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My Haunted House is a Hard Drive
Nostalgia is painful. I’m not talking about “Hey, remember Game You Beat in High School? Now you can beat it all over again with better graphics for just $80!” nostalgia. I’m talking about the pure, uncut, bittersweet longing for what’s gone kind of nostalgia. I had that feeling when I decided to venture deep into…
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The Metaphor Machine
I watch a lot of movies that are so bad, they’re good. It’s rare that I see a movie so bad, it makes me question what a movie even is. For me, that was The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. As a big Mario fan, I was thoroughly Nintendo-rtained by the Mario gags and references, but…
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I Have Infinite Aura Points
I’ve been thinking about my aura for a long time. Not aura in the new age sense. If I’m ever radiating color, please take me to the emergency room! No, I mean aura the way Gen Z coined the expression. Or rather, from what I know about Gen Z slang, the way Black people coined…
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My Dream Game
I don’t usually remember my dreams. And when I do, they’re stressful. A few weeks ago, I was exploring a dark and dangerous cave in my dreams. The cave floor was jagged, dirty, and oddly tenuous. It felt fragile in a way you don’t expect rock to be. Something was off with this cave. When…
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Stretch Goals
I’ve written a lot about how important setting expectations are for how you perceive the success of your project. I got many replies on my last newsletter on the subject, so I’m guessing it’s something you’re thinking about, too. I came up with an expectations tool I’m excited to try out. It’s more of a…
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It’s Time to Work the Muppets
🃏 ALL-CARDS is now on available via Indie Press Revolution. If you missed the Kickstarter, but wanted to check out my storytelling battle game compatible with every kind of trading card, this is your chance to pick up a copy! You can get a copy at two brick and mortar stores I’m aware of: Whammy!…
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A Seat at the Table
I wrote the story for a game that just released! Table Flip Simulator is a chaotic, physics-based puzzler where you destroy a wide variety of settings from your annoying office to the Oval Office… replica in Antarctica. The game has a pretty wild story, where the power of your anger makes you so big, you…
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ALL-CARDS Small Things
👋 Welcome to the many new subscribers who signed up for Equip Story via the ALL-CARDS Kickstarter! This is where I write about my creative process and thoughts about game development, like how I playtested a game with my family in the bathroom and how a Japanese elevator music singer convinced me to defend my…
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NDA Jam 3: Self-Construct Sequence
There was another game jam week at my studio, Doborog! These regular game jams are my favorite job perk. Our studio game jams are whatever we make of it. The five days are self-directed. We can build a game, work on a side quest for an existing Doborog project, or learn a new development skill,…
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I Cheated on Unity
There’s a way to get a leg up in the game dev job market. No matter your title – artist, narrative designer, QA – you will always impress your prospective studio if you know your way around a game engine. It’s like applying for a film gig and knowing your way around a set, even…
👋 Hey, I’m narrative designer Geoffrey Golden!
Equip Story is a weekly newsletter about how making games can be as fun as playing games.
For the Love of the Game
Equip Story is my newsletter of self-discovery through game development. I’m Geoffrey, a narrative designer, game maker, and interactive fiction writer from Los Angeles with over 15 years experience. I’ve had commercial success working for studios like Disney, Gearbox, and Ubisoft, but I’ve always treated commercial success as the most important goal for my art. Now I’m looking for something more. →
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