shahaan
@shahaan.me
🎮 game designer @ electronic arts
⚙️ building game systems [and overthinking why they work]
🤔 offering shower thoughts and photos of squirrels, both unsolicited
🍁 toronto, canada
⚙️ building game systems [and overthinking why they work]
🤔 offering shower thoughts and photos of squirrels, both unsolicited
🍁 toronto, canada
for me the tension created by pvp in #ArcRaiders is its best quality and a result of "the fear of the unknown"
encouraging pvp makes it expected / removing pvp kills the suspense
some villain players are essential to the #gamedesign bc if everyone is guaranteed to be friendly, the tension vanishes
encouraging pvp makes it expected / removing pvp kills the suspense
some villain players are essential to the #gamedesign bc if everyone is guaranteed to be friendly, the tension vanishes
Arc Raiders boss Patrick Söderlund has made his position clear when it comes to the debate about players who focus on the PvP, and said he doesn’t want to “foster” that type of gameplay. https://bit.ly/49JoKqf
January 8, 2026 at 2:54 AM
for me the tension created by pvp in #ArcRaiders is its best quality and a result of "the fear of the unknown"
encouraging pvp makes it expected / removing pvp kills the suspense
some villain players are essential to the #gamedesign bc if everyone is guaranteed to be friendly, the tension vanishes
encouraging pvp makes it expected / removing pvp kills the suspense
some villain players are essential to the #gamedesign bc if everyone is guaranteed to be friendly, the tension vanishes
Reposted by shahaan
the point of a movie is not to be done watching it. the point of a song is not to be done listening to it. the gamers' obsession with completion as the only motivator to play a game has directly led to the medium's worst traits. "AI gaming ghost" is a reflection of the lack of willingness to engage
Sony has patented an AI gaming ghost that will play PlayStation games for you when you get stuck www.eurogamer.net/sony-has-pat...
January 6, 2026 at 2:58 PM
the point of a movie is not to be done watching it. the point of a song is not to be done listening to it. the gamers' obsession with completion as the only motivator to play a game has directly led to the medium's worst traits. "AI gaming ghost" is a reflection of the lack of willingness to engage
Reposted by shahaan
Game development tip!
If you’re unsure which direction to take your project, try making Halo 3. That game was very good.
If you’re unsure which direction to take your project, try making Halo 3. That game was very good.
January 6, 2026 at 7:52 PM
Game development tip!
If you’re unsure which direction to take your project, try making Halo 3. That game was very good.
If you’re unsure which direction to take your project, try making Halo 3. That game was very good.
it's so cute how his eyes follow the beetroot 🥹
side note: the beetroot shaking when it's being yoinked is a great example of game feel > realism
realistically the arm should shake, but moving that to the object visualizes the struggle and gives the player a clear cue that they're pulling #gamedev
side note: the beetroot shaking when it's being yoinked is a great example of game feel > realism
realistically the arm should shake, but moving that to the object visualizes the struggle and gives the player a clear cue that they're pulling #gamedev
January 6, 2026 at 6:07 PM
it's so cute how his eyes follow the beetroot 🥹
side note: the beetroot shaking when it's being yoinked is a great example of game feel > realism
realistically the arm should shake, but moving that to the object visualizes the struggle and gives the player a clear cue that they're pulling #gamedev
side note: the beetroot shaking when it's being yoinked is a great example of game feel > realism
realistically the arm should shake, but moving that to the object visualizes the struggle and gives the player a clear cue that they're pulling #gamedev
#HotTake: modern games die quickly because the #gamedesign caters to extrinsically motivated players who sprint to a finish line
the titans of the past (CS, Dota, LoL) catered to intrinsic mastery and that's why they are immortal
you can finish a battle pass, but you can't "finish" getting better
the titans of the past (CS, Dota, LoL) catered to intrinsic mastery and that's why they are immortal
you can finish a battle pass, but you can't "finish" getting better
January 5, 2026 at 8:44 PM
#HotTake: modern games die quickly because the #gamedesign caters to extrinsically motivated players who sprint to a finish line
the titans of the past (CS, Dota, LoL) catered to intrinsic mastery and that's why they are immortal
you can finish a battle pass, but you can't "finish" getting better
the titans of the past (CS, Dota, LoL) catered to intrinsic mastery and that's why they are immortal
you can finish a battle pass, but you can't "finish" getting better
it's worth mentioning that both of these categories are really just forms of literacy
reading an analog clock is intuitive for an adult, but a gen-alpha kid would likely struggle
when assessing whether a mechanic is intuitive, ask "does our audience have the required literacy for this convention?"
reading an analog clock is intuitive for an adult, but a gen-alpha kid would likely struggle
when assessing whether a mechanic is intuitive, ask "does our audience have the required literacy for this convention?"
I think usage of "intuitive" in game design discussions would be a lot more productive if people separated it into 2 categories - intuitive in accordance to real world experiences and intuitive from past exposure to similar games & existing conventions
January 4, 2026 at 7:15 PM
it's worth mentioning that both of these categories are really just forms of literacy
reading an analog clock is intuitive for an adult, but a gen-alpha kid would likely struggle
when assessing whether a mechanic is intuitive, ask "does our audience have the required literacy for this convention?"
reading an analog clock is intuitive for an adult, but a gen-alpha kid would likely struggle
when assessing whether a mechanic is intuitive, ask "does our audience have the required literacy for this convention?"
the best lesson on grief I've learned came from playing #ArcRaiders:
"it's not your loot, it's just your turn with it"
nothing in life is yours to keep, everything is temporary
the victory isn't keeping your loot, it's having the courage to press "play again" after losing everything
10/10 game
"it's not your loot, it's just your turn with it"
nothing in life is yours to keep, everything is temporary
the victory isn't keeping your loot, it's having the courage to press "play again" after losing everything
10/10 game
January 4, 2026 at 11:57 AM
the best lesson on grief I've learned came from playing #ArcRaiders:
"it's not your loot, it's just your turn with it"
nothing in life is yours to keep, everything is temporary
the victory isn't keeping your loot, it's having the courage to press "play again" after losing everything
10/10 game
"it's not your loot, it's just your turn with it"
nothing in life is yours to keep, everything is temporary
the victory isn't keeping your loot, it's having the courage to press "play again" after losing everything
10/10 game
Reposted by shahaan
Just making sure that 2025 is definitely over
January 1, 2026 at 4:43 AM
Just making sure that 2025 is definitely over
getting older is realizing that last year's miseries will carry over into the next year and next year's miseries will carry over into the year after that and the miseries of that year will carry over into the year after that and the miseries of that year will carry over into the year after that and-
December 31, 2025 at 11:40 PM
getting older is realizing that last year's miseries will carry over into the next year and next year's miseries will carry over into the year after that and the miseries of that year will carry over into the year after that and the miseries of that year will carry over into the year after that and-
all my aura goes out the window as soon as I encounter a door
December 30, 2025 at 9:45 PM
all my aura goes out the window as soon as I encounter a door
why is this my everyday outlook login experience
July 2, 2025 at 5:37 AM
why is this my everyday outlook login experience
Reposted by shahaan
I have two New Years' resolutions:
1. Set realistic goals
2. Solve every single one of my problems
Excited to see where the year takes me
1. Set realistic goals
2. Solve every single one of my problems
Excited to see where the year takes me
December 31, 2024 at 10:06 AM
I have two New Years' resolutions:
1. Set realistic goals
2. Solve every single one of my problems
Excited to see where the year takes me
1. Set realistic goals
2. Solve every single one of my problems
Excited to see where the year takes me
Reposted by shahaan
Putting a project to bed after a lot of work, never to be made, is a strange kind of grief. Only your team will get it. For me, if I'd reached the point where it felt real, where my fingers were electrified and ready to type? It's so hard to move on to the Next Thing and forget it ever existed. 😞
December 27, 2024 at 10:32 PM
Putting a project to bed after a lot of work, never to be made, is a strange kind of grief. Only your team will get it. For me, if I'd reached the point where it felt real, where my fingers were electrified and ready to type? It's so hard to move on to the Next Thing and forget it ever existed. 😞
Reposted by shahaan
I don't know that I've ever heard a better idea than bagels.
December 22, 2024 at 4:36 PM
I don't know that I've ever heard a better idea than bagels.
Reposted by shahaan
Skyrim was right: soup DOES heal you for 10 points of health and 10 points of stamina.
December 21, 2024 at 11:26 PM
Skyrim was right: soup DOES heal you for 10 points of health and 10 points of stamina.
Reposted by shahaan
Had to delete my last post bc I used the word “great” twice in the same sentence; will try again later
December 13, 2024 at 4:55 AM
Had to delete my last post bc I used the word “great” twice in the same sentence; will try again later
Reposted by shahaan
I had to snip out my favourite moment from #TheGameAwards. @laratlarian.bsky.social's words echo the heart of every developer. The industry needs to listen.
We just want to make cool stuff for people.
#indiedev #gamedev
We just want to make cool stuff for people.
#indiedev #gamedev
December 13, 2024 at 5:04 AM
I had to snip out my favourite moment from #TheGameAwards. @laratlarian.bsky.social's words echo the heart of every developer. The industry needs to listen.
We just want to make cool stuff for people.
#indiedev #gamedev
We just want to make cool stuff for people.
#indiedev #gamedev
Reposted by shahaan
did you know that when he was alive, confucius never once said 謝謝 xiexie? this is because he did not speak mandarin
December 12, 2024 at 2:39 AM
did you know that when he was alive, confucius never once said 謝謝 xiexie? this is because he did not speak mandarin
Reposted by shahaan
Many people do not understand game design. Let me explain: game design is when attacking with your primary attack builds stacks of zorp, and your secondary consumes zorp stacks to add additional slow and lifesteal when you plurk
December 10, 2024 at 2:43 AM
Many people do not understand game design. Let me explain: game design is when attacking with your primary attack builds stacks of zorp, and your secondary consumes zorp stacks to add additional slow and lifesteal when you plurk
Reposted by shahaan
Another video game is in development.
October 19, 2024 at 7:56 PM
Another video game is in development.
if we evolved eyelashes to keep things out of our eyes, why do i wake up everyday with an eyelash in my eye
December 8, 2024 at 11:03 PM
if we evolved eyelashes to keep things out of our eyes, why do i wake up everyday with an eyelash in my eye
Reposted by shahaan
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December 7, 2024 at 9:38 PM
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Reposted by shahaan
that one orc: looks like meat's back on the menu boys!
crowd of orcs: *cheers*
vegan orc who is always asking if there are vegan options: are there vegan options
crowd of orcs: *cheers*
vegan orc who is always asking if there are vegan options: are there vegan options
December 3, 2024 at 5:36 PM
that one orc: looks like meat's back on the menu boys!
crowd of orcs: *cheers*
vegan orc who is always asking if there are vegan options: are there vegan options
crowd of orcs: *cheers*
vegan orc who is always asking if there are vegan options: are there vegan options