You've been logged out of GDC Vault since the maximum users allowed for this account has been reached. To access Members Only content on GDC Vault, please log out of GDC Vault from the computer which last accessed this account.

Click here to find out about GDC Vault Membership options for more users.

close

The Number One Educational Resource for the Game Industry

Session Name:

Occult Game Design: An Initiation into Secrets and Mysteries

Overview:

From Warren Robinett's first easter egg in Adventure to the retrogaming scavenger hunts of Ready Player One, mysteries exert a magnetic pull on players. The Binding of Isaac and The Legend of Grimrock bristle with puzzles, traps, and secrets, mirroring the effective but obscure narrative design of the cult classics Demon's Souls and Killer7. Howard, an expert on quests, demonstrates designing mystery through intertwined mechanics and narrative, individually cryptic but mutually reinforcing. Mystery enables puzzles that are pervasive and organic rather than localized and artificial. The cumulative effects heighten player engagement, enrich player communities, and keep satisfied players wanting more.

Did you know free users get access to 30% of content from the last 2 years?


Get your team full access to the most up to date GDC content

  • GDC Online 2012
  • Jeff Howard
  • Dakota State University
  • free content
  • Game Narrative Summit
  • Game Narrative