Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

Latest Episodes:

How to Successfully Pitch to Publishers, Learning to Script, the Importance of Sound Design, Chance Encounters, Doing Great Work, Being Calm, FMOD and More with Jeff Linville of Ritual Studios Jul 24, 2023

Show notes

I welcome Jeff Linville, the Co-Founder and Sound Designer at Ritual Studios to this episode. We discuss topics like sound design, pitching your game to publishers, and the future of AR and VR. Jeff shares about the importance of your personal network, learning how to script and work in-engine, and maintaining a healthy mindset with the ups and downs of the industry.

We then go into the importance of sound design, highlighting the transformative power of sound that enhances player experiences. Hear about the challenges faced by sound designers, such as time constraints and file size limitations, plus having content cut.

Jeff shares why he’s bullish on VR and thoughts around AR possibly replacing smartphones through spatial computing. We then get into the concerns about AI's impact on game development and copyright issues, along with ideas around the benefits.

Hear how the team pivoted their game pitch to get better results by focusing on bite-sized call-to-action prompts, plus using gifs and game audio to create the game experience. Learn the importance for sound designers to be able to work in-engine and script, plus having an engineer connection to help implement ideas and tech.

Jeff and I then talk about the importance of seizing opportunities, networking with peers, and maintaining a positive attitude through setbacks. We then wrap up discussing chance encounters, the abundance of good people in the industry, and the power of doing great work.

Bio:

Jeff Linville is Co-Founder of Ritual Studios, a Chicago based indie studio working on their first title, Fretless: The Wrath of Riffson. Jeff has been in the game industry for over 6 years as a Sound Designer and Composer working on various titles, including Fretless and Cardio Ex.

Show Links:

* Fretless: The Wrath of Riffson Reveal Trailer YouTube

* Cardio Ex Game Soundtrack on Spotify

* FMOD website

* Apple’s Vision Pro spatial computing Apple website

* Guild Wars 2 website

* Alien: Isolation App Store

* The 2023 Hollywood Strike for Dummies Vulture

Connect With Links:

* Fretless: The Wrath of Riffson Steam page

* Ritual Studios Twitter

* Jeff Linville Twitter

* Jeff Linville YouTube

* Playdigious home page

* Playdigious TikTok

Game Dev Advice Links:

* Game Dev Advice Patreon - please support this work if you find it useful

* Game Dev Advice Twitter

* Game Dev Advice email: info@gamedevadvice.com

* Game Dev Advice website

* Level Ex Careers - we’re hiring for lots of roles!

* Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733

* Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links

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The Job Episode - Resume Strategies, Applying For Positions, Portfolios and Websites, Interviewing Tips, and Much More with John Podlasek Jun 12, 2023

Show notes

I put this information together for a presentation at DePaul University in Chicago recently. The audience found it helpful, plus listener Chris Hardin thought it’d make a great episode. So I made some tweaks and recorded it solo as a short episode :)

While it’s intended for folks looking to get their first job there are different ideas and strategies that should be helpful if you’re already working in the industry. I cover strategies around resumes, applying for jobs, doing due diligence, interviewing strategies, following up afterwards, the importance of your portfolio/website, and other areas.

It’s not meant to be extensive, but tips and ideas to help in your game development journey. (Plus if you’d like to go deeper my Gain Wisdom Patreon level has monthly private coaching included.)

Bio:

John Podlasek is the Director of Talent Acquisition at Level Ex, bringing over 30 years of experience in the video game & technology sectors. He is known for recruiting top game development talent and has played key Production roles in successful game franchises such as Mortal Kombat and Marvel Avengers Initiative. With a deep background in team organization and growth, John’s worked at companies like Midway Games, Disney, Zynga, Viacom, and others, plus is the host of the popular Game Dev Advice podcast with a global following.

Resources:

* Joe Hobbs Game Development Advice Contact List, also follow him on Twitter: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/1/d/e/2PACX-1vRYveFAl_GuvBo0iuy3EvgPm0fWAGci-Z8e5CZ6hoYz9n8gcoK4dgE0RML-x0pWqRNjGqte-V7phtqB/pubhtml

* GrackleHQ: www.gracklehq.com

* GameDevMap: www.gamedevmap.com

* Game Developer (formerly Gamasutra): https://www.gamedeveloper.com/

* GDC YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/channel/UC0JB7TSe49lg56u6qH8y_MQ

* Unity blog: https://blog.unity.com/

* Unreal Engine blog: https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/feed/blog

* 80lv: https://80.lv/

* Designer Notes: http://www.designer-notes.com/

* GameIndustry.biz: http://gamesindustry.biz

* Game Industry News: https://www.gameindustry.com/

* Breaking the Wheel - Producers: https://www.breakingthewheel.com/

* VentureBeat’s GameBeat: https://venturebeat.com/category/games/

* YouTube Why Level Ex? https://youtu.be/GsWoygM_r3Q

* My interview about the TurboGrafx 16-bit gaming days and other things: https://youtu.be/U4BP-3GX2kc

* My YouTube presentation Careers Beyond Traditional Game Development mentioned earlier: https://youtu.be/ib_MegZm5-4

Game Dev Advice Links:

* Game Dev Advice Patreon - please support this work if you find it useful

* Game Dev Advice Twitter

* Game Dev Advice email: info@gamedevadvice.com

* Game Dev Advice website

* Level Ex Careers - we’re hiring for lots of roles!

* Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733

* Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links

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Starting Your Own Studio, BioShock Infinite, Anti-Crunch Culture, Learning Patience, Rendering and Graphics, ChatGPT, and Shifting Business Models with Steve Anichini of Disbelief Apr 30, 2023

Show notes

I welcome Steve Anichini, the CTO and Co-founder of Disbelief to this episode. We start off discussing programming at a young age, taking a job after college, and then deciding to pursue a game development career with his first job at Jellyvision. Hear about working at Midway Games and Irrational Games and then starting Disbelief after layoffs. Learn advice about developing patience with yourself, others, project timelines, and not freaking out over deadlines.

Steve then shares ideas for getting a first job, including the importance of debugging skills and learning more languages and game engines. We then discuss advancing as a programmer, including the importance of communication skills.

Hear about some of his favorite projects, including Borderlands 3 and BioShock Infinite. We then dive into rendering and graphics technology, including real-time ray tracing and Unreal Five's Nanite. Hear about the threat and opportunity he sees in the industry, along with benefits and numerous concerns around AI.

Steve then shares a funny story about a John Woo’s Stranglehold press event, some games he’s playing, the company's journey towards an anti-crunch culture, along with strategies for not getting into bad situations. At the end he shares advice about never being too late to strike out on your own, giving yourself enough runway, and getting in touch with him online.

Bio:

Steve Anichini has worked on many titles throughout his 24 year career, including Borderlands 3's PS5/XSX ports, Gears 5, BioShock Infinite, and John Woo Presents Stranglehold. He worked on tools and systems used in Blitz: The League, Psi-ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy, and Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. At Disbelief, Steve focuses on systems and graphics programming, training, recruiting, and company strategy

Connect With Links:

* Disbelief website

* Disbelief Career Page website

* info@disbelief.com email

* @solidangle@mastodon.gamedev.place Mastodon

* Solid Angle blog

Show Links:

* Debugging: The 9 Indispensable Rules for Finding Even the Most Elusive Software and Hardware Problems Goodreads

* Google Technical Writing Courses website

* Nanite Virtualized Geometry in Unreal website

* Lumen Global Illumination and Reflections in Unreal website

* Midway’s 2007 Game Event in Vegas website

* Pentiment Xbox

Game Dev Advice Links:

* Game Dev Advice Patreon - please support this work if you find it useful

* Game Dev Advice Twitter

* Game Dev Advice email: info@gamedevadvice.com

* Game Dev Advice website

* Level Ex Careers - we’re hiring for lots of roles!

* Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733

* Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links

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The Pinball Episode with Roger Sharpe from PINBALL: The Man Who Saved the Game Mar 17, 2023

Show notes

I welcome Roger Sharpe, President and CEO of Sharpe Communications, and the star of the new movie - PINBALL: The Man Who Saved the Game. Hear about his marketing agency and how the idea to turn his story into a movie started back in 2020. We then discuss how pinball used to be illegal in New York City, discovering pinball in college, working at GQ, being challenged to write a book, and testifying at City Hall it was a game of skill, not a game of chance.

Learn about life choices, working in advertising, how others got their start in pinball, plus ideas how you could get into the industry now. Hear about home enthusiasts being a huge boost, going international, and thousands of events, tournaments, and leagues happening every year.

We then dive into some of his favorite games and projects, including the ones he designed, along with his licensing work on Elvira, NBA Jam, Mortal Kombat, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Terminator 2, Arctic Thunder, and other games. Learn about the growth of barcades, the explosion of the industry, the difference to video games, and cooperative play. Hear about his concern on the recent pricing of pinballs, not going too hardcore on the game design, and thoughts on licensing.

Towards the end he shares a great story about Gary Stern, the legendary Harry Williams, his pinball book, and some current games he’s playing or interested in. Learn about websites you can check out, the March 17th, 2023 release date, the irony of making pinballs in Chicago but not being legal years ago, and how this little indie movie is winning awards (go check it out).

Bio:

Roger Sharpe’s demonstration of pinball as a skill-based game overturned New York City’s thirty-five-year ban on pinball machines in 1976. His story, now a film, “PINBALL: The Man Who Saved the Game” came out March 17th, 2023. Roger is also the former Director of Marketing and Licensing at Williams Bally/Midway, a pinball historian, a player, and former pinball designer at Stern, Williams, and Game Plan.

Show Links:

* Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game website

* Apple TV Movie link (U.S.)

* YouTube Movies and TV link (U.S.)

* Moving Picture Institute website

* Vertical Entertainment website

* Stern Pinball website

* Jersey Jack Pinball website

* IFPA website

* Midwest Gaming Classic website

* Texas Pinball Festival website

* Scorebit website

* James Bond 007 website

* Bally Midway Wikipedia

Game Dev Advice Links:

* Game Dev Advice Patreon - please help support the show if you find it useful

* Game Dev Advice Twitter

* Game Dev Advice email: info@gamedevadvice.com

* Game Dev Advice website

* Level Ex Careers - we’re hiring for lots of roles!

* Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733

* Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links

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Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable, The Last of Us, ChatGPT, Uncanny Valley, Pizza Is Pizza, Compassionate Leadership, Halo 2 Double Team, No Jerks Policy, Document the Results, and Being Unflappable with Ray McCaffrey of Steel Wool Studios Feb 10, 2023

Show notes

I welcome Ray McCaffrey, Executive Producer at Steel Wool Studios. Hear how he got started in the game industry through a friend by joining a band with some NetherRealm artists who later encouraged him to apply for a short-term Assistant Producer contract job. Learn about his transition from IT, working with industry legends, and wishing he’d known to be more quiet and listen better.

We then discuss advancing your career in Production, the importance of documenting feedback and results, and providing context to the team to build trust. Hear about the value of being calm and centered for others and the value it brings to the team and a company.

Learn about the critical skill of being comfortable being uncomfortable, accepting change in the search for fun, along with the role of acting as a confidant to team members. Hear about being honest with yourself about your flaws, putting constructive feedback into practice, plus sharing feedback without being a jerk. Listen about how insufferable it is working with jerks, ways we avoided it, and what a relief it is not to.

We then dive into the uncanny valley of console hyper-realism, go deep into God of War Ragnarök, how accelerated technology is now, and some thoughts on ChatGPT, AI art, and the futility of trying to predict the future. Hear why he’s bearish on AR, and bullish on VR for the entertainment value, plus the way it’s changed how we interact with each other at times.

Towards the end we talk about a game cancellation that taught him how to be a compassionate leader, the importance of an open dialogue with your team when in a position of authority, the genius of The Last of Us, other game licensed content, Halo 2 Double Team, pizza, and accepting that nothing is ever final.

Bio:

Ray McCaffrey is the Executive Producer at Steel Wool Studios, an independent studio based in Oakland, CA. Ray’s been in the game industry for almost a dozen years and has worked on games like Injustice: Gods Among Us, Batman: Arkham Origins, Mortal Kombat X, WWE Immortals, Cardio Ex, Pulm Ex, Five Nights at Freddy’s and more.

Show Links:

* God of War Ragnarökwebsite

* ChatGPT website

* TRIPP VR website

* The Room VR: Dark Matter website

* STAR WARS Jedi: Survivor website

* The Last of Us website

* Halo 2 Double Team Fandom

Connect Links:

* Ray McCaffrey Twitter

* Steel Wool Studios website

Game Dev Advice Links:

* Game Dev Advice Patreon - please help support the show if you find it useful

* Game Dev Advice Twitter

* Game Dev Advice email: info@gamedevadvice.com

* Game Dev Advice website

* Level Ex Careers - we’re hiring for lots of roles!

* Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733

* Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links

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Skywalker Ranch, Persistence, Game Designer Qualities, Working With Steven Spielberg, Being Bold, The Power of AR and VR, Not Being a Jerk, and Traveling the World with Noah Falstein of The Inspiracy Nov 27, 2022

Show notes

I welcome Noah Falstein, a legendary Game Designer on this episode. Hear about his current work as a Designer and Consultant, along with how he began straight out of college at Milton Bradley before going to Williams and to create arcade games. Learn about being an early employee at Lucasfilm Games, and working on the amazing Indiana Jones titles along with others.

We then discuss what he’s learned reflecting back to the beginning of his career, moving to California, and advice to expand your horizons beyond triple-A games when starting out. Discover the importance of persistence, curiosity and other key qualities for Game Designers to have, along with learning psychology to understand yourself, co-workers, and players.

Learn about digital therapeutics to treat diseases and disorders, AR, Google Glass, and being bullish on the future. Hear about the one trillion dollar world health market, esports, web3, and threats to the industry being localized versus global. We then talk about the Wii Fit and dive deeper in VR and AR, including Pearl the interactive movie, and Skip Rizzo’s important work. Hear about working with (gamer) Steven Spielberg, working at Skywalker Ranch, for Google, and new technologies impacting games and healthcare.

Towards the end we talk about merging his love of travel by presenting at conferences, where to find Noah online, the differences between the games, movies, and TV industries, plus why you shouldn’t be a jerk.

Bio:

Noah Falstein was one of the first 10 employees at Lucasfilm Games/LucasArts where he led projects including PHM Pegasus, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and co-designed Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis. After serving as Google's Chief Game Designer Noah’s been focusing primarily on games for healthcare.

Show Links:

* Milton Bradley Wikipedia

* Lucasfilm Games website

* WMS Industries Wikipedia

* Monkey Island Games Wikipedia

* Akili Interactive website

* E.T. Cartridges Buried in New Mexico PCMag

* Pearl VR and Fun

* The DigWikipedia

* Skywalker Ranch Wikipedia

* Level Ex website

Connect Links:

* Noah Falstein Google

* Noah Falstein website, The Inspiracy

* Noah Falstein Wikipedia

* Noah Falstein Twitter

Game Dev Advice Links:

* Game Dev Advice Patreon - please help support the show if you find it useful :)

* Game Dev Advice Twitter

* Game Dev Advice email: info@gamedevadvice.com

* Game Dev Advice website

* Level Ex Careers - we’re hiring for lots of roles!

* Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733

* Subscribe with your favorite player and go to the website for full show notes with links

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Game Jams, Resiliency, Game Dev Resources, The Future, Mentors, Neurodiversity, Bodystorming, Tech Art, Networking, Art Automation, Anxiety, Mixed Reality, and AI with Angel Muniz Oct 14, 2022

Show notes

I welcome Angel Muniz, a 3D Generalist and Technical Artist who shares about her transition into the game industry, talking with Bungie, getting her first job, and going back to school. Hear career advice about how the art field is changing, creating automation, learning integration, and getting your first position. Learn about knowing your value, having mentors, passion & curiosity, and advancing your career.

We then discuss hackathons, growing your skills, her VR portfolio, and her love of learning. Hear about emotional intelligence, politics, listening, bodystorming, and how we process information. Discover AI machine learning, building an experience to help with anxiety, XR, wearables, aerospace, and NASA.

Learn about integrating XR into education, roles outside of triple-A, different projects she’s worked on, challenges around hiring, toxic environments, and thoughts on being neurodivergent. Hear about overwhelming job descriptions, changing skills, the metaverse, wantrepreneurs, reading the room, and not being critical when playing games.

Towards the end we talk about networking, connecting with the IGDA, Global Game Jam, the value of GDC, and the game dev community in Houston. Hear about games like Graveyard Keeper, kind words for this podcast, where to connect online, new tech battles, keeping your skills sharp, her mentor’s advice on making progress each day, and info on my YouTube presentation about careers outside of traditional game development.

Bio:

Angel Muniz is originally from Texas, a former NASA JSC - Animation & Graphics Lab 3D Intern, who worked on growing the game industry in Houston —mainly in the XR field. Angel served as a Co-PI for a National Science Foundation Grant & Adjunct Professor for the Dynamic Reality Technology program (AAS in XR) at Coastal Alabama College. With a background in public speaking for high-performance art/PBR & optimization, she was a keynote speaker for the University of Pennsylvania, a guest lecturer at the University of Houston - Computer Science, Microsoft’s HoloAcademy in Redmond, Immersive Tech Conference, IGDA, and more. For over 7 years, Angel has worked as a 3D Generalist and Technical Artist - CGI for Amazon AWS, TenGun, TYM Studio, Practical VR, Ong Innovations, and served as a consultant to many more. She’s been a professional mentor for the game developer community co-creating and participating in boot camps, hackathons, and one-on-one sessions with artists and developers. She is currently building an application in XR and plans to apply for her 2nd NSF grant to fund her research in behavioral health, communication, and technology. Angel is an advocate for neurodiverse individuals in the field as she continues her work in the game industry. She is an avid learner and seeks to build and utilize new tools in automation for game art in the industry.

Show Links:

* Substance Designer website

* SMU Guildhall website

* Digipen website

* NSF Grants website

* Rain on Your Parade Steam

* IGDA website

* Global Game Jam website

* GDC website

* Graveyard Keeper website

* The Survivalists Steam

* Detroit: Become Human Wikipedia

* Joowon Kim SMU Guildhall

* Careers Options Beyond Traditional Game Development me on YouTube

Connect Links:

*Angel Muniz LinkedIn

*Angel Muniz website

Game Dev Advice Links:

* Game Dev Advice Patreon: please help support the show if you find it useful

* Game Dev Advice Twitter

* Game Dev Advice email: info@gamedevadvice.com

* Game Dev Advice website

* Level Ex Careers: I'm hiring lots of roles!

* Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733

* Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links

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Making RPGs, Remote Manager Challenges, Porting GTA Vice City, How To Get Promoted, the Power of Messaging Apps, German Game Dev, Resident Evil Design, Working in Different Roles, and The Settlers with Jurie Horneman Aug 20, 2022

Show notes

I welcome Jurie Horneman, senior gameplay programmer at Possibly Space, who shares about growing up in the Netherlands and his passion for wanting to make games that led to his first job. Learn about making Amberstar, answering calls from players, and making Ambermoon, which still has a dedicated fan base. Hear about moving to Blue Byte, Albion being overly ambitious, learning C, and having your shipping platform changed because of bankruptcy.

We then discuss source code, the importance of completing personal projects, and needing to shift your perspective to think as a hiring manager or department lead. Learn about pitching in, how game dev is different from film, and working on Watch Dogs: Legion. Hear thoughts for working in games now, developing interpersonal skills, and why it’s important to enjoy the process of making games versus only focusing on the results.

Discover his favorite games to have worked on, passion around dynamic storytelling, game engines. game AI, and game design. Hear about working remotely, the impact of video conferencing, the need to communicate more as a manager, the value of in-person serendipity, and the power of messaging apps.

Towards the end we talk about how the GTA: Vice City Xbox U.S. update almost shipped with all of the globally controversial settings accidently turned off, working Manhunt 2, The Settlers, Incubation: Time Is Running Out, and interesting games out now. We wrap with Resident Evil, how to connect, enjoying the process, accepting change, and being a good person.

Bio:

Jurie Horneman is originally from the Netherlands, and has made games in Germany, France, Austria, and now Canada. He got started in 1991 as a programmer before becoming a game designer, producer, and now senior gameplay programmer again, plus has worked at Ubisoft, Rockstar Games, Blue Byte Software, and many other studios.

Show Links:

* Demoscene Wikipedia

* Ambermoon Wikipedia

* Albion Wikipedia

* Splinter Cell Wikipedia

* Weird West website

* Emily Short blog

* GTA Controversies KeenGamer

* Manhunt 2 Wikipedia

* The Settlers Wikipedia

* Incubation: Time Is Running Out Wikipedia

* Stray website

* The Quarry website

* Robo: The Allectric Idventurer Steam

* Robo: The Allectric Idventurer Twitter

* Robo: The Allectric Idventurer Discord

Connect Links:

* Jurie Horneman Twitter

* Jurie Horneman website

Game Dev Advice Links:

* Game Dev Advice Patreon - please help support the show if you find it useful

* Game Dev Advice Twitter

* Game Dev Advice email: info@gamedevadvice.com

* Game Dev Advice website

* Level Ex Careers: we’re hiring lots of roles!

* Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733

* The Meditations: An Emperor's Guide to Masterycurrent audiobook

* Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links

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QA Into Production, Web3 Challenges, Twitter For Game Dev, New Technologies, Problem Solving, Axie Infinity, and Keeping An Open Mind with Carl Leducq of Altered State Machine and Zero To Play Jun 24, 2022

Show notes

I welcome Carl Leducq, Games Producer at Altered State Machine and the popular Zero to Play podcast who shares about his new role and recently shipped game for Rocketwerkz. Learn how he transitioned from film into the game industry and working in QA changed his perspective. Hear how he transitioned from QA to Production, his passion around the game development community and the NZGDA.

We then discuss advice for getting into the industry, doing game jams, and advancing your career. Hear about the importance of communication skills, ideas for working remotely, and developing interpersonal skills. Learn about his favorite project, his interest in Web3, and the parallels to early F2P games. We then pivot into AR, VR, and potential threats, like Play To Earn and the massive Axie Infinity hack.

Towards the end we talk about his podcast Zero To Play on YouTube, the awesomeness of Valorant, how to get in contact, and his parting advice around having an open mind.

Bio:

Carl Leducq is a NZ games advocate & experienced Games Producer who’s shipped titles on mobile, AR & PC (and now Web3). Carl is busy understanding and exploring the games industry from every angle, always learning, and growing more passionate about it every step of the way.

Currently he’s working as a Games Producer with Altered State Machine, helping to deliver engaging and innovative interactive media experiences to their community using their IP partners.

He also helps local game devs in New Zealand through the work he does as the Vice-Chair of the NZGDA. Plus every week Carl has an in-depth chat with a Game Developer over on his podcast Zero To Play which can be found on YouTube, Spotify and all other podcast services.

Show Links:

* Rocketwerkz website

* Clinton Keith Amazon

* Breaking The Wheel website

* Web3 Wikipedia

* Magic Leap website

* Axie Infinity CNN

Connect Links:

* Carl Leducq Twitter

* Carl Leducq YouTube

* Carl Leducq LinkedIn

Game Dev Advice Links:

* Game Dev Advice Patreon - please help support the show if you find it useful

* Game Dev Advice Twitter

* Game Dev Advice email: info@gamedevadvice.com

* Game Dev Advice website

* Level Ex Careers page - we’re hiring for engineers and other roles

* Game Dev Advice Hotline: (224) 484-7733

* Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links

* Current Audiobook: The Practice of Groundedness

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Accountability, College Esports, Alto’s Odyssey, Gaming Culture, Winding Paths, Changing Behaviors, Bad Apples, and an Iceberg-Shaped Problem with Jae Lin of the Games and Online Harassment Hotline Apr 30, 2022

Show notes

I welcome Jae Lin, the Hotline Director of the ‘Games and Online Harassment Hotline’ who shares about their current role running the hotline, along with the new Culture Shift project. Learn about when they’re available, who it’s helping, and how you can text “support” to 23368 within the U.S. for help. Hear about the new Culture Shift program launched with Take this that goes into game studios and works with top leadership to create custom programs for companies.

We then discuss gender-based harm, why it keeps happening, and the culture around it. Hear ideas around accountability, changing behaviors, and how the program just launched in March of this year. Learn about Jae’s experience being pushed out of esports, doing volunteer work in Austin, and getting involved with the hotline, along with how they define gender-based harm.

Towards the end we discuss Signs of the Sojourner, Alto’s Odyssey, where to find these services online, and advice about practicing accountability, even in the smallest ways.

Bio:

My guest is Jae Lin, the Hotline Director of the ‘Games and Online Harassment Hotline’ and a mental health advocate for video game spaces. They have a background in queer community health and suicide prevention, with roots in collegiate esports. Jae is also a Community Organizer around trans liberation, queer arts, and racial justice based in Austin, TX.

Show Links:

* GameIndustry.biz article

* Take this. website

* Signs of the Sojourner Steam

* Alto’s Odyssey website

* Text “support” to 23368

Connect Links:

* Gameshotline website

* Gameshotline on Twitter

* Gameshotline YouTube

* FemFreq website

* FemFreq Twitter