GDC 2025 Session Viewer
Tools Summit: A Series of Microtalks About Spreadsheets
Guillaume Pierre (Senior Designer, Magic Fuel Games)
Nathan Harling (Senior Game Designer, EA Maxis)
Russ Fan (Lead Game Designer, Independent)
Lauren Scott (Senior Systems Designer, Double Fine)
Tyler Coleman (Founder, Ludo Systems Inc.)
Tomo Moriwaki (Creative Director, Hyperkinetic Studios)
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Summits Pass - Get your pass now!
Track: Programming
Format: Lecture
Vault Recording: TBD
Audience Level: All
Spreadsheets! They're the most versatile tool in a game designer's palette, offering unmatched possibilities. In these microtalks, spreadsheet nerds will showcase their creations, sharing insights on their origins, workflow, design choices, and discoveries.
Lauren Scott shipped economy and progression systems for Psychonauts 2. She'll present the spreadsheet used to bring diverse levels to life under a shared progression scheme.
Guillaume Pierre created an economy spreadsheet for Cityscapes: Sim Builder, simulating time, space, money, and progression to balance landmark effects.
Nathan Harling used a spreadsheet to generate thousands of words of player-facing text, reducing errors and editing costs.
Tyler Coleman's team built game content in spreadsheets for Merchant Guilds, using Apps Scripts for direct deployment, making it a trusted source for live game content.
Russ Fan developed a level design tool within spreadsheets for Full Bloom, enabling quick iteration on hundreds of levels.
Tomo Moriwaki explored storytelling complexity with Epic Tavern, managing thousands of encounters and over 600 quests.
Takeaway
Attendees will feel inspired to view the trusty spreadsheet tool in new ways, having learned innovative techniques and novel methods to organize data. They will gain fresh perspectives on leveraging spreadsheets for game design, enhancing their workflow, and discovering creative solutions to complex problems, ultimately boosting their productivity and creativity.
Intended Audience
System designers, technical designers, and tools designers