Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games | B: Game Essence 1 (Category Compilation) #01～#06 @sora_sakurai_en | Uploaded March 2024 | Updated October 2024, 2 hours ago.
In Category B: Game Essence, I define "game essence" as risk and reward, and explore how it impacts the push and pull at the heart of games.
[Index]
0:00 Opening
0:11 B-1 Risk and Reward
10:08 B-2 Squeeze and Release
12:46 B-3 Game Essence in Role-Playing Games
15:20 B-4 Fun Beyond Game Essence
22:06 B-5 The Fiend's Cauldron
26:55 B-6 Let Players Cheat the System
[Playlist B: Game Essence]
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgKCjZ2WsVLScUWJZ7ppkHGlCUIXEj5Io
In Category B: Game Essence, I define "game essence" as risk and reward, and explore how it impacts the push and pull at the heart of games.
[Index]
0:00 Opening
0:11 B-1 Risk and Reward
10:08 B-2 Squeeze and Release
12:46 B-3 Game Essence in Role-Playing Games
15:20 B-4 Fun Beyond Game Essence
22:06 B-5 The Fiend's Cauldron
26:55 B-6 Let Players Cheat the System
[Playlist B: Game Essence]
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgKCjZ2WsVLScUWJZ7ppkHGlCUIXEj5Io
![Faithfulness Comes First in Licensed Games [Game Essence]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EgUvH3YMVCM/hqdefault.jpg "Faithfulness Comes First in Licensed Games [Game Essence]
Sure, its best if a game is fun, but when it comes to licensed properties, you cant just make whatever you want. For games like these, theres something else that comes first.")
![Competing with the Past [Grab Bag]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EhcitspNMuI/hqdefault.jpg "Competing with the Past [Grab Bag]
With all the subscription services available nowadays, consumers have a tremendous amount of media available at their fingertips.
But it also means that creators have to compete not only with new releases, but with countless works from the past as well.")
![Game Essence in Action Games [Game Essence]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EzwCc2_8OzU/hqdefault.jpg "Game Essence in Action Games [Game Essence]
The game essence seen in action games comes in a variety of forms, everywhere you look. In this video, Ill be summarizing just the key elements so you can observe how they work in these games.")
![Presenting Scores [Planning & Design]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FeekeBW26AI/hqdefault.jpg "Presenting Scores [Planning & Design]
In the past, score systems were a must-have for games—but these days, simply playing for points isnt enough to captivate players.
However, changing the way scores are presented might just change the way theyre perceived, as well.")
![Better Than Not Being Able to Beat the Game [Game Essence]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/G3eacnEqdV0/hqdefault.jpg "Better Than Not Being Able to Beat the Game [Game Essence]
Games are at their most exciting when you can just barely overcome their difficulty. However, not all players have the skill to beat every game...
How should we go about balancing difficulty in such cases?")
![A World Without Footprints [Grab Bag]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/GJJT8Yoxu_U/hqdefault.jpg "A World Without Footprints [Grab Bag]
No spoilers, please! Dont show me anything!
This Grab Bag episode is all about how I like to approach games and other forms of media with a blank slate.")
![Knockback in Super Smash Bros. [Programming & Tech]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/HVktK4a9Yfo/hqdefault.jpg "Knockback in Super Smash Bros. [Programming & Tech]
Super Smash Bros. is all about knockback, so the knockback systems are very detailed. Its been like this since the first game.
In todays Programming & Tech video, Id like to take the opportunity to introduce some of those systems.")
![Animation Blending [Animation]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/HYHajZ0wBfU/hqdefault.jpg "Animation Blending [Animation]
Imagine a technique that lets you smoothly transition between two distinct animations. What does that even look like?
This method relies on technology to pick up the slack where manual animation alone wont cut it.")
![Guidelines [Grab Bag]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/HgvheCHsExA/hqdefault.jpg "Guidelines [Grab Bag]
All sorts of rules govern the products we see. Before a product can see the light of day, it has to meet those standards!
Game ratings like ESRB are but one example of these types of guidelines.")
![How Good Were the Player’s Actions? [Game Essence]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/IGpEp0R1_xY/hqdefault.jpg "How Good Were the Player’s Actions? [Game Essence]
When planning things like game balance, it can be effective to consider exactly how good the players actions really were. Just be careful not to make things too predictable!")
![Just Do It Already! [Work Ethic]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/IN-Uh2VfL8c/hqdefault.jpg "Just Do It Already! [Work Ethic]
My advice today doesnt apply only to game creators—everyone can benefit from taking it to heart.
If you want to get your creative engine going, youll first need to give it a shove. Dont wait—get moving already!")
