Game Dev Podcast | Coffee with Butterscotch

Latest Episodes:

[Ep401] Era of Noise Feb 08, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, we discuss AI tools, infinite Seinfeld, and the consequences of volume. Economies and companies are built to handle infinite scale. The constant want for more has turned into the unending production of content. But what happens once there are tools that can generate output infinitely? If there’s infinite noise, how do you find something worth listening to?

00:28 Intro

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

01:20 Playing with AI

Things Mentioned

Chatgpt (https://chatgptonline.net/)
Soundraw (https://soundraw.io/)
Business War Podcast (http://bit.ly/3ljkYgM)

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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[Ep400] Hand in Hand Feb 01, 2023

Show notes

This week, we talk about happy news, early access, and collaboration. Tools make it possible to design and implement stuff directly without any other input. This might save you time, but you lose the chance to collaborate. As always, it’s about where to leverage the tools you have. Threading that needle requires communication.

00:22 Intro

01:31 Thanks to our supporters! (https://moneygrab.bscotch.net)

06:32 SOME NEWS

Questions answered (abbreviated):

25:24 Fraser: After the success, you saw with Levelhead's early access, will you try it again for Crashlands 2?
42:26 challosis: Do you ever change the gameplay of an enemy or item after being inspired by Sam's final artwork?

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[Ep399] Cash for Cashews Jan 25, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, we discuss cashews, Project Zomboid, and knowing your audience. When you find people following along with your work prior to a game’s release, you might be developing in a strange bubble where your interactions are with an audience interested in game design rather than the players who will ultimately buy the game. The trick is to know who is giving you the feedback before you take it.

00:22 Intro

00:52 Thanks to our supporters! (https://moneygrab.bscotch.net)

10:23 Project Zomboid

Questions answered (abbreviated):

38:06 Gibbs: Would you guys ever consider making any behind-the-scenes videos of what you're working on for Crashlands 2?

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[Ep398] Show Me Your Hands Jan 18, 2023

Show notes

This week, we talk about summoning a dragon and a stochastic parrot. If you give an AI some data, it can recognize patterns and generate output with selective randomness. But that doesn’t mean you always get something coherent or intelligent. Turns out the best Turing test is whether or not you know what a hand looks like.

00:32 Intro

01:20 Thanks to our supporters! (https://moneygrab.bscotch.net)

04:29 WoW Easter Egg

11:03 AI

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[Ep397] Stay Ahead Of It Jan 11, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, we discuss easter eggs, a snowy wonderland, and the brand-new tagline for the brand-new year! Legacy systems keep the current work going, but one catastrophic event and the whole system collapses. Clearing the tech debt not only prevents the big explosions but also makes every working moment better. When you don’t have any baggage then you don’t have to worry about losing your bags.

00:28 Intro

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

02:40 NAMING THE YEAR

Questions answered (abbreviated):

36:21 BscotchKarl: What easter eggs or references have you put into your games that got overlooked?
44:05 Beekie Boppaboop: It seems to me your games mostly fall into the “sci-fi” category. Was this seeming sci-fi bent an intentional choice?

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[Ep396] To New Beginnings Jan 04, 2023

Show notes

This week, we talk about old accomplishments, current predictions, and new themes for the new year! 2022’s moniker was “Twenty Twenty You. Take the nuanced view” – what should 2023’s call to action be? We’ve got some ideas, but we want to hear your suggestions! Submit your taglines at podcast.bscotch.net

00:22 Intro

01:38 Thanks to our supporters! (https://moneygrab.bscotch.net)

03:17 WHAT HAPPENED IN 2022?

45:01 Predictions for 2023

60:05 What’s 2023 all about?

Things mentioned:

17:35 Shader Dave (https://twitter.com/DavesInHisPants)

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[Ep395] The Art of Giving Dec 28, 2022

Show notes

In this episode, we discuss giving experiences, autonomy, and gifts. Effective planning requires knowing what you want. If you’re entertaining, what kind of experience do you want from hosting? What kind of experience do you want to provide to your guests? You can’t create a specific vibe without thoughtful curation. Enjoy the holidays!

00:26 Intro

01:32 Thanks to our supporters! (https://moneygrab.bscotch.net)

08:05 Travel Adventure

42:38 Christmas break

Things mentioned:

The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker (https://bit.ly/36w5tHJ)

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[Ep394] Everyone’s Problem Dec 21, 2022

Show notes

This week, we talk about a scavenging cat, a punchy octopus, and a critical bug. Repeating the same process over and over doesn't change the outcome. And just pointing out bugs won’t solve the problem. You need a feedback loop that allows you to address the root cause of an issue - that’s where a quality pipeline comes in.

00:29 Intro

01:09 Thanks to our supporters! (https://moneygrab.bscotch.net)

04:19 Sequin Explosion

Questions answered (abbreviated):

19:57 Fraser: Once Crashlands 2 is finished, is there any genre you'd want to try next?
42:59 Mimmabip Gourkee: What advice would you give to a developer who wants to start doing QA?

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[Ep393] Time Illusion Dec 14, 2022

Show notes

In this episode, we discuss time perception, time estimation, and time reality. During game development, there are deliverables set on a timeline. People’s perceptions of time are notoriously inaccurate, which means that estimations of how long something will take are usually wrong. Instead of focusing on estimating time, ask yourself how long your timeline is and what can realistically be accomplished.

00:20 Intro

00:37 Thanks to our supporters! (https://moneygrab.bscotch.net)

04:19 Groundhog day

Questions answered (abbreviated):

-39:48 Fraser: How do you estimate timelines in game-development?

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[Ep392] Unspooling Secrets Dec 07, 2022

Show notes

This week, we talk about the meaning of exploration, the need for a third place, and making the work visible. You can’t solve a problem that you can’t see. If you don’t have a clear mental model of ALL THE THINGS and how they interact with each other, you can’t make decisions about the next steps. That’s where great tooling comes in!

00:20 Intro

02:13 Thanks to our supporters! (https://moneygrab.bscotch.net)

02:34 Nail/Whiff

36:41 Crashlands 2

Things Mentioned: