Game design is simple, actually

Game design is simple, actually
23 minutes by Raph Koster

Fun in games comes from mastering problems, not just entertainment. Raph outlines a twelve-part framework for game design focused on constructing meaningful problems, managing uncertainty, and guiding player learning through loops, feedback, variation, and pacing. He distinguishes toys from games, shows how small problems compound into complex systems, and stresses the role of aesthetic “dressing” and player motivations.

How to Build Secure MCP Auth With OAuth 2.1
sponsored by WorkOS

Securing access to an MCP server is complex. You need scopes, PKCE, consent flows, and safe revocation. This guide from WorkOS shows how to implement OAuth 2.1 in production with clear steps and examples. WorkOS Connect and AuthKit handle the full flow from authorization to token management.

Reflections on my tech career
23 minutes by Bruce Dawson

Bruce shares his impressive career journey through four Seattle-area companies. He worked at game companies, then Microsoft for nine years focusing on Xbox 360 optimization and Windows performance. At Valve, he fixed critical bugs in games like Counter-Strike but left for Google fixing performance and bugs across the organisation.

Conscious debugging
7 minutes by Petar Ivanov

Petar shares ten debugging techniques to help developers fix bugs faster and more effectively. Key strategies include reproducing errors consistently, isolating problems using binary search methods, using debuggers and rubber duck debugging, and forming testable hypotheses. He recommends documenting progress, taking breaks when stuck, and using AI tools with proper context.

Becoming a compiler engineer
13 minutes by Rona Wang

Rona shares her experience breaking into compiler engineering. Compiler engineers have opportunities at startups, large tech companies, academia, and quant finance firms. Her interview preparation involved studying low-level systems, algorithms, and compiler fundamentals through MIT courses available online.

Dithering
8 minutes by Damar Berlari

Damar shares the first part of his visual article on dithering. He explores the dithering basics with greyscale image example and focuses on a dithering method known as ordered dithering.

And the most popular article from the last issue was:

• How I use every Claude code feature