My Perfect Console with Simon Parkin Jon Ingold, co-founder Inkle (80 Days, Expelled!, TR-49).
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Feb 3, 2026 Jon Ingold, British game designer and co-founder of Inkle known for narrative games and the Ink scripting language. He discusses TR-49’s archival deduction and live audio overlay. He talks about designing reactive archives, keeping narrative coherent amid player freedom, and the influences from parser fiction, theatre, and classic mystery storytelling.
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First Game: Compile, Crash, Learn
- At 16 Jon wrote his first text adventure without compiling it, then fixed thousands of errors after his first compile.
- That early hubris taught him persistence and how to learn by doing in game development.
Design Time As A Narrative Resource
- Time-limited or time-simulated worlds make player absence meaningful and inject pace into narrative games.
- Blade Runner's attempt to make time matter inspired Ingold's interest in designing for pacing rather than passive waiting.
Hire For Learning Spark Over Credentials
- Hire people who show quick learning and a visible spark, not just polished credentials.
- Give talented juniors time and space to grow because they often become exceptional contributors.
