Nick Bentley Makes Games
@nickbentley.bsky.social
Posts about game design.
Director of Game Design at Dolphin Hat Games (Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza), former President of Underdog Games Studio (The Trekking Trilogy), former Director of Online Marketing at North Star Games, former Neuroscientist.
Director of Game Design at Dolphin Hat Games (Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza), former President of Underdog Games Studio (The Trekking Trilogy), former Director of Online Marketing at North Star Games, former Neuroscientist.
definitely related
November 12, 2025 at 3:02 PM
definitely related
I enjoyed Children of Time enough that I'm reading another book by the same author, Alien Clay. I think I might like it even more.
November 12, 2025 at 2:11 PM
I enjoyed Children of Time enough that I'm reading another book by the same author, Alien Clay. I think I might like it even more.
Thanks. Trying to be useful.
November 11, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Thanks. Trying to be useful.
I've gotten the sense many designers don't have a good bead on how ignorant we all truly are about our creations.
The illusions of our own expertise blind us.
(I found the above quote in the BGG designer diary below)
🎲✂️(4/4)
The illusions of our own expertise blind us.
(I found the above quote in the BGG designer diary below)
🎲✂️(4/4)
Designer Diary: Pacts | BoardGameGeek News
boardgamegeek.com
November 11, 2025 at 3:24 PM
I've gotten the sense many designers don't have a good bead on how ignorant we all truly are about our creations.
The illusions of our own expertise blind us.
(I found the above quote in the BGG designer diary below)
🎲✂️(4/4)
The illusions of our own expertise blind us.
(I found the above quote in the BGG designer diary below)
🎲✂️(4/4)
I’d also add:
One thing designers know least about what it’s like to play their game for the first time - the play that most shapes its commercial success - among other knowledge gaps.
🎲✂️(3/4)
One thing designers know least about what it’s like to play their game for the first time - the play that most shapes its commercial success - among other knowledge gaps.
🎲✂️(3/4)
November 11, 2025 at 3:24 PM
I’d also add:
One thing designers know least about what it’s like to play their game for the first time - the play that most shapes its commercial success - among other knowledge gaps.
🎲✂️(3/4)
One thing designers know least about what it’s like to play their game for the first time - the play that most shapes its commercial success - among other knowledge gaps.
🎲✂️(3/4)
"On one hand, you are intimately familiar with every detail. You have opinions about how a single card on turn one will affect the rest of the game.
On the other, you are way too close to its creation to have any real idea how much fun it is or how much potential it has."
🎲✂️(2/4)
On the other, you are way too close to its creation to have any real idea how much fun it is or how much potential it has."
🎲✂️(2/4)
November 11, 2025 at 3:24 PM
"On one hand, you are intimately familiar with every detail. You have opinions about how a single card on turn one will affect the rest of the game.
On the other, you are way too close to its creation to have any real idea how much fun it is or how much potential it has."
🎲✂️(2/4)
On the other, you are way too close to its creation to have any real idea how much fun it is or how much potential it has."
🎲✂️(2/4)
Great commercial art requires deep study of others' minds.
As a former neurobiologist, I find profound fascination and beauty in this.
A few designers’ tastes naturally match the zeitgeist, and for them there’s no dichotomy between auteur and commercial art, but that’s rare - and not me.
🎲✂️(2/2)
As a former neurobiologist, I find profound fascination and beauty in this.
A few designers’ tastes naturally match the zeitgeist, and for them there’s no dichotomy between auteur and commercial art, but that’s rare - and not me.
🎲✂️(2/2)
November 9, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Great commercial art requires deep study of others' minds.
As a former neurobiologist, I find profound fascination and beauty in this.
A few designers’ tastes naturally match the zeitgeist, and for them there’s no dichotomy between auteur and commercial art, but that’s rare - and not me.
🎲✂️(2/2)
As a former neurobiologist, I find profound fascination and beauty in this.
A few designers’ tastes naturally match the zeitgeist, and for them there’s no dichotomy between auteur and commercial art, but that’s rare - and not me.
🎲✂️(2/2)
always cool to see your visuals
November 6, 2025 at 3:21 PM
always cool to see your visuals
maybe even moreso for graphic design than rulebooks
November 6, 2025 at 1:22 AM
maybe even moreso for graphic design than rulebooks
Totally agree. The same designers who write the rulebooks as they design and let the handshake between the two guide decisions.
November 5, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Totally agree. The same designers who write the rulebooks as they design and let the handshake between the two guide decisions.
Yeah it's really hard.
November 5, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Yeah it's really hard.
This is a great answer. The market cap thing is important.
"Design where the money is" - this can be hard for designers, who usually get into it for the art of it.
I'd add: to make a hit, you have to design a great game AND a great product. They're different things. Get good at both.
"Design where the money is" - this can be hard for designers, who usually get into it for the art of it.
I'd add: to make a hit, you have to design a great game AND a great product. They're different things. Get good at both.
November 3, 2025 at 3:03 PM
This is a great answer. The market cap thing is important.
"Design where the money is" - this can be hard for designers, who usually get into it for the art of it.
I'd add: to make a hit, you have to design a great game AND a great product. They're different things. Get good at both.
"Design where the money is" - this can be hard for designers, who usually get into it for the art of it.
I'd add: to make a hit, you have to design a great game AND a great product. They're different things. Get good at both.
I work for a publisher (director of design at Dolphin Hat Games).
November 3, 2025 at 2:17 PM
I work for a publisher (director of design at Dolphin Hat Games).
cool I'll play with it thanks.
November 3, 2025 at 2:06 PM
cool I'll play with it thanks.
never heard of it. will check it out. thx.
November 3, 2025 at 3:27 AM
never heard of it. will check it out. thx.
let me know how it goes!
November 3, 2025 at 3:26 AM
let me know how it goes!
oh cool! is it public?
November 3, 2025 at 3:26 AM
oh cool! is it public?
once you get your first taste of data merge, you'll never, ever go back
November 2, 2025 at 3:45 PM
once you get your first taste of data merge, you'll never, ever go back
I'm constantly amazed how much more I like Figma than Illustrator for making prototypes.
Most things in Figma take me less than half the time they used to in Illustrator
(thanks to @marcelineleiman.bsky.social for showing me the light)
Youtube tutorial on Figma Data Merge below.
🎲✂️(2/2)
Most things in Figma take me less than half the time they used to in Illustrator
(thanks to @marcelineleiman.bsky.social for showing me the light)
Youtube tutorial on Figma Data Merge below.
🎲✂️(2/2)
Syncing Google Sheet Data to Figma
YouTube video by FigmaTalk
youtu.be
November 2, 2025 at 3:36 PM
I'm constantly amazed how much more I like Figma than Illustrator for making prototypes.
Most things in Figma take me less than half the time they used to in Illustrator
(thanks to @marcelineleiman.bsky.social for showing me the light)
Youtube tutorial on Figma Data Merge below.
🎲✂️(2/2)
Most things in Figma take me less than half the time they used to in Illustrator
(thanks to @marcelineleiman.bsky.social for showing me the light)
Youtube tutorial on Figma Data Merge below.
🎲✂️(2/2)