Graye Smith

Strong character design isn’t about drawing something that looks good—it’s about creating a personality that reacts clearly. In developing the bullying chickens of Fowl Deeds, I break down how defining personality first, exploring structure second, and designing for readable emotion makes static card art feel alive. In animation you get motion and sound. In a card game, you get one frozen moment—and that pose has to do all the talking.

A game designer’s reflection on Spire’s End, a dark solo card adventure by Favad Games. Rather than a traditional review, this piece explores why the game works so well despite relying on tight narrative constraints, how its episodic structure resembles a graphic novel experienced from inside the protagonist’s mind, and what it taught me about design tradeoffs, replayability, and learning from other indie creators.

One year ago, a belief that games could tell deeper, interactive stories became Average Joe Hero. This reflective post looks back on a year of building games from nothing—through setbacks, creative challenges, and personal disruption—and looks ahead to a focused Year Two. It’s about endurance, intentional design, and creating intricate games for players who enjoy mystery, depth, and discovery over hype.