The 2012 Game of the Week Podcast 3: THE SNOWFIELD featuring GAMBIT US Lead Game Designer, Matthew Weise and GAMBIT US Art Director, Jason Beene.  

The Snowfield represents an attempt to make a simulation-based narrative game according to a special method for developing such games, a method designed to avoid the need for complex A.I. or massive content generation. The idea was not to relying on codified narrative theories or formulas - like three-act structures, etc. - but rather assume "what makes a good story" cannot be systematized and instead must be arrived at organically via extensive user testing.

The method involved designing and creating many different "building blocks" - characters, behaviors, and/or objects - that stories could be made out of. Through observation of how players played with them in early builds, increasingly fine-tuned decisions were made that would push towards a final product. In other words, The Snowfield is an experiment in seeing how inverting the traditional relationship between Design and QA can streamline a development process for creating highly improvisational, simulation-based narrative worlds on a tight schedule.

Play THE SNOWFIELD online for FREE!

What is the Game of the Week? This is the Game of the Week.

Beginning February 20th, 2012...On the Monday of each week, a new video exploring the origins and processes of developing each project will be posted. GAMBIT Audio Director Abe Stein will post a blog during that week, featuring concept art, design documents, and analysis of the highlighted game will be offered for your viewing pleasure!

A GOTW 2012 Video: Closed World Produced by Generoso Fierro, Edited by James Barrile, Intro Music by Abe Stein, Background music by Mark Hadley.