Design

Star Ruler and Star Ruler 2

My first professional games are also my first foray into game design in a professional setting.

Star Ruler was an exploratory experience for me, as I discovered the practical challenges of game development and learned the reality of design compromises. I tried more things I can remember, and most of those designs were failures. Some of those designs lived on in the released product.

Despite the challenges, I felt I achieved the nebulous goal of presenting the feeling of enormity that space has always given me, while also capturing the sense of possibilities and wonder that vast landscape provides.

Star Ruler 2 was a far more practical title. Rather than aiming to capture others’ imaginations, I sought to produce a fun game. This shift in approach happened without me even realizing at the time, and completely floundered with many of the fans of the original game. Nonetheless, Star Ruler 2 did what it set out to — it was a more coherent game, with clearer mechanics and a wider appeal, and the game found an impressive fan base of its own.

The design process for Star Ruler 2 also exposed me to a completely new way of creating designs, through frequent and rigorous discussion. Little if anything went into the game without ample discussion among the team, and my original idea frequently failed to capture the others’ attention. I attribute this willingness to frankly discuss the design and plans for the game to its more general appeal.