Game Dev Podcast | Coffee with Butterscotch

Latest Episodes:

[Ep461] Security Theatre Apr 03, 2024

Show notes

This week, we talk about the Crashlands 2 announcement trailer, now in Chinese! Then we discuss web games and security measures. Platform review processes are like door locks. They won’t stop a skilled hacker from breaking in, but can thwart casual intruders. While dealing with these obstacles can be frustrating on the dev side, the presence of these kinds of security measures can reduce the number of potential breaches by deterring low effort attempts.

Support Crashlands 2!

Official Website: https://www.bscotch.net/games/crashlands-2/

Trailer: https://youtu.be/yR_Opccn1n4

Steam Wishlist: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1401730/Crashlands2/

00:28 Intro

00:46 Thanks to our supporters! (https://moneygrab.bscotch.net)

01:53 Crashlands 2 Announcement Trailer in Chinese!

28:30 OopoongaToppak: Have you ever explored the concept of making a game within a front-end web framework?

43:33 Fraser_: Are there any plans to ship gamechanger-level patches over-the-air to subvert app store / platform review processes?

To stay up to date with all of our buttery goodness subscribe to the podcast on Apple podcasts (apple.co/1LxNEnk) or wherever you get your audio goodness. If you want to get more involved in the Butterscotch community, hop into our DISCORD server at discord.gg/bscotch and say hello! Submit questions at https://www.bscotch.net/podcast, disclose all of your secrets to podcast@bscotch.net, and send letters, gifts, and tasty treats to https://bit.ly/bscotchmailbox. Finally, if you’d like to support the show and buy some coffee FOR Butterscotch, head over to https://moneygrab.bscotch.net.

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[Ep460] Opinions Unleashed Mar 27, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, we discuss developer preferences, reviews, and opinionated tools. External tools often have a lot of opinions on how, exactly, they should be used, which translates into opinions on how YOU should work. Staking your livelihood on someone else’s opinions is a dangerous gambit. A lot depends on the shareholder profit dictum.

Support Crashlands 2!

Official Website: https://www.bscotch.net/games/crashlands-2/

Trailer: https://youtu.be/yR_Opccn1n4

Steam Wishlist: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1401730/Crashlands2/

00:26 Intro

00:44 Thanks to our supporters! (https://moneygrab.bscotch.net)

04:19 GameMaker crew

07:20 Localization

16:35 Challosis: What is a game that you love that was not critically well received?

35:25 QuampakPalampie: If you were starting now, would you be using services like Playfab for your backend services, or would you do it in-house all over again?

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[Ep459] Control Shift Mar 20, 2024

Show notes

This week, we talk about live service games, the door problem, and input design. How does a player interact with a game and how does the game interpret player action? This design constraint influences ALL the possible interactions in a game, making control schemes a fundamental pillar in game design.

Support Crashlands 2!

Official Website: https://www.bscotch.net/games/crashlands-2/

Trailer: https://youtu.be/yR_Opccn1n4

Steam Wishlist: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1401730/Crashlands2/

00:37 Intro

02:54 Thanks to our supporters! (https://moneygrab.bscotch.net)

03:09 Helldivers 2

39:48 UppasitFlitwip: Why you opted not to use a joystick and instead to tap the screen to move the player in original Crashlands.

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[Ep458] The Crash Saga Mar 13, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, we discuss ethical hunting, silent crashes, and iterative design. The process of iterative design is more than just tweaking code; it’s about creating a fast feedback loop between trial, error, and debugging. Without good tools, you can’t go fast, and if you can’t go fast, any experiment is going to be costly to do. If you want to boldly go where no one has gone before, you need the right tools for the job.

Support Crashlands 2!

Official Website: https://www.bscotch.net/games/crashlands-2/

Trailer: https://youtu.be/yR_Opccn1n4

Steam Wishlist: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1401730/Crashlands2/

00:24 Intro

01:14 Thanks to our supporters! (https://moneygrab.bscotch.net)

01:36 Crashes

24:25 Second Zone in Crashlands 2

46:00 Disgruntled Pineapple: I was wondering if you would endorse fish fights as a sport for adults?

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[Ep457] Corporate Theatre Mar 06, 2024

Show notes

This week, we talk about achievement design, adapting video games, and robot wars.

In the flood of sponsored content and AI-generated clutter, large language models are now learning from the noise they themselves create. While these AIs are exchanging spam in their echo chamber, we humans can find peace by doing what we do best — creating!

Support Crashlands 2!

Official Website: https://www.bscotch.net/games/crashlands-2/

Trailer: https://youtu.be/yR_Opccn1n4

Steam Wishlist: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1401730/Crashlands2/

00:36 Intro

00:56 Thanks to our supporters! (https://moneygrab.bscotch.net)

02:18 Challosis: For crashlands 2 will you re-record your jingle with everyone in the studio?

09:36 Disgruntled Pineapple: What did you guys think of the FNAF movie?

29:32 IllegallySam: Have you started thinking about achievement design for Crashlands 2 yet?

43:28 Shout64: You recently mentioned using Notion as your team’s productivity tool, what motivated you to switch away from Favro? How are you liking Notion for teamwork?

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[Ep456] Scaling Sorcery Feb 28, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, we discuss localization nuance, trend cycles, and launch horror. Game launches require more than technical preparation; it’s about expecting the unexpected in player behavior and demand. No matter how many simulations you run or scenarios you anticipate, the true test emerges at launch.

Support Crashlands 2!

Official Website: https://www.bscotch.net/games/crashlands-2/

Trailer: https://youtu.be/yR_Opccn1n4

Steam Wishlist: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1401730/Crashlands2/

00:28 Intro

00:47 Thanks to our supporters! (https://moneygrab.bscotch.net)

01:15 Localization update

09:42 Helldivers 2

41:09 Lexzap: “Game companies begin mass layoffs, as customers turn their backs on gaming”, so in your opinion is 2024 headed in the same direction as 1984?

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[Ep455] The Price Is Right Feb 21, 2024

Show notes

This week, we talk about working with family and game pricing. Deciding on a price point for a game is more than just a simple economic decision. Perceived value is influenced by perceived functionality, entertainment proposition, artistic merit, and emotional connection. So how do you hit the jackpot at the right price?

Support Crashlands 2!

Official Website: https://www.bscotch.net/games/crashlands-2/

Trailer: https://youtu.be/yR_Opccn1n4

Steam Wishlist: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1401730/Crashlands2/

00:22 Intro

00:44 Thanks to our supporters! (https://moneygrab.bscotch.net)

01:30 UppasitFlitwip: how do you guys decide on how to price your game/games?

32:30 One of the most common perspectives I hear regarding starting a business is to "not work with family." Why do you guys believe it works so well for you all?

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[Ep454] Language Labyrinth Feb 14, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, we discuss internationalization, localization, and implementation. Localization is much more than just translation. It’s a complex technical and artistic endeavor that captures the essence of your game and makes it accessible to a global audience. Lots of things can be open to interpretation, but loc will help you keep anything important from being lost in translation.

Support Crashlands 2!

Official Website: https://www.bscotch.net/games/crashlands-2/

Trailer: https://youtu.be/yR_Opccn1n4

Steam Wishlist: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1401730/Crashlands2/

00:33 Intro

00:54 Thanks to our supporters! (https://moneygrab.bscotch.net)

01:06 Localization

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[Ep453] Seamless Shadows Feb 07, 2024

Show notes

This week, we talk about staring eyes, mini-games, and integration issues. Supporting new tech like the Vision Pro or adding sneaky mini-games into bigger ones is all about snazzing things up without adding user-sided friction. Seamless integration is way harder than it sounds, but when it works, it's pure stealthy genius.

Support Crashlands 2!

Official Website: https://www.bscotch.net/games/crashlands-2/

Trailer: https://youtu.be/yR_Opccn1n4

Steam Wishlist: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1401730/Crashlands2/

00:27 Intro

00:49 Thanks to our supporters! (https://moneygrab.bscotch.net)

01:05 Apple Vision Pro

38:49 CooCooCachoo: Got that monocle developed through the game changer yet?

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[Ep452] Quantum Empathy Jan 31, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, we discuss Crashlands 2 update, onboarding, and malicious compliance.

Major tech companies, using their vast resources, can navigate regulations with ease and will sometimes exploit their advantages, following the letter but not the spirit. As tech companies become entities of critical infrastructure, the challenges of regulating them are prime examples of late-stage capitalism.

Support Crashlands 2!

Official Website: https://www.bscotch.net/games/crashlands-2/

Trailer: https://youtu.be/yR_Opccn1n4

Steam Wishlist: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1401730/Crashlands2/

00:35 Intro

00:58 Thanks to our supporters! (https://moneygrab.bscotch.net)

01:16 Crashlands 2 update

22:20 Apple Shenanigans

42:51 Ilegally Sam: Have you guys played or have any thoughts about Sea of Stars.

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