Hey, Good Game

Cassidy Williams, a developer and co-founder of Cosigned and Contenda, dives into her journey creating Jumblie, a word game inspired by coding challenges. She shares insights from her time in Spain and her unique experience as a college mascot. The conversation touches on her love for board games, the challenges of puzzle editing, and the importance of balancing creativity with technology. Cassidy discusses the influence of AI in gaming and recounts her innovative approach to game design, alongside humorous anecdotes from her internship days.

Peter Mohrbacher, creator of Angelarium and an acclaimed fantasy artist, shares his insights on the art world. He argues that success stems from 'creative selfishness'—making art for oneself rather than external validation. Mohrbacher discusses the challenges of balancing art with business, the impact of social media on creativity, and the nuances of crowdfunding. He also dives into the complexities of navigating scams in the creative landscape and explores his upcoming tabletop RPG project, highlighting the importance of authenticity in artistic endeavors.

Greg Karber, creator of the hit puzzle game Murdle, discusses balancing game mechanics and storytelling, influences on game creation, and monetization strategies. He shares the journey from a simple puzzle to a bestselling book series and daily online game. Topics include evolving chess gameplay, creating viral puzzle games, and avoiding personal glorification in game development.

Game designer Cole Medeiros shares insights on designing board games for different audiences, collaborating on Stardew Valley: The Board Game, and balancing creativity with business in game development. From childhood creations to major titles, his journey showcases the impact of personal passion in successful game creation.

Guest Zach Gage, a renowned game designer, discusses creating unique digital puzzles like Good Sudoku and Really Bad Chess. He shares insights into his creative process, challenges in game design, and building Puzzmo.com. Exploring his artistic family background, innovative game examples, and balancing business with creativity.

Jim Horne, creator of Microsoft FreeCell and xwordinfo.com, shares his journey from early programming to developing FreeCell for Windows. He discusses his time at Microsoft, including interactions with Steve Ballmer. Jim highlights the unsolvable nature of FreeCell and his recent game collaboration,

Tracy Fullerton discusses creating 'Walden,' blending philosophy with gameplay, challenges of game development, mentorship in game design, and the importance of emotional experience goals and diverse voices in the industry.

Acclaimed author Blake Harris discusses Sega and Nintendo's rivalry, revealing internal conflicts at Sega. He talks about the impact of Oculus on tech, Larry David's upcoming book, and writing about cultural icons. Harris shares insights on persistence, research, and storytelling.

Game producer Jeff Petriello discusses his journey to the New York Times, the evolution of NYT games like Wordle and Strands, and the significant role of games in building social connections. He also shares insights on teaching game design, transitioning careers, and the creative process behind game development.

Game developer Aaron shares his journey into game development and attempts to acquire Wordle before the New York Times did. The podcast explores online game monetization, the rise of Wordle, and the missed opportunity of acquiring the popular word game.