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Start / Eggplant: The Secret Lives of Games
Eggplant: The Secret Lives of Games
Candid conversations with game creators that dive deep into the art, craft, and process of making games.
189 avsnitt • Längd: 90 min • Månadsvis
Fritid • Sällskapsspel • Spel
Om podden
Candid conversations with game creators that dive deep into the art, craft, and process of making games.
The podcast Eggplant: The Secret Lives of Games is created by Eggplant: The Secret Lives of Games. The podcast and the artwork on this page are embedded on this page using the public podcast feed (RSS).
Avsnitt
Into the Depths: Caves of Qud (Part 2)
24 december 2024 |
122 min
In the 2nd installment of our current Into the Depths series, we dive into Caves of Qud. This sprawling open-world roguelike has been in development since 2007 and Early Access since 2015, and in this episode we celebrate this month's momentous v1.0 release.
Doug and Rob talk to one of the game's creators Jason Grinblat about Qud basics and the early game (up to Golgotha).
Don't forget to join our Discord and play along with the series.
Show Notes
qudzoo - "Your one-stop shop for improving in Caves of Qud"
Recommended settings for playing Qud on a Steamdeck (credit to Discord user patric!)
"The important changes are all in UI portion of the options menu:
UI Scale: 1.25 Play Area Scale: Pixel Perfect Pixel Perfect Tile Graphic Scale: 2 Ability Bar Mode: Compact Mini Map: Off Nearby Objects: Off Message Log Font: -5
Last but not least, use your finger to move the bar between the play area & the message log as far to the right as you can. It’s a little fiddly to do, but frees up a good amount of real estate."
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Mooncat
20 december 2024 |
101 min
We're joined by Bennett Foddy (Getting Over It), Kenny Sun (Mr. Sun's Hatbox), and Zach Aikman (Chuhai Labs) to discuss Mooncat, the 13th game in the UFO 50 collection.
"Jump and dash through forests, caves and mountains, in search of the egg."
Next week: Bushido Ball
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - SPECIAL - Developer Interview
16 december 2024 |
143 min
We're joined by UFO 50 developers Derek Yu, Jon Perry, and Eirik Suhrke to discuss the first 12 (?) games in the collection.
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Avianos
13 december 2024 |
103 min
We're joined by Tanya X. Short (Kitfox Games), Star St. Germain (Aconite), and Zach Aikman (Chuhai Labs) to discuss Avianos, the 12th game in the UFO 50 collection.
"In a time when birds rule, an epic war rages between the red talons and the blue beaks."
Next week: Mooncat
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Kick Club
6 december 2024 |
102 min
We're joined by John Axon (Capy Games) and Hayden "Docky" Scott-Baron (Planet Coaster) to discuss Kick Club, the 11th game in the UFO 50 collection.
“Sports are fighting over who is best! Let’s all play together!”
Next week: Avianos
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Devilition
29 november 2024 |
97 min
We're joined by Tanya X. Short (Kitfox Games) to discuss Devilition, the 10th game in the UFO 50 collection.
“Build and detonate chain reactions to drive the demon horde out of town!”
Next week: Kick Club
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Attactics
23 november 2024 |
88 min
We're joined by Adam Conover (Adam Ruins Everything) and Alfredo Barraza (Riot) to discuss Attactics, the ninth game in the UFO 50 collection.
“Carefully arrange your troops for maximum advantage in this game of realtime tactics.”
Next week: Devilition
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Planet Zoldath
15 november 2024 |
92 min
We're joined by Marc Flury (Thumper) and Alfredo Barraza (Riot) to discuss Planet Zoldath, the eighth game in the UFO 50 collection.
“Brave the wilds of Planet Zoldath in search of the intergalactic treasure map!”
Next week: Attactics
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Velgress
8 november 2024 |
89 min
We're joined by Derek Lieu (derek-lieu.com) and Colin Northway (Fantastic Contraption) to discuss Velgress, the seventh game in the UFO 50 collection.
“The space pirate Alpha is trapped in the deep pit known as Velgress. Help her climb out!”
Next week: Planet Zoldath
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Mortol
1 november 2024 |
86 min
We're joined by Aaron "ix" Kearsley (speedrunner), Stephanie Boluk (UC Davis), and Patrick LeMieux (UC Davis) to discuss Mortol, the sixth game in the UFO 50 collection.
“How many people will lay down their lives to save Mortolia?”
Next week: Velgress
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Magic Garden
25 oktober 2024 |
89 min
We're joined by Daniel Mullins (Inscryption), Stuffed Wombat (Mosa Lina), and XanaGear (youtube.com/xanagear) to discuss Magic Garden, the fifth game in the UFO 50 collection.
“Stop the jealous witch Cloverana from sabotaging your garden!”
Next week: Mortol
Into the Depths: Caves of Qud (Part 1)
20 oktober 2024 |
92 min
In the first installment of a new Into the Depths series, we dive into the brilliant Caves of Qud. This sprawling open-world roguelike has been in development since 2007 and Early Access since 2015, and we're celebrating it as it nears a v1.0 release. Doug and Rob, together with guest host and Qud-head Jack Schlesinger (Puzzmo, Knotwords, Good Sudoku), talk to Caves of Qud creators Brian Bucklew and Jason Grinblat all about post-apocalyptic worldbuilding, building an emergence-focused game engine, and what it takes to keep a project and partnership going for nearly two decades.
Don't forget to join our discord and play along with the series. Try to get a character to Level 5 before our next episode, where we'll get into some basics around the early game and Qud's many interlocking systems. You can purchase Caves of Qud -- still in Early Access, for now -- on Steam or GOG.
Discussed in this Episode
Gamma World Dwarf Fortress Kitfox Games Data-Driven Engines of Qud and Sproggiwood, talk by Brian Bucklew @ IRDC 2015 A Data-Driven Object System, talk by Scott Bilas @ GDC 2002 ("Looks like the paper isn't available but here's a talk on the same subject matter") The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Ancient Domains of Mystery (ADOM) Tracery for context-free grammar generation Emergent Narrative in Dwarf Fortress, talk by Tarn Adams @ Progression Mechanics 2017 The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe Clark Ashton Smith Sam Wilson (pixel artist) Craig Hamilton (OST)
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Paint Chase
18 oktober 2024 |
83 min
We're joined by Frank Lantz (The Beauty of Games) to discuss Paint Chase, the fourth game in the UFO 50 collection.
“Rev your engines and color your way to victory in the local paint racing competition!”
Next week: Magic Garden
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Ninpek
11 oktober 2024 |
77 min
We're joined by Adam Robinson-Yu (A Short Hike) to discuss Ninpek, the third game in the UFO 50 collection.
“It’s ninja time! Run and jump to reach the end of the world.”
Next week: Paint Chase, with guest co-host Carolyn Petit
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Bug Hunter
4 oktober 2024 |
81 min
We're joined by Frank Lantz (Universal Paperclips), Jack Schlesinger (Knotwords), and John Axon (Battle Vision Network) to discuss Bug Hunter, the second game in the UFO 50 collection.
“The moon quarry has a bug problem and you’ve been hired to fix it.”
Next week: Ninpek
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Barbuta
27 september 2024 |
72 min
We're joined by Xalavier Nelson Jr. (I Am Your Beast), Sylvie (Sylvie Lime), and Gabe Cuzzillo (Ape Out) to discuss Barbuta, the first game in the UFO 50 collection.
"Explore the castle but watch out for traps!"
Next week: Bug Hunter
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Introduction
20 september 2024 |
65 min
We introduce Eggplant Presents: A Year of UFO 50 - our new 1-year weekly show covering every game in the UFO 50 collection. Join us!
Next week: Barbuta, with guest co-hosts Xalavier Nelson Jr. and Gabe Cuzzillo.
142: Winning Together with Sarah Elmaleh (SAG-AFTRA Video Game Strike)
1 september 2024 |
76 min
We’re joined by our own Sarah Elmaleh, who is currently leading the SAG-AFTRA video-game actors’ strike as Chair of the union's Interactive Negotiating Committee. In this rare topical emergency episode, we discuss the urgency of securing basic protections for performers in the age of so-called “generative A.I.,” the power of collective action, and why this fight has existential stakes for video games as a commercial medium. Happy Labor Day!
Show Notes
Into the Depths: Slice & Dice - Part 3
28 augusti 2024 |
121 min
In this 3rd and final installment of our latest deep-dive miniseries, the crew continue to discuss “yahtzee roguelike” Slice & Dice, a host favorite that has made our GOTY list for two years running. We're joined once again by series guest co-host Darius Kazemi.
This episode, we ask Slice & Dice developer tann six (6) questions about the game. We also discuss Nightmare mode, as well as the modding system.
Show Notes:
Slice & Dice on Steam, itch, iOS, and Google Play
Into the Depths: Slice & Dice - Episode 1 & 2
Eggplant interview with Animal Well's Billy Basso and Dan Adelman
Eggplant interview with Balatro's localthunk
An otherworldly Eggplant announcement!
21 augusti 2024 |
5 min
Sorry for the lack of new episodes! We have some big stuff brewing though, tune into this announcement for the details.
141: Challenging Orthodoxy with sylvie
17 juli 2024 |
89 min
Doug and Zach talk to prolific game maker sylvie (love game), together with guest co-host Raigan Burns (Metanet Software). We talk about sylvie's design process, freeware games, subverting traditional orthodoxies around gamefeel, sylvie's influences, and more.
Show Notes:
Eggplant Episode 11 with Raigan
Melos Han-Tani on Living in the Relational Playworld
John Thyer's How To Make Good Small Games
140: Minding Your Manors with Botany Manor
28 juni 2024 |
75 min
We're joined by Laure De Mey and Kitt Byrne of Balloon Studios to chat about their Victorian first-person puzzler Botany Manor. We discuss building a space that feels the right amount of "real," letting history guide your setting, weaving a subtly affecting narrative, and...priest holes.
Show Notes:
Into the Depths: Slice & Dice - Part 2
14 juni 2024 |
98 min
In this 2nd installment of our latest deep-dive miniseries, the crew continue to discuss “yahtzee roguelike” Slice & Dice, a host favorite that has made our GOTY list for two years running.
We're joined once again by series guest co-host Darius Kazemi, as well as very special guest Michael Brough (!), whose own roguelike Cinco Paus is one of the cited inspirations behind Slice & Dice. This episode, we discuss the game's curses and blessings system, as well as its links to some of Michael's games, including 868 HACK.
Join our Discord and send in your questions for the Slice & Dice designer tann.
Show Notes:
Slice & Dice on Steam, itch, iOS, and Google Play
Michael Brough's blog posts on streak scoring (2013, 2017)
Michael Brough's blog post on the "powerup" (curse) system in 868-HACK
139: Sticking to Your Systems with Animal Well
1 juni 2024 |
120 min
We're joined by Animal Well's sole developer Billy Basso and his business partner Dan Adelman to discuss their genre-defying/defining, steeped-in-secrets hit. Plus special guest co-host Adam Conover (Adam Ruins Everything), as we dig deep into the game's slow-burn development, the iteration of its manifold gameplay (and other) layers, and the delicate balance of stoking the fires of your fanbase.
Show Notes:
The Decade-Long Quest for Shadow of the Colossus' Last Secret
Why do God of War's characters keep spoiling puzzles?
All of the Secret Bunnies in Animal Well (HUGE SPOILERS)
The Ultimate Secret Ending of Animal Well (EVEN BIGGER SPOILERS)
Into the Depths: Slice & Dice - Part 1
27 maj 2024 |
105 min
In the first installment of our Slice & Dice deep-dive miniseries, the crew head Into the Depths with the “yahtzee roguelike” that's shown up on our GOTY list for two years running. We're joined by interactive artist/developer Darius Kazemi to help introduce the game and share beginner tips from our (significant) playtime, and get into its unique combination of maximalist design and systems-driven humor.
Next episode, we’ll get into some of our favorite game modes: Classic Unfair, Cursed, and Cursed-Hyper. Don’t forget to join our Discord and send in your questions for the game's designer tann, to be answered over email later in the series.
Show Notes:
Slice & Dice on Steam, itch, iOS, and Google Play
Eggplant’s 2022 GOTY Episode (S&D Rob’s #2)
Eggplant’s 2023 GOTY Episode (S&D Doug’s #2)
Darius Kazemi’s Spelunky level-gen browser tool
Slice & Dice development history essay, by tann
Allison Parrish’s talk on designing to explore possibility spaces
Slice & Dice beginner tips powerpoint
Sid Meier’s 2010 GDC keynote
Tharsis on Steam
The stream where Rob and Doug “puppeteered” Andy to a Classic Unfair victory in Slice & Dice v2.0
138: Getting Goofy with Listener Letters
8 maj 2024 |
92 min
Left to our own devices without a guest, we get a little goofy - thankfully our listener letters overfloweth, so we dive into a few of them. Thanks, listeners!
Show Notes:
137: Reflecting (and More) on GDC 2024
22 april 2024 |
93 min
Four of ours hosts went to the 2024 Game Developers Conference, and we lived to share anecdotes, interesting games we saw, and the highlights (and injuries) of our week! Also, Rob chases down a handful of other lovely devs to tell us the best/hardest things about making games right now.
Show Notes:
Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure
136: Going in Blind with Balatro
5 april 2024 |
86 min
We're joined by LocalThunk, solo creator of the hypnotic deckbuilder Balatro. We discuss flauting the fashion of a genre and going into development blind, the benefits of balacing by feel, and why Balatro shouldn't exist.
Show Notes:
135: Harnessing the Algorithm with Eric Chahi
15 mars 2024 |
86 min
We're joined by renowned designer Eric Chahi (Another World, From Dust) to discuss his singularly surreal VR adventure Paper Beast. We discuss building a living ecosystem born from constraints, how the craft has changed over the decades, and the indecency of technology.
Show Notes:
134: Striving for Imperfection with Jon Ingold (A Highland Song)
24 februari 2024 |
96 min
We're joined by Jon Ingold, co-founder of Inkle Studios (80 Days, Heaven's Vault) to discuss A Highland Song - a wild adventure through the Scottish Highlands. We chat about creating narrative-driven games without a critical path, allowing players to fail forward, and the origins of Inkle's beloved narrative scripting language, ink.
Show Notes:
133: Celebrating Our 5th Anniversary!
9 februari 2024 |
88 min
We (belatedly) celebrate the 5th anniversary of our show with a sprawling, silly, reflective episode with a full house of hosts! Thanks for listening to us for all this time. <3
Show Notes:
Everest Pipkin's The Poppy Grower
132: Welcoming Rob!
30 januari 2024 |
78 min
We welcome Rob Dubbin (he/they) as a permanent member of the host pool! We discuss his journey from Late Night into making games, applicable lessons learned in the writers' room, and the importance of making your own shot.
Show Notes:
I Am America (And So Can You!)
London Jerry: Freelance Mailman
131: Using All of Your Tools with Kevin Poupard (Jusant)
12 januari 2024 |
102 min
We're joined by Kevin Poupard, co-creative director of the beautiful, meditative climbing game Jusant. We discuss the pains and gains of physics, trying something new as a studio, and anthropomorphizing mountains. Plus special guest co-host Mark Brown of Game Maker's Toolkit! Thanks Mark!
Show Notes:
130: Games of the Year 2023
31 december 2023 |
174 min
We sit down with our newest co-host, writer/developer Rob Dubbin, to each count down our Top 5 games of 2023, alongside picks from previous show guests and our listeners. Happy New Year!
Our GOTY picks (SPOILERS):
Zach: Super Locomotive Kirby's Dream Land 2 The F Train Simulator Playing Wii-U with a kid Yamaha TENORI-ON Sarah: Betrayal at Club Low Puzzmo Crosswords The Emerald Flame Case of the Golden Idol Organized Labor Andy: System Shock (remake) Pikmin 1+2 (remakes) Horseless Carriage Betrayal at Club Low Twilight Imperium Fourth Edition
Rob: Puzzmo Crosswords Overflow Lasers & Feelings Mr. Sun's Hatbox Rude Tales of Magic Laura: Dredge Return of the Obra Dinn-likes VIDEOVERSE Girls' High School Mystery Class The Exit 8 Doug: The Password Game Human Chess 5th Season of Survivor Maryland Slice & Dice Blood on the Clocktower Nick: Rez Infinite PSVR2 w/ eye tracking Hi-Fi RUSH So Clover! Tux and Fanny EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 6
Other picks from guests and listeners: Suika Game Baldur's Gate 3 Puyo Puyo Tetris Picross S9 Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty Disc golf Void Stranger El Paso, Elsewhere Basilisk 2000 Whist 22 Xenonauts 2 myhouse.wad Pikayune Dreams Magic Spellslingers
Other things mentioned: Rob Dubbin Laura's 31 Days of Halloween newsletter Berghain Trainer Glitch City bathroom game
129: Reinforcing Worldbuilding through Gameplay with Spoils
23 december 2023 |
89 min
Daria Radu, Ben Wilson, and our very own Douglas Wilson join us to discuss their trick-taking card game Spoils, featured as an optional game within story-driven adventure game Saltsea Chronicles. We discuss the genesis of the game, drawing inspiration from worldbuilding, trick-taking as a mechanic, the programming of the AI systems, and more.
Show Notes:
Episode 69: Building a Better Bridge with Ben Wilson
128: "Yes, And"-ing Your Design with Albert Birney and Gabriel Koenig (Tux and Fanny)
13 december 2023 |
89 min
The creators of Tux and Fanny - Albery Birney and Gabriel Koenig - stop by to discuss their existential and hilarious adventure game Tux and Fanny. We discuss collaboration as improv comedy, the benefit of working with people from outside of games, and creating a Saturday morning cartoon from another world.
Show Notes:
Dr. Mario or: House I Learned to Love Video Games Again and Accidentally Made One
The Books - The Lemon of Pink (bonus from post-show discussion)
127: Plotting a Course with Hannah Nicklin and Harry Josephine Giles (Saltsea Chronicles)
26 november 2023 |
83 min
We're joined by creative director Hannah Nicklin and writer Harry Josephine Giles to discuss Die Gute Fabrik's beautiful new story-driven adventure, Saltsea Chronicles. We dig into the world-building and construction of the playable ensemble cast, the writer's room that pulled it off, and building out design process as design.
Show Notes:
Deep Dive: Designing a narrative for multiple middles and multiple heroes in Saltsea Chronicles
Saltsea Chronicles and Writing the Future
Building a Better Bridge with Ben Wilson
A Paradise Built in Hell by Rebecca Solnit
126: Building Your Own Platform with Zach Gage (Puzzmo)
12 november 2023 |
93 min
We talk to our very own Zach Gage about his brand new games website, Puzzmo. We talk about player curiosity, newspaper games, Crosswords, and more.
Show Notes:
Episode 37: Designing Around Language with Zach Gage
How Hard Could It Be? (crossword puzzle by Rob Dubbin)
125: Exploring Your Own Landscape with Mars First Logistics
28 oktober 2023 |
74 min
Ian MacLarty and Kalonica Quigley join us to discuss their open world physics simulation game, Mars First Logistics. We talk about the tech art behind the game's visual style, the procedurally generated landscape, the humor of the gameplay, and more.
Show Notes:
124: Thinking Inside the Box with Patrick Traynor (Patrick's Parabox)
7 oktober 2023 |
64 min
We're joined by Patrick Traynor, creator of Patrick's Parabox, a mind-bending recursive puzzle game about boxes within boxes. We discuss following your gut to what a game wants to be, being part of the puzzle design community, and our core philosophies behind puzzle design.
Show Notes:
Patrick's Parabox Patrick Traynor Linelith I Wanna Be the Guy Fangames Sokosoko Sokoban Stephen's Sausage Roll Singles - Rebecca Sugar Patrick's Parabox OST Osmos Puzzle Level Idea Strategies The Witness Tyler Glaiel - Make and release lots of small games before making a big one Jonathan Blow - Truth in Game Design123: (Rerun) Maximizing Minimalism with Disc Room
25 augusti 2023 |
100 min
We're taking a small summer break, so please enjoy one of our favorite episodes from 2020 with a new introduction from Doug!
The ENTIRE all-star Disc Room team - Kitty Calis, JW Nijman, Doseone, and Terri Vellmann - stop by for a rowdy disc-ussion on their new arcade sci-fi avoid-em-up. We chat about making the Margherita pizza of games, nailing the details to make a simple concept sing, and making the most of team collaborations.
Show notes:
122: Finding Decency in Reality with Gilles De Coster (De Mol)
11 augusti 2023 |
148 min
We're honored to be joined by Gilles De Coster, host of our favorite Belgian reality TV game show - De Mol - to talk about the process, inspirations, and execution of the sublime game design behind its thrilling, subversive challenges. We spend the first hour giving all the context you'll need to follow along, before diving into the interview. This is a special one for us, check it out!
Show Notes:
De Mol (SPOILERS)
The Mole (inferior American version)
121: Developing Your Taste with Abhi (Venba)
28 juli 2023 |
66 min
We're joined by Abhi to discuss Venba - Visai Games' short narrative cooking game about family, love, and loss. We discuss uniting narrative and gameplay, making a very personal game in a commercial industry, and creating a cooking experience with its own distinct flavor.
Show Notes:
Alpha Something - Venba soundtrack
Abhi's picks:
Favorite cooking videos: Layered Biriyani Kerala Style Fried Chicken Chicken Ghee roast Great Tamil movies to get started with: Merku Thodarchi Malai Kaaka Muttai Kaithi A playlist of songs that inspired Venba's soundtrack
120: Making a Case for Intuition with Andrejs Kļaviņš (The Case of the Golden Idol)
14 juli 2023 |
89 min
We're joined by Color Gray Games' Andrejs Kļaviņš to discuss their deeply rewarding detective game The Case of the Golden Idol. We discuss building on the game's cross-media inspirations, finding the 'aha!' moments in playtesting, and trusting yourself to trust your players.
Show Notes:
119: Collaborating in Character with Ashly Burch and Guerrilla Games (Horizon)
30 juni 2023 |
89 min
We're joined by actor Ashly Burch and Guerilla Games' Ben McCaw and Jochen Willemsen to deconstruct their deeply collaborative work on the Horizon game franchise - building the character of Aloy, the role of performance capture, and carving out nuance and evolution in a blockbuster series.
Show Notes:
118: Exploring Your Curiosity with Rita Orlov (PostCurious)
16 juni 2023 |
73 min
We're joined by Rita Orlov to discuss her PostCurious catalog of captivating narrative tabletop puzzle games, including her journey from physical and fine art into games, why designers love bouldering, and trusting players to summit her puzzles.
Show Notes:
117: Answering Your Questions without a Guest (June 2023 Edition)
2 juni 2023 |
94 min
Four of our hosts get a little loopy answering questions submitted by our listeners, from how we all met, to our favorite game controllers, to the importance of mechanics vs vibes. We plan to do more of these episides once in a while, so let us know what you think and send us your most burning, random questions!
Show Notes:
The AirBnB we were going to rent
116: Finding Hope in Loss with Red Hook Studios (Darkest Dungeon II)
19 maj 2023 |
80 min
We're joined by co-founders Tyler Sigman and Chris Bourassa to discuss Red Hook Studios' new roguelike road trip of the damned, Darkest Dungeon II. We explore heroism by contrast, the delicate stakes of making an unforgiving game more forgiving, and fostering the will to get back up again when the road gets tough.
Show Notes:
115: Doubling Down on Intuition with Kenny Sun (Mr. Sun's Hatbox)
8 maj 2023 |
65 min
We're joined by Kenny Sun (Twinfold) to chat about his slapstick, roguelite platformer Mr. Sun's Hatbox. We talk about the benefits of setting a prototype down for a while, what humor can let you get away with, and trusting your instincts.
Show Notes:
114: Loving Mondays with Cosmo D (Betrayal at Club Low)
21 april 2023 |
79 min
We're joined by Greg “Cosmo D” Heffernan to discuss his IGF-winning, dice-fueled fever dream Betrayal at Club Low. We explore his fascinating journey from making music to making games, balancing for transparency, and letting your love of the process guide you.
Show Notes:
113: On top of the Fires of Hell w/ Daniel Benmergui (Storyteller)
9 april 2023 |
75 min
We're joined by Daniel Benmergui (I Wish I Were the Moon, Fidel Dungeon Rescue), creator of the narrative-weaving puzzle game Storyteller. We discuss the challenges of designing playful and snappy interaction, wrangling cause and effect, and managing expectations for a game 15 years in the making.
112: Playing in the Moment with Videogamo (DOBOTONE)
24 mars 2023 |
86 min
We're joined by Hernán Sáez of Videogamo (DOBOTONE, NAVE) to discuss his beautifully ephemeral party/arcade games, as well as Marie Foulston, a playful curator/creative director who commissioned Videogamo's latest work, GOL-E-GOL. We discuss site-specific experiences, and the slippage between hardware and software realms.
Show Notes:
Videogames: Design/Play/Disrupt
111: Finding Your Groove with John Johanas (Hi-Fi RUSH)
11 mars 2023 |
76 min
We're joined by John Johanas, Director of Tango Gameworks' pitch-perfect rhythm action game Hi-Fi RUSH. We discuss the many challenges of creating a world and systems that stay on beat, while John and Sarah discuss the creation of the character she plays in the game (!), Korsica.
Show Notes:
110: Making Friends with Madison Karrh (Birth)
24 februari 2023 |
76 min
We're joined by Madison Karrh, the solo dev behind Birth, a curious new adventure puzzle game about building a companion to quell your loneliness. We discuss the density and voyeurism of exploring city spaces, embracing the aesthetics of death, and making games that respect your time on earth.
Show Notes:
IndieCade: Canabalt's Adam Saltsman's Pursuit of the Infinite
Everyone I Know Keeps Breaking Things
109: Answering Your Questions without a Guest
11 februari 2023 |
97 min
No guest this week, so we chat about the motley selection of games we're playing, before hopping into some thoughtful listener questions. We talk reality shows, historical board games, our go-to podcasts, and the importance of making things for yourself.
Show Notes:
I Imported EDF6, And Here's Why You Should Too
Boss Fight Books - Season 6 Kickstarter
Paolo Pedercini's Making Games in an F****d Up World
108: Designing For Delight with Vectorpark (Windosill)
27 januari 2023 |
82 min
Patrick "Vectorpark" Smith joins us to discuss his curious and inspiring oeuvre, the lost art of Flash games and DVD menus, and the pros and cons of keeping your art to yourself.
Show Notes:
107: Welcoming Laura!
13 januari 2023 |
79 min
We welcome Laura E. Hall (they/she) as a permanent member of the cast! Fresh off a session of their online escape game The Traveler's Guide to Little Sodaburg, we dig into its web-savvy design, how the last few years have impacted the immersive games space, and the inspirations behind a rad career of experience design.
Show Notes:
The Traveler's Guide to Little Sodaburg
106: Games of the Year 2022
30 december 2022 |
163 min
Per tradition, we sit down with immersive puzzle designer Laura E. Hall - and bonus guest writer/developer Rob Dubbin - to count down our Top 5 games of 2022, alongside picks from previous show guests and our listeners. Happy New Year!
Our GOTY picks (SPOILERS):
Laura: Pentiment Bureau of Multiversal Arbitration Immortality The Case of the Golden Idol The Emerald Flame
Rob: Kubb I Was a Teenage Exocolonist Fun City Slice & Dice Babble Royale Andy: Metroid Dread Pentiment (... and Modern Warfare 2) Neon White Elden Ring (and Sekiro) Root (and John Company, Oath, and Pax Pamir)
Sarah: Horizon Forbidden West Knotwords Escape Academy Subaltern Music League (but actually kpop)
Zach: (Three-way tie) Elden Ring / Robotron: 2084 / fetch Super Mario Land DX (on the Analogue Pocket) Need for Speed Unbound (Tie) Isle of Arrows / Gargoyle’s Quest Legend of Zelda Ancient Dungeon (Complete Conversion of NES Legend of Zelda)
Doug: Top 5 TikTok Games Apartment Claim to Fame The Mo!e ORG (application form) Super "Sonic Saves the World" World
Nick: God of War: Ragnarök Tinykin Spots Tunic FAR: Changing Tides
Other picks mentioned by previous guests/listeners: Moon: Remix RPG Adventure Paradise Killer Dwarf Fortress TEAM3 Super Mario World romhack - The Getaway Poinpy Pigments Sylvie Lime Stunt Derby Cinco Paus Dome Keeper Game Boy Camera Outer WIlds: Echoes of the Eye Linelith Citizen Sleeper Skate Story trailer Dota 2 Final Fantasy VI Stardew Valley - anthropomorphic animals mod Wordle Bally's Fathom pinball machine Hyper Meteor PRODUCER 2021 The Crew: The Quest For Planet Nine Bespoke Counter Depth 4-Door Flex Refridgerator
105: Making History with Josh Sawyer (Pentiment)
16 december 2022 |
71 min
Josh Sawyer (Fallout: New Vegas, Pillars of Eternity) joins us to discuss Obsidian's historical, narrative-driven adventure game Pentiment. We chat about text boxes as game feel, creating hard player choices that don't feel bad, and putting yourself in your art.
Show Notes:
Pitching a 16th Century Murder Mystery - AIAS Game Maker's Notebook
So where *is* Tassing, actually? (Tumblr post)
104: Thanksgiving Leftovers
8 december 2022 |
106 min
Our guest couldn't make it, so we gathered some listener questions and got weird! Join us for Thanksgiving recipes, our favorite recent game mechanics, and some "state of the industry" musings. Enjoy!
Show notes:
103: Day of the Devs Special
20 november 2022 |
90 min
We (well, Nick) stops by the annual Day of the Devs event in San Francisco, and chats to a bunch of lovely developers about the games they're showing there, their biggest design challenges, and what it feels like making games in the cursed year of 2022.
Show notes:
102: Playing on Your Own Terms with Wayward Strand
4 november 2022 |
72 min
Ghost Pattern's Jason Bakker and Georgia Symons join us to discuss their heartfelt interactive story Wayward Strand. We meander through its immersive theater inspirations, the origins of its airship, and the process of rethinking player agency in the attention economy.
Show Notes:
101: Working in a Vacuum with Heavenly Bodies
21 oktober 2022 |
71 min
Alexander Perrin and Joshua Tatangelo join us to discuss their expressive, physics-driven space puzzler Heavenly Bodies. We chat about designing a challenging game that isn't antagonistic, a funny game whose comedy is inherent, and their inspirations (or lack thereof).
Show Notes:
100: Just One (Hundred) with Friends of Eggplant
4 oktober 2022 |
121 min
We're joined by dear friends of the show Laura E. Hall, Bennett Foddy, and Doseone for a Doug-masterminded, Eggplant-themed game of Just One. Stick around after the insanity for a reflection on the past four years of the show, how our lives have changed since, and what the show means to us (and you - thanks for the letters!).
Show notes:
99: Charting the Future with Sarah Northway (I Was a Teenage Exocolonist)
16 september 2022 |
83 min
Sarah Northway (Northway Games) joins us to discuss her sprawling new narrative RPG I Was a Teenage Exocolonist. We discuss juggling a staggering script, deckbuilding as storytelling, and some of the wilder places that the game's time looping can go.
Show notes:
98: Escaping Your Fate with Coin Crew Games (Escape Academy)
2 september 2022 |
79 min
Co-founders Wyatt Bushnell and Mike Salyh - and special guest co-host Laura E. Hall - join us to discuss Coin Crew's awesome new co-op escape room game Escape Academy. We discuss pandemic pivoting to the digital space, designing for arcades vs. living rooms, and the perils of playtesting in both mediums.
Show notes:
97: Hosting Online Reality Games (ORGs) w/ Ash Neleh
19 augusti 2022 |
84 min
Ash Neleh, host of the ! Series of online reality games, joins Doug for a conversation about adapting reality TV competition games for online fan communities. We talk about the 18-year history of the ! Series, as well as some of the favorite twists he's designed.
Show notes:
96: Eavesdropping for Inspiration with Grace Bruxner (Frog Detective)
5 augusti 2022 |
67 min
Frog Detective creator Grace Bruxner joins us to discuss the inspirations and process behind her charming detective series, including the upcoming Frog Detective 3: Corruption at Cowboy County. We discuss sticking to scope (or not), making the most of adventure game tropes, and finding inspiration in the mundane.
Show notes:
Games Talks 2020: Grace Bruxner
Building Games Around Humor (GDC talk)
95: (Rerun) Making Generous Games with Terry Cavanagh (Dicey Dungeons)
22 juli 2022 |
88 min
We're taking a small summer break, so please enjoy one of our favorite episodes from a few years ago. And check out the new mobile version of Dicey Dungeons, and the free DLC!
Terry Cavanagh (Super Hexagon, VVVVVV) joins us to talk about his fantastic roguelike deckbuilder, Dicey Dungeons. We discuss the thread of generosity in his game design, the challenges of working across genres, and what might be next for Terry!
Show notes:
94: Learning to Unclench with Ben Esposito (Neon White)
8 juli 2022 |
88 min
Ben Esposito (Donut County, What Remains of Edith Finch) joins us to talk about his heavenly new card-powered, speedrunning FPS Neon White. We discuss making tight designs by keeping things loose, what a "career" of indie games feels like, and making games u wish 2 see on the Dreamcast.
Show notes:
93: Cheating Depth with Card Shark
24 juni 2022 |
81 min
Card Shark creators Arnaud De Bock of Nerial (Reigns) and Nicolai Troshinsky join us to discuss their innovative new adventure game about cheating. We discuss its filmic inspirations, the narrative progression of chaining tricks, and designing a game loop of teaching and testing.
Show notes:
92: Untangling Language with Knotwords
10 juni 2022 |
90 min
Knotwords creators Jack Schlesinger and our own Zach Gage chat to us about their elegant new logic puzzle word game. We discuss "cracking" the game design they'd been chasing forever, and how they created the puzzle/word generator that makes it great.
Show notes:
This episode edited by Dylan Shumway, thanks Dylan!
91: Finding Poetry in Geometry with Mahdi Bahrami (Tandis)
27 maj 2022 |
76 min
Mahdi Bahrami joins us to discuss his beautiful, mind-bending new puzzle game Tandis. We discuss teaching complex geometry concepts without any numbers, poetry as playtesting, and drawing a line through Mahdi's math-inspired oeuvre.
Show notes:
90: Rethinking Reality with Tender Claws (The Under Presents)
13 maj 2022 |
80 min
Tender Claws' Samantha Gorman and Danny Cannizzazo join us - alongside guest co-host Star St. Germain - to discuss their singular immersive theater experience The Under, creating an enriching social space in VR, and gameplay as an act of rebellion.
Show notes:
The Severance Theory: Welcome to Respite
Into the Depths: Super Mario World - Bonus Episode!
29 april 2022 |
142 min
Surprise! In the spirit of SMW's bonus worlds, we're back with a Special episode to cap off our deep-dive miniseries, as previous Into the Depths guests Stephanie Boluk and Patrick LeMieux take us on a tour of some of the coolest SMW ephemera yet!
Show notes:
Tons of links this week, so please check out this great syllabus that Patrick put together for us!
Into the Depths: Super Mario World - Part 5
15 april 2022 |
127 min
In the fifth - and final! - installment of our Super Mario World deep-dive miniseries, streamer/speedrunner Grand POOBear joins us to discuss the uncanny valley of SMW Remade From Memory, and the masterful Super 'Sonic Saves the World' World romhack by the mysterious 'Maddy, allegedly'.
Show Notes:
The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe
Into the Depths: Super Mario World - Part 4
1 april 2022 |
122 min
In the fourth installment of our Super Mario World deep-dive miniseries, Davey Wreden (The Stanley Parable) joins us to discuss the infamous Star and Special worlds, and walk us through the ever-evolving, often hilarious culture of Kaizo Mario.
Show notes:
The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe
The Japanese names for the Special courses
The Complete History of Kaizo Mario
Homework for next episode:
Into the Depths: Super Mario World - Part 3
18 mars 2022 |
95 min
In the third installment of our Super Mario World deep-dive miniseries, David Hellman (Braid) joins us to discuss the aesthetics of SMW, touch on its recent widescreen mod, and suffer through the game's worst world and level (while savoring the interesting bits).
Show notes:
The eyes on question mark blocks
Homework for next episode:
Star World
Special World
Watch some Kaizo/Asshole Mario World
89: Elden Ring roundtable with Jake Kazdal (17-Bit)
11 mars 2022 |
117 min
Our friend Jake Kazdal (17-Bit) joins us for a (spoiler-free!) roundtable discussion of Elden Ring, in which we compare our experiences in FromSoftware's latest monsterpiece, consider the inseparable nature of its community, and deliberate its bolder design decisions.
Show notes:
Clint Hocking on the virtues of exploration
Assassin's Creed Odyssey: Discovery Tour
Into the Depths: Super Mario World - Part 2
25 februari 2022 |
112 min
In the second installment of our Super Mario World deep-dive miniseries, Mare Sheppard and Raigan Burns of Metanet Software (N++) join us to talk about the inertia that makes Mario feel like Mario, the beautiful strangeness of the cape, and just how deep SMW's control quirks go.
Show notes:
The Story of Super Mario World
Making History with Summoning Salt
The Decade-Long Quest for Shadow of the Colossus' Last Secret
Into the Depths: Super Mario World - Part 1
11 februari 2022 |
131 min
In the first installment of our Super Mario World deep-dive miniseries, Derek Yu (Spelunky) and Maddy Thorson (Celeste) join us to talk about our personal histories with the game, its iconic world map and multi-layered secrets, and all sorts of Mario ephemera in-between.
Show notes:
88: Welcoming Sarah!
28 januari 2022 |
117 min
We celebrate Sarah Elmaleh as a permanent new member of the cast! Yay Sarah! We also announce the next Into the Depths series, dive into some wildly different topics du jour, and answer your questions!
Show notes:
"King Me": A Defense of King-Making in Board Game Design
Shut Up & Sit Down Root review
87: Fighting Words with Everybody House Games (Babble Royale)
14 januari 2022 |
102 min
Frank and James Lantz of Everybody House Games join us to discuss their tactical word-slinging free-for-all, Babble Royale. We discuss the built-in texture of language, reconsidering elegance, and why not: we phone a few friends for some live rounds of Hey Robot.
Show notes:
Babble Royale beginner's guide
86: Games of the Year 2021
31 december 2021 |
149 min
Recurring GOTY guest / immersive puzzle designer Laura E. Hall joins Sarah Elmaleh and the rest of our crew to count down our Top 5 games of 2021, alongside picks from previous guests and our listeners. Happy New Year!
Show notes:
Laura E. Hall Planning Your Escape The Traveler's Guide to Little Sodaburg Ynglet 101% Completion Guide Find Satoshi Laura's Animal Crossing: New Horizons Dream Code: DA-9271-2414-8564
Our GOTY picks (SPOILERS):
Zach: Monster Hunter RiseDeath’s DoorMetroid FusionWordleHalo Infinite
Sarah:Mass Effect (1) Legendary EditionWildermythThe Maze on Planet 7 (streaming)It Takes TwoKentucky Route Zero
Nick:Sea of ThievesElecheadIt Takes TwoGuardians of the GalaxyInscryption
Doug: Survivor, South Africa, Season 8Ynglet Learned LeagueAlien (folk game)Factions (Discord game by Doug)
Andy:Ynglet (Skee Mask - Pool)Unpacking (Porter Robinson - Nurture)Kentucky Route Zero (Low - HEY WHAT)Inscryption (Squid - Bright Green Field)Babble Royale (Madlib - Sound Ancestors)
Laura:The Forgotten CityValheimPursuit of the Assassin ArtistInscryptionUnpacking
85: Thinking Outside the Box with Witch Beam (Unpacking)
17 december 2021 |
87 min
Witch Beam's Wren Brier and Tim Dawson join us to discuss their cozy zen puzzle game, Unpacking. We chat about the origins of its subtle narrative, living life on the grid, and the generous details that make it feel like home.
Show notes:
Making Generous Games with Terry Cavanagh
Cohesion is Key: Art Direction for Indies
84: Digging the Rabbit Hole with Daniel Mullins (Inscryption)
3 december 2021 |
88 min
Daniel Mullins (Pony Island, The Hex) joins us to discuss his inky black card-based odyssey, Inscryption. We discuss [redacted], [redacted], and [redacted]. Just go play it, then come back and listen. Thanks also to our guest co-host Star St. Germain!
Show notes:
83: Getting Feedback with Derek Yu
19 november 2021 |
93 min
Our old pal and Spelunky creator Derek Yu stops by to discuss his helpful blog post on how to think about feedback on your game. We discuss sympathetic vs unsympathetic feedback, thinking about feedback across your entire creative practice, and why feedback can be valuable beyond the content itself.
Show notes:
Indie Game Dev: Getting Feedback
Slay the Spire: Metrics Driven Design and Balance
Playtesting: Avoiding Evil Data
82: Nurturing a Spark with NamaTakahashi (ElecHead)
5 november 2021 |
48 min
ElecHead creator NamaTakahashi joins us to discuss his inventive puzzle-platformer, one of our favorites in years. We discuss the indie scene in Japan, making a game about secrets, and how to avoid players getting too "full" on your game. Big thanks to Chao from Asobu for translation help!
Show notes:
Indie Brains podcast (Japanese language)
ElecHead (also on Steam)
81: Scaling and Scoping with Asher Vollmer (Beast Breaker)
22 oktober 2021 |
74 min
We're joined by Asher Vollmer (Threes) to discuss the mouse-bouncing adventure Beast Breaker, the debut game from his studio Vodeo Games. We discuss the perils of overscoping, scaling up (and back down), and building a studio ethos.
Show notes:
80: Envisioning a Future with JETT: The Far Shore
8 oktober 2021 |
103 min
Craig D. Adams (Superbrothers A/V) and Patrick McAllister (Pine Scented Software) join us as they embark on the release of their interstellar adventure JETT: The Far Shore. We cover its 10+ year development, telling a small piece of a big story, and assembling the right squad to help land it.
Show notes:
79: Shifting Perspectives in Storytelling with Variable State (Last Stop)
24 september 2021 |
78 min
Variable State co-founders Jonathan Burroughs, Terry Kenny, and Lyndon Holland pop by to chat about their supernatural anthology drama Last Stop. We discuss capturing London through its details, telling an interconnected story across multiple genres, and the importance of pacing.
Show notes:
78: Making Myths with Worldwalker Games (Wildermyth)
10 september 2021 |
67 min
We're joined by Anne Austin and Nate Austin of Worldwalker Games to explore their charming myth-making tactical RPG, Wildermyth. We dig into the challenges of procedural storytelling, clever ways of handling time passage and death, and capturing a tabletop feel without the table.
Show notes:
AI-Driven Dynamic Dialog through Fuzzy Pattern Matching
77: Learning to Let Go with GoodbyeWorld Games (Before Your Eyes)
27 augusti 2021 |
79 min
Graham Parkes and Bela Messex of GoodbyeWorld Games join us to discuss their beautiful, blink-controlled adventure through the afterlife, Before Your Eyes. We discuss the benefits of disempowerment, working off faith in technology, and teaching players to let go.
Show notes:
76: Seeing For Yourself with Tali Faulkner (Umurangi Generation)
13 augusti 2021 |
97 min
We chat to Umurangi Generation's Tali Faulkner about his (IGF grand prize-winning!) "first-person photography game in the sh*tty future." We discuss keeping scope small while having a lot to say, the role of respectful design and Indigenous knowledge, and positioning players to see for themselves.
Show notes:
Shooting the Apocalypse by Jini Maxwell
75: Finding Our Intersecting Tastes (75th episode special!)
30 juli 2021 |
133 min
For our 75th episode special, we endeavor to find which games lie at the intersection of our tastes, talking through our ranking algorithm and counting down our top 22 games. Thanks for all the support so far!
Show notes:
Let's Mosey: A Slow Translation of Final Fantasy VII
Chrono Trigger by Michael P. Williams
Losing Your Grip: Futility and Dramatic Necessity in Shadow of the Colossus
Our Top 22 (SPOILERS):
10th place: Super Puzzle Fighter N++ Katamari Damacy Dance Dance Revolution 9th place: Samurai Gunn 8th place: Everyday Shooter 7th place: Kentucky Route Zero Fez The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 6th place: Super Mario Kart Super Mario Galaxy Portal Final Fantasy VII Doom 5th place: Mario 64 Drop7 Desert Golfing Chrono Trigger 4th place: Shadow of the Colossus 3rd place: Spelunky 2 2nd place: Spelunky HD 1st place: Super Mario World
74: Taking Our Time with Durational Games (Airplane Mode special #2)
16 juli 2021 |
65 min
The second special episode originally created in partnership with AMC Games for the in-flight entertainment of Airplane Mode, a very literal flight simulator. We chat about ritual in games, rethinking our relationship to time, and bringing it to bear on our own work and play.
Show notes:
Marina Abramović’s The Artist is Present
Assassin's Creed Odyssey: Discovery Tour
The Traveling Swordsman Problem
Nick's Thanksgiving Blade Triptych
How to do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy
Delayed Response: The Art of Waiting From the Ancient to the Instant World
73: Constructing Your Dreams with HoloVista
2 juli 2021 |
87 min
Aconite founders Star St. Germain and Nadya Lev and lead designer Scott Jon Siegel join us to discuss their beautiful, mixed reality mind bender HoloVista. We chat about embracing hidden object game design, telling personal stories through a lens of social media, and subverting the selfie museum.
Show notes:
Journey to the End of the Night
How Return of the Obra Dinn Works
Andi Hegedus
72: Expanding Your Universe with Jakub Wasilewski (Slipways)
18 juni 2021 |
80 min
Jakub Wasilewski of Beetlewing joins us to talk about his new grand-yet-bite-sized space strategy game, Slipways. We discuss game feel as inspiration, breaking your game for fun and profit, and limiting your universe to expand your audience.
Show notes:
71: Surviving the Big Bang with Feral Cat Den (Genesis Noir)
4 juni 2021 |
76 min
Evan Anthony and Jeremy Abel of Feral Cat Den join us to discuss their inspired cosmic adventure game, Genesis Noir. We discuss the aesthetics of interaction, processing your game launch, and shooting for the stars with your ending.
Show notes:
70: Embracing Your Scars with Hannah Nicklin (Mutazione)
21 maj 2021 |
93 min
Die Gute Fabrik's Studio Lead Hannah Nicklin joins us to discuss her writing and narrative design work on their sublime mutant soap opera, Mutazione. We discuss working with time and an ensemble cast to create a story with "multiple middles," embracing the scars of a lengthy development cycle, and the best bikes in video games.
Show notes:
Into the Depths: The Music of Mutazione - Part 1
Narrative Design Sliding Doors
69: Building a Better Bridge with Ben Wilson
7 maj 2021 |
81 min
We sit down with Creative Producer Ben Wilson to discuss the thrilling cooperative trick-taking game The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine, and how the game builds on and subverts precedents like Spades and Bridge.
Show notes:
The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine
Into the Depths: Kentucky Route Zero - Part 6
30 april 2021 |
81 min
In the final installment of our Kentucky Route Zero miniseries, we sit down with two of its creators - Jake Elliott and Ben Babbitt - to discuss the origins of their collaboration, drawing from influences beyond games, and the process of working on such a long-term project.
Show notes:
68: Bravely Replacing Randomness with Gloam Collective (Bravery Network Online)
23 april 2021 |
87 min
Gloam Collective's Min-Taylor Bai-Woo and Damian Sommer join us to chat about their thrilling new turn-based fighter Bravery Network Online. We discuss the design of its Pokémon-inspired battles, the clever ways in which they replaced randomness, and making friends in the post-post-apocalypse.
Show notes:
Good BNO example match w/ commentary
Into the Depths: Kentucky Route Zero - Part 5
16 april 2021 |
105 min
In the fifth installment of our Kentucky Route Zero miniseries, we broadcast our thoughts on the Un Pueblo De Nada interlude, before prowling our way through Act V and our closing thoughts on the game.
Show notes:
Clara Rockmore - The Art of the Theramin
Brian Rotman: Signifying Nothing - The Semiotics of Zero
Jenny Odell - How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy
How to unlock the bonus interlude
Noah Caldwell-Gervais - Notes From Along Kentucky Route Zero
Robert Frost - The Death of a Hired Man
Haruki Murakami - The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
Can't Tell Me Nothing with Zach Galifianakis HQ
Walt Whitman - Song of Myself, Verse 52
Metal Gear Solid 3, I Love You With All My Heart
Jordan Youngblood “Is Metal Gear’s Rectum a Digital Grave?: Queer Trauma and Failure in the Metal Gear Solid Series.” Panel on Queer Failure. Queerness and Games Conference. University of Berkeley. 24-26 October 2013
67: Finding the Right Words with Dyala Kattan-Wright (Signs of the Sojourner)
9 april 2021 |
80 min
Echodog Games' Dyala Kattan-Wright joins us to discuss their wildly unique and wonderful narrative card game Signs of the Sojourner. We chat about the process of developing the game's innovative dialogue system, its surprising effects on player experience, and why sometimes you just can't go home again.
Show notes:
Into the Depths: Kentucky Route Zero - Part 4
2 april 2021 |
104 min
In the fourth installment of our Kentucky Route Zero miniseries, we dial in our thoughts on the Here and There Along the Echo interlude, before bringing our insight to bear on the brittle facts of Act IV.
With guest co-hosts Stephanie Boluk, Patrick LeMieux, and Sarah Elmaleh!
Show notes:
Limits and Demonstrations Little Berlin installation
Karl Marx, The Fragment on Machines
Richard Lemarchand, Attention Not Immersion
Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy (Will Oldham), I See a Darkness
Kenji Eno, Real Sound: Kaze No Regret
Gabriel A. Radvansky et al., Walking Through Doorways Causes Forgetting
66: In-Flight Entertainment with Hosni Auji (Airplane Mode)
26 mars 2021 |
65 min
A special episode originally created in partnership with AMC Games for the in-flight entertainment of Airplane Mode, a very literal flight simulator. We chat with its creator Hosni Auji about the challenges and benefits of simulating the mundane, our strangely poignant experiences with the game, and our personal flight etiquette.
Show notes:
Into the Depths: Kentucky Route Zero - Part 3
20 mars 2021 |
109 min
In the third installment of our Kentucky Route Zero miniseries, we take a seat for The Entertainment interlude, before exploring the physical manifestation of debt in Act III. With recurring guest co-hosts Stephanie Boluk and Patrick LeMieux, and bonus guest Sarah Elmaleh!
Show notes:
Giving Games a Voice with Sarah Elmaleh
The Consolidated Power Company
Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Kubla Khan Eugene O’Neill, The Iceman Cometh The Last of Us
Samuel Beckett, Waiting for Godot
Julee Cruise, Rockin’ Back Inside My Heart on Twin Peaks
Vannevar Bush, As We May Think
Steve Russell et al., Space War!
Joseph Weizenbaum, Eliza/Doctor
Eliza Douglas Engelbart, The Mother All Demos Ted Nelson, Computer Lib/Dream Machines Roberta and Ken Williams, Mystery House65: Making History with Summoning Salt
12 mars 2021 |
71 min
Game historian and documentarian Summoning Salt joins us to discuss the world of speedrunning, the process behind his deep-dive videos that unpack its most exciting moments, and the ineffable magic that makes some classic games so beautifully broken.
Show notes:
Breaking World Records with Kinnijup and ix
The Quest for 1 Million Subscribers
The History of Wii Sports Resort Golf World Records
The History of Contra World Records
Mario Kart 64: The Quest for World Record Perfection
Into the Depths: Kentucky Route Zero - Part 2
5 mars 2021 |
95 min
In the second installment of our Kentucky Route Zero miniseries, we marinate in the Limits & Demonstrations interlude, before navigating the Zero to Act II to tackle bureaucracy, bears, and the recurring question: are we inside, or are we outside?
Show notes:
Jack Burnham, Software Catalogue
Eddie Shanken, "The House that Jack Built"
Le Corbusier, "Five Points of Architecture"
Robert Frost, "Two Tramps in Mud Time"
Robert Frost, "Death of the Hired Man"
Mark Z. Danielewski, House of Leaves
64: Giving Games a Voice with Sarah Elmaleh
26 februari 2021 |
83 min
Actor, advocate, and consultant Sarah Elmaleh (Afterparty, Anthem, Gone Home) joins us to discuss her craft across myriad game roles, the connections between voiceover and design, and using your voice to fight for equity and connectedness.
Show notes:
Eggplant Podcast Community Game Jam
Getting Over It With Bennett Foddy
Earplay: Jurassic World Revealed
Into the Depths: Kentucky Route Zero - Part 1
21 februari 2021 |
88 min
In the first installment of our Kentucky Route Zero miniseries, we meet our guest co-hosts, with whom we put Act I's opening scene under a microscope, discuss the game's novel dialogue system, and dive deep into the first batch of its many intertextual references.
Show notes:
Designing for Mystery in KRZ GDC talk
Successful Reflective Choices in Interactive Narrative
Where the Water Tastes Like Wine
Recoding Gender: Women’s Changing Participation in Computing
Playing with Feelings: Video Games and Affect
Somewhere Nearby is Colossal Cave
A Pedestal, A Table, A Love Letter: Archaeologies of Gender in Videogame History
Hundred Thousand Billion Poems
63: Finding Your Own Path with Daniel Helbig (Lonely Mountains: Downhill)
12 februari 2021 |
71 min
Daniel Helbig of Megagon Industries (Lonely Mountains: Downhill) joins us to discuss the magic behind their pitch-perfect 2019 mountain biking game. We discuss the trials and techniques of their game-defining controls, physics, and camera work, and mastering multifaceted mountains (phew!).
Show notes:
62: Rethinking Difficulty with Maddy Thorson
30 januari 2021 |
80 min
Maddy Thorson (Celeste, TowerFall) joins us to discuss the evolution of their excellent catalog of platformers, how Celeste made them reconsider difficulty, and the benefits of working with a team you can trust.
Show notes:
61: The Joy of Shipping with Xalavier Nelson Jr.
15 januari 2021 |
90 min
Narrative Director Xalavier Nelson Jr. joins us fresh from his announcement of Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator, the latest in his lengthy list of collaborations. We discuss the methodology behind his prolific oeuvre, the benefits of planning ahead, and how he approaches the unique narrative of a game like Hypnospace Outlaw.
Show notes:
Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator
Into the Depths: The Music of Mutazione - Part 4
8 januari 2021 |
103 min
The final installment of a special miniseries produced by developer Die Gute Fabrik, an examination of their wonderful 'mutant soap opera' told through the lens of its music. In this episode, they discuss the rest of the game's Story Mode music, and play some early sketches.
Show notes:
Mutazione (Original Game Soundtrack)
Alessandro's Spotify playlist of music that influenced Mutazione
60: Games of the Year 2020 with Laura E. Hall
1 januari 2021 |
137 min
Immersive puzzle designer Laura E. Hall returns for another huge year-end show, as we each count down our Top 5 games of 2020, alongside picks from previous guests and our listeners. Happy New Year!
Show notes:
Laura E. Hall Planning Your Escape: Strategy Secrets to Make You an Escape Room Superstar Every Game in This City
Our GOTY picks (SPOILERS):
Laura: Animal Crossing: New Horizons Box One Presented by Neil Patrick Harris Holovista The Room VR: A Dark Matter The Truth About Edith / Cain's Jawbone
Zach: Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown Persona 5 Final Fantasy VII Remake Hearthstone Battlegrounds Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Andy: Spelunky 2 Death Stranding Through the Ages Disco Elysium Outer Wilds
Doug: De Mol 2020 season Spelunky 2 Kentucky Route Zero The Crew: The Quest For Planet Nine PlayingCards
Nick: Ghost of Tsushima Spelunky 2 Astro's Playroom A Short Hike / Lonely Mountains: Downhill Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Guest picks: Astro's Playroom Sludge Life Penko Park Deep Rock Galactic Apex Legends Duck Game Hades Cinco Paus Animal Crossing: New Horizons Web Liero Death Stranding Umurangi Generation STALKER: Shadow Over Chernobyl
Listener picks: Hades Universal Paperclips Mancala Roundguard Mutazione Blaseball Signs of the Sojourner Tenderfoot Tactics Animal Crossing: New Horizons Ring Fit Adventure Paradise Killer Treachery in Beatdown City
Into the Depths: The Music of Mutazione - Part 3
25 december 2020 |
83 min
The third installment of a special miniseries produced by developer Die Gute Fabrik, an examination of their wonderful 'mutant soap opera' told through the lens of its music. In this episode, they discuss the creation and iteration of the game's main 'town' music.
Show notes:
59: Making Magic with Chevy Ray Johnston (Ikenfell)
19 december 2020 |
83 min
Ikenfell creator Chevy Ray Johnston joins us to explore the inner workings of his tactical magic school RPG, from building a meaningful story with interpersonal stakes, to nailing the timing on a streamlined yet dynamic combat system.
Show notes:
Into the Depths: The Music of Mutazione - Part 2
11 december 2020 |
105 min
The second installment of a special miniseries produced by developer Die Gute Fabrik, an examination of their wonderful 'mutant soap opera' told through the lens of its music. In this episode, they discuss the creation of the game's generative musical gardens.
Show notes:
58: Easing into Hades with Supergiant Games
4 december 2020 |
87 min
Greg Kasavin and Amir Rao of Supergiant Games join us for a deep design dive on their smash hit dungeon-crawler Hades, from how (and why) they tackled gameplay and narrative persistence in a roguelike, to creating dynamic systems and characters that always have something new to say.
Show notes:
Into the Depths: The Music of Mutazione - Part 1
27 november 2020 |
71 min
Introducing a special Into the Depths miniseries produced by developer Die Gute Fabrik, an examination of their wonderful 'mutant soap opera' told through the lens of its music. In this first installment, they discuss the origins of their collaboration, and the early direction and influences that informed the tone of both the game and its music.
Show notes:
Mutazione (Original Game Soundtrack)
Alessandro's Spotify playlist of music that influenced Mutazione
Nils' Spotify playlist of music that influenced Mutazione
57: Small Games with Stuffed Wombat
21 november 2020 |
85 min
Josh "Stuffed Wombat" Hollendonner joins us to discuss his inspiring oeuvre of Small Games, from creating the 10mg collection - and his entry Always Down - to exploring the tiny text adventures of Ord, and the sustainability and learnings of exploring the Small Games space.
Show notes:
Into the Depths: Spelunky 2 - Part 5
13 november 2020 |
144 min
In the final installment of our deep-dive Spelunky 2 miniseries, creator Derek Yu and lead programmer Micky Pascual regale us with stories of development, their approach to the post-launch changes, and how they tackled an ocean of secrets. First half is largely spoiler-free (until 1:14), second half is full spoilers!
Show notes:
56: Sourcing Locally with Ngoc Vu (Necrobarista)
7 november 2020 |
74 min
Necrobarista's lead artist Ngoc Vu sits down to tell us how her team created the singular aesthetic of their kinetic visual novel, and talks us through its inseparable Melbourne inspirations.
Show notes:
Long Live the Queen (the game Ngoc couldn't remember!)
Into the Depths: Spelunky 2 - Part 4
31 oktober 2020 |
130 min
In the fourth installment of our deep-dive Spelunky 2 miniseries, we wade into the deepest secrets and SPOILERS of the game, covering the entire "chain" path and far beyond, giving our impressions, tips, and design musings along the way.
Show notes:
A breakdown of 2013's most fascinating video game moment
Ancient Egyptian sacrificial mythology
Our new voicemail number: 312-809-9680
55: Maximizing Minimalism with Disc Room
22 oktober 2020 |
98 min
The ENTIRE all-star Disc Room team - Kitty Calis, JW Nijman, Doseone, and Terri Vellmann - stop by for a rowdy disc-ussion on their new arcade sci-fi avoid-em-up. We chat about making the Margherita pizza of games, nailing the details to make a simple concept sing, and making the most of team collaborations.
Show notes:
Into the Depths: Spelunky 2 - Part 3
16 oktober 2020 |
96 min
In the third installment of our deep-dive Spelunky 2 miniseries, we continue the discussion on its unique difficult curve, debate the latest changes to the game, and talk through the design of worlds 3-5.
Show notes:
Thanks for a Great Launch (Update)
54: Trusting Your Gut with Tj Hughes (Nour: Play With Your Food)
10 oktober 2020 |
85 min
Tj Hughes (Terrifying Jellyfish) joins us to talk about his upcoming experimental food/art game Nour: Play With Your Food. We discuss games as toys, making things accessible by making them weird, and the most important element of both cooking and design (spoilers: it's love).
Show notes:
Into the Depths: Spelunky 2 - Part 2
2 oktober 2020 |
88 min
In the second installment of our deep-dive Spelunky 2 miniseries, we discuss the game's radical approach to difficulty, break down and contrast the second worlds of the game, and compare results on the Daily challenge.
53: Keeping it Short with Adam Robinson-Yu (A Short Hike)
25 september 2020 |
84 min
A Short Hike creator Adam Robinson-Yu chills with us to chat about his cozy exploration game, from its Humble origins and inspirations, to balancing feature density with scope.
Show notes:
A Short Hike Adam Robinson-Yu Pitfall Planet Adam's Itch.io page Fund: Futures Crafting a Tiny Open World: A Short Hike Postmorterm Building Games Around Humor: Lessons from The Haunted Island, A Frog Detective Game Stugan Breakwaters Kickstarter doseone's new album
Into the Depths: Spelunky 2 - Part 1
18 september 2020 |
82 min
In the first installment of our deep-dive Spelunky 2 miniseries, we have a - spoiler-free! - discussion of the first world of the game, design changes big and small and their implications, and what this sequel does to recapture the essence of what make the series so special.
Show notes:
Surviving Spelunky 2: Tips for a Successful Expedition/Transition
52: Barking Up the Right Tree with Lucy Morris (Best Friend Forever)
11 september 2020 |
85 min
Lucy Morris (Starcolt) joins us to talk about her recently-released dating/pet care sim Best Friend Forever! We discuss running a studio in a small community, building three dimensional characters, and the emotional travails of launching a game.
Show notes:
Launch Day: the emotional cost of releasing a game
51: Good Sudoku with Zach Gage
28 augusti 2020 |
85 min
We kick off a new era with a fully rebranded show! After navel-gazing about the changes, we talk to our own Zach Gage about making a Sudoku game that loves you.
Show notes:
50: Spelunky 2 with Derek Yu and Eirik Suhrke
14 augusti 2020 |
104 min
We close out this chapter of the podcast with some (spoiler-free!) impressions of the near-final Spelunky 2, with creators Derek Yu and Eirik Suhrke to guide us through their design process and answer your burning questions. The walls are shifting...
Some things we discussed:
49: Fun with Hexes with Ricky Haggett, Jonathan Whiting, and Tim Schafer (Loot Rascals)
31 juli 2020 |
80 min
Loot Rascals co-designers Ricky Haggett and Jonathan Whiting join us to discuss their whimsical cosmic roguelike, as does superfan Tim Schafer to help us sing its praises! We discuss playing with hexes in the pub, the function of humor in games, and how Loot Rascals is the first "stranding" game.
Some things we discussed:
48: Making It Personal with Shawn Alexander Allen (Treachery in Beatdown City)
17 juli 2020 |
109 min
Shawn Alexander Allen joins us to talk about his tactical brawler, Treachery in Beatdown City. We discuss the roots and inspirations of this innovative mash-up, the action economy that makes it tick, and the process of translating life experience into your creative work.
Some things we discussed:
Put Your Glock Away, I've Got a Stronger Weapon For You (A Maze talk)
@writnelson's Blockbuster thread
47: Indie Dev as Engine Building with Theresa Duringer
3 juli 2020 |
75 min
Theresa Duringer (Temple Gates Games) joins us to discuss the process of bringing board games to digital platforms. We discuss tutorial and UI challenges, machine learning for AI, and how to find your niche as a small studio.
Show notes:
Machine Learning for Boardgame AI in Race for the Galaxy
AlphaStar: Mastering the Real-Time Strategy Game StarCraft II
Keldon Jones' Race for the Galaxy AI
46: Reconsidering Civilization with Soren Johnson (Old World)
20 juni 2020 |
112 min
Soren Johnson (Offworld Trading Company) joins us to discuss his new historical strategy game Old World, as we dive into playing by feel in a numbers-driven game, the problematic themes inherent to the 4X genre, and personalizing games through narrative scale.
Some things we discussed:
Into the Depths: Noita - Part 5
29 maj 2020 |
121 min
In the final installment of our Noita miniseries, Nolla Games' Petri Purho and Olli Harjola join us for a deep dive Q&A on the game! We discuss the influence of magic on its design, its origins and early iterations, how they empower different play styles, and where the boundaries of the game might actually be. Some things we discussed:
45: Andy's Sprawling Birthday Spectacular
22 maj 2020 |
102 min
It's Andy's big 5-0 and we're celebrating by diving into our mailbag of thoughtful listener questions! We discuss working within a team, how academic practice intersects development, framing your work across a career, the role of aesthetics in games, and the materiality of engines. Phew! Some things we discussed:
B.U.T.T.O.N.: On Self-Effacing Games and Unachievements
Designing with Physics: Bend the Physics Engine to Your Will
Into the Depths: Noita - Part 4
15 maj 2020 |
87 min
In the fourth installment of our Noita miniseries, we discuss the intention of randomness, getting stuck in our play patterns, leaning into the game's weirdness, and some modifications we'd like to see. Some things we discussed:
44: Quarantine Arcade with Derek Yu
8 maj 2020 |
113 min
Spelunky creator Derek Yu returns for an expansive discussion on the membrane between players/devs, the connection between design/process, and the understated influence of arcade games on his work - all through the lens of what we've been playing and thinking about in quarantine.
Some things we discussed:
Into the Depths: Noita - Part 3
1 maj 2020 |
92 min
In the third installment of our miniseries, we discuss Noita's worldbuilding, secrets in game culture, games as toys, tutorialization (or lack thereof), and the conflicts of wandcrafting. Some things we discussed: Noita Arcane Kids Manife$to Magicians Trilogy Rain World Noita 101 - Tips for new players Else Heart.Break() My Summer Car - Early Access trailer TIS-100
43: A Window Into Narrative Systems with Tom Francis
24 april 2020 |
99 min
Tom Francis (Gunpoint, Heat Signature) crashes in to discuss his upcoming small-scale strategy game Tactical Breach Wizards, how he finds and focuses on the cores of his games, and the narrative systems that make them sing.
Some things we discussed:
Tom Francis Gunpoint Heat Sig Tactical Breach Wizards (new walkthrough) RPS: What Works And Why Morphblade Imbroglio GameMaker Into the Breach The GIPF Project Dawn of War: Dark Crusade Dishonored Brick Design Talk: Difficulty is Random
Into the Depths: Noita - Part 2
17 april 2020 |
80 min
In the second installment of our miniseries, we discuss our different play styles, wand customization, building games around online communities, and our experiences with - and the implementation of - Noita's Daily Challenge.
Some things we discussed:
Noita Risk of Rain Zach's badass barrel kick Noita 101 - Tips for new players Wand Stats - Noita Notes 4
42: The Secrets of Simplicity with Martin Jonasson (holedown)
10 april 2020 |
74 min
Martin Jonasson (holedown) joins us to extract the juiciness that powers his "delightful spectacle of bouncing," reveals the truth behind his rounded corners, and discusses the aesthetic and scope commitments that drove games like twofold inc. and rymdkapsel.
Some things we discussed: grapefrukt games holedown twofold, inc. rymdkapsel jesus vs. dinosaurs Juice it or lose it Breakout: Pilgrim in the Microworld experimental gameplay project vectorpark
Into the Depths: Noita - Part 1
3 april 2020 |
77 min
In this first installment of our new miniseries focused on Noita (with guest co-host Bennett Foddy), we share our early stories and beginner tips, discuss the genealogy of the game, and contemplate how we feel about shooting being its primary verb.
Some things we discussed:
41: Producing More Than You Consume with Tyriq Plummer (Catacomb Kids)
27 mars 2020 |
76 min
Tyriq Plummer (Catacomb Kids, UFO 50) joins us to discuss the guts and evolution of his long-term roguelike project, how he stays motivated, and making his minions matter. Plus a very special show announcement! Some things we discussed:
Tyriq Plummer Catacomb Kids UFO 50 Our new Discord! Noita Made out of Meat: Health Systems in Video Games Tyriq's dev streams Pixelation.org Aesop Rock Sachin Teng Basic Animation Aesthetics by David OReilly The External World The Amazing World of Gumball
40: The Physics of Uncertainly with Andrea Roberts (Roundguard)
13 mars 2020 |
83 min
Andrea Roberts of Wonderbelly Games talks to us about her brand-new bouncy dungeon crawler Roundguard! We discuss physics as a system of uncertainty, combining Peggle with a roguelike formula, and using that formula to create player friendliness.
Things we discussed:
A Guide to Proc Gen Practitioners
That's the Way the Ball Bounces: Using Physics to Manifest Chance in Roundguard
39: The Tricks of the Toolkit with Mark Brown (Game Maker's Toolkit)
28 februari 2020 |
84 min
Mark Brown of Game Maker's Toolkit joins us to talk about the process behind his excellent series on game design. We discuss his recent video on randomness - diving deep on input/output randomness - as well as roguelike progression, and much more!
Things we discussed:
How (And Why) Spelunky Makes its Own Levels
Michael Brough's Imbroglio "brog"
Sid Meier's Psychology of Game Design
Geoff Engelstein's "pink noise" talk
Roguelikes, Persistency, and Progression
38: The Rhythms and Layers of Ryan Clark
15 februari 2020 |
80 min
Ryan Clark of Brace Yourself Games (Crypt of the Necrodancer, Cadence of Hyrule) sashays in to chat with us about how he hit on his rhythm roguelike formula, layering in depth to make his systems sing, and how he's found - and repeated - indie game success.
Some things we discussed:
Bard seeded speed world record
37: Designing Around Language with Zach Gage
31 januari 2020 |
75 min
We get cozy with our own Zach Gage to talk about his just-released SpellTower+, the follow-up to the puzzle game that put him on the map. We discuss making word searches interesting, the design of letter distribution, and making the Westworld of word games.
SpellTower+ zachgage.com Kinnijup’s new eggplant run world record Kinnijup's new low% hell run world record Puzzlejuice Letterpress The history of Tetris randomizers Typeshift
36: Game Feel as Procrastination with Jan Willem Nijman
17 januari 2020 |
83 min
Jan Willem "JW" Nijman (Nuclear Throne, Minit) sits down with us to help us fix mini golf, before we dig into some of the design thinking behind Vlambeer's amazing catalog of action games, how he approaches prototyping, and being the self-proclaimed "Jamie Oliver of game feel."
Things we discussed:
Vlambeer The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan
35: Games of the Year 2019 with Laura E. Hall
3 januari 2020 |
102 min
Immersive puzzle designer Laura E. Hall joins for our big GOTY show, as we each share our Top 5 games of 2019. We also hear many of YOUR picks (thanks!), and stick around until the end to hear picks from several of our 2019 guests. Happy New Year!
Things we discussed: Laura E. Hall Katamari Damacy by Boss Fight Books Every Game in This City podcast Sleep No More Trolling as an Air Traffic Controller in Flight Sim X
Our GOTY picks (SPOILERS)
Laura: Heaven's Vault Elsinore Lianna Fled the Cranberry Bog: A Story in Cootie Catchers Shenmue III Storyteller's Secret
Zach: Call of Dury: Modern Warfare Slay the Spire The Pinball Wizard Apex Legends Vagante
Doug: Slay the Spire Disco Elysium Return of the Obra Dinn A Short Hike Petscop
Andy: Lonely Mountains: Downhill A Short Hike Sekiro Song of Bloom Auto Chess
Nick: Ape Out Painter Detective Pilgrims Remember Our Trip Earth Defense Force 5
34: Getting Over Spelunky with Bennett Foddy
20 december 2019 |
101 min
With the help of our friend Bennett Foddy (QWOP, Getting Over It) we consider Spelunky as the Game of the Decade - we discuss what influence it's had (or hasn't had) in and beyond its genre, its distinct connection to Dark Souls, and experiencing the external narrative of modern gaming. Things we discussed:
Tim Rogers Presents The Games of the Decade
33: Making Generous Games with Terry Cavanagh (Dicey Dungeons)
7 december 2019 |
87 min
Terry Cavanagh (Super Hexagon, VVVVVV) joins us to talk about his fantastic roguelike deckbuilder, Dicey Dungeons. We discuss the thread of generosity in his game design, the challenges of working across genres, and what might be next for Terry!
Things we discussed:
32: (Rerun) Into the Breach with Justin Ma
22 november 2019 |
93 min
We're taking a much-needed week off, but please enjoy one of our favorite episodes from early on. We'll be back in two weeks with guest Terry Cavanagh to talk about his new roguelike deckbuilder (dicebuilder?) Dicey Dungeons - check it out and send us your questions! Anyways, on to our show:
Justin Ma of Subset Games joins us to discuss the design of his excellent sci-fi strategy game Into the Breach, from its Spelunky-inspired high/low-level design, to how they cracked its time-driven gameplay, to why throwing away 80% of their work...worked.
Things we talked about:
'Into the Breach' Didn't Click Until I Played it Like an EMT
Into the Breach - Fantastic Arcade 2017 Developer Commentary
31: Good Times With Bad Robots with Frank Lantz (Hey Robot)
8 november 2019 |
84 min
Frank Lantz (Drop7, Universal Paperclips) stops by to tell us about his new party game for smart speakers, Hey Robot. We discuss fun ways to engage with rigid AI - and the privacy issues inherent to doing so - before taking a wild detour into the taxonomy of paddle boats. Things we discussed:
ClemmyGames' Top 10 Best Underrated Roguelike/Roguelites
The history of Tetris randomizers
30: Making Games is Hard
25 oktober 2019 |
87 min
Free of guests or a "plan," our crew of intrepid hosts dives into a bounty of stimulating listener questions! We discuss our personal roads into game design, the challenge of procedural generation in AAA games, and the game design of reality shows.
Things we discussed:
Kirby703_'s World 23 correction
Game Design Deep Dive: The creative camaraderie behind Wilmot's Warehouse
Kate Compton's 10,000 Bowls of Oatmeal
29: Card of Darkness with Zach Gage
11 oktober 2019 |
80 min
The gang’s all here to chat with our own Zach Gage (SpellTower, Tharsis) about his new Apple Arcade adventure game, Card of Darkness. We discuss distilling roguelikes, the role of randomness, and designing 52 cards in two days.
Things we discussed:
The Grannies (Red Dead Redemption explorers)
28: Surviving Overland with Adam Saltsman
27 september 2019 |
82 min
Finji’s Adam Saltsman drops by for a deep dive on his new road trip survival game Overland. We discuss its surprisingly affecting narrative innovations, design epiphanies from its 6+ year development, and its understated influence from Legacy board games.
Things we discussed:
New Spelunky duplication glitch
27: Teamfight Tactics with Greg Borenstein
13 september 2019 |
99 min
Riot Games’ Greg Borenstein joins us to chat about the design behind their red-hot autobattler Teamfight Tactics, as we discuss the benefits of embracing complexity, the rise of randomness, and what the game has in common with Sorry! You know, that Sorry!
Things we discussed:
Riot Games controversy - timeline of events
Riot Games controversy - one year later
Dota Underlords League of Legends
Richard Garfield: Luck and Games
26: The Nick and Andy Show
30 augusti 2019 |
109 min
Our crew is stretched thin, but we soldier on with a wide-ranging, freeform 1-year anniversary episode! Nick and Andy chat about the recent glut of amazing game releases - and upcoming highlights (roguelights?) - while Andy reflects on the 10-year anniversary of his career-defining game Osmos, and we dive into a bounty of beautiful listener letters.
Things we discussed:
25: Slay the Spire with Anthony Giovannetti
18 augusti 2019 |
85 min
Megacrit’s Anthony Giovannetti sits down with us to dive deep into the iterative design process of his hit roguelike deckbuilder, Slay the Spire.
Things we discussed:
GDC talk - Slay the Spire: Metrics Drive Design and Balance
Why Revealing All is the Secret of Slay the Spire's Success
How Slay the Spire's Original Interface Almost Killed the Game
24: Going Rogue with Glenn Wichman (Rogue)
1 augusti 2019 |
82 min
The co-creator of Rogue - yes, THAT Rogue - chats with us about the creation and legacy of his seminal 1980 game that birthed a genre! We discuss the origins of its key innovations of procedural generation and “consequence permanence,” its surprisingly Chesslike origins, and the secret metagame behind Quicken (shhh!).
23: Reinventing Basketball (and Spelunky) with Andy Hull (Dunk Lords)
18 juli 2019 |
102 min
Our full crew is reunited, and just in time for a very special guest! Spelunky HD programmer Andy Hull joins us to chat about his time as a toy designer, rebuilding Spelunky from the ground up, and nailing the jelly shader in his upcoming 2v2 basketball beat ‘em up, Dunk Lords.
Things we discussed:
Scoop & Stack Ice Cream Cone Play Set
Indie Tech Talk #17: Andy Hull
22: Making the post-post-apocalypse RAD with Double Fine’s Lee Petty
4 juli 2019 |
89 min
Lee Petty of Double Fine (Psychonauts, Brütal Legend, Stacking) drops by to talk to us about their upcoming post-post-apocalyptic roguelike, RAD! We discuss the emergent origins of its procedural design, capturing ‘80s nuclear angst, and Tim Schafer’s love/hate relationship with farts.
Things we discussed:
21: Keeping Spelunky Alive with MossRanking
21 juni 2019 |
68 min
MossRanking creator Mathieu “saturnin55” Legaré and advisor/speedrunner Kevin “meowmixmix” Hyer join us to talk about the history and design behind Spelunky’s incredible community hub.
Things we discussed:
Playing the Spelunky 2 demo at TwitchCon
Bananasaurus Rex's infamous solo eggplant run
20: Going Into the Void (Bastards) with Cara Ellison and Farbs
6 juni 2019 |
94 min
Sci-fi strategy-shooter Void Bastards is tearing up the charts, and we’ve got two of its creators on the show! We discuss worldbuilding via British bureaucracy, telling stories in a world of roguelite progression, and yelling at yourself in your own game...as a pirate.
Things we discussed:
19: The Organized Chaos of Edmund McMillen
23 maj 2019 |
76 min
The creator of The Binding of Isaac and Super Meat Boy joins us for a career-spanning discussion of his design ethos, and the organized chaos that drove the creation of the most successful roguelite ever.
Things we discussed:
Super Meat Boy The Binding of Isaac
The Binding of Isaac: Four Souls
Dungeon Crawl Stone SoupDesktop Dungeons
18: Exploring Brogue with Brian Walker
10 maj 2019 |
91 min
Brogue creator Brian “Pender” Walker joins us to chat about the elegant design behind his sublime roguelike dungeon-crawler, from the lessons he took from Rogue (and those he didn’t), to creating a rich world of interactions while keeping things simple.
Things we discussed:
Zach's instructional Brogue stream
Brogue w/ Daily Challenge + Potion change
Roguelike Celebration talk: Procedural level design in Brogue and beyond
David Sirlin on balancing multiplayer games
Brian's lessons From the original Rogue post
Brian's Roguelike Radio interview
17: Climbing Gloves in the Jungle
26 april 2019 |
82 min
The crew makes the most of being paired off: Andy and Zach talk climbing documentaries, persistence, and design back home, while Nick and Doug play and discuss some Spelunky co-op on the road in New Zealand. Plus a quick interview with Mini Metro’s Robert Curry, one of the biggest Spelunky fans we know!
Things we discussed:
PRACTICE 2016 Talk - Mastering Movement
16: The Spelunky Book Club
11 april 2019 |
88 min
We delve deep into the pages of Derek Yu’s excellent Spelunky book, from its thoughtful musings on creativity, to its inspiring lessons in game design. A must-read on how our favorite game came to be! Plus some record-breaking Spelunky news, the Weekly Challenge, and more.
Things we discussed:
d_tea's back-to-back World Records
Boss Fight Books Humble Bundle
Derek Yu's Twitter thread on difficulty
15: GDC Special - Derek Yu and Slay the Spire
28 mars 2019 |
80 min
We return home from the Game Developers Conference with hands-on impressions of the new Spelunky 2 demo, while the muse himself Derek Yu gives us a Spelunky 2 development update. Plus Slay the Spire’s Casey Yano talks about the design of their hit roguelike deckbuilder!
Things we talked about:
14: Diversifying Play with Greg Johnson (ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove)
14 mars 2019 |
89 min
ToeJam & Earl creator Greg Johnson gets funky with us, as we deconstruct his latest entry in the series - Back in the Groove - and discuss his approach to playfulness and accessibility in roguelikes, the lack of cultural diversity in games, and much more.
Things we talked about:
ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove
13: Procedural Storytelling with Tanya X Short
28 februari 2019 |
80 min
Tanya X. Short of Kitfox Games drops by to discuss her co-edited essay collections Procedural Storytelling / Generation in Game Design, as well as her own approach and challenges to procedural narrative in Moon Hunters, and the upcoming Boyfriend Dungeon.
Things we talked about:
Procedural Generation in Game Design
Procedural Storytelling in Game Design
12: Into the Breach with Justin Ma
14 februari 2019 |
92 min
Justin Ma of Subset Games joins us to discuss the design of his excellent sci-fi strategy game Into the Breach, from its Spelunky-inspired high/low-level design, to how they cracked its time-driven gameplay, to why throwing away 80% of their work...worked.
Things we talked about:
'Into the Breach' Didn't Click Until I Played it Like an EMT
Into the Breach - Fantastic Arcade 2017 Developer Commentary
11: Taking Back Roguelikes with Raigan Burns
31 januari 2019 |
97 min
Raigan Burns of Metanet Software (N, N+, N++) stops by for a spirited debate on the term “roguelike,” as we discuss the tenets of the genre, why (and if) they’re important, and how Spelunky fits into it all.
Things we talked about:
GMTK: Roguelikes, Persistency, and Progression
Wandering Towards Interactive Narrative
10: Keyforge with Richard Garfield
17 januari 2019 |
123 min
The creator of Magic: the Gathering, Netrunner, King of Tokyo, and so much of the modern gaming culture we love joins us to talk about finding cohesion in the beautiful randomness of his latest design: the world’s first Unique Deck Game, Keyforge.
Things we mentioned in the interview:
The Art of Warcast: A Keyforge Special
Richard Garfield - Game Boy Geek interview
Richard Garfield on Luck vs. Skill
Rest of the show:
Blindfolded Final Fantasy IX menu
In 2019, We Need to Learn How to Break a Perpetually Tied Game
09: Games of the Year 2018
31 december 2018 |
70 min
We sit down to talk about our favorite games that we played in 2018 - from videogames, to board games, to escape rooms, to Malaysian schoolyard games. Join us for the most diverse GOTY list you’ll hear! We’ll see you - and Spelunky 2 - in 2019!
... Our GOTY picks (SPOILERS)
Zach:
Andy:
Doug:
Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Path to Carcosa
Classroom Murder Unsolved: Part 2
Children's Malaysian folk game
Nick:
08: Designing Tharsis with Zach Gage
20 december 2018 |
94 min
We chat to our own Zach Gage about his 2016 spacefaring strategy game Tharsis, from its roguelike and tabletop influences, to promoting player narrative, to the psychology of randomness. Plus first impressions of Twinfold and Below!
Some things we mentioned: The Systems Design of TharsisLet's Get Physical: Lessons From the Real WorldHow to win Tharsis
07: Death in Roguelikes with Kawa
6 december 2018 |
90 min
Roguelike expert and advocate Kawa (@KawaiiDragoness) stops by to talk Death in Roguelikes, and the power and potential of the post-death "morgue" experience. We also dig into our relationship to dying in Spelunky, and recount our best deaths!
Links from the interview with Kawa: Nethack fanfic dramatic reading Original fic A Trip to the Morgue Roguelike Radio Twitter: @kawaiidragoness Discord - Kawa#7680
Our best Spelunky deaths: NickAndy @toythatkills@aaronkearsley @aaronkearsley2d_tea @tictacfoe
06: Making Spelunky 2 with Derek Yu
15 november 2018 |
121 min
Spelunky creator Derek Yu joins us for a wide-ranging discussion on his design philosophies for approaching a sequel, embracing chaos in design, and so much more. This is a special one, so brew some tea, grab a pug, and get comfortable!
05: The Design of Spelunky
1 november 2018 |
85 min
We dive deep into the core design of Spelunky - what exactly fuels its procedural perfection, and why is its world still so compelling? And what design touches do our listeners love, and which would they send to Hell? Plus some new Spelunky 2 tidbits!
04: Making the Spelunky 2 trailer with Derek Lieu
18 oktober 2018 |
86 min
Master trailer craftsman Derek Lieu stops by to go deep on the making of the awesome Spelunky 2 trailer! We talk through his process, the unique challenges of working with a procedural game, and even unearth a few new Spelunky 2 tidbits along the way.
03: Breaking world records with Kinnijup and ix
4 oktober 2018 |
83 min
We welcome world-record speedrunners and all-around Spelunky experts Jamie “Kinnijup” White and Aaron “ix” Kearsley to the show! We talk about the culture of competitive Spelunky, recent record-breaking runs, and why speedrunning feels like skateboarding.
02: The Spelunky Beginner's Guide
20 september 2018 |
66 min
The Spelunky Beginner’s Guide! For anyone who ever hit a wall, we’re here to help. We dive into both the practical and philosophical approach to upping your Spelunky game, and share some great tips submitted by listeners. Plus the first Weekly Challenge!
01: First Spelunky 2 impressions!
5 september 2018 |
52 min
Hands-on Spelunky 2 demo impressions! Nick is fresh off the PAX plane, and Andy, Zach, and Doug are here to grill him on the details, while the whole crew breaks down the first gameplay trailer, chat about the new art, branching paths, mounts, and more.
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En liten tjänst av I'm With Friends. Finns även på engelska.