Alexander Brazie
@xelnath.bsky.social
Game Designer and Creative Director
Former Riot, Blizzard, Moon (Ori)
I make your day dreams reality.
Runs a game design consultancy
Http://www.atomech.com
Former Riot, Blizzard, Moon (Ori)
I make your day dreams reality.
Runs a game design consultancy
Http://www.atomech.com
Player experience is comprised of numerous techniques that are hard to learn in isolation. This bootcamp will teach you how to improve your game for audience, balance and gameplay
gamedesignskills.com/courses/poli...
gamedesignskills.com/courses/poli...
Consistently Make Gameplay Feel More Satisfying and Visceral
And explain your design decisions when working with a team or during job interviews.
gamedesignskills.com
September 12, 2025 at 4:11 AM
Player experience is comprised of numerous techniques that are hard to learn in isolation. This bootcamp will teach you how to improve your game for audience, balance and gameplay
gamedesignskills.com/courses/poli...
gamedesignskills.com/courses/poli...
Just had an incredible first session with the new Mastering Game Mechanics cohort at the Funsmith Club.
Everyone from industry designers on concord to first-time designers who just want to level up were there!
Everyone from industry designers on concord to first-time designers who just want to level up were there!
January 25, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Just had an incredible first session with the new Mastering Game Mechanics cohort at the Funsmith Club.
Everyone from industry designers on concord to first-time designers who just want to level up were there!
Everyone from industry designers on concord to first-time designers who just want to level up were there!
Anyone know some other asset packs with non-humanoid monster animations in addition to ones by Protofactor?
January 15, 2025 at 1:55 AM
Anyone know some other asset packs with non-humanoid monster animations in addition to ones by Protofactor?
Reposted by Alexander Brazie
How do great gameplay loops keep players hooked? 🎮 I chat with @xelnath.bsky.social (League of Legends, World of Warcraft) about balancing rewards and punishments to craft unforgettable gaming experiences.
🎧 Listen: bit.ly/alex-brazie-...
#GameDesign #GameplayLoops #AlexanderBrazie
December 6, 2024 at 8:42 PM
How do great gameplay loops keep players hooked? 🎮 I chat with @xelnath.bsky.social (League of Legends, World of Warcraft) about balancing rewards and punishments to craft unforgettable gaming experiences.
🎧 Listen: bit.ly/alex-brazie-...
#GameDesign #GameplayLoops #AlexanderBrazie
🧵My 6 main takeaways from this guide to environmental storytelling in games by Brandon Dolinski (Minecraft Legends, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Marvel’s GotG level/world designer) ⬇️
November 29, 2024 at 5:04 PM
🧵My 6 main takeaways from this guide to environmental storytelling in games by Brandon Dolinski (Minecraft Legends, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Marvel’s GotG level/world designer) ⬇️
@amirsatvat.bsky.social whoa look who’s here!
November 21, 2024 at 9:20 PM
@amirsatvat.bsky.social whoa look who’s here!
Reposted by Alexander Brazie
#NarrativeDesignTip
I wrote an article for GAME DESIGN SKILLS (@xelnath.bsky.social) about:
How To Apply the 3-Act Structure in Video Games
gamedesignskills.com/game-design/...
#narrativedesign #gamewriter #narrativeDesigner #gamewriting #videogames #3actstructure #writing #writingTip #writer
I wrote an article for GAME DESIGN SKILLS (@xelnath.bsky.social) about:
How To Apply the 3-Act Structure in Video Games
gamedesignskills.com/game-design/...
#narrativedesign #gamewriter #narrativeDesigner #gamewriting #videogames #3actstructure #writing #writingTip #writer
How to Apply The Three-Act Structure in Video Games
This guide discusses the three-act structure, how it’s used in storytelling generally, and how to apply it to video games.
gamedesignskills.com
November 21, 2024 at 3:00 AM
#NarrativeDesignTip
I wrote an article for GAME DESIGN SKILLS (@xelnath.bsky.social) about:
How To Apply the 3-Act Structure in Video Games
gamedesignskills.com/game-design/...
#narrativedesign #gamewriter #narrativeDesigner #gamewriting #videogames #3actstructure #writing #writingTip #writer
I wrote an article for GAME DESIGN SKILLS (@xelnath.bsky.social) about:
How To Apply the 3-Act Structure in Video Games
gamedesignskills.com/game-design/...
#narrativedesign #gamewriter #narrativeDesigner #gamewriting #videogames #3actstructure #writing #writingTip #writer
Reposted by Alexander Brazie
closely related to a key insight in one of my fav underdiscussed books, "Collaborative Circles": members of historically notable collaborative circles have tended to form especially high-trust pairs & work within these pairs to develop ideas before presenting them to the wider group
November 18, 2024 at 1:26 AM
closely related to a key insight in one of my fav underdiscussed books, "Collaborative Circles": members of historically notable collaborative circles have tended to form especially high-trust pairs & work within these pairs to develop ideas before presenting them to the wider group
People LOVE to talk about 3-act structures, but what if you're a game designer and not a hollywood script writer?
Well, @kellybender.bsky.social has you covered:
gamedesignskills.com/game-design/...
Check out this article, courtesy of www.gamedesignskills.com
Well, @kellybender.bsky.social has you covered:
gamedesignskills.com/game-design/...
Check out this article, courtesy of www.gamedesignskills.com
How to Apply The Three-Act Structure in Video Games
This wiki will discuss the three-act structure, how it’s used in storytelling generally, and how it applies to video games more specifically.
gamedesignskills.com
November 15, 2024 at 10:37 PM
People LOVE to talk about 3-act structures, but what if you're a game designer and not a hollywood script writer?
Well, @kellybender.bsky.social has you covered:
gamedesignskills.com/game-design/...
Check out this article, courtesy of www.gamedesignskills.com
Well, @kellybender.bsky.social has you covered:
gamedesignskills.com/game-design/...
Check out this article, courtesy of www.gamedesignskills.com
#gamedev folks - I’m looking for others to share their game design expertise to the next generation. Hit me up if you’d like to write a paid knowledge base article or make a class on specializations of game design.
November 14, 2024 at 9:28 PM
#gamedev folks - I’m looking for others to share their game design expertise to the next generation. Hit me up if you’d like to write a paid knowledge base article or make a class on specializations of game design.
Ever heard the terms skill floor and skill ceiling? What do they mean for game designers?
gamedesignskills.com/gaming/skill...
gamedesignskills.com/gaming/skill...
Skill Ceiling & Skill Floor: How to Make Your Game Easy to Learn but Hard to Master
Overview of the definition of "skill ceiling" and "skill floor," how the terms apply to various game genres, and how how to approach each concept when designing a game.
gamedesignskills.com
November 12, 2024 at 11:06 PM
Ever heard the terms skill floor and skill ceiling? What do they mean for game designers?
gamedesignskills.com/gaming/skill...
gamedesignskills.com/gaming/skill...
Kelly Bender (@kellybender17) has collaborated with us to create this phenomenal guide to #worldbuilding. If you aren't sure where to start on your path to #narrativedesign skills, check this out:
gamedesignskills.com/game-design/...
gamedesignskills.com/game-design/...
Worldbuilding (Game Writing and Game Design)
Worldbuilding overview covering how to create engaging, immersive game worlds where players want to invest their time and energy.
gamedesignskills.com
November 1, 2024 at 12:12 PM
Kelly Bender (@kellybender17) has collaborated with us to create this phenomenal guide to #worldbuilding. If you aren't sure where to start on your path to #narrativedesign skills, check this out:
gamedesignskills.com/game-design/...
gamedesignskills.com/game-design/...
Making a good game is only half the battle. Getting your game seen is just as important as building it.
However, for many devs, marketing and selling their game isn’t something they’re passionate about.
However, for many devs, marketing and selling their game isn’t something they’re passionate about.
Game Marketing Guide: How to Market a Game Effectively in a Noisy World
A definitive guide on the building blocks and strategies to market games with an emphasis on video games.
gamedesignskills.com
October 24, 2024 at 8:23 PM
Making a good game is only half the battle. Getting your game seen is just as important as building it.
However, for many devs, marketing and selling their game isn’t something they’re passionate about.
However, for many devs, marketing and selling their game isn’t something they’re passionate about.
Reposted by Alexander Brazie
Alright, here it is:
I collected ~100 #GameDev starter packs and put them all on one Notion page! ✨
They're categorized by:
🍃 Location
🍃 Discipline
🍃 Game Genre
🍃 & more!
It also includes tips / labellers / block lists that I've stumbled on. I hope this helps you settle in & reconnect! 😊
👉 LINK
I collected ~100 #GameDev starter packs and put them all on one Notion page! ✨
They're categorized by:
🍃 Location
🍃 Discipline
🍃 Game Genre
🍃 & more!
It also includes tips / labellers / block lists that I've stumbled on. I hope this helps you settle in & reconnect! 😊
👉 LINK
October 24, 2024 at 10:15 AM
Reposted by Alexander Brazie
Us having to rebuild and reconnect our entire network again on Bluesky
October 21, 2024 at 4:00 AM
Us having to rebuild and reconnect our entire network again on Bluesky
Sara Costa, of Mageseeker fame, wrote this incredible article on Boss Design. If you've ever wanted to understand how to hit the gameplay and thematic elements of boss inspiration -- read this NOW:
gamedesignskills.com/game-design/...
gamedesignskills.com/game-design/...
Boss Design: How to Make an Unforgettable Boss Battle
Extensive guide covering what a video game boss is, how they look and act, their archetypes, which games they work with, and how to design a fulfilling boss battle (with the most common errors).
gamedesignskills.com
October 10, 2024 at 11:22 PM
Sara Costa, of Mageseeker fame, wrote this incredible article on Boss Design. If you've ever wanted to understand how to hit the gameplay and thematic elements of boss inspiration -- read this NOW:
gamedesignskills.com/game-design/...
gamedesignskills.com/game-design/...
If you ever wanted to create a side-scroller, this masterclass of an article by Itay Keren is the best out there:
gamedesignskills.com/game-design/...
Another free resource from us to you :)
gamedesignskills.com/game-design/...
Another free resource from us to you :)
Scroll Back: The Definitive Camera Design Guide for 2D Games & Side-Scrollers
Nuanced overview of 2D game camera design for side-scroller games, covering key concepts, principles, player psychology, techniques, terminology, and practical solutions, with detailed examples from c...
gamedesignskills.com
October 7, 2024 at 11:32 PM
If you ever wanted to create a side-scroller, this masterclass of an article by Itay Keren is the best out there:
gamedesignskills.com/game-design/...
Another free resource from us to you :)
gamedesignskills.com/game-design/...
Another free resource from us to you :)
Reposted by Alexander Brazie
My latest #gamedev interview is up with @xelnath.bsky.social to talk about the lessons they've learned about game development and understanding design over their career. youtu.be/D2JHZEN9Pkg
Game Design Lessons and Tips With Alexander Brazie | Perceptive Podcast #gamedev #indiedev
For this cast, I sat down with Alexander Brazie, game designer and consultant, to talk about the lessons he's learned about game design working on games like...
youtu.be
July 6, 2024 at 9:57 PM
My latest #gamedev interview is up with @xelnath.bsky.social to talk about the lessons they've learned about game development and understanding design over their career. youtu.be/D2JHZEN9Pkg
Reposted by Alexander Brazie
Look at that...I wrote a full overview of Combat Design for aspiring game designers!
Game Design Skills is becoming like a textbook for explaining the actual CAREER of #GameDesign, so I was thrilled when @xelnath.bsky.social asked me to write this article.
Game Design Skills is becoming like a textbook for explaining the actual CAREER of #GameDesign, so I was thrilled when @xelnath.bsky.social asked me to write this article.
Game Combat Design: A Comprehensive Beginner’s Guide
In any game that has it, combat takes up much of the player’s time and attention.
gamedesignskills.com
July 6, 2024 at 5:59 PM
Look at that...I wrote a full overview of Combat Design for aspiring game designers!
Game Design Skills is becoming like a textbook for explaining the actual CAREER of #GameDesign, so I was thrilled when @xelnath.bsky.social asked me to write this article.
Game Design Skills is becoming like a textbook for explaining the actual CAREER of #GameDesign, so I was thrilled when @xelnath.bsky.social asked me to write this article.
Reposted by Alexander Brazie
🎙️ bit.ly/alex-brazie | 📽️ youtu.be/NXYMGDZgp8o
In this episode, @xelnath.bsky.social helps unravel the secrets behind player-centric game development.
#AlexanderBrazie #GameDesigner #GameDesignAdvice #GameDesignSkills #BlizzardEntertainment #Riot #TheCornerOfStoryAndGame
In this episode, @xelnath.bsky.social helps unravel the secrets behind player-centric game development.
#AlexanderBrazie #GameDesigner #GameDesignAdvice #GameDesignSkills #BlizzardEntertainment #Riot #TheCornerOfStoryAndGame
May 9, 2024 at 1:40 PM
🎙️ bit.ly/alex-brazie | 📽️ youtu.be/NXYMGDZgp8o
In this episode, @xelnath.bsky.social helps unravel the secrets behind player-centric game development.
#AlexanderBrazie #GameDesigner #GameDesignAdvice #GameDesignSkills #BlizzardEntertainment #Riot #TheCornerOfStoryAndGame
In this episode, @xelnath.bsky.social helps unravel the secrets behind player-centric game development.
#AlexanderBrazie #GameDesigner #GameDesignAdvice #GameDesignSkills #BlizzardEntertainment #Riot #TheCornerOfStoryAndGame
4 Gameplay goals you should strive for:
Clarity - players just get it intuitively
Motivation - players find it desirable
Response - players can work out the problems themselves Satisfaction - players feel good about victory
Achieving these puts you in the top 1% of designers
Clarity - players just get it intuitively
Motivation - players find it desirable
Response - players can work out the problems themselves Satisfaction - players feel good about victory
Achieving these puts you in the top 1% of designers
February 17, 2024 at 2:04 AM
4 Gameplay goals you should strive for:
Clarity - players just get it intuitively
Motivation - players find it desirable
Response - players can work out the problems themselves Satisfaction - players feel good about victory
Achieving these puts you in the top 1% of designers
Clarity - players just get it intuitively
Motivation - players find it desirable
Response - players can work out the problems themselves Satisfaction - players feel good about victory
Achieving these puts you in the top 1% of designers
Another great framework for solving gameplay bloat quickly:
Cut all you think is core to the class
Play only with the fluff skills
Count how often they actually help
Calculate how much power they need to be actually useful
Many of those skills add less fun than you think.
Cut all you think is core to the class
Play only with the fluff skills
Count how often they actually help
Calculate how much power they need to be actually useful
Many of those skills add less fun than you think.
February 14, 2024 at 12:14 AM
Another great framework for solving gameplay bloat quickly:
Cut all you think is core to the class
Play only with the fluff skills
Count how often they actually help
Calculate how much power they need to be actually useful
Many of those skills add less fun than you think.
Cut all you think is core to the class
Play only with the fluff skills
Count how often they actually help
Calculate how much power they need to be actually useful
Many of those skills add less fun than you think.
90% of great mechanics design is really just:
- Consistently apply fundamentals
- Iterate on opportunities
- Save premature ideas for later
The timing, consistency, and insights are your keys to great design.
- Consistently apply fundamentals
- Iterate on opportunities
- Save premature ideas for later
The timing, consistency, and insights are your keys to great design.
February 13, 2024 at 10:22 PM
90% of great mechanics design is really just:
- Consistently apply fundamentals
- Iterate on opportunities
- Save premature ideas for later
The timing, consistency, and insights are your keys to great design.
- Consistently apply fundamentals
- Iterate on opportunities
- Save premature ideas for later
The timing, consistency, and insights are your keys to great design.
Mastering a niche in design unlocks the freedom to break the rules of that niche.
Unfortunately, we don’t get taught how to do this.
For 20 years, as a designer, I focused on gameplay, systems, and mechanics.
Here are 5 pieces of advice to help you escape the beginner’s prison
Unfortunately, we don’t get taught how to do this.
For 20 years, as a designer, I focused on gameplay, systems, and mechanics.
Here are 5 pieces of advice to help you escape the beginner’s prison
February 12, 2024 at 9:14 PM
Mastering a niche in design unlocks the freedom to break the rules of that niche.
Unfortunately, we don’t get taught how to do this.
For 20 years, as a designer, I focused on gameplay, systems, and mechanics.
Here are 5 pieces of advice to help you escape the beginner’s prison
Unfortunately, we don’t get taught how to do this.
For 20 years, as a designer, I focused on gameplay, systems, and mechanics.
Here are 5 pieces of advice to help you escape the beginner’s prison
Are you looking for support after the recent layoffs or feeling uncertain about your #gamedesign portfolio? We’re offering free portfolio reviews over at the Funsmith Club discord.
Hop in and share what you’ve got!
Get help here - discord.gg/GMxgxptwpu
Hop in and share what you’ve got!
Get help here - discord.gg/GMxgxptwpu
February 12, 2024 at 5:46 PM
Are you looking for support after the recent layoffs or feeling uncertain about your #gamedesign portfolio? We’re offering free portfolio reviews over at the Funsmith Club discord.
Hop in and share what you’ve got!
Get help here - discord.gg/GMxgxptwpu
Hop in and share what you’ve got!
Get help here - discord.gg/GMxgxptwpu