Designer Notes Designer Notes 71: Matthew Davis
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Nov 29, 2022 In a captivating conversation, Matthew Davis, co-founder of Subset Games and the mind behind indie hits like FTL and Into the Breach, dives deep into his gaming journey. He reminisces about the nostalgic influence of classic RPGs, the balance between theme and design, and how board games shaped his approach. Matthew shares insights on the iterative design process, stressing the importance of cutting features to enhance gameplay. They also explore the challenges of game development, player engagement, and the debate around adding unlimited undo in Into the Breach.
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RPGs Sparked A Love For Theme
- Matthew's early gaming love came from Super Nintendo classics like Secret of Mana and shipboard PC games like Baldur's Gate.
- Those early RPG experiences shaped his interest in theme-rich, choice-driven game design.
Board Games Discovered In Shanghai
- While working in Shanghai, Matthew discovered Euro-style board games via coworkers and a nearby board game café.
- That board-game exposure deeply changed his design interests and influenced later games.
Question Inherited Mechanics
- Historical inheritance shapes game norms: many mechanics persist because they're inherited, not necessarily optimal.
- Designers should question inherited choices rather than accept them because "that's how it's always been done."