This episode recounts each guests' recent project - Stephen is developing a new spirit for Spirit Island, Ellen is getting into music, and Mark talks at length about his car. The club helps Ellen process a recent pivot her company had to make. And Mark reveals some simple insights from his life: urgent vs. high priority, he has an irritating existence, that he's very restless, that he's skeptical of his satisfaction, somethings that I know very well, being married to him. The episode ends with a pitch build an emotional support group on nicegames.club/discord, by asking everyone to share how they structure their time.Stephen and Spirit IslandSpirit Island - Board Game GeekEllen gets into musicMark's SmartCarThomas Jefferson was born in Virgina - WikipediaMark changes out his car panels - Mark LaCroix, ThreadsPlease support us financially and emotionally through the following:patreon.com/nicegamesclubnicegames.club/discord0:11:20PivotingTango Gameworks of Hi-Fi Rush was closed0:40:27Working on Multiple ProjectsThe Eisenhower Matrix task managment matrixAsanaThe days in the lives of creative work from Mason Curryin a circle chartdeMilkedin an infographic Open Culturein an articleThe Marginalian

As MEMODEMO, Kobe Anthony creates music for video games and inspired by video games. In this episode, we learn about Kobe's creative process for composing music. He also shares a bit about how he uses his DAW (digital audio workstation) to capture sounds and convert them into melody and beats. Also featured in this episode: memes, rhythm games, and three seconds of terrible beatboxing.Creative Process & Workflow for MusicAudioIzotope RX 11 (audio repair toolkit)XO by XLN Audio2 MelloNot in the Groove (game)Sideshow Bob Stepping On Rakes Compilation - Cartoon Vids, YouTubeRolling Sampler777 - RoughSketch, YouTube"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." - Hanlon's razor, WikipediaKobe Anthony (aka MEMODEMO)GuestKobe is on Bandcamp, YouTube, Soundcloud, Ko-Fi & more. Here's his Linktree!From a student spotlight piece by the University of Oregon:Kobe came from a musical home, so his love for making music started when he was very young. “My first memory of noticing music in video games was when I played Sonic Heroes for the first time as a three-year-old. I remember hearing the theme song and it was, quite literally, life changing,” Kobe explains. From there, he started playing with GarageBand and, eventually, as he got older, started making original music on a much more advanced system MIDI. Kobe published his first song at eight years old called “Chaos Angel Error Emerald,” a remix of the theme song to Zone 7 of Sonic Advance 3, “Chaos Angel.”Under the pseudonym MEMODEMO, Anthony has over 5,200 monthly listeners on Spotify, over 4,500 followers on Soundcloud, and over 370,000 subscribers on YouTube.

Stephen brings a half-baked thought into the clubhouse for this Nice Thinking episode: how can we improve dialogue systems? He's got some opinions, which Mark and Ellen immediately debunk, but it leads to some engaging conversation.Dialogue Through Goals

Last month, Mark gave a talk at the IGDATC Gamedev Meeting about what it might mean to take game development seriously as an artistic practice, theorizing that video games are still a very young and immature medium by that standard. It's "sorta-Socratic" seminar, a set of three case studies, and a string of stone cold bummers that ends on a hopeful note.Your game has a message... did you write it?

In the episode, Mark, Ellen, and Stephen talk local events, including (don’t worry everyone’s fine) a fire in the clubhouse’s building, construction, and the games they are playing, so if you are just here for the topics, go ahead and skip to minute 23. Ellen learns about King Making, Stephen humble brags about being good at Smash Brothers, and Dale plays kingmaker in naming the second topic!NewsMasu Fire - Paul Walsh, Star TribuneBus Rapid Transit (BRT) - Jared Brey, GoverningWhat We are PlayingDragon's Dogma 2 - WikipediaPrincess Peach Showtime NPR Review - Rakiesha Chase-Jackson, NPR0:23:00King MakingStephen has been QA testing Harvest KingdomBen HunderDiscordThe YouTube video that Stephen referencesDistraction MakersYouTubeKingmaking in Root (Leder Games) videoCole WehrleGDCSmallworldBoard Game Geek0:49:17Thinky Bits (Off-Screen Gameplay)Games discussedReturn of the Obra DinSpirit IslandBoard Game GeekDeath Drives a Busitch.io

Most of our favorite games aren't created by solo devs; they're created by groups of people. And, when you get a bunch of people together in a group, culture happens. So, what makes for a good working culture in a game development team? How do you establish such a thing and maintain it? When we say someone doesn't "fit the culture" of a team, what does that mean—and what should the team do about it? Chris Bergman, CEO of Gylee Games, joins us for an enlightening discussion about how he thinks about work culture, and he didn’t swear even one time!Work CulturesMisc.ProductionGylee GamesRa Ra Boom! - SteamGylee and Friends PodcastAsk A Manager BlogChris BergmanGuestChris is the founder of Gylee and creator of Ra Ra Boom. Gylee is named after his kids, Guy and Lee. Chris is a longtime serial entrepreneur who is passionate about creating entertainment that is uplifting and enlightening. He's also an imposter DJ and has been rollerblading since 1994.External linkChris on InstagramChris on Twitter (X)

In this more games-adjacent episode, Mark recounts his experiences at the South by Southwest conference this year! Many fascinating discoveries to be found within that topic, in addition to Stephen's continued obsession with Dragon's Dogma 2 and Ellen's experience with the podcast as a listener.Stagg EKG Pro Electric Kettle - FellowStephen's used this for a couple of weeks now (in fact as he's editing this episode). It's... okay! Not as many features as expected with the app, it just updates the firmware of the kettle. It is nice to wake up to hot water though! And it's quite fast.0:09:52South by Southwest 2024South by SouthwestJust Play JamCinereachJust Play Jam 2023itch.ioHow Design Thinking Protects White Supremacy talkSWSXWhat Is the Design Thinking Process? The 5 Steps Complete GuideEmily StevensCareer FoundryIntel crushed its supplier diversity targets 8 years early. Here’s howBen UnglesbeeSupply Change DiveIntel® One MonoIntelIntel One Mono TypefaceGitHubNet neutrality restored as FCC votes to regulate internet providersDavid HamiltonAP NewsMoneySpyresYouTube1:08:31Player FrictionDragon's Dogma 2 Is Polarizing Its Community, And It's Not Just the Microtransa…Rebekah ValentineIGN

Experienced GameMaker user Seth Fulkerson discusses the history of GameMaker, advantages of GML scripting language, and challenges faced in game development. Topics include GameMaker evolution, community engagement, and advice for beginners. Seth's body of work and his project 'Arzette: the Jewel of Faramore' are also highlighted.

We’re joined this week by Laura Onderwater, friend of the show! Laura is an experienced concept artist currently working with Greensky Games. In this interview, she shares a bit about her workflow and how she thinks about worldbuilding from an artistic perspective. Plus, your hosts learn when to cry into a pillow, and Stephen repeatedly asks for THE limit.Greensky GamesSWARM - "The Epic Arcade Shooter Built for VR" - Greensky GamesVisual WorldbuildingArtMeow Wolf - Immersive ExperiencesWrist and forearm stretches for the workplace - Mayo ClinicThe Art of Psychonauts 2 - Ashley Esqueda, Double Fine ProductionsLaura OnderwaterGuestLaura is a passionate concept artist with years of experience in creating art for games. Laura is always excited to work on new projects, and to bring ideas and worlds to life.External linkLaura on LinkedInLaura on Artstation

Your nice hosts conclude their GDC 2024 coverage with a pair of interviews they conducted at the show. Mark catches a post-show cold, Stephen gets over his, and Ellen thought everything sounded great.Midwest Games / Carbon EngineMidwest GamesMidwest GamesChris Klimecky - LinkedInMidwest Games - Work with usCarbon EngineCarbon Engine - Limited RunShantae Advance - Shantae WikiArzette: The Jewel of FaramoreAlyssa WallesGuestAlyssa Walles is Midwest Games' Chief Operating Officer, as well as the Executive Director of the IGDA Foundation.External linkLinkedInMidwest Games Leadership AnnouncementAudi SorlieGuestProducer at Limited Run Games and Member of Digital Foundry.External linkLinkedIn