Muleskinner

Mapping Against Mediocrity: Strategy in horror

Written by Steffen Schwarz • March 26, 2020

Survival horror is a tricky genre to develop for. Immersion is even more important to the genre than it is elsewhere. A single misstep will take players out of the experience, turning a nightmare into...

Mapping Around Mediocrity Classic Review – Immersion and emptiness in "Fallout 3"

Written by Steffen Schwarz • February 24, 2020

Open world games are extremely popular in modern gaming. This genre allows players to become absorbed into the world through a higher degree of freedom. One of the best companies doing this today is Bethesda...

Mapping Around Mediocrity: Companionship Over Combat

Written by Steffen Schwarz • February 14, 2020

Valentine’s day is just around the corner. It’s a day where we appreciate our relationships, and express gratitude towards those that have stuck by our sides. This can also be applied to relationships...

Mapping Around Mediocrity: Show, Don't Tell

Written by Steffen Schwarz • February 6, 2020

The idea of “show, don’t tell” is important to visual media. To have a story play out in front of a viewer not only gives them a clearer vision of the world, but also allows for the director to add...

Mapping Around Mediocrity: The Importance of Character Creation

Written by Steffen Schwarz • January 28, 2020

Video games are the most expressive medium of the modern age, allowing players to show a new side of themselves through an on-screen avatar. This is no more apparent than in the role-playing genre. Players...

Mapping Around Mediocrity: How Beautiful Worlds Distract From Mediocre Gameplay

Written by Steffen Schwarz • January 21, 2020

You’ve recently completed a new game. Your feelings are distasteful. You sit in your chair, wondering how this story could even be published, or how gameplay so bland and boring would be given the green...