Eggplant: The Secret Lives of Games

We're joined by Alfredo Barraza (Riot Games), Stephanie Boluk (UC Davis), and Patrick LeMieux (UC Davis) to discuss Combatants, the 46th game in the UFO 50 collection. “The evil Red Ants have taken your land! Fight Back and defend your queen!” Next week: Quibble Race Audio edited by Dylan Shumway. Discussed in this episode: Starcraft: Remastered https://starcraft.blizzard.com/en-us/ Pikmin 1+2 Bundle https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/pikmin-1-plus-2-bundle-switch/ Little King’s Story https://store.steampowered.com/app/390310/Little_Kings_Story/ Tinykin https://www.tinykingame.com/ Patapon https://www.bandainamcoent.com/games/patapon-1-plus-2-replay Tooth & Tail https://www.toothandtailgame.com/ The Grasshopper: Games, Life, and Utopia by Bernard Suits https://broadviewpress.com/product/the-grasshopper-third-edition/#tab-description Manifesto: The 21st Century Will Be Defined By Games by Eric Zimmerman https://kotaku.com/manifesto-the-21st-century-will-be-defined-by-games-1275355204  Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change The World by Jane McGonigal https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/reality-is-broken-jane-mcgonigal/1100817884?ean=9780143120612 Game Studies Study Buddies 51 – Suits – The Grasshopper https://rangedtouch.com/2022/09/29/51-suits-the-grasshopper/ EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Mini & Max https://eggplant.show/ep-a-year-of-ufo-50-mini-max Gio on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/gwishin.bsky.social https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow

We're recapping the 2025 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 13).  In this very special bonus episode, Laura, Jey, Doug, and Melissa sit down with Wouter Verstichel (Director/Showrunner of De Mol) to discuss the experience of working on the show. Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and more. Audio edited by Dylan Shumway. Links: Eggplant's De Mol 2024 recap series, including live finale interviews: https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow  122: Finding Decency in Reality with Gilles De Coster (De Mol): https://eggplant.show/122-finding-decency-in-reality-with-gilles-de-coster-de-mol  https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow  http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow

We're joined by Billy Basso (Animal Well), Ben Wilson (Saltsea Chronicles), Kayin (I Wanna Be The Guy), and Adam Conover (Adam Ruins Everything) to discuss Mini & Max, the 45th game in the UFO 50 collection. “Mini and her dog Max are locked in the storage room. Harness the magic of shrinking to escape!” Next week: Combatants Audio edited by Dylan Shumway Discussed in this episode: Animal Well Triple Physical Release https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjRxh0v08yo  The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/the-legend-of-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-nintendo-switch-2-edition-switch-2/  Outer Wilds https://www.mobiusdigitalgames.com/outer-wilds.html Spelunky https://www.spelunkyworld.com/index.html  Uurnog: Uurnlimited https://rawfury.com/games/uurnog-uurnlimited/ Everything https://www.doublefine.com/games/everything  Tux and Fanny https://www.gog.com/en/game/tux_and_fanny  Tinykin https://www.tinykingame.com/  Caves of Qud https://www.cavesofqud.com/ Adam Conover Live Tour https://www.adamconover.net/ Zero Fifty One zerofiftyone.net    https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow

We're joined by Stephanie Boluk (UC Davis), Patrick LeMieux (UC Davis), and Eileen Hollinger (Capybara Games) to discuss Pilot Quest, the 44th game in the UFO 50 collection. “The Campanella has crashed! Fix it by harvesting resources and exploring the wild zone.” Next week: Mini & Max Audio edited by Dylan Shumway. Discussed in this episode: Collection of Mana  https://mana.square-enix-games.com/en-us/games/collection-of-mana  Actraiser Renaissance https://www.square-enix-games.com/en_US/games/actraiser-renaissance Progress Quest http://progressquest.com/ Candy Box II (Sequel to Candy Box)  https://candybox2.github.io/candybox/  Cow Clicker http://cowclicker.com/ A Dark Room https://adarkroom.doublespeakgames.com/ Cookie Clicker https://cookieclicker.com/  Clicker Heroes  https://www.clickerheroes.com/ AdVenture Capitalist https://hyperhippo.com/games/adventure-capitalist/ Universal Paperclips https://www.decisionproblem.com/paperclips/ The Barnacle Goose Experiment https://everest-pipkin.com/barnacle-goose/ Banana https://store.steampowered.com/app/2923300/Banana/ Neptune’s Pride https://np.ironhelmet.com/#landing Game Dev Story https://store.steampowered.com/app/1847240/Game_Dev_Story/ Knytt https://archive.org/details/Knytt/ Cosmo’s Cosmic Adventure https://www.gog.com/en/game/cosmos_cosmic_adventure GameMaker https://gamemaker.io/en Edinburgh Festival Fringe https://www.edfringe.com/  Mel McGlensey is NORMAL https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/mel-mcglensey-normal Into the Depths: Kentucky Route Zero - Part 1  https://eggplant.show/into-the-depths-kentucky-route-zero-part-1  Into the Depths: Super Mario World - Part 1 https://eggplant.show/into-the-depths-super-mario-world-part-1    https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow  http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow  

We're joined by Alfredo Barraza (Riot Games), Adam Dolin (God of War: Ragnarok), and Colin and Sarah Northway (Northway Games) to discuss Elfazar’s Hat, the 43rd game in the UFO 50 collection. “Elfazar is hailed as a great magician, but his captive animals are ready to strike back!” Next week: Pilot Quest Audio edited by Dylan Shumway. Discussed in this episode: Pocky & Rocky Reshrined https://store.steampowered.com/app/2200580/Pocky__Rocky_Reshrined/ I Was a Teenage Exocolonist https://exocolonist.com/  Vancouver Game Garden https://vangamegarden.com/ 99: Charting the Future with Sarah Northway (I Was a Teenage Exocolonist) https://eggplant.show/99-charting-the-future-with-sarah-northway-i-was-a-teenage-exocolonist   https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow  http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow

Star St. Germain, a game developer known for her work on Hollow Vista and Highland Song, joins fellow creators Madison Karrh and Zach Aikman to explore Night Manor, a standout title in the UFO 50 collection. They discuss the game's innovative design and its distinct lack of dialogue, creating a unique horror experience. The conversation dives into storytelling in gaming, nostalgic connections to classic titles, and the emotional depth that comes from player choices. Insights about the mechanics and atmosphere of Night Manor offer a fresh perspective on horror adventure games.

In this bonus installment of our current Into the Depths series, we continue diving into Caves of Qud. This sprawling open-world roguelike has been in development since 2007 and Early Access since 2015. Doug and Rob - joined by special guest host Star St. Germain - chat about sidequests with one of the game’s narrative designers, Caelyn Sandel. This episode we talk about the Servidian Meadow, the Hindren, Bey Lah, the integration of political and cultural commentary into worldbuilding, writing workflows, Mamon Souldrinker, Warden Une, Fraying Favorites, Many Eyes, Caelen Sandshell, _, and the cyclical nature of influence on Qud’s world. Don't forget to join our Discord and play along with the series!  Audio edited by Dylan Shumway. Show Notes: Buy Caves of Qud on itch.io: https://freeholdgames.itch.io/cavesofqud  Caves of Qud soundtrack: https://freeholdgames.itch.io/caves-of-qud-soundtrack  The Qud Survival Guide: https://ectafoole.itch.io/the-qud-survival-guide Star on bsky: https://bsky.app/profile/thisisstar.bsky.social  Star on itch: thisisstar.itch.io Star’s website: https://www.thisisstar.com/  Caelyn on bsky:  https://bsky.app/profile/ectafoole.bsky.social  Caelyn’s Fiction work ectafoole.itch.io https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow  http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow

In this discussion, Trent Kusters, co-founder of League of Geeks, John Axon from Capybara Games, and narrative designer Adam Dolin dive into 'Lords of Diskonia.' They explore the blend of tabletop and video game mechanics, showcasing how disc-flicking games create unique social dynamics. Personal anecdotes abound, from cycling across Japan to humorous game nights. The trio also critiques pacing issues in gameplay while celebrating their shared passion for gaming. Their camaraderie and insights into indie development make this a delightful listen!

In this conversation, game designers Stephanie Boluk and Patrick LeMieux from UC Davis, along with Trent Kusters from League of Geeks, delve into the unique RPG 'Grimstone'. They share their game development journeys, highlighting Patrick's nostalgia for RPG Maker 2000. The discussion includes the game's emotional character selections, retro gameplay mechanics, and its satirical take on a hellish Texas landscape. They also tackle the challenges players face in navigating the game, from resource management to combat, alongside themes of personal growth and Indigenous representation.

Jay Ma, the brilliant mind behind Into the Breach, Steve Gillham, an aspiring game developer and UFO 50 aficionado, and Adam Dolin, an acclaimed writer from God of War: Ragnarok, join the conversation. They dive into the frenetic world of 'Star Waspir,' sharing insights on its challenging gameplay and unique mechanics. Personal anecdotes sprinkle humor throughout, as they discuss the balance of nostalgia and frustration in tough games. Listeners will enjoy tales of community collaboration and the creative spark that fuels indie game development.