Rui Silva
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ruisilvagamedesign.bsky.social
Rui Silva
@ruisilvagamedesign.bsky.social
230 followers 650 following 210 posts
Game Designer. London-based.

Feel free to check out my portfolio: https://ruilsilva.wixsite.com/ruisilvagamedesign
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Reposted by Rui Silva
ruisilvagamedesign.bsky.social
I've been studying physical constraints recently, which led to what you see below. I have compared how constraints can be utilised for different purposes, depending on their environment. Hope you find it interesting!

#indiedev #gamedev
Explaining what constraints are and what physical constraints can be defined as. Comparing the same constraint in real life vs a video game. How constraints can be mapped in different environments. How the focus of physical constraints in the real world vs in play can change.
December 12, 2025 at 10:43 AM
ruisilvagamedesign.bsky.social
I've been studying physical constraints recently, which led to what you see below. I have compared how constraints can be utilised for different purposes, depending on their environment. Hope you find it interesting!

#indiedev #gamedev
Explaining what constraints are and what physical constraints can be defined as. Comparing the same constraint in real life vs a video game. How constraints can be mapped in different environments. How the focus of physical constraints in the real world vs in play can change.
December 12, 2025 at 10:43 AM
Reposted by Rui Silva
jonkk.bsky.social
showing a trailer at the Game Awards costs anywhere from $450,000 to a cool $1 million.. here's my old-ass Tiny Tires trailer for free ❤️ #indiegames
December 11, 2025 at 5:12 PM
ruisilvagamedesign.bsky.social
Spending some time fixing weapon clipping in the game. Your gun now gets pointed downwards when too close to an object, and if you try to shoot, the reticle flashes yellow. I need to iterate on it further, but happy with the progress so far!

#gamedev #indiedev
December 11, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Reposted by Rui Silva
ruisilvagamedesign.bsky.social
An updated look to a level. I found it too unnatural in shape and wanted it to feel like enemies were intentionally behind cover, rather than objects and enemies simply being strewn about the space.

#indiedev #gamedev
The original layout of the level. The updated layout, showing obstacles in different locations and walls being less uniform. Annotations describing the changes.
December 10, 2025 at 1:58 PM
ruisilvagamedesign.bsky.social
An updated look to a level. I found it too unnatural in shape and wanted it to feel like enemies were intentionally behind cover, rather than objects and enemies simply being strewn about the space.

#indiedev #gamedev
The original layout of the level. The updated layout, showing obstacles in different locations and walls being less uniform. Annotations describing the changes.
December 10, 2025 at 1:58 PM
ruisilvagamedesign.bsky.social
I've been playing a lot of Halo: Combat Evolved through The Master Chief Collection recently. It's interesting to see how aspects have changed, such as how the lighting accentuates certain parts of the space whereas the original utilised darkness more.

#indiedev #gamedev #halo
A comparison of Halo: Combat Evolved and the Remastered version. Image taken from r/halo on reddit. Whether intentional or not, the games each have different ways of directing the player through the same space.
December 9, 2025 at 10:05 AM
ruisilvagamedesign.bsky.social
Made some slight changes to the UI and start screen. While keeping inspiration from the file manager used in Jurassic Park, I've given it a lighter, softer display to match with the slight overexposure seen in the games' levels.

#indiedev #gamedev
The current start screen, with the settings screen open. The old, darker, start screen and settings screen. An image from Jurassic Park, showing a file management system. A look at the UI of the real file management system Jurassic Park took inspiration from.
December 8, 2025 at 5:52 PM
ruisilvagamedesign.bsky.social
I think there's something to say about "real life" constraints too, such as using ropes in galleries vs covering a painting with a thin glass. I've even seen a museum use motion sensors that beep if someone is too close! All different ways of achieving a similar goal.

#gamedev #indiedev
Ropes in galleries restrict access to paintings, but are easy to overcome if someone wanted to. Glass protects paintings more than ropes, but arguably can have issues such as cost, space, and viewer experience.
December 7, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Reposted by Rui Silva
ruisilvagamedesign.bsky.social
I've been designing a level where the player can manipulate almost every object in the space, giving them freedom to approach the level in any way they'd like. Some examples can be seen below, along with how the level looks to begin with.

#indiedev #gamedev #screenshotsaturday
How the level originally looks, before the player changes it to how they like. An scattering of objects, giving the player multiple angles to approch from. A central path which then offers the player if they want to go left or right first. A strict path, eventually allowing the player to flank enemies on the left side of the screen.
December 6, 2025 at 10:11 AM
ruisilvagamedesign.bsky.social
I've been designing a level where the player can manipulate almost every object in the space, giving them freedom to approach the level in any way they'd like. Some examples can be seen below, along with how the level looks to begin with.

#indiedev #gamedev #screenshotsaturday
How the level originally looks, before the player changes it to how they like. An scattering of objects, giving the player multiple angles to approch from. A central path which then offers the player if they want to go left or right first. A strict path, eventually allowing the player to flank enemies on the left side of the screen.
December 6, 2025 at 10:11 AM
ruisilvagamedesign.bsky.social
I've been spending time this week trying to understand constraints in video games and how they have varying levels of restricting the player. Such as locks requiring a specific item and bosses that must be defeated. I'll have to make a post about it sometime soon.

#gamedev #indiedev
A page of notes relating to constraints in video games. A chain barring a door in Resident Evil 2 that requires a certain tool to progress. A boss in Hades which you must defeat before continuing through the map.
December 5, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Reposted by Rui Silva
lucernal.bsky.social
Street Life | Little Ruin

#indiedev #indiegames #gamedev #isometric #leveldesign #sliceoflife
December 4, 2025 at 3:53 AM
ruisilvagamedesign.bsky.social
I've been balancing out the difficulty of some levels. A level seen here set in a scrapyard was too overwhelming for being early in the game, so I've reduced it's length and slightly dropped the number of enemies.

#indiedev #gamedev
The length of the level before, with even more enemies in the distance. The length now, with the distant enemies removed. A top down view of many enemies in the centre and 4 more at the end of the space (to the left of the image) The enemies at the end of the space (left side of the image) have been removed, creating a simpler but still challenging experience.
December 3, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Reposted by Rui Silva
sandelit.bsky.social
Been learning shaders/lighting/fog/post processing by messing around in Godot lately :)

Definitely want to experiment more with stylistic fog (depth based color gradients) like in Firewatch
#godot #gamedev #indiegame
December 1, 2025 at 9:49 PM
ruisilvagamedesign.bsky.social
I'm trying to create a clear progression in the levels through shape. The player begins with narrow levels, helping them focus on what's vital, later experiencing wider spaces that give a stronger sense of choice in how you approach enemies.

#indiedev #gamedev #screenshotsaturday
The first level, showing a narrow corridor with everything important immediately in view. Level 2, where items are slightly more spaced out. An early level with more enemies across a greater distance. A later level with more interactable objects (in black) and enemies over a wide area.
November 29, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Reposted by Rui Silva
ruisilvagamedesign.bsky.social
I've since added a small bit more recoil and included an FOV shift whenever you shoot. I plan on making the recoil effect a little stronger, but I like how it's developing!

#indiedev #gamedev
November 26, 2025 at 5:48 PM
ruisilvagamedesign.bsky.social
I've since added a small bit more recoil and included an FOV shift whenever you shoot. I plan on making the recoil effect a little stronger, but I like how it's developing!

#indiedev #gamedev
November 26, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Reposted by Rui Silva
montygames.bsky.social
Day 12 of putting a card on the table each day until my game gets some bless from the algorithm

#solodev #gamedev #indiegame
November 25, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Reposted by Rui Silva
ruisilvagamedesign.bsky.social
I've been fine tuning some recoil and a tiny amount of head bob while walking, what do you think?

#indiedev #gamedev #screenshotsaturday
November 22, 2025 at 12:44 PM
ruisilvagamedesign.bsky.social
I've been fine tuning some recoil and a tiny amount of head bob while walking, what do you think?

#indiedev #gamedev #screenshotsaturday
November 22, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Reposted by Rui Silva
ruisilvagamedesign.bsky.social
Here with another aspect of design. This one took a good while to grasp but I’m finally happy to post it. It discusses conceptual models and how people may create them with relation to both physical and virtual experiences.

#gamedev #indiedev
Introducing conceptual models. Concpeutal models with a bit more depth. A physical example of conceptual models. A virtual example of conceptual models.
November 19, 2025 at 11:57 AM
ruisilvagamedesign.bsky.social
Here with another aspect of design. This one took a good while to grasp but I’m finally happy to post it. It discusses conceptual models and how people may create them with relation to both physical and virtual experiences.

#gamedev #indiedev
Introducing conceptual models. Concpeutal models with a bit more depth. A physical example of conceptual models. A virtual example of conceptual models.
November 19, 2025 at 11:57 AM
ruisilvagamedesign.bsky.social
Managed to get to the "Secret Maps" exhibition at the British Library yesterday. It's great for understanding how different societies convey similar information and for what purposes.

#history #britishlibrary #gamedev
A map of Europe from the 16th century. An Inca Khipu from the 16th century. The Secret Book of Secrets from the 14th century, containing information on medicine, ethics and astrology.
November 12, 2025 at 11:29 AM
Reposted by Rui Silva
ruisilvagamedesign.bsky.social
I’ve been prototyping the introductory level of the game, trying to make it simple to understand but still giving the player enough autonomy to engage with the core aspect of arranging the level yourself.

#gamedev #indiedev #screenshotsaturday
November 8, 2025 at 9:51 AM