A second virus in less than a month ravages the Mitchell household as GDC goers discover a privacy policy so bad they thought there had been a data leak. We discuss the status of the Red Panda project, Todd's favorite getting-things-done methods, and what to do when you have an actual gamedev breakdown.   For articles, show notes, and more, visit CodeWritePlay.com  ---   Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

A second virus in less than a month ravages the Mitchell household as GDC goers discover a privacy policy so bad they thought there had been a data leak. We discuss the status of the Red Panda project, Todd's favorite getting-things-done methods, and what to do when you have an actual gamedev breakdown. For articles, show notes, and more, visit <a href="codewriteplay.com" rel="noopener noreferer nofollow" target="_blank">CodeWritePlay.com</a> --- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

Red Panda Derailed

This one is all about the progress we've made in taking our red panda archaeology game concept and bringing it to life. It's a look at the implications of the game's concept, the philosophy of the art and character design, our intention to develop a simple map system with Godot's tilemap tools (prior to the recent release of version 4.0), implementation of basic RPG controls and collisions, and the UI work so critical to a story-driven game. For show notes, articles, and more, visit CodeWritePlay.com--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/messageSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

This one is all about the progress we've made in taking our red panda archaeology game concept and bringing it to life. It's a look at the implications of the game's concept, the philosophy of the art and character design, our intention to develop a simple map system with Godot's tilemap tools (prior to the recent release of version 4.0), implementation of basic RPG controls and collisions, and the UI work so critical to a story-driven game. For show notes, articles, and more, visit <a href="//codewriteplay.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">CodeWritePlay.com</a>--- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

Red Panda Mechanics

Todd just wants to make video games with his friends.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/messageSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

Todd just wants to make video games with his friends.--- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

New Trailer, Who Dis?

Sebastian Deken

Boss Fight author Sebastian Deken returns to the show to be our first guest co-designer. We discuss city living, echoes of the Satanic Panic, and more. Finally, we pull up the design whiteboard and ask, what secrets would an abandoned Animal Crossing village leave behind? Find show notes, articles, and more at CodeWritePlay.com--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/messageSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

Boss Fight author Sebastian Deken returns to the show to be our first guest co-designer. We discuss city living, echoes of the Satanic Panic, and more. Finally, we pull up the design whiteboard and ask, what secrets would an abandoned Animal Crossing village leave behind? Find show notes, articles, and more at <a href="https://codewriteplay.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">CodeWritePlay.com</a>--- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

Let's Design a Game with Boss Fight Author Sebastian Deken

A foreign government reached out, and what they said may pertain to you. Seriously.  Also, an update on production for the game co-design episodes!--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/messageSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

A foreign government reached out, and what they said may pertain to you. Seriously.  Also, an update on production for the game co-design episodes!--- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

Illegal FOMO

Here's news about a fun new thing we're going to try in future episodes. Real game development ahead! Also, maybe social media is falling apart?--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/messageSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

Here's news about a fun new thing we're going to try in future episodes. Real game development ahead! Also, maybe social media is falling apart?--- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

Let's Try Something New (Twitter Is Burning)

We gathered Intellivision Amico news from all directions so you don't have to. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/messageSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

We gathered Intellivision Amico news from all directions so you don't have to. --- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

Actually, Publishers Aren't Parents

An end-of-year look at how GameDev Breakdown is doing and what to expect in 2023.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/messageSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

An end-of-year look at how GameDev Breakdown is doing and what to expect in 2023.--- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

State of the Podcast 2022

Variety streamer and longtime personal friend Bill Duhr drops in to talk about our trip to St. Louis' new dedicated VR center, Sandbox VR. Topics include how to make a car bed for adults, the worst hit-and-run attempt of all time, and why WWF No Mercy is one of the greatest video games of all time.  Check out our full Sandbox VR review. Bill's links:   Hazard0643 on Twitch Bill on Twitter--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/messageSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

Variety streamer and longtime personal friend Bill Duhr drops in to talk about our trip to St. Louis' new dedicated VR center, <a href="//sandboxvr.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sandbox VR</a>. Topics include how to make a car bed for adults, the worst hit-and-run attempt of all time, and why WWF No Mercy is one of the greatest video games of all time.  Check out our <a href="https://codewriteplay.com/2022/11/25/an-evening-at-sandbox-vr/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">full Sandbox VR review</a>. Bill's links:  <ul> <li><a href="https://www.twitch.tv/hazard0643" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hazard0643 on Twitch</a></li> <li><a href="https://twitter.com/Hazard0643" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bill on Twitter</a></li></ul>--- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

Streamer Bill Duhr

Jon Loiterman stops by to discuss what we can learn from recent stories like the Doom dispute between Bethesda and composer Mick Gordon, the Superman Demo on Steam story, and more. Catch this chat if you're an indie developer with legal questions and concerns.  Show notes, articles, and more: https://CodeWritePlay.com Jon's links:  @ProtonPerson on Twitter Read Jon's industry coverage and schedule a free consultation on LinkedIn.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/messageSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

Jon Loiterman stops by to discuss what we can learn from recent stories like the Doom dispute between Bethesda and composer Mick Gordon, the Superman Demo on Steam story, and more. Catch this chat if you're an indie developer with legal questions and concerns.  Show notes, articles, and more: <a href="https://CodeWritePlay.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://CodeWritePlay.com</a> Jon's links: <ul> <li><a href="https://twitter.com/protonperson" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ProtonPerson</a> on Twitter</li> <li>Read Jon's industry coverage and schedule a free consultation on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jloiterman/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a>.</li></ul>--- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

Talking Industry Legal Issues with Game Dev Lawyer Jon Loiterman

Todd Mitchell just wants to make video games with friends. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

So I am going to be real honest here and tell you guys that I have little to no understanding of game development or what it takes to make something from nothing using code.

  That being said this podcast is an absolute blast to listen to, the content is always relevant and interesting and I find myself just sucked into each episode no matter what it’s about.  

I’ve always wanted to start a podcast and it’s because of podcasts like this, Todd is super personal and relatable and always delivers the content in a well thought out and relatable fashion even to someone like me who doesn’t understand his industry. 

Really just a great show.  Keep it up guys!

The reason I started a podcast.

Great podcast that has everything game dev. A must listen for any indie devs with some free ear time.

Yay it’s back!

Todd Mitchell just wants to make video games with friends. Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

GameDev Breakdown

At last! We've certainly discussed Pico-8 enough on the podcast to warrant this top-to-bottom look at Pico-8 in general, which includes a walkthrough of my latest Pico-8 project, Letterworks, from design to submission. If you're an audio show listener, you may want to set aside a few minutes to check this one out on our YouTube page, as this episode's video shows the Pico-8 system, the code, the sprites, and even the forum where projects are shared and discussed. I tried my best to ensure the audio track alone made sense as well, so don't YouTube it behind the wheel or anything.  You can get your hands on your own very affordable Pico-8 license at Lexaloffle.com. Search Pico-8 on Twitter to see even more wild and fantastic demos created by the community at large.  As always, you can help get the word out about the podcast by telling a friend, leaving a review, or by subscribing any of the places below. We'll be back with more soon!--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/messageSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

At last! We've certainly discussed Pico-8 enough on the podcast to warrant this top-to-bottom look at Pico-8 in general, which includes a walkthrough of my latest Pico-8 project, Letterworks, from design to submission. If you're an audio show listener, you may want to set aside a few minutes to check this one out on our YouTube page, as this episode's video shows the Pico-8 system, the code, the sprites, and even the forum where projects are shared and discussed. I tried my best to ensure the audio track alone made sense as well, so don't YouTube it behind the wheel or anything.  You can get your hands on your own very affordable Pico-8 license at <a href="http://Lexaloffle.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lexaloffle.com</a>. Search Pico-8 on Twitter to see even more wild and fantastic demos created by the community at large.  As always, you can help get the word out about the podcast by telling a friend, leaving a review, or by subscribing any of the places below. We'll be back with more soon!--- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

The World of Pico-8

Time to talk gaming news in another #GameDev Breakdown podcast!  Amazon is having a digital game blowout!  Floating Orb multiplayer in No Man's Sky You're still probably not getting an SNES Classic Warren Spector talks to GamesIndustry NPR says Call of Duty is hurting your brain Scientific American can help explain why it's not Mic asks which Destiny you should be focused on Plus Games With Gold, PlayStation Plus, and more!   ---   Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

Time to talk gaming news in another #GameDev Breakdown podcast! Amazon is having a digital game blowout! <ul> <li><a href="http://gearnuke.com/heres-what-happens-if-two-players-meet-online-in-no-mans-sky-after-latest-update/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Floating Orb multiplayer</a> in No Man's Sky</li> <li>You're still <a href="http://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/gaming/838979/SNES-Classic-Mini-pre-order-UPDATE-stock-checker-Super-Nintendo-JB-Hi-Fi" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">probably not</a> getting an SNES Classic</li> <li>Warren Spector <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2017-08-10-devs-must-define-success-for-themselves-spector" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">talks to GamesIndustry</a></li> <li>NPR says Call of Duty is <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/08/09/542215646/video-games-may-affect-the-brain-differently-depending-on-what-you-play" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">hurting your brain</a></li> <li>Scientific American can help explain why <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/superpowers-for-the-blind-and-deaf/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">it's not</a></li> <li>Mic asks <a href="https://mic.com/articles/182924/destiny-vs-destiny-2-price-drop-still-worth-playing#.tYV4DAI8L" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">which </a>Destiny you should be focused on</li> <li>Plus Games With Gold, PlayStation Plus, and more!</li> </ul> --- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

News – August 12

Update: We've had a slow start on giveaway entries, so we're opening it up to everyone! Man, we've had some great guests lately, and you won't believe some of the folks we're going to be talking to in the coming months! With all this action, it was nice to get back on Skype with John for a night, check in, talk a little news, and hang out. We're also dialing in some new recording equipment in the studio, and although my mic was a little hot for this one, the overall show quality is moving steadily in a positive direction. If you haven't checked out the GDC State of the Game Industry survey results for the year, we've got you covered. It's made up of some surprising insights, as well as others that were more interesting in their presentation. If you want to follow along as we discuss the report, you can register to download it for free at gdconf.com. I'm also telling the tale of the rarest, most mysterious piece of gaming memorabilia I've come across in my life. It was a blast getting to the bottom of this thing, and I think the story is pretty good. I'm including one of the official photos here, and you can expect a more in-depth write-up with photos of my scope here on the site soon. Finally, we're doing our first podcast giveaway, thanks to bestselling author, Morgan Ramsay! Morgan has very generously signed and mailed us a copy of his recent book, Online Game Pioneers at Work, and we're passing it on to a listener! We're not explicitly mentioning this on Twitter because we want a real show listener to get it! For a chance to win, simply retweet one of the tweets linking to this week's show (It will either come from @CodeWritePlay or @Mechatodzilla), then reply to the original tweet telling us which founder you're most excited to read about. Here's a list of the great interviews in the book for your convenience! Pioneers featured in Online Game Pioneers at Work:  David Perry, Gaikai Doug Whatley, BreakAway Games Victor Kislyi, Wargaming Gaute Godager, Funcom Jason Kapalka, PopCap Games Ray Muzyka, BioWare Raph Koster, Metaplace Riccardo Zacconi, King Emily Greer, Kongregate Ian Bogost, Persuasive Games Richard Garriott, Origin Systems Ilkka Paananen, Supercell John Romero, Id Software Greg Zeschuk, BioWare Reynir Harðarson, CCP Games Neil Young, Ngmoco:)--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/messageSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

Update: We've had a slow start on giveaway entries, so we're opening it up to everyone! Man, we've had some great guests lately, and you won't believe some of the folks we're going to be talking to in the coming months! With all this action, it was nice to get back on Skype with John for a night, check in, talk a little news, and hang out. We're also dialing in some new recording equipment in the studio, and although my mic was a little hot for this one, the overall show quality is moving steadily in a positive direction. If you haven't checked out the GDC State of the Game Industry survey results for the year, we've got you covered. It's made up of some surprising insights, as well as others that were more interesting in their presentation. If you want to follow along as we discuss the report, you can register to download it for free at <a href="http://reg.gdconf.com/GDC-State-of-Game-Industry-2019" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">gdconf.com</a>. I'm also telling the tale of the rarest, most mysterious piece of gaming memorabilia I've come across in my life. It was a blast getting to the bottom of this thing, and I think the story is pretty good. I'm including one of the official photos here, and you can expect a more in-depth write-up with photos of my scope here on the site soon. Finally, we're doing our first podcast giveaway, thanks to bestselling author, Morgan Ramsay! Morgan has very generously signed and mailed us a copy of his recent book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Online-Game-Pioneers-at-Work-ebook/dp/B01J9LK0OQ/" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Online Game Pioneers at Work</a>, and we're passing it on to a listener! We're not explicitly mentioning this on Twitter because we want a real show listener to get it! For a chance to win, simply retweet one of the tweets linking to this week's show (It will either come from @CodeWritePlay or @Mechatodzilla), then reply to the original tweet telling us which founder you're most excited to read about. Here's a list of the great interviews in the book for your convenience! Pioneers featured in Online Game Pioneers at Work: <ul> <li>David Perry, Gaikai</li> <li>Doug Whatley, BreakAway Games</li> <li>Victor Kislyi, Wargaming</li> <li>Gaute Godager, Funcom</li> <li>Jason Kapalka, PopCap Games</li> <li>Ray Muzyka, BioWare</li> <li>Raph Koster, Metaplace</li> <li>Riccardo Zacconi, King</li> <li>Emily Greer, Kongregate</li> <li>Ian Bogost, Persuasive Games</li> <li>Richard Garriott, Origin Systems</li> <li>Ilkka Paananen, Supercell</li> <li>John Romero, Id Software</li> <li>Greg Zeschuk, BioWare</li> <li>Reynir Harðarson, CCP Games</li> <li>Neil Young, Ngmoco:)</li></ul>--- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

The Old and New Testaments of Game Development

Richard Rouse

Richard Rouse III calls in to talk about his new indie title, The Church in the Darkness, and treats us to some stories from his fantastic career including the design of The Suffering, writing Game Design: Theory &amp; Practice, and some interesting creative projects we never got to see. Richard is a really insightful guy. He has too much writing and too many talks to fully list here, but I encourage you to check out his wisdom around the web. I could have filled much more than a one-hour show while picking his brain--and I'd love to have him back for more--but I sure appreciate the time he took with us this time. I wanted to be sure to include the IGN article that was written after Richard and Midway lured game journalists into a defunct prison and locked them in overnight. Richard even seemed to get a kick out of revisiting the topic. It's a little piece of unique game PR history, don't miss it. https://ca.ign.com/articles/2003/10/24/west-virginia-ghost-hunt Richard’s links  The Church in the Darkness @RichardRouseIII on Twitter--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/messageSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

Richard Rouse III calls in to talk about his new indie title, The Church in the Darkness, and treats us to some stories from his fantastic career including the design of The Suffering, writing Game Design: Theory &amp; Practice, and some interesting creative projects we never got to see. Richard is a really insightful guy. He has too much writing and too many talks to fully list here, but I encourage you to check out his wisdom around the web. I could have filled much more than a one-hour show while picking his brain--and I'd love to have him back for more--but I sure appreciate the time he took with us this time. I wanted to be sure to include the IGN article that was written after Richard and Midway lured game journalists into a defunct prison and locked them in overnight. Richard even seemed to get a kick out of revisiting the topic. It's a little piece of unique game PR history, don't miss it. <a href="https://ca.ign.com/articles/2003/10/24/west-virginia-ghost-hunt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://ca.ign.com/articles/2003/10/24/west-virginia-ghost-hunt</a> Richard’s links <ul> <li><a href="https://t.co/I7MlaOiWxb?amp=1" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Church in the Darkness</a></li> <li><a href="https://twitter.com/RichardRouseIII" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">@RichardRouseIII on Twitter</a></li></ul>--- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

Game Designer Richard Rouse III

Following a few discussions on social media in the wake of Ludum Dare 43 (enjoy my photo from LD19), I took an opportunity to gather my thoughts on this revered tradition of ours and ask a few important questions: Why do we do this? Why do we do it like this? Should we still be doing this?  Believe me, I'm far from anti-jam. I've probably participated in a dozen over the last decade, but I do have some thoughts on how we can put them to better use. I don't think we should respect any practice too much to question it, so let's get the ball rolling.  Though I've been thinking on this topic a long time, tweeting with some folks including your friend and mine, Christer Kaitila helped me finally decide to organize what was in my head. If you jam, you should check out his book, The Game Jam Survival Guide. We'll have to pester him to make an appearance here soon.  It was a great week of feedback around social media after a show we were actually worried about for a few reasons so thank you one and all. As always, your ratings and reviews keep our community growing, and your kind words keep us working on it. Thank you!--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/messageSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

Following a few discussions on social media in the wake of Ludum Dare 43 (enjoy my photo from LD19), I took an opportunity to gather my thoughts on this revered tradition of ours and ask a few important questions: Why do we do this? Why do we do it like this? Should we still be doing this?  Believe me, I'm far from anti-jam. I've probably participated in a dozen over the last decade, but I do have some thoughts on how we can put them to better use. I don't think we should respect any practice too much to question it, so let's get the ball rolling.  Though I've been thinking on this topic a long time, tweeting with some folks including your friend and mine, Christer Kaitila helped me finally decide to organize what was in my head. If you jam, you should check out his book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Game-Jam-Survival-Guide/dp/1849692505" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Game Jam Survival Guide</a>. We'll have to pester him to make an appearance here soon.  It was a great week of feedback around social media after a show we were actually worried about for a few reasons so thank you one and all. As always, your ratings and reviews keep our community growing, and your kind words keep us working on it. Thank you!--- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

The Trouble with Game Jam Culture

Will Traxler of Traxmaster Software discusses his new game, Exception, his first commercial release following years of solo development. Will shares insight into his unique post-launch mindset, his solution to investing in his development, and the dynamics of outsourcing PR responsibilities as a one-man studio. Will has accomplished a ton with this game release. Multiple platforms on day 1, stellar marketing in motion, and all without crunching or losing his cool. His attitude is exemplary and this is a must-listen for small indie teams or other soloists. We discuss surviving a flood early in the episode. Indeed I did have to push our Skype call back a day over flooding in the area as it resulted in a school cancellation for my kid. It would have been too ridiculous a lie to use, so I suppose I've got that going for me. Will's links   ExceptionGame.com Exception on Steam @TraxmasterSoft--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/messageSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

Will Traxler of Traxmaster Software discusses his new game, Exception, his first commercial release following years of solo development. Will shares insight into his unique post-launch mindset, his solution to investing in his development, and the dynamics of outsourcing PR responsibilities as a one-man studio. Will has accomplished a ton with this game release. Multiple platforms on day 1, stellar marketing in motion, and all without crunching or losing his cool. His attitude is exemplary and this is a must-listen for small indie teams or other soloists. We discuss surviving a flood early in the episode. Indeed I did have to push our Skype call back a day over flooding in the area as it resulted in a school cancellation for my kid. It would have been too ridiculous a lie to use, so I suppose I've got that going for me. Will's links <ul> <li> <a href="https://exceptiongame.com/" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">ExceptionGame.com</a></li> <li><a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/456390/Exception/" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Exception on Steam</a></li> <li><a href="https://twitter.com/TraxmasterSoft" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">@TraxmasterSoft</a></li></ul>--- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

Exception Game Developer Will Traxler

This time on GameDev Breakdown, as promised, Todd runs through his prototyping process, start to finish. This episode makes heavy mention of this post. Todd's game design document template is available at Itch. If you enjoy GameDev Breakdown  Sign up for our free game dev newsletter! Subscribe to the podcast on the platform of your choice Follow us on Twitter: @GameDevPod, @CodeWritePlay, @Mechatodzilla Check show notes and articles at CodeWritePlay.com Join us on Discord!    ---   Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

This time on GameDev Breakdown, as promised, Todd runs through his prototyping process, start to finish. This episode makes heavy mention of <a href="https://codewriteplay.com/2019/06/28/gamedev-gains-bitbucket-trello/" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">this post</a>. Todd's <a href="https://toddmitchell.itch.io/game-design-document" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">game design document template</a> is available at Itch. If you enjoy GameDev Breakdown <ul> <li>Sign up for our <a href="https://codewriteplay.com/newsletter/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">free game dev newsletter</a>!</li> <li><a href="https://codewriteplay.com/the-gamedev-breakdown-podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Subscribe</a> to the podcast on the platform of your choice</li> <li>Follow us on Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/gamedevpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@GameDevPod</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/codewriteplay" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@CodeWritePlay</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/mechatodzilla" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@Mechatodzilla</a></li> <li>Check show notes and articles at <a href="http://CodeWritePlay.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">CodeWritePlay.com</a> Join us on <a href="https://discord.gg/auVvvK3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Discord</a>! </li> </ul> --- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

Creating a Prototype

A viral tweet suggests coding isn't hard, developers are just gatekeeping. Yikes. If you enjoy GameDev Breakdown  Sign up for our free game dev newsletter! Subscribe to the podcast on the platform of your choice Follow us on Twitter: @GameDevPod, @CodeWritePlay, @Mechatodzilla Check show notes and articles at CodeWritePlay.com Join us on Discord!--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/messageSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

A viral tweet suggests coding isn't hard, developers are just gatekeeping. Yikes. If you enjoy GameDev Breakdown <ul> <li>Sign up for our <a href="https://codewriteplay.com/newsletter/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">free game dev newsletter</a>!</li> <li><a href="https://codewriteplay.com/the-gamedev-breakdown-podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Subscribe</a> to the podcast on the platform of your choice</li> <li>Follow us on Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/gamedevpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@GameDevPod</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/codewriteplay" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@CodeWritePlay</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/mechatodzilla" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@Mechatodzilla</a></li> <li>Check show notes and articles at <a href="http://CodeWritePlay.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">CodeWritePlay.com</a> Join us on <a href="https://discord.gg/auVvvK3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Discord</a>!</li></ul>--- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

Yes, Coding Is Hard

We all hear about the importance of non-disclosure agreements, particularly in the game industry. Should we take them seriously? Is anyone ever truly held accountable for breaking one? We explore the topic on this episode of GameDev Breakdown. If you enjoy GameDev Breakdown  Sign up for our free game dev newsletter! Subscribe to the podcast on the platform of your choice Follow us on Twitter: @GameDevPod, @CodeWritePlay, @Mechatodzilla Check show notes and articles at CodeWritePlay.com Join us on Discord!--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/messageSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

We all hear about the importance of non-disclosure agreements, particularly in the game industry. Should we take them seriously? Is anyone ever truly held accountable for breaking one? We explore the topic on this episode of GameDev Breakdown. If you enjoy GameDev Breakdown <ul> <li>Sign up for our <a href="https://codewriteplay.com/newsletter/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">free game dev newsletter</a>!</li> <li><a href="https://codewriteplay.com/the-gamedev-breakdown-podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Subscribe</a> to the podcast on the platform of your choice</li> <li>Follow us on Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/gamedevpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@GameDevPod</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/codewriteplay" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@CodeWritePlay</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/mechatodzilla" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@Mechatodzilla</a></li> <li>Check show notes and articles at <a href="http://CodeWritePlay.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">CodeWritePlay.com</a> Join us on <a href="https://discord.gg/auVvvK3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Discord</a>!</li></ul>--- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

Are NDAs Ever Really Enforced?

Kamil Krupiński

This show was a couple of firsts for the podcast: I think it was probably the first time we've had on an industry producer who wasn't also responsible for several other jobs (at least no more than any producer is) and it was also the first guest we've had phone in from Poland--I trust you'll excuse the occasional dip in audio quality. If you haven't tried Serial Cleaner, Draw Distance's last big project under the name iFun4All (yes, we talk about it), you're missing an entertaining stealth puzzle game with style to spare. If you picked it up recently in your Humble Monthly, take a few minutes to check it out before you jump into this episode, then you'll also be caught up for when the new game, Ritual: Crown of Horns, hits Steam Early Access later this week. Once you've tried both, you'll be struck by how this relatively small studio came up with two drastically different games and full-on nailed them both. In addition to digging into the game projects, I picked Kamil's brain about the life of a producer for a mid-size team, and it was no surprise that such great games are coming from a team that places such emphasis on quality, sound decision-making, and factoring the human element into management decisions. Pay close attention to the issues he points out in the industry and says the fixes are in the hands of people in his role. It seems clear that Draw Distance is a great place to work. Thanks again to Kamil and the team for their time. Kamil / Draw Distance:  Kamil Krupiński on Twitter Draw Distance on Twitter Ritual: Crown of Horns on Steam Early Access Serial Cleaner on Steam--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/messageSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

This show was a couple of firsts for the podcast: I think it was probably the first time we've had on an industry producer who wasn't also responsible for several other jobs (at least no more than any producer is) and it was also the first guest we've had phone in from Poland--I trust you'll excuse the occasional dip in audio quality. If you haven't tried Serial Cleaner, Draw Distance's last big project under the name iFun4All (yes, we talk about it), you're missing an entertaining stealth puzzle game with style to spare. If you picked it up recently in your Humble Monthly, take a few minutes to check it out before you jump into this episode, then you'll also be caught up for when the new game, Ritual: Crown of Horns, hits Steam Early Access later this week. Once you've tried both, you'll be struck by how this relatively small studio came up with two drastically different games and full-on nailed them both. In addition to digging into the game projects, I picked Kamil's brain about the life of a producer for a mid-size team, and it was no surprise that such great games are coming from a team that places such emphasis on quality, sound decision-making, and factoring the human element into management decisions. Pay close attention to the issues he points out in the industry and says the fixes are in the hands of people in his role. It seems clear that Draw Distance is a great place to work. Thanks again to Kamil and the team for their time. Kamil / Draw Distance: <ul> <li><a href="https://twitter.com/burnberlinburn" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Kamil Krupiński</a> on Twitter</li> <li><a href="https://twitter.com/drawdistancedev" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Draw Distance</a> on Twitter</li> <li><a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/1059150/Ritual_Crown_of_Horns/" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Ritual: Crown of Horns</a> on Steam Early Access</li> <li><a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/522210/Serial_Cleaner/" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Serial Cleaner</a> on Steam</li></ul>--- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

Draw Distance Producer Kamil Krupiński

The SNES Classic edition will suffer shortages. That's not a guess.  In this mid-week show, we explore Nintendo's business strategy behind console launches and pinpoint the source of a pattern that's been in place since the early 1980s. This one is full of fun news clips from Nintendo's past.  The #GameDev Breakdown podcast has been added to Google Play and numerous additional new outlets. Find us wherever you listen to podcasts!  ---   Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

The SNES Classic edition will suffer shortages. That's not a guess. In this mid-week show, we explore Nintendo's business strategy behind console launches and pinpoint the source of a pattern that's been in place since the early 1980s. This one is full of fun news clips from Nintendo's past. The #GameDev Breakdown podcast has been added to Google Play and numerous additional new outlets. Find us wherever you listen to podcasts! --- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

The Truth about Nintendo Shortages

David Fox

LucasArts Employee #3 himself, David Fox joins to talk about his fantastic career contributing to some of the most iconic graphic adventure games of our time, chasing the technology to create location-based interactive experiences, and his philosophy on positive change through design. Topics include VR, interpersonal issues in the modern game industry, politics, electric cars, and more. David was so kind to agree to this show, we were both fighting illness at the time of recording (I had to really work hard on my end of the discussion in post to make it listenable, apologies for any unusual tone quality) but I could not have been more pleased with the discussion itself. David has contributed to so many games we all know and love, Zak McKracken, Maniac Mansion, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Thimbleweed Park, and more. It was such a pleasure to spend some time learning about the rest of his awesome work and capture more details about the things he's done. Please keep an open mind; David's time at LucasArts has been discussed in super deep detail in a variety of interviews and I'd encourage you to check them out. I wanted to do more for this show to really get a sense of David's contributions to technology and interactive experiences on a broader scale. Nonetheless there's plenty of great material here to dig into about design, VR, and the game development community. Check it out and reach out to David on Twitter! David’s links  @DavidBFox on Twitter David's site, Electric Eggplant--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/messageSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

LucasArts Employee #3 himself, David Fox joins to talk about his fantastic career contributing to some of the most iconic graphic adventure games of our time, chasing the technology to create location-based interactive experiences, and his philosophy on positive change through design. Topics include VR, interpersonal issues in the modern game industry, politics, electric cars, and more. David was so kind to agree to this show, we were both fighting illness at the time of recording (I had to really work hard on my end of the discussion in post to make it listenable, apologies for any unusual tone quality) but I could not have been more pleased with the discussion itself. David has contributed to so many games we all know and love, Zak McKracken, Maniac Mansion, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Thimbleweed Park, and more. It was such a pleasure to spend some time learning about the rest of his awesome work and capture more details about the things he's done. Please keep an open mind; David's time at LucasArts has been discussed in super deep detail in a variety of interviews and I'd encourage you to check them out. I wanted to do more for this show to really get a sense of David's contributions to technology and interactive experiences on a broader scale. Nonetheless there's plenty of great material here to dig into about design, VR, and the game development community. Check it out and reach out to David on Twitter! David’s links <ul> <li><a href="https://twitter.com/DavidBFox" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">@DavidBFox on Twitter</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.electriceggplant.com/" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">David's site, Electric Eggplant</a></li></ul>--- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

Legendary Game Designer David Fox

A developer asks the community: How do you maintain the motivation to finish projects? It's a simple question, but what lies beneath the surface? In this episode we discuss both the simple answer to this question, and what is usually the deeper, more scientific answer. If you've ever heard of concepts like "self-sabotage" or "self-handicapping," this episode offers the actual mechanics of this phenomenon as well as the causes and the steps you can take to break the cycle. Stop stopping, start finishing. If you enjoy GameDev Breakdown  Sign up for our free game dev newsletter! Subscribe to the podcast on the platform of your choice Follow us on Twitter: @GameDevPod, @CodeWritePlay, @Mechatodzilla Check show notes and articles at CodeWritePlay.com Join us on Discord!--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/messageSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

A developer asks the community: How do you maintain the motivation to finish projects? It's a simple question, but what lies beneath the surface? In this episode we discuss both the simple answer to this question, and what is usually the deeper, more scientific answer. If you've ever heard of concepts like "self-sabotage" or "self-handicapping," this episode offers the actual mechanics of this phenomenon as well as the causes and the steps you can take to break the cycle. Stop stopping, start finishing. If you enjoy GameDev Breakdown <ul> <li>Sign up for our <a href="https://codewriteplay.com/newsletter/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">free game dev newsletter</a>!</li> <li><a href="https://codewriteplay.com/the-gamedev-breakdown-podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Subscribe</a> to the podcast on the platform of your choice</li> <li>Follow us on Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/gamedevpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@GameDevPod</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/codewriteplay" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@CodeWritePlay</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/mechatodzilla" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@Mechatodzilla</a></li> <li>Check show notes and articles at <a href="http://CodeWritePlay.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">CodeWritePlay.com</a> Join us on <a href="https://discord.gg/auVvvK3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Discord</a>!</li></ul>--- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

Don’t Hold Yourself Back

Welcome back! This time on GameDev Breakdown we're discussing the finer points of tutorials in games, and yes, whether or not they even have a rightful place in them. That idea may surprise you, unless you spend any time talking about development on Twitter where it's become oddly commonplace. This idea comes from a well-intentioned place. As games and players have matured, we've seen a lot of games with subtler, more innovative introductions. As seen in one of the tweets above, for some reason people who like attacking game designers like bringing up the introductory stage of Mega Man X. I generally go out of my way not to criticize the work of other designers, but I would be very hesitant to set up an introductory stage like what Mega Man X features. For one thing, MMX seems to depend on the player having played previous games in the series and having some sense of what's going on. It leaves players to experiment with what amounts to an unusually easy level, mashing buttons and experimenting with enemies and mechanics along the way. Even at that, I find the level visually confusing--quick, you just started, here comes some cars! Just kidding they can't hurt you--and I don't agree that players wouldn't be better served by an optional scene with a few prompts to get newbies acclimated before dropping them into a proper stage. Meanwhile, players in favor of sensible tutorials all pointed me at the same game: Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVtwKiOYdzc Blood Dragon actually had the same challenge to overcome as Mega Man X: a unique game in a pre-existing series that still needs to onboard new players. To do this, Blood Dragon goes all the way in the opposite direction, interrupting players with nearly full-screen prompts every few seconds while the protagonist complains about the delay. Blood Dragon manages to roast an annoying trend in game tutorials (overdoing it) while using a tried and true method to teach players advanced FPS controls in a hurry. This comparison is too simplistic, of course, and also doesn't take into account the widely varied needs across other genres. Angry Birds doesn't need too much handholding, but have you ever designed your own card game? The resource we look at in this episode is the condensed result of a master's project study on reactions to tutorials and introductory levels featured at Gamasutra. If you enjoy GameDev Breakdown  Sign up for our free game dev newsletter! Subscribe to the podcast on the platform of your choice Follow us on Twitter: @GameDevPod, @CodeWritePlay, @Mechatodzilla Check show notes and articles at CodeWritePlay.com Join us on Discord!--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/messageSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

Welcome back! This time on GameDev Breakdown we're discussing the finer points of tutorials in games, and yes, whether or not they even have a rightful place in them. That idea may surprise you, unless you spend any time talking about development on Twitter where it's become oddly commonplace. This idea comes from a well-intentioned place. As games and players have matured, we've seen a lot of games with subtler, more innovative introductions. As seen in one of the tweets above, for some reason people who like attacking game designers like bringing up the introductory stage of Mega Man X. I generally go out of my way not to criticize the work of other designers, but I would be very hesitant to set up an introductory stage like what Mega Man X features. For one thing, MMX seems to depend on the player having played previous games in the series and having some sense of what's going on. It leaves players to experiment with what amounts to an unusually easy level, mashing buttons and experimenting with enemies and mechanics along the way. Even at that, I find the level visually confusing--quick, you just started, here comes some cars! Just kidding they can't hurt you--and I don't agree that players wouldn't be better served by an optional scene with a few prompts to get newbies acclimated before dropping them into a proper stage. Meanwhile, players in favor of sensible tutorials all pointed me at the same game: Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVtwKiOYdzc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVtwKiOYdzc</a> Blood Dragon actually had the same challenge to overcome as Mega Man X: a unique game in a pre-existing series that still needs to onboard new players. To do this, Blood Dragon goes all the way in the opposite direction, interrupting players with nearly full-screen prompts every few seconds while the protagonist complains about the delay. Blood Dragon manages to roast an annoying trend in game tutorials (overdoing it) while using a tried and true method to teach players advanced FPS controls in a hurry. This comparison is too simplistic, of course, and also doesn't take into account the widely varied needs across other genres. Angry Birds doesn't need too much handholding, but have you ever designed your own card game? The resource we look at in this episode is the condensed result of a <a href="https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/NathanHedges/20171013/307378/Video_Game_Tutorials_How_Do_They_Teach.php" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">master's project study</a> on reactions to tutorials and introductory levels featured at Gamasutra. If you enjoy GameDev Breakdown <ul> <li>Sign up for our <a href="https://codewriteplay.com/newsletter/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">free game dev newsletter</a>!</li> <li><a href="https://codewriteplay.com/the-gamedev-breakdown-podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Subscribe</a> to the podcast on the platform of your choice</li> <li>Follow us on Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/gamedevpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@GameDevPod</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/codewriteplay" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@CodeWritePlay</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/mechatodzilla" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@Mechatodzilla</a></li> <li>Check show notes and articles at <a href="http://CodeWritePlay.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">CodeWritePlay.com</a> Join us on <a href="https://discord.gg/auVvvK3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Discord</a>!</li></ul>--- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

A Tale of Tutorials

The #GameDev Breakdown podcast is back! In this episode, we share strategies and vital steps you need to take to promote your projects without looking and sounding like a jackwagon. Topics include what to have on your website, creating a press kit, writing a press release, how to approach paid advertisements, and social media practices for Facebook, Twitter, and even Instagram.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/messageSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

The #GameDev Breakdown podcast is back! In this episode, we share strategies and vital steps you need to take to promote your projects without looking and sounding like a jackwagon. Topics include what to have on your website, creating a press kit, writing a press release, how to approach paid advertisements, and social media practices for Facebook, Twitter, and even Instagram.--- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

Promoting Your Game

Ray Marek

Story-driven games are often revered as the height of artistic game development. For as dearly as we all hold Rocket League, it can't match the impact of Mass Effect or tug at the heart strings like Red Dead Redemption. To create a project that stays with your players, you need to design a world for them to experience. When we last spoke with Ray Marek, we casually discussed the downfall of Toys R Us (where he met Todd), the indie publishing experience, and even great games for horror fans. We had a great time, but Ray has much more to offer the indie dev crowd. This time around, Ray shares insight into the creative process of writing for the universes, planets, and characters we love learning about in comic books, using methods directly applicable to next-level game development. And yeah, we talk about our favorite Mexican food. Thanks again to Ray for his time and excellent insight. Ray on the web:  Unparalleled Comics on Facebook Ray on Instagram Ray's horror site, The Horror Syndicate--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/messageSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

Story-driven games are often revered as the height of artistic game development. For as dearly as we all hold Rocket League, it can't match the impact of Mass Effect or tug at the heart strings like Red Dead Redemption. To create a project that stays with your players, you need to design a world for them to experience. When we last spoke with Ray Marek, we casually discussed the downfall of Toys R Us (where he met Todd), the indie publishing experience, and even great games for horror fans. We had a great time, but Ray has much more to offer the indie dev crowd. This time around, Ray shares insight into the creative process of writing for the universes, planets, and characters we love learning about in comic books, using methods directly applicable to next-level game development. And yeah, we talk about our favorite Mexican food. Thanks again to Ray for his time and excellent insight. Ray on the web: <ul> <li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/unparalleledcomics/" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Unparalleled Comics on Facebook</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/rayzor33/" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Ray on Instagram</a></li> <li><a href="http://thehorrorsyndicate.com/" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Ray's horror site, The Horror Syndicate</a></li></ul>--- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

Creating Universes and Characters with Ray Marek of Unparalleled Comics

If you don't think you've read or at least seen any of David L. Craddock's phenomenal books on the game industry and game development, check again, you probably have. Some of the greatest stories of the development space have been captured in David's phenomenal pages, including Blizzard's early history with Diablo, tales from the days of NetHack and other early Roguelikes, and more recently, Yacht Club Games' action-packed development of Shovel Knight for Boss Fight Books. He kindly agreed to Skype in as Humble Bundle closes out its Boss Fight book bundle promotion (you still have about two days!) and his insight was every bit as interesting as I expected. This is a must-listen for writers of any kind, and I'd also put it on the required show list for anyone running or connected with an indie studio. David has explored and documented not only the development of many games we know and love, but the culture, the energy, and the trials of the people creating them--and his knack for framing captivating tales from their accounts is second to none. David's links:  DavidLCraddock.com @DavidLCraddock on Twitter The Humble Bundle Boss Fight Books bundle, including Shovel Knight--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/messageSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

If you don't think you've read or at least seen any of David L. Craddock's phenomenal books on the game industry and game development, check again, you probably have. Some of the greatest stories of the development space have been captured in David's phenomenal pages, including Blizzard's early history with Diablo, tales from the days of NetHack and other early Roguelikes, and more recently, Yacht Club Games' action-packed development of Shovel Knight for Boss Fight Books. He kindly agreed to Skype in as Humble Bundle closes out its Boss Fight book bundle promotion (you still have about two days!) and his insight was every bit as interesting as I expected. This is a must-listen for writers of any kind, and I'd also put it on the required show list for anyone running or connected with an indie studio. David has explored and documented not only the development of many games we know and love, but the culture, the energy, and the trials of the people creating them--and his knack for framing captivating tales from their accounts is second to none. David's links: <ul> <li><a href="http://davidlcraddock.com" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">DavidLCraddock.com</a></li> <li><a href="https://twitter.com/davidlcraddock" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">@DavidLCraddock</a> on Twitter</li> <li>The Humble Bundle <a href="https://www.humblebundle.com/books/classic-videogames-boss-fight-books" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Boss Fight Books bundle</a>, including Shovel Knight</li></ul>--- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

Author David L. Craddock

Happy Thanksgiving! In this special holiday episode, we give thanks for tremendous opportunities we've had this year, and for so many kind words from the community. In keeping with tradition, we come up with holiday-themed design concepts and follow them as far as we dare down the rabbit hole. What begins as a good-natured creative exercise quite frankly spirals into a dark place where no vitriol is spared against man's greatest natural enemy: the waddling garbage monster that is the wild turkey.  It's not too soon to be thinking about your holiday designs for Christmas! Your ratings and reviews are the lifeblood of the show. Help us get the word out by subscribing and telling a friend!--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/messageSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

Happy Thanksgiving! In this special holiday episode, we give thanks for tremendous opportunities we've had this year, and for so many kind words from the community. In keeping with tradition, we come up with holiday-themed design concepts and follow them as far as we dare down the rabbit hole. What begins as a good-natured creative exercise quite frankly spirals into a dark place where no vitriol is spared against man's greatest natural enemy: the waddling garbage monster that is the wild turkey.  It's not too soon to be thinking about your holiday designs for Christmas! Your ratings and reviews are the lifeblood of the show. Help us get the word out by subscribing and telling a friend!--- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

Annual Holiday Game Design – Thanksgiving 2018

Are "small content creator" support communities really something we should want? In this episode of GameDev Breakdown I take a look at the latest in a trend of proposals (or actual initiatives) to connect small devs, artists, authors, content creators, etc. to support and promote one another. It sounds nice, but 1.) Is it good for us as creators, and 2.) Is it even likely to work? If you enjoy GameDev Breakdown  Sign up for our free game dev newsletter! Subscribe to the podcast on the platform of your choice Follow us on Twitter: @GameDevPod, @CodeWritePlay, @Mechatodzilla Check show notes and articles at CodeWritePlay.com Join us on Discord!    ---   Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

Are "small content creator" support communities really something we should want? In this episode of GameDev Breakdown I take a look at the latest in a trend of proposals (or actual initiatives) to connect small devs, artists, authors, content creators, etc. to support and promote one another. It sounds nice, but 1.) Is it good for us as creators, and 2.) Is it even likely to work? If you enjoy GameDev Breakdown <ul> <li>Sign up for our <a href="https://codewriteplay.com/newsletter/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">free game dev newsletter</a>!</li> <li><a href="https://codewriteplay.com/the-gamedev-breakdown-podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Subscribe</a> to the podcast on the platform of your choice</li> <li>Follow us on Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/gamedevpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@GameDevPod</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/codewriteplay" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@CodeWritePlay</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/mechatodzilla" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@Mechatodzilla</a></li> <li>Check show notes and articles at <a href="http://CodeWritePlay.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">CodeWritePlay.com</a> Join us on <a href="https://discord.gg/auVvvK3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Discord</a>! </li> </ul> --- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

Treat Your Business Like a Business

Blake J. Harris

To help us close out Season 2, Blake J. Harris makes a surprise appearance to reflect on his early life and career, the success of Console Wars and the upcoming television adaptation from Legendary Entertainment with producers Seth Rogen &amp; Evan Goldberg. We also discuss his new book, The History of the Future: Oculus, Facebook and the Revolution that swept Virtual Reality published by HarperCollins in February. By necessity, this leads to a discussion of Palmer Luckey and the political whirlwind surrounding his departure from Oculus in early 2017. Finally, Blake teases what's coming up next in his incredible writing career. I'm so glad we finally caught up with Blake. Without question, he is gaming's leading modern historian and to spend an hour in a discussion with him is like an opportunity to help capture gaming's story in some small way and I was grateful for this chance to do so. As you'll hear later in the conversation, Blake's efforts to simply do the right thing in the circumstances in which he found himself have led to his being misunderstood by people from all walks of life in spite of his hugely popular writing, and not enough outlets have stepped up to help him set the record straight. By the end of the show I trust you'll understand when I say we need a lot more of Blake's way of thinking in journalism and writing in general. Listen, learn, and let's discuss. Thank you once more to everyone who made Season 2 so incredible. The site will stay busy and so will our community at Patreon. Interview shows will return in September! Please don't hesitate to reach out over the summer. Thanks all! Blake J. Harris:  BlakeJHarris.com @BlakeJHarrisNYC on Twitter Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation The History of the Future: Oculus, Facebook, and the Revolution That Swept Virtual Reality--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/messageSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support

To help us close out Season 2, Blake J. Harris makes a surprise appearance to reflect on his early life and career, the success of Console Wars and the upcoming television adaptation from Legendary Entertainment with producers Seth Rogen &amp; Evan Goldberg. We also discuss his new book, The History of the Future: Oculus, Facebook and the Revolution that swept Virtual Reality published by HarperCollins in February. By necessity, this leads to a discussion of Palmer Luckey and the political whirlwind surrounding his departure from Oculus in early 2017. Finally, Blake teases what's coming up next in his incredible writing career. I'm so glad we finally caught up with Blake. Without question, he is gaming's leading modern historian and to spend an hour in a discussion with him is like an opportunity to help capture gaming's story in some small way and I was grateful for this chance to do so. As you'll hear later in the conversation, Blake's efforts to simply do the right thing in the circumstances in which he found himself have led to his being misunderstood by people from all walks of life in spite of his hugely popular writing, and not enough outlets have stepped up to help him set the record straight. By the end of the show I trust you'll understand when I say we need a lot more of Blake's way of thinking in journalism and writing in general. Listen, learn, and let's discuss. Thank you once more to everyone who made Season 2 so incredible. The site will stay busy and so will our community at Patreon. Interview shows will return in September! Please don't hesitate to reach out over the summer. Thanks all! Blake J. Harris: <ul> <li><a href="https://twitter.com/robhewson" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">BlakeJHarris.com</a></li> <li><a href="https://twitter.com/huey_games" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">@BlakeJHarrisNYC</a> on Twitter</li> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Console-Wars-Nintendo-Defined-Generation-ebook/dp/B00FJ379XE/" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/History-Future-Facebook-Revolution-Virtual-ebook/dp/B01NATTA7F/" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The History of the Future: Oculus, Facebook, and the Revolution That Swept Virtual Reality</a></li></ul>--- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gamedevbreakdown/support</a>

Blake J. Harris, Author of Console Wars and The History of the Future

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