More Post by: Matthew Dogherby

Blockout Level Design: Why It’s the Most Critical Step in Building Gameplay…
Blockout Level Design: Why It’s the Most Critical Step in Building Gameplay…
Matthew Dogherby Aug 26, 2026

A blockout is the first playable version of a level, built with simple geometry like…

AI Game Prototyping: 3 Levels From Vague Prompts to Reliable Features
AI Game Prototyping: 3 Levels From Vague Prompts to Reliable Features
Matthew Dogherby Aug 20, 2026

AI game prototyping fails when developers ask for an entire game in one prompt. This…

Visual Language in Game Level Design: How AAA Environments Guide Players Without…
Visual Language in Game Level Design: How AAA Environments Guide Players Without…
Matthew Dogherby Aug 19, 2026

Visual language in level design is how environments communicate with players through landmarks, lighting, contrast,…

Design by Subtraction: What Fumito Ueda Teaches Game Designers About Restraint
Design by Subtraction: What Fumito Ueda Teaches Game Designers About Restraint
Matthew Dogherby Aug 13, 2026

Fumito Ueda built a cult career by removing things. Learn how the creator of Ico,…

What Are the 3 Layers of Game Design? A Studio’s Guide
What Are the 3 Layers of Game Design? A Studio’s Guide
Matthew Dogherby Aug 8, 2026

Every game is built on three layers: core design, system design, and content design. Most…

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How Crafting Systems in games are quietly reshaping How We Explore Game…
Matthew Dogherby Aug 7, 2026

Crafting systems quietly change how players move through game worlds. A plant becomes a future…

Verticality in Level Design: 12 Functions Every Designer Must Know
Verticality in Level Design: 12 Functions Every Designer Must Know
Matthew Dogherby Aug 6, 2026

Flat maps bore players. Verticality fixes that — but only when it does real gameplay…

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