First episode of the new year, and the host Lefkos attempts to switch up the formula a bit.  In this new episode of the Game Design Journal, he talks about the games he has recently played through, what he is currently playing and goes on to talk about things that stood out, what he liked and what he didn't, much like a real life journal.  Episodes with the above format will be titled Backlog Talk. As per Game Design Journal tradition, there is also a main topic for today, "Playable Demos".  The host gives his opinion on the importance of them and why he thinks that every game if possible should have a demo.

In this episode of the Game Design Journal Podcast, the host Lefkos Savvides welcomes the second guest of the show, Yiannis Fermanis, a friend, game developer and co-worker to discuss the much awaited Game Awards. Between similar opinions, hot takes and a few rants, they take turns to discuss their thoughts about their experience with 2022 as gamers, and what the future entails.

In this episode of the Game Design Journal Podcast, the host Lefkos Savvides welcomes the first guest of the show, Demetris Tsartsalis, an indie game developer from Cyprus. Demetris talks about his background as an indie game developer, programmer and designer.  In this casual chat between friends, they discuss inspirations, ambitions, game design and explore some of the current projects they are prototyping and actively working on. LINKS: Block Witch Prototype Demetris' YouTube Channel Platform Fighter Preview

In this episode of the Game Design Journal, the host Lefkos Savvides discusses his thoughts on the topic of replayability. There are various forms of it, some more effective than others.  But are they even necessary to make a game good?

In this episode of the Game Design Journal, the host Lefkos Savvides discusses what he believes to be good practices for implementing tutorials in games, without forcefully interrupting the flow of the game. He goes over what he believes to be crucial parts to consider when designing tutorials, and gives an example of a made up game on the spot.

In this short episode of the Game Design Journal, the host Lefkos Savvides discusses the his opinion on the importance of Audio Design. With examples, he explains how audio enhances an experience and how it can serve as a pathway to revisiting your favourite games, ever years after playing them.

In this episode of the Game Design Journal, the host Lefkos Savvides discusses what he believes to be good practices for implementing randomness in games, a concept he dubs as Intentional Randomness. He goes over what he believes to be crucial parts to consider when designing systems that rely on RNG (Random Number Generation), and how a player might react to certain scenarios.

In this episode of the Game Design Journal, the host Lefkos Savvides discusses the importance having a meaningful UX and quality of life systems. He explains how and why they enhance the quality of a game, and the direct impact it has on a player's enjoyment. Examples from speculative situations are touched upon, and then the host shares a recent experience in which he goes into a bit more detail about the great User Experience and Quality of Life systems he encountered in Pokemon Legends: Arceus.

In this episode of the Game Design Journal, the host Lefkos Savvides discusses the art of immersing a player within your game world. What does "immersion" truly mean? Is there a secret recipe to it, or is the term misunderstood? Additionally, he shares a personal anecdote from a recent experience of his, and how that experience helped him redefine the word for himself.

In this first mini-episode of the Game Design Journal, the host Lefkos Savvides discusses the art of subverting expectations.  He touches upon a great example he recently experienced in a game he played*, and explains his thoughts regarding the subject matter. *Episode contains early game spoilers for Xenoblade Chronicles 3