented game creators. It was very informative, to learn the names & values of those behind - such significant works! Kudos (*bravo; applause; standing ovation*), & thanks for: the "gr8" (great) memories. Always looking forward to: your next project (even though some of you, deserve or are ready for: retirement). "Ja mata"! ("c u"/see you "l8r"/later!)

[@or6060]

0:45 what talk is this from? i don't see it listed in the description

[@ALX3]

what is the original video for the talk at 2:45 and at 9:56 please ?

[@kingnekogon]

All this talk about games needing meaning, something to say, some ethical or moral lesson. Here I am slaughtering sacred cows and combining elements from various genres that should never have been combined.

[@desperados9376]

This is why games are getting boring. Worried too much about "saying something" than actually making it fun. Which is why BotW is one of the best games released in recent times, it is fun and its not trying to lecture us, but entertain us.

[@marcsh_dev]

I generally liked it, but its curious because history doesnt stop at 3d games. The Ultima series expanded what players can do, as well what sort of stories player could play.

[@yqafree]

Wow you deserve more subs

[@MalikenGD]

Could you speak at all (even in a comment) on games like Rimworld or Dwarf Fortress? The longer the video went on, the more you talked about emotions, and it felt hard to tie that into a game like rimworld, or even a game like simcity. Most of this video is about story driven narrative, but simulations don't necessarily have that.

[@thegameoveranalyser4835]

Thanks for the comment Zeke. When reviewing the video again I actually agree, i veered much more into the narrative side of games, and that might have to do with my personal bias towards that side of the medium, not because it is better, but because there is much more to explore in that realm. I'll try to be weary of my biases in the future. Games like Rimworld and Dwarf Fortress are interesting because they are, in my estimation, primarily systemic based narrative engines. The are a mix of WIll Wrights systemic lens and Jonathan Blows dynamical meaning, in that the story emerges from the interaction of elements in dynamic ways. For example, there's the famous thing in dwarf fortress about how cats get drunk, and that had to do with a bunch of strange interacting elements. Dwarves drank alcohol in taverns, cats frequented them to chase rodents, alcohol spilled on cats fur, and cats engaged in self cleaning to lick it off themselves, which , due to their small frame, led them to getting drunk quickly. None of this was scripted, and this is just one example of many where the elements in the game naturally interact to create dynamic stories, however ridiculous. Rimworld is interesting as well as in many sense it functions as a play or a stage theater where you have to set all the pieces and elements before you act it out. You select the world, agents and even choose the type of narrative director who introduces dynamic elements into the world as you play to craft an emergent narrative. The overarching plot is the same, but again, there is input by you and systemic elements to create a story that is player directed, but still partially authored. Ultimately both these game use systemic elements to let players craft dynamic stories through interesting gameplay. I hope to do a full video on systemic design in the future, but here are some important resources if you want to learn it yourself Game Mechanics :Advanced game design - This book gives a fantastic foundational framework for understanding systems, dividing games into sources, sinks, converters and traders, and giving examples for how to configure elements to create interesting gameplay. Advanced Game design A systems approach - This book is excellent if you want to interface with systems and complexity theory, something neglected in game design these days. It identifies patterns in games including engines, economies and ecosystems, and how they emerge and can be designed in games. Designing games by Tynan Sylvester This book does an incredible job of showing practical ways of creating interesting gameplay, and also, the author is the designer of rimworld, where he took many of its lessons and applied it in game I hope that helps, and thanks for the engaging comment!

[@lip3gate]

great video

[@thegameoveranalyser4835]

Thanks Felipe !

[@atomcrusher1236]

Thanks for mentioning Burnout. I love Burnout.

[@TheToledoTrumpton]

My take is that game designers are increasingly technical and not artistic. Mechanics are everything, even philosophic decisions are very mechanical. Game design should not centre on the technicalities of the game. They should be about the philosophic structure of the game. For example, if I was writing "The perfect MMO". Levelling would have no rewards of any significance but lots of achievement type rewards; that remained on your characters record. Many competitive situations would exist, where the penalties and rewards for winning and losing were inconsequential, and largely reputational. I would also not allow wealth or possessions to be freely exchanged between alts. This would increase re-playability enormously, and make the new player experience remain intact. The entire levelling process would result in a "resume" being built that would create your character skills, that would be largely unchangeable at endgame. It could be seen by everyone. Want a different character? Relevel and see where you end up. At the endgame, I would reward success, but "Tax" success more heavily the more successful a player gets. Each new reward would require exponentially higher effort, achievement and risk. In PvP, the more successful a player gets, the more they are handicapped (when playing against less skilled players) to make winning more difficult, but the greater the reward if they overcome that handicap. A players rank then depends on their handicap, not on their win/loss record. Again, this makes every (random matched) fight even, between unequally skilled players. The higher handicapped players of course unlock greater rewards from wins than lower handicapped players. And you could allow matches based on handicap, but not handicapped, for true open play at the top. It matters little if you agree with my philosophy. As a game designer, my job is to make sure that the mechanics of the game support my design philosophy on PvP and PvE. Too many game designers worry about the inconsequential frills of the game. The underlying reward and competitive structure provide enjoyment and re-playability, not the graphics or the mechanics of the game. My game design has no genre, and no mechanics at all, but it is still a game design.

[@magnuscritikaleak5045]

Totally Agree bro, Videogames has become too gambox gambliesque Mechanical artificial world.

[@abyzzwalker]

Video games are the best thing.

[@watercat1248]

Yes but the problem is even if same mack I disision for the game the try to make is not nesesery I by able to implomate that disision do you know haw many times I have disad stuff for games and samthing happens and Im not able to I implomate that idia is very often even if same know exactly what to achieve for the game is not necessarily I by able to make all this distinction to came true

[@yann2045]

Programmer looking for an artist partner, looks like a good place to find like-minded people :)

[@magnuscritikaleak5045]

Hi bro I am an experimental and proficient digital Artist but I also low intermediate coding so we could become partners if you like?

[@mrnarason]

Interesting video, but it's a little too long imo. Better to cut it up into smaller parts where you can focus on a single thesis or game design, without drawing upon so many examples or ideas at once which makes the video essay hard to follow and confusing at times.

[@thegameoveranalyser4835]

Thanks for the critical feedback victor, i actually completely agree. I am trying to make more self contained and isolated videos now rather than overarching surveys, as you said, it can be overwhelming.

[@nurburgringkid]

play at 0.75x

[@Herman-em3tz]

Nice video, and I enjoy your channel. Can you contact me privately, please? I tried to look for your contact information and cannot find it.

[@АлександрБагмутов]

Here's some criticism: very hard to listen! There should be more time between sentences and especially btw paragraphs. Voice is too monotonous, consonants arent emphesized enough, probably.. It seems that you fade it at the end of sentences sometimes.. Also all too much sh, th... Needs some audio mastering. At least for a non-native speaker it is really hard to keep track.

[@thegameoveranalyser4835]

Thanks for the feedback. I am aware of my audio issues as i'm not an expert by far. I am trying to get a new mic and am working on improving my delivery as well. Sorry it was difficult to follow.

[@edimilson7143]

Nenhum brasileiro gosta de games aqui além de mim?

[@samacvuk]

You are blocked from following @pg_kamiya and viewing @pg_kamiya's tweets

[@inteletronx3564]

I don't know what he is talking about at all. He jumps between many topics / ideas / theories / examples. A nice table of contents and a step by step approach could have been better. Its like a spaghetti video. Who are all these people? Damn... I only know Sid Mayers.

[@hasagine3479]

did sid work on civ 6 because its boring asf compared to civ 5

[@magnuscritikaleak5045]

He got his Co developer to make that game alongside his prodigy lol

[@gavintoohey6604]

This is boss

[@onlyresilience6276]

And this is why Sims 4 is shitty... There is no risk

[@KOl-xj4jt]

pubg analysis try

[@DankBeard19]

Dude can you talk like a human being

[@BIGxBOSSxx1]

"The endless respawns of enemies is a metaphor for the futility of war" No. The reason there are endless respawns of enemies in FC2 is because if the player went through and killed everyone at the checkpoints, as the player is encouraged to by the game, and the enemies DIDN'T respawn, there would be no enemy NPC's by the end. Jesus. You're looking way too far into this shit. Pretentious as fuck. Some things happen for the sake of the game being a video game, it's not always a "metaphor". Fucking John Green over here.

[@broomstickbrigade8010]

To be fair, the channel is called "The Game Overanalyser". But yeah, the video strays frequently into the absurd. Most of it is nonsense in the vein of the old Frankfurt School and their ironically titled "Critical Theory".

[@BIGxBOSSxx1]

@@broomstickbrigade8010 i'm happy to know i'm not the only one who thinks this lol

[@magnuscritikaleak5045]

@@BIGxBOSSxx1 I THINK far Cry as a series has became too edgy with themes of politics and war Contrivances, that impede player agency and Player interactive Fun Feeling. The feeling of Fun is present in games like Dark Souls and Dynasty warriors because the enemies are challenging and satisfying to overcome, even the One hit you Game over enemies in both game respectively.