Double Fine's Kiln started as a game jam prototype from Amnesia Fortnight 2017 and evolved into a full multiplayer game where players sculpt pottery on a wheel and use their creations in combat. Lead designer Lauren Scott and lead character artist Jared Mill discuss the key design challenges: building a pottery system that feels expressive without being frustratingly realistic, solving hitbox collision for 24 unique pot shapes using capsule collision, and preventing players from spending too much time on the wheel instead of playing matches. The team took real pottery classes, then deliberately pulled back simulation fidelity in favor of player fantasy. Solutions included the 'Top Shelf' system for swapping pots mid-match and removing the ability to decorate pots during a round.
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From "a few lines of code stacked together in a trench coat" to a working pottery systemMaking pottery-throwing fun for people who don't like getting dirtySort: