The Rise of the Systemic Game | Game Maker's Toolkit

From Breath of the Wild to Watch Dogs 2, we’re seeing a boom in so-called “systemic games”. What does that mean, how do they work, and what makes them tick?

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Sources

Aleissia Laidacker - Systems Are Everywhere | GCAP 2016


Raphael Colantonio, Harvey Smith - Empowering the Player in a Story-Rich World | GDC 2013


Why Dwarf Fortress started killing cats - Here's A Thing | Eurogamer


The uncertain future of games like Deus Ex and Dishonored | PC Gamer


Find Out More

Nels Anderson - How Systems Will Save Us All! | Full Indie 2014


Harvey Smith, Randy Smith - Would the Real Emergent Gameplay Please Stand Up? | GDC 2004


Nintendo - Breaking Conventions with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | GDC 2017


[ZIP] Clint Hocking - Designing to Promote Intentional Play | GDC 2006


What Works and Why Emergence | Rock Paper Shotgun


Nick Popovich - A Thousand Tiny Tales: Emergent Storytelling in Slime Rancher | GDC 2017


Mike Sellers - A Systemic Approach to Systemic Design | Sweden Game Arena 2015


Games shown in this episode (in order of appearance)

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo, 2017)
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (Kojima Productions, 2015)
Kingdom Come: Deliverance (Warhorse Studios, 2018)
Mark of the Ninja (Klei Entertainment, 2012)
Watch Dogs 2 (Ubisoft Montreal, 2016)
Far Cry 4 (Ubisoft Montreal, 2014)
Monster Hunter: World (Capcom, 2018)
Spelunky (Derek Yu, 2012)
SteamWorld Dig 2 (Image and Form, 2017)
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (Naughty Dog, 2011)
Red Dead Redemption (Rockstar San Diego, 2010)
Assassin's Creed: Origins (Ubisoft Montreal, 2017)
Grand Theft Auto V (Rockstar North, 2013)
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (Monolith Productions, 2014)
Call of Duty: WWII (Sledgehammer Games, 2017)
Prey (Arkane Studios, 2017)
Hitman (iO Interactive, 2016)
Dishonored 2 (Arkane Studios, 2016)
Deus Ex (Ion Storm, 2000)
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Nintendo, 2011)
Rain World (Videocult, 2017)
Dishonored: Death of the Outsider (Arkane Studios, 2017)
Far Cry 2 (Ubisoft Montreal, 2008)
Mafia III (Hangar 13, 2016)
SimCity (Maxis, 1989)
The Sims (Maxis, 2000)
RimWorld (Ludeon Studios, 2013)
Dwarf Fortress (Tam and Zach Adams, 2006)
Thief: The Dark Project (Looking Glass Studios, 1998)
System Shock 2 (Looking Glass Studios, 1999)
Gunpoint (Suspicious Developments, 2013)

Music used in this episode

Please, Don't Touch Anything OST, blinch


k. Part 2 - 01 untitled 1, animeistrash

Other credits

The Sims 1: Gameplay #1 (No Commentary) | sibaem


METAL GEAR SOLID V: THE PHANTOM PAIN Decoys Confuse Guard | rcua1884


Zelda: BOTW (Fire In The Hole) | Nassi