The Simulation Dream (2013)

I've been searching for resources on 2D colony simulation game design and found this blog post to be especially compelling. Tynan is the creator of the hit colony simulation game RimWorld.

I think my main takeaway is that one should spend a good amount of time striving to hit the "right amount" of complexity for a simulation. More isn't always better. Too many novel concepts crammed into an area results in features either going unnoticed or destroy the player's ability to infer cause/effect. Instead, one should strive to give players story-telling puzzle pieces which are able to be combined in a variety of ways and elicit emotional experiences unique to, and reflective of, the player's mindset.

If anyone has any great resources to share here - I'm all ears. I've gone through Tynan's book as well as some of Will Wright's musings.