Fred Z.
@fred-zed.bsky.social
Game designer, adventurer, occasional karaoke host, and American immigrant. I contain multitudes, but usually talk about writing and designing for games. See my longer form stuff at https://fredzed.substack.com/
Interactive media requires writers to give up some control to the player. But why would a writer want to do that in the first place? And what does it require from the players who take that extra agency?
The Trade-Offs of Interactive Media
What game writers give up, all in hopes of reaching a deeper connection
open.substack.com
January 13, 2026 at 2:39 PM
Interactive media requires writers to give up some control to the player. But why would a writer want to do that in the first place? And what does it require from the players who take that extra agency?
Game design, bones, and AI slop. Why it’s troubling when a studio head says they’re using AI “but it won’t be in the final game.”
(with thanks to @unburntwitch.com for inspiring me to write this, and to @jasonschreier.bsky.social for the original interview)
(with thanks to @unburntwitch.com for inspiring me to write this, and to @jasonschreier.bsky.social for the original interview)
Do the Work
The bones of a game, AI slop, and how an idea becomes reality
open.substack.com
December 17, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Game design, bones, and AI slop. Why it’s troubling when a studio head says they’re using AI “but it won’t be in the final game.”
(with thanks to @unburntwitch.com for inspiring me to write this, and to @jasonschreier.bsky.social for the original interview)
(with thanks to @unburntwitch.com for inspiring me to write this, and to @jasonschreier.bsky.social for the original interview)