My name is Mike Birkhead, and I’m a Senior Game Designer living in the Chicago area. I am a system designer, particularly action adventure, and with specific emphasis on combat. I have worked as a game designer for the last 6 years, and I was lucky enough to work with some of the most talented people working in the field. I worked at Ready at Dawn for four years, where I had a hand in both handheld God of War titles.
Someone once asked me whom I imagine is reading the things I write. The answer is myself. I write the things I wish someone had told me six years ago when I started in this industry, and I will continue to write as long as I can think of relevant things to say. It is every designer’s duty to share the knowledge they have learned, or this field will never grow beyond its infantile state.
I will not talk about projects I am working on, obviously, but there are numerous things I’ve learned over the years that I feel everyone has the right to know. Game design is about execution, not ideas, and keeping these tools and methods from people does a disservice to the entire gaming community.
Everything I write is my own opinion, and does not reflect the opinions of my past, present, alternate timeline, or future employers. Fucking duh.
Love your blog. I was wondering if you could do an article about sound effects? Like for example how you randomise grunts characters make when they jump, or other variances in common sound effects. Hope that makes sense.