How RimWorld’s wild tragedies lead to better stories

RimWorld is a bleakly comedic game that finds fun in three colonists starving to death, clinging to life under the shadow of a nuclear winter — or a whole group of beloved pawns being wiped off the map by a surprise raider incursion. It’s a game that isn’t interested in the concept of what’s fair, but what’s the most Interesting. And this chaotic ethos is part of what has led the game to endure for nearly a decade: It’s not just a management or base-building game — it’s also a storytelling simulator that cranks out the wildest tales imaginable.

Gaming is often an escape or a fantasy that gives you power, but at first glance it can be a powerful and exciting experience. RimWorldThis might appear idyllic Stardew Valley-esque romp. The pawns chat and socialize, have parties and grow crops. They also cook delicious food. While it’s certainly possible to stop the game at this level, RimWorld is notorious for its disastrous events that drive pawns to noble last stands or despicable deeds, thanks to the game’s wild AI story generator. Polygon interviewed Tynan Sylvester (the creator of RimWorldThis article is about how to create a game that’s equally captivating and brutal.

“We worked on RimWorldSix years was required to bring it up to its original release. It took that time to make sure it was fully rounded — but there’s always new directions to take it in. It’s such an open simulation,” says Sylvester. Since RimWorld’s official launch in 2018, the game has received two expansions (Ideology and Royalty), which give pawns “belief systems” and add in royal titles and tithes, respectively. Biotech adds a third expansion. which will allow pawns to control mechanoids and raise children, will launch “in a few weeks.”

Image: Ludeon Studios

RimWorldIt is built upon overlapping systems which link together. There are many variables that affect the mood of pawns. Breaks can be used to help them feel better. An order to stress, eat all your valuable rations or try to kill another colonist could be refused by a colonist. Players can also designate psychic nobles to their colonies. This has its benefits but they will be treated better and have more lavish quarters. A player may join or create an Ideology raider religion, which requires blood, or a peaceful order of vegetarians.

A host of mods were also created by players. You can modify things such as family dynamics, generations and even the ability to own a bed-and-breakfast. But while players can stack more variables on the pile, like space travel, giant bioengineered beasties, or an elaborate cocaine factory, if they keep the Storyteller settings close to the default, they’re eventually going to run into tragedy and violence.

“I think [RimWorld is] a little bit different from most games, which are more about creating a sense of victory, those emotions of triumph, or you’re creating something romantic or beautiful,” notes Sylvester. “But RimWorld is about the ups and downs of drama.” Ludeon Studios has worked to create a wide variety of circumstances that can affect a RimWorld playthrough, including inspiration from great movies and books — even the grim ones. There’s love, marriage, breakthroughs, victory after battle… and addiction, cannibalism, infection, and betrayal.

Image: Ludeon Studios

“We embrace the negative as well as the positive,” says Sylvester. In RimWorldThere are two possible outcomes for negative events: random chance and player decision. A squad of mechanoids can drop in the middle of a player’s temple and instantly smoke the religion’s head priestess. A group of raiders could emerge from the woodwork and prisoner can flee for their lives. Betraying an ally can result in them coming back to beat you. For every win a player earns, there’s a malevolent AI or murderous rage waiting to drop on the player.

“In Star Wars, when Luke’s parents get roasted by Stormtroopers — that couldn’t happen in a video game with full systemic control over everything,” explains Sylvester. “The impulse would be to make it so Luke wins every single encounter and his parents never get killed. It would be a terrible storyline, and it could also ruin the experience. If we’re going to have a story, it has to have tragedy, it has to have conflict and challenge.”

While there are many things to be proud of, Stardew ValleyOder Disney Dreamlight ValleyEnjoy a relaxed flow. RimWorld fans enjoy the game because it’s so prone to turning around and punching them in the kidneys. “It’s a weird type of enjoyment, right?” acknowledges Sylvester. “But as a broader experience, horrible situations make a ton of sense. I think there’s something that gets missed a lot of the time in design discussion, is that the player’s knowledge of what couldThe impact of happening on people’s understanding of the meaning and significance behind it is huge. It is happening.”

This is how every win in RimWorldEach victory, ripped from the jaws defeat, is better, because each player realizes that it might have been so disastrous if they played their cards wrong. For some people, the disaster and danger is what makes things fun — and it’s why RimWorldIt is still a part of the gaming zeitgeist.

“Starting all those years ago, sitting on a chair I got out of the garbage at my old job, in an apartment with roommates, I was like, Let’s make an indie game and hope it works out,” says Sylvester. “So to go from there to here is pretty remarkable.”