This podcast is for those who seek to play new games and those who look for new ideas to use in their own games. I collect game design lessons from games on itch--ranging from mechanics to narrative to theme--and capture it in a 10-ish minute episode. <br/><br/><a href="https://zivanovic.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast">zivanovic.substack.com</a>
Scratching an Itch
Claim This Podcastby game design quickie
30 episodes
Updated Daily
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Podcast Overview
This podcast is for those who seek to play new games and those who look for new ideas to use in their own games. I collect game design lessons from games on itch--ranging from mechanics to narrative to theme--and capture it in a 10-ish minute episode. <br/><br/><a href="https://zivanovic.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast">zivanovic.substack.com</a>
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
2/18/2025
2 verified contact emails on file for Scratching an Itch
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Recent Episodes
June 19, 2026
#30 Satisfaction escalation
<p><a target="_blank" href="https://kodiqi.itch.io/idle-breakout">Idle Breakout by Kodiqi</a> is an idle version of the classic breakout. It’s a fun game although there isn’t much to learn, which goes a little against Raph Koster’s theory of fun. Still, I spent a considerable amount of time playing even after “mastering” all there is to the game (circa 30 minutes).</p><p>This game builds on something fundamental: a tight action-outcome loop with guaranteed success, something inherently satisfying; in this case, click to break bricks. So we keep repeating it until it gets boring, and then try to find new ways to escalate the satisfying thing in the hopes of creating the same satisfaction. </p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://zivanovic.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1">zivanovic.substack.com</a>
June 10, 2026
#29 Nethack
<p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.nethack.org/">Nethack</a> is one of the defining roguelikes. I talk a bit about what it is really about from a subjective experience and compare it a bit to Hades, one the current roguelike poster-children. </p><p>One of the differences, which I think is very important, is how they represent progress between runs: Nethack doesn’t represent it at all, whereas Hades has both upgrades for your character as well as narrative elements that get elaborated as you play the game.</p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://zivanovic.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1">zivanovic.substack.com</a>
May 29, 2026
#28 Doki Doki Literature Club
<p><a target="_blank" href="https://teamsalvato.itch.io/ddlc">Doki Doki Literature Club</a> by Team Salvato is perhaps the most famous visual novel dating sim game out there because there’s a big twist. I liked both the dating sim AND the twist!</p><p>The dating aspect is operationalized as poem-writing, where you have to show that you understand the girl you want to get closer to by picking the words she would like. I thought that was really neat.</p><p></p> <br/><br/>Get full access to zivan at <a href="https://zivanovic.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4">zivanovic.substack.com/subscribe</a>
30 total episodes available
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This podcast updates daily.
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This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
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