Beyond the Map: Strategy Guides as Game Design Documentation

Just wanted to say thank you all for almost 10 years of incredible work & time making the podcast. I will be going on a hiatus.

Behind the Brief: Alex Sulman, The Creative Mind Behind Iconic Games What does it take to bring some of the world's most iconic games to life? In this episode, we sit down with Alex Sulman Creative Director, to explore the creativity, craft and thinking behind some of the biggest names in gaming, including God of War, Diablo III and more. From shaping immersive worlds to developing unforgettable visual experiences, Alex shares insights into the creative process, the challenges of working on major game projects, and what it takes to turn ambitious ideas into something truly extraordinary. Join us for an inspiring conversation about creativity, collaboration and the art of making games that leave a lasting impression. ---------- Use Farclip:  farclip.ai/leveldesignlobby ---------- Contact Alex  ---------- Website: https://devtodevpodcast.com/  Portfolio: https://www.alexsulmanportfolio.net/ LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/alexsulman  Email: [email protected]  ---------------------- Let's Design Books   ----------------------- Ebook - https://bit.ly/39BakJD Physical Books - https://bit.ly/3mfOsbS ----------------------- Level Design Kit    -----------------------  Purchase now: https://bit.ly/4gYaJ9d -----------------------

How do strategy guides reveal the thinking behind a game's design? In this episode, we explore the role of documentation in level and game design, using strategy guides as an example of how game mechanics, level layouts, puzzles, and player progression can be communicated and understood. Discover how documentation helps designers organise ideas, guide player experiences, and bring a game's design to life. join the Mailing List:  https://bit.ly/4eNPm8X ---------------------- Let's Design Books -----------------------  Ebook - https://bit.ly/39BakJD Physical Books - https://bit.ly/3mfOsbS ----------------------- Level Design Kit   ----------------------- Purchase now: https://bit.ly/4gYaJ9d -----------------------

October is here, so let us not wait around & get some incredible resources avalible to you lovely people.  join the Mailing List: https://bit.ly/4eNPm8X ---------- Resources ---------- Onimusha Director Interview: https://youtu.be/o3CqZXKDjRw?si=e6bl7h27S13mf03U Rebel Wolves Interview: https://bit.ly/4y5vJ61 Mafia the Old Country: https://bit.ly/4y1freo Narrative Pro 2: https://fab.com/s/6c8d84c8b1aa Star Wars Zero Company: https://bit.ly/4z7xu3i ---------------------- Let's Design Books ----------------------- Ebook - https://bit.ly/39BakJD Physical Books - https://bit.ly/3mfOsbS ----------------------- Contact Me  ----------------------- Website: https://www.maxpears.com/​ Email: [email protected]

In this episode, we sit down with Creative Director Alejandro Arque. Alejandro shares his journey through the world of game design from discovering his creative voice to leading the vision behind games and experiences that engage players. We dive into the craft of building worlds, developing ideas, balancing creativity with practical challenges, and understanding what makes a game truly memorable. join the Mailing List: https://bit.ly/4eNPm8X ---------- Contact Alex ---------- Linked In: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/alejandro-arque-gallardo Twitter: https://x.com/DarkVegetaMad Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alejandroarque/  Email:  [email protected] ---------------------- Let's Design Books  ----------------------- Ebook - https://bit.ly/39BakJD Physical Books - https://bit.ly/3mfOsbS ----------------------- Level Design Kit   ----------------------- Purchase now: https://bit.ly/4gYaJ9d -----------------------

Back again but with a different look of something that we have not touched on before, yet an aspect that is still engaging. I am talking about Skill Trees. Going back to a classic of Final Fantasy X I have been caught up in that of its skill tree (Sphere Grid) We will be going through skill trees and aspects that really make them engaging across different mediums.   join the Mailing List: https://bit.ly/4eNPm8X ---------------------- Let's Design Books  ----------------------- Ebook - https://bit.ly/39BakJD Physical Books - https://bit.ly/3mfOsbS ----------------------- Level Design Kit  ----------------------- Purchase now: https://bit.ly/4gYaJ9d ----------------------- Research on Skill Trees:  ---------------------- Keys to Meaningful Skill Trees: https://gdkeys.com/keys-to-meaningful-skill-trees/ Skill Tree Itteration: https://medium.com/@thomas_1379/game-design-is-easy-2f8150a82734 Skill Tree Debate: https://www.reddit.com/r/RPGdesign/comments/1haj3zy/skill_tree_design/ Skill Tree Video Essay: https://youtu.be/r4IkgYQc4Os?si=aEeC6gsDQaHbUAOC ----------------------- Contact Me ----------------------- Website: https://www.maxpears.com/​ Email: [email protected]

Back at it again with more incredible resources to help you all learn & grow as developers! I have found some incredible game dev info whcih I want to share with you all, so sit back, relax and let us get educated! join the Mailing List: https://bit.ly/4eNPm8X ----------  Resources  ----------  The Art of Game Design: https://bit.ly/45ZTUas The Game Narrative Toolbox: https://bit.ly/4zNjIEf Level Design Kit: https://bit.ly/4gYaJ9d Build a Second Brain: https://bit.ly/3V5AHSd Silent Hill Townfall: https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/how-silent-hill-townfall-gets-deep-into-its-protagonist-s-headspace ----------------------  Let's Design Books  -----------------------  Ebook - https://bit.ly/39BakJD Physical Books - https://bit.ly/3mfOsbS  -----------------------  Contact Me  ----------------------- Website: https://www.maxpears.com/​ Email: [email protected]

What does it take to make your favourite game feel "just right" in another language? In this episode, Yana, a game localisation specialist, takes us behind the scenes of the gaming industry. We chat about her career path, the surprising challenges of translating games, and why localisation is about so much more than just words. If you've ever wondered how games travel across cultures, this one's for you. Join the Mailing List: https://bit.ly/4eNPm8X ------------------ Contact Alconost Inc  ----------------- Website: https://alconost.com/en ------------------  Level Design Kit  ----------------- Buy Here: https://bit.ly/4gYaJ9d -------------- Level Design Books -------------- Let's Design Books  --------------- Ebook - https://bit.ly/39BakJD Physical Books - https://bit.ly/3mfOsbS ----------------------- Contact Me  -----------------------  Website: https://www.maxpears.com/​  Email: [email protected]

Joining me for this episode is Senior Level Designer Raphael Kidd, who has worked on an incredible range of titles including LEGO Horizon, Hogwarts Legacy, and LEGO DC Villains. Raph shares insights into his journey, along with his unique design approach across such a diverse set of projects. We'll also take a deep dive into his work on Hogwarts Legacy, exploring his creative influences and the perspective he brings to game design. ------- Contact Raph ------- Website: https://www.raphael-kidd.com/ LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/raphael-kidd-9b6b6630 ------------------  Level Design Kit   ----------------- Buy Here: https://bit.ly/4gYaJ9d -------------  Let's Design Books --------------- Ebook - https://bit.ly/39BakJD Physical Books - https://bit.ly/3mfOsbS ---------------------- Contact Me   -----------------------   Website: https://www.maxpears.com/​ Email: [email protected]

In this episode, I'm joined by Tim Spaninks, level designer on Arc Raiders, for a deep dive into his journey through the game industry and the craft of designing immersive worlds. We talk about how Tim broke into game development, the lessons he's learned along the way, and how creating content on his YouTube channel has shaped his approach to both learning and teaching game design. The heart of the conversation focuses on level design in Arc Raiders how levels are planned, iterated on, and balanced to support exploration, combat, and player choice. Tim shares his design mindset, practical workflows, and what it really takes to build spaces that feel fun, readable, and alive in a large-scale multiplayer experience. Whether you're an aspiring game developer, a level design nerd, or just excited about Arc Raiders, this episode offers a thoughtful behind-the-scenes look at how great game worlds come together. Sign Up to News Letter: https://bit.ly/4eNPm8X -------- Contact Tim -------- Website: https://www.timspaninks.com/ X: https://x.com/TimLevelDesign Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/timdoesleveldesign/ ------------------  Level Design Kit   ----------------- Buy Here: https://bit.ly/4gYaJ9d -------------  Let's Design Books --------------- Ebook - https://bit.ly/39BakJD Physical Books - https://bit.ly/3mfOsbS - ---------------------- Contact Me   -----------------------   Website: https://www.maxpears.com/​ Email: [email protected]