The Emotional Design Behind Video Games
Episode 059 • 47min
What makes video game storytelling unique?
In this episode, Sam chats with Shawn Kittelsen, the VP of Creative Development of Games at Skybound Entertainment. Shawn chats about how his background in playwriting and screenwriting contributes to storytelling in video games and developing narratives that connect the player to the games. Later on in the show, they are joined by Mike Pondsmith, a role-playing, board and video game designer who founded R. Talsorian Games and the creator of the acclaimed Cyberpunk series. Mike chats about the value of storybuiling in video games and how he came to develop the Cyberpunk Universe. Together, they chat about their favorite recently played video games.
Weekly Dose of Good Design
- Sam: Thanks Hannah Koch (@hKoch_a_Kola) for your Weekly Dose this week! Tiny Houses
- Shawn: Before Your Eyes
Links
- Game: Mortal Kombat X #11
- Game: Injustice 2
- Game: Disco Elysium
- Novel: Hardwired
- Resource: The Bartle Test of Gamers
- Shawn’s Comic Book: Heart Attack
- YouTube: Pewdiepie plays Before Your Eyes
- Article: From Pod to Place
- Game: Red Dead Redemption 2
Sam Aquillano
CoDesign Collaborative
Host
Shawn Kittelsen
Skybound Entertainment
Guest Co-host
Mike Pondsmith
R. Talsorian Games
Guest