Nice Games Club - a gamedev podcast!

This week, Mark becomes a game publisher and a PAX speaker, Ellen builds a desk and reads a book, and Stephen learns his lesson (almost).Color Jumper is available on Switch NOW!Our live episode for 2D Con is up on YouTube! The audio will be in the regular feed next week.Mark will be part of the PAX Online panel "Lovely or Lethal: Will these animals cuddle me or kill me?" on Thursday, September 17th at 6:30pm CT. PAX Online is free for all on Twitch.Actionable Gamification: Beyond Points, Badges, and Leaderboards - Yu-kai Chou0:10:15Online EventsThe 2021 Game Developers Conference will try to go physical again - but now in …Sean HollisterThe VergeThe ESA sets dates for E3 2021Rebekah ValentineGamesIndustry.bizSummer Games Done Quick 2020 Raises $2.3 MillionAdam BankhurstIGN We referred to our recent episode featuring Jamaican developer Glen Henry: Indiedev During the PandemicWe also mentioned Filipino developer Ryan Sumo, who we spoke with in:Gamedev in the PhilippinesAs sexual abuse allegations flood in, the world of video games faces a reckoningMark Serrels CNET0:36:05DocumentationPutting comments in code: the good, the bad, and the uglyBill SourourfreeCodeCampWhat Is Performance Support And Why Should You Use Performance Support Tools? Asha PandeyeLearning IndustryThe perfect client brief: Does it exist?Oliver McAteerCampaign US

Your nice hosts are joined by another nice guest! Jonathan Jennings is a games and XR engineer out of California. In this episode, the Clubhouse hears from Jonathan on the state of VR—programming and design challenges, industry updates, and what we might expect from VR experiences in the near future. Also, we discuss how VR fighting games make us tired, our favorite Ninja Turtles, and who really invented the internet.Programming VR GamesProgrammingVR / AR / XRHere's a full list of topics and relevant links from this week's episode. Additional articles and such are below. Enjoy!Magic LeapGalactic Bar Fight (in development, by our nice guest)Locomotion options in VR (for players, for devs) Weapons systems and physics in GORN (probably NSFW because it’s a “ludicrously violent VR gladiator simulator”)Oculus Connect 4 - Accessibility in Games conference sessionVR development on macOSADB for macOSMatt Gravelle episode (137)GearVR/Daydream end of lifePokemon GoVR ChatFacebook HorizonGORN - No Weapons Run (again, probably NSFW)Tumble VR on PlayStation VRDrunken Bar Fight (Steam, PlayStation, Oculus)PS5 DualSense controller hapticsThe Thrill of the Fight (boxing simulation game)Lessons Learned from Five Years of VR Locomotion Experiments - Paul White, Game DeveloperGoogle is discontinuing the Daydream View VR headset, and the Pixel 4 won’t sup… - Adi Robertson, The VergeSamsung is killing its VR applications now that Gear VR is dead - Mariella Moon, EngadgetMark mentioned an earlier episode with Unity development expert Matt Gravelle.Running An Indie Studio

Your nice hosts are doing a LIVE Nice Games Jam in a few hours, and Mark thought maybe he should tell people about it! Listen for details...It's happening at 10pm CT... TONIGHT! at https://twitch.tv/2dcon2D Con is raising money for AbleGamers, please donate here: https://2dcon.net/donate

Evil Games Club is back! Dale, Adia and Dylan have returned from outer space to be mean and make trouble in their 5th somewhat-less-than-hostile takeover of the program.0:04:47Working From HomeYour Nice Hosts also talked about working from home in"The new normal."0:45:46Small ProjectsPlay Adia's small stories!Adia spoke at a recent igdatc meetup about her Electron+Ink workIGDA TCYouTubeNarrascope0:45:46Escapist GamesBLASEBALLDale and Mark have been playing 8-bit versions of "Jeopardy!"Grounded Early Access ReviewJon RyanIGN

In this episode, Mark and Stephen are joined by guest host Adia Alderson for a thoughtful conversation with Glen Henry, an indie developer out of Jamaica. Glen runs Spritewrench Studios and has released multiple creative titles like M@ge (pronounced "Mage") and Grimm and Tonic. The club talks about Glen’s current projects, as well as creative processes, maintaining community during COVID-19, and re-imagining the visual novel.Also, Adia defines a game genre with food-like products, Mark brings up cozy bunkers, and everyone’s a crusty old developer. MetaGIG - Games Industry GatheringUniversity of West Indies GGJ siteIndiedev During the PandemicGame DesignIRLCheck out Glen's games on Itch.io and Steam! We talked about most of these titles during the episode:Grimm and Tonic Questlike Hail SHLD FLNGM@ge Shiny GauntletQuestlike Pocket (coming soon)Find Glen's art on his ArtStation page (NSFW) and watch him speed paint on his YouTube channel.Additional links and resourcesRen.js - "a new videogame engine for making Visual Novels that run directly in the web browser. Based on Ren'Py and powered by PhaserJS, it's easy to use and easy to extend."Winter Wolves Games - Developer of visual novels, dating sims, and RPGs.Narrascope Conference - Conference, Discord chat, game jam, and more.Zach Gage's wise tweet about making small games - TwitterGrimm & Tonic Webcomic - SpritewrenchThe Kindaichi Case Files (Manga) - WikipediaKinetic Novel - TV TropesIsekai - Wikipedia

This week, Mark hires quack calendar scientists, Ellen proposes a glossary, and everyone contradicts Stephen... including Stephen.The next "Twin Cities Playtest" is August 19th on Twitch!ParsecActionable Gamification: Beyond Points, Badges, and Leaderboards - Yu-kai Chou0:13:50PrototypingMark cited a "Nice Games Jam" episode as a good example of a paper prototype for a digitial game:Blob BallD.I.C.E. Summit 2002Mark CernyYouTubeBLARP! on SteamIsaac CohenAdobe XD0:49:22Design Pillars

Your nice hosts are joined by nice guest Alanna Linayre, founder of the indie studio Team Toadhouse. Alanna (rhymes with "banana") guides the gaming world towards healthier work practices and personal habits. We asked her a lot of questions about best practices in mental health, and about Team Toadhouse's upcoming game Call Me Cera.Also, Mark has a mission for artists, Ellen names a canary, and Stephen learns about "hustle culture."Mental HealthIRLProductionAlanna’s guidelines on depicting mental illness in games:Ask yourself why you’re putting mental health issues in your game.Make sure to have correct definitions, and not promote stigmas.Try not to use triggering content for the audience you’re serving.Avoid harmful tropes.Mental Illness: The Bio-Psycho-Social Spheres of Influence - Allan Schwartz, MentalHelp.NetI’m a “Spoonie.” Here’s What I Wish More People Knew About Chronic Illness - Kirsten Schultz, HealthlineStoicism - WikiwandRadio calisthenics - WikiwandDaylio mood tracker and micro-diaryYou can get an hourglass similar to Alanna's

Your nice hosts are tired, then get energized. Stephen is thinking about it, Mark brought a few unlikely examples, and Ellen is also thinking about it.Here's a fun new thing: We've recently started a Discord channel for listeners to discuss the show with each other. It's part of the Twin Cities Gamedev Discord server, but you don't need to be a Twin Cities gamedev to partisipate! Get directly to the Nice Games Club discussion channel via https://nicegames.club/discord0:06:43BurnoutBurn-out, an "occupational phenomenon"World Health OrganizationTeacher Burnout: What It Is, Why It Happens, and How You Can Prevent End-Of-Yea…WaterfordToxic management cost an award-winning game studio its best developersMegan FarokhmaneshThe Verge0:46:39Asynchronous and Asymmetric GameplayAsynchronous Multiplay: Futures for Casual Multiplayer ExperienceIan BogostGeorgia Institute of TechnologyRelaxed Hardcore: Why Asynchronous is the Next Big Thing in Core GamingIan HardinghamGDCWhy an Asymmetric Board Game Pissed Off Me and My FriendsKyle RogacionGoomba StompAre Asymmetrical Multiplayer Games Becoming a Major Trend?Micah ShapiroGameRant

What does it mean to manage a community of players? How do you do it well? Is it just about social media, or is community engagement part of game creation? In this episode, community manager and MageQuit player Christine "Birb" Marten gives your nice hosts a primer on using data, dealing with trolls, and getting input from gamers. Also, Mark sends out an invite, Stephen doesn't like horror games, and Ellen gets the giggles. Community DevelopmentGame DesignMarketingProductionGames Industry GatheringArcGISPaxSouth: MageQuit (Review) - Christine Marten, Gaming Access WeeklyGrandia HD CollectionChristine mentioned these tools:SproutAgora PulseBufferHootsuiteMailchimp...and these community managers:Victoria Tran with KitFox GamesHarris Foster with Finji

It's another week of brotherly love/war as Stephen's bro Charles McGregor re-enters the clubhouse to talk about his experience designing and building the level editor for his game HyperDot. Charles also joins your nice hosts in a discussion about their favorite level editors, and Ellen reveals the origin of her game design journey!In the middle of the show, Ellen mentioned a kind tweet from Pheonix Simms, who recently reviewed Widget Satchel.Level EditorsGame DesignProgrammingToolsUI / UXHypersonic.Xtreme Custom editor (Track 4) - Rwaaaaar, YouTubeStarcraft 2 Map Editor - Getting Started - scfoxcode, YouTubeModNation Racers - WikipediaMega Man Powered Up (1D): Creating a Stage [Construction] - Bean1227, YouTube