Donna Noble, a popular companion in Doctor Who, joins Ellen and Dale in discussing their favorite games and game development accomplishments of 2023. They also delve into the clever narrative decisions in Doctor Who, the comparison between different Mario games, and their anticipation for Hellblade II and upcoming indie games. The speakers share personal anecdotes, such as Ellen's snake-filled basement and Dale's reliance on their spouse for motivation and support in their work projects.
The podcast discussed the hosts' accomplishments in 2023, including securing a big third party developer for a minigame and producing a vertical slice of a game with funding from Future Club.
The hosts also shared their personal accomplishments, such as working on custom game projects, attending the Serious Play Conference, and moving to Duluth.
The Nice Games Club Skunkworks Project was mentioned, which highlighted the hosts' work as a tabletop development team.
Stephen expressed his goals for 2024, which include exploring other game engines, setting up console SDKs for DreamSetter, and creating a portfolio site for his work.
Deep dives
Connection and Gameplay: Super Mario Wonder is a fun and joyful game that offers a more relaxed and inclusive gaming experience.
Super Mario Wonder captures the essence of classic Mario games while infusing it with a distinct personality and variety of gameplay elements. The game provides a fun and engaging co-op experience, allowing players to connect with family and friends.
Engaging Puzzle Games: The Zachtronic Solitaire Collection and Puzmo offer challenging and enjoyable puzzle experiences that provide hours of entertainment.
The Zachtronic Solitaire Collection and Puzmo are both highly addictive puzzle games that provide hours of entertainment. Both games feature interesting mechanics, a wide variety of puzzles, and a strong social component that adds to the overall experience.
Immersive Fantasy Experience: Force-spoken and Spirit Island offer immersive fantasy experiences with rich narratives and enjoyable gameplay mechanics.
Force-spoken and Spirit Island provide immersive fantasy experiences with captivating narratives and enjoyable gameplay mechanics. The games offer unique and engaging worlds that allow players to explore and experience thrilling adventures.
Enjoyable Board Games: Rivals in Wonder and Star Trek Resurgence offer entertaining and engaging board game experiences.
Rivals in Wonder and Star Trek Resurgence provide enjoyable and engaging board game experiences. These games offer strategic gameplay and captivating narratives that keep players entertained and invested throughout their playtime.
Looking into other game engines
Stephen wants to explore other game engines outside of Unity to feel more comfortable and flexible.
Setting up console SDKs
Stephen aims to set up the console SDKs for DreamSattler and get back into the workflow of console development.
Portfolio site and potential escape room project
Stephen's goals include creating a portfolio site for his work and potentially working on an escape room project with a customer.
The clubhouse continues the annual tradition of reviewing the past year. But first they need to talk about Doctor Who and new Minnesota state flag. Ellen makes her first programming joke, and Dale learns to add comments from the editing booth.
Finally, everyone shares which games they have been playing the bees out of in 2023.
But, wait... there's more: your nice hosts also talk about what they are anticipating for 2024.