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Labor organizers share insight and tips on unionizing the game industry http://gamasutra.com/view/news/339204/Labor_organizers_share_insight_and_tips_on_unionizing_the_game_industry.php …pic.twitter.com/sn2GjRIh0v

Crash meetings, keep a lore bible, and other narrative design tips learned at King http://gamasutra.com/view/news/339205/Crash_meetings_keep_a_lore_bible_and_other_narrative_design_tips_learned_at_King.php …pic.twitter.com/LMbdjH0tZW

Crash meetings, keep a lore bible, and other narrative design tips learned at King http://gamasutra.com/view/news/339205/Crash_meetings_keep_a_lore_bible_and_other_narrative_design_tips_learned_at_King.php …pic.twitter.com/IVIF4OB1JR

Crash meetings, keep a lore bible, and other narrative design tips learned at King http://gamasutra.com/view/news/339205/Crash_meetings_keep_a_lore_bible_and_other_narrative_design_tips_learned_at_King.php …pic.twitter.com/Lgg1IfRNqV

Bernard’s last thoughts: make sure you know what your game’s challenge is, and polish toward that. And when making nostalgia-fueled games, make games as you remember them, not as how they actually work. #GDC19pic.twitter.com/BAOg6Gf2FO

On Early Access, the community was a big deal. Motion Twin highlighted what changes came from player suggestions, and tried to make a show out of the dev process. #GDC19pic.twitter.com/eBluDlROpw

The unforeseen consequences: combat could actually be harder because players weren’t dying to stupid deaths, and reviewers gushed over the controls before talking about gameplay. #GDC19pic.twitter.com/jWC3d9nyJG

Combat in Dead Cells is also guided by supporting player intention. The game guides melee hits toward enemies even if the player is facing the wrong way, and light auto-aim makes sure players are getting shots in. #GDC19pic.twitter.com/7URuH5jCGm

This video shows Dead Cells without the control helpers. Everyone in the room seemed to cringe. #GDC19pic.twitter.com/zxOsmZ70Fk

Even simple jumps in Dead Cells rely on these control tricks to help players not slip into stupid deaths. Jumps in Dead Cells support the player’s intention, and double jumps are there from the...jump. #GDC19pic.twitter.com/vrApCCQyz0

Dead Cells’ controls are designed to make the platforming less challenging, because it’s not the challenge in this game. Bernard says it’s important for players to know why they died, and stupid platforms deaths don’t feel as fun. #GDC19pic.twitter.com/kClZkS8aSf

Also the short death loop is important! A few seconds, and players are back in the adventure again. #GDC19pic.twitter.com/6uxsHk6vDJ

With no backtracking, giving players incentives to return to the start, like abilities that unlock new zones, are important. #GDC19pic.twitter.com/wJUlY3H8Vr

Permadeath isn’t anything new in games, so how did Dead Cells modernize it? Bernard explains that using death as progression and as a way to limit how much content needed to be made were what helped the game succeed. #GDC19pic.twitter.com/m86gDrhCO5

A big party of Dead Cells’ design revolves around permadeath, so the next few slides will break that down. #GDC19pic.twitter.com/92iAkHLmq4

Dead Cells has sold over 1 Million copies, about 60% of them on PC. #GDC19pic.twitter.com/h8DzxXyo5b

Some context for how Motion Twin makes decisions. Bernard stops to call out how equal pay helps newcomers feel empowered quickly. #GDC19pic.twitter.com/x095zYbRgo