GameDev Breakdown

Original Air Date: Dec. 10, 2020 - We wrap up the console development series with a look at Sony PlayStation hardware, the development programs they run, interesting funding initiatives, and an unusual story about how Sony delisted a previous podcast guest. If you enjoy GameDev Breakdown • Sign up for our https://codewriteplay.com/newsletter/! • https://codewriteplay.com/the-gamedev-breakdown-podc...

Original Air Date: Dec. 7, 2020 - TREE Industries CTO, Joshua Johnson, gives an inside look at one of the disc golf community's most anticipated titles, Ultimate Disc Golf. We talk indie development business, the challenges of using all-purpose physics engines for very specific applications, and more. Show topicshttps://ultimatediscgolfgame.com/Ultimate Disc Golf is an upcoming disc golf game from...

Original Air Date: Dec. 3, 2020 - Versus CEO and Co-Founder, John Vitti, calls in to discuss the early success of Versus Game, designing around human nature, players as designers, and we speculate about our chances against the eventual rise of the machines. Show Topics • John’s background • How Versus works • Gaming during covid • Prediction and human nature • Working with celebs and influencers •...

Original Air Date: Nov. 30, 2020 - Over the weekend, Todd presented virtually to students, indies, and other industry folks at GameDev Camp 2020 to present insight gathered through interviews conducted throughout the last year. This episode recaps the event and includes the full audio of the presentation. Speakers featured in the presentation include: • Mingaile Striaukaitė, Communications Manager...

Original Air Date: Nov. 26, 2020 - In continuing our console development basics series, we look at what it takes to develop an indie game for Nintendo's latest game console, the Switch. If you like more options, we'll look at a way you can make a limited Switch game with no permission from Nintendo whatsoever. Finally, we'll take a look at the most manageable option for going old school with your...

Original Air Date: Nov. 23, 2020 - There's a lot of new buzz about Microsoft's love for indie developers. Have they really made it easy to target the Xbox? In this episode, Todd looks at indie options for bringing a new or existing project to Xbox systems. If you enjoy GameDev Breakdown • Sign up for our https://codewriteplay.com/newsletter/! • https://codewriteplay.com/the-gamedev-breakdown-podca...

Original Air Date: Nov. 18, 2020 - Pixelmatic Chief Creative Officer, Jason Lee, calls in to discuss his design contributions to legendary RTS series (Age of Empires, Company of Heroes, and Warhammer 40,000), Pixelmatic's upcoming space strategy game (Infinite Fleet), and the challenges of implementing actual cryptocurrencies both for in-game trade and to raise funds for the game's development. Ja...

Original Air Date: Nov. 15, 2020 - By community request: Thoughts on the topic of motivation, both in everyday life and in indie game development. This episode came from the Patreon vault! It was recorded last year but never widely released. My book project is mentioned a number of times. That book is still forthcoming. The topic was changed to incorporate expertise from numerous people I've inter...

Original Air Date: Nov. 12, 2020 - Lego and Unity have teamed up to offer an educational experience set in the Lego universe, but is there more than meets the eye? We'll discuss who the new Lego microgame project is for, what you can accomplish with it, and speculate wildly about what's next. The https://blogs.unity3d.com/2020/09/09/create-your-first-game-brick-by-virtual-brick-with-the-lego-micro...

Original Air Date: Nov. 9, 2020 - Weakest Link contestant Spencer Scott calls in ahead of his debut on NBC's popular game show to talk about his experience, his mindset under pressure, and the early experiences in his life that may have helped set him on his path. We also take a look at the design of The Weakest Link, what makes it compelling, and what might make for a successful video game adapta...

Original Air Date: Nov. 5, 2020 - By community request, we take a look at the games as a service model, its performance in the game industry, and its impact on traditional revenue models in games. As mentioned in the show, this episode uses a study on industry data collected in 2018, but you'll notice many of the trends we'll discuss are still holding strong. Thanks again to Charlie Cox for the to...

Original Air Date: Nov. 2, 2020 - A major industry publisher has finally been burned in the global crackdown on loot crates. It could have been easily avoided. EA gets wrecked in Netherlands district court • GamesIndustry.biz - https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-10-29-ea-fined-10m-over-loot-boxes-as-dutch-court-sides-with-gambling-authority • TheSixthAxis.com - https://www.thesixthaxis.co...

Original Air Date: Oct. 29, 2020 - Trying to leverage LinkedIn and participating in a discussion about parenting, revenue models, and publisher trust may have recently landed me deeper in enemy territory than I intended to go. Get the full story, hear a good rule of thumb for dealing with publishers, and learn a two-word phrase that lets you know to stop listening to anyone immediately. Show notes...

Original Air Date: Oct. 26, 2020 - A creative director at Google Stadia makes surprising comments about the relationship between streamers, studios, and publishers. The community points out it's not the first time he's gained controversial attention. Jason Schreier emerges from the Fortress of Condescension to dunk on...everyone. We look for the dividing line separating fact from fiction about Ale...

Original Air Date: Oct. 22, 2020 - SEGA celebrates its 60th anniversary by releasing a cancelled Golden Axe reboot on Steam, complete with a tongue-in-cheek title sequence and apologies for its bugs and jankiness. The developer cries foul and tells the story behind its chaotic production. If you enjoy GameDev Breakdown • Sign up for our https://codewriteplay.com/newsletter/! • https://codewritepla...

Original Air Date: Oct. 19, 2020 - An email from a familiar name illustrated a perfect example of why you should be kind to people in your content space, or failing that, at least be quiet. We’ll also discuss why a sky-high number of followers on social media isn’t exactly what you should be chasing. TopicsOn Wheaton's Law • Wherever you are, someone is below your level. It’s usually easy to help...

Original Air Date: Oct. 15, 2020 - By community request, we look at what successful developers have to say about pricing your indie game. I'll talk about my experience, too, so you know what not to do. The pricing topic runs deep. Some platforms have pricing limitations and requirements, but most are wide open, leaving you to solve the mystery for yourself. Do you price according to your valuation...

Original Air Date: Oct. 12, 2020 - Do you really have time to support your own video game? If you're an indie game developer, the answer is probably no, but app and game stores expect you to provide this service for your customers. In this episode of GameDev Breakdown, we'll take a look at some strategies you can leverage to make this part of life a little easier. Here's the problem: indie develop...

Original Air Date: Oct. 8, 2020 - Ken Williams has released a new book, Not All Fairy Tales Have Happy Endings: The rise and fall of Sierra On-Line. In the process of telling Sierra's entire story from his perspective for the first time, he reveals what was surely among the very earliest attempts at unionization within the game industry. This story apparently takes place as Sierra was leaving the...

Original Air Date: Sep. 11, 2020 - Cyberpunk 2077 designer Max Pears calls in to discuss his recent book, Let's Design: Combat, his podcast, Level Design Lobby, and his meteoric rise in game design, from school to Ubisoft's The Division to CD PROJEKT RED's most hotly anticipated title to date. Let's Design: Combat is fresh off the presses, offering rare access to design wisdom straight from a desi...

Original Air Date: Aug. 28, 2020 - Todd appeared on Fandom Unlimited's live Facebook stream to talk about Epic and Microsoft vs. Apple and Google, then we dive into an equally troubling lawsuit between a studio and publisher that you might not have heard about. Epic (with Microsoft) vs. Apple (and seperately) GoogleImportant conceptsMicrosoft xCloud - Announced at E3 2018. A service that will let...

Original Air Date: Aug. 20, 2020 - Well we did it. 100 episodes of GameDev Breakdown. For the big event, we rolled the webcams and just let it happen. Matt Hill joined in for a discussion about recent events, a trip down memory lane, and a quick look at what's to come. This podcast wouldn't be worth doing without our friends listening all over the world. Your emails, tweets, and reviews don't only...

Original Air Date: Aug. 14, 2020 - If you're into any technology from the earliest days of PC gaming to modern 3D engine development (with a dash of pilot certification in the middle), Shammi Mohamed is a great person to get to know. In this episode of GameDev Breakdown, Shammi calls in to tell us how he climbed the tech ladder, starting with his early childhood in India tinkering with the Sinclai...

Original Air Date: Aug. 11, 2020 - KitBash3D has developed a reputation for world-class 3D assets used by some of the biggest studio and artist names in TV, Film, and triple-A games. Today, the company announced efforts to reach the rest of the game development space. In this episode of GameDev Breakdown, co-founders Banks and Maxx call in to discuss today's release of a variety of "game engine re...

Original Air Date: Aug. 7, 2020 - We put out the call for topics, questions, and feedback on our https://swellcast.com/gamedevpodcast, and you answered! Topics this time include: • Our viral retelling of adventure at the last Aladdin's Castle arcade • Coaching and tutoring in esports • The legend of Atari VP Howie Rubin • An upcoming chat with Shammi Mohamed of Microsoft first-party games and now...