Chris Avellone, a renowned video game designer, has outlined his game design philosophy in an interview. According to him, the key to creating a successful game is to make it all about the player, their experience, and their connection to the story. "Players are selfish," he says, highlighting that every aspect of the game should cater to the player's desires and needs.
Avellone attributes his design philosophy to his early experiences with tabletop role-playing games, particularly Dungeons & Dragons. He discovered D&D at the age of nine and was drawn to its creative freedom and collaborative nature. However, it wasn't until he started playing as a player that he realized the importance of giving players agency and letting them shape their own experiences.
In his early days as a game designer, Avellone experimented with coding on an old TRS-80 computer, inspired by fantasy text adventure games. He learned basic coding skills to create simple games, but ultimately recognized the value of community and collaboration in game development. This experience led him to understand that players want to be involved in shaping their own stories and experiences.
Avellone's design philosophy is centered around creating an immersive experience that caters to the player's needs. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the player's motivations, goals, and desires, rather than imposing external forces on them. This approach allows players to connect with the game on a deeper level, fostering a sense of ownership and agency.
Avellone's work on Planescape: Torment exemplifies this philosophy. The game was designed to be highly personal and player-driven, allowing players to shape their own stories and experiences. Avellone's concept of "death as a narrative element" rather than a failure state is another key aspect of his design approach.
Avellone's current project with Republic Games further showcases his commitment to player-centered design. The studio's dystopian fantasy game will feature a rebellion fighting against oppression, with players at the forefront of shaping their own experiences and story arcs.
Throughout our conversation, it becomes clear that Chris Avellone's core idea persists: It's all about the players, about their connection to your story and your world. His journey from playing tabletop games to designing iconic video games is a testament to the power of collaboration, creativity, and player agency in game development.
Avellone attributes his design philosophy to his early experiences with tabletop role-playing games, particularly Dungeons & Dragons. He discovered D&D at the age of nine and was drawn to its creative freedom and collaborative nature. However, it wasn't until he started playing as a player that he realized the importance of giving players agency and letting them shape their own experiences.
In his early days as a game designer, Avellone experimented with coding on an old TRS-80 computer, inspired by fantasy text adventure games. He learned basic coding skills to create simple games, but ultimately recognized the value of community and collaboration in game development. This experience led him to understand that players want to be involved in shaping their own stories and experiences.
Avellone's design philosophy is centered around creating an immersive experience that caters to the player's needs. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the player's motivations, goals, and desires, rather than imposing external forces on them. This approach allows players to connect with the game on a deeper level, fostering a sense of ownership and agency.
Avellone's work on Planescape: Torment exemplifies this philosophy. The game was designed to be highly personal and player-driven, allowing players to shape their own stories and experiences. Avellone's concept of "death as a narrative element" rather than a failure state is another key aspect of his design approach.
Avellone's current project with Republic Games further showcases his commitment to player-centered design. The studio's dystopian fantasy game will feature a rebellion fighting against oppression, with players at the forefront of shaping their own experiences and story arcs.
Throughout our conversation, it becomes clear that Chris Avellone's core idea persists: It's all about the players, about their connection to your story and your world. His journey from playing tabletop games to designing iconic video games is a testament to the power of collaboration, creativity, and player agency in game development.
i feel like avellone just gets it, you know? its all about putting the player first and making sure they have an impact on the game world. its not just about telling a story, its about creating an experience that lets players shape their own destiny 
. i think thats why games like planescape: torment are so beloved - they make you feel like youre truly part of something. and avellone's emphasis on understanding player motivations is genius 
. its all about making the game feel personal and relevant to the player, rather than just forcing them to follow a predetermined narrative. anyway, i think his approach is super inspiring for game devs - lets make games that players will love! 
. As someone who's spent countless hours playing games, I can attest that when you give players agency and let them shape their own experiences, it feels like a whole new level of engagement and immersion 
.
. But overall, I think Avellone's approach is spot on, and his work on Planescape: Torment and Republic Games is a testament to that 
I mean, what about the players who want to play through the story without being constantly bombarded with options and upgrades? It's like, can't we just have a good old-fashioned narrative with some actual character development?
I mean, isn't that just a fancy way of saying "we're not going to give you a meaningful death"? It feels like game devs are more worried about being edgy and cool than actually creating a impactful experience.
. I mean, who wouldn't want to feel like their experience matters? It makes sense that he got into this from playing tabletop games, because thats where you really get to be part of the story and create your own adventure.
It's not just about creating a game, it's about creating an experience for the player.
. Now, as a game designer, he's trying to translate that into his work, which is pretty inspiring 
.
.
), but it's so worth it when they come out the other side feeling confident, empowered, and excited for life 
.
.
Avellone's design philosophy makes total sense - who needs all that extraneous story stuff when you can have a world that's literally yours? It's like, hello, I just wanna be the hero of my own adventure, not some bland cookie-cutter character 
.
those games are all about collaboration and creativity so it's only natural that he'd want to bring that into video game design. And can we talk about Planescape: Torment for a sec? That game is like the ultimate example of player-centered design... I mean who doesn't love being able to shape their own story arc? 
. As a player, it's thrilling to think about having that level of agency and creative freedom. Fingers crossed it delivers! 
. As a parent, it's hard enough getting them to eat their veggies, let alone sit still and play a game! So, yeah, I can see why Avellone thinks that the player should be at the center of everything - it's all about making it fun and engaging for them, right? 
.
. I've tried playing them with friends, but it's just so frustrating when everyone's trying to impose their own agenda on the game instead of just chillin' 
️.