Podcasts · Leisure · Education

Game Maker's Notebook

Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences

268 episodes · Explicit

A game dev podcast featuring in-depth conversations between video game makers on the business and craft of interactive entertainment.

Episodes page 1 of 6

  1. Smilegate's Harold Kim on Building Long-Lasting IP

    · 41 min

    Adam Orth chats with Harold Kim, SVP of Business Development at Smilegate. Together they discuss Smilegate's portfolio strategy and how that informs what partners they elect to work with; the importance of building…

  2. GMN Source Files - Composer Austin Wintory

    · 13 min

    Grammy and Bafta winning composer Austin Wintory stars in the premiere episode of Source Files, a new series in the Game Maker's Notebook podcast family where we ask developers what games were most influential in their…

  3. How to Create an Immersive Climbing Game with Cairn

    · 1 h 18 min

    Chris Charla chats with The Game Bakers' Audrey Leprince and Emeric Thoa about their latest release, the climbing adventure Cairn. Together they discuss the history of their studio with titles like Furi and Haven; how…

  4. MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls with Sony Interactive Entertainment's Reed Baird and Marvel Games' Michael Francisco

    · 1 h 40 min

    Jun Shen Chia chats with Michael Francisco, Senior Product Development Manager, Marvel Games and Reed Baird, Senior Producer, SIE PlayStation Studios XDEV. Together they discuss the development of MARVEL Tōkon:…

  5. LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight with TT Games' Jonathan Smith

    · 58 min

    Trent Kusters chats with Jonathan Smith, Vice President, Product at TT Games. Together they discuss his path from the LEGO Company to TT Games and helping define the pillars of a LEGO game; the importance of teamwork…

  6. How A Viral Animation Turned Into a Sword-Fighting Dinosaur Game with Jean Nguyen

    · 1 h 13 min

    Adam Orth chats with Jean Nguyen, the creator behind the viral hit Dinoblade. Together they discuss his early work in games through animation; the story of his viral animation featuring a Spinosaurus with a sword;…

  7. Slay the Spire 2 and Building the Deckbuilder Genre with Mega Crit's Casey Yano

    · 1 h 37 min

    Karrie Shao chats with Mega Crit Games Co-Founder Casey Yano. Together they discuss developing the Slay the Spire series which helped kick off the deckbuilder genre; design pillars and an emphasis on clear information;…

  8. Actor Judy Alice Lee on Hades II's 12,000+ Lines of Dialogue

    · 1 h 12 min

    Alexa Ray Corriea chats with actor Judy Alice Lee. Together they discuss how she began her career as a recording engineer before finding herself inside the acting booth; how game accents differ from real life; her…

  9. Yacht Club Games' Sean Velasco on Mina the Hollower, Scope Creep, and What's Next

    · 1 h 13 min

    Trent Kusters chats with Yacht Club Games' Founder Sean Velasco. Together they discuss Yacht Club's follow up to the Shovel Knight series, Mina the Hollower including what they wanted to do differently from their…

  10. How 007 First Light Adds to the James Bond Legacy with Hakan Abrak

    · 1 h 25 min

    Trent Kusters chats with Hakan Abrak, CEO & Co-Owner of IO Interactive. Hakan is also the Game Director on IOI's take on the Bond legacy with 007 First Light. Together they discuss how IOI met with MGM and the Ian…

  11. Following Up Disco Elysium with ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies with Studio Head Allen Murray

    · 1 h 29 min

    Adam Orth chats Allen Murray, Studio Head of ZA/UM Studio and Head of Production on ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies. Together they discuss the legacy of the studio and the pressure of following up a beloved debut in Disco…

  12. Subverting Expectations in Titanium Court with AP Thomson

    · 1 h 45 min

    Trent Kusters chats with AP Thomson, creator of the surreal strategy-puzzle game, Titanium Court. Together they discuss his path into games and meeting his long time collaborator Jenny Jiao Hsia; working together on…

  13. How Replaced Explores the Relationship Between Technology and the Human Condition

    · 1 h 24 min

    Adam Orth chats with Igor Gritsy and Yura Zhoanovich of Sad Cat Studios about their 2.5D cinematic action-platformer, Replaced. Together they discuss developing the story as an exploration between technology and it's…

  14. Jake Birkett on Forbidden Solitaire, Casual Games, and Surviving Gamedev for 11 Years Without a Hit

    · 1 h 41 min

    Trent Kusters chats with Jake Birkett of Grey Alien Games. Together they discuss how he worked together with Night Signal Entertainment on their card-slashing "horror" collaboration, Forbidden Solitaire; the importance…

  15. Dosa Divas' Chandana Ekanayake Talks Food, Music, and Indie Development

    · 1 h 09 min

    Alexa Ray Corriea chats with Chandana Ekanayake of Outerloop Games. Together they discuss developing his newest game Dosa Divas, including the origin of the narrative and using food as a storytelling device; weaving…

  16. How People of Note Explores Heavy Subjects with Whimsy and Musical Theater

    · 1 h 23 min

    Alexa Ray Corriea chats with Jason WIshnov, CEO of Iridium Studios, about their newest title, People of Note. Together they discuss where the initial design concepts originated from; the difficulty of finding a…

  17. Housemarque's Gregory Louden on Saros, Narrative and Game Design

    · 1 h 46 min

    Trent Kusters chats with Gregory Louden, Creative Director behind Housemarque's latest dark sci-fi bullet-ballet, Saros. Together they discuss his early work in film with directors such as Alfonso Cuarón and Ridley…

  18. Mewgenics: From Flash Games to Cat Armies with Edmund McMillen & Tyler Glaiel

    · 1 h 34 min

    Trent Kusters chats with Edmund McMillen and Tyler Glaiel, creators of the hit cat-army tactical roguelite, Mewgenics. Together they discuss their history creating games during the boom of the flash and Xbox Live era…

  19. MOUSE: P.I. For Hire - Creating a Rubber Hose Noir Detective Story

    · 1 h 15 min

    Adam Orth chats with Mateusz Michalak (CEO & Co-Founder) & Mateusz Lechowski (Narrative Director) from Fumi Games about their studio debut title, Mouse: P.I. For Hire. Together they discuss the origins of the studio…

  20. How Mixtape Tells a Coming of Age Story via Music with Johnny Galvatron

    · 59 min

    Adam Orth chats with musician and game developer Johnny Galvatron. Together they discuss his newly released coming of age story told through music, Mixtape including the origins of the idea; how they selected the music…

  21. Re-release: Bioshock Creator Ken Levine on Judas, Writing and Narrative in Games

    · 1 h 32 min

    We're on a release break for new episodes, so here's one our past great chats from Oct, 9 2023! Adam Orth chats with Ken Levine, the legendary creator behind the Bioshock series and the upcoming Judas. Together they…

  22. Re-release: Before Your Eyes with Oliver Lewin and Graham Parkes

    · 1 h 19 min

    We're on a release break for new episodes, so here's one our past great chats from May 16, 2022! Corey May speaks with the Oliver Lewin and Graham Parkes, two of the developers behind Before Your Eyes. Together they…

  23. Re-release: The History of Dwarf Fortress with Zach and Tarn Adams

    · 2 h 32 min

    We're on a quick release break for new episodes, so here's one our past conversations from Mar 27, 2023 with Tarn Adams and Zach Adams, brothers who together created Dwarf Fortress! Trent chats with the brothers about…

  24. The Sounds of ARC Raiders with Audio Director Bence Pajor

    · 1 h 18 min

    Austin Wintory chats with Bence Pajor, the Audio Director behind Embark Studios' smash hit extraction shooter, Arc Raiders. Together they discuss his early career in music and how he transitioned to audio design; his…

  25. Jenny Jiao Hsia Shares The Story Of Her Life In CONSUME ME

    · 1 h 19 min

    Alexa Ray Corriea chats with Jenny Jiao Hsia, co-director of Consume Me. Together they discuss where Jenny first got the idea to tell a semi-autobiographical story through video games; learning to not micromanage and…

  26. Arc Raiders Design Director Virgil Watkins

    · 1 h 18 min

    Adam Orth chats with Virgil Watkins, the design director behind Embark Studios' smash hit extraction shooter, Arc Raiders. Together they discuss his early passion in modding and how it led to him joining Embark Studios…

  27. Ben Starr on Acting and the State of the Games Industry

    · 1 h 52 min

    Alexa Ray Corriea chats with Actor Ben Starr. Together they discuss his role in the multi-D.I.C.E. Award winning game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33; balancing authenticity and restraint in the public sphere; voice acting…

  28. Battlefield 6 Creative Director Thomas Andersson

    · 1 h 23 min

    Adam Orth chats with Battlefield 6 Creative Director, Thomas Andersson. Together they discuss his path in games from level design to direction; what it takes to lead a team the size it takes to create a Battlefield…

  29. The State of Games Writing with Writer & Narrative Director Cara Ellison

    · 1 h 28 min

    Karrie Shao chats with writer and narrative designer Cara Ellison. Together they discuss her path from television to games; the global development scene and the difficulties facing developers today; her desire to bring…

  30. Cory Davis (Spec Ops: The Line) & Robin Finck (Nine Inch Nails) on Psychedelic Horror in SLEEP AWAKE

    · 1 h 06 min

    Adam Orth chats with Eyes Out co-founders Cory Davis (Spec Ops: the Line) and Robin Finck (Nine Inch Nails) about their studio's debut game, SLEEP AWAKE. Together they discuss their distinct paths from traditional…

  31. The Audio Experience of Ghost of Yotei with Rev. Dr. Bradley D. Meyer

    · 1 h 50 min

    Grammy Award winning composer Austin Wintory chats with Rev. Dr. Bradley D. Meyer, Audio Director at Sucker Punch Productions. Together they discuss his path to gaming and joining Sucker Punch; his thoughts on audio…

  32. Talking Game Maker's Sketchbook with Double Fine's Tim Schafer

    · 30 min

    Guest host Tim Schafer (Double Fine Productions) chats with Jon Gibson (iam8bit) Meggan Scavio (AIAS), and Sibel Sunar (fortyseven communications) about their joint effort to celebrate the world of game art, the Game…

  33. Abiotic Factor with Geoff "Zag" Keene and Henry Feltham

    · 1 h 22 min

    Corey May chats with Abiotic Factor developers Geoff "Zag" Keene and Henry Feltham from Deep Field Games. Together they discuss the challenges and benefits of working in small teams; the importance of relationships and…

  34. History of the Anno series with Creative Director Manuel Reinher

    · 1 h 22 min

    Trent Kusters chats with Ubisoft Mainz Creative Director, Manuel Reinher. Together they discuss his extensive work in the Anno series and his path from the art team to direction; the creative and technical challenges…

  35. Narrative Design in DISPATCH with Director Nick Herman

    · 1 h 04 min

    Alexa Ray Corriea chats with Adhoc Studio's Nick Herman about their debut title, Dispatch. Together they discuss the difficulties of funding narrative based titles and how that led to their collaboration with Critical…

  36. Double Fine's Lee Petty talks Keeper and Creative Leadership

    · 2 h 55 min

    Trent Kusters chats with Lee Petty, Creative Director on Double Fine's newest adventure, Keeper. Together they discuss where the idea to anthropomorphize a light house; why they avoided dialogue and how it pushed them…

  37. SILENT HILL f Director Al Yang on Creating an All-New Chapter in the Legendary Horror Franchise

    · 1 h 49 min

    Jun Shen Chia chats with SILENT HILL f game director Al Yang of Neobards Entertainment. Together they discuss how Neobards collaborated with Konami and famed Japanese writer Ryukishi07 on creating the newest chapter in…

  38. Making THE OUTER WORLDS 2 with Obsidian's Brandon Adler and Kyle Koenig

    · 1 h 28 min

    Adam Orth chats with Brandon Adler and Kyle Koenig about their latest work at Obsidian Entertainment, The Outer Worlds 2. Together they discuss the lessons they learned from the first game and what they sought to…

  39. Becoming the Ghost of Yōtei with Erika Ishii

    · 1 h 05 min

    This episode contains spoilers for the game 'Ghost of Yōtei' Alexa Ray Corriea chats with actor and producer, Erika Ishii who stars as Atsu in Ghost of Yōtei. Together they discuss Erika's journey in acting and how…

  40. The Challenges of Game Localization, Writing and Recording with Shloc

    · 1 h 21 min

    Alexa Ray Corriea chats with Oli Chance and Morgan Rushton from localization studio Shloc Ltd. Together they discuss how they got into the business of game localization; their long history working on massive IP like…

  41. Absolum - Dotemu's Path From Licensed Games to Original IP

    · 1 h 32 min

    Trent Kusters chats with Dotemu CEO, Cyrille Imbert. Together they discuss Dotemu's work in licensed IP including how they pitch to license holders; the short-term financial and long-term relationship damage caused by…

  42. From "Katamari Damacy" Through "to a T" with Keita Takahashi

    · 1 h 45 min

    Trent Kusters chats with creator of the cult classic Katamari Damacy and the recently released to a T, Keita Takahashi. Together they discuss how he went from sculpting to his first job at Bandai Namco; the origins and…

  43. Obsidian's Josh Sawyer's Thoughts on Creating Engaging RPGs

    · 1 h 09 min

    Alexa Ray Corriea chats with Josh Sawyer, Studio Design Director at Obsidian Entertainment. Together they discuss his thoughts on developing RPGs; what he learned from working at legendary studio Black Isle Studios;…

  44. The Development World of RPGs with Jeff Gardiner

    · 1 h 24 min

    Adam Orth chats with Jeff Gardiner from Something Wicked Games. Together they discuss his long history in the world of RPG development including titles in the Elder Scrolls and Fallout series; the trials and…

  45. Games Writing with Lis Moberly, Creative Lead @ 20th Century Games

    · 1 h 17 min

    Alexa Ray Corriea chats with Lis Moberly, Creative lead at 20th Century Games. Together they discuss how the path towards game development has changed over the years and the difficulties young people face with job…

  46. From Used Car Salesman to Indie Game Publisher: The New Blood Story

    · 1 h 28 min

    Trent Kusters chats with Dave Oshry of New Blood Interactive. Together they discuss how he went from games journalism to publishing; navigating the ins and outs of publishing on PC and how they landed their first deal;…

  47. How to Pitch Game Projects to Publishers with Focus Entertainment's Yves Le Yaouanq

    · 1 h 33 min

    Adam Orth chats with Focus Entertainment's Chief Content Officer, Yves Le Yaouanq. Together they discuss his journey and the lessons he's learned working for some of the biggest game developers and publishers in the…

  48. How Ready or Not Creates Tension Behind Every Door

    · 1 h 39 min

    Trent Kusters chats with Sean Gorman (Lead Designer) and Mark Ranson (Art Director) from Void Interactive, creators of the tactical first-person shooter, Ready or Not. Together they discuss how the studio balances…

  49. Escape From Tarkov and the Creation of Extraction Shooters with Nikita Buyanov

    · 1 h 26 min

    Log in to your account at www.escapefromtarkov.com and redeem the code NIKITAONGMNPODCAST to receive a special gift from Battlestate Games. Trent Kusters chats with Nikita Buyanov, the COO, Founder, and Game Director…

  50. Creating a Modern but Retro Immersive Sim in Skin Deep

    · 1 h 44 min

    Trent Kusters chats with Brendon Chung, Tynan Wales, and Suzanne Will about their immersive first-person shooter, Skin Deep. Together they discuss the inspiration for Skin Deep and how it evolved from it's original…

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