John Harris | Game Developer

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John Harris

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John Harris writes the column @Play for GameSetWatch, and the series Game Design Essentials for Gamasutra. He has written computer games since the days of the Commodore 64. He also maintains the comics blog Roasted Peanuts.

Latest from John Harris

Why Risk of Rain Returns is taking the series back to 2D Why Risk of Rain Returns is taking the series back to 2D

Apr 11, 2024

7 Min Read

ChipWits, the game that taught a generation how to code, is back ChipWits, the game that taught a generation how to code, is back

Apr 2, 2024

24 Min Read

All from John Harris

Candlebook Island imagines an idyllic life of curing monsters

Candlebook Island imagines an idyllic life of curing monsters

Donut Dodo does arcade like the classic games did

Donut Dodo does arcade like the classic games did

How Mr. Run and Jump leapt onto the Atari 2600 (and modern PCs)

How Mr. Run and Jump leapt onto the Atari 2600 (and modern PCs)

How Champ Games tricks old hardware with new cartridges on the Atari 2600

How Champ Games tricks old hardware with new cartridges on the Atari 2600

A map of generated land, with water and geographical features

How Tarn Adams upgraded and optimized Dwarf Fortress for its official Steam release

How Tarn Adams upgraded and optimized Dwarf Fortress for its official Steam release

Patrick's Parabox orange screenshot

Designing the mind-bending puzzles in Patrick's Parabox

Designing the mind-bending puzzles in Patrick's Parabox

5 fantasy heroes stand behind the words Poker Quest. A, large sinister figure looms in the background hoding playing cards.

Using established card game rules for monster-slaying RPG combat in Poker Quest

Using established card game rules for monster-slaying RPG combat in Poker Quest

Q&A: Developing the visually striking Death Trash

Q&A: Developing the visually striking Death Trash

Behind the AI and physics of Wobbledogs' procedurally goofy Wobbledogs

Behind the AI and physics of Wobbledogs' procedurally goofy Wobbledogs

Designing the real-time stealth and combat of Desperados III

Designing the real-time stealth and combat of Desperados III

Q&A: Designing the gorgeous metroidvania Ori and the Will of the Wisps

Q&A: Designing the gorgeous metroidvania Ori and the Will of the Wisps

Q&A: Re-imagining 1998's Half-Life for a 2020 audience in Black Mesa

Q&A: Re-imagining 1998's Half-Life for a 2020 audience in Black Mesa

Writing, directing, and designing FMV censorship simulator Not for Broadcast

Writing, directing, and designing FMV censorship simulator Not for Broadcast

Designing the simulation of the wild and wonderful Planet Zoo

Designing the simulation of the wild and wonderful Planet Zoo

Q&A: How Steam co-op hit GTFO chooses depth over breadth in game design

Q&A: How Steam co-op hit GTFO chooses depth over breadth in game design

Designing Manifold Garden's believably unbelievable world and puzzles

Designing Manifold Garden's believably unbelievable world and puzzles

Creating the ever-improvising text adventures of AI Dungeon 2

Creating the ever-improvising text adventures of AI Dungeon 2

Q&A: Designing the foreboding Apple Arcade Soulslike Bleak Sword

Q&A: Designing the foreboding Apple Arcade Soulslike Bleak Sword

What the Golf? is going on in this Q&A

What the Golf? is going on in this Q&A

Q&A: How Steam hit Raft stands out in the crowded survival genre

Q&A: How Steam hit Raft stands out in the crowded survival genre

'BARF!': Designing River City Girls' approachable, challenging brawling

'BARF!': Designing River City Girls' approachable, challenging brawling

Behind the HONK: An Untitled Goose Game Q&A

Behind the HONK: An Untitled Goose Game Q&A

Plumbing the depths of open-world space survival sim Empyrion's design

Plumbing the depths of open-world space survival sim Empyrion's design

Crafting the mobile-friendly atmospheric storytelling of Sky: Children of the Light

Crafting the mobile-friendly atmospheric storytelling of Sky: Children of the Light

How moving from 2D to 3D shaped the design of Risk of Rain 2

How moving from 2D to 3D shaped the design of Risk of Rain 2

How Diablo meets Left 4 Dead in co-op action RPG Killsquad

How Diablo meets Left 4 Dead in co-op action RPG Killsquad

Making the bizarre, hilarious world of Trover Saves the Universe

Making the bizarre, hilarious world of Trover Saves the Universe

Q&A: Designing for deception in Werewolf-inspired Project Winter

Q&A: Designing for deception in Werewolf-inspired Project Winter

Q&A: Exploring the design of cat-in-a-mech Metroidvania Gato Roboto

Q&A: Exploring the design of cat-in-a-mech Metroidvania Gato Roboto

Q&A: Dissecting the development of Dwarf Fortress with creator Tarn Adams

Q&A: Dissecting the development of Dwarf Fortress with creator Tarn Adams

Behind the enthralling dystopian student game, Burning Daylight

Behind the enthralling dystopian student game, Burning Daylight

Designing Baba is You's delightfully innovative rule-writing system

Designing Baba is You's delightfully innovative rule-writing system

Behind Dawn of Man's style of 'ant colony' city-building

Behind Dawn of Man's style of 'ant colony' city-building

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