Sean O’Dowd
@odowd.co
odowd.co over a decade of game development with those at SMG, Crows Crows Crows, Mountains Studio, Apple Arcade, Twitch, Immersive Gamebox
Years ago, I started working on a social game with its core mechanic testing our understanding of the world and each other.
Through feedback I added and removed: powerups, achievements, deception, mind reading. Made it way too complex, and way too simple.
All starting from this
Through feedback I added and removed: powerups, achievements, deception, mind reading. Made it way too complex, and way too simple.
All starting from this
October 18, 2025 at 7:40 AM
Years ago, I started working on a social game with its core mechanic testing our understanding of the world and each other.
Through feedback I added and removed: powerups, achievements, deception, mind reading. Made it way too complex, and way too simple.
All starting from this
Through feedback I added and removed: powerups, achievements, deception, mind reading. Made it way too complex, and way too simple.
All starting from this
I’ve been working with SMG on LEGO Party for years, and I’m excited to finally share it with you all!
I’ve written a few words on how it was made on my portfolio odowd.co
This also means that I’m available to take on another project. If you need help or know someone who does, get in touch!
I’ve written a few words on how it was made on my portfolio odowd.co
This also means that I’m available to take on another project. If you need help or know someone who does, get in touch!
June 7, 2025 at 10:47 PM
I’ve been working with SMG on LEGO Party for years, and I’m excited to finally share it with you all!
I’ve written a few words on how it was made on my portfolio odowd.co
This also means that I’m available to take on another project. If you need help or know someone who does, get in touch!
I’ve written a few words on how it was made on my portfolio odowd.co
This also means that I’m available to take on another project. If you need help or know someone who does, get in touch!
Enshittification of windows continues
June 6, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Enshittification of windows continues
As it turns out, I could simplify the problem and so I removed the feature / visual element.
Kill your darlings; throw things away, remove anything that distracts away from the experience you're creating.
Kill your darlings; throw things away, remove anything that distracts away from the experience you're creating.
In a visual design, I’ve been using a compass in order to illustrate many positions within a radial spectrum. It is quite complex. It’s often a failure point.
Again, and again, I’ve attempted to simplify the solution - but ultimately, what am I actually trying to solve? Can I simplify the problem?
Again, and again, I’ve attempted to simplify the solution - but ultimately, what am I actually trying to solve? Can I simplify the problem?
March 26, 2025 at 1:07 PM
As it turns out, I could simplify the problem and so I removed the feature / visual element.
Kill your darlings; throw things away, remove anything that distracts away from the experience you're creating.
Kill your darlings; throw things away, remove anything that distracts away from the experience you're creating.
Reposted by Sean O’Dowd
We published this year's Polaris game design papers. Some of the best game design writing for senior designers on the entire planet.
Our team worked on designing collective decision making systems. polarisgamedesign.com/2024/how-to-...
#gamedesign #gamedevelopment
Our team worked on designing collective decision making systems. polarisgamedesign.com/2024/how-to-...
#gamedesign #gamedevelopment
How To Design Collective Decision-Making Systems
JC Lau, Elaine Gusella, Ian Schrieber, Daniel Cook 1. What is this all about? If, as Sid Meier has famously said, “a game is a series of interesting decisions”, then a co-op game is a series of intere...
polarisgamedesign.com
January 23, 2025 at 5:21 PM
We published this year's Polaris game design papers. Some of the best game design writing for senior designers on the entire planet.
Our team worked on designing collective decision making systems. polarisgamedesign.com/2024/how-to-...
#gamedesign #gamedevelopment
Our team worked on designing collective decision making systems. polarisgamedesign.com/2024/how-to-...
#gamedesign #gamedevelopment
This year I have availability for new opportunities 🎉
Working on something cool? I want to hear about it!
odowd.co
Working on something cool? I want to hear about it!
odowd.co
Sean O'Dowd | Portfolio
A developer & designer based in Melbourne Australia.
odowd.co
January 5, 2025 at 1:38 AM
This year I have availability for new opportunities 🎉
Working on something cool? I want to hear about it!
odowd.co
Working on something cool? I want to hear about it!
odowd.co
Complexity is a desirable outcome, but similar to cellular automata, must be derived from simple parts multiplying into complex forms.
Sometimes a design problem is hard because you are are trying to pack to much into one feature.
A skill to practice:
- Knowing when to break a complex feature into simpler parts.
- Knowing how to make connections between those parts visible and obvious.
A modular (adaptable!) web of simple things
A skill to practice:
- Knowing when to break a complex feature into simpler parts.
- Knowing how to make connections between those parts visible and obvious.
A modular (adaptable!) web of simple things
December 14, 2024 at 9:16 AM
Complexity is a desirable outcome, but similar to cellular automata, must be derived from simple parts multiplying into complex forms.
Started learning rust to build a web server. The current goal is to support 50,000 concurrent players within a single game instance.
I have no idea whether the game will actually go viral in this way, but as my game can be played with a large twitch audience, handling is a must
I have no idea whether the game will actually go viral in this way, but as my game can be played with a large twitch audience, handling is a must
December 3, 2024 at 3:04 AM
Started learning rust to build a web server. The current goal is to support 50,000 concurrent players within a single game instance.
I have no idea whether the game will actually go viral in this way, but as my game can be played with a large twitch audience, handling is a must
I have no idea whether the game will actually go viral in this way, but as my game can be played with a large twitch audience, handling is a must
Reposted by Sean O’Dowd
Gameplay design philosophy: try to read the player’s mind.
This is a simple guideline for how to design input priority. The statement is simple, but the execution can be extremely complicated depending on the game in question.
This is a simple guideline for how to design input priority. The statement is simple, but the execution can be extremely complicated depending on the game in question.
November 30, 2024 at 10:54 PM
Gameplay design philosophy: try to read the player’s mind.
This is a simple guideline for how to design input priority. The statement is simple, but the execution can be extremely complicated depending on the game in question.
This is a simple guideline for how to design input priority. The statement is simple, but the execution can be extremely complicated depending on the game in question.
Reposted by Sean O’Dowd
Why does 'finding the fun' fail so often as a design strategy?
#gamedesign
New designers are told to prototype and 'find the fun'. But the naive version of this is a garbage tactic that mostly results in poorly thought out prototypes that are never going to converge on gameplay.
#gamedesign
New designers are told to prototype and 'find the fun'. But the naive version of this is a garbage tactic that mostly results in poorly thought out prototypes that are never going to converge on gameplay.
November 27, 2024 at 7:18 PM
Why does 'finding the fun' fail so often as a design strategy?
#gamedesign
New designers are told to prototype and 'find the fun'. But the naive version of this is a garbage tactic that mostly results in poorly thought out prototypes that are never going to converge on gameplay.
#gamedesign
New designers are told to prototype and 'find the fun'. But the naive version of this is a garbage tactic that mostly results in poorly thought out prototypes that are never going to converge on gameplay.
November 27, 2024 at 2:33 AM
Working on being able to backflip
November 27, 2024 at 12:43 AM
Working on being able to backflip
R&D within games, for me looks like lots of prototyping and playtesting. Keeping everything low stakes.
Completely reworking the design, discarding elements. Testing assumptions. Fast prototyping.
Completely reworking the design, discarding elements. Testing assumptions. Fast prototyping.
November 26, 2024 at 4:04 AM
R&D within games, for me looks like lots of prototyping and playtesting. Keeping everything low stakes.
Completely reworking the design, discarding elements. Testing assumptions. Fast prototyping.
Completely reworking the design, discarding elements. Testing assumptions. Fast prototyping.
I’ve been working on a social game concept for about 18 months now, and I’m keen to show you all.
I’d also like to throw it all away and do something else. The process is confusing. Really difficult too. Though, I’ve found this book to be a good anchor to return to.
#gamedev #art #boardgames
I’d also like to throw it all away and do something else. The process is confusing. Really difficult too. Though, I’ve found this book to be a good anchor to return to.
#gamedev #art #boardgames
The Creative Act: A Way of Being
Amazon.com: The Creative Act: A Way of Being: 9780593652886: Rubin, Rick: Books
www.amazon.com
November 22, 2024 at 9:33 PM
I’ve been working on a social game concept for about 18 months now, and I’m keen to show you all.
I’d also like to throw it all away and do something else. The process is confusing. Really difficult too. Though, I’ve found this book to be a good anchor to return to.
#gamedev #art #boardgames
I’d also like to throw it all away and do something else. The process is confusing. Really difficult too. Though, I’ve found this book to be a good anchor to return to.
#gamedev #art #boardgames
Reposted by Sean O’Dowd
Arrite - let's see if this blusky thing can post previews of Amiga synthwave bangers. Let's face it - that's half my use case!
November 19, 2024 at 9:00 AM
Arrite - let's see if this blusky thing can post previews of Amiga synthwave bangers. Let's face it - that's half my use case!
