Designer Notes Designer Notes 70: Justin Ma
Oct 9, 2022
Soren interviews Justin Ma, co-founder of Subset Games, known for FTL and Into the Breach. Topics include Justin's bombed interview, AI limitations in FTL, and the debate over unlimited undo in Into the Breach. They also discuss game design approach, unexpected success, feedback from beta testers, creating unique game mechanics, design challenges, and running a two-person company.
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Early Game Exposure
- Justin Ma's father worked at Activision and Acclaim, giving him early access to game dev builds.
- This fostered a lifelong interest in games, despite his mother's disapproval due to the time commitment.
Early Career Aspirations
- Despite growing up around game development, Ma initially aspired to game journalism.
- He majored in East Asian Studies, minored in Studio Art, and hoped to enter the industry through art.
First Job
- Justin Ma bombed his first game dev interview at 2K Shanghai, as his generalist skills weren't needed.
- He later got hired due to his diverse skillset, creating a pipeline for Bioshock 2's 2D maps.