Artur Ganszyniec
@agansz.bsky.social
Consulting Narrative Designer
Poland based game designer, writer, and educator
Co-author of https://howandwhywemake.games
Masterclasses, workshops, mentoring https://narrativedesign.online
Writing about narrative design https://the-narrative-designer.com
Poland based game designer, writer, and educator
Co-author of https://howandwhywemake.games
Masterclasses, workshops, mentoring https://narrativedesign.online
Writing about narrative design https://the-narrative-designer.com
In our The Witcher play through with a designer’s commentary we finally finish the beautifully messy Chapter 2
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEsn...
#witcher #thewitcher #gamedesign #narrativedesign
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEsn...
#witcher #thewitcher #gamedesign #narrativedesign
October 25, 2025 at 6:39 AM
In our The Witcher play through with a designer’s commentary we finally finish the beautifully messy Chapter 2
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEsn...
#witcher #thewitcher #gamedesign #narrativedesign
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEsn...
#witcher #thewitcher #gamedesign #narrativedesign
I stumbled upon a real treasure (well... my mom did, while cleaning, and she let me know about the finding) – a 2007 publication by CD Projekt advertising an upcoming game called The Witcher. #thewitcher
What a fascinating piece of video game history!
www.the-narrative-designer.com/the-witcher-...
What a fascinating piece of video game history!
www.the-narrative-designer.com/the-witcher-...
October 13, 2025 at 5:24 PM
I stumbled upon a real treasure (well... my mom did, while cleaning, and she let me know about the finding) – a 2007 publication by CD Projekt advertising an upcoming game called The Witcher. #thewitcher
What a fascinating piece of video game history!
www.the-narrative-designer.com/the-witcher-...
What a fascinating piece of video game history!
www.the-narrative-designer.com/the-witcher-...
Continuing our The Witcher play-through with a designer's commentary we dip our finger in the Temple Quarter of Vizima, meet two the-witcher-team lookalikes and help some working girls. Enjoy :)
youtu.be/AO-zY0dGY8U
#witcher #thewitcher #gamedesign #narrativedesign
youtu.be/AO-zY0dGY8U
#witcher #thewitcher #gamedesign #narrativedesign
September 12, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Continuing our The Witcher play-through with a designer's commentary we dip our finger in the Temple Quarter of Vizima, meet two the-witcher-team lookalikes and help some working girls. Enjoy :)
youtu.be/AO-zY0dGY8U
#witcher #thewitcher #gamedesign #narrativedesign
youtu.be/AO-zY0dGY8U
#witcher #thewitcher #gamedesign #narrativedesign
In the third episode of playing The Witcher 18 years after the release, we uncover dark secrets, continue romancing in suspicious circumstances and finish our adventure in the Outskirts of Vizima.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQiV...
#thewitcher #witcher #gamedesign #narrativedesign
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQiV...
#thewitcher #witcher #gamedesign #narrativedesign
September 5, 2025 at 5:52 PM
In the third episode of playing The Witcher 18 years after the release, we uncover dark secrets, continue romancing in suspicious circumstances and finish our adventure in the Outskirts of Vizima.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQiV...
#thewitcher #witcher #gamedesign #narrativedesign
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQiV...
#thewitcher #witcher #gamedesign #narrativedesign
Today, on the Witcher playthrough with a designer’s commentary, Chapter 1 (part one).
youtu.be/_9lANHosFk0
#thewitcher #witcher #gamedesign #narrativedesign
youtu.be/_9lANHosFk0
#thewitcher #witcher #gamedesign #narrativedesign
August 30, 2025 at 7:50 AM
Today, on the Witcher playthrough with a designer’s commentary, Chapter 1 (part one).
youtu.be/_9lANHosFk0
#thewitcher #witcher #gamedesign #narrativedesign
youtu.be/_9lANHosFk0
#thewitcher #witcher #gamedesign #narrativedesign
Eighteen years after the release, I play The Witcher, a game I worked on as the Lead Story Designer. Come and watch for designer’s commentary and anecdotes from behind the scenes.
The plan is to post new episodes once a week🤞
www.youtube.com/watch?v=epJH...
#thewitcher #narrativedesign
The plan is to post new episodes once a week🤞
www.youtube.com/watch?v=epJH...
#thewitcher #narrativedesign
August 24, 2025 at 6:37 AM
Eighteen years after the release, I play The Witcher, a game I worked on as the Lead Story Designer. Come and watch for designer’s commentary and anecdotes from behind the scenes.
The plan is to post new episodes once a week🤞
www.youtube.com/watch?v=epJH...
#thewitcher #narrativedesign
The plan is to post new episodes once a week🤞
www.youtube.com/watch?v=epJH...
#thewitcher #narrativedesign
Today’s post on The Narrative Designer was triggered by an old photograph, and digs into some ancient gamedev history.
I muse about what happened to the team who made the first Witcher game, and how game studios are like the Ship of Theseus.
www.the-narrative-designer.com/the-question...
I muse about what happened to the team who made the first Witcher game, and how game studios are like the Ship of Theseus.
www.the-narrative-designer.com/the-question...
August 12, 2025 at 5:50 AM
Today’s post on The Narrative Designer was triggered by an old photograph, and digs into some ancient gamedev history.
I muse about what happened to the team who made the first Witcher game, and how game studios are like the Ship of Theseus.
www.the-narrative-designer.com/the-question...
I muse about what happened to the team who made the first Witcher game, and how game studios are like the Ship of Theseus.
www.the-narrative-designer.com/the-question...
In the newest issue of The Narrative Designer, I write about curiosity-based stories. the-narrative-designer.com
#narrativedesign #gamedesign
#narrativedesign #gamedesign
April 21, 2025 at 10:07 AM
In the newest issue of The Narrative Designer, I write about curiosity-based stories. the-narrative-designer.com
#narrativedesign #gamedesign
#narrativedesign #gamedesign
My, narrative designerzy, jesteśmy zwykle samoukami. Przy braku formalnej edukacji i platformy do wymiany doświadczeń, wyważamy często drzwi, które inni już nie raz otwarli.
Zapraszam na warsztaty z narrative designu przygotowane przez zawodowca dla zawodowców.
Więcej na narrativedesign.online
Zapraszam na warsztaty z narrative designu przygotowane przez zawodowca dla zawodowców.
Więcej na narrativedesign.online
March 17, 2025 at 5:11 PM
My, narrative designerzy, jesteśmy zwykle samoukami. Przy braku formalnej edukacji i platformy do wymiany doświadczeń, wyważamy często drzwi, które inni już nie raz otwarli.
Zapraszam na warsztaty z narrative designu przygotowane przez zawodowca dla zawodowców.
Więcej na narrativedesign.online
Zapraszam na warsztaty z narrative designu przygotowane przez zawodowca dla zawodowców.
Więcej na narrativedesign.online
What keeps us on the edge of our seats is the tension between hope and fear. To feel it, we must understand what the protagonist wants to achieve and what’s at stake if they fail. This is especially true when, as players, we are responsible for carrying out the plan.
the-narrative-designer.com
the-narrative-designer.com
March 10, 2025 at 9:08 AM
What keeps us on the edge of our seats is the tension between hope and fear. To feel it, we must understand what the protagonist wants to achieve and what’s at stake if they fail. This is especially true when, as players, we are responsible for carrying out the plan.
the-narrative-designer.com
the-narrative-designer.com
So far, on the-narrative-designer.com we’ve discussed the big picture: goals, conflicts, protagonists, story structures, and nonlinearity.
This week we zoom in on the basic building block of any interactive experience, the triad of crisis, struggle, and resolution...
#narrativedesign #gamedesign
This week we zoom in on the basic building block of any interactive experience, the triad of crisis, struggle, and resolution...
#narrativedesign #gamedesign
February 25, 2025 at 5:32 PM
So far, on the-narrative-designer.com we’ve discussed the big picture: goals, conflicts, protagonists, story structures, and nonlinearity.
This week we zoom in on the basic building block of any interactive experience, the triad of crisis, struggle, and resolution...
#narrativedesign #gamedesign
This week we zoom in on the basic building block of any interactive experience, the triad of crisis, struggle, and resolution...
#narrativedesign #gamedesign
Zwolniło mi się parę miejsc na warsztaty z narrative designu, które prowadzę w ten i przyszły weekend.
Nie jestem pewien, kiedy będzie kolejna edycja, więc to świetna okazja, żeby rzutem na taśmę dołączyć się do kameralnej grupy i w miłym towarzystwie popracować nad designerskim fachem.
Nie jestem pewien, kiedy będzie kolejna edycja, więc to świetna okazja, żeby rzutem na taśmę dołączyć się do kameralnej grupy i w miłym towarzystwie popracować nad designerskim fachem.
February 24, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Zwolniło mi się parę miejsc na warsztaty z narrative designu, które prowadzę w ten i przyszły weekend.
Nie jestem pewien, kiedy będzie kolejna edycja, więc to świetna okazja, żeby rzutem na taśmę dołączyć się do kameralnej grupy i w miłym towarzystwie popracować nad designerskim fachem.
Nie jestem pewien, kiedy będzie kolejna edycja, więc to świetna okazja, żeby rzutem na taśmę dołączyć się do kameralnej grupy i w miłym towarzystwie popracować nad designerskim fachem.
Today on the-narrative-designer.com I share some thoughts on how we can structure nonlinear stories.
#narrativedesign #gamedesign
#narrativedesign #gamedesign
February 14, 2025 at 9:09 AM
Today on the-narrative-designer.com I share some thoughts on how we can structure nonlinear stories.
#narrativedesign #gamedesign
#narrativedesign #gamedesign
We are standing on the shoulders of giants. When it comes to shaping stories it’s giants all the way down to Aristotle, who—of course—was standing on top of his own pyramid.
More on story structures in the new article on the-narrative-designer.com
#narrativedesign #gamedesign #gamewriting
More on story structures in the new article on the-narrative-designer.com
#narrativedesign #gamedesign #gamewriting
February 1, 2025 at 9:34 AM
We are standing on the shoulders of giants. When it comes to shaping stories it’s giants all the way down to Aristotle, who—of course—was standing on top of his own pyramid.
More on story structures in the new article on the-narrative-designer.com
#narrativedesign #gamedesign #gamewriting
More on story structures in the new article on the-narrative-designer.com
#narrativedesign #gamedesign #gamewriting
A new article on the-narrative-designer.com just dropped. The lead is a bit clickbaity, I admit, but I hope that you find the contents respectable enough :)
January 17, 2025 at 9:52 AM
A new article on the-narrative-designer.com just dropped. The lead is a bit clickbaity, I admit, but I hope that you find the contents respectable enough :)
Starting the #narrativedesign Foundations series on the-narrative-designer.com with a seemingly oversimplified definition of a story. "The definition is as follows: a story is the protagonist overcoming obstacles to reach their goal."
I found it a useful starting point, and I am writing about why.
I found it a useful starting point, and I am writing about why.
January 3, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Starting the #narrativedesign Foundations series on the-narrative-designer.com with a seemingly oversimplified definition of a story. "The definition is as follows: a story is the protagonist overcoming obstacles to reach their goal."
I found it a useful starting point, and I am writing about why.
I found it a useful starting point, and I am writing about why.
As a New Year resolution, I decided to trick myself into writing more about narrative design. The trick took the form of an online publication focused on the art and craft of my chosen profession.
#gamedev #narrativedesign #gamedesign
#gamedev #narrativedesign #gamedesign
January 1, 2025 at 10:04 AM
As a New Year resolution, I decided to trick myself into writing more about narrative design. The trick took the form of an online publication focused on the art and craft of my chosen profession.
#gamedev #narrativedesign #gamedesign
#gamedev #narrativedesign #gamedesign
The new Witcher book just dropped in Poland, and I really enjoyed reading it. Not very long but very well written, and surprisingly… wholesome? #thewitcher #book #sapkowski
November 30, 2024 at 7:47 PM
The new Witcher book just dropped in Poland, and I really enjoyed reading it. Not very long but very well written, and surprisingly… wholesome? #thewitcher #book #sapkowski
You can get "How and Why We Make Games: Creative Confusion", the book we wrote with the one and only @yeristr.bsky.social at the publisher's site: www.routledge.com/How-and-Why-...
Or on Amazon: www.amazon.com/How-Why-We-M...
#gamedev #gamedesign #howandwhywemakegames #books
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Or on Amazon: www.amazon.com/How-Why-We-M...
#gamedev #gamedesign #howandwhywemakegames #books
🧵
November 29, 2024 at 10:21 AM
You can get "How and Why We Make Games: Creative Confusion", the book we wrote with the one and only @yeristr.bsky.social at the publisher's site: www.routledge.com/How-and-Why-...
Or on Amazon: www.amazon.com/How-Why-We-M...
#gamedev #gamedesign #howandwhywemakegames #books
🧵
Or on Amazon: www.amazon.com/How-Why-We-M...
#gamedev #gamedesign #howandwhywemakegames #books
🧵
When @yeristr.bsky.social finishes working on our book, the year is 2023, November.
The Israeli attack on Palestine is in full swing. The Russian-Ukrainian war is reaching its second year. The world is on track for 2.5°C of global warming by the end of the century.
#gamedev #gamedesign
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The Israeli attack on Palestine is in full swing. The Russian-Ukrainian war is reaching its second year. The world is on track for 2.5°C of global warming by the end of the century.
#gamedev #gamedesign
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November 28, 2024 at 8:46 AM
When @yeristr.bsky.social finishes working on our book, the year is 2023, November.
The Israeli attack on Palestine is in full swing. The Russian-Ukrainian war is reaching its second year. The world is on track for 2.5°C of global warming by the end of the century.
#gamedev #gamedesign
🧵1/5
The Israeli attack on Palestine is in full swing. The Russian-Ukrainian war is reaching its second year. The world is on track for 2.5°C of global warming by the end of the century.
#gamedev #gamedesign
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My exploration of the concept of Slow Games started a few years ago when I turned 40—a perfect moment to indulge in self-reflection.
#gamedev #gamedesign #howanndwhywemakegames #slowgames
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#gamedev #gamedesign #howanndwhywemakegames #slowgames
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November 27, 2024 at 9:35 AM
My exploration of the concept of Slow Games started a few years ago when I turned 40—a perfect moment to indulge in self-reflection.
#gamedev #gamedesign #howanndwhywemakegames #slowgames
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#gamedev #gamedesign #howanndwhywemakegames #slowgames
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Death Stranding, a game by Hideo Kojima, was made by around 80 people. American McGee’s Alice was made by around 90 people. Sid Meier’s SimGolf was done by around 106 people.
#gamedev #gamedesign #howandwhywemakegames
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#gamedev #gamedesign #howandwhywemakegames
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November 26, 2024 at 10:03 AM
Death Stranding, a game by Hideo Kojima, was made by around 80 people. American McGee’s Alice was made by around 90 people. Sid Meier’s SimGolf was done by around 106 people.
#gamedev #gamedesign #howandwhywemakegames
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#gamedev #gamedesign #howandwhywemakegames
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“Get this filthy political agenda out of my games,” “It was a great game until they introduced politics into it,” “Once you go woke, you go broke,” “I hate this type of baiting on political issues.”
Sounds familiar?
#gamedev #gamedesign #howandwhywemakegames #politcs
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Sounds familiar?
#gamedev #gamedesign #howandwhywemakegames #politcs
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November 25, 2024 at 8:34 AM
“Get this filthy political agenda out of my games,” “It was a great game until they introduced politics into it,” “Once you go woke, you go broke,” “I hate this type of baiting on political issues.”
Sounds familiar?
#gamedev #gamedesign #howandwhywemakegames #politcs
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Sounds familiar?
#gamedev #gamedesign #howandwhywemakegames #politcs
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As an art critic once wrote:
"(In a game) experience is created by the interaction between a player and a programme. The player cannot claim to impose a personal vision of life on the game, while the creator of the game has ceded that responsibility.
#gamedev #gamedesign #howandwhywemakegames
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"(In a game) experience is created by the interaction between a player and a programme. The player cannot claim to impose a personal vision of life on the game, while the creator of the game has ceded that responsibility.
#gamedev #gamedesign #howandwhywemakegames
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November 24, 2024 at 4:49 PM
As an art critic once wrote:
"(In a game) experience is created by the interaction between a player and a programme. The player cannot claim to impose a personal vision of life on the game, while the creator of the game has ceded that responsibility.
#gamedev #gamedesign #howandwhywemakegames
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"(In a game) experience is created by the interaction between a player and a programme. The player cannot claim to impose a personal vision of life on the game, while the creator of the game has ceded that responsibility.
#gamedev #gamedesign #howandwhywemakegames
🧵1/4
Games tell stories. Sometimes those are convoluted epics that require a whiteboard and a dedicated fanbase to understand them fully, and sometimes they are as simple as a miraculous victory by getting that straight tetromino in a tense game of Tetris.
#gamedev #gamedesign #howandwhywemakegames
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#gamedev #gamedesign #howandwhywemakegames
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November 23, 2024 at 5:01 PM
Games tell stories. Sometimes those are convoluted epics that require a whiteboard and a dedicated fanbase to understand them fully, and sometimes they are as simple as a miraculous victory by getting that straight tetromino in a tense game of Tetris.
#gamedev #gamedesign #howandwhywemakegames
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#gamedev #gamedesign #howandwhywemakegames
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