Nice Games Club - a gamedev podcast!

This week, the clubhouse is being occupied by Glitch's Summer 2017 Immersion Program cohort, so your nice hosts relocate to Mark's kitchen and talk over tea with the astoundingly insightful and utterly charming Holly Harrison, professional social media and community manager, to talk about building and engaging with an audience online.Community ManagmentMarketingTide tries and fails to act cool in response to Mr. Clean... - @tide, Twitter...while Sonic the Hedgehog succeeds. - @sonic_hedgehog, TwitterArby’s does some cool video game things on Twitter. - @arbys, TwitterThe true owner of @Velveeta - @Velveeta, TwitterYou Know An Internet Joke Is Kinda Over Once Nintendo's Had A Turn - EThan Gach, KotakuBuilding audience early with visuals-first development in Ooblets - Chris Priestman, Game DeveloperConsumers Aren’t Looking to Buy From Brands That Are ‘Cool’ on Social - SproutSocialThe Simple Facebook Posting Strategy That Helped us 3x Our Reach and Engagement - Brian Peters, BufferFollow the MNgamedev Bot on Twitter - @MNgamedev_bot, TwitterMN Game Dev Slack - mngamedevbot, SlackWhat We Know About The Instagram Shadowban, And How To Discover If You’ve Been … - PLANNPaper Darts, Literary Arts MagazineComcast and Verizon’s Sneaky Push to Kill Net Neutrality Is Just Embarrassing - Libby Watson, GizmodoBioware "Kissing Day" tweet. - @Bioware, TwitterInnes McKendrick tweets about egg cups. - Innes McKendrick, TwitterCheck your Twitter analytics - Twitter

It's Nice Games' Club take on the Let's Play! Introducing "Nice Plays," where the Nice Games Club gamedevs play nice games. Our first Nice Play features the recent indie (re-)release "OneShot." We talk about the game's unique design choices as we fumble around to figure out the controls.But, like for every Nice Play, after 17 minutes of gameplay our egg timer goes off, which means it's time to end the show.Game: OneShot (website)Developer: Little Cat FeetPublisher: DegicaRelease date: June 30th, 2014 (original), December 6, 2016 (remake, Steam)Genre: Adventure, PuzzleSummary: "OneShot is a surreal top down Puzzle/Adventure game with unique gameplay capabilities. You are to guide a child through a mysterious world on a mission to restore its long-dead sun. The world knows you exist."Video

This week, Martha stops short of detailing the DNS protocol, Mark describes a completely different Star Trek VR thing which he made for the Minnesota Orchestra Hall, and Stephen explains how to lose like a real champ.Plus, like the classic 1985 film Clue, this episode has multiple endings!Discuss this episode on Reddit using this thread in r/gamedev!Stephen's headphone audio testing suiteWhite Land -  F-Zero Arranged, YouTubeThe Sea - Magic Pengel, YouTubeDo It  - Tuxedo, YouTubeStephen updated the feedback form! Let us have it!0:08:13Your Game’s WebsiteStand Still, Stay Silent, a webcomicCity of Hunger development blogMidwest Game Developers Facebook grouppresskitDomain Name SystemWikipediaThe Difference Between Shared Hosting, VPS, and Dedicated Hosting99robotsHTML5 Up (free, simple site templates)EverendOoblets0:36:31Game Exhibits and InstallationsMark’s “Holodeck” VR installation at Minnesota Orchestra Hall Installation, Gameplay, Photo, Animation, Props, People, More people!An Ode to the OkudagramWill NguyenTreknewsVR Snowball ShootersA Maze BerlinVR Pigeons at A Maze Berlin 2017spuniorYouTubePeter Molydeux, a parody Twitter accountTwitterThe world of weird video games at Alt.Ctrl.GDCJessica CondittEngadgetHands-on with Line Wobbler: a 16 foot tall, one-dimensional dungeon crawlerNick RobinsonPolygon1:06:40LosingDota 2 Tournament Holds Rage-Quit Competition For FansEric Van AllenKotakuBayonetta Pro Upsets Smash's Best To Win Evo ChampionshipEric Van AllenKotakuVVVVVV No Death ModemicrodicePeercastYouTubeSuper Mario Odyssey Won't Have Game Over ScreensHope CorriganIGN

The clubhouse A/C broke, and it got so hot during the recording of this episode that your nice hosts started to get a little delirious.But before they completely melted down, Mark talked about how Enemy AI can be a great tool for both level design and narrative design, Stephen collaborated on a discussion about co-op games, and Martha shared her excitement about the recently held Summer Games Done Quick speedrunning event.Discuss this episode on Reddit using this thread at r/gamedev!Stephen is on Twitter @leonyx03Some highlights from Mark's VR night!highlight 1highlight 2highlight 30:03:00Enemy AIDesign Club - Super Mario Bros: Level 1-1 - How Super Mario Mastered Level Desi…Extra CreditsYouTubeNobody dies on the first goombaSephzillaDestructoid2007 AiGameDev.com Awards: Technical Innovation in Game AIEnemy design and enemy AI for melee combat systemsBart VossenGame DeveloperAnalysing Mario to Master Super Mario MakerGame Maker's ToolkitYouTubeChip’s Challenge:1AZabrush CimahiYouTubeSaltybetTwitchseebotschatTwitchThe Perfect Organism | The AI of Alien: IsolationTommy ThompsonAI and GamesA Thousand Tiny Details: Emergent Storytelling in Slime RancherSteven LumpkinTwitterPeople Have Discovered The Perfect Way To Mess With Your CatRachael KrishnaBuzzfeedMeet the Artist Using Ritual Magic to Trap Self-Driving CarsBeckett MufsonVice0:29:40Co-op GamesMartha asked Mark to cut a part out of this section, but Stephen edited this episode, so...Overcooked: How To Make Co-op Cookery FunPhilippa WarrRock Paper ShotgunMiyamoto talks Super Mario Galaxy co-opAlexander SliwinskiEngadget0:47:42SpeedrunningAwesome Games Done QuickSpeedDemosArchiveOcarina of Time - Skip 99% of Traveling Across the FieldSwordless LinkYouTubeThe Man Who Does The Impossible in Super Mario 64Patricia HernandezKotakuSpeedrunning RulesBlindfolded speedrun raceNoko OnlineYouTubeI can't believe this actually happened (glitch discovered during blindfolded sp…TokyoboiYouTubeKotaku’s speedrun articlesKotakuIntelligent Qube by caneofpacciGames Done QuickYouTubeTASBot plays Brain Age by micro500, xy2_ in 20:06 - Games Done QuickYouTubeWorld Record Progression: Super Mario WorldSummoning SaltYouTube0:00 / 29:59 I Am Bread by Blood_Thunder in 20:50Games Done QuickYouTube0:00 / 1:06:01 The Talos Principle by Azorae in 58:16 Games Done QuickYouTubeTomb Raider: Underworld hard modeJarekSpeed Demos ArchiveYes, you can speedrun in FingeanceNew Trick Has Ocarina of Time Speedrunners Debating What A Glitch Actually IsHeather AlexandraKotaku

In a previous episode, we mentioned that Mark's game, Metro Nexus, recently underwent a usability study, so for this episode, we brought in the Games User Researcher who conducted it, Hannah Murphy!Hannah talks about her work, explains the value of UX research for indie developers, and discusses the study she did for Metro Nexus.Discuss this episode on Reddit using this thread in r/gamedev!Games User Research and AnalyticsUI / UXMetro Nexus User ResearchMetro Nexus Usability Report - Hannah MurphyMetro Nexus gameplay trailer video.Metro Nexus tutorial screen gif - TwitterLinkst for User ResearchIGDA Games User Research Special Interest GroupUX & QA Testing: What's the Difference? - Lindsay Lauters Miller, Game DeveloperMIT’s Game Lab’s list of recommended courses includes a few which are focused o…How to break into Games User Research - Steve BromleyList of UX degrees offered by universitiesBest Colleges with Human Computer Interaction Degrees in the US - Universities.com#GamesUR on Twitter - TwitterHow to Conduct a Heuristic Evaluation - Jakob Nielsen, Nielsen Norman GroupGroupthink - Groupthink - WikipediaOn Indie Game Pricing - Dan Adelman, Game DeveloperIn the outro, we joke about our recent Live Episode! Listen to it!LIVE from GlitchCon 2017

Martha brags about her computer, Mark finds yet another excuse to talk about Star Trek, and Stephen is still holding out hope for a Smash Bros. announcement.Discuss this week’s episode on Reddit using this thread in r/gamedev!Glitch Community Events CalendarWe talked about Mark’s VR Night as if it happened already, but after we recorde…Ice Cold Games0:05:08Building a PCProject Scorpio Xbox Development KitXboxYouTubeOne Xbox One X BoxJess Brohard TwitterHTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and Windows Mixed Reality system requirementsCale HuntVR HeadsMartha picks her PC parts on PCPartPicker!The Big Form Factor Guide – ATX10stripeUgly gaming PCs are our own faultVlad SavovThe VergeProject Scorpio rocks high-end vapor chamber coolerDerek StricklandTweakTownIf you’re in the Twin Cities, Techdump is a great resource for recycled PC com…Want help? Check out r/buildapcformeWhat You Need To Know About OverclockingAlex WalkerKotaku Australia0:37:18Pen and Paper GamesNew Ships and Crews Take Off with Star Trek AdventuresJeff McArthurGeek & SundryHurdy-GurdyWikipediaMark created a bot that tweets Star Trek technobabble 8 times a dayTech the Tech @techthetechTwitter200 Word RPG ChallengeD&D 4th Edition – What Went Wrong?Grey LotusGrey LotusThe DwarvenautJosh BishopDocumentry FilmEmergent Gameplay: Letting the Players Create Their Own Fun”David DawPCWorldAnalysis: Story And The Trouble With 'Emergent' Narratives Tom CrossGame Developer

Mwa ha ha! For our first villainous episode, your evil hosts discuss what their deal is, do a deep dive into Quantic Foundry's Gamer Motivation Profile, and rail against Mario Kart battle mode. Enjoy! Or don't! We don't care! We're evil!Discuss this evil episode on Reddit using this thread in r/gamedev!0:01:44An Evil IntroductionPlay every game from this year's Train JamCharlie HallPolygonWash my HandsBlind ShootoutDylan was a guest on Nice Games Club for two episodes from GDC.GDC 2017 Special (Part 1)GDC 2017 Special (Part 2)http://www.phpbbhq.com/developmentofphp.phpRen'Py, a visual novel engineInk, a scripting/markup language for visual novelsChoiceScript, a programming language for choose-your-own-adventure gamesAdia has been a guest on Nice Games Club for two Co-op Recap episodes: Co-op Recap: Interactive FictionAdia was also on this Co-op Recap episode!Co-op Recap: TransmediaWhy Rubber Duck Debugging is the best way to debug your codeAlec MorganaZenHubFingeance, Escape Industries0:15:20Gamer Motivation ProfileGamer Modivation ProfileQuantic FoundryLEGO City Undercover still has some lengthy load times on SwitchChris CarterDestructoidA Critique of Radar ChartsGrahm OddsScott LogicZelda: Breath of the Wild rupee farming - How to make rupees with bowlingJake Lear and Jeff RamosPolygonThe Natural: The Trouble Portraying Blackness in Video GamesEvan NarcisseKotakuAt E3 2017, Black Characters' Hair Looks Better Than EverGita JacksonKotakuAnimal Crossing Fans Want More Than Just White Skin Colors In New LeafPatricia HernandezKotakuThe Complete, Untold History of HaloSteve HaskeViceThe Story Behind Mass Effect: Andromeda's Troubled Five-Year DevelopmentJason SchreierKotakuLet's Talk About: The cultural significance of Saints Row 4Chris PlantePolygonThe Secret Behind Scribblenauts: Making Objects By Hand (And Lots Of Crunch)Jason SchreierKotaku1:22:23Mario KartNo links for this section, just evil talk.

In this episode, you nice hosts discuss some current events and engage in some future prognostications. Plus: more puns than reasonable.Apologies for the slightly odd audio quality on this one. The band playing at the bar downstairs was a bit louder and started a bit earlier than we expected. Much sound modeling. So noise reduction.Discuss this episode on Reddit using this thread on r/gamedev!0:04:31Future ProjectsA Way Out blew us away at E3, but can the devs keep pace with their own ambitio…Charlie HallPolygonOur episode about Serial Game Design, featuring Lane Davis."I am a Juice Journeyman!"BloodRayne: Betrayal ReviewColin MoriatyIGN Star Fox Guard: The Kotaku ReviewStephen TotiloKotakuFinishing A GameDerek YuMake Games tumblr0:37:40Steam DirectValve sets Steam Direct self-publishing fee at $100Samit SarkarPolygonValve is not your friend, and Steam is not healthy for gamingTim ColwillPolygonWay back in our second episode, we talked with Beth and Andy Korth about Steam Greenlight.Steam GreenlightThe hidden world of Steam tradingMitch BowmanPolygon0:53:02Racing GamesHydro Thunder Hurricane ReviewJustin CalvertGameSpotRetrospective: Star Wars Episode I RacerMartyn CarrollEurogamerStar Wars Episode 1 Racer: Watto Hums Cantina SongEventHorizon5YouTubeMark talked about the original PlayStation’s wonky affine texture mapping, which was not “perspective correct.”

Nic VanMeerten is a Games User Researcher and one of the co-founders of Glitch. He talks to your nice hosts about how meeting with researchers working on League of Legends at Riot Games jump-started his career in Games User Research, the different research methods used in GUR, the benefits of qualitative versus quantitative approaches, working with Unity Analytics, and more!Discuss this week’s episode on Reddit using this thread in r/gamedev!Games User Research and AnalyticsUI / UXLeague Of Legends' Neverending War On Toxic Behavior - Dillion Skiffington, KotakuHow League Of Legends Enables Toxicity - Yannick LeJacq, KotakuUnderstanding User Research - Maurice Tan, Game DeveloperGames User Research: What’s Different? -  Jakob Nielsen , Nielsen Norman GroupHannah Murphy - Games User Researcher BlogZodiappHow To Tame Your Analytics - Sasa Stublic, Game DeveloperWhat is R?Nic mentioned the Unity Analytics public API. We talked about APIs on last week’s episode."75% sure."

In our second-longest ever, Mark explains the difference between an API and an SDK (and why it's important to know), Martha got her phone mugged and lost all her mobile game saves, and Stephen leads a discussion about designing for difficulty in your games (but mainly as an excuse to talk about fighting games again).All this, plus your nice hosts celebrate 30 episodes, and Mark doesn't edit out something Martha asks him to, but only because Martha was the one who edited this episode.0:02:31Runtimes, SDKs, and APIsPopular RuntimesJava Virtual MachineWikipediaAIR RuntimeWikipediaDalvik runtimeWikipediaAndroid Runtime (ART)WikipediaCommon Language Runtime (.NET)WikipediaArticles“A Primer For Unity Developers: What The Heck Is Mono?”- Logan BookerLifehacker AU“What is the Difference Between an API and an SDK?Kristopher SandovalNordic APIs BlogStarling 2 Starling WikiCitrus EngineGeneric Animation Framework0:23:34Mobile GamesSlayin reviewChris CarterDestructoidQuizUp is trying to reinvent itself by turning into a social networkJosh LowensohnThe VergeAlphabear Review – Why Do Bears Like Spelling Bees?Gamer BloggerHow to Monetize an Infinite RunnerMichail KatkoffGame AnalyticsVirtual Buttons Are Holding Mobile Games BackMuir FreelandGame DeveloperMiyamoto Plays Super Mario Run, Eats CakeBuzzFeed MultiplayerYouTubeCivilization Revolution 2 is a Good Mobile Game, But is It a Good Civ Game?Alex NewhouseGameSpotTurns out, Hercules is both Greek and Roman.Tufts UniversitySmash Hit Is The Most Addictive Android And iOS Game Of The Year So FarMihir Patkar Make Use OfI've been texting with an astronautLaura HudsonBoing BoingSpaceteam reviewRich StantonEurogamer0:54:27DifficultyStreet Fighter V Fans Are Not Sure What To Make Of Seemingly Simplistic Newcome…Ian WalkerKotakuYomiUrban dictionaryZelda: Breath of the Wild’s first DLC pack sounds really neatSamit Sarkar,PolygonHard Mode: Good Difficulty Versus Bad DifficultyPaul SuddabyEnvato Tuts+Difficulty is Difficult: Designing for Hard Modes in GamesDaniel BoutrosGame DeveloperWhere Did the Challenge Go? The Problem with Skyrimj-u-i-c-eLevel SkipThe Civilization series has a difficulty problem, and Civ 6 solves it without e… Jordan ForwardPCGamesNhttps://www.reddit.com/r/changemyview/comments/6cg9k1/cmv_dark_souls_isnt_hard_…Vectornaut, r/ChangeMyViewRedditYoshi’s Woolly World is tougher than it looks, but only if you want it to beMatt GerardiAV ClubTim Schafer recalls when Steven Spielberg asked for a hint in Day of the Tentac…Owen GoodPolygonTim Schafer's take on 'good puzzle theory' and being stuck as entertainmentMicheal McWhertorPolygon