Nice Games Club - a gamedev podcast!

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Rad Hazard — **"We joke here." Future Projects; Steam Direct; Racing Games** Jun 26, 2017
Show notes

In this episode, you nice hosts discuss some current events and engage in some future prognostications. Plus: more puns than reasonable.
*Apologies for the slightly odd audio quality on this one. The band playing at the bar downstairs was a bit louder and started a bit earlier than we expected. Much sound modeling. So noise reduction.*
Discuss this episode on Reddit using this thread on r/gamedev!
0:04:31
Future Projects
A Way Out blew us away at E3, but can the devs keep pace with their own ambitio…Charlie HallPolygonOur episode about Serial Game Design, featuring Lane Davis."I am a Juice Journeyman!"BloodRayne: Betrayal ReviewColin MoriatyIGN Star Fox Guard: The Kotaku ReviewStephen TotiloKotakuFinishing A GameDerek YuMake Games tumblr0:37:40
Steam Direct
Valve sets Steam Direct self-publishing fee at $100Samit SarkarPolygonValve is not your friend, and Steam is not healthy for gamingTim ColwillPolygonWay back in our second episode, we talked with Beth and Andy Korth about Steam Greenlight.Steam Greenlight The hidden world of Steam tradingMitch BowmanPolygon0:53:02
Racing Games
Hydro Thunder Hurricane ReviewJustin CalvertGameSpot
Retrospective: Star Wars Episode I RacerMartyn CarrollEurogamerStar Wars Episode 1 Racer: Watto Hums Cantina SongEventHorizon5YouTube
Mark talked about the original PlayStation’s wonky affine texture mapping, which was not “perspective correct.”

Games User Research and Analytics (with Nic VanMeerten) Jun 19, 2017

Show notes

Nic VanMeerten is a Games User Researcher and one of the co-founders of Glitch. He talks to your nice hosts about how meeting with researchers working on League of Legends at Riot Games jump-started his career in Games User Research, the different research methods used in GUR, the benefits of qualitative versus quantitative approaches, working with Unity Analytics, and more!

Discuss this week’s episode on Reddit using this thread in r/gamedev!

Games User Research and Analytics

UI / UX League Of Legends' Neverending War On Toxic Behavior - Dillion Skiffington, Kotaku How League Of Legends Enables Toxicity - Yannick LeJacq, Kotaku Understanding User Research - Maurice Tan, Game Developer Games User Research: What’s Different? - Jakob Nielsen , Nielsen Norman Group Hannah Murphy - Games User Researcher Blog Zodiapp How To Tame Your Analytics - Sasa Stublic, Game Developer What is R?Nic mentioned the Unity Analytics public API. We talked about APIs on last week’s episode."75% sure."

"75% sure." Runtimes, SDKs, and APIs; Mobile Games; Difficulty Jun 12, 2017

Show notes

In our second-longest ever, Mark explains the difference between an API and an SDK (and why it's important to know), Martha got her phone mugged and lost all her mobile game saves, and Stephen leads a discussion about designing for difficulty in your games (but mainly as an excuse to talk about fighting games again).

All this, plus your nice hosts celebrate 30 episodes, and Mark doesn't edit out something Martha asks him to, but only because Martha was the one who edited this episode.

0:02:31

Runtimes, SDKs, and APIs

Popular Runtimes

Java Virtual MachineWikipediaAIR RuntimeWikipediaDalvik runtimeWikipediaAndroid Runtime (ART)WikipediaCommon Language Runtime (.NET)Wikipedia

Articles

“A Primer For Unity Developers: What The Heck Is Mono?”- Logan BookerLifehacker AU“What is the Difference Between an API and an SDK?Kristopher SandovalNordic APIs BlogStarling 2 Starling WikiCitrus Engine Generic Animation Framework0:23:34

Mobile Games

Slayin reviewChris CarterDestructoidQuizUp is trying to reinvent itself by turning into a social networkJosh LowensohnThe VergeAlphabear Review – Why Do Bears Like Spelling Bees?Gamer BloggerHow to Monetize an Infinite RunnerMichail KatkoffGame AnalyticsVirtual Buttons Are Holding Mobile Games BackMuir FreelandGame DeveloperMiyamoto Plays Super Mario Run, Eats CakeBuzzFeed MultiplayerYouTubeCivilization Revolution 2 is a Good Mobile Game, But is It a Good Civ Game?Alex NewhouseGameSpotTurns out, Hercules is both Greek and Roman.Tufts UniversitySmash Hit Is The Most Addictive Android And iOS Game Of The Year So FarMihir Patkar Make Use OfI've been texting with an astronautLaura HudsonBoing BoingSpaceteam reviewRich StantonEurogamer0:54:27

Difficulty

Street Fighter V Fans Are Not Sure What To Make Of Seemingly Simplistic Newcome…Ian WalkerKotakuYomiUrban dictionaryZelda: Breath of the Wild’s first DLC pack sounds really neatSamit Sarkar,PolygonHard Mode: Good Difficulty Versus Bad DifficultyPaul SuddabyEnvato Tuts+Difficulty is Difficult: Designing for Hard Modes in GamesDaniel BoutrosGame DeveloperWhere Did the Challenge Go? The Problem with Skyrimj-u-i-c-eLevel SkipThe Civilization series has a difficulty problem, and Civ 6 solves it without e… Jordan ForwardPCGamesNhttps://www.reddit.com/r/changemyview/comments/6cg9k1/cmv_dark_souls_isnt_hard_…Vectornaut, r/ChangeMyViewRedditYoshi’s Woolly World is tougher than it looks, but only if you want it to beMatt GerardiAV ClubTim Schafer recalls when Steven Spielberg asked for a hint in Day of the Tentac…Owen GoodPolygonTim Schafer's take on 'good puzzle theory' and being stuck as entertainmentMicheal McWhertorPolygon

"I am a Juice Journeyman!" Serial Game Design; Changing Your Mind; Starting Your Next Project; Video Game Juice Jun 05, 2017

Show notes

A roundtable episode in disguise! Game designer/developer and friend of the show, Lane Davis, enters the clubhouse to guest host an episode where the topics are all his!

Lane brings some friendly debate (and shockingly accurate calendar math) to the show, in his continuing quest to make Nice Games Club just a little bit less nice. Yet he somehow manages to say some of the nicest things anyone has ever said on the program.

Lane has previously been a guest at the Nice Games Club, when he hosted a COOP TALKCo-op Recap: Transmedia

0:03:05

Serial Game Design

Edmund McMillen's ‘Basement Collection’ Shows Off his Early WorkComplexUnderstanding Design SpaceDamion SchubertZen of DesignTrying to Make Idea-Rich Games Jonathan BlowToo many ideas and projects. How do I choose one and stick with it?RedditAlex Carlson Game Designer One Game a Month0:14:57

Changing Your Mind

Why Criticism Is Important to Game DevelopmentA.J. MaciejewskiVideo ChumsWhy I want you to steal my ideasSeth GodinTED IdeasThe Poisonous ‘Not Invented Here’ syndromeGame DesignYouTubeScoping for Game JamsCarolyn VanEseltineSibyl Moon Games0:31:19

Starting Your Next Project

It’s ok to pull the plug on your gameIvan JakubiMachina Game Dev AcademyWriting Reusable CodeNoel LlopisGames From Within0:35:18

Video Game Juice

Facebook Study Finds Introverts Feel More Comfortable with VR Social InteractionDominic BrennanRoad to VRSqueezing more juice out of your game design!Nathan LovatoGame AnalyticsJuice It or Lose ItMartin Jonasson, Petri Purho GDC“Hollow Knight - Let’s Play Walkthough Commentary”123PazuYouTube

"That makes me retroactively nervous." GlitchCon 2017 Debrief; Game Design Primer; Multitasking in Game Development May 29, 2017

Show notes

In this roundtable episode, your nice hosts settle back into the clubhouse, still exhausted a few days after the excitement of GlitchCon 2017.

Martha conducts a debrief on the weekend's festivities, Stephen gives his presentation on game design (for both new and experienced gamedevs), and Mark leads a discussion on multitasking in game development workflows.

0:02:26

GlitchCon 2017 Debrief

We talked about PROTOTYPING in Episode 19"Pick up all the things."At Glitchcon Martha gave a talk about GIT, get her PRESENTATION SLIDES In the notes in her topic VERSION CONTROL "The Stevechievement."Mark's greatest invention the $6 playtester seat The Soap Factory Indie MomhoodBekah SaltsmanGame DeveloperHeather Kelley on Twitter Atmocopter0:31:06

Game Design Primer

Stephen's Game Design Workshop SlidesStephen McGregorConcept art for Fingeance character GwenCharles McGregorThe Magic School Bus “In the Haunted House”FandomWe reference our episode on PLAYTESTING"We are artists and we should be artists."0:48:33

Multitasking in Game Development

"The Myth of Multitasking"Christine RosenThe New AtlantisThe Importance of Holistic Game DesignDaniel ClarkIGN "If Multitasking Is Impossible, Why Are Some People So Good at It?" Derek ThompsonThe AtlanticWhy your brain likes it when you multi-taskClaudia HammondBBC

"The Stevechievement." Version Control; Art Direction; Console vs. PC Development May 22, 2017

Show notes

This week's roundtable episode features a (mostly) silent co-host: Ikaros the official Glitch HQ office doge! While not distracted by adorableness, Martha gives a primer on Git and version control best practices, Stephen leads a discussion on art direction, and Mark tries to understand PC gamers.

0:03:58

Version Control

Git Martha's Git workshop presentation slidesMartha MegarryA Short History of GitgitSourceTree GItKraken Merging Unity scenes, prefabs and assets with gitDavid DouglasDeadly FingersGit for Unity DevelopersAlistair Doulin Game DeveloperGitHub Bitbucket Heroku Pushing to multiple git reposAlex ArmstrongCode School: Learn GitPaolo PerrottaCode School0:33:38

Art Direction

In our episode " Bananas from here to eternity" the third topic in the roundtable is on Developer Art"Bananas, from here to eternity."The Design Bible Behind New York City’s Subway Republished as a Limited-Edition…Kristin HohenadelSlateSPY Fox Series Mini-GamesFandomBehind Borderlands' 11th-hour style changeTor ThorsenGameSpotCiv V Art Director Explains Art Deco LookAdam BiessenerGame InformerAnimation Bootcamp: Cuphead Process and PhilosophyJake ClarkGDC0:54:44

Console vs. PC Development

Book Review: The Art of Game DesignDaniel CookValve making big changes to Steam's trading card economyDerek StricklandTweakTownSony Developer Program Xbox LIVE Creator's program ID@XBOX Becoming a Nintendo Switch indie dev will be tough early on Kris Graft

Violence in Games (with Dev Jana) May 15, 2017

Show notes

This week's interview episode features Dev Jana, one half of the team behind Newt One, a non-violent music-infused 3D platformer.

We talk with Dev about how Newt One transformed (through continuous iteration) from a "Mario 64" clone into a game where "there are no bad guys" and nothing you do can hurt anything.

We also discuss the purpose and use of violence in video games, including the games we're all working on. When can violence be utilized effectively though mechanics and story? And when is it simply an lazy way to build tension and create challenge for the player?

Violence in Games

Game Design Happiness: The Science of Subjective Well-Being - Edward Diener, NOBA This Is What It’s Like To Play Dishonored 2 In Low Chaos, Non-Violent Fashion - Jonathan Leak, Game Revolution Firewatch: games without violence can be just as good or even better! - Florian Uhlemann, Medium Sonic Frees the Forest Animals - Dorkly, YouTube Addressing Conflict: Tension and Release in Games - John Nelson Rose, Game Developer I Finally "Get" 'HItman' - Nick Dinicola, PopMatters Ten Years Later: Videogames Not Responsible for Columbine - Andy Chalk, The Escapist Were video games to blame for massacre? - Winda Benedetti, NBC News Unmasking the Avatar: The Demographics of MMO Player Motivation, In-Game Prefer… - Nick Yee, Game Developer Metaphors: The impossibility of being literal - R.G.L., The Economist Gamer Motivation Profiling by Quantic Foundry - Quantic Foundry

LIVE from GlitchCon 2017 (with Rebekah Saltsman and Adam Saltsman) May 08, 2017

Show notes

For our first ever LIVE episode, we took the main stage at GlitchCon 2017 along with our guests Rebekah and Adam Saltsman, co-founders of Finji, publisher of "Night in the Woods" and developer of "Overland" and "Canabalt," to talk about talking about games!

Plus your nice hosts and their guests each recount moments where they "leveled up" as game developers.

LIVE from GlitchCon 2017

Events IRL

[0:01:45] Talking about your game to different audiences

[0:32:35] Moments where you “leveled up” as a gamedev

[0:45:56] Outro

At the end of this episode, Stephen was able to guilt a whole room full of people to fill out our feedback form, but that doesn't mean you're off the hook. Hearing from you helps make our show better, so get on it!

"I trolled myself." Taxes and Business; Nintendo Switch; Competition May 01, 2017

Show notes

This week's roundtable provides practical knowledge on three of today's most important life topics: Starting a business, being a good competitor, and playing Nintendo.

0:01:51

Taxes and Business

Indie Developer tax issues: Is game development your hobby or your businessZachary StrebeckGame DeveloperHow LLC Members Are TaxedNOLOStarting a Business - MN Department of Employment and Economic Development Inc File Legal Zoom Do You Need a Physical Address For Your Business?Belle WongLegal Zoom0:23:49

Nintendo Switch

Arms launches on June 16, new character Min Min revealedBrianNintendo EverythingNintendo Reveals A new ARMS Character, And It's An Odd OneRobert SephazonNintendo LifeJackbox Party Pack 3 Human Resource Machine Nintendo Switch dev kits could run as low as $440 Alissa McAloon Game DeveloperWith the Switch, Nintendo is getting right what the PlayStation Vita got wrongDavid HoughtinGamesRadarPlayStation Vita isn’t dead, just ask Nintendo Switch indie developersChris PlanteThe Verge0:43:20

Competition

"Playing to Win" and a Philosophy of Competition in GamingMark Newheiser“Is Wavedashing necessary for competitive play?” - redditRedditClaw Breaker TrailerMartha MegarryYouTubeMetro Nexus GameplayNoble RobotYouTube

GlitchCon 2017 Preview (Hype! Hype! Hype!) Apr 24, 2017

Show notes

Hype is alive in the clubhouse as your nice hosts preview all the sessions at Glitch Connect 2017, taking place at the Soap Factory in Minneapolis, May 5-7th!