Mostly written by Goldman and Wallace
- Theme is more important than you'd think.
- Try starting from a generic RTS. Add in 3 interesting mechanics that interact with each other and fit a common theme. You're done.
- Mechanic interactions are better than lots of mechanics.
- 'It would be so cool and different' is not a justification for a complicated game.
- If it's not 1v1, 2D-grid, turn-based, you better have a really good reason why not.
- Never have the victory condition and the resources you spend doing things be related.
- When using asymmetry, give both players a turn being screwed.
- Think about what decisions an AI will have to make, and what information it will have to base those decisions on.
- Rubber Bands are far better than Snowballs.
- Simple is better than complex.
- But not so simple that there aren't choices.
- No choice should be best in all situations, and all choices should be best in at least one situation.
- Rock paper scissors is your friend. Just remember that good rock should beat bad paper.
- A player should always be able to determine the exact outcome of taking an action.
- Simultanous player turns is more complex than you think.
- Never put the competitor in a situation where they must dump all their code to improve.
- Pure random is bad, pure static is boring, good procedural is worth developing.
- A team should be able to write a useful AI within 30 minutes of hearing the game logic. After competition is over they should curse themselves for not thinking of something for the next week.
- Balance strategies, not units. If possible, force players to use a diversity of tactics.
- Games should end the moment they are decided.
- Visualizing an AI playing is hard, so just accept that games will be played on small maps.
- Watching the best AI should tell you why, but not how, it wins.
- Never change the game after dinner on competition Saturday.
- Pathing is hard, bashing is easy. If a wall can be ignored or destroyed, it will be.
- Strategy Out is better than Strategy Up.
- If there is a part of the game that can be ignored, then it shouldn't be there.
- bottlenecks in victory point production is dangerous