Designer Notes
Why do we make games? Every designer has a different and very personal answer to that question. Soren Johnson, founder of Mohawk Games, sits down with noted designers to find out by examining their careers as a whole.
- Update frequency
- every 36 days
- Average duration
- 123 minutes
- Episodes
- 90
- Years Active
- 2014 - 2025
Designer Notes 30: Steve Gaynor - Part 2
In this episode, Soren interviews Steve Gaynor, co-founder of The Fullbright Company and best known for his work on BioShock 2, Minerva’s Den, and Gone Home. They discuss whether audio diaries need t…
01:52:14 |
Fri 11 Aug 2017
Designer Notes 29: Steve Gaynor - Part 1
In this episode, Soren interviews Steve Gaynor, co-founder of The Fullbright Company and best known for his work on BioShock 2, Minerva’s Den, and Gone Home. They discuss how bad Sierra adventure des…
02:03:51 |
Fri 21 Jul 2017
Designer Notes 28: George Fan
In this episode, Soren interviews independent game designer George Fan, who is best known as the creator of Insaniquarium and Plants vs Zombies. They discuss why he learned to program instead of just…
02:52:29 |
Fri 16 Jun 2017
Designer Notes 27: Lucas Pope
In this episode, Adam Saltsman interviews independent game developer Lucas Pope, best known for the immigration officer simulation Papers Please. They discuss how Naughty Dog taught him to mercilessl…
01:04:06 |
Sun 21 May 2017
Designer Notes 26: Sid Meier - Part 4
In this episode, Soren Johnson interviews legendary game designer Sid Meier, best known for designing Pirates!, Railroad Tycoon, and Civilization. They discuss what game Sid wishes he designed, how t…
01:43:07 |
Sat 06 May 2017
Designer Notes 25: Sid Meier - Part 3
In this episode, Soren Johnson interviews legendary game designer Sid Meier, best known for designing Pirates!, Railroad Tycoon, and Civilization. They discuss why dinosaurs need to have ranged attac…
01:50:39 |
Thu 23 Feb 2017
Designer Notes 24: Sid Meier - Part 2
In this episode, Soren Johnson interviews legendary game designer Sid Meier, best known for designing Pirates!, Railroad Tycoon, and Civilization. They discuss how Sid’s stealth fighter was more inte…
01:46:48 |
Wed 23 Nov 2016
Designer Notes 23: Sid Meier - Part 1
In this episode, Soren Johnson interviews legendary game designer Sid Meier, best known for designing Pirates!, Railroad Tycoon, and Civilization. They discuss using the Ayatollah Khomeini as an enem…
01:24:50 |
Tue 25 Oct 2016
Designer Notes 22: Amy Hennig - Part 2
In this episode, Soren Johnson interviews veteran game designer Amy Hennig, best known for her work on the Legacy of Kain and Uncharted series. They discuss what elements from film can’t work in game…
01:38:37 |
Tue 04 Oct 2016
Designer Notes 21: Amy Hennig - Part 1
In this episode, Soren Johnson interviews veteran game designer Amy Hennig, best known for her work on the Legacy of Kain and Uncharted series. They discuss what happened in 1977, how to make a platf…
01:43:56 |
Tue 20 Sep 2016
Designer Notes 20: Liz Ryerson
In this episode, Adam Saltsman interviews independent game developer Liz Ryerson, known for experimental games like Problem Attic. They discuss whether we should ever make players uncomfortable, why …
01:21:55 |
Thu 04 Aug 2016
Designer Notes 19: Louis Castle
In this episode, Soren interviews Westwood Studio co-founder Louis Castle. They discuss why early video game artists were also great at Etch-a-Sketch, why Dune 2 was not Dune 1, how Boom Blox was alm…
02:36:35 |
Wed 15 Jun 2016
Designer Notes 18: Offworld Trading Company
In this episode, Bruce Geryk interviews Soren Johnson about his new economic RTS, Offworld Trading Company. They discuss how exploring a black map is one of gaming’s greatest hits, why the hardest pa…
01:27:16 |
Fri 06 May 2016
Designer Notes 17: Ananda Gupta
In this episode, Soren interviews game designer Ananda Gupta, best known as the co-designer of Twilight Struggle and the lead designer of XCOM: Enemy Within. They discuss why DC has no fort in For th…
02:15:52 |
Fri 01 Apr 2016
Designer Notes 16: Tyriq Plummer
In this episode, Adam Saltsman interviews Tyriq Plummer, who is the artist, designer, and programmer behind the roguelike platformer Catacomb Kids. They discuss why a game should let you eat your sev…
01:14:45 |
Mon 15 Feb 2016
Designer Notes 15: Nels Anderson
In this episode, Soren interviews Nels Anderson, who was the lead designer of the critically acclaimed Mark of the Ninja and is currently a designer/programmer at Campo Santo working on the upcoming …
01:31:20 |
Tue 19 Jan 2016
Designer Notes 14: Mark Herman
In this episode, Bruce Geryk interviews veteran wargame designer Mark Herman, former CEO of Victory Games and best known for pioneering card-driven wargames with We The People. They discuss designing…
02:12:17 |
Mon 21 Dec 2015
Designer Notes 13: Jamie Cheng
In this episode, Soren interviews Jamie Cheng, founder of Klei Entertainment which is known for the Shank series, Mark of the Ninja, Don't Starve, and Invisible, Inc. They discuss paying back the Can…
02:20:38 |
Fri 13 Nov 2015
Designer Notes 12: Davey Wreden
In this episode, Adam Saltsman interviews indie game developer Davey Wreden, who is best known for his work on The Stanley Parable and The Beginner's Guide. They discuss why he worked as a bartender …
02:00:08 |
Thu 15 Oct 2015
Designer Notes 11: Chris Avellone
In this episode, Soren interviews game designer Chris Avellone, who is best known for his work on Fallout 2, Planescape: Torment, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2, Fallout: New Vegas, and Was…
01:38:59 |
Wed 09 Sep 2015
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