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Yahtzee's Advice Request Form! (Patreon)

Published:
2026-07-07 17:13:36
Imported:
2026-07

Content

We're working on a super-secret project here at Second Wind and I'm asking the Patreon to supply some gaming-related advice requests.

These can be silly or genuine, but please nothing too serious or harrowing, like anything related to death, abuse, mental illness, etc. Nothing I would feel uncomfortable giving some kind of snarky or assholish response to.

Here's the kind of things I'm after:- Game recommendations based on your specific sensibilities- Game design / writing suggestions for indie projects- Advice for handling issues with gamer / non-gamer friends or relatives- Non-obvious gaming ideas for what to name a child or pet- Business advice on content creation / streaming / audience handlingThe more specific your problem, the better. A certain amount of background information details would be helpful.

I'm sure you've all been on the internet long enough to know this but please don't supply identifiable personal details.

Thanks in advance!

Yahtzee Croshaw

Comments

Denmark

Are you aware of other Metroidvanias like Silksong? I absolutely lived the difficulty in that and 9 Sols, so I was wondering if you knew of similar titles

Mia Corwin

Hey Yahtz, my partner and I plan to move in together soon and I plan to get a pet rabbit. I would like to name the rabbit Pancakes but my partner absolutely hates the idea, and their name ideas are kinda ass too. Got any ideas for a rabbit name?

Far Too Many Frogs

If something is more out there in someone's genre interests, the more likely they might be into it. My mom loved watching me play Ghostwire Tokyo over my shoulder, and she's not even into horror as a genre all that much. Also; aspiring gamedevs, flashbang to black. Not white.

Donald Seaman

Hey Yahtzee, I’m looking for a game about the fallibility of the criminal justice system. Specifically, a game set in a world so corrupt where arrests have to happen the day of the crime, trials have to be a maximum of 3 days to meet quota, and only the judge decides the verdict. Do you know of a game that could do this? Preferably the judge is a dopey old man with a great beard

Alex Bizon

I've had an idea for a game for a while, but I have no clue how to act on it. I have no experience in coding or anything like that. What's the best way to get into learning?

Psychoboy

Hey Yahtz! Wanted to pick your brain about youtubing, seeing as you're a far more successful Youtuber than I (65k subs on PsychoboyDubs, plug plug). You've been doing FullyRamblomatic successfully for many years, but of course recently branched out into various other shows like Yahtzee Tries and Adventure is Nigh. I'm also trying to branch out, but my previous attempts to do so, like with livestreaming Let's Plays and a short-lived series called Unbalanced, haven't seen much success. I want to try and grow my brand without chasing algorithms or the latest trends. How can I do that without alienating my current audience?

Vaultboy678

I am going on vacation in a few weeks where I will be meeting up with my cousin and his family. He does not allow his children to play any video games at all. The eldest is 16 and the youngest is 9. His reasoning is that video games are bad for children and their time would be better spent doing anything else. My advice request would be how to have that conversation without just calling the idea stupid and offensive.

Billy LaManna

Given the most recent heat wave in most of the world Coupled with new very resource intensive games and the ammount of heat a computer and consoles generate in the modem day, how do you game in comfort when its very hot out without ending up doing so in a sauna?

Blitz Gamer

One of my personal favorite games is the old ps2 title Dark Chronicle, aka Dark Cloud 2. I love its combination of dungeon crawling and city building gameplay, along with its various side activities like photography based item crafting, fishing tournaments both catching and racing, and a golf esc post level minigame. So I was wondering if you knew of any games with a similar blend of combat and creation.

Sevan Pasch

I still think the idea you floated end of 2024 (I think) of reviewing a porn game holds water. Probably not a public YouTube upload though lol.

Mike Higgins

How to stay awake long enough to make meaningful progress in a game after putting my kids to sleeps and Inevitably falling asleep myself. How can my middle aged, lethargic ass make it through a whole open world game in these 20 minute half asleep stupours while actually taking in the Inevitably convoluted and meaningless plots.

Brian R

My problem: Fear of missing out in a game. Im someone who's gamed all my life. As ive gotten more into my career and had less time, I find myself obsessed with, not 100% completing per say, but getting the best possible playthrough. Ill have guides open following step by step, replay fights until I perfect them or get whatever the max reward possible is, etc. Its like im trying to get an A++ from some invisible teacher in my head when I play a game. I realized I had a problem playing persona 5, and instead of spending my time slots doing what i thought was the most interesting, I followed a guide to the letter to ensure I got every companions level maxed and every side quest done. I think because my gaming time is limited I try and maximize the content of the playthrough due to some aversion to running a 2nd playthrough and I dont know why.

Lil' Cass (CJ)

How does one still enjoy gaming as a hobby amidst all the business crap going on primarily from Sony and Microsoft?

Pollio

What habits, tricks, or exploits do you routinely test in every game? Ex. Walking left at the beginning of 2D platformers, trying to climb up semi-vertical surfaces by jumping up hills and rocks, or pushing/clipping the POV camera through walls to find secrets.

Robert Bevill

How do I get a friend to borrow a game of mine I already own and think he would enjoy based on our shared interests, rather than him going and paying full price for Lego Batman?

DodoTigerAlliance

What do I do if my girlfriend of five years wants to watch Friends instead of the latest Tekken tournament? Should we break up?! Who gets the cat?!

Lil' Cass (CJ)

Put on a lore video, and then you'll be able to understand the plot in your sleep /s 😛

Mike Higgins

Otherwise known as the "baldurs gate solution"!

Lillicrozma

Do you think a gameplay loop based on forming deep interpersonal connections would be enough to sustain a game pr would it need a more active and engaging thing like combat alongside it

Psychoboy

By ignoring all the business crap going on primarily from Sony and Microsoft.

Izzy Killeen

Which game would you say is the best introduction to first-person shooters for newbies to gaming? I have a friend taking the well-trodden path of "wife/girlfriend introduced to video games by her husband/boyfriend", but her first introduction to shooting was Cyberpunk 2077 played with a controller and she bounced off it quite hard and soured on shooters as a whole. I've been trying to think of a game to give her a gentle reintroduction to the genre, as well as to the necessity of playing them with mouse & keyboard. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Luis Perez

Here's a challenge. Please come up with THE perfect game for non-gamers. With all of your experience, what do you think would be the best game to onboard a non-gamer.

Northern Music

I've been playing around with making horror-related projects in a few different mediums, and have come across the stumbling block that making something feel scary is difficult in a lot of genres. The way you make an audio drama scary, for example, is very different from how you make a movie scary. So do you have any advice for how to build a game to be scary that is specific to the strengths of video games as a medium? Or for audio-only formats, like podcasts, audio dramas, etc?

Myca Arcangel

Maybe this is more parenting advice, but what are we doing about screen time and playing games around young kids? My 4 year old basically had to stop playing games because he threw wicked tantrums over losing but I also genuinely thought it was good bonding time and he was gaining some neat skills from it.

Jason Ferro

I need a short game to play in between some quite large games. What are a couple 5-10 games you'd recommend to fill that slot?

Lil' Cass (CJ)

Oh! So, only playing on Nintendo hardware, that makes sense /s 😛

Endodocus

Hi Yahtzee- I have a friend who games like a struggling alcoholic, either spending entire days poured into one long session of a strategy game or total abstinence for the sake of actually getting on with normal life. Do you have a game I can suggest that fits into a busy life without the ‘one more turn’ hook?

kristianveierland

How do i enjoy a coop focused game when my unsual squad is uniterested in the game, and im too introverted to play games with people i am unfamiliar with

sleepingkirby

I don't know if this can be considered too serious but recently, I've decided to try at my hand and making a game (very VERY early stages). The game might end up having a top-down, 8~16 bit RPG look. I have is I want the game to always feel wide and open. Like the feeling you get when you're in the middle of a grassy field and can see into the horizon. The problem/question (almost more a philosophical question) how do you, in a top-down view, make the world feel vast and open? What makes a top-down world feel open? Oh, I do have a request on game recommendations. So my first and favorite point and click game is Chronomaster (an dos CD-rom, near vaporware game) because the game has multiple solutions for virtually every puzzle (as in, I think there's only 3 puzzles that have only one solution out of 40+). I haven't been able to find one since. So I'd like to ask if there are any (mostly) non-linear, multiple solution per inventory object puzzle, point and click adventure games out there that someone can recommend?

ParaParadox

Do you have any advice for dealing with the classic Steam "Shelf of Shame" (games you've bought but not played)?

OhItsWren

How would you handle writing a video game narative differently than writing a novel? As someone experienced with the later, I am having trouble translating the skills into the former without it getting in the way of the mechanics. I have thought about doing something like a Thomas Was Alone type thing where the narrative and mechanics are separate but happen in tandem, but combining the mechanics subtly into the narrative is a bit harder.

Pyrkagemon

How do you maintain consistency and motivation for content creation after doing it for so long, and how do you manage negative feedback from comments?

Kevin

I’d love to see you and the team flip over to the desktop side of your Steam Decks and explore some of the bigger free & open source games that have been lurking in the computing background for ~20 years built and supported by volunteers. A lot of these have windows and Mac ports as well. - 0 A.D. (Age of Empires) - Super Tux Cart (Mario Kart) - Lunati (Minecraft) - Super Tux (~NES Super Mario 2d platformer) - Warzone 2100 (3d RTS)

Nathan Ehlers

Dear Yahtzee- my wife and I enjoy long story rpgs (persona, Final Fantasy, etc). Usually I push the buttons and we co-decide story choices or character builds. My problem is we start playing after the kids are in bed, and without fail, she falls asleep an hour in. She doesn't want to miss out on plot or choices. Should I create a save when she falls asleep, keep playing, then load back and pretend to be surprised at what comes next?

Charles Arthur

Hey Yahtzee! Any advice for clearing out my video game backlog? I have a physical and digital one, as many of us do, and not nearly enough hours in the day to play them all... any tips?

Samantha Behrndt

You talk a lot about Balatro-likes but there's another rabbit hole of clone games based off of indie darlings that continues to appear: Suika-game likes. It's an older trend (maybe about 2ish years?) but I still think it's interesting? It's a physics puzzler (which is just a fancy way to say bouncy ball simulator) and there are some genuinely interesting games that have come from it - may I suggest starting with Dogpile, which adds a Joker-esque dog tag system and various good or bad buffs? Honestly it does feel a bit like a mulch of Suika-game and Balatro. Also; Do you have any advice on staying in the gaming sphere as I approach middle age? I used to be extremely on top of gaming trends but now it seems like they come and go before I've even heard of them. I know a part of this is my lack of time for games themselves - I tend not to play many new games, for price and also disinterest reasons- but I used to be Super Aware of what was going on in games space and I'm just...not anymore.

Marin Staykov

could you recommend some point and click adventure games. what ive played: - Grim Fundango - Day of the Tentacle - Broken Sword - The Fish Files

Snakeinthegarden

My nephew (12) just wants to play Fortnite with his friends but he seems so bored. How can I wean him onto good games. He has access to a switch 2 and found donkey Kong bonanza "boring"

אבהו היהוד

How can one make a "simulation" type of open world game, where you try to let the player be able to do anything they can think of, without it feeling directionless?

Jakob Hjorth Hansen

How can I get to grips with a game design engine, when I work 8-4 and have kids in early school age. I have a specific idea for a surveyor game, although MapMap have overtaken me quite effectively, I still believe it's unique enough to be worth the effort, and I would want to give it a shot for the exercise. Also, does a game need a story, if the core game play loop is good enough?

Ulnarevern

What games would you recommend to a friend who wants to discover PC/console gaming (with a bit of everything) by themself with no prior gaming experience? I've been wondering since Razbuten's "Gaming for a non gamer" video what I'd recommend to someone and I'm always thinking "yeah but you'd need a manual or someone to explain the deeper concepts"

Snakeinthegarden

If you made your own crossword or wordatro game, what spin on it might you do? Would you theme it for your books etc?

TooManySpreadsheets

Some of my favorite stories are game narratives, and a well-written game can explore complex themes just as powerfully as novels or films. But it's hard for me to ask a non-gamer (or even some gamers) to spend anywhere from 10-50 hours or more to experience those stories. Even watching someone else's playthrough feels like a tall order. How can I bring these stories to friends that don't have the time, let alone player skill, to get through them?

Cory McLean

My specific sensibilities, so here we go: how about covering some traditional roguelikes? Nethack is my #1 game of all time. Caves of Qud is fantastic. Dwarf Fortress is psycho but there's nothing else like it. In my experience, these games fly under the radar for a lot of people, despite the fact that the term "roguelike" has been thrown around casually for many years now.

Nathaniel Solyn

I have viewed hundreds of hours of youtube content on elden ring (and other fromsoft games') lore, but I can't play their games. I have tried. I swear. But I don't want to have to fight. I want to explore and understand the underlying story, because that is the true game for me. So when will we ever get to play an open world based on something other than combat ? (corollary : have you played Eastshade? You might want to play Eastshade. Please play Eastshade. It's short enough.)

🔥 PHOENIXPHIL 🔥

I have a fascination with psychology as it relates to gamers, specifically with how gaming is perceived from outside observers who are not necessarily "gamers". Growing up, the outside observers in my life were my parents, grandparents, and other extended family members. One thing that always bothered me was negative reinforcement or lack of empathy from those outside observers while in a gaming session. Some examples of negative reinforcement I have encountered: 1.) “You’ve been playing for too long, you need to come upstairs.” 2.) “You’ll rot your brain, stop playing so much.” 3.) This one was the most infuriating — “If you’re mad about the game, stop playing it.” Now as an adult, I find myself reflecting on those experiences and understand that those outside observers could not empathize with what I was going through, even if it was “just a video game”. It was still an experience that I was still going through even as just a game, but it felt more important to me than what those observers simply understood from their perspective. As I type this, I want to make it clear that I'm not calling them out or saying they did something wrong. Any advice to help educate those “non-gamers” and outside observers about healthy gaming boundaries and to help them better empathize with our emotions while in a gaming session? As a new dad, I want to make sure that I can help build any healthy environments where I can be supportive rather than dismissive, whether that’s in gaming or any other interests that my kids will have. Thanks Yahtzee!

Language Respawn

Hey Yahtz! I’ve had two main passions my whole life, endangered languages and video games. I’m trying to start a non-profit to work with endangered language communities to make or translate media for the language to keep the youth engaged and speaking it. While I certainly have experience with endangered languages and communities that speak them, I don’t know how to make games and I don’t have connections in the gaming industry to point people to. How do you get started somewhere like that? What’s the secret in to find people in the industry that would be amenable to having a new translation of their game or allowing a group to work on that?

Cameron Taylor Heaton

When is it time to change up a game, like is keeping a formula going on decades a good thing or should they shake things up?

flipmaxter

I've been following you for years and are one of my favorite internet personalities I've ever had the pleasure of stumbling upon. You've inspired me to try and get more into critical and creative thinking exercises to keep my mind active and healthy not just while gaming, but in life as well. I've been trying to get into puzzle/detective/use-your-brain games for some time now. My big problem is I just feel so dumb when playing these kinds of games and struggle with trying to make it through games like Seance of Blake Manor or the Lucaspope games. Do you have any tips for someone who seems to lack the skills for thinking outside the box to maybe start trying to expand my critical thinking and problem solving skills?

Jeroen Delcour

Hi Yahtz, you've often mentioned your love of interactive narrative in games like Return of the Obra Dinn, Papers Please, and The Alters. Bringing together narrative and gameplay is hard to do well (lord knows I've tried. Since you're a writer and game developer, how would you go about it? Are there any narrative mechanics you'd like to see being explored more?

ImmenseCookie

Well met Yahtzee. My eldest son is 10 and he is struggling to compartmenalise his gaming, which is causing friction within our household. My wife is a non-gamer. He normally plays on his Switch and is currently enjoying the modern Zelda titles. I have shown him a wide variety of games, with a range of visual and gameplay styles so I feel he has a good gaming education for his age. When we call him to set the table or help in the kitchen etc he often struggles to tear himself away from the game until voices are raised. Are there any games or habits that you could recommend to get his head around the relationship between the time required for an in-game task and the actual time available to him, possibly highlighting gaming progression mechanics that facilitate being able to put a game down at a moments notice without getting stressed out about it. Best of luck with the project 🫡

Jaxorb

I struggle with large open world games with extensive quest logs/side quests as I usually lose sight of "what's the point". Amy suggestions on how to reframe the position to be excited to continue playing an alleged 40+ hr experience

Crypto8536

How does one contest against a community refusing to let a repeat contender in a poll for, oh I don't know, a review by a snarky British YouTuber, finally get reviewed by him, all because it'd be 'funny to watch the weebs cry in despair'? Asking for a friend. 😁

Erik Larsen

The channel actually has a couple videos about Silksong (and the first Hollow Knight back in the yellow-background stone age)

Douglas Wykstra

What game-creation software would you recommend for someone with a lot of writing experience but little-to-no programming experience? Also, in your time creating games, what programming-related skills were the most important for you to develop?

Denmark

I am aware. I'm asking for more like it

S.G. Murphy

How do you go from a concept (either for a novel or game like one in the Chzo Mythos) to a first draft? I have a bunch of ideas for games and stories but find it difficult to decide A) which ones to work on to a finish and B) how to go from general idea to a first draft. I find revising from a first draft the easy part but basic plotting / storyboarding quite difficult, would love your advice!

Erik Larsen

Hello! Been watching since ‘09! How do you find time for personal hobbies between professional and childcare responsibilities? Is it most effective to allot specific times and days to yourself, or just wait until there’s a lull in the chaos? Also is it gross to use a handheld gaming device while one is on the can?

Ali Almuhanna

After discovering Bloodborne back in 2016, I have lost patience with game that have cutscenes or intrusive storytelling. And as I enter my 40s I’ve lost patience with “getting gud” at hard games. What games would you recommend that are absolutely pure gameplay with non-intrusive storytelling, yet that are still rather easygoing or not very punishing ? (Think Bloodborne but not as brick-walled, or nightmarish, or long).

Proarchangel

Hey Yahtzee, Ive played a lot of old games, like Sierrra, and I would save, then get locked into a game state that cant be undone, so I am stuck in a no win. In the past, it would require a restart of the whole game. But I wonder, could you design a game feature that would let the player go back in time to save before I get locked into a no win state?

Erik Larsen

Second request: Do you or any other members of the team have a preferred video editing suite? What’s the best program for recording and editing for a novice content creator?

Craig Power

(Craig) Best games for new parents who may be nap trapped and/or mobile phone games that are actually worth playing/paying for in 2026.

Alpha Aquilae

How does one come to terms with their life getting busier and busier, with less time to play games? Careers get busier, social lives get busier, families grow, interests grow across forms of media... there are only so many hours in the day! There are so many games I want to play, but I'm finding less time to play them. How do I deal with this?

Andrew K

As long as you ignore the business crap going on by Nintendo.

Andrew K

How do you tackle Steam backlog fatigue? So many games, so little time.

Brad Roberts

I recently came across the idea of "First Game Syndrome" There are series out there that had a very rough first game but sprouted beyond the first game's flaws into something much more. Some I can think of would be MegaMan (even in some of its spin off series!), The Witcher, and Assassin's Creed. Might be a good topic for a Semi-Ram.

Antiphar

Dear Yahtzee... You've really put me in a bind! I take most of your recommendations pretty seriously which has ballooned my Steam wishlist. But I'm not made of cash, you know! Help me decide between the following to trim down my list: Metal:Hellsinger or En Garde! Lorelei and the Laser Eyes or Talos Principle I+II Metaphor ReFantazio or P3 Reload Tactical Breach Wizards or XCOM 2 War of the Chosen DLC Eternal Strands or Space Marine 2 Journey or A Highland Song Beginner's Guide or Geometry Dash Mina the Hollower or Decline's Drops

Phil Raine

I recently started a gaming podcast that most definitely isn't aping Windbreaker's style at all. How can I expand my listener base without going through the troublesome process of talking to my fellow humans?

The Medical Mercenary

how you found any other souls like game that you would recommend?

Liz Murray

what games could make me feel like a detective?

Stephen O'Riordan

How do I convince a non-gaming spouse that an uninterrupted period of time (however brief) is necessary to enjoy most games? i.e. that "immersion" is not just an old type of water heater and is a critical element of most games.

ThePiachu

Hello Yahtzee, I need help losing weight. See, I hate physical exercise and I tend to snack a lot, but I found that when I get really engrossed in video games I tend to forget to take care of myself and don't go snacking. I need some good recommendations for games that will suck all of my life into a nice flow that will keep me glued to the screen until I forget what year it is so I can lose like 10kg of snack weight. I've already gone through things like Minecraft, Factorio, and I'm not much of a fan of online games and MMOs. What do you have for me?

Adam C.

Devs should realize that co-op is one of the best forms of multiplayer gaming. So many games put PvP or PvPvE as what they should be aiming for.

Jack Blackburn

Hello Yahtzee, what would you think about a Diner Dash style game where you’re the dish washer at a restaurant and need to deal with different obstacles while you clean? Like a pan coming back very burnt and needing extra scrubbing or management coming to “inspect” and getting in your way? Do you think that could be fun in a frantic point and click mayhem management kind of way? I’ve been getting game ideas from the bullshit I deal with at work and felt games might be a good creative outlet

William Alexander

1. How to talk about video games with non gamers in a way that doesn’t bore them. 2. What video games were you most excited to share with your kids now and in 5-10 years? What video games do they play that caused you to think of them (the games or the kids) differently?

Juicy Jeff

Fellow dad here with a toddler and a very busy life. My solution to enjoy even a tiny squeak of gaming involved a 3 step process: 1) Time Management and Efficiency. This involves things like meal prepping, cutting time with other forms of media (YouTube, Etc.) and streamlining bedtime routines. 2) Say Goodbye to big open world games unless you plan to chip away one at a time. Also anything involving live service or multiplayer communities; your childless homies will leave you in the dust. Pickup & play, arcade-style experiences or shorter single player games are the way to go. 3) Go portable! I grabbed an Android-based handheld and just stream my PC to it. You've also got options like Steam Deck, PS Portal, Switch etc. It may not work for your gaming preferences but it is an option that makes the ritual of firing up a game much more convenient for small sessions. Best of luck soldier! 🫡

Juicy Jeff

Not sure what genre of game you're looking for, but check out Death's Door. Minimal story with great, simple gameplay.

Jack

How to talk about games to people who aren’t as far down the rabbit-hole. My girlfriend is very casually into games (think Pokemon, GTA and surprisingly Doom) and every now and then she’ll ask me about what I’m playing. And I’ll be playing something “hardcore” like Nine Sols, Devil May Cry 5 or Expedition 33, or a story-focused indie like Blue Prince or Citizen Sleeper and have no idea how to describe it to her.

Juicy Jeff

I have a friend who enjoys playing multi-player games together, but I rarely have the time. On a few occasions I have purchased specific games for us to play together when the time does allow for it, but he usually ends up going off and plays them by himself and ruins the experience of enjoying the journey together. How do I convince his impatient ass that this is "our" game?

Nathaniel Goff

Dear Yahtzee, During your time with The Escapist, you wrote an article about exploring different ways to explain game mechanics in-game. One of your suggestions that stuck with me was "changing a health bar into a luck bar. When the character takes a few bullets and keeps on going, it would change to the character avoids them, or the bullets miss. I wonder, since writing that, if you had any more ideas to edit or improve some of the more common traits of modern games. In addition, what advice would you give someone who likes games, but wants to break out of their comfort zone and explore new genre. Where should they look for and what criteria should they adhere to? Separately, I'd like to wish you, your family, and the good people of Second Wind, well. Take good care of yourselves, and thank you for your time and contributions

John Larson

Do you think the gaming industry is in need of another crash along to the great crash/reset of 1982 brought on by ET and the state of the industry as it was at the time? It feels like we are approaching the same nexus in 2026 that the industry was facing back then: poor quality games, repetition of genre, expensive hardware, poor value for money; and an industry that was taking all the piss and advantage of the hard earned money of the gamers. It shocked the market and killed off home gaming for years until the NES brought it back to life to the point that Nintendo became the default term for games/consoles for years afterwards. With hardware becoming too expensive, companies trying to kill physical media and permanent ownership, and AAA games being so expensive they can take down companies, do we need another mass reset to correct the issues in the industry or would a new market crash be too catastrophic for a new market to emerge from the ruins?

George Wang

How best to game with your SO and also kids (who are young). Been playing with the Nex Playground, and they like to watch more than joining.

Zhon Lord

Hey Yahtzee. What's a good way to decide how much to interact (or not) with one's fans? JM8 is active with the Delvers, KC responds frequently to feedback/counterarguments/etc. that people post in response to his videos, you read discord and youtube comments but rarely respond directly to people in the chats. Everyone does it differently based on where they decide the dividing line is in today's always-online world, so what's the best methodology you'd recommend for how to draw said line?

Tim Wilson

I’m writing a narrative game where there are eight characters based on four pairings of typical RPG archetypes, one “hero” of the wrong archetype and an object or being that typically bestows power, like a sentient magical sword, a Goddess, a crystal etc. but the archetypes are wrong, so the sword ends up with an amoral mercenary, the Goddess gets an exotic dancer instead of a pure priestess etc. However, I’m struggling to decide on the final bestower and making the bestower’s personalities distinct, they all just seem like posh weirdos. Any idea for the fourth most typical bestower of “hero powers of light” in an RPG and any tips on how to make the four aloof and distant, but distinct?

chiefnewo

Instead of trying to stay awake longer, go to bed earlier and wake up earlier. I found when my kids were very young it was easier to wake up and game at 4am than try to stay up. Headphones required obviously

Freakjob

A two part question for Yahtzee: Given that you always have to play a new game every week, how do you decide what to play in your free time? We all probably have a massive backlog and the accompanying decision paralysis that comes with it. How can one balance "regressing" into our comfort games versus getting to the ones we've always really wanted to play but sometimes feel we have to *force* ourselves to start?

June Gloom

I just got my first gaming PC and am having a hell of a time adjusting to mouse+keyboard controls. Could you give some recommendations for a game that might be particularly good for teaching myself that control method and also some general thoughts on which types of games are better suited to mouse+keyboard than controller?

bluemage27034

I have a severe problem. I've been playing video games with my nephew since he's been old enough to hold a controller and, while normally friendly or cooperative, im not above smacking him around as appropriate. However, in the last two years, something flipped and he's gotten good (he's now 16). I can't rely on decades of experience to see me through his mountains of free time to practice. What do i do?

FoxcubDrukhari

How to deal with my cat walking in front of the tv whilst I’m trying to play

WillysCustomGraphics

Thanks for making my boring life a little bit more interesting since 2010 by delving into the parallels in my tiny yin-yang brain with the first rule of Gaming Minion Steal-the-Moon Club: you’re not supposed to do that. I dig the dad vibes that remind me that 100-percenting Red Dead Redemption 2 is a lot easier compared to infinity-percenting No Man’s Sky, or building a fully functional A380 on a Minecraft server using redstone and no mods, by myself. It makes electrical engineering degrees sound easy. S.O.’s and Kiddo’s I don’t even play shooters all that often, but when my 2.5-year-old started building pistols out of Duplo, I knew it was time to throttle back. At the same time, I can’t wait until Mom leaves me with the little guy so we can watch Jackass on Paramount. I think it’s on Paramount. Anyway. “So what if that medieval crimson game had a Fallout: New Vegas dialogue narrative?” I’d probably play it a bit more, but I’d often rather be watching the Twisted Metal miniseries on the couch with the wife. Still, I shouldn’t be surprised if she reads the first two chapters of Dungeon Crawler Carl and decides it’s not her bag. Trying to convince my wife that we need to build an educational PC that will only be used for educational math games is not an easy sell. She already knows how that Ubisoft Egyptian audio-video diorama can go. Possibly to the YouTube “build your own PC” educational channel for people who want to figure it out themselves by asking for help. Like a Crimson Desert puzzle, it will lead me back to PowerWash Simulator. Gamers who smoke their non-performance-enhancing drugs are a whole ’nother filter altogether. But I’m no doctor. Just another amateur made-up-swear-word wrangler. I do believe FIFA can’t be improved by having a helicopter medevac like in Call of Duty: Warzone, though. I have no idea how to keep PvP interesting and popular month after month. Not my job. I’d have an easier time selling the Mayan calendar in Vegas on Pawn Stars. I’m sure Rockstar will figure it out with the online financial economy/community. Probably with the Game of Thrones method of easing us into the dragon-zombie magic by starting us off with sticks, stones, and crows. Trust Rockstar to leave it to the pros. Maybe now that GTA 6 is almost out, we can get zombies on RDR2 before the layoffs start. Or not. It’s whateves. It’s just entertainment. I’m staying tuned in here to see what happens.

Tom S

How do I break my addiction to Starstruck Vagabond?

Jeffrey

My wife and I are both gamers, but our daughter is more interested in makeup than mariokart. How can we help her discover true joy of gaming?

JT

I would love some advice on how to talk to children (tweens/teens) about gambling in video games and the gamification of real gambling apps.

Shaun Abdelkerim

Indie game idea: I've had an idea in mind for a long while now, "city builder with a gimmic". In my case, Airborne Kingdom, The Wandering Village, and Surviving Mars. Errant Fleet: You are a community of nomads living off an airship. You have to maintain and protect your vessel, while scavenging and harvesting resources, until you have enough people and material to build anew and expand. First one vessel, then more as you find more airships to join you, or build them yourself. Expand technology to increase the ways resources and vessels can be acquired and people served while in-flight. Establish trade relations with other settlements, or become more predatory... Accept new people as your own, or host others as guests for a time, assuming you can provide for all, of course. Manage Fleet policies concerning your people and how they interact with each other and outsiders, affecting numbers, morale, and random chance events. And remember, regardless of your intent, your fleet will eventually garner attention, likely even the wrong kind...

Th3P4tM4n

Howdy, Yahtzee! I'm an amateur content creator on YouTube. I do retro game reviews, topical video essays, and podcasts. So far, after about a year, I'm struggling to get any reach and attract an audience. I think my best bet would be to have a video to go viral like you did. How would one go about that?

Neil J

What would be a good game for someone who enjoys creeping dread or quietly chilling horror, but deeply dislikes jump scares to the point of not enjoying most horror games, even traditionally well regarded ones.

Pietro Aronica

I had an idea for an indie game that on the surface is one type of game and can be fully played as such, but if the player finds secret conditions it becomes a completely different kind of game. The specific example I had in mind was a "Photography Simulator" where you take photos for a living, and it's kind of a cozy, comfortable, knowingly cheesy, working sim, but if you take a photo at the right time, you become embroiled in a gritty murder investigation, and the whole tone and game mechanics change.

C P

What are some great games to show people that no, not all games are violent or gross? I think A Monster's Expedition is a great example of something like that.

CJ Amused

Parasite Eve Things to my taste: FEmale protagonist and villain Science based plot on real world thing but amped up to become basically magic. I played this instead of FF7(same company and engine) and genuinely think it was better experience

Reginald Excellent

What is the perfect amount of gimmick for new video game hardware? When the Wii came out, you were very negative about the motion controls, and I recall you being very critical of lots of video game peripherals. That being said, I don't want to live in a world where every console has the exact same controller and hardware specifications, and don't try anything interesting.

Ryan I

Hello, thanks in advance for responding, if you do respond. What's the healthiest way to introduce young children to enjoy playing games? This can pertain to the best genre or types of games to play plus how to establish boundaries so they don't get obsessed. How do you maintain energy and focus on your passion projects like novels and game development while also having a day job and family?

Boorulz

Is there any game that you hate that you would recommend for others with different preferences than you?

Cameron Blume

I want to turn my small children into PC gamers, but they have tiny hands and every other type of gaming is easier for them. iPads use touch controls, and the Nintendo switch can use the half-size controllers that are great for tiny hands. It is not easy to buy a tiny mouse for a 5-year old, and the full size keyboard is intimidating. What’s a great entry point for getting them to play on PC?

Jakob Hjorth Hansen

As one dad to another. Stick to games with slow moment to moment situations and something that doesn't mess up if you need to get up for your kids calling. Civilization or other turn-based games are great, especially if there isn't a strict plot you need to pay attention to. It's much easier to remember that you are at war with Spain if you load up and see all the soldiers at the border, instead of trying to remember why you are delving into this particular dungeon.

Alex Adams

What games both Single Player or Co-op would you recommend to an individual who only has one arm? We have found that even with adaptability controllers like the Playstation Access controller or even just messing with key bindings on a Razer Naga mouse, there is still a large limitation on what games can actually be played one handed.

OSchmitt

“Are we the baddies? “ playing the evil side, did you do it on purpose? Do you want to be the bad guy? What does it say about you? I still think about the ZP on undertale and the notion that being bad in video games isn’t entirely consequence free. Separately, And at the same time, the notion to ‘run around in your underpants hitting people with a baguette (What episode even was that?) because we all need to let loose.

DNJ

As a creative, you've started plenty of projects you've never finished, and have spoken about "the Hump", and how you're never going to be as enthusiastic about your project when you finish it, but you need the discipline to push through that phase. I'm finding it difficult to tell the difference between projects that no longer excite me because I've been working on them too long, and projects that just aren't something I want to finish / aren't panning out. It's getting harder to just get lost in the joy of making something, and less ideas seem worthwhile investing in. How do you deal with that feeling of "Why am I even doing this?" Truncated version: How can you tell the difference between 'the hump', and a project not worth finishing?

Amber

if a game has a drawing interface, why do boys gotta draw dicks though

Fred Elias

What is the difference between a good starting-off idea vs a bad one when first designing a video game? Is there a difference in quality between having an idea for an interactive story first or having a gameplay mechanic idea first?

Simon

There's this category of hard working indie developers whose games on Steam and Itch get ignored and occasionally ostracized by the gaming industry. Games with this specific sensibility are commonly known as Adult Visual Novels, so would Second Wind provide some recommendations for this underappreciated genre.

Inverse Skies

I have two children aged 4 and 1. They’re awesome but they are absolutely hopeless at video games. As a parent yourself and game expert, how do you make them not suck and able to get past even the simplest of challenges like the goomba in 1-1 of Mario bros?

Inverse Skies

(This of course is satire, I really don’t care if my kids are good at games or not, I just like sharing the experience with them).

Sofox

Dear Yahtzee, How in the world do you do all the things you do and avoid burning out? Managing a family, weekly Fully Ramblomatic, writing books and articles, streaming, Yahtzee Tries, Semi-Ramblomatic videos... And in the past you've done webcomics, made multiple games, and were even involved in running a gaming pub. I just don't get how anyone can do all that stuff. I've wanted to emulate your output for decades, but nothing I do ever seems to get close. A few projects of mine make it to completion after months or years that are usually released to little fanfare, and the rest tend to collapse or get abandoned long before the finishing line, usually from fear, boredom, stress, lack of skill or a combination of the above. So please Yahtzee, tell us: What's your secret?

Sofox

Not a perfect match, but I think the game you're looking for is Murder Dog IV: Trial of the Murder Dog. :)

TheYoungPanda

How do you maintain a level of joy and passion about video games in the face of fatigue and overexposure? I got involved with a group of aspiring game journalists and began writing weekly articles on games I played. However, I feel like the process either brought about or revealed a general dislike for gaming. I just realized I wanted more and more to play less-intensive, less-interactive games. Over time, I found that the games I gravitated towards felt more like "walking simulators" and "visual novels." And since that aspiring publication dissolved, I rarely play. Have you ever dealt with this over your career or is your focus on games just so resolute that you don't ever falter? And if so, how'd you get your mojo back?

Mr Freddo Renton

What are actually USEFUL steam tags vs what are filler nonsense that should go in the bin?

Nanimon

What are some good games to let my children play that would actually teach them something or help develop good habits?

Doctor Islands

I adore the type of game that has a secret layer beneath it you only uncover after playing to the "end", like (spoilers I suppose) Blue Prince, where there's a ton more after you find room 46. Without spoiling anything, what are some games you'd recommend that do that sort of thing?

clockworkmikan

How do you justify the purchase of a console, especially for people who game infrequently? For me (an avid gamer), I've used a formula (that I probably stole from someone else): Will I be spending as much in software as I did on the hardware? If I know I will based on announcements and games already available, then I can justify the purchase. In my case, this explains why I have a Switch 2 and no other modern console. However, a non-hardcore gamer friend of mine does not have a Switch 2, but I introduced her to Pokopia on my system and as she played it, the hours just zoomed by for her. I'm sure there are other Switch 2 exclusive titles she might enjoy (like Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, etc.), but the fact that she already has an OG Switch makes it a slightly harder sell since she can already play Switch games. With the cost of things in general seemingly still on the rise (to say nothing of gaming hardware and its components) what metrics/formulas would you recommend my friend use to determine whether to make the Switch 2 plunge? Should we be using projected number of minutes spent playing as a deciding factor? Many thanks, and great job on all your videos!

Hunters_Moon316

3 that come to mind: -Can you elaborate more on what you mean by "immersion storytelling"? I saw your video on it but I feel like the examples you have still adhere to traditional storytelling (having a beginning middle and end). -If your new indie creator with little experience with a "passion project" that you want to pursue, do you recommend doing something your less passionate about as practice or just doing your passion project first? - If you feel like your reflexes/skills in certain games are lacking do you recommend training or playing to your strengths? Ex: If you want to get into fighting games or shooters like Marvel Rivals but get flustered easily would you recommend practicing or accepting those types of games "aren't your thing" and sticking to what your good at?

Syllabel

How have you been able to stick to your hobby and passion for over 2 decades despite getting old, the industry getting worse, and the world sucking as much as it does?

Veldinian

I have been working off 'n on on a story-based island city builder idea I've had for a while, but have run into the issue that I don't quite know what to do with that story after a certain point. I know how it begins (survivors of a shipwreck working together), and I know where I want to end up (supernatural forces causing strife between groups), but I'm not sure what to do in between. Mechanically, my idea is that there are a few factions in the city, each with different skillsets and wants, and you're encouraged to design the city so both culture and industry go along smoothly. Each faction has the ability to satisfy their basic needs on their own, but in order for a group to go beyond that, they must work together with another group to make something they both would like. If the design of your city isolates a group from everyone else, or gives one group too much power relative to the others, it will cause gradually-increasing problems. A fishing hamlet with minimal connection to others might start getting a bit Innsmouth-y, for example.

M Vidal

My fiance is English and I am Spanish, with no common language between our families. I've proposed to him to have the wedding in Klingon as a compromise (instead of half guests not understanding what's going on and be pissed, just make it that everyone is on the same boat). He interrupted me halfway through Jadzia & Worf's clip to say it was insane. What should I do?

JoCo

Could there be a petition to make developers stop changing the genre halfway through the game? Dave the Diver: here’s cozy casual fun! Dive in unspeakably beautiful waters, gathering fish by the armful, to serve to patrons of your very own business! Also, two thirds of the game, we’re horror stealth now, here’s an invulnerable nightmare who rips your your throat in one hit if he spots you! Divinity Original Sin: we’re a wacky dark comedy rpg! On story mode, waltz through scenic southern France, putting the undead scourge to the sword, enemies are felled by the dozen. Halfway through the game, we’re a stealth horror now, here’s invulnerable nightmares who will kill you in one turn if they spot you. Whiskerwood: a whimsical cozy city sim! Build an adorable mice utopia, where every rodent lives out their best lives in comfort and luxury! The game is about to get an update changing it into an RTS… Why change the genre halfway instead of just making a different game?