PC Gamer

FAR LEFT:Charlotte

Gore designed

Yorkshire Gubbins’

Verb School tutorial

to also act as a demo,

and encourage

people to play more

of the full game.

LEFT:Knights and

Bikesprogrammer

Moo Yu states that

each of the two show

builds required a

monthoffull-time

production to create.

LAST IN SHOWSome genres are difficult to show off in a quick show floor demo

MANAGEMENT GAMES

Teaching players how to navigate the

multifaceted, interlocking systems of a

management game, with the unique UI

and varying controls that accompany

them, is tough enough without the

distractions of a typical show floor.

MUSIC GAMES

DavidSuofvideogamemusicalYi and

theThousandMoonsstated that it was

difficulttoattractpotentialplayers

whenitsrelaxingnarrativewasbeing

drownedoutbythenoiseofabusy

convention show floor.

ANYTHING THAT REQUIRES AN

EXPLANATION OR TIME

From stealth Metroidvanias to the globe

interface of inkle’s80 Days, whenever a

game requires an explanation or time

investment to explore its true nature,

it’sdifficulttokeepplayersinterested.

ADVENTURE GAMES

Adventuregamedevelopersacrossthe

industry reported that the slow-paced

narratives of these titles and the

concentration needed to solve puzzles

madethegamesdifficulttoshowcase

–especiallyformorethanoneplayer.

DISCLAIMER

As a professional developer, I am on friendly and/or working terms with parties mentioned in this piece.

The developers of
Shoppe Keep and
Shoppe Keep 2
report updating their
show build over 50
times during a single
event – in the case of
the first game,
without the
preserving benefit of
source control.

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