iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

What can Wingspan teach us about game design, AI, and protecting creative work? Listen to the interview here: justingarydesign.substack.com/p/elizabeth-...

justingarydesign.substack.com

Elizabeth Hargrave — Distilling Wingspan Pocket, AI Ethics in Tabletop, and Building Equity for Designers (#112)

Think Like A Game Designer Podcast

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

A useful question for every cooperative game: what changes because this specific player is at the table? If one dominant player can make every optimal decision, the game risks turning cooperation into spectatorship.

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Changing your environment doesn’t have to mean burning bridges. A quieter strategy is to fill your calendar with communities, activities, and people aligned with where you want to go. Your time naturally shifts toward the new environment. #PersonalGrowth

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Environment design isn’t only about your desk, your phone, or your habits. It includes people. Spend enough time around builders, creators, athletes, or entrepreneurs, and their behaviors begin to feel normal too. #PersonalGrowth #DesignThinking

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Big decisions feel paralyzing when they’re framed as permanent. Turn them into experiments where possible.

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Iteration gets easier when you stop treating every flawed version like a verdict on your ability. A prototype is a question. A playtest gives you information. The next version is your response. #GameDesign #Iteration

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

AI can generate ideas, but it can’t be you. Your experiences, taste, weirdness, and perspective are what make your work uniquely yours. So don’t try to compete with AI. Use it to create more—and spend your time becoming more distinctly you.

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

We’re not just making games. We’re making memories. As designers and publishers, we should keep that human connection at the center of what we create. The game is the product. The memory is the lasting impact. justingarydesign.substack.com/p/scott-morr...

justingarydesign.substack.com

Scott Morris — Making Memories Over Games, Navigating Personal Tragedy, and the Law of First Principles (#111)

Think Like A Game Designer Podcast

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Randomness works best when it creates a new problem for the player to solve. If the outcome simply overrides every decision that came before it, excitement can turn into frustration. Randomness should reshape agency, not replace it.

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Excitement often comes from uncertainty paired with meaningful stakes. If players know exactly what will happen, tension disappears. The goal isn’t random chaos—it’s giving players enough control to care and enough uncertainty to feel suspense. #GameDesign

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Game design rewards process more than flashes of brilliance. Build something, test it, observe what actually happens, revise, and repeat. A disciplined loop turns uncertain ideas into useful information.

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Designers often polish what is easiest to measure: costs, damage, wording, components. But if the core loop is broken, those fixes don’t matter yet. Work on the foundation before rearranging the furniture. #GameDesign

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

A beautiful game can still be hard to read. The better question is: does the visual system help players understand the game? Strong visual hierarchy can replace explanation, reduce cognitive load, and keep attention on decisions. #GameDesign #UX

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Art and mechanics are not separate systems. Color, composition, symbols, and layout all influence what players notice and understand. Great visual design reduces friction by helping the game explain itself.

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Players don’t begin by analyzing every strategy. They follow instinct. A strong design uses that instinct instead of fighting it: the exciting option should usually move the player toward an interesting experience. #GameDesign

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

One of the best tests of a design is watching what new players naturally want to do. If their instinct keeps pulling them toward a bad experience, the answer usually isn’t a longer explanation. It’s a better design. #GameDesign #UX

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Games are high risk, high reward. Here are 4 steps to test yours as quickly and cheaply as possible. 1. Surface your assumptions early. 2. Make small bets before big ones. 3. Be ruthless in killing the ideas that don’t work. 4. Focus on refining your best ideas into something amazing.

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Where do game ideas come from? Start with something you care about. Then ask: What do I actually love about it? Your passion is the starting point. Your job as a designer is to turn that experience into player decisions. Find what you love. Design around it. Test it.

justingarydesign.substack.com

From Passion to Prototype in 3 Steps

Turn what you love into something people can play

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

A game can have a lot of rules and still feel shallow. Depth comes from meaningful decisions—not from making players remember more.

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

A great storytelling prompt doesn't need to be complicated. Ben Robbins asks: Where does your character sleep tonight? A specific question gives players something concrete to imagine—and can reveal more about a character than pages of backstory. When designing prompts, try going smaller.

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

If you’re stuck on a game’s mechanics, try changing the theme. A different theme can unlock a completely different way of thinking about the design. My game Ringmaster was generic fantasy for 8 years. A circus theme helped me finish it in months. Always Be Exploring.

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Most designers put too much pressure on the first idea. A better approach: generate a lot of bad ones on purpose. Once the obvious ideas are out of the way, the unusual combinations start appearing. Creativity often needs volume before it finds quality. #GameDesign #CreativeProcess

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Too many rails can limit creativity. Too much freedom can leave players lost. The key is finding the right balance for the experience you want to create. Would you rather play a game with more rails or more wings? justingarydesign.substack.com/p/ben-robbin...

justingarydesign.substack.com

Ben Robbins — Revisiting Microscope, Designing Uncomfortable Games, and the Mechanics of Shared Stories (#110)

Think Like A Game Designer Podcast

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Trying to find the perfect game idea? Stop. Start generating bad ones. Write down 20 mechanics. 20 themes. 20 weird combinations. Your first idea is usually the obvious one. Keep going and you might discover something unexpected. Creativity needs volume. #GameDesign

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Your first game prototype should probably be ugly. Build the cheapest, simplest, ugliest version possible. Then play it. Because that’s when you stop thinking about making a game and start designing one. #GameDesign #BoardGameDesign #TabletopGames #GameDesigner #IndieGameDev

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

I dive a bit deeper on my recent substack article.

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Build the cheapest, ugliest prototype you can. Index cards. Dice. Paper. Poker chips. Whatever works. Your prototype doesn't need to prove your game is good. It needs to answer a question: What did you learn? Make → Play → Learn → Change → Repeat. That's where game design actually happens.

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

When a game feels messy, the instinct is often to add: • Another rule • Another component • Another exception But sometimes the better question is: What can I remove? Remove everything that gets in the way of the experience you actually want players to have.

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

You don’t need certainty to begin. You need a first prototype—and the willingness to learn from it.

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Great creative work doesn’t come from obsessing over one project. It comes from staying playful, thinking in systems, and mentally stress-testing ideas before they ever hit the table. 👇🏼 justingarydesign.substack.com/p/touko-tahk...

justingarydesign.substack.com

Touko Tahkokallio — Curiosity, Physics, and the Power of Mental Playtesting (#94)

Think Like A Game Designer Podcast

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

How to Make Great Art (and how to use ethical AI to help): Happy Artists, Low Stress, and Maximum Awesome! justingarydesign.substack.com/p/how-to-mak...

justingarydesign.substack.com

How to Make Great Art (and how to use ethical AI to help)

Happy Artists, Low Stress and Maximum Awesome

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Designing for Elegance: Doing More With Less justingarydesign.substack.com/p/designing-...

justingarydesign.substack.com

Designing for Elegance

Doing More With Less

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Test Before You Build. Don’t spend months building something nobody wants. Put the idea in front of people. See if they bite. Then build from there. 🎙️ Hear more from Ryan Dancey on Think Like A Game Designer. justingarydesign.substack.com/p/ryan-scott...

justingarydesign.substack.com

Ryan Scott Dancey — From Fake Mail Order to Legend of the Five Rings, the Power of Self-Belief, and the Future of AI (#109)

Think Like A Game Designer Podcast

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Every Game Needs a Solid Foundation. Learn the five phases of design that keep your game from collapsing. justingarydesign.substack.com/p/leveraging...

justingarydesign.substack.com

Every Game Needs a Solid Foundation

The five phases of design that keep your game from collapsing

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Your Social Circle Is an Environment. The people around you shape what feels normal—and that can shape who you become. Design your environment. Design your life. justingarydesign.substack.com/p/design-you...

justingarydesign.substack.com

Your Social Circle Is an Environment

Why the people around you may be shaping you more than you realize

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Chad Ellis on Reality Gaming at Boda Borg, the Psychology of Negotiation, and Building Ego-Free Teams justingarydesign.substack.com/p/chad-ellis...

justingarydesign.substack.com

Chad Ellis—Reality Gaming at Boda Borg, the Psychology of Negotiation, and Building Ego-Free Teams (#108)

Think Like A Game Designer Podcast

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

The best leaders build teams that don't need them. Leadership isn't about doing everything yourself. It's about setting a clear vision, empowering great people, and getting out of their way. I dive deeper into this with Luke Peterschmidt 👇🏼 justingarydesign.substack.com/p/luke-peter...

justingarydesign.substack.com

Luke Peterschmidt — Designing for Massive Fandoms, Eliminating Obstacles, and Exploiting Your Superpowers (#107)

Think Like A Game Designer Podcast

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Obsession, when harnessed properly, is the engine behind meaningful achievement. justingarydesign.substack.com/p/the-clarit...

justingarydesign.substack.com

The Clarity of the Grave

How to get obsessed over what really matters and block out the rest

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

One lesson that stood out from my conversation with Ben Seck: Treat your career like a game you intend to win. Don't optimize for comfort. Optimize for learning. justingarydesign.substack.com/p/ben-secktr...

justingarydesign.substack.com

Ben Seck—Treating Your Career Like a Game, Shifting from Cards to Mobile, and Being a Boss Who Actually Backs Their Team (#107)

Think Like A Game Designer Podcast

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

One game design lesson I wish more people understood: Art is not separate from game design. Players experience your game as a whole. The artwork, colors, components, mechanics, and rules all work together to create that experience. justingarydesign.substack.com/p/the-story-...

justingarydesign.substack.com

Art Is Game Design

Why Visual Design Matters More Than Most Designers Think

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

One of my favorite lessons from talking with Ivan Van Norman: Done beats perfect. Learn from real feedback. Improve through iteration. You can't refine something that doesn't exist. justingarydesign.substack.com/p/ivan-van-n...

justingarydesign.substack.com

Ivan Van Norman — From Broke Graduate to Geek & Sundry, the Reality of Scaling an Indie Studio, and Embracing Content Innovation (#106)

Think Like A Game Designer Podcast

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

One lesson I keep relearning: Don't wait. The people we love won't always be here, and that's exactly why our time together matters. Reach out to someone today. Tell them you're grateful for them. You'll never regret it. justingarydesign.substack.com/p/a-tribute

justingarydesign.substack.com

A Tribute

Live Like Everyone You Meet Could Die Tomorrow

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

Adaptability beats expertise. The people who thrive aren’t the ones with all the answers—they’re the ones who recognize patterns, learn quickly, and adjust when the world changes. Listen to the episode with Zvi Mowshowitz now 👇🏼 justingarydesign.substack.com/p/zvi-mowsho...

justingarydesign.substack.com

Zvi Mowshowitz—From the Magic Pro Tour to Wall Street, the Logic of Bookmaking, and the Future of AI Ethics (#105)

Think Like A Game Designer Podcast

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

The Lord of the Rings shaped my love of fantasy, so getting to bring that world into Ascension has been surreal. The design captures fellowship, sacrifice, and epic adventure while staying true to the fast strategic gameplay Ascension is known for. justingarydesign.substack.com/p/the-quarte...

justingarydesign.substack.com

Why Cooperation Is Hard to Design

The challenge of making every player matter

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

Designing for Elegance: Doing More With Less justingarydesign.substack.com/p/designing-...

justingarydesign.substack.com

Designing for Elegance

Doing More With Less

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 24/05/2026

One of my favorite insights from my conversation with @nateheiss.bsky.social: Great game design isn’t about “beating” the players. It’s about creating space for players to discover things for themselves. justingarydesign.substack.com/p/nate-heiss...

justingarydesign.substack.com

Nate Heiss — Removing Ego from Design, The Magic of Roguelikes, and Building Across Digital and Tabletop (#104)

Think Like A Game Designer Podcast

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

15 years ago, I sold the first copy of Ascension from a tiny Gen Con booth. I quit my dream job with no clear plan, just a prototype, a lot of fear, and friends willing to playtest for pizza and beer. One sentence from Rob Dougherty changed everything. justingarydesign.substack.com/p/an-ascensi...

justingarydesign.substack.com

Iteration, Risk, and a Tiny Booth at Gen Con

How Ascension grew from a risky gamble into a worldwide community

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

Mark Rosewater has spent decades designing Magic: The Gathering, and one of my biggest takeaways from our conversation was this: Great game design isn’t about mechanics. It’s about emotion. Listen to the episode here 👇🏼 justingarydesign.substack.com/p/mark-rosew...

justingarydesign.substack.com

Mark Rosewater — Designing for Emotion, Embracing Complexity, and 28 Years of Iteration (#103)

Think Like A Game Designer Podcast

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Justin Gary @justingary.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

I ran a 2-hour hackathon using AI. The biggest breakthrough came from one simple shift: Don’t ask AI to build immediately. Ask it to interview you first. I wrote a full breakdown of what worked and the exact agenda we used on Substack. justingarydesign.substack.com/p/how-we-ran...

justingarydesign.substack.com

How We Ran an AI Hackathon at Stone Blade

And What You Can Steal From Our Event

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