Designer Notes Designer Notes 23: Sid Meier - Part 1
Oct 25, 2016
Soren Johnson interviews legendary game designer Sid Meier. They discuss using the Ayatollah Khomeini as an enemy, how Strike Eagle differentiated itself from Flight Simulator, and why the torpedo doesn’t go where the player aims it in Silent Spring.
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Emotional Tension Turns Graphics Into Fantasy
- Space Invaders shifted games from abstract tests to emotionally immersive experiences by ratcheting tension and evocative sounds.
- That emotional engagement revealed the potential for games to create narrative fantasy beyond simple visuals.
Add Clear Goals To Simulator Foundations
- To make simulators fun, add concrete objectives and constraints rather than leaving players aimless.
- Examples: Solo Flight added mail delivery economy and time pressure; F-15 missions added enemies, radar, flares and mission goals.
Silent Service Used Zoomed Maps And Aim-Corrected Torpedoes
- Silent Service used a fractal-like zoom to represent the vast Pacific, letting players zoom from strategic map to tactical engagement.
- Sid implemented aim-corrected torpedoes so players aimed visually while the game computed lead for hits.