Skywalker Ranch, Persistence, Game Designer Qualities, Working With Steven Spielberg, Being Bold, The Power of AR and VR, Not Being a Jerk, and Traveling the World with Noah Falstein of The Inspiracy | Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast Podcast

Recruiters Talk Hiring, Job Strategies, Plan B, Call of Duty, Networking, ATSs, The Industry Layoff Trend, Resume Tips, and LinkedIn’s Value with Keith Plesha of Krafton: In this episode, I spoke with Keith Plesha, Sr. Recruiter with Krafton Americas who offers valuable insights from his recruiting career. He emphasizes the significance of networking, continuous learning, and staying on top of industry trends for career success. Topics such as interpersonal skills, mentorship, and the impact of remote work on hiring are also discussed. The conversation transitions into challenges faced by current (and aspiring) game developers, including layoffs and the effects of mergers and acquisitions. Keith expresses interest in the decision-making processes behind job cuts and the metrics driving those. Additionally, we discuss the surge in gaming during the pandemic and its implications for industry growth and adaptation. We then get into topics around previous overhiring, shifts in user acquisi by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

100 min listen

Working on Jedi Starfighter, Portfolios, DirectX’s Mission, Embracing AI, the Neuroscience of Play, Empathy, the Industry’s Next Growth Market, and Helping Ukraine with Founder and CEO Sam Glassenberg of Level Ex: In this episode, I spoke with Sam Glassenberg, Founder and CEO of Level Ex, as we dive into subjects encompassing the gaming industry, technology, and healthcare. Sam recounts his unexpected journey into gaming, beginning as an animator at LucasArts and eventually helping lead Microsoft’s DirectX Graphics team. We then transition to discussing the critical importance of having a portfolio for job seekers, the interesting challenges of working in Tech Art, the foundational value of solid engineering principles, and the innovative ways Level Ex pushes Unity3D beyond its limits. Our conversation also touches on the essential qualities of empathy, adaptability, and curiosity in the gaming industry. Sam fondly recalls working on his two favorite projects, Star Wars: Jedi Starfight by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

58 min listen

Starting Bungie, UEFN, Teamwork, Making Halo, AI Concerns, Portfolios, UGC, Game Industry Optimism, Diversity, Building EQ, and the Fourth Curtain Podcast with founder and CEO Alex Seropian of Look North World: I welcome Alex Seropian, founder and CEO of Look North World on this episode kicking off the 5th (wow, 5th) year of the podcast. Hear as Alex shares insights about his current role, including hosting The Fourth Curtain podcast and his new studio, Look North World. Learn about the growing significance of user-generated content (UGC) in the gaming industry and the potential for UGC to become a major part of the industry in the coming years. Alex also reflects on his journey in the game industry, from his early exposure to video games to the founding of Bungie after college and working on games like Marathon and Halo. We then get into his curiosity about the future of the game industry, particularly in relation to the impact of technology, such as AI and virtual reality. He also by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

49 min listen

From Improv to the Game Industry, Charting Your Path, Being Flexible, Consolidation Concerns, Working with Clients, Future Tech, the M+DEV Conference, and Taking Care of Yourself with Jennifer Javornick of Filament Games: I welcome Jennifer Javornick, the Chief Partnerships Officer at Filament Games on this 60th episode. Learn about her current role, the company’s connection with UW Madison, and how she transitioned from a traditional IT role into the game industry. Hear about being in improv comedy, learning to be less formal, and how the industry embraces being yourself. We then share advice about starting out, having content to show, testing, and being able to hit the ground running. Hear about the intricacies of doing client work, opportunities to work in marketing, and the importance of being flexible in this industry. We then get into teamwork, communication skills, and one of her favorite projects, iCivics.org. Learn about industry consolidation concerns, questions about the f by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

50 min listen

Video Games Cause Violence Fallacy, Find Your Why, Indie Development, Mental Health Crisis, Neuroplasticity, Forgiveness Matters, VR Deep Dive, Creator Keys, Robotics and More with Ryan Douglas of DeepWell DTx, NeuFluent / Founder, Nextern: I welcome Ryan Douglas, the Co-Founder at DeepWell DTx, NeuFluent / Founder, Nextern to this episode. Learn how DeepWell DTx is working to meld medical professionals, scientists, and game developers to create mental health digital therapeutics through play and neuroscience. Hear about the power of gaming to improve mental health, citing games like Tetris and Animal Crossing that have shown mental health benefits. Ryan then shares the value of creating experiences that make players feel better without consciously realizing it, along with potential negative effects around boundary conditions in medicine. We then get into the meteoric rise of the game industry, how it’s still immature at times, and the need for individuals to understand their motiva by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

80 min listen

How to Successfully Pitch to Publishers, Learning to Script, the Importance of Sound Design, Chance Encounters, Doing Great Work, Being Calm, FMOD and More with Jeff Linville of Ritual Studios: I welcome Jeff Linville, the Co-Founder and Sound Designer at Ritual Studios to this episode. We discuss topics like sound design, pitching your game to publishers, and the future of AR and VR. Jeff shares about the importance of your personal network, learning how to script and work in-engine, and maintaining a healthy mindset with the ups and downs of the industry. We then go into the importance of sound design, highlighting the transformative power of sound that enhances player experiences. Hear about the challenges faced by sound designers, such as time constraints and file size limitations, plus having content cut. Jeff shares why he’s bullish on VR and thoughts around AR possibly replacing smartphones through spatial computing. We then get into the concerns about AI's impact on game dev by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

54 min listen

The Job Episode - Resume Strategies, Applying For Positions, Portfolios and Websites, Interviewing Tips, and Much More with John Podlasek: I put this information together for a presentation at DePaul University in Chicago recently. The audience found it helpful, plus listener Chris Hardin thought it’d make a great episode. So I made some tweaks and recorded it solo as a short episode :) While it’s intended for folks looking to get their first job there are different ideas and strategies that should be helpful if you’re already working in the industry. I cover strategies around resumes, applying for jobs, doing due diligence, interviewing strategies, following up afterwards, the importance of your portfolio/website, and other areas. It’s not meant to be extensive, but tips and ideas to help in your game development journey. (Plus if you’d like to go deeper my Gain Wisdom Patreon level has monthly private coaching included.) by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

26 min listen

Starting Your Own Studio, BioShock Infinite, Anti-Crunch Culture, Learning Patience, Rendering and Graphics, ChatGPT, and Shifting Business Models with Steve Anichini of Disbelief: I welcome Steve Anichini, CTO and Co-founder of Disbelief to this episode. We start off discussing programming at a young age, taking a job after college, and then deciding to pursue a game development career with his first job at Jellyvision. Hear about working at Midway Games and Irrational Games and then starting Disbelief after layoffs. Learn advice about developing patience with yourself, others, project timelines, and not freaking out over deadlines. Steve then shares ideas for getting a first job, including the importance of debugging skills and learning more languages and game engines. We then discuss advancing as a programmer, including the importance of communication skills. Hear about some of his favorite projects, including Borderlands 3 and BioShock Infinite. We then dive into rendering and gr by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

59 min listen

The Pinball Episode with Roger Sharpe from PINBALL: The Man Who Saved the Game: I welcome Roger Sharpe, President and CEO of Sharpe Communications, and the star of the new movie - PINBALL: The Man Who Saved the Game. Hear about his marketing agency and how the idea to turn his story into a movie started back in 2020. We then discuss how pinball used to be illegal in New York City, discovering pinball in college, working at GQ, being challenged to write a book, and testifying at City Hall it was a game of skill, not a game of chance. Learn about life choices, working in advertising, how others got their start in pinball, plus ideas how you could get into the industry now. Hear about home enthusiasts being a huge boost, going international, and thousands of events, tournaments, and leagues happening every year. We then dive into some of his favorite games and projects, including the ones he designed, along with his licensing work on Elvira, NBA Jam, Mortal Kombat, Indiana Jones, Star by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

59 min listen

Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable, The Last of Us, ChatGPT, Uncanny Valley, Pizza Is Pizza, Compassionate Leadership, Halo 2 Double Team, No Jerks Policy, Document the Results, and Being Unflappable with Ray McCaffrey of Steel Wool Studios: I welcome Ray McCaffrey, Executive Producer at Steel Wool Studios. Hear how he got started in the game industry through a friend by joining a band with some NetherRealm artists who later encouraged him to apply for a short-term Assistant Producer contract job. Learn about his transition from IT, working with industry legends, and wishing he’d known to be more quiet and listen better. We then discuss advancing your career in Production, the importance of documenting feedback and results, and providing context to the team to build trust. Hear about the value of being calm and centered for others and the value it brings to the team and a company. Learn about the critical skill of being comfortable being uncomfortable, accepting change in the search by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

70 min listen

Game Jams, Resiliency, Game Dev Resources, The Future, Mentors, Neurodiversity, Bodystorming, Tech Art, Networking, Art Automation, Anxiety, Mixed Reality, and AI with Angel Muniz: I welcome Angel Muniz, a 3D Generalist and Technical Artist who shares about her transition into the game industry, talking with Bungie, getting a first job, and going back to school. Hear career advice about how the art field is changing, creating automation, learning integration, and getting your first position. Learn about knowing your value, having mentors, passion and curiosity, and advancing your career. We then discuss hackathons, growing your skills, her VR portfolio, and the love of learning. Hear about emotional intelligence, politics, listening, bodystorming, and how we process information. Discover AI machine learning, building an experience to help with anxiety, XR, wearables, aerospace, and NASA. Learn about integrating XR into education, roles outside of triple-A, different projects she’s w by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

87 min listen

Making RPGs, Remote Manager Challenges, Porting GTA Vice City, How To Get Promoted, the Power of Messaging Apps, German Game Dev, Resident Evil Design, Working in Different Roles, and The Settlers with Jurie Horneman: I welcome Jurie Horneman, senior gameplay programmer at Possibly Space, who shares about growing up in the Netherlands and his passion for wanting to make games that led to his first job. Learn about making Amberstar, answering calls from players, and making Ambermoon, which still has a dedicated fan base. Hear about moving to Blue Byte, Albion being overly ambitious, learning C, and having your shipping platform changed because of bankruptcy. We then discuss source code, the importance of completing personal projects, and needing to shift your perspective to think as a hiring manager or department lead. Learn about pitching in, how game dev is different from film, and working on Watch Dogs: Legion. Hear thoughts for working in games now, developing interpersonal skills, by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

83 min listen

QA Into Production, Web3 Challenges, Twitter For Game Dev, New Technologies, Problem Solving, Axie Infinity, and Keeping An Open Mind with Carl Leducq of Altered State Machine and Zero To Play: I welcome Carl Leducq, Games Producer at Altered State Machine and the popular Zero to Play podcast who shares about his new role and recently shipped game for Rocketwerkz. Learn how he transitioned from film into the game industry and working in QA changed his perspective. Hear how he transitioned from QA to Production, his passion around the game development community and the NZGDA. We then discuss advice for getting into the industry, doing game jams, and advancing your career. Hear about the importance of communication skills, ideas for working remotely, and developing interpersonal skills. Learn about his favorite project, his interest in Web3, and the parallels to early F2P games. We then pivot into AR, VR, and potential threats, like Play To Earn and the massive Axie Infinity hack. Towa by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

40 min listen

Accountability, College Esports, Alto’s Odyssey, Gaming Culture, Winding Paths, Changing Behaviors, Bad Apples, and an Iceberg-Shaped Problem with Jae Lin of the Games and Online Harassment Hotline: I welcome Jae Lin, the Hotline Director of the ‘Games and Online Harassment Hotline’ who shares about their current role running the hotline, along with the new Culture Shift project. Learn about when they’re available, who it’s helping, and how you can text “support” to 23368 within the U.S. for help. Hear about the new Culture Shift program launched with Take this that goes into game studios and works with top leadership to create custom programs for companies. We then discuss gender-based harm, why it keeps happening, and the culture around it. Hear ideas around accountability, changing behaviors, and how the program just launched in March of this year. Learn about Jae’s experience being pushed out of esports, doing volunteer work in Austin, and getting involved with the hotline, along by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

44 min listen

Speeding Up Development, Interviewing Strategies, Game of Thrones, Beginner's Mind, Open Economy Games, The Metaverse, Humility, and Guilty Pleasure Games with Jon Radoff, CEO of Beamable: I welcome Jon Radoff, CEO of Beamable who shares his inspiration behind starting the company. Hear how D&D and computer programming got him hooked on games, and the companies he’s created along the way. Learn how he began his entrepreneurial journey as a kid, along with advice for others who love games and have a passion to create. We then discuss his thoughts around entrepreneurship, who to listen to, and who not to listen to. Hear why it’s important to have a portfolio, along with strategies for interviewing. Learn the value of having humility, a beginner's mind, not being afraid to throw things away, and getting player feedback. Hear stories on the development of huge IP games like Star Trek Timelines, Game of Thrones Ascent, and his very first game, Legends of Future Past. Learn about his pas by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

57 min listen

Giving Back, Diversity, Self-Promotion, Cultural Revolution, People Skills, Immersive Experiences, and Game Jams with Renee Gittins of the IGDA: I welcome Renee Gittins who shares about her role as the Executive Director of the IGDA, along with her new position at Phoenix Labs. Learn about how Renee transitioned from biotech into game development, the various roles she’s had, along with making lifelong friends at Riot Games. Hear the importance of having confidence, starting your projects sooner, building a portfolio, and making connections. We then discuss the importance of self-promotion and mentorship as keys to advancing your career, especially working with cross-discipline. Learn the importance of people skills, especially self-reflection and empathy, along with her favorite project, Potions: A Curious Tale. Hear about the cultural revolution going on in the industry, thoughts on the Metaverse, and an inspiring story. Hear opinions on AR & VR, a surprising audience for her game by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

36 min listen

Work with Meaning, Unity, Treating PTSD, Magic Leap, AI, Healthcare Heroes, GDC, and the Future with Skip Rizzo from the USC Institute for Creative Technologies: I welcome Albert “Skip” Rizzo, a clinical psychologist and 25 year veteran of gaming technology and VR for clinical uses. Learn how a patient playing Tetris sparked his interest in gaming to help patients recovering from strokes. Years later he took the leap to join USC and use VR to help kids with ADHD back in the 90s. Hear the critical importance of building content that engages and motivates patients, along with the differences between games and film. We then dive into the Bravemind program to help vets suffering from PTSD to carefully revisit, confront, and replace terrible situations they’ve encountered. Hear how they rebuilt their technology, added new locations, and created a pre-deployment program to help prepare new soldiers. Learn how he expanded into helping with sexual trama around a civilian context and workin by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

66 min listen

Game Dev People, Starting a Studio, Discord’s Power, Send the Resume, Steam’s Dead for Indies, and Dota 2 with Dan Nikolaides from Studio369: I welcome Dan Nikolaides, CEO of Symmetric Games and the CTO of Studio369 on this episode. We begin discussing his current role leading development efforts on their game MetalCore, along with the studio’s first game, Rune II. Learn about the concepts in MetalCore, how they found investors, and how he started in the industry. We then dive into switching over to game teams, having projects canceled, and leaving to join Phosphor. Hear about shipping a bunch of games, then starting his studio in 2016. Learn about not being intimidated by hard problems along with the importance of a growth mindset. We then talk about the importance of new engineers knowing a game engine, the preferred language behind it, and having a strong engineering foundation. Learn Dan’s advice for current engineers who want to grow and have more responsibilities, along with the by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

50 min listen

Working on Uncharted, 4-Day Work Week, Crunch, XTC, Psychology in Design, Sustainable Game Development, and the USC Games Program with Richard Lemarchand: I welcome Richard Lemarchand from the USC Games program on this episode. We begin by discussing his Associate Professor role in the USC School of Cinematic Arts and the recent release of his book, A Playful Production Process, for Game Designers (and Everyone). Hear about how he got his first job at MicroProse, the importance of psychology in game design, along with wishing he’d known better how to manage projects. We discuss the effects of crunch, the importance of managing projects, and how his book is a textbook of his class covering intermediate level design and production. We then share stories of outdated 300 page GDDs, Mark Cerny’s Game Design Macro format, moving over to Crystal Dynamics in the mid-90s to work on the Gex and Soul Reaver series, along with the dynamic scene in the Bay area. Hear about transitioning over to Na by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

83 min listen

Marathon Not A Sprint, ArtStation Is Key, Seizing Opportunities, Virtual Boy, Paying It Forward, Working In Mexico, Personal Projects, and My Origin Story with Glenn De Leon Garza: I welcome Glenn De Leon Garza, a talented 3D artist on this episode. We begin by talking about the impact of COVID in Mexico, along with his responsibilities now as an art director. Then hear about his transition from being a 3D artist into an art director and management role, plus his thoughts on giving good direction. We then transition to getting his first job as a 3D artist, the challenges of working in the industry from Mexico, and differences in salaries with the U.S. Hear what his first years were like as a new artist and his secret for getting better. Learn what Glenn wishes he’d known when starting in the industry, advice he gives new artists, and needing to understand your weaknesses. Hear about the importance of finding a mentor and his secret to attracting people to his portfolio. We then discuss by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

47 min listen

Startup Principles, Working on StarCraft II and Fortnite, Burnout, Empathic Design, UI is Key, Tools Development, VC Ecosystem, Mental Health, and Crossplay with Matt Schembari: I welcome Matt Schembari, CEO of Lightforge Games. We begin by discussing his lifelong love of games and how he got his first job in the industry, followed by the other studios he’s worked at. Our discussion pivots into burnout and the effects it has on a person, along with a crisis of identity, and thoughts on mental health. We then discuss the industry turnover rate and constant loss of talent that’s happening, along with the key principles Lightforge Games has been founded on. Hear Matt’s thoughts on empathic design, targeting tool development as a career choice, the importance of UI, and ideas around focusing your career. We then discuss the need to be a team player, mentoring others, and developing as a leader. Listen to the most important skill he thinks people should have and the importance of learning by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

46 min listen

Creativity is a Business, LotR’s Inspiration, Toxic Workplace Cultures, Using Agents, Defining Your Terms, Twitter For Connecting, Asking For Advice, and Creating Friendships with Marta Svetek: I welcome Marta Svetek, a London-based actor working in video games, film and TV. We begin by discussing the state of COVID-19 in London and how her roles of acting and other work are centered around creating digital characters. Learn about her passion of playing games from a young age, Lord of the Rings, and how she landed her first game VO role working for Creative Assembly. Hear about how work has dramatically picked up over the last year, including as a lead character in the upcoming Battlefield 2042. We then discuss the actual process of doing VO work in a recording studio, protecting your voice, along with what she’d wished she’d known when younger. We talk about a key mentor, the business of agents and talent representation, and working on her own terms. Learn the importance of asking ad by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

75 min listen

Battlefield Mobile, Gratitude, Getting Sh*t Done, Marvel XP, Bad Interview, Pareto Principle, Game Dev Identity, and Surviving a Layoff with Justin Fischer of Industrial Toys/EA: I welcome Justin Fischer, Lead Development Director at Industrial Toys of EA. We begin by discussing the state of COVID-19 in LA and how his scrappiness landed him an internship at Chicago’s Wideload Games. Learn about how he cut his teeth at Wideload Games then Disney Interactive working on projects with tight budgets like Hail to the Chimp, Guilty Party and Marvel XP. Hear about the challenges and life lessons of tieing too much of your identity into being a game developer, going through a layoff, and the hidden value shown with time and recognition. We then pivot into advice for aspiring designers, artists, engineers and producers, along with how to advance in production and what it means to view it as a service role focused on the team’s needs. We then discuss seeking to understand before being underst by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

57 min listen

Horror Games, Career Strategies, What Publishers Want, Capital Is King, Poland and Israel’s Game Dev Scenes, and Finding Your Own Way with Scott Millard of Feardemic: I welcome Scott Millard, Managing Director at Feardemic. We begin discussing his Krakow, Poland location, and the country’s forward-thinking and vibrant game development industry. We then shift to COVID-19’s impact, plus his current role as a Managing Director at Feardemic working on horror games. Listen to his origin story starting at Sega’s Oziesoft followed by lots of acquisitions, along with a controversial perspective on big companies, and his advice to finding your own way when starting out. Hear his idea on the most important skill to learn, what publishers are looking for in developers, and helping distribute classic games like DOOM II, Tomb Raider, and Command & Conquer. We then talk about game classification ratings, a time-intensive mistake, and what’s happening with Stadia and Xbox in the console wars. Hear by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

49 min listen

Self-Taught Coding, Importance of Tools, Crunch, NLP, Snow Crash, Ageism, GitHub, Toastmasters, and Quake’s Elegance with Norman Morse of Perforce Software: I welcome Norman Morse, Triage Engineer at Perforce Software. We begin by discussing COVID-19’s impact, and his current role helping game developers. Hear thoughts on the importance of git and Perforce, how a previous job led to his current one, and the challenge of layoffs. Listen to his origin story around doing kernel development, building a team, and getting absorbed into EA. Learn his theory for success, going door-to-door for a job, teaching himself languages, and the importance of Linux and enthusiasm. We then talk about the importance of GDC and social skills, Toastmasters, studying NLP, along with learning technical skills. Hear about working in Unity back in 2008, supporting P4, and how GitHub is an engineer’s resume. Learn about favorite games he worked on, thoughts on the future, concerns about how studios fill roles by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

56 min listen

Halo 2, Steve Ballmer, IGDA, Gamergate, Star Wars, Diversity and Inclusion, Networking, Going Solo, Cloudpunk, and Developer Leverage with Kate Edwards of Geogrify and the Global Game Jam: I welcome Kate Edwards, game industry pioneer at Geogrify and Executive Director of the Global Game Jam. We start by discussing COVID-19 totally changing everything for her speaking and traveling work along with the Global Game Jam (recorded before the event). We then talk about her culturalization consulting and public speaking projects keeping her even busier now. Listen to her origin story about arcades, wanting to be an astronaut, Star Wars, going into Industrial Design, and grad school at the HITLab in Seattle. Hear how being a Cartographer started her career at Microsoft and translated into a new role as a Geopolitical Specialist. We then talk about consulting for Google, joining then leading the IGDA, Gamergate threats, 50 over 50 list, and mental health advocacy. We reflect on lessons lea by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

85 min listen

Stack the Job Deck, Canada, Iron Galaxy, PSX Conference, Recruiter Horror Stories, Dot-com Bubble, LT, and Wisdom From Perspective with Adam Boyes of Iron Galaxy Studios: I welcome Adam Boyes, game industry veteran and Co-CEO of Iron Galaxy Studios. We start by discussing COVID-19 and thoughts on staying mentally healthy along with his current position. Adam then shares his passion for games and journey for getting in through QA. Learn how Canada’s grown their game industry through tax incentives, plus Adam’s perspective and advice on building a career. We then discuss him leaving the industry for entrepreneurial pursuits, moving overseas, coming back to Vancouver for Next Level Games, then going to Midway Games. Learn about his inspiration from an EVE Online event to create the PlayStation Experience, plus working on Blitz: The League. Adam shares about working with linebacker Lawrence Taylor, what he’s excited about, and the value of games for kids. Learn how mobile games have by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

62 min listen

Interviewing Tips, Global Teams, NY Comic Con, Running LiveOps, Crunching, Mentors, Mass Effect, Austin Game Dev, QA Life, and Relationships Matter with Patrick Moran of Kongregate: In this episode, I welcome Patrick Moran, game industry veteran and GM at Kongregate’s Tonic division. We start by discussing COVID-19’s impact and his current role at Kongregate and the background of the company. Learn how his team’s spread over numerous countries like Germany, Canada and India along with the US, plus the unique business model he’s leading around LiveOps and buying existing games. Patrick then shares what it was like in 2000 trying to break into the industry and the unorthodox cold calling method used for getting his first job. Hear about life crunching in QA on Deus Ex, making early mobile and DS games as a Designer, and the importance of patience. Learn what people to reach out to and how to get your first job, along with the importance of mentorship and solving problems. Hear the cult by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

87 min listen

SXSW, Keys to Kickstarter, Smash TV, Editing Challenges, Ready Player One, Games Are Harder Than Film, Persistence, Magic Leap, HoloLens, and Film Festivals with Joshua Tsui of Insert Coin: On this episode, I welcome Joshua Tsui, game industry veteran and creator of the new documentary, Insert Coin. We start by discussing his current role in experiential design at Edge Experiential, then dive into his journey in developing Insert Coin, detailing his inspiration behind it, the research and interview process, and the many challenges he encountered along the way. Joshua describes working with Kenny Fedesna and others from Midway Games on the documentary, plus shares candid thoughts on whether or not he’s going to make a sequel of Insert Coin or even continue making films. Hear how much harder it is to make a game than a movie, SXSW, and Covid-19’s impact on film festivals. Learn how Midway Games changed in the 2000s and thoughts on the Oculus Quest, Nintendo Switch, Magic Leap, and the H by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

45 min listen

Artist Turned Indie Filmmaker, Layoff Transition, New Artist Tools, Actor Types, E3 Stories, Key Skills For Getting Hired, and LA Traffic, with Mehran Torgoley of Cult Cinema: On this episode we welcome Mehran Torgoley, Director & Writer at Cult Cinema, LLC. We start by discussing a few projects he’s currently working on and how he began at a small studio outside of Chicago. While sharing what he wishes he’d known when starting out in the industry, Mehran emphasizes the significance of commitment, pushing through hesitation, and passion. We reminisce on our days at Midway Games before diving into useful advice for people going into game development or film, as well as people looking to advance their careers. He touches on the importance of networking, having a great portfolio, being prepared, and keeping your skills current. Mehran speaks on the weirdness of auditions and why he doesn’t want to work on games he’d love to play, then shares how Unreal Engine’s being used in film and TV by Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

59 min listen

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Skywalker Ranch, Persistence, Game Designer Qualities, Working With Steven Spielberg, Being Bold, The Power of AR and VR, Not Being a Jerk, and Travel…

Skywalker Ranch, Persistence, Game Designer Qualities, Working With Steven Spielberg, Being Bold, The Power of AR and VR, Not Being a Jerk, and Travel…

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