Game Devastation

Game Devastation 28 features Design Director John Pearl. We talk about level design, items to take into account when making VR games, combat in the game Chronos, John's new book on breaking into the industry, Darksiders, and what a Design Director does at Gunfire Games. 

Game Devastation Episode 27 with designer and owner of Rocketcat Games, Kepa Auwae! We talk about getting into indie game development, iPhone vs. PC development, why Kickstarter isn't for everyone trying to make a game, making action rpgs on iphones, progression systems, their new games Die By the Sword and Death Road to Canada. 

It's the 26th episode of Game Devastation, and we've got the two devs from Powerhoof (David and Barney) talking about their game Crawl. We discuss combat animations, creating local co-op, game jams, regular enemy vs. boss designs, community feedback, and creating a demonic Gabe Newell boss battle. Get hyped for a magnificent discussion about game development, friends!

For the 25th episode of Game Devastation, I get to talk with Coffee Stain Studios Game Designer Armin Ibrisagic. If you've played Goat Simulator, you've seen this man's work first hand. We talk about Armin's journey into design, humor in games, reacting quickly to players feedback, pitching games, and how gameplay loops can be evil! Check it out!

It's Episode 24 with guest Geoffrey Card, Senior Designer at Undead Labs! We talk about systems design, themes of a game genre affecting game design, defining the core game loop (and larger meta loops), State of Decay design, finding the appropriate balance for your game, and more! BUCKLE UP, IT'S A WILD RIDE. Well no, actually, it's quite a civil conversation between two game devs. Whatever, just listen to it, would ya? 

Episode 23 of Game Devastation is all about the people that find and hire you for game industry jobs. Michael Schembari is the Director of Recruiting at Curse, and has worked with Amazon, and Blizzard to recruit and hire folks in the industry. We talk about optimal resumes, cover letters, what to wear in an interview, and how to navigate the compensation conversation. It's an interesting episode for those of you looking for some pro tips from a... uh... pro. 

Episode 22 of Game Devastation: The Frost Episode. This Game Devastation is all about how I got into the game development industry, the various places I've worked, and some (painful, stressful, and enlightening) lessons I've learned while in the industry. If you've wanted a full account of how I ended up where I'm at, this is the episode to listen to, my friend. 

Game Devastation Episode 21 establishes that Chivalry isn't dead! It's on Steam for a reasonable price. Character Artist Dylan Brady and Networking/UI Programmer Kevin Jay talk about Chivalry combat over a network, combat readability, immersion, story without pages of lore in the game, the value of playing games with coworkers, advice for character artists and programmers looking to get into the industry. 

Episode 20 of Game Devastation features Supergiant Games (Bastion and Transistor) Creative Director Greg Kasavin. We talk about story working into gameplay, how games can stay true to their original vision but change to improve it, commuting from San Francisco to LA to work at EA, Bastion prototyping, narration in games as a story telling device, Transistor's musical development, and the importance of not burning out. If you're a fan of Bastion or Transistor, you're going to love this episode of Game Devastation. 

Game Devastation Episode 19 featuring Secret Ponchos Creative Director Yousef Mapara is here, hombre. We talk about the start of the company Switchblade Monkeys, character design influencing design, game mechanics combined with art, the up/downside of Early Access, starting a studio with JUST artists, and the responsibilities of a Creative Director. 

It's Game Devastation Ep. 18 and we're talking with the Creative Director at Hinterland Games, Raphael Van Lierop. We talk about Raphael's current survival crafting game "The Long Dark" and it's origins, single player vs. multiplayer, balancing systems, emergent gameplay, successful usage of early access, acting on gameplay feedback, starting a new indie studio in Canada, sandbox vs. story mode, and Kickstarter funding for games. 

Episode 17 features Creative Director at The Molasses Flood, Forest Dowling. Forest talks about his new game The Flame and the Flood, his background, survival crafting game mechanics, indie game studios vs. AAA development, setting up a successful video game Kickstarter, and how to get into the industry as a level designer.   

Lead System Designer Adam Maxwell, aka Snipe Hunter, talks Systems Design. Combat, death mechanics, and how Revival iterates on content before releasing it out into the world. If you're interested in Systems Design, check out this episode. 

Episode 15 of Game Devastation features Art Director Matt Mocarski. Matt presently works at Amazon Game Studios in Seattle, but has previously worked on WildStar, World of Warcraft, Daxter, and Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver in various art positions. We talk about how to break into the game industry, being a game developer vs. being an artist, and talking about what is important in game art for the experience vs. the aesthetic.

Episode 14 features WildStar Product Director Mike Donatelli. Mike has worked on WildStar, Warhammer, Crime Craft, and Dark Age of Camelot. In this episode, Mike talks about WildStar's new free to play business model shift, MMORPG design vs. single player RPG design, the future of MMOs, and why he feels game design schools can be "Like a Puppy Mill for Game Designers." Join us for the most edited version of Game Devastation!

It's episode 13 of Game Devastation and we talk about comic book video games, character development in games, and discuss what is more difficult to implement in games... horror or comedy? Adam has worked as a director on games like Till Morning's Light, Batman: The Brave and Bold, Lit, Justice League Heroes: Flash, and other great WayForward titles. 

In Game Devastation Ep. 12, EQ Next Lead System Designer Michael Mann talks about balancing classes, how to create tradeskills that are viable to the game economy, progression systems, answers community questions, and discusses how to get into the industry as an MMO designer. 

Episode 11 of Game Devastation features Asa Dang, designer/tech director on the Kickstarter success  Slain. Asa talks about his experiences working on games like Slain, Grand Theft Auto 5, Kick Ass, and (the ultimately cancelled) Metalocalypse. Frost and Asa also talk about their experience working on Major League Eating: The Game. Yeah, seriously. MAJOR LEAGUE EATING. 

It's Game Devastation Ep. 10 and we talk with Chasm Game Director James Petruzzi and Indie Biz Dev/Marketing Guru Dan Adelman. We talk about procedural Metroidvania creation, how to create a successful Kickstarter, Dan's time at Nintendo bringing indie games to the digital download market, and what you need to know if you want to get started in the indie game dev scene.

It's Game Devastation episode 9 with WildStar Composer Jeff Kurtenacker. We talk about the music composition process, his inspirations, sound design, how to use music in games, where Jeff got his start, and his experience recording at Sony sound stage. There's plenty of great info and terrible jokes ahead, so prepare yourself for GAME DEVASTATION: AFTER HOURS.