TheRetroArcade
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Posts: 1,967
Joined: Feb 2026
Joined: Feb 2026
As hard as it is to admit, an idea isn't necessarily worth implementing just because it sounds cool.
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In a new YouTube video detailing game design pitfalls that regularly derail game development projects, Fallout co-creator and veteran RPG designer Tim Cain said one of the most common issues in game design stems from neglecting an overlooked skill: Knowing when to stop.
"As a very wise designer once told me, 'A game that includes everything is about nothing,'" said Cain, who recently returned from "semi-retirement" to resume full-time work at Obsidian.
Trying to fit too much into one game is what Cain calls a "design pothole": a problem that's easy enough to avoid if experience has taught you to keep an eye out for it, but could metaphorically "wreck your transmission or blow out a tire" if you're going full speed ahead.
As Cain says, overambition is a vice that tempts the full spectrum of design disciplines. It can affect narrative scope, where—to use Cain's example—a game's lore might gradually incorporate aliens, supernatural psionics, magic systems, and gumshoe murder mystery until it's lost its identity and central direction.
"The same thing can happen with mechanics," Cain said, where "you start adding mechanics not because they belong in there, but because someone has told you, 'Well, you got to have crafting, you got to have item degradation, you got to have base building. It's what everybody wants these days.'"
The problem with ballooning lore inclusions and feature creep is, according to Cain, one of focus and clarity of purpose. As he says, "everything should be added for a reason, and that reason isn't 'because I think it's neat.' That isn't a good reason."
The last decade of games is full of examples that lend weight to Cain's theory. Series like Assassin's Creed and God of War found themselves weighed down with crafting systems and Destiny-style incremental loot that felt—at best—like they were peripheral to the fantasy being offered, rather than reinforcing or transforming it.
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That same lack of focus has led to other types of design missteps Cain says he's seen in his career, like being presented with game design documents for RPG encounters where designers said they'd lock the player in a room and prevent them from leaving un...Read more: Full article on www.pcgamer.com
What do you think about this?
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Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
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Every Friday
GamesRadar+
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Every Thursday
GTA 6 O'clock
Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.
Every Friday
Knowledge
From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.
Every Thursday
The Setup
Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.
Every Wednesday
Switch 2 Spotlight
Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.
Every Saturday
The Watchlist
Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.
Once a month
SFX
Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!
In a new YouTube video detailing game design pitfalls that regularly derail game development projects, Fallout co-creator and veteran RPG designer Tim Cain said one of the most common issues in game design stems from neglecting an overlooked skill: Knowing when to stop.
"As a very wise designer once told me, 'A game that includes everything is about nothing,'" said Cain, who recently returned from "semi-retirement" to resume full-time work at Obsidian.
Trying to fit too much into one game is what Cain calls a "design pothole": a problem that's easy enough to avoid if experience has taught you to keep an eye out for it, but could metaphorically "wreck your transmission or blow out a tire" if you're going full speed ahead.
As Cain says, overambition is a vice that tempts the full spectrum of design disciplines. It can affect narrative scope, where—to use Cain's example—a game's lore might gradually incorporate aliens, supernatural psionics, magic systems, and gumshoe murder mystery until it's lost its identity and central direction.
"The same thing can happen with mechanics," Cain said, where "you start adding mechanics not because they belong in there, but because someone has told you, 'Well, you got to have crafting, you got to have item degradation, you got to have base building. It's what everybody wants these days.'"
The problem with ballooning lore inclusions and feature creep is, according to Cain, one of focus and clarity of purpose. As he says, "everything should be added for a reason, and that reason isn't 'because I think it's neat.' That isn't a good reason."
The last decade of games is full of examples that lend weight to Cain's theory. Series like Assassin's Creed and God of War found themselves weighed down with crafting systems and Destiny-style incremental loot that felt—at best—like they were peripheral to the fantasy being offered, rather than reinforcing or transforming it.
Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
That same lack of focus has led to other types of design missteps Cain says he's seen in his career, like being presented with game design documents for RPG encounters where designers said they'd lock the player in a room and prevent them from leaving un...Read more: Full article on www.pcgamer.com
What do you think about this?