Nice Games Club - a gamedev podcast!

The hosts dive into the nitty-gritty of game design, discussing the ups and downs of playtesting their game 'Roboston'. They explore the delicate balance between rule clarity and player engagement. The conversation touches on the dynamics of collaboration and the challenges of working with diverse player experiences. Additionally, they highlight the importance of defining terms in game design to avoid confusion. Listeners will also learn about the impact of game session length on strategy and interaction, making for a well-rounded discussion on creating enjoyable gameplay.

Ragnar Eythorsson, a YouTube content creator known for his engaging puzzles, and Karen Kavett, a creative force on YouTube, dive into a realm of game development curiosities. They explore the art of crafting clear game instructions, balancing clarity with immersive experiences. The conversation takes a turn to discuss navigating cynicism in the industry, addressing the challenges developers face while keeping enthusiasm alive. Lively anecdotes about their adventures in Duluth add a humorous touch to their insightful conversation.

Dive into the world of game design as the hosts dissect the differences between theming and aesthetics, using the MDA framework to clarify how emotions are evoked through visual style and context. They also explore the art of parrying, discussing its popularity as a rewarding gameplay mechanic that fosters mastery and participation. Marvel at the evolution of parry systems across games, and discover how strategic execution can enhance player engagement. Plus, hear personal anecdotes about staying cool during summer recording sessions!

Dave McKee, a talented music producer and sound designer, dives deep into the world of game accessibility. He shares his personal experience of being legally blind and discusses the critical need for inclusive design in gaming. The conversation highlights innovative audio integration, including the ability for blind players to race by sound in future Forza games. McKee stresses the importance of implementing accessibility features like high contrast visuals and audio descriptions early in development to enrich the gaming experience for everyone.

We face complexity head-on this episode with two topics that will get your neurons firing. Mark walks through considerations involved with publishing a game to multiple platforms. It's not easy, but it's a lot easier if you plan for it from the start! If you've listened to recent episodes, you'll know that Stephen has been obsessed with the tabletop game Spirit Island. Today, he shares some of the work he's done in creating a new, customized spirit for the game. Also, Mark experiences glitches, and the hosts plan a visit.Twin Cities Playtest from IGDA-TC - Eventbrite0:06:56Targeting Multiple PlatformsWe talked about porting games in Episode 175."Kapow?"Git fork vs branchGreg FosterGraphiteSlayers X: Terminal Aftermath: Vengeance of the SlayerFandomAllow controls to be remapped, reconfiguredGame Accessibility GuidelinesA Brief History of the Playstation’s Confirm And Cancel ButtonsThe Wired Fish Network BlogA Brief History of A & BMatthew GallantThe Quixotic Engineer Blog0:46:49Spirit Island SpiritsSpirit of Creation channelDiscordSpirit Design Deep DiveemilintleGoogle DocsSpirit IslandGreater Than GamesHow to Play: Spirit IslandGreater Than GamesYouTube

"Pillar of the community" and creator of Chipmunk2D Scott Lembcke visits the clubhouse to talk velocity, constraints, and rigidbodies. Ellen gets the music in her head, Stephen didn’t learn the opposite lesson, and Mark makes a pretty good joke about friction.Physics 101ProgrammingChipmunk2D - Scott Lembcke , GitHubGopher (protocol)Building Excalibur.js - Erik Onarheim, YouTubeI'm pretty sure this was the song stuck in Ellen's head.What is an AABB? - Michael Rubloff, Radiance FieldsVeridian Expanse - Howling Moon Software, SteamIs pool actually just mathematics? - Stand-up Maths, YouTubeWhat is up with the spherical cow? - Rhett Allain, WiredAdvanced Character Physics - Thomas Jakobsen, Carnegie Mellon UniversityArc length of an ellipse - Ed Sandifer, The Euler ArchiveBox2D version 3.0 beta test has launched! - Erin Catto, MastodonTen Minute Physics - YouTubeScott LembckeGuest

In this episode, Stephen gets excited about Summer Games Done Quick, reveals some Doctor Who spoilers, and then is shocked that Flappy Dragon has more dragons. Ellen ponders rituals, and why she comes back to some games and not others. And finally, Mark wonders if it is okay to get lost in a super-fun mini-game.0:12:21FamiliarityEllen asks the internet: What are "casual Games"?https://www.perplexity.ai/search/What-are-casual-lDsnct7cTKiv.pJMXYef6wEllen asks the internet: What are "Cozy Games"?https://www.perplexity.ai/search/What-are-cozy-9nReq70iRU6wRyzD1TTSEA0:34:34Pacing MechanicsPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Sets the Standard for Classic Game RemakesEric RavenscraftWired

In the first Nice Games Jam in a few months (and we made it a long one!), your nice hosts explore the history of bicycles to develop a racing board game.Our last Nice Games Club episode:EddiesTwo Wheels Good - Jody RosenSafety Bicycle - WikipediaPromptDesign a racing game in a historical setting.Game typeTabletop gamePlayer count2 - 4MaterialsMap book4-sided diceMeeple to represent racersSetupChoose a map to race on in the map book (only one made right now)Choose a starting point and an ending point on the mapDraw a conditions card from the conditions deck (not made yet! We just used rain, where you have to make a Stability check each time you make a turn)RulesSame area through timeYou choose your rider and bike (each with different stats) based on how the map looksYou spend your resources to get new bikes or upgrade a bikeWe started with penny farthings (bad stats), you can buy better ones later.At the start of the race you draw a “condition”, affects the course to make more stability checksYou also randomly get a start and end place (we just set it as corner to corner for testing)Types of stats: Speed: how far you can goWeight: how heavy your bike is, how hard uphill is and how fast downhill isCapacity: how much you can hold on your bikeStability: how easy it is to get past stability checksDurability: how much failing a stability check affects you  

Time is money, friend! Okay, not always. Sometimes time is a puzzle involving many interlocking responsibilities. That’s Beth’s situation, and she asks Mark and Stephen for advice on time management in the second half of this roundtable episode. During the first half, Stephen shares some BIG NEWS that will soon place some additional responsibilities on his shoulders. Beth and Mark offer suggestions.Narrative NuanceVerdant Skies0:4:40Creative DirectionA previous episode relating to Stephen's big news!Nice Thinking: "Sledgehammer Bride"0:31:35Time ManagementPomodoro TechniqueWhat is a sprint?Scrum.orgThe Eisenhower Matrix (important vs urgent)Wikipedia

Your nice hosts welcome famed designer Ron Gilbert (Monkey Island, Thimbleweed Park) into the clubhouse to discuss the virtues of inexperience, friction for its own sake, how it's all about story, and it's puzzles all the way down.The Intersection of Puzzle and StoryGame DesignNarrativeProductionReturn to Monkey Island will have a hint system because the internet exists now - Joshua Rivera, PolygonVerdant Skies - SteamClassic Game Postmortem: Maniac Mansion - GDC, YouTubeThe phrase "confederacy of dunces" derives from a Jonathan Swift quote.Examples of movies that feature a poorly-received genre twist include Serenity (2019), Remember Me (2010), and Safe Haven (2013).Ron GilbertGuestOwner of Terrible Toybox, the designer/creator of Monkey Island, The Cave, Pajama Sam and the designer/co-creator of Maniac Mansion, DeathSpank and Thimbleweed Park. Co-designer of Return to Monkey Island.External linkMastodon - @grumpygamer@mastodon.gamedev.placeBlog - Grumpy GamerStudio - Terrible Toybox