Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

In this episode, I spoke with Sam Glassenberg, Founder and CEO of Level Ex, as we dive into subjects encompassing the gaming industry, technology, and healthcare. Sam recounts his unexpected journey into gaming, beginning as an animator at LucasArts and eventually helping lead Microsoft’s DirectX Graphics team. We then transition to discussing the critical importance of having a portfolio for job seekers, the interesting challenges of working in Tech Art, the foundational value of solid engineering principles, and the innovative ways Level Ex pushes Unity3D beyond its limits.Our conversation also touches on the essential qualities of empathy, adaptability, and curiosity in the gaming industry. Sam fondly recalls working on his two favorite projects, Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter and Gastro Ex. We also explore the role of generative AI in skill enhancement, the unique challenges of movie-based games, and the exciting yet still maturing potential of AR/VR/XR technologies. Sam then shares an amusing story from a medical conference and emphasizes the need for improved medical training, along with his interest in casual and hyper-casual mobile games.As the episode nears its end, Sam provides insights from his recent trip to Kiev where Level Ex is helping assist the Ukrainian armed forces in medical training and his experiences presenting at NATO. He sheds light on the neuroscience behind game design and identifies professional video games as a burgeoning opportunity within the industry. We conclude with Sam encouraging game developers to embrace AI and where to find him online for further discussions and collaboration.Bio:Sam Glassenberg is the CEO and Founder of Level Ex - the world's first medical video game company. Sam leads a team of veteran game developers and designers who are establishing a new genre of medical games: pushing the limits of game design, physics, and rendering to capture the most terrifying challenges of medicine. Offering the only games certified to provide AMA Category 1 Continuing Medical Education credit, Level Ex's games are played by over a million medical professionals. 20 out of the top 40 medical device and pharmaceutical companies use Level Ex game technology to train and sell their products. Level Ex's games are used by leading medical societies - and NASA - to disseminate the latest guidelines and techniques for topics ranging from COVID to Space Health. Through their work, Level Ex is rapidly establishing 'play' as a fundamental force accelerating adoption in medicine. Show Links:* DirectX - Wikipedia* FarBridge - website* ArtStation - website* SIGGRAPH 2019 Real-Time Live! - YouTube* Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter - Wikipedia* Gastro Ex - website* ChatGPT - websiteConnect With Links:* Sam Glassenberg - LinkedIn* Sam Glassenberg - blog* Sam Glassenberg - X/Twitter* Level Ex - website* Level Ex - YouTubeGame Dev Advice Links: * YouTube Podcasts - check out this episode with a guarantee of 100% more video* Patreon - 1:1 career coaching through the Gain Wisdom membership* website - show notes, links, stuff* info@gamedevadvice.com - reach out!* Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733* Level Ex Jobs - Current openings for advancing the practice of medicine through play* Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links* X/Twitter - not really using it to be honest Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

 I welcome Alex Seropian, founder and CEO of Look North World on this episode kicking off the 5th (wow, 5th) year of the podcast. Hear as Alex shares insights about his current role, including hosting The Fourth Curtain podcast and his new studio, Look North World. Learn about the growing significance of user-generated content (UGC) in the gaming industry and the potential for UGC to become a major part of the industry in the coming years. Alex also reflects on his journey in the game industry, from his early exposure to video games to the founding of Bungie after college and working on games like Marathon and Halo.We then get into his curiosity about the future of the game industry, particularly in relation to the impact of technology, such as AI and virtual reality. He also raises concerns about job stability and diversity within our industry, emphasizing the importance of building a diverse workforce. Alex then shares his excitement about the Steam Deck hardware and highlights his ongoing passion for gaming.In closing, Alex offers a piece of advice for those working in the industry, expressing optimism about the future of the game industry, and the role of entertainment in people's lives. We acknowledge the fluctuations and challenges within the industry but maintain a positive outlook for its future.Bio:Alex Seropian is an entrepreneur and video game developer who has been creating video games for more than 30 years. He is currently the founder and CEO of Look North World, a developer of games & entertainment for creator communities. Alex started in the video game industry by founding Bungie (Halo, Marathon, Myth). He is also the founder of Wideload Games and Industrial Toys. Alex has held executive positions at Microsoft, Disney, and Electronics Arts. Along with starting companies, he is the host of The Fourth Curtain Podcast, a mentor and advisor to numerous startups, and serves as a board advisor to the Tumo Center in Armenia.Show Links:* The Fourth Curtain Podcast - website* UGC - GamesBeat* Bungie - Wikipedia* UEFN Game Engine - website* Steam Deck - Steam websiteConnect With Links:* Alex Seropian - LinkedIn* Look North World - website* Alex Seropian - X/TwitterGame Dev Advice Links: * YouTube Podcasts - check out this episode with a guarantee of 100% more video* Patreon - 1:1 career coaching through the Gain Wisdom membership* website - show notes, links, stuff* X/Twitter - pretty dormant * info@gamedevadvice.com - reach out!* Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733* Level Ex website - Careers page for advancing the practice of medicine through play* Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I welcome Jennifer Javornik, the Chief Partnerships Officer at Filament Games on this 60th episode. Learn about her current role, the company’s connection with UW Madison, and how she transitioned from a traditional IT role into the game industry. Hear about being in improv comedy, learning to be less formal, and how the industry embraces being yourself. We then share advice about starting out, having content to show, testing, and being able to hit the ground running. Hear about the intricacies of doing client work, opportunities to work in marketing, and the importance of being flexible in this industry. We then get into teamwork, communication skills, and one of her favorite projects, iCivics.org. Learn about industry consolidation concerns, questions about the future, supporting VR/AR/MR, and hype cycles.Our discussion then pivots to a funny story about Minecraft, the NY Times Spelling Bee, and spending time away from games outside of work. As we wrap up, hear about some unusual projects she’s worked on for dairy farmers and pediatric MRIs to help kids, taking care of yourself, keeping your skills current, and the upcoming M+DEV 2023 conference in Madison, WI.Bio:Jennifer Javornik is a video game executive who specializes in partnerships, business development, revenue growth, and entrepreneurship. She is currently the Chief Partnerships Officer for Filament Games, a video game studio that specializes in digital games, simulations, VR and AR experiences for positive impact. She is also a founding member and former Executive Director of the Wisconsin Games Alliance and currently serves on the Unity Global Education Board.Show Links:* What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy - Amazon* iCivics.org - website* Microsoft acquiring Activision Blizzard - The Verge* Magic Leap - website* M+DEV 2023: Nov. 10, 2023 - websiteConnect with Links:* Jennifer Javornik - LinkedIn* Filament Games - websiteGame Dev Advice Links: * Patreon - please support the the show if you find it useful or interesting so new episodes can keep coming out* website* Twitter* email: info@gamedevadvice.com* Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733* Level Ex Careers website* Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I welcome Ryan Douglas, the Co-Founder at DeepWell DTx, NeuFluent / Founder, Nextern to this episode. Learn how DeepWell DTx is working to meld medical professionals, scientists, and game developers to create mental health digital therapeutics through play and neuroscience. Hear about the power of gaming to improve mental health, citing games like Tetris and Animal Crossing that have shown mental health benefits. Ryan then shares the value of creating experiences that make players feel better without consciously realizing it, along with potential negative effects around boundary conditions in medicine.We then get into the meteoric rise of the game industry, how it’s still immature at times, and the need for individuals to understand their motivations to be successful. Ryan then shares about the importance of building a culture centered on individual passions and shared purpose, how “crunch” isn’t unique to the industry, and work/life balance challenges.Hear about Ryan’s diverse career journey, the mental health emergency, F2P issues, digital therapeutics, flow states, the problem with gamification, and finding the overlap between game mechanics and treatment mechanisms. We then go into his 5 Creator Keys, EQ, finding people you trust, social media, regulation, AI, and both the power and over-hype of VR and AR.As we wrap up, we hear an unusual story about his career, life changes, excitement around their upcoming game, video game violence fallacy, working with the FDA, improving mental health, medicinal media, sharing on LinkedIn, finding your why, avoiding toxicity, and listening to your gut.Bio:Ryan Douglas is a renowned expert and innovator in mental health, artificial intelligence, and surgical robotics with nearly 20 years of experience. Ryan is the co-founder of DeepWell DTx, a video game publisher and developer focused on creating medically therapeutic games with compelling gameplay. He has commercialized over 20 medical devices, including treatments for depression, hypertension, breast cancer survivors, women's health, chronic pain, and neurological conditions. Additionally, Ryan holds pivotal patents in medical AI and robotics and has achieved FDA clearance for breakthrough therapies.Show Links:* Simon Sinek - Find Your Why YouTube* Animal Crossing and Mental Health The Gamer* da Vinci Surgical System Website* Pistol Whip Oculus* 1941: Counter Attack WikipediaConnect With Links:* Ryan Douglas LinkedIn* DeepWell DTx Website* DeepWell DTx TwitterGame Dev Advice Links: * Patreon - please help support the show if you find it useful!* Twitter* Website* Email: info@gamedevadvice.com* Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733* Level Ex Careers website* Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I welcome Jeff Linville, the Co-Founder and Sound Designer at Ritual Studios to this episode. We discuss topics like sound design, pitching your game to publishers, and the future of AR and VR. Jeff shares about the importance of your personal network, learning how to script and work in-engine, and maintaining a healthy mindset with the ups and downs of the industry. We then go into the importance of sound design, highlighting the transformative power of sound that enhances player experiences. Hear about the challenges faced by sound designers, such as time constraints and file size limitations, plus having content cut.Jeff shares why he’s bullish on VR and thoughts around AR possibly replacing smartphones through spatial computing. We then get into the concerns about AI's impact on game development and copyright issues, along with ideas around the benefits.Hear how the team pivoted their game pitch to get better results by focusing on bite-sized call-to-action prompts, plus using gifs and game audio to create the game experience. Learn the importance for sound designers to be able to work in-engine and script, plus having an engineer connection to help implement ideas and tech.Jeff and I then talk about the importance of seizing opportunities, networking with peers, and maintaining a positive attitude through setbacks. We then wrap up discussing chance encounters, the abundance of good people in the industry, and the power of doing great work.Bio:Jeff Linville is Co-Founder of Ritual Studios, a Chicago based indie studio working on their first title, Fretless: The Wrath of Riffson. Jeff has been in the game industry for over 6 years as a Sound Designer and Composer working on various titles, including Fretless and Cardio Ex.Show Links:* Fretless: The Wrath of Riffson Reveal Trailer YouTube* Cardio Ex Game Soundtrack on Spotify* FMOD website* Apple’s Vision Pro spatial computing Apple website* Guild Wars 2 website* Alien: Isolation App Store* The 2023 Hollywood Strike for Dummies VultureConnect With Links:* Fretless: The Wrath of Riffson Steam page* Ritual Studios Twitter* Jeff Linville Twitter* Jeff Linville YouTube* Playdigious home page* Playdigious TikTokGame Dev Advice Links: * Game Dev Advice Patreon - please support this work if you find it useful* Game Dev Advice Twitter* Game Dev Advice email: info@gamedevadvice.com* Game Dev Advice website* Level Ex Careers - we’re hiring for lots of roles!* Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733* Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I put this information together for a presentation at DePaul University in Chicago recently. The audience found it helpful, plus listener Chris Hardin thought it’d make a great episode. So I made some tweaks and recorded it solo as a short episode :) While it’s intended for folks looking to get their first job there are different ideas and strategies that should be helpful if you’re already working in the industry. I cover strategies around resumes, applying for jobs, doing due diligence, interviewing strategies, following up afterwards, the importance of your portfolio/website, and other areas.It’s not meant to be extensive, but tips and ideas to help in your game development journey. (Plus if you’d like to go deeper my Gain Wisdom Patreon level has monthly private coaching included.)Bio:John Podlasek is the Director of Talent Acquisition at Level Ex, bringing over 30 years of experience in the video game & technology sectors. He is known for recruiting top game development talent and has played key Production roles in successful game franchises such as Mortal Kombat and Marvel Avengers Initiative. With a deep background in team organization and growth, John’s worked at companies like Midway Games, Disney, Zynga, Viacom, and others, plus is the host of the popular Game Dev Advice podcast with a global following.Resources:* Joe Hobbs Game Development Advice Contact List, also follow him on Twitter: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/1/d/e/2PACX-1vRYveFAl_GuvBo0iuy3EvgPm0fWAGci-Z8e5CZ6hoYz9n8gcoK4dgE0RML-x0pWqRNjGqte-V7phtqB/pubhtml * GrackleHQ: www.gracklehq.com * GameDevMap: www.gamedevmap.com  * Game Developer (formerly Gamasutra): https://www.gamedeveloper.com/ * GDC YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/channel/UC0JB7TSe49lg56u6qH8y_MQ * Unity blog: https://blog.unity.com/ * Unreal Engine blog: https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/feed/blog * 80lv: https://80.lv/ * Designer Notes: http://www.designer-notes.com/ * GameIndustry.biz: http://gamesindustry.biz * Game Industry News: https://www.gameindustry.com/ * Breaking the Wheel - Producers: https://www.breakingthewheel.com/ * VentureBeat’s GameBeat: https://venturebeat.com/category/games/ * YouTube Why Level Ex? https://youtu.be/GsWoygM_r3Q * My interview about the TurboGrafx 16-bit gaming days and other things: https://youtu.be/U4BP-3GX2kc * My YouTube presentation Careers Beyond Traditional Game Development mentioned earlier: https://youtu.be/ib_MegZm5-4Game Dev Advice Links: * Game Dev Advice Patreon - please support this work if you find it useful* Game Dev Advice Twitter* Game Dev Advice email: info@gamedevadvice.com* Game Dev Advice website* Level Ex Careers - we’re hiring for lots of roles!* Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733* Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I welcome Steve Anichini, the CTO and Co-founder of Disbelief to this episode. We start off discussing programming at a young age, taking a job after college, and then deciding to pursue a game development career with his first job at Jellyvision. Hear about working at Midway Games and Irrational Games and then starting Disbelief after layoffs. Learn advice about developing patience with yourself, others, project timelines, and not freaking out over deadlines.Steve then shares ideas for getting a first job, including the importance of debugging skills and learning more languages and game engines. We then discuss advancing as a programmer, including the importance of communication skills.Hear about some of his favorite projects, including Borderlands 3 and BioShock Infinite. We then dive into rendering and graphics technology, including real-time ray tracing and Unreal Five's Nanite. Hear about the threat and opportunity he sees in the industry, along with benefits and numerous concerns around AI. Steve then shares a funny story about a John Woo’s Stranglehold press event, some games he’s playing, the company's journey towards an anti-crunch culture, along with strategies for not getting into bad situations. At the end he shares advice about never being too late to strike out on your own, giving yourself enough runway, and getting in touch with him online. Bio:Steve Anichini has worked on many titles throughout his 24 year career, including Borderlands 3's PS5/XSX ports, Gears 5, BioShock Infinite, and John Woo Presents Stranglehold. He worked on tools and systems used in Blitz: The League, Psi-ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy, and Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. At Disbelief, Steve focuses on systems and graphics programming, training, recruiting, and company strategyConnect With Links:* Disbelief website* Disbelief Career Page website* info@disbelief.com email* @solidangle@mastodon.gamedev.place Mastodon* Solid Angle blogShow Links:* Debugging: The 9 Indispensable Rules for Finding Even the Most Elusive Software and Hardware Problems Goodreads* Google Technical Writing Courses website* Nanite Virtualized Geometry in Unreal website* Lumen Global Illumination and Reflections in Unreal website* Midway’s 2007 Game Event in Vegas website* Pentiment XboxGame Dev Advice Links: * Game Dev Advice Patreon - please support this work if you find it useful* Game Dev Advice Twitter* Game Dev Advice email: info@gamedevadvice.com* Game Dev Advice website* Level Ex Careers - we’re hiring for lots of roles!* Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733* Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I welcome Roger Sharpe, President and CEO of Sharpe Communications, and the star of the new movie - PINBALL: The Man Who Saved the Game. Hear about his marketing agency and how the idea to turn his story into a movie started back in 2020. We then discuss how pinball used to be illegal in New York City, discovering pinball in college, working at GQ, being challenged to write a book, and testifying at City Hall it was a game of skill, not a game of chance.Learn about life choices, working in advertising, how others got their start in pinball, plus ideas how you could get into the industry now. Hear about home enthusiasts being a huge boost, going international, and thousands of events, tournaments, and leagues happening every year. We then dive into some of his favorite games and projects, including the ones he designed, along with his licensing work on Elvira, NBA Jam, Mortal Kombat, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Terminator 2, Arctic Thunder, and other games. Learn about the growth of barcades, the explosion of the industry, the difference to video games, and cooperative play. Hear about his concern on the recent pricing of pinballs, not going too hardcore on the game design, and thoughts on licensing. Towards the end he shares a great story about Gary Stern, the legendary Harry Williams, his pinball book, and some current games he’s playing or interested in. Learn about websites you can check out, the March 17th, 2023 release date, the irony of making pinballs in Chicago but not being legal years ago, and how this little indie movie is winning awards (go check it out). Bio:Roger Sharpe’s demonstration of pinball as a skill-based game overturned New York City’s thirty-five-year ban on pinball machines in 1976. His story, now a film, “PINBALL: The Man Who Saved the Game” came out March 17th, 2023. Roger is also the former Director of Marketing and Licensing at Williams Bally/Midway, a pinball historian, a player, and former pinball designer at Stern, Williams, and Game Plan.Show Links:* Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game website* Apple TV Movie link (U.S.)* YouTube Movies and TV link (U.S.)* Moving Picture Institute website* Vertical Entertainment website* Stern Pinball website* Jersey Jack Pinball website* IFPA website* Midwest Gaming Classic website* Texas Pinball Festival website* Scorebit website* James Bond 007 website* Bally Midway WikipediaGame Dev Advice Links: * Game Dev Advice Patreon - please help support the show if you find it useful* Game Dev Advice Twitter* Game Dev Advice email: info@gamedevadvice.com* Game Dev Advice website* Level Ex Careers - we’re hiring for lots of roles!* Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733* Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I welcome Ray McCaffrey, Executive Producer at Steel Wool Studios. Hear how he got started in the game industry through a friend by joining a band with some NetherRealm artists who later encouraged him to apply for a short-term Assistant Producer contract job. Learn about his transition from IT, working with industry legends, and wishing he’d known to be more quiet and listen better.We then discuss advancing your career in Production, the importance of documenting feedback and results, and providing context to the team to build trust. Hear about the value of being calm and centered for others and the value it brings to the team and a company.Learn about the critical skill of being comfortable being uncomfortable, accepting change in the search for fun, along with the role of acting as a confidant to team members. Hear about being honest with yourself about your flaws, putting constructive feedback into practice, plus sharing feedback without being a jerk. Listen about how insufferable it is working with jerks, ways we avoided it, and what a relief it is not to.We then dive into the uncanny valley of console hyper-realism, go deep into God of War Ragnarök, how accelerated technology is now, and some thoughts on ChatGPT, AI art, and the futility of trying to predict the future. Hear why he’s bearish on AR, and bullish on VR for the entertainment value, plus the way it’s changed how we interact with each other at times.Towards the end we talk about a game cancellation that taught him how to be a compassionate leader, the importance of an open dialogue with your team when in a position of authority, the genius of The Last of Us, other game licensed content, Halo 2 Double Team, pizza, and accepting that nothing is ever final. Bio:Ray McCaffrey is the Executive Producer at Steel Wool Studios, an independent studio based in Oakland, CA. Ray’s been in the game industry for almost a dozen years and has worked on games like Injustice: Gods Among Us, Batman: Arkham Origins, Mortal Kombat X, WWE Immortals, Cardio Ex, Pulm Ex, Five Nights at Freddy’s and more. Show Links:* God of War Ragnarök website* ChatGPT website* TRIPP VR website* The Room VR: Dark Matter website* STAR WARS Jedi: Survivor website* The Last of Us website* Halo 2 Double Team FandomConnect Links:* Ray McCaffrey Twitter* Steel Wool Studios websiteGame Dev Advice Links: * Game Dev Advice Patreon - please help support the show if you find it useful* Game Dev Advice Twitter* Game Dev Advice email: info@gamedevadvice.com* Game Dev Advice website* Level Ex Careers - we’re hiring for lots of roles!* Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733* Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I welcome Noah Falstein, a legendary Game Designer on this episode. Hear about his current work as a Designer and Consultant, along with how he began straight out of college at Milton Bradley before going to Williams and to create arcade games. Learn about being an early employee at Lucasfilm Games, and working on the amazing Indiana Jones titles along with others. We then discuss what he’s learned reflecting back to the beginning of his career, moving to California, and advice to expand your horizons beyond triple-A games when starting out. Discover the importance of persistence, curiosity and other key qualities for Game Designers to have, along with learning psychology to understand yourself, co-workers, and players. Learn about digital therapeutics to treat diseases and disorders, AR, Google Glass, and being bullish on the future. Hear about the one trillion dollar world health market, esports, web3, and threats to the industry being localized versus global. We then talk about the Wii Fit and dive deeper in VR and AR, including Pearl the interactive movie, and Skip Rizzo’s important work. Hear about working with (gamer) Steven Spielberg, working at Skywalker Ranch, for Google, and new technologies impacting games and healthcare. Towards the end we talk about merging his love of travel by presenting at conferences, where to find Noah online, the differences between the games, movies, and TV industries, plus why you shouldn’t be a jerk.  Bio:Noah Falstein was one of the first 10 employees at Lucasfilm Games/LucasArts where he led projects including PHM Pegasus, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and co-designed Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis. After serving as Google's Chief Game Designer Noah’s been focusing primarily on games for healthcare.Show Links:* Milton Bradley Wikipedia* Lucasfilm Games website* WMS Industries Wikipedia* Monkey Island Games Wikipedia* Akili Interactive website* E.T. Cartridges Buried in New Mexico PCMag* Pearl VR and Fun* The Dig Wikipedia* Skywalker Ranch Wikipedia* Level Ex websiteConnect Links:* Noah Falstein Google* Noah Falstein website, The Inspiracy* Noah Falstein Wikipedia* Noah Falstein TwitterGame Dev Advice Links: * Game Dev Advice Patreon - please help support the show if you find it useful :)* Game Dev Advice Twitter* Game Dev Advice email: info@gamedevadvice.com* Game Dev Advice website* Level Ex Careers - we’re hiring for lots of roles!* Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733* Subscribe with your favorite player and go to the website for full show notes with links Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices