The studio journal
A little more
thought per turn.
Explore practical questions about tactical games, story and characters. Start with a connected reading path or choose an individual worked example below.
Which game-development topic would you like to explore?
Choose tactical design to explore how battles work, or story and characters to explore why choices matter. Each path connects complementary questions and practical examples.
How do tactical games create interesting decisions?
Explore movement budgets, squad roles, readable battlefields, tactical icons, visibility, targeting, tension, laptop suitability, short sessions and useful feedback. Use these connected guides to understand, compare and discuss tactical decisions.
- What should you look for in a game like the original X-COM?
- What is the difference between time units and action points?
- Can a small squad make a tactical game feel deep?
- What makes an isometric battlefield easy to read?
- Should you scout a doorway or keep the squad together?
- How can you compare XCOM-like games beyond their screenshots?
- How do you give useful feedback on a tactical game?
- What is the difference between fog of war and line of sight?
- Why can a soldier see a target but not shoot it?
- Can a tactical game be tense without a countdown?
- Why should tactical icons use more than colour?
- Should you take an uncertain shot or improve your position?
- Does pixel art mean a game will run on an old laptop?
- What makes a tactical defeat feel fair?
- How do you choose a tactics game for short sessions?
How do games create memorable stories and characters?
Start with a clear creative direction, then connect character choices, dialogue and story payoff. These four guides use original exercises and linked writing resources.
Which game-design question would you like to explore?
Nineteen notes on games and their makingHow do you choose a tactics game for short sessions?
Check saving, interruptions and returning to a plan before choosing a tactics game for short sessions, with a hypothetical comparison and practical checklist.
Read the note Tactical design ·What makes a tactical defeat feel fair?
Explore fair tactical defeats through a worked encounter, clear warnings, hidden information and practical questions for reviewing a frustrating loss.
Read the note Tactical design ·Does pixel art mean a game will run on an old laptop?
Pixel art cannot guarantee laptop performance. Learn how to check system requirements, assess performance reports and test a demo for speed and readability.
Read the note Tactical design ·Should you take an uncertain shot or improve your position?
Compare a risky shot with a safer position using a worked tactical encounter, an outcome diagram and practical questions about failure, objectives and backup plans.
Read the note Tactical design ·Why should tactical icons use more than colour?
Make tactical icons readable through shape, symbols and labels as well as colour. Explore an original icon set, overlapping states and a practical review checklist.
Read the note Tactical design ·Can a tactical game be tense without a countdown?
Explore how scarce resources and lasting consequences create tactical tension without a countdown, with an original illustrated example and practical checklist.
Read the note Tactical design ·Why can a soldier see a target but not shoot it?
Why can a soldier see an enemy but not attack? Compare range, action costs, obstacles and shared vision with an original illustrated targeting example.
Read the note Tactical design ·What is the difference between fog of war and line of sight?
Understand fog of war, line of sight and remembered terrain through an illustrated room example. Learn what the map tells you now and what it only remembers.
Read the note Tactical design ·How do you give useful feedback on a tactical game?
Give useful tactical-game feedback by separating goals, expectations, observations and suggested fixes. Includes an illustrated example and a practical checklist.
Read the note Tactical design ·How can you compare XCOM-like games beyond their screenshots?
Compare XCOM-like games through preparation, ordinary turns and lasting consequences. A practical worksheet with official Pathway and Invisible, Inc. resources.
Read the note Tactical design ·Should you scout a doorway or keep the squad together?
Should you scout a doorway or keep the squad together? Compare movement budgets, retreat options and support in an illustrated tactical exercise.
Read the note Tactical design ·What makes an isometric battlefield easy to read?
What makes an isometric battlefield readable? Explore occupied tiles, prop footprints, hidden units and action previews with an original illustrated example.
Read the note Tactical design ·Can a small squad make a tactical game feel deep?
Can three units create a deep tactical turn? Explore an illustrated squad-planning example, support actions, recovery and the tradeoffs of adding another unit.
Read the note Story and characters ·How do you make a game story earn its payoff?
Make a game story earn its ending with promise, progress and payoff. An original branching-story example, practical checklist and Sanderson resources.
Read the note Story and characters ·How do you give game characters distinctive voices?
Give game characters distinctive voices through priorities, rhythm and context. A worked dialogue exercise with Sanderson and accessibility resources.
Read the note Story and characters ·How do you make players care about a squad character?
Give squad characters values, difficult choices and consequences players can recognise, with writing resources from Brandon Sanderson.
Read the note Story and characters ·How can an indie game stand out in the AI era?
A clear story. Characters whose decisions matter. Our small-studio perspective, with writing resources from Brandon Sanderson.
Read the note Tactical mechanics ·What is the difference between time units and action points?
Forty points or two actions? See how different turn budgets change your choices, and why a bigger number does not automatically mean more depth.
Read the note Finding your next game ·What should you look for in a game like the original X-COM?
Is it the freedom of a turn, the uncertainty of an unseen room, or the squad you look after between battles? Start with the part you want back.
Read the noteAbout Journey of the Bit
Who writes these game-development notes?
We’re a studio passionate about games and discussing game development. Our journal explores thoughtful tactics, memorable characters and the decisions behind the games we enjoy.
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