The AIAS Game Maker's Notebook

Chris Alderson and Josh Stiksma from Polyarc discuss founding the studio and developing for VR, the design choices that shaped the Moss series, and the balance between VR experiences and traditional gameplay. They also talk about creating content for VR, improvements in Moss Book Two, and the future of work in the game development industry.

Joseph Staten, Head of Creative at 343 Industries and Halo Infinite, discusses the challenges of developing an evolving campaign and a live-service game, the evolution of the Halo franchise in terms of team size and ambition, the difficulties faced during the development of Halo Infinite, and the essentials of successful game writing. He also shares his excitement for the future of the Halo franchise and the importance of expansion and bringing in new characters and creators.

Composer Tom Salta discusses his career journey before games, working with Arkane Studios on the Wolfenstein series and Deathloop, assembling a score rooted in the 60s for Deathloop, and how his experiences in game development have helped establish his creative workflow.

Johnny Galvatron, Creative Director behind the BAFTA award winning game, The Artful Escape, discusses his transition from rockstar to game developer; building his first studio and finding the right talent; working with Annapurna Interactive for a star-studded cast; the captivating travel sequences and influences in 'The Artful Escape'; the concept of agency in video games; the purposeful and captivating first act of the game; and creating a successful game and planning for the future.

Scot Lane, New World Game Director, discusses how he and Amazon Games designed the game's various systems, handles live content pipeline, analyzes feedback to make decisions, and gives advice for developers working on live service games.

Gregorios Kythreotis and Martin Kvale discuss their game Sable, including the development of Shedworks studio, collaborating with Japanese Breakfast on the soundtrack, infusing humor into the characters, and creating a game focused on meditation instead of combat.

Bungie's Luke Smith discusses designing repeatable gameplay and balancing the Destiny Universe for veterans and new players. They explore the benefits of live service experiences and creating spaces of belonging. They also discuss the potential for adding service-like experiences to non-service projects and the importance of seizing opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Game developer and designer Andrew Shouldice discusses his journey into game development and the decision to go indie, the influences behind Tunic, the pressure of debuting your first project, the joy of mystery and discovery, and building a world full of secrets. They also talk about early experiences with video games, the initial reactions to the game from Microsoft executives, creating and designing the game manual, the exploration and combat mechanics, unexpected player behavior, and the demand for a printed manual.

Xalavier Nelson Jr. chats with writer and content creator Alanah Pearce. Together they discuss how her love of writing and video games began; creating content across a variety of mediums; getting her start in game development; cleared misconceptions after leaving media and joining development teams; and the importance of creating accessible games for all people and her venture the Video Game Accessibility Awards. Watch this episode on our Youtube channel.

Christopher Chancey discusses designing an RPG without combat, tackling difficult subjects in games, creating games for children, and his work with Indie Asylum and the Montreal development scene.