Series: The Promise Framework
2026 | Framework | Vision, Delivery
A practical framework to keep game vision coherent from early pitch through live operations, with concrete guardrails teams can use during prioritization and execution.
Writings
I speak and write about game production, player psychology, and systems design. My lens is practical: principles that help teams plan roadmaps, operate live-services, and build engaging experiences. I also mentor designers and advocate for healthy, data-informed iteration.
Debugging Player Learning
2026 | Framework | Onboarding, UX
A six-step diagnostic approach for identifying where players hit friction while learning mechanics, then turning those findings into targeted design fixes.
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.
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.
Video Games and Cybernetics
2008 | Cybernetics, Emergence
Frames games as cybernetic systems governed by feedback loops between player and simulation. Connects loop design to emergent play patterns.
Interactivity, Arts and New Technologies
2007 | Interactive Art
Explores how new technologies enable novel forms of interactive art, and the practical constraints creators must navigate.
Strategies of Dramatization in Live-Action Role-Playing
2006 | LARP, Dramaturgy
Analyzes immersion, costuming, space, and rules as tools for shaping participant experience in live-action role-playing.