Writings & Talks

I speak and write about game design, player psychology, systems, and gamification. Practical lenses that support roadmaps, live-ops, and engagement without dark patterns.

Gamification & Player Psychology

The Big Gamification Challenge: Compulsion Loops & Dopamine

2018 | Gamification, Player Engagement

Explains how compulsion loops underpin anticipation, progression, and retention in games and gamified apps. Covers extrinsic vs. intrinsic rewards, calibrating challenge/skill, and ethical considerations when designing for engagement.

View slides (PDF) | Read article (PDF)

Game Design Theory

Flow and Difficulty Adjustment in Video Games

2010 | Flow, Player Experience

Discusses balancing challenge and player skill to keep players in a flow state. Outlines tuning strategies and the trade-offs between dynamic vs. static difficulty for different genres and audiences.

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Design Frameworks

Series: The Promise Framework — Keeping Game Vision Coherent from Pitch to Live Ops

2025 | Framework, Vision Alignment

Outlines a shared promise that anchors vision, scope, and player expectations across pitch, production, and live-ops. Focuses on decision filters and team alignment.

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Debugging Player Learning: A 6-Step Framework for Finding “Friction” in Your Mechanics

2025 | Framework, Player Learning

Step-by-step method to diagnose where players stumble, separate knowledge gaps from input friction, and prioritize fixes that improve mastery without oversimplifying the game.

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