Sign in

Alexander Brazie

@xelnath.bsky.social
733 followers 302 following 132 posts

Game Designer and Creative Director Former Riot, Blizzard, Moon (Ori) I make your day dreams reality. Running game design bootcamps at www.gamedesignskills.com

PostsRepliesMedia
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
Come join us, as we play the opening sequence of #MinaTheHollower with one of the designers and talk about how the core kit came to be! funsmith.club
010
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
What were your thoughts on #WoW #DungeonFinder? www.youtube.com/watch?v=TT7M... Greg Street and I discuss its evolution and the question: Did it destroy the culture of WoW?
youtube.com
The feature that changed WoW FOREVER (Ft. GhostCrawler)
YouTube video by Game Design Skills
010
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
"Should a game be balanced perfectly?" No. Here's why: www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Exh... #gamedesign #balance
youtube.com
DON'T Perfectly Balance Your Game (Here's WHY)
YouTube video by Game Design Skills
020
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
He has a future as a tooltip writer.
000
Reposted by Alexander Brazie
Robin-Yann Storm @rystorm.com · 16/03/2026
At GDC I sat down with two students for 40 minutes so they could ask me any questions they had about the game industry. It was very helpful for them, for which I'm glad. They then asked me why I took the time to sit down with them in that busy week. It's because folks did that for me 15 years ago.
714316
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
Heading to GDC - who else will be there?
010
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
Going live to talk about how to get hired as a game designer… www.linkedin.com/events/74266...
linkedin.com
LinkedIn Login, Sign in | LinkedIn
Login to LinkedIn to keep in touch with people you know, share ideas, and build your career.
010
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
www.game-icons.net might help for this :)
game-icons.net
4170 free SVG and PNG icons for your games or apps | Game-icons.net
010
Reposted by Alexander Brazie
Joe Wintergreen @joewintergreen.com · 06/02/2026
speaking of cool cheap effects: the shadow from the ceiling fan in Robo Recall is not a real shadow or even a light function or even a decal, it's a rotating translucent mesh
14812157
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 08/02/2026
"Couldn't have played that baby any better." Learn more about these quotes and more: @strangescaffold.bsky.social www.twitch.tv/doomerdinger...
twitch.tv
Twitch
Twitch is the world
001
Reposted by Alexander Brazie
.chantal//RYAN @thoughtrise.bsky.social · 07/02/2026
what are you doing!
a screenshot of two tumblr posts. the first:

aralintheobsessive
Jan 16
if you want butterflies, you need to live with
caterpillars.
iam not being metaphorical, i work in a garden center,
stop buying plants 'to bring in the bees and butterflies
and then immediately poisoning every caterpillar that
dares to consume a single leaf
you will not get butterflies if you kill all the things that
turn into butterflies! what are you doing!

(end of post)

below it, a response from afroartinc:

As a poet, I also want my viewers to take this rather
beautiful allegory into account.
61212349
Reposted by Alexander Brazie
Kitfox Games 🦊 @kitfoxgames.com · 07/02/2026
Caves of Qud on the Nintendo Switch
132947
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 07/02/2026
What a good boy. @strangescaffold.bsky.social
100
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 07/02/2026
Despite this amazing positivity, I still managed to lose it all~
120
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 18/12/2025
It is a well conceived exploration of a post seven apocalypse Seattle, where a player can be either a cyborg or a mutant, and then venture through the procedurally generated world history for clues to ancient treasures to be used to help save or condemn the world.
100
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 18/12/2025
Yes. If you haven’t yet sipped pure water from the fungal blooms of a salt marshes, dodged the flume flier of the ancient bears, or had to read from the corpus cholis, you are not yet complete on your gamer ascension.
000
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 18/12/2025
Sip from the fountain of the future, only to inflame my thirst to short the lives of under exploited aliens? Nay!! I would love to know what the rest of the team is enjoying this year :D
000
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 17/12/2025
@strangescaffold.bsky.social What have you done. There is no joy in games. Only bleak darkness left. Elden Ring. Witch Hand. Dispatch. Their times have passed. Every day, another day of neglect. When will you allow us to trade the space babies? You must release fun back into the universe.
110
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 12/09/2025
Player experience is comprised of numerous techniques that are hard to learn in isolation. This bootcamp will teach you how to improve your game for audience, balance and gameplay gamedesignskills.com/courses/poli...
gamedesignskills.com
Consistently Make Gameplay Feel More Satisfying and Visceral
And explain your design decisions when working with a team or during job interviews.
030
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 09/04/2025
Too many legs.
010
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 19/03/2025
Wow!
010
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 25/01/2025
Just had an incredible first session with the new Mastering Game Mechanics cohort at the Funsmith Club. Everyone from industry designers on concord to first-time designers who just want to level up were there!
020
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 15/01/2025
QUD crushed the genre~
020
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 15/01/2025
YAAAAS DANNI~~~~~ I was watching it on stream :)
000
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 15/01/2025
Nice, looking for stuff with action game quality animation work, but not humanoid
010
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 15/01/2025
Anyone know some other asset packs with non-humanoid monster animations in addition to ones by Protofactor?
110
Reposted by Alexander Brazie
The Corner of Story and Game @storyandgame.bsky.social · 06/12/2024
How do great gameplay loops keep players hooked? 🎮 I chat with @xelnath.bsky.social (League of Legends, World of Warcraft) about balancing rewards and punishments to craft unforgettable gaming experiences. 🎧 Listen: bit.ly/alex-brazie-... #GameDesign #GameplayLoops #AlexanderBrazie
071
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 29/11/2024
Here’s the full Environmental Storytelling guide: gamedesignskills.com/game-design/...
gamedesignskills.com
Mastering Environmental Storytelling in Video Game Development
A comprehensive guide to environmental storytelling in games - how to combine level design, art, and atmosphere to craft rich and immersive narrative worlds without relying on dialogue or cutscenes.
010
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 29/11/2024
1. Great case studies: The Last of Us (abandoned objects tell stories of survival) Dark Souls (social collapse seen everywhere) Gone Home (intimate family story told environmentally) BioShock (visibly failed utopia) The Witcher 3 (environmental details hint at past conflicts)
110
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 29/11/2024
2. Use “designer hugs” (highly emotive, micro-story scenes) to create a more believable, immersive narrative by going beyond the core plot. (Ex: In Dragon Age, one corpse covers a smaller one holding a bloody teddy bear)
110
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 29/11/2024
3. Hidden plot and historical lore fragments left for players to uncover make them feel like a detective actively participating in the story. (Ex: The hidden graffiti telling you what’s really going on in Portal)
110
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 29/11/2024
4. Main 5 types of environmental storytelling: Embedded (hidden stories in ruins, objects, etc.) Emergent (stories emerge from player + system interaction) Spatial (architectural storytelling) Interactive (touch/examine objects to reveal story) Atmospheric (lighting, sound, etc.)
110
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 29/11/2024
5. Lighting, contrasting color schemes and sound cues can tell a story using the environment itself. (Ex: Silent Hill 2’s creepy fog that mirrors your character’s psychosis)
110
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 29/11/2024
6. The goal of environmental storytelling is to help players discover the narrative by interacting with the game world directly. (Ex: Exploring a Fallout vault)
110
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 29/11/2024
🧵My 6 main takeaways from this guide to environmental storytelling in games by Brandon Dolinski (Minecraft Legends, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Marvel’s GotG level/world designer) ⬇️
130
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 26/11/2024
I’ve heard Amanda Overton was a pivotal force in getting the games story together - any specific examples he has of where she leveled up arcane?
010
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 22/11/2024
I’ve never asked the internet this. Is there anything I’m missing out on?
000
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
@amirsatvat.bsky.social whoa look who’s here!
110
Reposted by Alexander Brazie
Kelly Bender @kellybender.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
#NarrativeDesignTip I wrote an article for GAME DESIGN SKILLS (@xelnath.bsky.social) about: How To Apply the 3-Act Structure in Video Games gamedesignskills.com/game-design/... #narrativedesign #gamewriter #narrativeDesigner #gamewriting #videogames #3actstructure #writing #writingTip #writer
gamedesignskills.com
How to Apply The Three-Act Structure in Video Games
This guide discusses the three-act structure, how it’s used in storytelling generally, and how to apply it to video games.
0196
Reposted by Alexander Brazie
Max Kreminski @maxkreminski.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
closely related to a key insight in one of my fav underdiscussed books, "Collaborative Circles": members of historically notable collaborative circles have tended to form especially high-trust pairs & work within these pairs to develop ideas before presenting them to the wider group
Screenshot of a quote from page 23 of Michael P. Farrell's "Collaborative Circles: Friendship Dynamics and Creative Work":

Most episodes of creative work occur within these pairs. Although the dynamics leading up to the pairing may include the whole group, it is the paired members who are likely to make the discoveries or to develop the style or the theory that defines the group culture. The moments of discov­ery, the "collaborative moments," take place when a pair of friends are so open and trusting with one another that they can share their wildest, most tentatively held ideas. In these moments, new ideas seem to emerge from the dialogue without "belonging" to either of the pair, and afterward they may not be able to say who had the ideas first. 

As they share their ideas, experiences, and ways of thinking, the partners become like two linked computers, sharing one another's hard drive mem­ories and software programs. I refer to this type of dyadic exchange as "instrumental intimacy." While engaged in this type of exchange, members are vulnerable to one another. When they open up and exchange wild ideas that go far beyond accepted approaches in their field, they not only risk appear­ing sloppy, foolish, or even mad; they risk having someone steal their most original ideas. Before two members are able to establish this kind of exchange, they usually must test one another's responses in less intimate exchanges and negotiate a high degree of trust. In an escalating set of exchanges, the collaborative pair develop a set of norms that facilitates trust, openness, and exchange.
29224
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 17/11/2024
One of the best! 🤗
010
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 15/11/2024
People LOVE to talk about 3-act structures, but what if you're a game designer and not a hollywood script writer? Well, @kellybender.bsky.social has you covered: gamedesignskills.com/game-design/... Check out this article, courtesy of www.gamedesignskills.com
gamedesignskills.com
How to Apply The Three-Act Structure in Video Games
This wiki will discuss the three-act structure, how it’s used in storytelling generally, and how it applies to video games more specifically.
051
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 14/11/2024
#gamedev folks - I’m looking for others to share their game design expertise to the next generation. Hit me up if you’d like to write a paid knowledge base article or make a class on specializations of game design.
050
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 12/11/2024
Ever heard the terms skill floor and skill ceiling? What do they mean for game designers? gamedesignskills.com/gaming/skill...
gamedesignskills.com
Skill Ceiling & Skill Floor: How to Make Your Game Easy to Learn but Hard to Master
Overview of the definition of "skill ceiling" and "skill floor," how the terms apply to various game genres, and how how to approach each concept when designing a game.
030
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 01/11/2024
Kelly Bender (@kellybender17) has collaborated with us to create this phenomenal guide to #worldbuilding. If you aren't sure where to start on your path to #narrativedesign skills, check this out: gamedesignskills.com/game-design/...
gamedesignskills.com
Worldbuilding (Game Writing and Game Design)
Worldbuilding overview covering how to create engaging, immersive game worlds where players want to invest their time and energy.
040
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 24/10/2024
Let’s do this!
000
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 24/10/2024
I invited Justin La Torre, a Marketing Specialist and content mercenary of over 10 years, to share his thoughts and experiences. Justin marketted for over 16 different games, including The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie and Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless.
110
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 24/10/2024
You don’t need to become a full-time marketer, but learning the basics of how to get your game in front of the right audience is crucial. Here’s a complete game marketing guide if you want to learn more - gamedesignskills.com/game-marketi...
gamedesignskills.com
Game Marketing Guide: How to Market a Game Effectively in a Noisy World
A definitive guide on the building blocks and strategies to market games with an emphasis on video games.​
130
Alexander Brazie @xelnath.bsky.social · 24/10/2024
Making a good game is only half the battle. Getting your game seen is just as important as building it. However, for many devs, marketing and selling their game isn’t something they’re passionate about.
gamedesignskills.com
Game Marketing Guide: How to Market a Game Effectively in a Noisy World
A definitive guide on the building blocks and strategies to market games with an emphasis on video games.​
171
Reposted by Alexander Brazie
Linsey Raymaekers @linseyray.bsky.social · 24/10/2024
Alright, here it is: I collected ~100 #GameDev starter packs and put them all on one Notion page! ✨ They're categorized by: 🍃 Location 🍃 Discipline 🍃 Game Genre 🍃 & more! It also includes tips / labellers / block lists that I've stumbled on. I hope this helps you settle in & reconnect! 😊 👉 LINK
a sample screenshot of the notion page with vertical rows of links to gamedev related starterpacks and the title "BlueSky GameDev Starter Packs”
103890368