AI Movement in Games: Beyond A*
When developers talk about movement in Game AI, the conversation usually starts, and often ends, with A* and NavMeshes. And for good reason: A* pathfinding solves about 95% of what most games need. But movement isn’t always about getting from point A to point B as fast as possible. Sometimes you need to find instead […]
Introduction to Game AI: Brains, Controllers & Entities
The primary goal of Game AI is to increase player engagement and fun — whether that’s by creating enemies that provide a satisfying challenge, companions that feel alive, or systems that enhance gameplay through physics, animation, and interaction. But to achieve that goal, you need more than clever tricks. Good Game AI development relies on […]
Digital Prototyping: Building Playable Game Ideas Fast
While you can always jump straight into a digital prototype from the start, it’s important to remember what this stage is really for: putting your idea into the same format as the final product, a videogame. Unlike paper prototypes, boardgame prototypes, or rulebook prototypes, which abstract away systems and mechanics, a digital prototype puts your […]
Rulebook Prototyping: A Fast Way to Test Missions and Systems
Not every prototype needs a controller or a piece of software. Sometimes the best way to test a game idea is by writing rules, gathering a group of people, and simulating the experience in real life. This method is called a rulebook prototype works because instead of implementing mechanics in code, you implement them as […]
How Boardgames Help with Fast Game Prototyping in Development
Boardgames aren’t just for family nights, they’re also one of the fastest ways to prototype game ideas. Unlike coding, where you might spend weeks before anything is playable, boardgames let you test rules, pacing, and player interactions within hours. A paper prototype can be enough to sketch an idea, but board games add another layer: […]
How to Build a Paper Prototype for Your Game
Prototyping is one of the fastest, cheapest, and most effective ways to test your ideas. Before you write a single line of code, you can already test your game idea.Paper prototypes are one of the fastest, cheapest, and most effective ways to explore whether your concept has potential. Instead of getting lost in assets, code, […]
Scrum@Scale in AAA Game Development: Why Classic Scrum Stops Working
Scrum is one of the most widely adopted frameworks in game development, but there’s a catch: it only works well in small, cross-functional teams of 10 or fewer. Once you scale beyond that, as every AAA studio must, the cracks appear. Meetings balloon. Communication slows. Teams lose focus. Predictability vanishes. AAA studios need something more. […]
Kanban in Game Development: The Framework for Stability
When studios talk about development frameworks, Scrum and Waterfall usually take center stage. But when you’re in the final stretch of development, or firefighting stability issues post launch, neither is the perfect fit. That’s where Kanban comes in. Some teams use the word Scrumban to describe mixing Scrum with Kanban. In reality, most of the […]
Game Monetization 101: Models & Strategies
Game monetization isn’t just about money, it’s about survival. If you want your game to sustain you (and not just sit in a portfolio), you need a plan from day one. To unpack the essentials, I spoke with Ellen Beeman industry veteran, mentor, and collaborator at Toño Game Consultants. Ellen has worked across production, design, […]
QA Is Not Playtesting: Why Indie Devs Need Both
When indie developers talk about testing, QA and Playtesting often get lumped together. Some teams even think they’re the same thing. They’re not — and mixing them up is one of the fastest ways to end up with either a technically stable but boring game, or a fun idea that collapses under bugs and performance […]