Your nice hosts chew over a concept Stephen brings into the clubhouse: a series of "game jams" where participants iterate on one specific idea in each session.Playdate Update - Fall 2024 - Panic, YouTubeNoble Engine - Noble RobotIGDATC Events - igdatc0:04:30Iterative Game JamMeditations

Releasing 2019's "Baba is You" after more than a decade of making puzzle games was a milestone for this week's guest, but it was also just the beginning of his design journey. Arvi "Hempuli" Teikari talks to your nice hosts about the balance between giving players freedom and constraining their expression, the pacing and sequencing of individual puzzles, what happens when a "cool" design annoys players, and more.Arvi's cats make a spirited apperance in the back half of the episode. Here they are basking in the Finnish sun.Puzzle SystemsGame DesignToolsMultimedia Fusion 2 - ClickteamClickteam Fusion 2.5 - ClickteamConstruct - Scirra LtdMP2MP2 Chowdren EngineBring the ice cube to the goal without exposing it to heat. - IncreparePuzzleScript - IncrepareCovechrome - Hempuli, itch.ioYou nice hosts previously discussed what happens to players who become developers in:"Numbers go up."Arvi "Hempuli" TeikariGuestExternal linkHempuli - social media linksHempuli on Itch.io

In this episode Ellen usurps the normal process for a nice game jam prompt to explore her own idea on tabletop mechanics. Who would have thought the scoring system for this game would be 'Points for the Future War'?Stephen's One-Minute Movie - Stephen McGregor's Group, YouTubeDiscussion during developmentSubbuteoSoapboxderby.orgBullet Bill Soapbox Derby Car - Lou Whitmire, Mansfield News JouralPromptMake a tabletop game where the core mechanic is modulating the friction on the board.Game typeTabletop gamePlayer count3-5MaterialsBoard - 5x5 grid where tiles can be placed5 racer sledsRacer weightsTiles with different friction coefficients (terrain tiles)Mission from HQ CardsSpecial Objective CardsSetup1) Racer sleds and racer weights are randomly distributed to the racetrack row. 2) Each racer sled gets the name of a racer. Each racer name should be silly, like Jenny Too-fast or Billy Tumble. 3) Each player draws two Mission from HQ cards and picks one to be their secret objective.  RulesPlayers are given each a set amount of time-travel credits.On their turn, each player uses a time-travel credit to either replace or swap terrain tiles.When each all players have spent their time travel credits, the race is on! All racer sleds are released from their starting box, and the results of the race are observed. Each completed mission results in the number of 'Points for the Future' on the mission from HQ card awarded to that player. The number of points is based on the difficulty of the mission.After the weekend derby is complete (15 rounds), the player with the most point for the future war is declared the winner, but not for 20-30 years.

Attention Sega nerds! This Nice Bonus episode is for you!During our episode on 90's consoles Mark found out there were so many obscure Sega accessories that they couldn't fit in the episode and deserved their very own spotlight. Please enjoy this Nice Bonus short episode all about them!Sega Consoles

"Tutorials shouldn’t feel like tutorials!" Like most aspects of game design, it's an easy concept to summarize but a difficult one to pull off. Luke Spierewka and the team at Afterburn Games have mastered it, using their charming approach in successful titles like Golf Peaks and Railbound. Come learn the arcane secrets of the puzzle game tutorial! Also featuring some great room sound.Afterburn Games (studio)Tutorialization with PuzzlesGame DesignOn crafting Railbound, a cozy track-bending puzzle game - Evgeny Obedkov, Game World ObserverDynablaster (game) - WikipediaLuke SpierewkaGuestLuke is a game designer, programmer, and jack of all trades. He makes games, organizes events, gives talks (and interviews) and does "lots of other stuff." He's worked on many titles, including Railbound, Golf Peaks, Gwent, and SUPERHOT. Learn more about Luke at http://spierek.net/

This week, your nice hosts talk a little bit about our civic duty before getting into two very on-brand topics. Make a plan to vote on (or before!) November 5th. Information at https://vote.org/Everything You Need to Vote - Vote.orgWhat States Allow Same Day Voter Registration and When? - Rock the VoteThe Only Patriotic Choice for President - The New York TimesThese are the Republicans endorsing Harris over Trump - Niha Masih, The Washington PostDonald Trump Is Unfit to Lead - The New York TimesDonald Trump’s First Term Is a Warning - New York Times Opinion, The New York TimesRuntime Asset ManagementPhaserSimplify your content management with AddressablesUnityWADDoom WikiDouble Jump vs. DashGames Are Better With Double JumpsHeather AlexandraKotakuWhy Celeste's dash feels great Alex WiltshireRock Paper ShotgunKaizoWikipedia

We welcome Timothy Staton-Davis into the clubhouse to talk both the broad strokes and the nitty-gritty of combat design.Melanated Game Kitchen - itch.ioCombat DesignArtGame DesignWe talked about "juice" in game design way back! You can find links related to the topic here as well."I am a Juice Journeyman!"Pacing - Robert Yang, Andrew Yoder, The Level Design BookTimothy Staton-DavisGuestLead Encounter Designer for Brass Lion Entertainment, and Creative Director of Melenated Game Kitchen.External linkhttps://melanatedgamekitchen.itch.io/

This week, Ellen kicks things off with a chat about how games tell players, “This might be tough!” and how to make that fun and fair. Stephen and Mark jump in with their takes on what makes difficulty settings shine. Then, Mark thinks about the practice taking familiar game mechanics and twisting them into something fresh. Think pacifist runs or limited equipment modes. Why limit yourself to one way to play when you can remix the whole game? As always, there are some goofs in here, too.Unity 6 Preview is now available - Nancy Larue, UnityUnity is canceling the Runtime Fee - Matt Bromberg, UnityUnite Conference - UnityHasbro Game Night (for Switch)We Were Here Series - Total Mayhem Games, SteamLoopy: a tool for thinking in systems - Nicky CaseMachinations: Create digital twins for your systems, processes or economies0:21:44Communicating DifficultyReally Bad ChessPuzzmoOrta Therox & Zach GageAggro Crab Studio"Why Quitting Is Usually Worth It"David Duchovny & Stephen DubnerFreakonomics Radio Network0:40:35Remixed Play ModesMetro NexusNoble Robot10 Most Unique Multiplayer Modes In Video GamesJames KennedyThe GamerExtra game modesUniversal Videogame ListPARKS Board Game59 Parks

This week, learn about what Ellen was like as a student. Stephen wonders if he’s made a huge mistake, Ellen does some work research, and Mark insists that there is no such thing as magic.Stephen started a new class: Film making Ellen forced her parents to play another game! Parks Board GameMark saw the Badger Badger Mushroom song for the first time and was underwhelmed. Consequently, Dale was editing and then also got to see it for the first time, and found that this was the correct response. This video is over 20 years old (2003).Badger Badger Mushroom - Weeb's Stuff, YouTubeMark is (still) working on some User Interface Tools in Unity, called NobleTools0:11:26Scoring 101The four types of scoring discussed: 1. Victory Points 2. Experience Points 3. Stats based scoring 4. Hit PointsPerplexity conversationNoodleThe Training ArcadeKurt Vonnigut The Shape of StoriesStephen JohnsonBig ThinkSumming Salt - Mario Kart DSSumming SaltYouTube0:42:39Turning off the Gamedev BrainMoonwalking with EinsteinWikipediaEllen has been watching the behind the scenes special feature for ' The House that Dragons Built'

Entering the clubhouse this week is our the third Owl (employee of Owlchemy Labs) and first Peabody Award winner (as lead developer for We Are OFK), to talk about the "dos," "don'ts," and "good enoughs" of optimization.Cleveland video game designer Jarryd Huntley wins Peabody Award for ‘We Are OFK’ - Joey Morona, cleveland.comWe are OFK - Peabody AwardsCleveland Game Developers - LinktreeOptimizationHardwareProductionProgrammingIs Using LINQ in C# Bad for Performance? - James Vickers, The Startup For Vs Foreach In C# - Sagar Gavand, C# CornerJarryd HuntleyGuest

There are now episodes of Nice Games Club for each new day of the year! When you get to the last day of that year, you'll hear about Audio Middleware and Psychic Distance from us in the clubhouse.About the Fair - Minnesota State Fair0:17:06Audio MiddlewareAn example of audio tech conversations we've had in the past.Game Audio Tools and WorkflowsWwiseAudiokineticFMODFMOD0:51:32Psychic DistancePsychic Distance: what it is and how to use itEmma DarwinThis Itch of Writing

In this episode the boys are back in Minneapolis, but they are still thinking about their time with Ellen in Duluth, or Roboluth ;) sSo they are using this episode to talk about instructions, again, but this time though the lens of the different types of "user personas" who will be reading it.InstructionsWhat is Roboston?Roboston is a tabletop game that the the Nice Games Club came up with during an podcast Game Jam Episode. For anyone new to the podcast, we recommend starting two episodes back (at 362), for some background on the game. For those of you who wish for a full memory restoration, here is the full episode list:The original Nice Game Jam where Roboston was concievedRoboston! (Live at 2D Con 2020)A follow up episode 197 continues the devlopment because they were so excited about RobostonRoboston! (part 2)The club worked on the game over winter break in 2020-21, episode 207 summarizes what they worked on."It’s March tomorrow."We again visited Roboston over our 2023-24 winter break, and talk about in in episode 337"The Roboston Sessions"Mark and Steven visit Ellen in Duluth where they play a bunch of Roboston"Apply your context, thusly."Rulebook isMore than a script for “the teach”Verbal and visual (and, increasingly, multimedia)Define your PlayersSteve BromleyGame User ResearchDefine your PlayersUser persona is the UX term, Player persona is used in gamesThings to add to the FAQsDoes the value affected by the repeater also get multiplied if you’re adding a part? Does the value for a new part always have to come from the torso? Can you send the robot without having arms/legs/heads? How many dice should I try to go for in this check?Player Personas1. Roboston new playersBox inventory list Anatomical diagram of a robot Game setup diagram (game as a whole, what’s in your hand) Reference cards (player actions, game phases, etc.)2. Roboston experienced players Table of contents Stats for nerds Index (?) FAQ section3. Inexperienced tabletop game players Invitation to play, sense of fun Build trust with the player as the rulebook progresses4. Experienced tabletop game playersResource, reference Allow them to get right to the core, fast

Once again from hilly Duluth, Minnesota! On Day 2 of a game design weekend retreat, your nice hosts tackled rules—writing rules, rewriting rules, and playtesting them. It was a long day, culminating with a family playtest of Roboston, featuring a newly written rulebook. How did it go? Well, there's more work to be done, but we learned a lot. Your hosts discuss this and more in today's episode, recorded on Day 3 of Mark's and Stephen's trip to Duluth. Minnesotan Phrases - Wanderlust In Real LifeDante is the adorable troublemaker who barked MULTIPLE TIMES during the recording session.Resources for Rules-WritingTop Six Rules for Writing RulebooksMeeple MountainHow to Teach GamesThe Giant Brain

It's a nice sleepover as this (and next) week's episode is recorded from Ellen's basement in Duluth. Mark has an angle, Ellen shares her topic, and Stephen manages.The view from the rotating resturant that Mark took Stephen to - Ragnar Eythorsson, YouTubeKaren Puzzles - Karen Kavett, YouTube178 (TNG) + 176 (DS9) + 7 (TOS movies, including "Generations" because Kirk was in it) = 361 episodesNice Games Club = 362 episodesOne Piece aired it's 362nd episode 16 years ago. As of press time, it's up to 1116.Our next target is My Three Sons, which has 380 episodes. We will reach that milestone at the end of 2024.0:07:31Instructions0:33:35Cynicism

It’s hot in the clubhouse and hot in Ellen’s greenhouse this week, so your hosts are eager to crunch through some discussion. Ellen introduces the concept of the MDA framework, and the differences between Theming and Aesthetics, and Stephen comes to a major conclusion about parrying.0:06:40Theming vs. AestheticsThe MDA FrameworkWikipediaEllen promised Dictionary.com definitions, so here you go:AestheticsDictionary.comThemeDictionary.comWe talked about theming and aesthetics for a GameJam Game from a previous episodeThe Bike BoomAlien Isolation Themes explored n : Demystifying the Terror of Alien IsolationAndy RobertsonWired0:28:56ParriesStephen's list of why parries are so popular: 1) A way to reward mastery or paying attention 2) Rewards participation 3) An appreciable way to consider mastering the game The different variations of Parrying 1) Just Dodges 2) Traditional Parrying (miss = block) 3) Dynamic Parrying release parrying 4) Alternate button (paper mario parrying) EVO Moment 37Wikipedia

We invite music producer and sound designer Dave McKee into the clubhouse to talk about accessibility in games this week.AccessibilityAccessibilityGame DesignControl Accessibility Report - "Vivek Gohil, Ben Kendall", Family Gaming DatabaseInclusive Gaming: How Game Developers Can Make Video Games More Inclusive And A… - Accessibility.comVisual impairment accessibility musts:High ContrastUser-set color schemesBig Icons! (more important even than large text, which is also important)Leverage Haptics (HD Rumble) paired with visual cuesToning the music down (Dave recommends, regretfully)Accessibility options should come up at a game’s first-launchThe next Forza will help blind players race by listening to ‘beeps and boops’ - Tom Warren, The VergeRay Tracer - WayverbHow Next-Gen Audio Improvements in Snowdrop Could Mean Real-Time ‘Ray-Tracing A… - Youssef Maguid, UbisoftTekken 8 Accessibility Features Are Causing Controversy - Trumann Tu, GameRantThe Importance of Audio Described Cutscenes - Dom Parker, LinkedInSelf-Voicing - Ren'PyAdditional Resources not talked about on the showXbox Accessibility Guidelines V3.2 - MIcrosoftCan I Play That? - Can I Play That?XR Access - XR AccessDave McKeeGuestAn electronic and orchestral music producer and sound designer going by the name ViRiX.External linkLinktree

We face complexity head-on this episode with two topics that will get your neurons firing. Mark walks through considerations involved with publishing a game to multiple platforms. It's not easy, but it's a lot easier if you plan for it from the start! If you've listened to recent episodes, you'll know that Stephen has been obsessed with the tabletop game Spirit Island. Today, he shares some of the work he's done in creating a new, customized spirit for the game. Also, Mark experiences glitches, and the hosts plan a visit.Twin Cities Playtest from IGDA-TC - Eventbrite0:06:56Targeting Multiple PlatformsWe talked about porting games in Episode 175."Kapow?"Git fork vs branchGreg FosterGraphiteSlayers X: Terminal Aftermath: Vengeance of the SlayerFandomAllow controls to be remapped, reconfiguredGame Accessibility GuidelinesA Brief History of the Playstation’s Confirm And Cancel ButtonsThe Wired Fish Network BlogA Brief History of A & BMatthew GallantThe Quixotic Engineer Blog0:46:49Spirit Island SpiritsSpirit of Creation channelDiscordSpirit Design Deep DiveemilintleGoogle DocsSpirit IslandGreater Than GamesHow to Play: Spirit IslandGreater Than GamesYouTube

"Pillar of the community" and creator of Chipmunk2D Scott Lembcke visits the clubhouse to talk velocity, constraints, and rigidbodies. Ellen gets the music in her head, Stephen didn’t learn the opposite lesson, and Mark makes a pretty good joke about friction.Physics 101ProgrammingChipmunk2D - Scott Lembcke , GitHubGopher (protocol)Building Excalibur.js - Erik Onarheim, YouTubeI'm pretty sure this was the song stuck in Ellen's head.What is an AABB? - Michael Rubloff, Radiance FieldsVeridian Expanse - Howling Moon Software, SteamIs pool actually just mathematics? - Stand-up Maths, YouTubeWhat is up with the spherical cow? - Rhett Allain, WiredAdvanced Character Physics - Thomas Jakobsen, Carnegie Mellon UniversityArc length of an ellipse - Ed Sandifer, The Euler ArchiveBox2D version 3.0 beta test has launched! - Erin Catto, MastodonTen Minute Physics - YouTubeScott LembckeGuest

In this episode, Stephen gets excited about Summer Games Done Quick, reveals some Doctor Who spoilers, and then is shocked that Flappy Dragon has more dragons. Ellen ponders rituals, and why she comes back to some games and not others. And finally, Mark wonders if it is okay to get lost in a super-fun mini-game.0:12:21FamiliarityEllen asks the internet: What are "casual Games"?https://www.perplexity.ai/search/What-are-casual-lDsnct7cTKiv.pJMXYef6wEllen asks the internet: What are "Cozy Games"?https://www.perplexity.ai/search/What-are-cozy-9nReq70iRU6wRyzD1TTSEA0:34:34Pacing MechanicsPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Sets the Standard for Classic Game RemakesEric RavenscraftWired

In the first Nice Games Jam in a few months (and we made it a long one!), your nice hosts explore the history of bicycles to develop a racing board game.Our last Nice Games Club episode:EddiesTwo Wheels Good - Jody RosenSafety Bicycle - WikipediaPromptDesign a racing game in a historical setting.Game typeTabletop gamePlayer count2 - 4MaterialsMap book4-sided diceMeeple to represent racersSetupChoose a map to race on in the map book (only one made right now)Choose a starting point and an ending point on the mapDraw a conditions card from the conditions deck (not made yet! We just used rain, where you have to make a Stability check each time you make a turn)RulesSame area through timeYou choose your rider and bike (each with different stats) based on how the map looksYou spend your resources to get new bikes or upgrade a bikeWe started with penny farthings (bad stats), you can buy better ones later.At the start of the race you draw a “condition”, affects the course to make more stability checksYou also randomly get a start and end place (we just set it as corner to corner for testing)Types of stats: Speed: how far you can goWeight: how heavy your bike is, how hard uphill is and how fast downhill isCapacity: how much you can hold on your bikeStability: how easy it is to get past stability checksDurability: how much failing a stability check affects you  

Time is money, friend! Okay, not always. Sometimes time is a puzzle involving many interlocking responsibilities. That’s Beth’s situation, and she asks Mark and Stephen for advice on time management in the second half of this roundtable episode. During the first half, Stephen shares some BIG NEWS that will soon place some additional responsibilities on his shoulders. Beth and Mark offer suggestions.Narrative NuanceVerdant Skies0:4:40Creative DirectionA previous episode relating to Stephen's big news!Nice Thinking: "Sledgehammer Bride"0:31:35Time ManagementPomodoro TechniqueWhat is a sprint?Scrum.orgThe Eisenhower Matrix (important vs urgent)Wikipedia

Your nice hosts welcome famed designer Ron Gilbert (Monkey Island, Thimbleweed Park) into the clubhouse to discuss the virtues of inexperience, friction for its own sake, how it's all about story, and it's puzzles all the way down.The Intersection of Puzzle and StoryGame DesignNarrativeProductionReturn to Monkey Island will have a hint system because the internet exists now - Joshua Rivera, PolygonVerdant Skies - SteamClassic Game Postmortem: Maniac Mansion - GDC, YouTubeThe phrase "confederacy of dunces" derives from a Jonathan Swift quote.Examples of movies that feature a poorly-received genre twist include Serenity (2019), Remember Me (2010), and Safe Haven (2013).Ron GilbertGuestOwner of Terrible Toybox, the designer/creator of Monkey Island, The Cave, Pajama Sam and the designer/co-creator of Maniac Mansion, DeathSpank and Thimbleweed Park. Co-designer of Return to Monkey Island.External linkMastodon - @[email protected] - Grumpy GamerStudio - Terrible Toybox

This week, your nice hosts talk about code that isn't yours and ask about the natural conclusion of the narrative. Mark is handy, Ellen kinda wants to add a note, and Stephen is grounded.It looked so easy in the brochure, but the brochure lied - Antony Ingram, Hagerty0:07:41Code LibrariesBest practices for writing code commentsEllen SpertusStack Overflow BlogDeclare namespaces to organize typesMicrosoft LearnYour nice hosts discussed licensing in a previous episode:"What's a little grand larceny?"Game OversAlternatives to the Game Over screenGame DeveloperWe didn't mention it in the episode for some reason, but our "Metroidvania-lite" game Widget Satchel had no deaths, game overs, or failure states.

This week we invite Ryan Adams, of Corgi Art House fame, to discuss his expertise in game production. Ryan shows us how production is more than just moving tickets around, and how valuable it is to have someone on the team organizing tasks for everyone. But also, there's plenty of moving tickets around!Game ProductionProductionCorgi Art HouseBlood On The Thames - SteamClickUpBuilding Better Games - Benjamin Carcich and Aaron SmithBecoming a Game Producer - Pauline GepilanoHow to prepare yourself for Game Production - Creative Assembly, YouTubeFive Traits In A Good Producer - Timothy Cain, YouTubeRyan AdamsGuestRyan Adams is a junior producer at Corgi Art House.External linkLinkedIn

This episode recounts each guests' recent project - Stephen is developing a new spirit for Spirit Island, Ellen is getting into music, and Mark talks at length about his car. The club helps Ellen process a recent pivot her company had to make. And Mark reveals some simple insights from his life: urgent vs. high priority, he has an irritating existence, that he's very restless, that he's skeptical of his satisfaction, somethings that I know very well, being married to him. The episode ends with a pitch build an emotional support group on nicegames.club/discord, by asking everyone to share how they structure their time.Stephen and Spirit IslandSpirit Island - Board Game GeekEllen gets into musicMark's SmartCarThomas Jefferson was born in Virgina - WikipediaMark changes out his car panels - Mark LaCroix, ThreadsPlease support us financially and emotionally through the following:patreon.com/nicegamesclubnicegames.club/discord0:11:20PivotingTango Gameworks of Hi-Fi Rush was closed0:40:27Working on Multiple ProjectsThe Eisenhower Matrix task managment matrixAsanaThe days in the lives of creative work from Mason Curryin a circle chartdeMilkedin an infographic Open Culturein an articleThe Marginalian

As MEMODEMO, Kobe Anthony creates music for video games and inspired by video games. In this episode, we learn about Kobe's creative process for composing music. He also shares a bit about how he uses his DAW (digital audio workstation) to capture sounds and convert them into melody and beats. Also featured in this episode: memes, rhythm games, and three seconds of terrible beatboxing.Creative Process & Workflow for MusicAudioIzotope RX 11 (audio repair toolkit)XO by XLN Audio2 MelloNot in the Groove (game)Sideshow Bob Stepping On Rakes Compilation - Cartoon Vids, YouTubeRolling Sampler777 - RoughSketch, YouTube"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." - Hanlon's razor, WikipediaKobe Anthony (aka MEMODEMO)GuestKobe is on Bandcamp, YouTube, Soundcloud, Ko-Fi & more. Here's his Linktree!From a student spotlight piece by the University of Oregon:Kobe came from a musical home, so his love for making music started when he was very young. “My first memory of noticing music in video games was when I played Sonic Heroes for the first time as a three-year-old. I remember hearing the theme song and it was, quite literally, life changing,” Kobe explains. From there, he started playing with GarageBand and, eventually, as he got older, started making original music on a much more advanced system MIDI. Kobe published his first song at eight years old called “Chaos Angel Error Emerald,” a remix of the theme song to Zone 7 of Sonic Advance 3, “Chaos Angel.”Under the pseudonym MEMODEMO, Anthony has over 5,200 monthly listeners on Spotify, over 4,500 followers on Soundcloud, and over 370,000 subscribers on YouTube.

Stephen brings a half-baked thought into the clubhouse for this Nice Thinking episode: how can we improve dialogue systems? He's got some opinions, which Mark and Ellen immediately debunk, but it leads to some engaging conversation.Dialogue Through Goals

Last month, Mark gave a talk at the IGDATC Gamedev Meeting about what it might mean to take game development seriously as an artistic practice, theorizing that video games are still a very young and immature medium by that standard. It's "sorta-Socratic" seminar, a set of three case studies, and a string of stone cold bummers that ends on a hopeful note.Your game has a message... did you write it?

In the episode, Mark, Ellen, and Stephen talk local events, including (don’t worry everyone’s fine) a fire in the clubhouse’s building, construction, and the games they are playing, so if you are just here for the topics, go ahead and skip to minute 23. Ellen learns about King Making, Stephen humble brags about being good at Smash Brothers, and Dale plays kingmaker in naming the second topic!NewsMasu Fire - Paul Walsh, Star TribuneBus Rapid Transit (BRT) - Jared Brey, GoverningWhat We are PlayingDragon's Dogma 2 - WikipediaPrincess Peach Showtime NPR Review - Rakiesha Chase-Jackson, NPR0:23:00King MakingStephen has been QA testing Harvest KingdomBen HunderDiscordThe YouTube video that Stephen referencesDistraction MakersYouTubeKingmaking in Root (Leder Games) videoCole WehrleGDCSmallworldBoard Game Geek0:49:17Thinky Bits (Off-Screen Gameplay)Games discussedReturn of the Obra DinSpirit IslandBoard Game GeekDeath Drives a Busitch.io

Most of our favorite games aren't created by solo devs; they're created by groups of people. And, when you get a bunch of people together in a group, culture happens. So, what makes for a good working culture in a game development team? How do you establish such a thing and maintain it? When we say someone doesn't "fit the culture" of a team, what does that mean—and what should the team do about it? Chris Bergman, CEO of Gylee Games, joins us for an enlightening discussion about how he thinks about work culture, and he didn’t swear even one time!Work CulturesMisc.ProductionGylee GamesRa Ra Boom! - SteamGylee and Friends PodcastAsk A Manager BlogChris BergmanGuestChris is the founder of Gylee and creator of Ra Ra Boom. Gylee is named after his kids, Guy and Lee. Chris is a longtime serial entrepreneur who is passionate about creating entertainment that is uplifting and enlightening. He's also an imposter DJ and has been rollerblading since 1994.External linkChris on InstagramChris on Twitter (X)

In this more games-adjacent episode, Mark recounts his experiences at the South by Southwest conference this year! Many fascinating discoveries to be found within that topic, in addition to Stephen's continued obsession with Dragon's Dogma 2 and Ellen's experience with the podcast as a listener.Stagg EKG Pro Electric Kettle - FellowStephen's used this for a couple of weeks now (in fact as he's editing this episode). It's... okay! Not as many features as expected with the app, it just updates the firmware of the kettle. It is nice to wake up to hot water though! And it's quite fast.0:09:52South by Southwest 2024South by SouthwestJust Play JamCinereachJust Play Jam 2023itch.ioHow Design Thinking Protects White Supremacy talkSWSXWhat Is the Design Thinking Process? The 5 Steps Complete GuideEmily StevensCareer FoundryIntel crushed its supplier diversity targets 8 years early. Here’s howBen UnglesbeeSupply Change DiveIntel® One MonoIntelIntel One Mono TypefaceGitHubNet neutrality restored as FCC votes to regulate internet providersDavid HamiltonAP NewsMoneySpyresYouTube1:08:31Player FrictionDragon's Dogma 2 Is Polarizing Its Community, And It's Not Just the Microtransa…Rebekah ValentineIGN

In this Episode Seth Fulkerson joins us in the clubhouse to talk the game engine, GameMaker. Seth is a long time user of GameMaker who's latest project is "Arzette: the Jewel of Faramore." The clubhouse discusses the history of GameMaker, the scripting language GML, and the advantages and disadvantages of the system.And Stephen learns a bunch of the stuff he wished he knew when he actively using GameMaker.GameMakerProgrammingToolsSeth's body of work:CDi Zelda Titles Remastered - Retro RGBArzette: The Jewel of Faramore - WikipediaGameMakerGameMaker Licensing CostsYoYoGames GameMaker Github - GitHubGameMaker history on Wikepdia - WikipediaGameMaker Language (GML)GML ManualGameMaker ToolsGameMaker MarketplaceAdd Ons for Game Maker: -Scatterbox -Yellow Afterlife -Juju AdamsShaun Spalding GameMaker Tutorials - Shaun Spalding, YouTubeSeth FulkersonGuestSeth Fulkerson is a longtime GameMaker user, and enthusiast of CD-ROM Full Motion Video games. He championed the Zelda CD-i remakes. External linkThe Dopster aka Dopply LinkTree

We’re joined this week by Laura Onderwater, friend of the show! Laura is an experienced concept artist currently working with Greensky Games. In this interview, she shares a bit about her workflow and how she thinks about worldbuilding from an artistic perspective. Plus, your hosts learn when to cry into a pillow, and Stephen repeatedly asks for THE limit.Greensky GamesSWARM - "The Epic Arcade Shooter Built for VR" - Greensky GamesVisual WorldbuildingArtMeow Wolf - Immersive ExperiencesWrist and forearm stretches for the workplace - Mayo ClinicThe Art of Psychonauts 2 - Ashley Esqueda, Double Fine ProductionsLaura OnderwaterGuestLaura is a passionate concept artist with years of experience in creating art for games. Laura is always excited to work on new projects, and to bring ideas and worlds to life.External linkLaura on LinkedInLaura on Artstation

Your nice hosts conclude their GDC 2024 coverage with a pair of interviews they conducted at the show. Mark catches a post-show cold, Stephen gets over his, and Ellen thought everything sounded great.Midwest Games / Carbon EngineMidwest GamesMidwest GamesChris Klimecky - LinkedInMidwest Games - Work with usCarbon EngineCarbon Engine - Limited RunShantae Advance - Shantae WikiArzette: The Jewel of FaramoreAlyssa WallesGuestAlyssa Walles is Midwest Games' Chief Operating Officer, as well as the Executive Director of the IGDA Foundation.External linkLinkedInMidwest Games Leadership AnnouncementAudi SorlieGuestProducer at Limited Run Games and Member of Digital Foundry.External linkLinkedIn

And now, the conclusion (sorta!), as tour nice hosts recount the back half of the week at this year's GDC. It's a long one, but there's somehow even more on our Patreon.GDC 2024 Special (Part 2)ReSpec: Accountability SupportHow Nintendo made Super Mario Bros. Wonder so weirdAndrew WebsterThe VergeJack Foley (sound effects artist)WikipediaThe return of 1ReasonToBe and why we still need itMarie DealessandriGamesIndustry.bizPanic says two pallets of Playdates worth $400,000 have vanished in VegasChris KerrGame DeveloperA frequently-cited "good first episode" of Nice Games Club is one where we interview August Brown:Developer/Publisher RelationsWe had Monica on the show to help create a Nice Game Jam game in:Blame the Cat! (with Monica Fan)

Some of your nice hosts, plus some nice guest hosts, traveled to San Fransisco last week for the 2024 Game Developers Conference. There was so much to see and do and it ended up being too much for just one episode... actually, it was too much for just two episodes!So, how much GDC 2024 content is there exactly? Well, plans changed and it's too complex to summarize here, so be nice and have a listen to find out!(SPOILER: There's 2+ hours of extra GDC content on our Patreon page!)Musée MécaniqueGDC 2024 (Part 1)Unity 6 and beyond: A roadmap of Unity Engine and servicesWe discussed the first "Flash Games Postmortem" in:GDC 2017 Special (Part 2)

It's our first roundtable of the year! And did you know that Minneapolis is "partnered up" with Saint Paul? Stephen's not sure what either of these topics have to do with game development, but don't worry—we get there. Ellen kicks off a conversation about how the people we work with have a huge influence on what we create, and the experience of creating it. Mark tries to explain "control flow" in programming, and pretty much everyone gets it. You probably will, too.Cover image by RF Studio - PexelsPartnering UpClick: The Magic of Instant Connectionby Ori Brafman, Ron BrafmanGoodreads0:41:08Control FlowControl flowWikipedia

The clubhouse is caffeinated and ready to jam, game jam that is.The clubhouse is giving a prompt where air movement is the main mechanism of action and they create a physical game for a tabletop (in the style of 'Hungry Hungry Hippos'). The notoriously unpredictable 'Eddies' of air movement gives this game it's name. The main challenge for the team - a more sanitary air blower mechanism than drinking straws: a tiny bellows, small whoopie cushions, slide whistles, or party noisemakers?Prompt"Create a game where the main mechanics are fans and or leaf blowers."Game typeTabletop gamePlayer count2 - 8MaterialsBlowing mechanisms - one per player (drinking straw in playtest)A bunch of small peices of junkA container for the small peices of junkPlaying feild (box, 8 sided)Rule Card DeckSetupThis is a game about some young teenagers who find some leaf blowers in their (octagonal) cul-du-sac and make a game with them.Each player will select a side of the playing field (the box) as their home territory. The goal of the game is to have the least amount of junk (points-wise) fall off of your side of the field.Rule Cards:Separate the Rule cards into the three categories: Puff Variants, Point Variants, and Zone Variants. Shuffle the cards from each category, and pull three of each category to start each of the three rounds.Cards rule examples Puff: Each player has 3 puffs per turnPoint: Each black item is worth +1 point, all other items are worth -1 pointZone: The windy end of your blowing mechanism may not be placed within zones 1+2 of the playing fieldShuffle the remaining rules cards from three categories together.From the combined deck, deal 4 cards to each player.The player may look at their hand of cardsPlace Junk (perform at the start of each round):Gather some junk and place it in a container. Typically dice and pieces from other games will make up the majority of the junk, but this may also be dodads from your junk drawer like golf pencils, nails and screws, magnets etc.At the beginning of each round a different player will grab a handful of junk from the container and place it in the center of the 8-sided playing area.The junk placer may not arrange the junk when placing it down. Any junk that falls off of the playing field will be returned to the container of junk.RulesAfter the junk is placed the rule for each category is revealed, by flipping over the top rule card from each of the three piles: Puff, Point, and Zone. The displayed rules are now in effect.The player who placed the junk will go first.Each player turn has three phases:1. The play may put a rule card from their hand into play by stacking it on top of the exsisting rule for the category which it belongs to (puff, point, or zone). That rule is now in effect and the rule that was covered up is no longer in effect.2. The player uses their "leaf blower" to puff the objects in on the playing field the number of times indicated by the Puff rule. They must follow any Zone rules in effect.3. The player's turn is scored according to the rule cards in effect. The player draws back up to 4 cards in their hand.The round ends when each player has had 5 turns.New junk is placed in the center of the playing field, new rule cards are revealed and the next round starts.The object of the game is to have the least scoring junk blown off your edge of the playing field. Highest scoring player (usually player closest to 0 wins), as most junk is worth negative points.

We're all back in the clubhouse for the first episode of 2024! There's some news about the show up top, but in terms of your nice hosts: Ellen has important job happenings, Mark establishes important business for IGDATC and Stephen remembers he's good at game design, but not much else.What We Did On Our Winter Break (2023)2024 GDC Public EventsGrace ZhouSouth By SouthwestCharles Mingus - Moanin'mohammertimeYouTubeProject LBoardcubatorBoard Game GeekApocalypduckGlobal Game JamIGDATC MerchigdatcHave a video game concept? Twin Cities group will help you make it a realityLouis KraussStar TribuneShift HappensMarcin WicharyAreslunaMeet the robot guitarist with 78 fingers and coolest cable hair you’ve ever seenSheena McKenzieCNN Business

#319Getting Things GoingInterview2023.08.24In this episode your nice hosts welcome Rick Stemm of PikPok to the clubhouse to talk about what happens after a game gets greenlit.Turns out the answer involves building your team and trust. Rick touts the idea of a sh*tty first draft - faster and worse. Coaching feedback givers for what you are looking for, and the importance of building a trust in a team. Rick spouts useful idioms and your host claim points for each time Rick says ‘cohesive’ or ‘holistic.’Who scored the most points? Turns out Stephen declared that the points don’t matter, good thing I never bothered tabulating them.  Getting Things GoingIRLRick StemmGuestRick Stemm is the Design Manager and Narrative Director at PikPok! RIck is originally from Wisconsin but now lives and works in New Zealand. Rick Stemm can be reached by email at [email protected] linkRick Stemm is on LinkedIn

#296"Metroid is very serious."Roundtable2023.03.16In this episode, Mark makes up a reason to take a road trip, Ellen outwits everyone, and Stephen was also there.Zachtronics Solitaire CollectionLACMAA Better Route PlannerSecrets & Easter Eggs0:24:43Ellen Burns-JohnsonGame DesignThe Super Mario 64 Coin that Took 18 Years To Collect - Patricia Hernandez, KotakuPC Cheat Codes - IGN Reddit on video game Secrets - RedditSecrets That Weren't Discovered in Games For Years - Jordan Baranowski, SVGPlayer Trust0:48:39Stephen McGregorGame DesignWe touched on this idea back in our roundtable on 'The Ethics of Engagement'"Shiny rocks get me every time."

#301Pothole RunNice Games Jam2023.04.21According to Minnesota Public Radio, it's hot girl sinkhole spring. In other words, we have an insane number of potholes right now in the Twin Cities, and since we can't do anything other than wait for the hardworking folks of road repair to fix them, we made a game about the whole situation. Andy and Beth Korth join for this special Nice Games Jam!GLOM preorder through Miniature MarketGLOM preorder through GameNerdz✨hot girl sinkhole spring✨ - Minnesota Public RadioUptown washout leaves 8-foot-deep sinkhole in Minneapolis intersection - Tim Nelson and Kerem Yücel, Minnesota Public RadioThe Korths are back! They were first on episode #002Steam GreenlightEpisode #102 with Beth & AndyCode Comment: "Verdant Skies"Episode #204 with Beth & AndyFamilies in GamesEpisode #132 with Beth Narrative Design An example of the pothole + sinkhole situation we're dealing with this spring.Another view of the school bus sinkhole.PromptEllen gave us a prompt: "Create a game about patching potholes that Gabe would have fun playing"Game typeTabletop gameMaterialsMarblesPlay-Doh or alternative squishynessA very complicated custom game boardRoad tiles of various sizes and configurationsSetupSet up the custom game boardDistribute marbles to all playersDistribute Play-Doh to all playersDistribute road / terrain tiles to all playersDetermine who will be the first player per the rules belowRulesIn a nutshell, the game challenges players to roll marbles down a hill. The hill is made of road tiles, but some of the tiles are pitted with potholes. Players can use Playdoh to patch potholes in the road so the marbles will make it to the finish.The board is a grid laid over a raised pyramid where players put down terrain. Everything starts in the center (city hall); that’s where you put the marbles so they roll down the hill. Each quadrant is a side of the pyramid, there’s some method of tiling for the player to put pieces down to determine how the marbles will travel in that area.Turn orderPlay starts with the player who most recently hit a pothole with their car or their bike. In case of a tie (as might happen if multiple players were in a car together), the younger player goes first.Play then proceeds clockwise.Players can take 3 actions on their turn. You can do the same action more than once. The actions are:Rotate the boardPlace or swap a tilePatch a potholeDrop a marbleTilesEach tile is worth 1, 2 or 3 victory points when marbles pass through. The rougher the tile, the more victory points it's worth.Players also get a bit of Play-Doh to fill up potholes in the terrain.Players have 5 tiles in their hand at any given time; as an action, they can play one, then draw back up to 5 tiles.Rotating the boardRotating the board happens towards the left (counterclockwise), the opposite of play order, which goes to the right (clockwise). Each rotation turns the board 90 degrees.Scoring & dropping marblesIf a marble reaches the bottom of the hill in front of you, you get the victory points that it acquired from each tile it moved through on its journey from the top of the hill to the bottom.You ONLY get the victory points if the marble reaches the bottom of the hill. If you drop a marble as an action, and the marble gets stuck on the way, you don't get any points from the tiles it passed through.Winning the gamePlay proceeds in 12 rounds. Each player gets one turn per round.Play ends when the turn counter reaches zero (game starts at the start of winter, ends at the start of the next winter)Whoever has acquired the most victory points by the end of the "year" is the winner of Pothole RunFun stuff to think about for the futureWe have to create an extractor to get the playdoh out.Cooperative play mode? Roles for each player? Someone who’s better at filling potholes, someone who can put more marbles down, etc. Maybe two teams?

#298"One size bigger and red."Roundtable2023.04.13Dale learned a lot while editing this episode.She learned the board game ‘Spirit Island’ is about spirits that protect an island, and she is pretty sure that this is the same premise as hit TV show ‘LOST’.She learns that CSS is not a programming language or a mark-up languageAnd she learns that CSS stands for Cascading Style SheetsShe learns that AAA games are easy (not sure why she struggles with them)That there are either wrong choices in skill trees OR it never really matteredAnd that Stephen wants to fight everyone on DiscordGood luck anyone who isn’t a McGregor!Stephen is playing Spirit Island - Board Game GeekRa Ra Boom Trailer (from Max who schedules our interviewsTwin Cities Playtest is the 3rd Wednesday of the Month - EventbriteTwin Cities Playtest is also on YouTube - IGDA Twin Cities, YouTubeCSS9:47Mark LaCroixProgrammingIn this discussion Ellen mentioned accessibility standards for web contentWCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) - WikipediaMark asked if there is an ISO Standard for this, and there is! ISO 40500:2012There is also one for UI: ISO 30071-1Mark mentions that you should look up the 'Blink' tag, but Dale already did it for you, here.Unity Style Sheet (USS) - UnityThere is a USS Unity in Star TrekAnd Stephen mentions the Div-Div Crow, based on this webcomic.Skill Trees46:38Stephen McGregorGame Design

#284"Shiny rocks get me every time."Roundtable2022.10.28It's spooky season! Stephen is SO over it, but he can't escape all the scary stuff happening in this week's episode. We start with a lesson on the necromantic arts of branding and iconography, guided by Mark, a master of these dark magics. After the break, Ellen raises a past topic from the dead in order to explore the ethics of manipulating players' brainnnsssss. Also mentioned: candy corn, houseplants, and—you guessed it—Star Trek.Star Trek: AscendancyBranding & Iconography0:10:10Mark LaCroixMarketingSmash TV - WikipediaThomas Was Alone - Bithell GamesThe Ethics of Engagement0:36:22Ellen Burns-JohnsonGame DesignEgg, Inc. - Auxbrain, Inc.Idle Acorns - Aleros LLCBeReal social mediaA little learning is a dangerous thingDrink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring.This is a line from Alexander Pope's Essay on Criticism (1711). The Pierian spring is a fountain in Pieria, a district round Mount Olympus and the native country of the Muses. You can read the full text for free here on Project Gutenberg.

#321Cat TimeNice Games Jam2023.09.07It's been a while but your nice hosts come up with a game in roughly an hour, this one for the cat owners out there! After a fairly long meta, we get into the mind of a cat and design a competitive game for them to play.Toronto International Film FestivalRenew an adult passport - USA.govBloor–Yonge station - WikipediaPromptCreate a game my mother can (and wants to) play with her cats, with the supply list below. Bonus points if this can be played a single cat or multiple cats at the same time, for optimum usefulness in listener households with single catsGame typeDesign documentPlayer count2MaterialsAt least two catsA cat toy shaped like a die with a treat insideList of activities the die points toSetupPick an end date for when the game stops (can be arbitrary).RulesGive the cats the cat toy shaped like a die, they will roll the die and leave it eventually, and this determines the next activity for the human to set up. Once the die decides what the next activity is, the human sets it up based on a chart. Once the task is completed and cats are awarded points, repeat the die roll and do the next activity until the end date (since remember, you're on Cat Time so the amount of activities you do depends on your cats). The winner is the cat with the most points by the end!Examples of tasks (there would be at least 20):Cat task: One cat at a time for this challenge. Put something on top of the cat’s head and start the stopwatch. Whichever cat keeps the object on their head the longest gets X points.Cat task: Make a loud meowing sound. Whichever cat looks at you first gets X points.Human task: Award the cat who has been the best sport X points.Cat task: Hold both cats in your hands. Whichever cat jumps off first LOSES. Winner gets X points.Cat task: Place a ring of non-breakable objects (probably cat toys) around the edge of a table so that the tabletop is fully circled by objects. Place both cats, the task ends when both cats are off the table. Each cat gets a number of points equal to a multiplier of the number of objects that were knocked off the table.Cat task: Put the same number of treats in each hand. Call both cats over for them to snack from your hands. Whichever cat finishes their treats first is the winner and gets X points.Human task: Pick the cat that you feel the most sorry for and award them X points.Human task: Pick the cat that currently looks the sleepiest and sit them out for the next challenge.

#324Much Ado About Unity (with Freya Holmér)Special2023.09.22Earlier today, Unity issued an update to their controversial "runtime fee" policy introduced last week. What changed? What didn't? How could this have even happened? What does it mean going forward? Can we ever trust Unity again?We get into all of it, from the original announcement on September 12th, to the "open letter" update and "fireside chat" on September 22nd. Your nice hosts are joined by special guest and "Unity Insider" Freya Holmér, who offers some additional context and much-needed clarity about the events of the last 10 days.Unity Runtime Fee and Subsequent Policy CorrectionMark LaCroixStephen McGregorEllen Burns-JohnsonFreya HolmérIRLToolsThe original policy: "Unity plan pricing and packaging updates" - UnityThe current policy: "An open letter to our community" - UnityUnity's Marc Whitten - Answers Unity Price Policy -  Jason Weimann, YouTube'Flappy Bird' Guy Gets $12 Million Bill From Unity - Mark Roebuck, Hard Drive

#282"Today’s the day that I screw things up."Roundtable2022.10.13Your nice hosts start off strong with an excellently performed intro, and it just gets better from there! The Game Agency - The Game AgencyPre-production0:06:24Stephen McGregorProductionIdle Games0:31:45Mark LaCroixGame DesignGamingStar Trek Lower Decks: The Badgey Directive Review: The Final Fun-tier? - Steven Shaw, Droid GamersHow to make an idle game: Everything you need to know about incremental mobile … - David Hartery, AdjustIdle Games: The Mechanics and Monetization of Self-Playing Games - Anthony Pecorella, YouTube“It Started as a Joke”: On the Design of Idle Games - Katta Spiel, Sultan A. Alharthi, Andrew Jian-Lan Cen, Jessica Hammer, Lennart E. Nacke, Z O. Toups and Tess Tanenbaum, CHI PLAY

#293The Logistics of Moving OnInterview2023.02.22Your nice hosts invite Zachtronics founder Zach Barth to discuss the closing of the studio and the logistics of moving on from that. In this episode, you'll also hear about ruminations on what success means as a game dev, a theory about how great walking is and exclusive news about Zach's future plans.The Logistics of Moving OnIRLProductionZachtronics websiteLast Call BBSWhy Zachtronics is shutting down for good this time - Alex Calvin, gameindustry.bizLegal Systems Very Different From Ours - David Friedman, Peter Leeson, David SkarbekWhy Walking Helps Us Think - Ferris Jabr, The New YorkerCoincidenceZach BarthGuestZach Barth was the founder of Zachtronics and is currently working on unannounced projects.External linkZachtronics on Twitter