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constraints

Writing about constraint-driven design and how limits shape systems and play.

Thinking in the Box

I often try to work inside very tight constraints. That's not because there's something virtuous about restriction but because a small box amplifies decision-making. When space and components are limited, a design is forced to show its workings early. Fluff and theming can't obscure

Building Tread Lightly

I've spent some time recently building microgames - not as an exercise in minimalistic aestheticism, but as a way of putting my work under tight constraints. With very little space and almost no components, there's nowhere for a design to hide and no room for bloat.