Chris Meyer, Tormented Design Spirit
@keyens.bsky.social
Lead Designer over at Firaxis, makin cool shit and just generally being an advocate for fun! He/Him.
Reposted by Chris Meyer, Tormented Design Spirit
I feel like until I worked in game dev I never truly understood how funny any sentence starting with "why don't they just--" is
October 15, 2025 at 1:59 PM
I feel like until I worked in game dev I never truly understood how funny any sentence starting with "why don't they just--" is
Calling it a "Festival of Gaming" as a different era compared to "Game Developer's Conference" tells me that there isn't a love of the craft at the heart of this. I have zero interest in what this might be now.
🎮 PIXELS → POWER-UPS → PURE MAGIC ✨
Next week changes everything.
GDC Festival of Gaming 2026 registration launches!
Next week changes everything.
GDC Festival of Gaming 2026 registration launches!
October 14, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Calling it a "Festival of Gaming" as a different era compared to "Game Developer's Conference" tells me that there isn't a love of the craft at the heart of this. I have zero interest in what this might be now.
Tormenting @malloryog.bsky.social by inventing drinking games about her choices in games is a sign of a healthy working relationship. Probably.
September 29, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Tormenting @malloryog.bsky.social by inventing drinking games about her choices in games is a sign of a healthy working relationship. Probably.
Reposted by Chris Meyer, Tormented Design Spirit
I'm trying to comment on this without being hyperbolic.
As a manager, insisting on deadlines that you and your ICs straight up don't believe are possible almost GUARANTEES that a) their work will be thrown out or completely redone and b) you will put them in danger of burning out.
As a manager, insisting on deadlines that you and your ICs straight up don't believe are possible almost GUARANTEES that a) their work will be thrown out or completely redone and b) you will put them in danger of burning out.
June 11, 2025 at 9:25 PM
I'm trying to comment on this without being hyperbolic.
As a manager, insisting on deadlines that you and your ICs straight up don't believe are possible almost GUARANTEES that a) their work will be thrown out or completely redone and b) you will put them in danger of burning out.
As a manager, insisting on deadlines that you and your ICs straight up don't believe are possible almost GUARANTEES that a) their work will be thrown out or completely redone and b) you will put them in danger of burning out.
The new doom is great but when firing the shotgun all I can hear is Steve Ballmer saying "Developers, Developers, Developers".
May 15, 2025 at 4:13 AM
The new doom is great but when firing the shotgun all I can hear is Steve Ballmer saying "Developers, Developers, Developers".
Plans for my flight home let's goooooooo. People I really respect have been talking about this and I am so stoked to check it out.
May 2, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Plans for my flight home let's goooooooo. People I really respect have been talking about this and I am so stoked to check it out.
More games need to hire narrative designers to work alongside your systems designers. Literally making my life so much easier.
May 2, 2025 at 3:17 PM
More games need to hire narrative designers to work alongside your systems designers. Literally making my life so much easier.
Reposted by Chris Meyer, Tormented Design Spirit
all I know is that so many people deserve better than this.
May 1, 2025 at 10:57 PM
all I know is that so many people deserve better than this.
Damn, making games is so fucking cool.
May 1, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Damn, making games is so fucking cool.
May 1, 2025 at 12:33 AM
Reposted by Chris Meyer, Tormented Design Spirit
For no particular reason, if you have not seen it before, please enjoy "Microservices" - youtu.be/y8OnoxKotPQ?...
Microservices
YouTube video by KRAZAM
youtu.be
March 21, 2025 at 8:15 PM
For no particular reason, if you have not seen it before, please enjoy "Microservices" - youtu.be/y8OnoxKotPQ?...
March 21, 2025 at 5:03 AM
Reposted by Chris Meyer, Tormented Design Spirit
Get the idea of “good, sane, kind billionaire” out of your head. There is no way to become a billionaire without extreme exploitation and moral debasement. There is no and will never be a “good, sane, kind” billionaire.
Isn’t there a democratic billionaire who can buy Wikipedia and keep it free of Rich White MAGA Separatists??
Please we need a wealthy benefactor who’s on the good side, the sane side, the kind side, the normal American side
Please we need a wealthy benefactor who’s on the good side, the sane side, the kind side, the normal American side
As I wrote last week: "As other information sources fall, Wikipedia’s stubborn independence becomes more vital than ever. The attacks from [the right] aren't just about an online encyclopedia — they're part of a broader assault on any information source that refuses to be controlled."
March 21, 2025 at 4:38 AM
Get the idea of “good, sane, kind billionaire” out of your head. There is no way to become a billionaire without extreme exploitation and moral debasement. There is no and will never be a “good, sane, kind” billionaire.
Friends, if you thought the war thunder forums resulted in a lot of confidential leaks this is going to be so much worse.
Breaking News: The Pentagon is set to brief Elon Musk on the U.S. military’s closely guarded plan for any potential war with China, officials said.
Musk Set to Get Access to Top-Secret U.S. Plan for Potential War With China
Giving Elon Musk access to some of the nation’s most closely guarded military secrets is a major expansion of his role as an adviser to President Trump and highlights his conflicts of interest.
www.nytimes.com
March 21, 2025 at 2:34 AM
Friends, if you thought the war thunder forums resulted in a lot of confidential leaks this is going to be so much worse.
At GDC starting today! If you see me around come say hi!
March 18, 2025 at 2:45 PM
At GDC starting today! If you see me around come say hi!
Gemma, the new monster hunter blacksmith hums proof of a hero during the forging anim and it might be my favorite small touch
February 28, 2025 at 6:27 AM
Gemma, the new monster hunter blacksmith hums proof of a hero during the forging anim and it might be my favorite small touch
Monster Hunter is one of the best emergent narrative series I've played. Everyone who plays a reasonable amount of time has some dope story, and they are all unique. Just *chefs kiss* levels of understanding the fantasy the game presents and letting players come away talking about it.
February 5, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Monster Hunter is one of the best emergent narrative series I've played. Everyone who plays a reasonable amount of time has some dope story, and they are all unique. Just *chefs kiss* levels of understanding the fantasy the game presents and letting players come away talking about it.
Reposted by Chris Meyer, Tormented Design Spirit
multiple projects and studios (mobile and otherwise!) pointed to Lily’s Garden as an example of what serialized narrative could do for projects. Stella really did change the game with her work here; it’s insane to me that she doesn’t have a job right now (even given this market)
It was not a well- or even commonly-accepted fact in 2019 that players who are engaged with the story and read everything will have a longer tail than players who skip all dialogue. I proved through data and anecdote that those engaged, returning players played the most AND paid the most
January 10, 2025 at 4:15 AM
multiple projects and studios (mobile and otherwise!) pointed to Lily’s Garden as an example of what serialized narrative could do for projects. Stella really did change the game with her work here; it’s insane to me that she doesn’t have a job right now (even given this market)
Back at it in the new year and just stoked to be doing cool shit again.
January 8, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Back at it in the new year and just stoked to be doing cool shit again.
If you really care about narrative as part of the player experience beyond just the words and plot it contains, you should check out Cat's work. I'm always impressed when we get to chat narrative in games.
Since we’re posting more about Civ VII in the leadup to launch (and also going back to work after the holidays), here’s me writing about our emergent narrative system ICYMI
Dev diary day! I’m excited to finally share this look into Civ VII’s new emergent narrative system.
January 7, 2025 at 4:37 AM
If you really care about narrative as part of the player experience beyond just the words and plot it contains, you should check out Cat's work. I'm always impressed when we get to chat narrative in games.
Zeppelin moored to the Vatican duck this new Indy game is good. A design ethos that clearly revolves around the idea of 'go on an adventure' and has both good exploration and good set pieces makes this such a delightful experience. Punching fascists repeatedly helps too.
December 7, 2024 at 9:02 PM
Zeppelin moored to the Vatican duck this new Indy game is good. A design ethos that clearly revolves around the idea of 'go on an adventure' and has both good exploration and good set pieces makes this such a delightful experience. Punching fascists repeatedly helps too.
Remember that any time I make a design change that you do not like in a series you do like, I am doing it to expressly upset you and only you. I know it makes the game worse, but I read your diary and wanted to hurt you specifically.
December 6, 2024 at 8:27 PM
Remember that any time I make a design change that you do not like in a series you do like, I am doing it to expressly upset you and only you. I know it makes the game worse, but I read your diary and wanted to hurt you specifically.
Reposted by Chris Meyer, Tormented Design Spirit
Game devs to Grinding Gear Games today
a group of people are standing in a field with their arms in the air and a man standing on top of a truck .
Alt: a group of Dragonball Z characters offer up their energy
media.tenor.com
December 6, 2024 at 8:20 PM
Game devs to Grinding Gear Games today
Path of Exile 2 EA and Marvel Rivals out today. Very excited to check out what are both pretty updated takes on quite large genres.
December 6, 2024 at 6:32 PM
Path of Exile 2 EA and Marvel Rivals out today. Very excited to check out what are both pretty updated takes on quite large genres.
Reposted by Chris Meyer, Tormented Design Spirit
Star Wars: Outlaws gameplay is ok, but it's 10/10 if all you want to do is wander around in immaculate star wars environments, the art/city/environment teams really knocked it out of the park.
November 24, 2024 at 3:05 AM
Star Wars: Outlaws gameplay is ok, but it's 10/10 if all you want to do is wander around in immaculate star wars environments, the art/city/environment teams really knocked it out of the park.