Meet the Writer: HackerNoon's Contributor Sergey Snegirev - Game Designer

So let’s start! Tell us a bit about yourself. For example, name, profession, and personal interests.

My name is Sergey Snegirev. I'm the Head of Game Design and App Development at Dobro Games and the Host of the "80 Levels of Game Design" podcast/YouTube channel.

Now, I work as a game designer, but I have an education as a journalist. I am interested in working with analytical information and writing gaming articles. I am an active gamer and play all significant new releases and projects from indie studios on all existing platforms.

I want to share the knowledge I gained as a player and game designer. For this, I also made a podcast about game design and have now started working on a free course on YouTube to help aspiring game designers find answers. I had a lot of questions when I first started, so I want to contribute to the community.

As an indie developer (BeatBoy Music), I also make free apps on Google Play for musicians. These are some unusual synthesizers and noise machines.

Interesting! What was your latest HackerNoon Top story about?

My last story was a Comparative Study of Gaming Across Generations. I always do research only for themes that I'm interested in. And this topic is quite hot. I wanted to prove or disprove the knowledge that I already had.

What genres could interest the older generation, and how has the motivation been over the years? It's vital for understanding game development and other gamers' experience. The article has a lot of information...and memes!

Do you usually write on similar topics? If not, what do you usually write about?

I prefer to write analytics on the topic of game design. If we are talking about a game, then this is not just a review but a study from the point of view of a game designer. If this is some statistic, I combine all the data found into a single whole and try to show the whole picture. I'm most drawn to topics that can challenge stereotypes while still providing much factual information.

For example, I previously wrote on HackerNoon about the dying art of boredom in game design, trends in integrating games with other forms of media, such as movies and TV shows, and the impact of new privacy policies on the market dynamics.

Great! What is your usual writing routine like (if you have one?)

I read a lot of analysis on the gaming industry and look for topics that can be compelling and controversial. I want to give readers essential and exciting information. So first, I'm working with the facts, then looking for the missing statistics, and then collecting them in the article. And, of course, I do it with the appropriate memes! Because an excellent article shouldn't be boring.

Sometimes, I have an idea I want to prove and search for information. As a result, I can change my mind about some questions If facts talk about the opposite. That's why I love writing. Actual knowledge may be hidden under myths.

Being a writer in tech can be a challenge. It’s not often our main role, but an addition to another one. What is the biggest challenge you have when it comes to writing?

Finding time outside of my main job is one of the main problems. From finding data to creating articles, I can spend several days off. Also, a big challenge is finding a 100% reliable data source because statistics is the most important for analyzing the technology sector.

If I find some data, I'm finding alternative sources that support it. It also takes time.

What is the next thing you hope to achieve in your career?

I want to continue to develop in the direction of game design and create free resources and apps for the community. I genuinely believe there is real power in freely sharing knowledge and creativity. And I will make every effort to achieve this.

Wow, that’s admirable. Now, something more casual: What is your guilty pleasure of choice?

A good one! The most fulfilling examples of my guilty pleasures include lazy days in bed, binge-gaming cringe games, and cheap B-category films. The Room by Tommy Wiseau is the best lol.

Do you have a non-tech-related hobby? If yes, what is it?

I'm a music producer specializing in ambient music. I have projects such as the BeatBoyNinja and The Cremant. I love these lush pads, a beautiful piano, and infinity drones. It's so calm and peaceful. The ambient music is love. The ambient music is Shrek :D

What can the HackerNoon community expect to read from you next?

I'm currently thinking about new topics for an article about the impact of DLC on the perception of the game. But this is still at an early stage.

What’s your opinion on HackerNoon as a platform for writers?

HackerNoon has a great community of writers, and I'm proud to be a part of it. This is my favorite platform to read and write. It's modern, clever and... classy! Where else can I paste so many memes inside my article?

Thanks for taking time to join our “Meet the writer” series. It was a pleasure. Do you have any closing words?