Game Dev Podcast | Coffee with Butterscotch

Good day, Shenanites! This week, we talk about dad issues, honeymoon phases, and the other 300 things. It’s impossible to be aware of the things you’re not aware of. But once you become aware of them, it’s time to refactor. Sure, the structure is the culture, but the culture is also the structure. If you don’t ask why, you’re gonna have a bad time. Questions answered (abbreviated): Balbus hwispit:...

Hi, Shenanites! In this episode, we discuss the unceremonious aftermath, interesting limitations, and 50% more money numbers. All the details are contingent, as ever, upon the bigger question of why. If you don’t even know the shape of the problem, how can you figure out the shape of the solution? Time for some reflection. Preferably while sitting at the edge of a flat blue sheet and looking out a...

Greetings, Shenanites! This week, we talk about herd immunity, the beauty of well designed choice, and a game for aliens. The more you learn, the more you should iterate, coming ever closer to that elusive (and illusive) plane of enlightenment. Sometimes that means flipping your design approach completely. And sometimes that means ascending to n-dimensional space and trying to find your shadow. Qu...

Hello, Shenanites! In this episode, we discuss the black mirror effect, Adam’s waking nightmare, and a neck with legs. We’ve been making radio long enough to know what’s good, so let’s talk about visuals! Plus, Seth reveals what the biggest, coolest thing he’s worked on and made is. As it turns out, much like turtles, it’s QA all the way down. Questions answered (abbreviated): maximilio: Do you ev...

Salutations, Shenanites! This week, we talk about rest, shattering the earth, and the most complicated part of developing a game. It’s not what you think. Or maybe it is. We can’t read your mind. But if you find yourself up against a mental wall, it’s probably time to reevaluate your questions. Questions answered (abbreviated): Panit Powaacka: There are so few episodic games nowadays, but why? Tap...

Hello, Shenanites! In our 300th episode, we discuss swimming in quarters, the imaginary track, and the target audience problem. Just because something is visible doesn’t mean it’s good or right. Just because something is invisible doesn’t mean it’s bad or wrong. As it turns out, everything is a design problem, and there’s always more nuance to figure out. Questions answered (abbreviated): Gooigi:...

Hey there, Shenanites! This week, we talk about sweeping smear frames, off-the-shelf solutions, and the student mindset. You’re just a robot doing robot stuff, and your subroutines are doing the best they can to work together. So if you do something cool, even if it leads to failure, celebrate it! Don’t discount your dope Mars landing progress! Questions answered (abbreviated): challosis: Did y'al...

Hiya, Shenanites! In this episode, we discuss the absence of blinking, flat planes of blubber, and the controllers of yore. Sometimes innovation is just realizing that people have fingers and getting the correct hand count. The details might seem small, but they could mean the difference between a midlife crisis and a midlife opportunity. So go ahead and grab some matcha with Bscotcha and listen i...

Hello, Shenanites! This week, we talk about less random randomness, floors and ceilings, and proper beverage production. Plans aren’t plans so much as they’re educated guesses. Adherence runs counter to adaptation, and it’s important to know when and where to switch modes. What we’re saying is, get those pillars! Questions answered (abbreviated): Flyhoppie Axerompa: Seth, could you please stream w...

Hey there, Shenanites! In this episode, we discuss the glockenspiel of the financial trade, robot price wars, and the golden rule of financial investments. Our human brains are wired to chase novelty, but boring stability is the real end game. That’s why you need to create your own chaos. Say, by making a game in a weekend using skills you don’t have. It’s 2021 -- let’s go dunk poorly! Questions a...

Hiya, Shenanites! This week, we talk about proximity to swears, game shaped objects, and one day monarchs. Sometimes it’s fun to jump into a project where you have no earthly idea what to do. That’s why being a side NPC is such a good time. You can do whatever you want because it’s all optional. In this unskippable cutscene, we’ll explain... Questions answered (abbreviated): challosis: If you were...

Hey there, Shenanites! In this episode, we discuss face down positioning, quiet future knives, and surprise presentations. Do you ever think about how we’re mostly made of bacteria and weird blood? And how your skin can, like, taste things? No? Well, you’re thinking about it now. Sign up for the new newsletter Dev Chat here: https://tinybs.co/devchat Questions answered (abbreviated): Jumpynope Jes...

Hello, Shenanites! This week, we talk about clearing techdebt, our robot overlords, and a billboard owners. For this ep, we’re light on the news and go to town a few questions. Like break strategies. Sometimes you need to take a break from work because your bladder demands it. You just have to decide if it’s a six mug break or a two mug break. Questions answered (abbreviated): Mimmabip Gourkee: Wh...

Happy New Year, Shenanites! In the first episode of 2021, we discuss doll caverns, deep truths, and conscious memorization. This year is all about the dunks, and the first step is gathering intel. Who’s the fastest runner in your workplace? Which of your colleagues can do a backflip? Do you even know? You gotta have an audience to make a dunk. I mean, if a tree dunks in a forest, did it even dunk...

Season’s greetings, Shenanites! This week, we talk about chapter ends, an elaborate system of mirrors, and total death traps. It’s the last episode of 2020, so we break down our year in review. What was the timeline? What was our experience? Did we learn any lessons? And as for the future? It’s time for getting stuff done with bombastic butterfly dunks. Questions answered (abbreviated): challosis:...

Hi, Shenanites! In this episode, we discuss making the right call, horrifying categories, and capitalistic pressures. Plus, we drag a few companies and complain about chores! Sometimes you just reach that “enough” moment and have to put your foot down. Or smack your ceiling with a towel. Questions (sort of) answered (abbreviated): Vuvu987: What are your thoughts on the modern AAA environment, and...

Hello, Shenanites! This week, we talk about boring adventures, picking up soda bottles, and doing things. As in, how do? It’s tempting to look for a system or secret that’s the answer to EVERYTHING, but it turns out that sometimes things are just hard. Strategies work until they don’t, and then you find a new one! Just make sure you don’t use up all your toughness on things like toothaches. That’s...

Hey, Shenanites! In this episode, we discuss tool inertia, diluting the particulate poo, and math. We tried to take more time for questions this week and ended up airing some grievances. But that’s what happens when you have highly specific pet peeves: one minute you’re talking about slippers, and the next you’re ranting about water slapping nonsense. Seems about par for the course. Questions answ...

Hi, Shenanites! We’re taking a break from our break in order to discuss holiday creep creep (we said what we said), ground warts, and console tribalism. By the time you hear this episode, we’ll be at least half way through the second of two superspreader capitalism event weeks! Stay safe, mask up, and remember, you can always work remotely from Barbados. Questions answered (abbreviated): TimConcei...

Hello, Shenanites! This week, we talk about rad cats, content glut, and the indiepocalypse. It’s all about weathering the storm long enough to weatherproof your boat. Although at some point, your boat is so weatherproofed that you’ve reached the threshold of diminishing returns. As with everything, survival is key. Questions answered (abbreviated): Flyhoppie Axerompa: A few people have said there...

Heya, Shenanites! In this episode, we discuss information diets, radioactive piles of poop, and asynchronous mentorship. All data is spun, but whether you get gold or pasta at the end is unpredictable. Plus, context changes all the time, so maybe someday you’ll WANT spaghetti consequences. Turns out, everything is hard, and it’s just a bunch of triangles anyway, each following a different path. Qu...

Hi, Shenanites! This week, we talk about gummi bear jackets, trash tier debt, and triangular muffins. In reality TV, entertainment trumps function every single time, so it is imperative that we save other baked goods from going the way of the cupcake. Do you really want to live in a world where twelve pounds of frosting are piled on every bread-thing you eat? Which side of the donut wars will you...

Hello, Shenanites! In this episode, we discuss happy lights, the weird disconnect, and accurate genre classifications. Do you ever think about how weird it is that we’re just a bunch of monkeys that chose to put on clothes and live in a world with rules that are artificially constructed by other monkeys based on the nonsense they believe? Sometimes when we’re in the grind, our minds wander. See th...

Hey there, Shenanites! This week, we talk about the three stages of animation, the spectrum of engagement, and a weird trifecta of totally oppositional forces. We also talk about cake. Like a lot. Whether you can have it or eat it or both. There are a lot of great outcomes when cake is involved. And skeletons! The easiest way to give permission to grown-ups to have fun is to add a skeleton. And th...

Salutations, Shenanites! In this episode, we discuss real time learning curves, a big dumb week, and the only valuable patents. When you talk about exclusives, you never really talk about who is excluded. For example, Sam is the exclusive recipient of THE LOTS this year, and that means no M&Ms for anyone else. TL;DR Capitalism is bad. Questions answered (abbreviated): challosis: How does your...