This week, August Brown (senior producer for Kongregate Publishing) enters the clubhouse to reveal the secrets of successful developer/publisher relationships!Your nice hosts learn what publishers expect from a pitch, how forming a relationship with a publisher isn't always strictly business, and that publishers also think you're not charging enough money for your game.Developer/Publisher RelationsProductionKongregate PublishingSelf-publish on KartridgeMartha mentioned the Sokpop Collective.August brought up The Flash Games Postmortem that his colleague John Cooney pre…August BrownGuestAugust is a Senior Producer at Armor Games Studios. Formerly a Senior Producer for Kongregate Publishing.External linkTwitter

Your nice hosts are big fans of video games, video game makers, and podcasts. So in this episode we talk all about both sides of the creator-fan relationship and how to create perfect balance in both communicating with fans and telling them to go away so you can work on balancing your game design- our second topic. Stephen shows us how balancing multiplayer and single player games are the same thing, Martha isn't as unique as she thinks she is and Mark gets 7th tier internet famous. Sorry, he won't take direct fan mail- please send all your letters to Stephen.Photo credit: Nintendo of AmericaTreasure Stack (the game that Stephen gets paid to work on) is out now! It is a…Video Games and Music Convention (Formally Gamers Rhapsody)Our episode on game soundtracks"All that and a bag of chips." "Google is holding a mysterious gaming press event at GDC next month" - Tom Warren, The VergeDrake and Josh “Its spherical!” VideoMark is Internet Famous now0:16:50FanbasesMy Brother, My Brother and Me (MBMBaM- pronounced “muhbimbam”) (The McElroy’s f…Listen to this podcast when...0:41:00Game Design BalanceButterscotch Shenanigans podcast"Alien isolation's Artificial Intelligence Was Good... Too Good"GB BurfordKotakuPerfect Imbalance Extra Credits video

In this episode, your nice hosts make sure you know that Treasure Stack, the game Stephen "is paid to work on," is coming out Friday, March 1st!Mark then gives a primer on some audio basics that will help you understand how sound works, and works in your game. Even if you're bored by that, be sure to stick around for a discussion Stephen leads about representation in games."Treasure Stack Reveals Launch Date With a Trailer Powered By Artisanal, Locall… - Hardcore Gamers0:05:32Audio Basics"MP3 'died' and nobody noticed: Key patents expire on golden oldie tech"Andrew OrlowskiThe RegisterDigital Audio Basics: Sample Rate and Bit DepthTurns out, there is a ".2" in certain surround sound setups.Get free sounds on freesound.org!The reduction in audio dynamics in pop music is a result of the so-called Loudn…0:41:57Representation in GamesKey & Peele - Black Republicans"Here's a good argument for a black Batman"Dan NeilanAV Club"Hopi-less: How Kachina Became Donut County"John WalkerRock Paper Shotgun"What It's Like To Write About Race And Video Games"Gita JacksonKotaku

Extra Extra! Hear all about it! All the news that's fit to podcast! Join us in the Nice Games Clubhouse/Newsroom to hear all about the latest and greatest news from the video game world- at least latest and greatest from our vantage point in the past. Mark takes Valve to task, Martha makes a case for golf being interesting and Stephen is only here for the mechanics not the entertainment.It's an episode full of releases, re-releases, spiritual successors, and "Epic" fails!Bulletin topic (Recent releases)GamesKingdom Hearts 3 (finally)Apex LegendsGod Eater 3WargrooveResident Evil 2Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy (a rerelease)New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe on SwitchBury Me My LoveWalking Dead Final Season Episode 3Pic-a-Pix PiecesCrackdown 3AnthemFar Cry New DawnMetro ExodusBulletin topic (News)Valve Says It's 'Unfair' That Metro Exodus Is Exclusive To Epic Store - Nathan Grason, KotakuAxiom Verge's free Epic Game Store version has a funny Steam bug - Allegra Frank, PolygonAnthem: 19 changes from the demo to the live game - Ryan Gilliam, PolygonActivision Blizzard Lays Off Hundreds Of Employees - Jason Schreier, KotakuThe Fallout Of Activision Blizzard's Massive Layoffs - Jason Schreier, KotakuNintendo Exec Says 'A Very High Number' Of Its Designers Are Women - Jason Schreier, KotakuAmazon's questionable MMO has you colonize the 'new world' - Colin Campbell, PolygonSuper Smash Bros. Melee Events in Four States Ban Wobbling After Tennessee Ruli… - Ian Walker, KotakuCaptain Marvel website

This week on the program we attempt another Nice Games Jam, where we are given a prompt from Martha's boyfriend (and Evil Games Club co-host) Dylan, which we have to use to create a playable game by the end of the episode.The prompt was "Cold," owing to the extreme winter temperatures we were facing in Minnesota at the time of this recording.We're hoping to do even more of these going forward, so let us know what you think of this episode format on the feedback from!PromptColdGame typeTabletop gamePlayer count2-4Materials4-sided Die4 Player MarkersNotepad to track player statsBoardSetupBoardMartha took a photo of what we were using to play the game during the recording of the episode:And here's a rough mockup Mark made while editing this episode:RulesGoalThe goal of the game is to leave your house and run a quick errand during the worst blizzard of your lifetime.PlayThe board is split into 4 stages. On your turn, you roll a 4-sided die to determine your movement. When you reach the first square of the next stage (even if you are in the middle of your movement), you draw from a deck of "events/challenges" giving you an situation to deal with. After resolving the challenge, complete your movement (modified according to the result of the challenge, if any).The game begins by having every player draw an event for the first stage (see below for event desciptions).Play order is determined in descending order by who spent the most time outside during the Halloween Blizzard of 1991. If you are unable to determine play order using this method, figure something else out, I guess.After every player draws an event for the first stage, all players will get dressed for their adventure by distributing winter gear stats...StatsPlayers get 9 points to distribute on winter gear. Points you don’t "spend" here are saved and can be used later at certain opportunities. Each player puts 0-4 points in each of three categories: Shoes (to aid in snow-based challenges): 0 points is gym socks and flip-flops.4 points is pac boots plus snowshoes.Coat (to aid in wind-based challenges): 0 points means just a T-shirt.4 points is a sweater under a hoodie under a heavy parka under a pea coat.Gloves and Stuff (to aid in interaction-based challenges): 0 points is bare hands/head4 points is wool-lined mittens with a pocket for your hand-warmers, an inch-thick balaclava, and an 8-foot tartan scarf.Players also begin the game with 0 Cold Enough For Ya? points, and 3 Minnesota Nice points. Events in the game can add or subtract these points: If you accumulate 3 Cold Enough For Ya? points, you lose the game by giving up and going home to bury yourself under 100 fleece blankets (role-play optional).If you drop to 0 Minnesota Nice points, you may complete your errand, but you lose your Minnesota spirit (and also the game).Challenges/EventsFor the purposes of this prototype, rather than draw from a deck, roll a 4-sided die and use the challenges listed below.1st stage: "Getting out of the house"1 - Furnace out: +1Cold Enough For Ya?2 - You're snowed in: If you do not obtain a 3 or better in Shoes, you must end your turn when you reach your front door, no matter what your die roll is.3 - You slept in: Lose a turn.4: Whoops! Two errands: You must take "the long way" in the 3rd stage.2nd stage: "Getting to your car"1 - Car covered in snow: If you have 3 or greater in Gloves and Stuff, ignore this, otherwise, chose from these options: Get rid of snow: +1Cold Enough For Ya?Don’t get rid of snow, -1 to all die rolls in the 3rd stage.2 - Neighbor needs help shoveling: If you have any stat points saved over, you can spend one point to help your neighbor. If you do not have any points or don't want to spend one, -1Minnesota Nice. If you do spend a point, roll a 4-sided die: 1 - "Thanks! I owe you one" You get nothing.2 - "Rough out there. I've got an extra coat if you want it" +2 to Coat.3 - +2 to Shoes.4 - +2 to Gloves and Stuff.3 - Slip on your sidewalk: Lose a turn as you lay embarrassed on the cold ground.4 - Freezing wind: If you have a 3 or greater in Coat, ignore this, otherwise, chose from these options: Power though it: +1Cold Enough For Ya?Move carefully: During this stage, you may only move one space per turn (if you have any movement left on this turn, you can move forward one space).3rd stage: "Making it to the store"1 - Car won’t start: Lose a turn while your neighbor helps you.2 - The roads are not plowed: If you have a 4 or greater in Shoes (for the purposes of this prototype, Shoes stands in for a Snow Tire stat), ignore this, otherwise, -1 to all die rolls in this stage.3 - A stranger spun out into a ditch: If you have any stat points saved over, you can spend one point to help the stranger. If you do not have any points or don't want to spend one, -1Minnesota Nice. If you do spend a point, roll a 4-sided die: 1 or 2 - "Thanks! I don't have AAA." You get nothing.3 or 4 - "Let me pay you back somehow." +2 to Any Stat.4 - Car's heater is broken: +1Cold Enough For Ya?4th stage: "Picking up a half-gallon of milk"1 - Forgot your grocery list: Lose a turn as you sit and think.2 - The parking lot is snowed-in: If you have a combined 7 or greater in Shoes + Gloves and Stuff, ignore this, otherwise, -1 to all die rolls in this stage.3 - Help an old person with groceries: If you have any stat points saved over, you can spend one point to help the person. If you do not have any points or don't want to spend one, -1Minnesota Nice. If you do spend a point, roll a 4-sided die: 1 or 2 - "You know, they used to have people for this." You get nothing.3 or 4 - "I'm on my way to the Goodwill, do you want anything?" +2 to Any Stat.4 - There's a line out the door!: Choose from these options: -1Minnesota Nice as you shove your way past everyone.+1Cold Enough For Ya? as you wait patiently.

Your Nice Hosts are back from PodCon 2 and fresh off the Global Game Jam where Martha wrote a game for the first time! We talk all about that experience as well as celebrate Public Domain Day for the first time in 20 years. Mark guides us through the history of copyright, Stephen jams in 3D and Martha is a totally normal McElroy Fan (tmtmtmtm)Photo by GLITCHLiving Computer MuseumGlobal Game Jam games from Minnesota0:15:15Writing for GamesOne Polar Night0:37:57Intellectual Property and the Public DomainPublic Domain Day 2019 (Duke University Website)“Happy Birthday” is public domain, former owner Warner/Chapell to pay $14Joe MullinArs TechnicaCopyright vs Trademark vs PatentUnited States Patent and Trademark OfficeAll by MyselfIrving Berlin, Aileen StanleySherlock Holmes in the 22nd CenturySherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century theme songThe Patent on Loading Screen Minigames is About To ExpireLuke PlunkettKotakuOracle vs Google trial Java runtime

Ellen Burns-Johnson joins us once again in the club house to discuss our work on Widget Satchel (a platformer staring an adorable ferret!) We talk all about what went well, what was challenging and what is still left to do.Widget Satchel: Our goal is to release in April 2019.Wishlist Widget Satchel now on Steam!Code Comment episode about Widget SatchelCode Comment: "Widget Satchel"Ludum Dare special video episode featuring the first prototype versionNice Plays: Ludum Dare 40 games (2017)What We Did On Our Winter Break (2019)

We're back with new episodes for the new year! Friend of the show Ellen Burns-Johnson joins us in the clubhouse for the annual Nice Games Club Nicest of 2018 where we talk about some games we liked that came out in 2018 - or at least that we played in 2018. Stephen is on brand with his signature fighting moves, Ellen has Unity in her sights for 2019, Martha has to think of new titles for herself, Mortho barges in to steal the show and Mark -twist- doesn't talk about a Star Trek game.Ellen is here!Podcon 2We will be there in Seattle this weekend!You can attend the con remotely and watch live streams of the talks/live shows.Global Game Jam EventbriteJanuary 25-27, 2019There is a free Diversity ticket option.No experience required to jam.Remember a healthy game dev is a better game dev so go home and sleep, eat, drink lots of water and don’t crunch- make a smaller game!Local Releases (2018)Video GamesClaw Breaker (Team Klaw)Verdant Skies (Howling Moon Studio)Newt One (DevNAri)Joggernauts (SpaceMace)Optica (GLITCH)RJdoesVR (local OculusGo developer)Hardlight Blade (released in 2018)Asimov (early access in 2018)FireZone (coming soon)Board and Card GamesRoot (Leder Games)Vast: The Mysterious Manor (Leder Games)Squirmish (Steven Stwalley)Too Many Bones: Undertow (Chip Theory Games)Martha's Nicest (2018)Celeste (Matt Makes Games)Nintendo Labo (Nintendo)Ellen's Nicest (2018)Fate: Core System (Evil Hat Studio)Pyre (Super Giant Games)Mark's Nicest (2018)Spiderman (Marvel/Sony)Return of the Obra Dinn (Lucas Pope)Stephen's Nicest (2018)Soulcalibur VI (Project Soul)Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Nintendo)Girlfriend Review of Super Smash Bros. UltimateMartha's Most Anticipated (for 2019)Ooblets (Glumberland)In the Valley of Gods (Campo Santo)Mark's Most Anticipated (for 2019)Dreams (Media Molecule)Luigi’s Mansion 3 (Nintendo)Yoshi’s Crafted World (Nintendo)Widget Satchel (Noble Robot)Stephen's Most Anticipated (for 2019)Nioh 2 (Team Ninja)Smash Bros. DLC (Nintendo)Ellen's Most Anticipated (for 2019)Baba is You (Hempuli)Alien Isolation 2 (Cold Iron Studios)

#51"Right the dang now."Roundtable2017.10.07Stephen will be speaking at the November IGDA Twin Cities meeting! Details will be posted at igdatc.org soon.In this episode, Stephen fights his demons, Martha likes sports now, and Mark learns a lot about both.Scope Creep0:02:41Stephen McGregorProductionMartha took a blacksmithing class! Also, her instructor told her this was a perfect forge weld.Martha brought up fighting scope creep on our GDC 2017 Special.GDC 2017 Special (Part 1)Project management is a way to combat scope creep that we’ve covered before, in the episode"We joke here."A core concept for your game can help focus ideas as well. We go over this in our Game Design Primer topic in our episode"That makes me retroactively nervous." Facilitator's Guide to Participatory Decision-Making - Sam KanerOur post on the r/gamedev. Special thanks to SaxPanther, ledat, GravityGamesInt, Bwob, and DustyPixel for their stories.SaxPanther created a battle royale game out of the Unity Roll-A-Ball tutorial.ledat shared a story on how one person accidentally created banking software after attempting to streamline coffee orders.eSports0:30:53Martha MegarryEventsGamingLeague of LegendsLeague of Legends World Championship is happening RIGHT THE DANG NOW!Martha will be rooting for her favorite team, C9.Player Signings, Salaries, and More in the Overwatch League™ - Blizzard EntertainmentLeague of Legends' ratings top NBA Finals, World Series clinchers - Patrick Dorsey, ESPNAn example of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournament casting. - TwitchThe Story of DOTA - Paul Dean, EurogamerThe biggest Call of Duty tournament shines light on growth of esports - Jordan Crook, TechCrunchThe Rise and Fall of StarCraft II as an eSport - Kevin Hovdestad, IGN How Intellectual Property Rights Are Hurting Esports Teams - Leonard Langenscheidt, The Esports ObserverThere is, in fact, a Civilization VI eSports scene. - Leif Johnson, Motherboard

#105Ha-Ha!Nice Games Jam2018.09.25This week on Nice Games Club we are trying out a new type of episode: Nice Games Jam! We get a topic from Martha’s boyfriend Dylan and then attempt to create a playable game by the end of the episode. We then include the rules here in the show notes for you to play at home!Let us know what you think of this episode format on the feedback from!Prompta realtime card game [for PC]Game typeCard gameMaterials52 Card deck + two jokersSix sided die (One per Player)A stuffed trophy - we used a plush Toad! but a jesther hat would be the most appropriateSetupEach player starts with seven cards.RulesThis game happens in real time. No turns!Roll for six with the dice, if so draw a card then pass it or another card in your hand to someoneIf you’re passed a card, you have to discard a card that was not passed to you.Having a joker allows you to pick up the TROPHY (Toad) on a roll of six.If you pick up the TROPHY (Toad), the game stops, you announce you have a joker and are looking for another, if someone has it they have to give it to you, the person losing a joker draws a card, the person gaining the joker discards a card.If you have two jokers, you can end the game early by saying “haha!” at any point.If you gain a joker you cannot discard it.The game ends if someone says “haha!” or as soon as the deck runs out (and all card passes are resolved.)If you have the highest poker hand, you win!

#63"I have so much feelings..."Roundtable2018.01.02This week, your nice hosts get into it. Stephen is split on everything, Mark is the bad guy, and it's all Martha's fault.Stephen and Mark talked about their Ludum Dare 40 game, Widget Satchel, which Martha played on last week’s Nice Plays episode!Loot Systems0:03:58Stephen McGregorGame DesignZelda: Breath Of The Wild Players Are Tricking Amiibos To Grind For Rare Loot - Ethan Gach , KotakuNioh's latest patch fixes its most annoying flaw -  Jeffrey Matulef, EurogamerStephen brought up our recent episode on repetition in games,"Schrödinger’s Animal Crossing."NeuroVoider Chock-Full of Rogue-Like KillBot Twin-Stick Shooting - James Cunningham, Hardcore GamerBungie says it " betrayed" Destiny 2 fans over transparency - YouTubeLoot Boxes0:29:30Martha MegarryGamingMarketingLoot boxes in video games will soon get a review flag from OpenCritic - Sam Machkovech, Ars TechnicaWhat You Need To Know About Shadow of War's Controversial Loot Boxes - Patricia Hernandez, KotakuA Guide To The Endless, Confusing Star Wars Battlefront II Controversy - Gita Jackson, KotakuGearbox boss Randy Pitchford is ‘very much against predatory monetization schem… -  Dustin Bailey, PCGamesNAn inconvenient truth: game prices have come down with time - Ben Kuchera, Ars TechnicaI Just Got A Bunch Of Overwatch Gift Cards, And I'm Terrified To Use Them - Nathan Grayson, KotakuHow Luis Von Ahn Turned Countless Hours Of Mindless Activity Into Something Val… - Alison Griswold, Business InsiderGame Designer Damion Schubert posted a thread on Twitter about how to do loot boxes ethically. Mark was not convinced.

#15"We are artists and we should be artists."Roundtable2017.03.13A day late but worth the wait! In this high signal-to-noise roundtable episode, each member of the club picks a topic that they are particularly passionate about:Stephen shares his wisdom and guidance about playtesting your work early and often, Martha helps you get your act together in a practical discussion about project management, and Mark tries to explain the obligation he feels as an artist, but picks a weird hill to die on as he wrongly insists that Portal 2 isn't really about anything.We're trying to make the show even better and we need your input! Be nice and visit our feedback form to tell us what you think!Ice Cold Games@zacharyjohnsonNIce Games Club Feedback FormDemoing and Playtesting0:03:27Stephen McGregorProductionProject Management0:33:26Martha MegarryProductionToolstrelloAgile Development - WikipediaWaterfall Development - WikipediaKanban Development - WikipediaThe Blue Yarn - 99% Invisible - The Blue Yarn, 99% InvisibleNUMMI (2015) - NUMMI, This American LifeDavid Megarry's Three Questions all project managers should ask: “Do you have all the resources you need?" "Do you have any roadblocks or impediments?" "Are you on schedule?”“A project manager (PM) is more of a problem solver than anything else. If you don’t have the resources, the PM finds them. If there are roadblocks, the PM helps to find a way to get around them. If not on schedule, the PM alters it or adds more resources or changes scope. Above all, the PM communicates with management as to the state of the project so they can make proper decisions and not be blindsided or surprised.” -David MegarryMessages and Meanings0:52:56Mark LaCroixGame DesignSummerland - Michael Chabon, NovelA Closer Look at How Three Assassin's Creed Games Have Handled Slavery - Evan Narcisse, KotakuFor Honor's accidental alt-right connection - Allegra Frank, Polygon

#42"You can see the cabbage in it."Roundtable2017.08.30It's a slightly experimental show this week, as we try to see what a two-topic episode looks like. Also, Martha defends her love of coleslaw, Stephen still doesn't really like VR, and Mark has almost completely lost his voice.Discuss this week's episode on Reddit in r/gamedev here.Video Game Immersion0:05:54Stephen McGregorGamingOur pal and VR innovator Andrew Fladeboe.Representation and Embodiment in Virtual Reality - Jorge Albor, PopMattersWould You Kindly Read This Article on Gaming’s Greatest Plot Twist? - Mike Diver, ViceOur recent episode of Nice Plays: OneShot - Nice Games Club, YouTubeEnhancing VR Immersion with the CPU in Star Trek: Bridge Crew - Cristiano F, Intel DevelopersCognitive Flow: The Psychology of Great Game Design - Sean Baron, Game DeveloperWhy Sonic the Hedgehog is awful, and always has been - Ryan Brown, MIrrorRequiem, a “roleplaying” mod for The Elder Scrolls: SkyrimMark is up to 118 shrines in Breath of the Wild. Stephen is not happy.Main Menus and First Impressions0:39:27Mark LaCroixUI / UXWhy do console games require a button press before showing the main menu? - StackExchangeGame Design: Splash Screen - Jesse Freeman, MediumThe Ten Commandments Of Video Game Menus - Kirk Hamilton, KotakuWe didn’t get a chance to talk about it in the episode, but here is a cool brea… - Mike Fahey, Kotaku

#88The Gaming PressInterview2018.05.29Stephen is away showing off his games at the Anime Central convention, so we're also joined this week by our new permanent guest host and self-proclaimed "mean old lady," Holly Harrison, who was a guest on a previous episode!For an episode 18 months in the making, Ben Hanson, video producer for Game Informer and host of the excellent gaming podcast The Game Informer Show, finally enters the clubhouse for a wide-ranging discussion about which games and developers get the attention of the gaming press, developing games for modern audiences, and creative leadership in both AAA and indie teams.The Gaming PressGamingIRLMarketingHere is the fabled tweet that started the long road to this episode.Subscribe to The Game Informer Show via RSS (podcast) or on YouTube.Get more of Ben's unimpeachable wisdom on Twitter!How A Japanese Reality TV Show About Nothing Became A Global Hit - Mia Nakaji Monnier, BuzzfeedBen mentioned a clubhouse favorite game by a local developer, Color Jumper (on …Enjoy Martha's famous crab dance!Where the Water Tastes Like Wine Postmortem - Johnnemann Nordhagen, MediumBen mentioned the Easy Allies podcastAlan Alda's Experiment: Helping Scientists Learn To Talk To The Rest Of Us - Lulu Garcia-Navarro, NPRBen HansonGuestBen is a founder of MinnMax, former video producer for Game Informer, and overall fun enthusiast.External linkTwitterMinnMax

#10"Try it once."Roundtable2017.01.30Our 10th(!!!) episode has your nice hosts teetering on the edge of not-so-niceness as they each describe something they just don't get (or don't quite like) in gaming, and hope the other two can bring them around.Watching Games0:01:28Mark LaCroixGamingIRLEVO Fighting Game TournamentThe Controversial Dichotomy Between Sports and eSports - Jesse Aaron, Huffington PostAchievement Hunter - Rooster TeethThe Best of Modern Warfare Mythbusters - Defend teh House, YouTubeContradiction: Spot the Liar! - Giant BombHer Story"On Let's Plays" - That Dragon, CancerNarrative in Games0:13:00Stephen McGregorNarrativeLudonarrative Dissonance in Bioshock - Click NothingHow many times can you enter the cell? - Batman: Arkham Knight - YouTubePortal 2 - funniest quotes - ultrasoftcore, YouTubeThe Stanley ParableBrothers: A Tale of Two Sons - Ending - Epilogue - YouTubeBoard Games0:29:27Martha MegarryTabletopDungeon! (created by Martha's dad, David Megarry)Animal Town Games: Save the Whales, Dam Builders, Nectar CollectorEvolutionStar Trek: AscendancyPuerto RicoPandemicFlashpoint

#8"Will you be the best with me?"Roundtable2017.01.23Some firsts in this episode: Our first iTunes review (thanks, Abdiwak!), our first episode of interconnected topics, and our first big ideological disagreement (ooo, drama!).Gaming Mastery0:01:33Gamer Motivation Profile quiz - Quantic FoundryStrategy Guides and Wikis0:20:45Martha MegarryGamingTools(Martha) Pokemon Crystal guide - Nintendo Power(Stephen) Donkey Kong Country 2 guideNintendo Power's Dragon Warrior giveaway - Press the ButtonsDesigning Party Games0:38:30Mark LaCroixGame DesignUltimate Chicken HorseWe Didn’t Playtest This At All!SpaceteamJackbox Party PackSave the WhalesSushi Go!Overcooked

In this week's episode, Mark tackles optimization and Martha attempts to Catch 'em all.Widget Satchel is coming to PC and consoles!TASCAM stands for "TeacAudioSystemsCorporationAmerica."0:04:53OptimizationAvoiding Unity Update LoopsBrad KeysMark put his Timer class on GitHubGitHubUnity editor Extensions -The power of OnValidateCJF incStatic Constructors (C# Programming Guide)We talked about the Widget Satchel in a Code Comment EpisodeCode Comment: "Widget Satchel"McDonalds! McDonalds! McDonalds!@mcclure111TwitterVerdent Skies Code CommentCode Comment: "Verdant Skies"ExecuteInEditMode will run your script in edit modeThe Knights of UnityMark was able to quickly find this animated GIF in his archives. He made this 3D model of a lizard creature in the Summer of 1998 (it pre-dates Pokémon's arrival in the US!) using a Windows 95 program called Micrografx Simply 3D.Renaming Serialized FieldsLeonardo CarneiroUnityTexturePacker - Code + Web SoftwareCode and Web0:54:18PokémonPokémon dual-type charts.Pokémon Y Nuzlocke Challenge PolygonYouTubePokémon Snap was ahead of its timeJenna StoeberPolygonDr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean MachineWikipedia23 Of The Weirdest Pokémon Kyle HilliardGame Informer

This week on Nice Games Club we talk all about the labor of love that is making games for a living: how it can be great, how it can be not-so-great and how it could get better. Mark reports back from a conference, Martha gets on her soap box and Stephen realizes this podcast has been about documenting his career journey this entire time.Joggernauts by local developer Space Mace is on Steam and Switch!Joggernauts soundtrack by Robert Frost IIIAdobe MAX0:11:44Game Dev as a Day JobStephen works at Gamesmart!Glitch Jobs BoardGamasutra Jobs BoardGame Developer0:38:53UnionsTwin Cities Labor ChorusTelltale hit with class-action lawsuit for breaking labor lawsSamit SarkarPolygonInside Rockstar Games' Culture Of CrunchJason SchreierKotakuVox UnionGame Workers UniteIt's Time For Game Developers To UnionizeJason SchreierKotakuOpinion: Now is the time to unionize the game industryKatherine CrossGame DeveloperMyles Horton - 20th Century Union OrganizerWikipediaUnions Must Address RacismIan Haney LopezAFL-CIO Blog

Freya Holmér, co-founder of Neat Corporation (makers of VR stealth game Budget Cuts) and creator of Shader Forge, joins the clubhouse remotely from Sweden, while your nice hosts join Freya on her regular gamedev Twitch stream.Freya outlines her theory of gamedev self-education, touching on themes from her Glitchcon 2018 keynote presentation, but wait, there's more! It's an episode that ends half-way though its running time but keeps going anyway, as we branch off into a wide range of topics,  including (but not limited to): the social habits of American vs. Swedish game developers, the difference between "duck" and "crouch," accidentally building a LGBT community, and the evolutionary advantage of believing in ghosts.Self-education, et al.IRLMisc.You can also find the livestream of the podcast on Freya’s Twitch here!Freya HolmérGuestFreya Holmér is game developer, co-founder of Neat Corporation (makers of VR stealth game Budget Cuts), and creator of developer tools including Shader Forge and Shapes. She spends a significant amount of time interacting with people on her gamedev Twitch stream.External linkFreya on TwitchFreya on Twitter @FreyaHolmerFreya on YouTubeFreya on Instagram @freya_holmerNeat Corporation's WebsiteNeat Corp on Twitter @neatcorpBudget Cuts on SteamBuget Cuts on OcculusShader Forge on GitHub

On this week’s episode, your nice hosts talk with local artist/developer and VR Creative at Pixel Farm, Krista McCullough, about VR workflows and a lot more!VR WorkflowsProductionVR / AR / XRPixel Farm VRJoyce Minions on Twitter - @minionsart, TwitterSculptris (free 3D sculpting software)Mike Blackney's exploration of spline-based modelling - TwitterKrista McCulloughGuestKrista McCullough is a VR Developer in Minneapolis.External linkOn Twitter @knm_xyzOn Instagram @knm_xyz

This week your Nice Hosts turn the Club House into a time machine to discuss 90s consoles and listen to some wicked video game soundtracks. Mark teaches us about LaserDisc, Martha is an 8-bit jukebox and Stephen ignores sick burns on jazz. Radical!90s Slang - Bustle0:06:3590s ConsolesSolving the Zelda Timeline in 15 MinutesPolygonYouTubeBBC Domesday projectWikipedia0:38:30Video Game SoundtracksKingdom Hearts InsiderPortal (jump pad song) VideoYouTubeLouie Zhong’s BandcampPolygon Sims jazz piano videoClayton AshleyPolygon

This week’s episode is another edition of Code Comment, where your nice hosts look at the project, code, assets, and design of an indie game to see how it’s made.This week we are joined by Farzan Fatemi of Sleepy Macaw to show us behind the scenes of his abstract puzzle game Adjacency, which is available now on Steam and Itch! Martha steals Mark's line, Stephen and Mark discuss the idiosyncrasies of Unity and at the end of the episode Farzan reveals some surprising opinions about puzzle games.Buy Adjacency now on Steam and Itch!Video

This week, Stephen promises he can stop whenever he wants, Martha gets there eventually, and Mark earns 100%.If you like The Good Place, check out The Good Place: The Podcast! - Podcast0:06:18Space Exploration games"Elite: the game that changed the world" Adam LusherThe Telegraph"BBC releases computer history archive" BBChttps://www.polygon.com/2017/12/25/16817700/elite-dangerous-fuel-rats-rescue-cm…Owen S. GoodPolygon"New Book Chronicles The Continuing History Of EVE Online" Lee YancyKotaku"Warring EVE Online Factions Declare Peace, For Money" Lee YancyKotaku"Star Citizen’s $27,000 bundle raises eyebrows" Charlie HallPolygon0:46:05Gaming HabitsThe Surrounding Game, a recent documentary about American players of Go."Develop 2015 Highlights Rami Ismail, Indie Keynote"Develop Conference and Rami IsmailYouTube

This week on Nice Games Club we are trying out a new type of episode: Nice Games Jam! We get a topic from Martha’s boyfriend Dylan and then attempt to create a playable game by the end of the episode. We then include the rules here in the show notes for you to play at home!Let us know what you think of this episode format on the feedback from!Prompta realtime card game [for PC]Game typeCard gameMaterials52 Card deck + two jokersSix sided die (One per Player)A stuffed trophy - we used a plush Toad! but a jesther hat would be the most appropriateSetupEach player starts with seven cards.RulesThis game happens in real time. No turns!Roll for six with the dice, if so draw a card then pass it or another card in your hand to someoneIf you’re passed a card, you have to discard a card that was not passed to you.Having a joker allows you to pick up the TROPHY (Toad) on a roll of six.If you pick up the TROPHY (Toad), the game stops, you announce you have a joker and are looking for another, if someone has it they have to give it to you, the person losing a joker draws a card, the person gaining the joker discards a card.If you have two jokers, you can end the game early by saying “haha!” at any point.If you gain a joker you cannot discard it.The game ends if someone says “haha!” or as soon as the deck runs out (and all card passes are resolved.)If you have the highest poker hand, you win!

This week on the program, Mark starts playing Spider-Man, Stephen ignores your narrative, and Martha is very smart.The 'Spider-Man' Puddle Controversy Is One Of Gaming's Dumbest - Dave Thier, Forbes0:09:09Hub Worlds and Safe HousesDestiny 2 Will Let You Play 'Fully Scored Soccer'Alex WalkerKotakuGearbox and Claptrap honor late Borderlands fan with eulogy, NPC in sequel Jessica CondittEngadgetSea of Thieves is fun until you meet other piratesFraser BrownRock Paper Shotgun0:38:20Environmental StorytellingAn image of some of the narrative-assisting collectables in Widget SatchelMark talks about the subtext of Metro Nexus' overworld maps in our episode topic on research for games."That gets real meta, real fast."

This week on Nice Games Club your nice hosts talk all about Modding and Self-Publishing Must-Haves. Stephen explains different viewpoints on mod-ownership, Martha goes fishing on easier mode and Mark makes too many gifs.0:05:00Modding"Who owns the mods?"Yonnie Ming Kow and Bonnie NardiFirst MondayThe Requiem mod team tells its community about the delays to their update here.RedditNexus Mods is a great place to find community created mods.Wrye Musings is a blog from a famous Elder Scrolls modder who writes about vari…0:44:30Self-publishing Must-havesYou can find good examples of gifs on the Widget Satchel Steam page.SteamLearn more about how to make a good website on our Website topic in our episode"Ugly and hard to use."“How we Used Discord to build a dream community for our game Descenders”Mike Rose DiscordWe have had friend of the pod/media relations wiz Holly Harrison on the show to talk about Community Management and Media Relations in our interview episodeCommunity Managment

This week, we look at Verdant Skies, the sci-fi life-simluation game from Howling Moon Software, available now on Steam, Itch, and Humble Bundle!We're joined by two of the game's developers, Andy and Beth Korth, as well as their little one, Gabe. All three are making their second appearances in the clubhouse, as they were the program's very first guests back in our second episode (exactly 100 episodes ago)! We've already booked them for episode 202!Video

This week, Mark doesn’t respect your secrets (but will keep them), Martha tells us where D&D really comes from, and Stephen reveals that he will play a Kirby RPG if someone makes one for him.0:05:11Pitching to ConsolesPlayStationInformation is on the PlayStation Partners site. Your first step is to fill out their company registration page.XboxInformation is on the ID@Xbox site. Before submitting your game, your first step will be to apply to the program with basic information about your company.NintendoFor Wii U and 3DS development, registration is open to all developers on their developer portal.For Switch development, just send them an email! [email protected] Business stuffWe talked about starting a business for your game studio in a previous episode."I trolled myself."“Not-for-profit game developer faces major obstacles” Colin CampbellPolygon0:52:15Turn-Based RPGs“How to choose the least annoying Octopath Traveler”Brian GilbertPolygon“The Dungeons and Dragons Session That Became a Real-Life Phenomenon” Lewis PackwoodKotakuRPG Maker

In this episode, your nice hosts celebrate 100 episodes of Nice Games! We reminisce a bit on how the podcast has been going and go behind the scenes on what it takes to release one of the episodes.Thanks for listening to us 100 times!0:00:27100th Episode Special Our evil counterparts, Evil Games Club, have released two episodes so far...Evil Games Club! and this one Evil Games Club 2!Martha in the recording studio aka "Clubhouse"StephenThe Microphones we use to record.The audio interface (hardware) we use to record

This week’s episode is another edition of Code Comment, where your nice hosts look at the project, code, assets, and design of an indie game in development to see how it’s made.This week, we are joined by Lane Davis, Charles McGregor and our co-host Stephen McGregor to take a look behind the scenes of their cooperative shoot-em-up Fingeance! Lane shows us how he and Stephen design levels for different difficulties, Stephen explains how they use 'Object Pooling' to spawn bullets and Charles breaks down his music tracks to show us how he sets the emotion for each level. It's the episode that is definitely three three three!Video

This week, a listener gives Martha a great topic, Mark establishes a Do-ocracy, and Stephen has trouble with transitions.0:05:48Developing IdeasThe book Martha recommended is "If You Want to Write" by Brenda Ueland. It has been described as "the best book ever written about how to write" but its advice applies equally well to all types of creative work.0:36:10Game Dev Success

This week on Nice Games Club we interview VR Developer Andrew Fladeboe about his dream-like VR experience/thesis project Oneirogen! We explore the infinite and paradigm changing possibilities of VR, learn how Andrew brought his virtual experience into the real world as an installation and get his advice for creating change- make more weird art!Picture is a screenshot of Oneirogen by Andrew FladeboeVirtual RealityVR / AR / XROneirogen on SteamAlchemists - WikipediaJoseph Campbell - WikipediaCarl JungCave of Forgotten Dreams film by Werner HerzogAndrew FladeboeGuestAndrew Fladeboe is an Artist and VR Developer. His photographs have been displayed worldwide.External linkAndrew's websiteAndrew is on Twitter @FladeboeFind Andrew on Instagram @FladeboeOneirogen is on Steam now

This week on Nice Games Club your nice hosts discuss the good, the bad and the ugly of Level Design and Heads Up Displays. Mark has opinions about Sonic, Stephen picks his hill to die on and Martha brings in a pinch hitter.Picture from this Reddit thread on MMO HUDs0:14:19Level DesignTen Principles of Good Level Design (Part 1)Dan TaylorGame DeveloperMark and Stephen rant about Sonic the Hedgehog’s level design, but here’s a def…Satchell DrakesYouTubeKoichi Hayashida is the Level Design Director for Mario Galaxy/Director of Mario 3D Land (and lots and lots of other Marios) that Mark mentioned.The Structure of Fun: Learning from Super Mario 3D Land’s Director Christian NuttGame DeveloperBug! gameWikipedia0:53:49HUDsDiegetic HUDs and UITV TropesThe Moon Fields by local dev Lunarsignals

This week’s episode is another edition of Code Comment, where your nice hosts look at the project, code, assets, and design of an indie game in development to see how it’s made.This week, we look at our first non-Unity project (!!!) as Mark walks us though the ActionScript codebase of Metro Nexus, his in-development homage to the classic(?) arcade-era game City Connection. We also look at the art asset workflow Mark designed for the game.Video

This week, Martha admits to piracy, Stephen tells Nintendo to just stop making GameCube controllers already, and Mark tells his favorite video game story which is about buttons because Mark is boring.Amazing Mario 3 Speedrun Is Full Of Setbacks And Sportsmanship - Heather Alexandra, Kotaku0:11:31Language of GamesWhen snarky players still want to give info against the GM’s wishes, you get th…@SeiWotTwitterStop, Drop, and Heal: The history of regenerating health”Jeff DunnGamesRadarAn article from the developers of Mirror’s Edge Catalyst on the new Runner’s Vi…EAThe Sony PlayStation’s buttons get explained by their designer John BrownleeGeek.comThe Japanese Side of the PlayStation Button Confusion Richard EisenbeisKotakuThe passion of the checkpoint: Why gaming's most frustrating failure is so hard…Ben KucheraPolygonWe played the convention-defying game OneShot on our very first Nice Plays episode.Nice Plays: OneShot (2016)Rami Ismail documented his mother’s playing through new games on Twitter.@tha_ramiTwitter1:07:25SequelsThe MIT Dropouts Who Created Ms. Pac-Man: A 35th-Anniversary Oral HistoryBenj Edwards Fast CompanyTV Tropes has a list of spiritual successors in video games.TV Tropes

The clubhouse welcomes back Lane Davis and new guest Gloria Kim to discuss developing and releasing a visual novel in 2018. We talk through the process of creating their visual novel, Ruler by Default, as well as hear their insights about being successful in the genre.Visual NovelsGame DesignMarketingNarrativeTake a look at "Ruler by Default'"'s funded Kickstarter campaign.Buy "Ruler by Default" on Steam now - SteamGloria KimGuestProject lead, character design. Gloria is currently a student, soon to graduate from the University of Minnesota. From an early age she grew up playing visual novels and life simulators like the one we hope to create. Her past experiences include taking commissions from a local game store, numerous web comic entries, hosting artist booths at multiple anime conventionsGloria Kim is a video game designer, artist and a visual novel enthusiast. She is a web comic writer, a anime artist and her biggest project to date was "Ruler by Default" a sucessfully funded kickstarter campaign from her comapny, Pistachi StudiosExternal linkRuler by Defualt on Steam@studiopistachio on twitterPistashi Studios on FacebookLane DavisGuestLane Davis is Game designer/developer and friend of the show. He develops Fingance with Stephen McGregor and his brother Charles McGregor, and is one of the favorite fans of the club.External linkEscape Industreis

This week, your nice hosts cover the topics of Rogue-likes and Crowdfunding while sneaking in a third topic about E3.In this episode, Mark discusses his previous crowdfunding campaigns, Stephen discovers his new love for an old genre and Martha proposes a new E3 uniform rule.[0:00:28] E3Here’s the official E3 recap website if you missed any news.The Real Stories Behind E3’s Glossy Game Demos - Patrick Klepek, KotakuHitRecord, Beyond Good & Evil 2 and the #nospec backlash - Jeff Ramos, Polygon0:29:45RoguelikesAn article on the The Berlin Interpretation of Roguelikes from the Internationa…Game Set WatchWe covered procedural generation in a previous episode: "Mutual butt-kicking." 0:57:47CrowdfundingStar Citizen, I am disappointedRobert PurcheseEurogamerThe Double Fine Adventure! documentary series is available on Youtube.Fig is a newer option for game developers to get funding.Mark loved WHAT THE GOLF?, already funded through Fig!We talked about Steam Greenlight with the Korth family in their interview episode.Steam GreenlightHatchfund has helped many artists become successfully funded as well.

This week’s episode is another edition of Code Comment, where your nice hosts look at the project, code, assets, and design of an indie game in development to see how it’s made.This week, we scamper though Widget Satchel, a mascot-based platformer Mark and Stephen are working on. We took a look at the game right in our Ludum Dare Extravaganza Nice Play episode but the team has done so much more work since then! Learn all about the cool tools Mark coded to help Stephen build levels quickly, how mischief physics works, and more!We took a look at the game right in our Ludum Dare Extravaganza Nice Play episode but the team has done so much more work since then!Nice Plays: Ludum Dare 40 games (2017)Video

This week on Nice Games Club your nice hosts discuss Code Libraries, Tutorials and all the juicy pre-E3 news that was available at the time of this recording. Stephen debates the merits of show vs. tell in tutorials, Martha complains about the WordPress theme and plug-in search and Mark doesn't fall for Pokemon propaganda.Picture: a diagram from this Wikipedia article of the iconic World 1-1 from Super Mario Brothers which was a tutorial in disguise![0:05:17] Pre-E3 NewsHow Close is 'Assassin's Creed: Origins' Egypt to the Real Thing? - Justin Reeve, Waypoint0:17:29Code LibrariesNot Invented here (NIH) philosophyTechopediaUnity ratchets up its marketing to game developers - without a GDC boothDean TakahashiVentureBeat0:41:51Tutorials

Stephen is still in missing in Chicagoland, so we once again retained the services of guest co-host Holly Harrison for an episode featuring two topics that could not be more completely unrelated to each other.First, Holly teaches us some media relations skills that gamedevs need to know (even if they don't want to), and then, because Stephen isn't around to stop us, Mark and Martha (but mostly Mark) talk about the history of Star Trek games!0:01:25Media RelationsHey you, indiedev, use presskit()!Write a better press release using the Inverted PyramidTodd VersteegSignature StyleHolly recommended “trying out” Buzzsumo and Buzzstream.Artist Statement GuidelinesGetting Your Sh*t TogetherSimilarwebWikipediaAsk Holly your PR questions on twitter: @hollharris.0:31:20Star Trek Games“How a Star Trek card game quietly continues, 10 years after its official end”Cyrus FarivarArs TechnicaThe unreleased sequel to the Star Trek VCR board game was called “Borg Q-Uest.”…The "Q the Referee" CCG card that features a still taken from that game's unused footage.The fictional VCR board game from Community we mentioned was called “Pile of Bu…Mark talked about the end of the 90s-era Star Trek action figure line. That sto…“Looking At The Star Trek: TNG Interactive Technical Manual From 1994”Will StapeTreknews“The inside story of Apple's forgotten project: Quicktime VR”Kif LeswingBusiness InsiderYou can actually play “Star Trek: Klingon” on YouTube!“Language App Duolingo Finally Added Klingon”David MurphyLifehacker“The best Star Trek games”Richard CobbettPC Gamer“Jeff Bezos announces Amazon is picking up 'The Expanse'”Richard LawlerEngadget“Retrohistories: Secret of Vulcan Fury: Trek's Lost Adventure”Chris ChapmanYouTube“The Game Archaeologist: Perpetual's Star Trek Online”Justin OlivettiEngadgetUbisoft teased on Twitter that DS9’s USS Defiant will appear in Bridge Crew.Mark praised Star Trek: Ascendancy on a previous episode of the program.Nicest of 2016“Hogwarts Mystery Players Upset With Use of Microtransactions”Shabana ArifIGN

For an episode 18 months in the making, Ben Hanson, video producer for Game Informer and host of the excellent gaming podcast The Game Informer Show, finally enters the clubhouse for a wide-ranging discussion about which games and developers get the attention of the gaming press, developing games for modern audiences, and creative leadership in both AAA and indie teams.The Gaming PressGamingIRLMarketingHere is the fabled tweet that started the long road to this episode.Subscribe to The Game Informer Show via RSS (podcast) or on YouTube.Get more of Ben's unimpeachable wisdom on Twitter!How A Japanese Reality TV Show About Nothing Became A Global Hit - Mia Nakaji Monnier, BuzzfeedBen mentioned a clubhouse favorite game by a local developer, Color Jumper (on …Enjoy Martha's famous crab dance!Where the Water Tastes Like Wine Postmortem - Johnnemann Nordhagen, MediumBen mentioned the Easy Allies podcastAlan Alda's Experiment: Helping Scientists Learn To Talk To The Rest Of Us - Lulu Garcia-Navarro, NPRBen HansonGuestBen is a founder of MinnMax, former video producer for Game Informer, and overall fun enthusiast.External linkTwitterMinnMax

This week's episode is another edition of Code Comment, where your nice hosts look at the project, code, assets, and design of an indie game in development to see how it's made.This week, we're looking at HoverboardVR, a movement prototype that uses a DDR Dance Pad for locomotion in VR, created by Martha and her brother Henry.You may have heard us talk about this project on the show before, and how you get to see it in action.Martha and Henry utilized the Virtual Reality Tool Kit for their prototype.Mark mentioned the Sega Activator, a failed peripheral for the Sega Genesis.Martha’s website has a description of Martha and Henry’s recent talk at MinneWe…Video

This week, your nice hosts take a moment to celebrate Glitch's 8th birthday! Also: Martha doesn't like jumps, Stephen talks in a British(?) accent, and Mark calls Mega Man ugly.0:05:55PlatformersThe 2.5D Owl game we were talking about is called Everend.We talked about how we define game genres in a previous episode."I do business." You can download an early demo of the parkour racing game Sparkour right now!The Widget Satchel team watched a lot of ferret videos.You Say Jump, I Say How High?Nordic Game Conference 2016YouTubeSuper Mario Land Is WeirdBrawl in the Family0:48:55Player AgencyWhat is Player Agency and what is it good for?StackExchange RPGA new direction for David CageSamit SarkarPolygon

This week we interview Aubrey Jane Scott, game developer for Monster Games, and discuss game development workflows. We go in-depth about keeping on task and making sure you're able to complete your projects.WorkflowsIRLProductionAubrey competed in the North Star Roller Derby. Her name on the team is Glitch …Mark mentioned social jet lag that he’s just recently discovered.Jesse Schell is one of Aubrey’s mentors, who wrote about the Elemental Tetrad that she references in the show.Double Fine’s documentary series, Double Fine Adventure, is a good look into th…Aubrey brings up decision mapping as a good way to brainstorm.Aubrey Jane ScottGuestAubrey is a Games Generalist focusing on Engineering and Design.External linkAubrey's WebsiteTwitter

This week your nice hosts discuss making game demos and physical games! Martha is nostalgic, Mark eats some marshmallows and Stephen can't remember his childhood. Oh, and Mortho likes sports. But you probably already knew that.Photo credit- Neat Corporation press photo of their game Budget Cuts. Have you played the demo?GLITCH BdayOrgan Temple VR, Sara's VR gameOneirogen, Andrew’s VR gameHere is the cool print out of Mark's play-through of Oneirogen!The marshmallows Mark bought with his tax return0:12:40Making a DemoBudget Cuts demoStanley Parable demoNetstorm0:41:21Physical GamesShips across the oceanCalvinballCup stackingJohann Sebastian Joust

This week, your nice hosts have put together a new video format for the show, called Code Comment, where we take apart a game from our gamedev community, looking at the project, code, assets, and design to see how it's made.For this first edition, we chose Claw Breaker, a game jam game turned upcoming commercial release made by a team that included Martha and Stephen. It's how they met!Video

This week, Mark returns from San Fransisco, your nice hosts get the math wrong, and everyone agrees that Claw Breaker is worth real money.We’re launching our new video format (now called “Code Comment”) next week! In the first edition, we dig into Claw Breaker! Look forward to it!And if you haven’t already, check our our Nice Plays videos.0:06:43NostalgiaThe old PlayStation Spyro games are being re-released as a trilogy, to some mixed reception.Firmament is a VR game being made by the developers of Myst.Speaking of Myst nostalgia, Cyan just announced a 25th Anniversary re-release.Mark recently read a few of the Boss Fight Books: books about past games with i…We talked about our game influences in a previous episode: “Schrödinger’s Anima…0:34:23PC Games MarketSteam Spy announces it’s shutting down, blames Valve’s new privacy settingsSam MachkovechArs TechnicaLet's Be Realistic: A Deep Dive into How Games Are Selling on SteamMike RoseGDCJane Ng, lead artist at Campo Santo, started a great thread on Twitter about lo…Mark mentioned the user testing he commissioned for Metro Nexus, which we talked about with Hannah Murphy in the episode “Games User Research, Redux! (with Hannah Murphy).”

Mark is still in San Fransisco, so his lovely wife Dale (she of Evil Games Club) fills in and talks with Martha and Stephen about bad game design and good character design.0:02:48"Bad" Game DesignWe put Martha though the worst Mario game ever in an episode of Nice Plays.Nice Plays: Super Mario Bros. 2 [Japan] (1986)Want some rye?The Tetris EffectWikipediaUbisoft Aware of Tetris Ultimate IssuesJason DunningPlayStationLifeStyleE.T.: Walkthrough and Easter EggsTrillingWonderYouTubeA videogame for #blacklivesmatterZach BudgorKill Screen0:32:52Character DesignChoosing Your Pirate In Sea Of Thieves Is HardMike FaheyKotakuHow to Convey Character’s Personality Through Shape, Variance and SizeBilyanaGraphic MamaMaking ComicsScott McCloudWikipediaCrumpets and Badonkadonks: Creating Tiny TinaAshly and Anthony BurchYouTube