I’ve recently started learning Godot to make prototypes (and, ultimately, full production) for the next game. I have over 15 years of Unity experience and used several other languages and engines before that, so this is not going to be a complete newcomer’s introduction to game development. If you are, however, a bit more experienced…
RPG Programming Pitfalls #1: Stat System
Roleplaying games are complex systems almost by definition and certainly not a genre you would generally recommend for someone who is only starting on their path to becoming a game programmer. There are plenty of ways you can shoot yourself in the foot by making unsound architectural choices that impede the project from the beginning….
Extending the Editor With UI Toolkit
A companion article to my presentation on UI Toolkit complete with the slides, some tutorial videos I have found useful and source code.
Is It Hard to Make an RPG?
This is a question many a would-be developer asks, and many more established ones too. After all, RPGs, i.e. roleplaying games, are known to be huge, complex beasts not unlike their famous boss monsters. Even so, they have existed even in the digital space back when computers barely had enough memory to store your D&D…
Four Axes of RPG Design
What makes a good RPG? It’s a simple question, but not one with a straightforward answer. Having designed several roleplaying games, I tackle the issue by dividing the design into four distinct axes. This article began as an answer to a multifaceted yet straightforward question: what makes a good roleplaying game? I have worked with…
Building an RPG Battle System – Part 2
In the second part of the Building an RPG Battle System article, I take a look at the second game, Trulon: The Shadow Engine and the lessons learned from its design, including designing randomness, the core loop and handling player feedback. This is the second part of the article detailing the battle system design for…
Building an RPG Battle System – Part 1
This is an in-depth look into designing a battle system for a roleplaying game. Using two games I’ve designed as an example, the article dives into the process and particulars of designing a battle system for a digital roleplaying game. The combat for both Rimelands: Hammer of Thor and Trulon: The Shadow Engine received a lot…