CREATING CHARACTERS PLAYERS LOVE 🧡
When you think about your favorite games, chances are it’s not just the gameplay you remember, but the characters. From Master Chief to Aloy, iconic characters stay with players long after the credits roll. But how do you create a character that resonates with your audience?
The key to designing characters players love is to give them depth. Don’t just think about how they look or what abilities they have-think about their backstory, motivations, and personality. Players connect with characters who feel real, even in fantastical settings. Whether your character is a space marine or a magical being, they should have traits that make them relatable. Flaws, fears, and growth arcs give characters emotional weight and make them feel more human.
Also, consider how your character fits into the world you’ve created. Their design should reflect the game’s art style and mechanics. A well-designed character not only looks cool but feels like an integral part of the game world.
When you think about your favorite games, chances are it’s not just the gameplay you remember, but the characters. From Master Chief to Aloy, iconic characters stay with players long after the credits roll. But how do you create a character that resonates with your audience?
The key to designing characters players love is to give them depth. Don’t just think about how they look or what abilities they have-think about their backstory, motivations, and personality. Players connect with characters who feel real, even in fantastical settings. Whether your character is a space marine or a magical being, they should have traits that make them relatable. Flaws, fears, and growth arcs give characters emotional weight and make them feel more human.
Also, consider how your character fits into the world you’ve created. Their design should reflect the game’s art style and mechanics. A well-designed character not only looks cool but feels like an integral part of the game world.
💢 WHEN ART & GAMEPLAY COLLIDE 💢
In game development, there’s often a tension between art and gameplay. You’ve created stunning visuals, but if they interfere with the mechanics, they can frustrate players. It’s like designing a gorgeous car that no one can drive. The challenge is finding a balance where the art enhances the gameplay rather than detracting from it.
A great example of this is Hollow Knight. Its hand-drawn art style is breathtaking, but it never distracts from the gameplay—it complements it. Every visual cue serves the mechanics, from the way enemies telegraph their attacks to how the environment guides the player. The art serves the gameplay, not the other way around.
When developing your own game, ask yourself: does the art serve the experience, or does it get in the way? If players are too focused on visuals and missing important mechanics, it might be time to rethink the balance. The best games are those where art and gameplay are so intertwined that they create a seamless experience.
In game development, there’s often a tension between art and gameplay. You’ve created stunning visuals, but if they interfere with the mechanics, they can frustrate players. It’s like designing a gorgeous car that no one can drive. The challenge is finding a balance where the art enhances the gameplay rather than detracting from it.
A great example of this is Hollow Knight. Its hand-drawn art style is breathtaking, but it never distracts from the gameplay—it complements it. Every visual cue serves the mechanics, from the way enemies telegraph their attacks to how the environment guides the player. The art serves the gameplay, not the other way around.
When developing your own game, ask yourself: does the art serve the experience, or does it get in the way? If players are too focused on visuals and missing important mechanics, it might be time to rethink the balance. The best games are those where art and gameplay are so intertwined that they create a seamless experience.
💢 THE FUN OF GAME DEV MEMES 💢
If you’ve been part of the game development community for even a short while, you’ve probably laughed at more than a few game dev memes. They perfectly capture the daily frustrations, triumphs, and absurdities of building games. Whether it’s a meme about finding bugs minutes before a launch or the never-ending cycle of ‘just one more feature,’ memes are a fun way to bring developers together.
But memes are more than just a laugh—they’re a way to connect with the community. Sharing memes creates a sense of shared experience, helping developers feel less alone in the chaos of game development. After all, sometimes you just need to laugh at the absurdity of spending hours fixing a bug that turns out to be a misplaced semicolon.
So next time you see a game dev meme that hits a little too close to home, share it with your community. It’s not just about the humor—it’s about building connections and fostering engagement. Plus, who doesn’t need a little comic relief in the midst of crunch time?
If you’ve been part of the game development community for even a short while, you’ve probably laughed at more than a few game dev memes. They perfectly capture the daily frustrations, triumphs, and absurdities of building games. Whether it’s a meme about finding bugs minutes before a launch or the never-ending cycle of ‘just one more feature,’ memes are a fun way to bring developers together.
But memes are more than just a laugh—they’re a way to connect with the community. Sharing memes creates a sense of shared experience, helping developers feel less alone in the chaos of game development. After all, sometimes you just need to laugh at the absurdity of spending hours fixing a bug that turns out to be a misplaced semicolon.
So next time you see a game dev meme that hits a little too close to home, share it with your community. It’s not just about the humor—it’s about building connections and fostering engagement. Plus, who doesn’t need a little comic relief in the midst of crunch time?
🔥 THE HEAT MAP OF DEATH: WHERE DO YOU LOSE YOUR PLAYERS?
Hey there, folks!
Familiar situation? Your game seems awesome, mechanics polished to perfection, features in place, but players somehow vanish after 2-3 days... All because they LITERALLY CAN'T FIND THE "CONTINUE" BUTTON 🤦🏻♀️
UI pain points you probably haven't even considered:
▪️ "Blind spots" — 83% of players have their thumb covering the bottom right corner of the screen. Guess where you put your main action button? 🎯
▪️ Phantom gestures — your testers know they need to swipe down to open the menu. But newbies DON'T DO THAT. And they'll never discover 80% of your game's features.
▪️ Text walls — it's 2025, dude. If your tutorial is longer than three sentences, nobody reads it. Like, nobody. At all.
50 shades of gray — when all your buttons are the same color and size, players can't tell what's important and what's not. When everything screams, nothing is heard.
What the interface heat map reveals
I recently analyzed data for a hyper-casual game with 2M DAU. Shocking content: 68% of players were tapping on inactive screen areas trying to find the store. It was hidden three clicks away from the main screen!
Second scenario: it looks tappable, but nothing happens when players tap. They delete your game and give you a 1-star review in the store 💀
Three quick fixes you can implement right now:
✅ Different colors = different actions. Red for purchases, green for progress, blue for information. Basic, but effective.
✅ The thumb rule. Place critical elements within thumb reach (center-bottom for right-handed users).
✅ Visual hierarchy. Most important action = biggest and most noticeable button on screen. Like in Candy Crush — their "PLAY" button takes up half the screen, and it works!
Advanced bonus hack:
Force your PO/CEO to play the game WITHOUT A SINGLE WORD OF INSTRUCTION. Just hand them the phone and say: "Play." Then record and analyze where they get stuck and what they tap. Best UX test in the world that almost nobody does.
Ready to level up your mobile game design skills? Join the waiting list for my comprehensive Game Product Management course (link below).
#gamedev #uxdesign #mobileGames #gamedesign #failurelessons
Hey there, folks!
Familiar situation? Your game seems awesome, mechanics polished to perfection, features in place, but players somehow vanish after 2-3 days... All because they LITERALLY CAN'T FIND THE "CONTINUE" BUTTON 🤦🏻♀️
UI pain points you probably haven't even considered:
▪️ "Blind spots" — 83% of players have their thumb covering the bottom right corner of the screen. Guess where you put your main action button? 🎯
▪️ Phantom gestures — your testers know they need to swipe down to open the menu. But newbies DON'T DO THAT. And they'll never discover 80% of your game's features.
▪️ Text walls — it's 2025, dude. If your tutorial is longer than three sentences, nobody reads it. Like, nobody. At all.
50 shades of gray — when all your buttons are the same color and size, players can't tell what's important and what's not. When everything screams, nothing is heard.
What the interface heat map reveals
I recently analyzed data for a hyper-casual game with 2M DAU. Shocking content: 68% of players were tapping on inactive screen areas trying to find the store. It was hidden three clicks away from the main screen!
Second scenario: it looks tappable, but nothing happens when players tap. They delete your game and give you a 1-star review in the store 💀
Three quick fixes you can implement right now:
✅ Different colors = different actions. Red for purchases, green for progress, blue for information. Basic, but effective.
✅ The thumb rule. Place critical elements within thumb reach (center-bottom for right-handed users).
✅ Visual hierarchy. Most important action = biggest and most noticeable button on screen. Like in Candy Crush — their "PLAY" button takes up half the screen, and it works!
Advanced bonus hack:
Force your PO/CEO to play the game WITHOUT A SINGLE WORD OF INSTRUCTION. Just hand them the phone and say: "Play." Then record and analyze where they get stuck and what they tap. Best UX test in the world that almost nobody does.
Ready to level up your mobile game design skills? Join the waiting list for my comprehensive Game Product Management course (link below).
#gamedev #uxdesign #mobileGames #gamedesign #failurelessons
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