Though it made its debut with Undertow in 2007, it wasn’t until 2009 that Chair Entertainment broke big with its 2.5D action platformer Shadow Complex.
At GDC 2010, Chair cofounders Donald and Jeremy Mustard spoke openly about the pitfalls they encountered and the solutions they implemented while designing Shadow Complex. They ran down some some key insights learned that they felt were unique to downloadable console titles, still a relatively novel phenomenon in 2010.
Beyond that, the pair also explored some interesting ideas about how game devs can embrace the perceived ‘limitations’ of downloadable games and use them to streamline game design, prototype effectively, and boil a game’s scope down to its core essence of ‘fun.’
It was an insightful session that now helps shed some light on what it was like to be making downloadable games in the late 2000s. Now, you can watch this classic talk for free over on the official GDC YouTube channel!
About the GDC Vault
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