Furidashi Game Design Academy

111. Translating Tabletop

In this episode, we extend our discussion of Baldur’s Gate 3 into thinking about how video games translate various aspects of their tabletop counterparts. More than just mechanics, we look at how video games try to simulate the more subjective and social aspects of pen and paper roleplay, something that, historically, video games have struggled with. But Baldur’s Gate 3 seems to mark a very real departure in how video games depict dynamic social interactions, so we thought it was high time to revise our previous critiques, wherein we assumed the social aspect of tabletop play can only get lost in translation.

Unlock the full episode (and more!) for $5 a month on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/furidashi

Twitter: https://twitter.com/furidashipod

Lauryn: https://twitter.com/thelaurynash

Nicholas: https://twitter.com/academicality

110. Baldur’s Gate 3

In this episode, we sit down to tackle Larian’s colossal new game, Baldur’s Gate 3. We really only scratch the surface here, but we try to focus on the many ways in which the game addresses the question of freedom, both in gameplay terms as well as thematically, and we dig into how, unlike most RPG video games, Baldur’s Gate 3 actually lets you roleplay in the classic tabletop sense.

Substack post on freedom and player choice in BG3: https://open.substack.com/pub/gamedesigndiscourse/p/player-choice-in-baldurs-gate-3?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/furidashi

Twitter: https://twitter.com/furidashipod

Lauryn: https://twitter.com/thelaurynash

Nicholas: https://twitter.com/academicality

109. The Three Eras of Final Fantasy

In this episode we examine the three epochs or eras of Final Fantasy. We trace its early, now legendary, days as a tactical, turn-based RPG, the shift to more cinematic gameplay, and the subsequent turn away from the game’s roots toward a more high-paced, third person action gameplay. The point of all this is to show that there is a clear throughline from where we were to where we are now, even if it seems like Final Fantasy is now so different.

Unlock the full episode (and more!) for $5 a month on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/furidashi

Twitter: https://twitter.com/furidashipod

Lauryn: https://twitter.com/thelaurynash

Nicholas: https://twitter.com/academicality

108. Final Fantasy: Action Man

In this episode, we delve into Final Fantasy 16 and the recent trend in Final Fantasy games towards more action oriented gameplay. But rather than make all the same tired comparisons others have already made to Devil May Cry or Game of Thrones, we focus on the clear evolution Final Fantasy games have undergone, and how this seemingly recent development has, in fact, been a long time coming.

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/furidashi

Twitter: https://twitter.com/furidashipod

Lauryn: https://twitter.com/thelaurynash

Nicholas: https://twitter.com/academicality

107. Lauryn’s Gamedev Journey

Greetings! In this episode, we make Lauryn explain herself and her gamedev journey. We talk about what it was like to make the transition from writing to level design and eventually back to narrative systems as well as what it means to take on a leadership role in the games industry.

Unlock the full episode (and more!) for $5 a month on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/furidashi

Twitter: https://twitter.com/furidashipod

Lauryn: https://twitter.com/thelaurynash

Nicholas: https://twitter.com/academicality

106. Is Diablo 4 an RPG?

In this episode, we ask an admittedly clickbaity question that, nevertheless, raises some points: is Diablo 4 an RPG? We cover a bit of the history of roleplaying games, the awkward transition from tabletop to video games, and how character progression maps onto–or, in some cases, fails to map onto the player’s evolving gameplay experience. All of that to explain why maybe we need to rethink RPG as a game genre.

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/furidashi

Twitter: https://twitter.com/furidashipod

Lauryn: https://twitter.com/thelaurynash

Nicholas: https://twitter.com/academicality

105. Dumb AI !@#$

In this episode we continue our discussion of AI, focusing on its potential within the games industry, as well as its pitfalls. We consider the labor issues involved and how, despite all the hype, the reality of the many things that fall under the AI umbrella is an incredibly murky one, touching on issues of copyright as well as the basic question of who AI is for and who is it being done to.

Unlock the full episode (and more!) for $5 a month on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/furidashi

Twitter: https://twitter.com/furidashipod

Lauryn: https://twitter.com/thelaurynash

Nicholas: https://twitter.com/academicality

104. Eliza

In this episode, we take a look at a visual novel from 2019, the incredibly prescient Eliza. We spend some time laying out the unique mechanics of a visual novel and how those reading mechanics parallel the counseling methods the game interrogates. We also spend quite a long time thinking about the way the game reflects the culture of tech and the imperative to understand the ethical and cultural ramifications of being at the bleeding edge of software development.

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/furidashi

Twitter: https://twitter.com/furidashipod

Lauryn: https://twitter.com/thelaurynash

Nicholas: https://twitter.com/academicality

103. Contiguity in Worldbuilding

In this episode, we talk about the concept of contiguity in worldbuilding and in game design more generally. We focus on longstanding franchises like Assassin’s Creed and Final Fantasy to look at how game worlds retain a clear sense of identity, despite evolving over time and in some cases even branching out into other media. You could call it vibes-based game design, but it is also a call to the importance of consistent collaboration within large design teams.

Unlock the full episode (and more!) for $5 a month on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/furidashi

Twitter: https://twitter.com/furidashipod

Lauryn: https://twitter.com/thelaurynash

Nicholas: https://twitter.com/academicality

102. Kingdom Hearts 2

In this episode, we discuss Kingdom Hearts 2 from 2005. We contextualize it in terms of the transformation of AAA games taking place in the 2000s, how the game functions like a theme park… because Disney… how that theme park design presents the concept of a multiverse for a younger player demographic, and how the allegorical structure of the game creates a layered experience in terms of gameplay, narrative, and character development.

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/furidashi

Twitter: https://twitter.com/furidashipod

Lauryn: https://twitter.com/thelaurynash

Nicholas: https://twitter.com/academicality