Nice Games Club - a gamedev podcast!

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Nicest of 2020 Dec 26, 2020

Show notes

This wasn't a normal year, so in addition to your nice hosts' annual tradition of celebrating the year's "Nicest," and looking forward to the games and the gamedev in the coming year, we do another pandemic check-in, and reflect on the how the show has been one of the stabilizing forces in our lives. PLUS: We reveal this year's hiatus project!

0:20:56

Local Releases (2020)

HyperDot Elemetals Widget Satchel (in Japan)Color Jumper (on Switch)Death Drives a Bus Astral Gunners (in Early Access)Flailure0:32:46

Nicest (2020)

Ellen:

Ellen played 2019's Baba Is You on Switch this year.

Ellen played 2019's Borderlands 3 at the beginning on the pandemic.

Ellen is staring down the HUGE pile of games from 2020's Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality.

Mark:

One of Mark's Nicest was "new consoles," which we talked about in:"Not like Beauty and the Beast."Paper Mario: The Origami King is a laugh-out-loud funny RPG on the SwitchAndrew WebsterPolygon

Stephen:

Civilization VI didn't come out in 2020, but with all the new content, it sometimes feels like it!

Nioh 20:48:39

Most Anticipated (for 2021)

Ellen:

Endling The Medium Boyfriend Dungeon

Mark:

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Away: The Survival Series

Stephen:

Baldur’s Gate 3 Deathloop1:01:29

Gamedev Resolutions (for 2021)

1:12:17

What We're Working On (in 2021)

"Mindworm husbandry." 4X Games; Actionable Gamification by Yu-kai Chou Dec 16, 2020

Show notes

Everybody's favorite nice host emeritus, Martha Megarry, returns once again to the program to talk with Stephen about 4X games, Ellen delivers a book report, and Mark is disadvantaged as a player.

0:05:08

4X Games

What Makes a 4X Game"Micah ""Marlowe"" Dutro"ExplorminateWelcome to CivAnon2KYouTubeThe Best Scenarios in Civilization 6Sam WoodrickGameRant'Civilization' and Strategy Games' Progress DelusionGabriel SoaresViceColonialism is Fun? Sid Meier’s Civilization and the Gamification of ImperialismNick PullenImperial & Global Forum0:40:44

Actionable Gamification by Yu-kai Chou

Yu-kai Chou: Gamification & Behavioral DesignOur evil counterparts went deep on Gamer Motivation Profiles in thier first takeover of the show:Evil Games Club! Bartle’s Player Types for Gamification"Janaki Mythily Kumar, Mario Herger, and Rikke Friis Dam "Interaction Design FoundationThe 4 Keys to FunNicole LazzaroXEODesignDid eBay Just Prove That Paid Search Ads Don’t Work?Ray FismanHarvard Business Review

Families in Games (with Beth Korth and Andy Korth) Dec 10, 2020

Show notes

We have some familiar guests this week! The Korth family (Andy, Beth, and Gabe) join us in the clubhouse to talk about the ways they play games together. Are there games that adults and four-year-olds alike can play together and enjoy? Sure! We talk about flexibility, rules, consent, "PBP," and what gamedevs should think about if they want to "toot around in the kid zone." Also, have you heard of a game called Minecraft?

Families in Games

GamingThe first time the Korths were on the show was Episode #2!Steam GreenlightThe second time the Korths were on the show was about a hundred episodes ago.Code Comment: "Verdant Skies"And the most recent appearance from the Korths was Episode #132.Narrative Design HermitCraft (Minecraft streamer)Roblox Spelunx Into the Breach Robotron Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) for Minnesota

Tips for Designing Games for Learning Dec 01, 2020

Show notes

Ellen recently gave an engaging and informative presentation at igdatc's monthly Gamedev Meeting! Plus: audience participation, bad passwords, and (if you stick around) a second dog!

Also, please enjoy Mark transposing the letters "G" and "D" in "IGDA" each time he says it. He will never learn.

Tips for Designing Games for Learning

igdatc's Gamedev Meeting for November 2020, cued up to the start of Ellen's presentation.

Business Speak (with Tiffany Otto) Nov 25, 2020

Show notes

Holly extends her stay for another week to help your nice hosts interview Tiffany Otto, freshly sprung from government-mandated quarantine to bring her "slimy" wisdom and experience into the clubhouse.

Tiffany, the Director of Partnerships for IndieCade, is over-indexed in business, but she wants to raise the index for everyone. If preparing pitch decks, scheduling business meetings, and networking with your peers seems daunting, you won't want to miss this one. Just be sure to stick around for Ellen to swoop in at the end to button it all up.

Business Speak

Events IRL Marketing What It’s Like to Be Quarantined on an Island Over Coronavirus Fears - Isabella Kwai, The New York Times IndieCade's "Playing TogethAR Showcase"Mark talked about his expereince going to IndieCade in the very first episode of the show:"We in this."Seven Touches – A Basic Marketing Principle in Action - LisaMarie Dias, CompuKol Here's how to reduce friction in sales - George Brontén, Membrain Understanding Indie Publishers - Callum Underwood, YouTube How to Pitch to Raw Fury Chunking (psychology) - Wikipedia HomeTeam GameDev From Sage on the Stage to Guide on the Side - Alison King, College Teaching

A photo of a PS5 and an Xbox Series X both placed vertically on Mark and Dale's bookshelf, nestled strategically between a series of large reference books. — **"Not like Beauty and the Beast." Fail States; Worldbuilding** Nov 18, 2020
Show notes

Holly Harrison is back in the clubhouse as Guest Host for a wide-ranging discussion on new consoles, fail states, and worldbuilding. Stephen gives a weird example, Mark makes a funny noise, and Holly invites us to Join Lobby. Plus, we only mention *Star Trek* once!
Join Lobby - Video Game Culture Feed - Holly Harrison, Twitter
Bugsnax is Dale's current game of choice
Ubisoft’s toxic culture problems allegedly span more than a decade of abuse - Megan Farokhmanesh, The Verge
"My dad gives his initial impressions on the PlayStation 5" - Josh Du, Twitter
Why Cheaper Next-Gen Gaming is Key to Growing the Games Industry - Alysia Judge, IGN
Mark found a way to hide his PS5 on a bookshelf.
Stephen and Charles mentioned they have a "secret Target" for console releasesGDC 2017 Special (Part 2)
Target reopens E. Lake Street store heavily damaged in riots - Dee DePass, Star Tribune
32:28
Fail States
Shadow Complex (2009)Wikipedia57:08
Worldbuilding
"Queer identity in Watch Dogs: Legion should be more than flavor text"Carolyn PetitPolygon

200th Episode Special: Bonus Content Nov 13, 2020

Show notes

After recording our extra-long 200th episode, we kept the tape rolling for nearly an hour's worth of additional content.

Unbeknownst to your nice hosts, Dale also selected clips from the show's 4-year history, and we discussed how things have changed and how they've stayed the same! Tune in for "more fun," "more casual," and "more Ellen sound effects." Plus, Stephen fixes some very old bugs, and Mark provides a halfway-solicited Super Mario Sunshine rant. We also ended up with a lot more outtakes than in a usual recording...

So, how! do you get this extra 40+ minutes of content? Simple, by becoming a patron (at any level) on our new Patreon page!

Nice Games Club on Patreon

"A Spark Plug." 200th Episode Special Nov 12, 2020

Show notes

Your nice host emeritus Martha Megarry returns to the (virtual) clubhouse, along with Dale LaCroix (of Evil Games Club) to celebrate 200 episodes!

Each of your nice hosts have picked an episode from the past 4 years and pulled clips to listen to and discuss, expanding on the original topics. We also talk about the past, present, and future of the show, and and and... well, it's a double-length episode, so listen and find out!

Did we mention we now have a Patreon?

0:11:42

100th Episode Special (revisit)

You heard right, we've got merch! Get your Nice Games Club t-shirt today!

Favicon (pronounciation)Wiktionary0:52:05

Learning Through Games (revisit)

Pointer (computer programming)WikipediaAdventures With Anxiety!Nicky Case1:13:45

Messages and Meanings (revisit)

Portal 2 Finds A Unique Way to OffendMichael McWhertorKotakuNo chess at the Olympics anytime soonAndré SchulzChessBase1:46:04

Game Libraries (revisit)

Our favorite games from the Itch.io racial justice bundleEngadgetLizzy CrossingEva Lee

"Random hilarious nonsense." Games for Young Children; Comedy in Games Nov 04, 2020

Show notes

This week: Stephen starts out British, Mark gets all the references, and Ellen makes octopus noises. We talk high-level about what it takes to make (and market) games for young children, and Mark shares some insights about comedy in games—can it be more than silly memes? Maybe!

COMING SOON!
- PATREON?!!
- EPISODE 200??!!!
WOOOHOOOO!!!!!!

0:10:42

Games for Young Children

Designing for Youth - Making Games for Players Under 14Extra CreditsYouTubeDesigning Apps and Games for Kids (The Right Way)Paul Armstrong, Carly Gloge, Jim Nichols, Alex BowmanGDCCar Wash Game for Kids (gameplay video)YouTubeZen Koi - Game for iOS and AndroidLandShark GamesScratch from MIT

"Scratch helps young people learn to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively — essential skills for life in the 21st century."

Ellen mentioned children's franchises Blues Clues, "Baby Shark" from Pinkfong, and P.J. Masks.0:44:16