Branching Out: The Art of Skill Trees

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]

In this exclusive interview, Creative Director Al Yang takes us deep into the unsettling world of Silent Hill F, offering a rare look into the creative vision behind the next chapter of the iconic horror franchise. Al discusses the narrative themes, artistic inspirations, and emotional core shaping the game's haunting atmosphere. He reveals how the team approached psychological horror in a fresh, culturally rich way, and what fans can expect from its setting, characters, and disturbing new creatures. From story philosophy to visual design and the challenges of reimagining Silent Hill for a new generation, this episode is a must-watch for horror fans, game developers, and anyone curious about the craft of building fear from the ground up. Sign Up to News Letter: https://bit.ly/4eNPm8X ----------------------- Contact Al Yang ---------------------- Twitter: https://x.com/QQBert BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/qqbert.bsky.social ------------------  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] Twitter: https://x.com/MaxPears Bluesky: https://bit.ly/42HX9Tt

First ep of Nov and we are kicking off with a great interview with Co-Founder/Art Director Prshant of 'Look North World'. Formed of incredible industry Vets who are taking their skills and designing for a new space for Fortnite's User Generated Content.  join the Mailing List: https://bit.ly/4eNPm8X ------------------ Contact Prashant Patil ----------------- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/prashant-patil-6028401b Website - https://looknorth.world/ ------------------  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] Twitter: https://x.com/MaxPears Bluesky: https://bit.ly/42HX9Tt  

Hey All, Thank you for all reaching out and supporting the Level Design Kit. I have heard the cry for a better understanding of how to use these tools. I wanted to give a bit more of a deatiled break down so please enjoy. ------------------ Level Design Kit  ----------------- Buy Here: https://bit.ly/4gYaJ9d Low Poly Shooter: https://fab.com/s/578036b16d6c Advanced Locomotion: https://fab.com/s/0eb8afffb774  

Hey All,  We are blasting through Sept way quicker than I want haha, but I wanted to announce the plan of what I will be doing come October for Blocktober and hopefully I can hear what you are all thinking!  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 ----------------------- Contact Me   -----------------------   Website: https://www.maxpears.com/​ Email: [email protected] Twitter: https://x.com/MaxPears Bluesky: https://bit.ly/42HX9Tt