Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

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

I welcome Angel Muniz, a 3D Generalist and Technical Artist who shares about her transition into the game industry, talking with Bungie, getting her first job, and going back to school. Hear career advice about how the art field is changing, creating automation, learning integration, and getting your first position. Learn about knowing your value, having mentors, passion & curiosity, and advancing your career.We then discuss hackathons, growing your skills, her VR portfolio, and her love of learning. Hear about emotional intelligence, politics, listening, bodystorming, and how we process information. Discover AI machine learning, building an experience to help with anxiety, XR, wearables, aerospace, and NASA. Learn about integrating XR into education, roles outside of triple-A, different projects she’s worked on, challenges around hiring, toxic environments, and thoughts on being neurodivergent. Hear about overwhelming job descriptions, changing skills, the metaverse, wantrepreneurs, reading the room, and not being critical when playing games. Towards the end we talk about networking, connecting with the IGDA, Global Game Jam, the value of GDC, and the game dev community in Houston. Hear about games like Graveyard Keeper, kind words for this podcast, where to connect online, new tech battles, keeping your skills sharp, her mentor’s advice on making progress each day, and info on my YouTube presentation about careers outside of traditional game development.Bio:Angel Muniz is originally from Texas, a former NASA JSC - Animation & Graphics Lab 3D Intern, who worked on growing the game industry in Houston —mainly in the XR field. Angel served as a Co-PI for a National Science Foundation Grant & Adjunct Professor for the Dynamic Reality Technology program (AAS in XR) at Coastal Alabama College. With a background in public speaking for high-performance art/PBR & optimization, she was a keynote speaker for the University of Pennsylvania, a guest lecturer at the University of Houston - Computer Science, Microsoft’s HoloAcademy in Redmond, Immersive Tech Conference, IGDA, and more. For over 7 years, Angel has worked as a 3D Generalist and Technical Artist - CGI for Amazon AWS, TenGun, TYM Studio, Practical VR, Ong Innovations, and served as a consultant to many more. She’s been a professional mentor for the game developer community co-creating and participating in boot camps, hackathons, and one-on-one sessions with artists and developers. She is currently building an application in XR and plans to apply for her 2nd NSF grant to fund her research in behavioral health, communication, and technology. Angel is an advocate for neurodiverse individuals in the field as she continues her work in the game industry. She is an avid learner and seeks to build and utilize new tools in automation for game art in the industry.Show Links:* Substance Designer website* SMU Guildhall website* Digipen website* NSF Grants website* Rain on Your Parade Steam* IGDA website* Global Game Jam website* GDC website* Graveyard Keeper website* The Survivalists Steam* Detroit: Become Human Wikipedia* Joowon Kim SMU Guildhall* Careers Options Beyond Traditional Game Development me on YouTube Connect Links:*Angel Muniz LinkedIn*Angel Muniz 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: I'm hiring 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 Jurie Horneman, senior gameplay programmer at Possibly Space, who shares about growing up in the Netherlands and his passion for wanting to make games that led to his first job. Learn about making Amberstar, answering calls from players, and making Ambermoon, which still has a dedicated fan base. Hear about moving to Blue Byte, Albion being overly ambitious, learning C, and having your shipping platform changed because of bankruptcy.We then discuss source code, the importance of completing personal projects, and needing to shift your perspective to think as a hiring manager or department lead. Learn about pitching in, how game dev is different from film, and working on Watch Dogs: Legion. Hear thoughts for working in games now, developing interpersonal skills, and why it’s important to enjoy the process of making games versus only focusing on the results. Discover his favorite games to have worked on, passion around dynamic storytelling, game engines. game AI, and game design. Hear about working remotely, the impact of video conferencing, the need to communicate more as a manager, the value of in-person serendipity, and the power of messaging apps. Towards the end we talk about how the GTA: Vice City Xbox U.S. update almost shipped with all of the globally controversial settings accidently turned off, working Manhunt 2, The Settlers, Incubation: Time Is Running Out, and interesting games out now. We wrap with Resident Evil, how to connect, enjoying the process, accepting change, and being a good person.    Bio:Jurie Horneman is originally from the Netherlands, and has made games in Germany, France, Austria, and now Canada. He got started in 1991 as a programmer before becoming a game designer, producer, and now senior gameplay programmer again, plus has worked at Ubisoft, Rockstar Games, Blue Byte Software, and many other studios. Show Links:* Demoscene Wikipedia * Ambermoon Wikipedia* Albion Wikipedia* Splinter Cell Wikipedia* Weird West website* Emily Short blog* GTA Controversies KeenGamer* Manhunt 2 Wikipedia* The Settlers Wikipedia* Incubation: Time Is Running Out Wikipedia* Stray website* The Quarry website* Robo: The Allectric Idventurer Steam* Robo: The Allectric Idventurer Twitter* Robo: The Allectric Idventurer Discord Connect Links:* Jurie Horneman Twitter* Jurie Horneman 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 lots of roles!* Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733* The Meditations: An Emperor's Guide to Mastery current audiobook* Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I welcome Carl Leducq, Games Producer at Altered State Machine and the popular Zero to Play podcast who shares about his new role and recently shipped game for Rocketwerkz. Learn how he transitioned from film into the game industry and working in QA changed his perspective. Hear how he transitioned from QA to Production, his passion around the game development community and the NZGDA.We then discuss advice for getting into the industry, doing game jams, and advancing your career. Hear about the importance of communication skills, ideas for working remotely, and developing interpersonal skills. Learn about his favorite project, his interest in Web3, and the parallels to early F2P games. We then pivot into AR, VR, and potential threats, like Play To Earn and the massive Axie Infinity hack.Towards the end we talk about his podcast Zero To Play on YouTube, the awesomeness of Valorant, how to get in contact, and his parting advice around having an open mind.    Bio:Carl Leducq is a NZ games advocate & experienced Games Producer who’s shipped titles on mobile, AR & PC (and now Web3). Carl is busy understanding and exploring the games industry from every angle, always learning, and growing more passionate about it every step of the way.Currently he’s working as a Games Producer with Altered State Machine, helping to deliver engaging and innovative interactive media experiences to their community using their IP partners.He also helps local game devs in New Zealand through the work he does as the Vice-Chair of the NZGDA. Plus every week Carl has an in-depth chat with a Game Developer over on his podcast Zero To Play which can be found on YouTube, Spotify and all other podcast services.Show Links:* Rocketwerkz website* Clinton Keith Amazon* Breaking The Wheel website* Web3 Wikipedia* Magic Leap website* Axie Infinity CNN Connect Links:* Carl Leducq Twitter* Carl Leducq YouTube* Carl Leducq LinkedInGame 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 page - we’re hiring for engineers and other roles* Game Dev Advice Hotline: (224) 484-7733* Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links* Current Audiobook: The Practice of Groundedness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I welcome Jae Lin, the Hotline Director of the ‘Games and Online Harassment Hotline’ who shares about their current role running the hotline, along with the new Culture Shift project. Learn about when they’re available, who it’s helping, and how you can text “support” to 23368 within the U.S. for help. Hear about the new Culture Shift program launched with Take this that goes into game studios and works with top leadership to create custom programs for companies. We then discuss gender-based harm, why it keeps happening, and the culture around it. Hear ideas around accountability, changing behaviors, and how the program just launched in March of this year. Learn about Jae’s experience being pushed out of esports, doing volunteer work in Austin, and getting involved with the hotline, along with how they define gender-based harm.Towards the end we discuss Signs of the Sojourner, Alto’s Odyssey, where to find these services online, and advice about practicing accountability, even in the smallest ways. Bio:My guest is Jae Lin, the Hotline Director of the ‘Games and Online Harassment Hotline’ and a mental health advocate for video game spaces. They have a background in queer community health and suicide prevention, with roots in collegiate esports. Jae is also a Community Organizer around trans liberation, queer arts, and racial justice based in Austin, TX.Show Links:* GameIndustry.biz article* Take this. website* Signs of the Sojourner Steam* Alto’s Odyssey website* Text “support” to 23368 Connect Links:* Gameshotline website  * Gameshotline on Twitter* Gameshotline YouTube* FemFreq website* FemFreq Twitter* FemFreq YouTubeGame 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 page - we’re hiring for engineers and other 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 Jon Radoff, CEO of Beamable who shares his inspiration behind starting the company. Hear how D&D and computer programming got him hooked on games, and the companies he’s created along the way. Learn how he began his entrepreneurial journey as a kid, along with advice for others who love games and have a passion to create. We then discuss his thoughts around entrepreneurship, who to listen to, and who not to listen to. Hear why it’s important to have a portfolio, along with strategies for interviewing. Learn the value of having humility, a beginner's mind, not being afraid to throw things away, and getting player feedback. Hear stories on the development of huge IP games like Star Trek Timelines, Game of Thrones Ascent, and his very first game, Legends of Future Past. Learn about his passion for understanding what makes shipping games so hard, different business models, and how big and diverse the industry really is. Towards the end we discuss the lack of skilled people to fill roles, optimizing around creativity and reducing complexity, his broad definition of the metaverse, VR, AR, and making things more accessible. Hear a funny story about a party, his current favorite games, and wanting to hear from other developers. We then wrap up talking about how to reach out online, and doing research on new business models instead of being too cynical. Bio:Jon Radoff is CEO of Beamable, a Live Services platform for game developers. He is also the author of the "Building the Metaverse" blog, where he open-sources his thinking about the future of the internet. Jon is a lifelong entrepreneur who started making online games as a teenager before going on to build one of the first multiplayer commercial games on the Internet: Legends of Future Past. Since then, he's built businesses in Web publishing, ad networking and mobile games reaching tens of millions of consumers.Show Links:* Beamable* Disruptor Beam* Legends of Future Past* Star Trek Timelines* Game of Thrones Ascent* Building the Metaverse * Omni (Magazine)* Stellaris* The Office Somehow We ManageConnect Links:* Jon Radoff Twitter* Jon Radoff YouTube* Jon Radoff LinkedInGame 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 page - we’re hiring for engineers and other 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 Renee Gittins who shares about her role as the Executive Director of the IGDA, along with her new position at Phoenix Labs. Learn about how Renee transitioned from biotech into game development, the various roles she’s had, along with making lifelong friends at Riot Games. Hear the importance of having confidence, starting your projects sooner, building a portfolio, and making connections. We then discuss the importance of self-promotion and mentorship as keys to advancing your career, especially working with cross-discipline. Learn the importance of people skills, especially self-reflection and empathy, along with her favorite project, Potions: A Curious Tale. Hear about the cultural revolution going on in the industry, thoughts on the Metaverse, and an inspiring story.Hear opinions on AR & VR, a surprising audience for her game project, and a wonderful story about her game’s impact. We wrap up talking about the importance of newer developers sharing and helping others, finding her online, and being kind to yourself during times like these.Bio:Renee Gittins is the Executive Director of the IGDA, and a multi-disciplinary leader with expertise in software engineering and creative direction. She is a passionate advocate and connector for developers and diversity in the game industry, with a background that spans across engineering, design, and production. She is outspoken about initiatives to increase diversity both within the game industry and gaming overall to help the game industry grow and improve for everyone.Show Links:* IGDA website* IGDA Discord* Creativity, Inc. book* Crucial Conversations book* Potions: A Curious Tale Steam* Guide For Game Companies whitepaper* Geek Girl Con website* Dauntless website* Dishonored wikipediaConnect Links:* Renee Gittins Twitter* Renee Gittins LinkedInGame 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 page - we’re hiring for tons 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 Albert “Skip” Rizzo, a clinical psychologist and 25 year veteran of gaming technology and VR for clinical uses. Learn how a patient playing Tetris sparked his interest in gaming, and years later he joined USC to use VR to help kids with ADHD. Hear the critical importance of building content that engages and motivates patients, along with the differences between games and film. We then dive into the Bravemind program to help vets suffering from PTSD, how he's rebuilt their technology, added new locations, and created a pre-deployment program for soldiers. Learn how he expanded into helping with sexual trama around a civilian context and working on different types of civilian PTSD, along with teenagers who’ve grown up with abuse and difficult living conditions.   Learn Skip’s mission is to get the content into the hands of people who can benefit with ADHD, stroke rehab, pain management, and other areas. We then discuss the importance of mutual respect, a shared purpose, and curiosity. Hear about the need for meaning in one’s work, the heroes who work in healthcare, and the enormous stress they’re under in this COVID world. He then shares a new project for helping healthcare professionals dealing with stress using questions and dialogue. Hear about his favorite projects around work for autism, ADHD, disadvantaged youth, resilience training for pre-deployment, the importance of narrative, and one of my favorite games I worked on. We then talk about technology, the future, metaverse concerns, and companies investing in VR. Learn how Brainlab is using AR to help neurosurgeons prepare for difficult surgeries and the value of the Magic Leap.We wrap up with him sharing how he and others worked with a young Palmer Lucky, how he’s getting back into moderate gaming through VR, the challenges he’s had to overcome to gain acceptance in the traditional clinical psychology field, how AI is the next big frontier, and where to find him online. Bio:Albert “Skip” Rizzo is a clinical psychologist and Director of Medical Virtual Reality at the USC Institute for Creative Technologies. He is also a Research Professor with the USC Dept. of Psychiatry and at the USC Davis School of Gerontology. His career began as a clinician providing rehabilitative services for persons with traumatic brain injuries and stroke. Over the last 25 years, Skip has conducted research on the design, development and evaluation of VR targeting the areas of clinical assessment, treatment and rehabilitation across the domains of psychological, cognitive and motor functioning in both healthy and clinical populations.This work has focused on PTSD, TBI, Autism, ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and other clinical conditions. Some of his recent work has involved the creation of artificially intelligent virtual human (VH) patients that novice clinicians can use to practice skills required for challenging diagnostic interviews and for creating online virtual human healthcare guides, and clinical interviewers with automated sensing of facial, gestural, and vocal behaviors useful for inferring the state of the user interacting with these virtual human entities. Show Links:* How Video Games Are Saving Those Who Served article* Full Spectrum Warrior Wikipedia* My You’re Not Getting Any Younger; Learn How To Ride a Motorcycle article* Level Ex website* Brainlab websiteConnect Links:* Skip Rizzo YouTube * Skip Rizzo Twitter* Skip Rizzo website* Skip Rizzo email - rizzo@ict.usc.eduGame Dev Advice Links: * Game Dev Advice Patreon - please help support the show if you find it entertaining/useful* Game Dev Advice Twitter* Game Dev Advice email (info@gamedevadvice.com)* Game Dev Advice website* Level Ex Careers page - we’re hiring for tons 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 Dan Nikolaides, CEO of Symmetric Games and the CTO of Studio369 on this episode. We begin discussing his current role leading development efforts on their game MetalCore, along with the studio’s first game, Rune II. Learn about the concepts in MetalCore, how they found investors, and how he started in the industry.We then dive into switching over to game teams, having projects canceled, and leaving to join Phosphor. Hear about shipping a bunch of games, then starting his studio in 2016. Learn about not being intimidated by hard problems along with the importance of a growth mindset. We then talk about the importance of new engineers knowing a game engine, the preferred language behind it, and having a strong engineering foundation.Learn Dan’s advice for current engineers who want to grow and have more responsibilities, along with the kind of work most working leads actually do. Hear about the importance of being a good listener, rubber ducking, and what kills a person’s morale. We then discuss some of his favorite old projects, blockchain gaming, NFTs, and the Metaverse, and how different companies are approaching this space.Hear about the industry’s challenge around content overload, Steam being dead for indies, and why it’s better to partner with a console. We then pivot into VR, their VR game in development, and how it’s a few years away from being a breakout platform. Towards the end we discuss working from home, game industry people, Dota 2, the struggles of starting a studio, how to contact Dan, and why now is the best time ever to be looking for a new job. Bio:Dan Nikolaides graduated from the University of Illinois in Computer Science, and has been in the gaming industry for over 15 years. He’s well known for being an Unreal Engine guru, and has worked for companies like - Midway Games, Warner Brothers, Day 1 Studios, Phosphor Studios, and Symmetric Games.His game credits include - Mortal Kombat, Stranglehold, Man of Steel, Gears of War, NBC’s Heroes, World War Z, WWE Immortals, Nether, Outpost Zero, and more. Dan’s currently the CEO of Symmetric Games and the CTO of Studio369 where he’s leading the technical and design direction of the studio’s game production for MetalCore, their upcoming release.Show Links:* Rune II Steam* PlanetSide 2 Steam* BattleTech Centers wikipedia* Phosphor Studios website* Unreal Engine website* Simon Sinek YouTubeConnect Links:* Dan Nikolaides Twitter* MetalCore website* MetalCore Discord* MetalCore Trailer YouTube Game Dev Advice Links: * Game Dev Advice Patreon - please help support the show if you find it entertaining/useful* Game Dev Advice Twitter* Game Dev Advice email (info@gamedevadvice.com)* Game Dev Advice website* Level Ex Careers page - we’re hiring for tons 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