Wowzers! Our session with Mike Lohaus this evening was the most rewarding so far. Mike was incredible—candid, open, and full of amazing tips and tricks. His insights on how to build immersive worlds in games was invaluable. He explained how critical first impressions are, reminding us, “We eat with our eyes first.” That stuck with me because, with so many games out there, your world needs to stand out instantly. Mike’s experience working on The Killhouse and Scarred Sky added weight to everything he said.
The comparisons he made between Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings—both fantasy, both with dragons—made things click for me. They share similarities, but what makes them different? The answer lies in the worldbuilding and the rules that shape each universe. His analogy between Star Wars and Warhammer was even better. He used charts to show how understanding the rules of your world is key to creating something that stands out. Some elements can’t be shared between different worlds, and understanding these boundaries is crucial.
What really resonated with me was his take on “stealing like an artist,” referencing Picasso’s quote, “Great artists steal.” Mike pulled examples from Alien, H.P. Lovecraft, and Fallout, (best references ever) showing us how it’s okay to use what works in other games, films, or stories. Most of the games we play today are versions of earlier ones, so why not lean into that and build on it? His process of diving into creative rabbit holes was fascinating to witness.
Interestingly, Mike contradicted some of what we learned last week about design documents. I actually appreciated this because it gave me a more well-rounded perspective. He even showed us how he uses design documents in his work, which got Dan and I buzzing with ideas for our own game. We were literally passing notes about what we wanted for certain characters.
Mike also emphasized the importance of persistence. Success comes from continually working at something, and your skills improve over time. We were provided a video to watch after class The Gap by Ira Glass - YouTube to help us understand how what we create today can live on beyond us. AMAZING video.
The main takeaways were about creating a strong, cohesive image, understanding your themes and influences, and focusing on world design where rules and story meet. Playtesting is also critical to ensure the world you create works for the players. Today’s session was packed with great information, and while I would’ve loved for Mike to expand more on his journey, the Q&A was really valuable. To align with Mike’s philosophy that continuous effort and creativity lead to success as well as to make a full circle; "Action is the foundational key to all success." – Pablo Picasso. So much to think about moving forward, but 1st - off to watch “Oblivion”.
Kerry
Co-Founder, PlayTheos
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