Brain Arcade

Neopets is a wildly successful kids game, it taught people how to code, had a thriving economy, and people still love the game today. What made the game so popular and what is the secret sauce to creating engaging kids content? We talk to Natalie Odien, game designer and current Design Director with over 15 years of experience, about her time on Neopets and how making games for kids is different (...

We kick back with Layla Mamedova—Cinematic Pipeline Manager, deep thinker, and proud purveyor of Uncle Energy—for a candid chat about the psychology of group dynamics, how to make teams that thrive, and her experience moving from an Artist to Production role. We unpack the very real physical toll of burnout and how creative teams can either lift each other up—or collapse under the weight of misali...

Is gaming actually bad for you!? Liam is back today to talk to us about Dopamine and how it's not really what you probably think it is. We talk through what Dopamine really is, how our brains are effected by games, and whether or not that effect is actually bad. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are huge fans of Ken Anderson from Tashi.gg and their support for the indie revolution! Ken has created some amazing solutions so that indie game studios can build smooth live games that can compete with big live ops titles. We talk about what makes games like Roblox, League, and Call of Duty feel 'smooth' and how FPS isn't the solution to everything. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit meg...

How do we create engaging interactive stories that compliment and heighten gameplay experiences? We talk to Martin Montgomery, Emmy Award-Winning Creative Director, Writer, and Consultant about his industry secrets and philosophies by studying some well known games. Martin has worked on titles like Legends of Runeterra, DC Heroes United, Silent Hill: Ascension, and Telltale's The Walking Dead Lear...

Ayla Derrick, founder of Cave Bear Games, found viral success with the launch of her volunteer indie studio. Celebrating the early access launch for their game Plantasia, we chat about the psychology behind idle games and why we love them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With big changes in media production and audience consumer habits, how do we capture the zeitgeist in entertainment today and should we even be trying to? This week we talk to Mark Netter Co-Owner / Co-Founder of ElectraCast to dive into how to launch successful projects and engage audiences in this highly saturated media age. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this honest and open conversation, Chris talks about his unique career path to becoming an established Creative Director in the game industry. We'll talk about how some major life events changed his outlook and the way he made life decisions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How is Skyrim a slot machine? What does that have to do with amount of information our brain can hold? Game studio founder and Neuroscience professional, Liam McDonough, thinks that psychology can tell us a lot about player experience and help developers turn a good game experience into an amazing one. Chris and Liam explores the relationship between cognitive load, reward systems, and how we can...

With over 20,000 layoffs in the gaming industry last year, many people are asking what is going on and will the games industry survive? Chris and Liam talk through the psychological shift of game developers, the way money flow changes investments, and the industry crash of 2008. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices