Game development process of designing the content and rules of a game
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This podcast explores how each of the colors interacts with creatures.
In this podcast, I talk about how it's not enough for a mechanic to be good in a vacuum.
We welcome Freya Holmér back into the clubhouse to talk about 3D game development for independent game developers. We get into the specifics of the tools available for devs and why they work and don't work for different teams, but it's mostly an excuse to talk about Freya's new 3D modeling software.Half-Edge - Freya HolmérShader Forge - Freya Holmér, GitHubShapes - Freya Holmér, Unity Asset Store3D Workflows for Indie DevsGame DesignToolsUI / UXValve Hammer Editor - Valve Developer CommunityPicoCAD - Johan Peitz, itch.ioTrenchBroom - GitHubCrocotile 3DWhat's the difference between OBJ and FBX? And when to you what - RedditFreya HolmérGuestFreya Holmér is game developer, co-founder of Neat Corporation (makers of VR stealth game Budget Cuts), and creator of developer tools including Shader Forge and Shapes. She spends a significant amount of time interacting with people on her gamedev Twitch stream.External linkFreya on TwitchFreya on Twitter @FreyaHolmerFreya on YouTubeFreya on Instagram @freya_holmerNeat Corporation's WebsiteNeat Corp on Twitter @neatcorpBudget Cuts on SteamBudget Cuts on OcculusShader Forge on GitHub
We dissect the phenomenon of FPS Strike, a low-poly, Counter-Strike-inspired mobile shooter racking up more than 4 million DAU, mostly across India, Pakistan, Brazil, Egypt, and Southeast Asia. Despite its massive scale, nearly everything about the game is stuck in the “admon nightmare” zone—zero iOS presence, almost no user acquisition, unoptimized ad stack, endless rewarded ads, and zero LiveOps. Yet, even with all those gaps, it is still a money-printing machine, generating $30,000 to $50,000 a day, primarily from video ads and interstitials.What's inside:Ad Stack TrainwreckAds Everywhere, Little MonetizationCreative and UA FailFake Counter-Strike, Real Results: The “nostalgia” is more about experiencing a shooter for the first time on mobile, not actual Counter-Strike memories. Simple graphics, bots for everyone, and a skin shop that barely matters.Key Takeaway:You do not need next-gen graphics or live PVP to win in Tier 3. But if you do not optimize your ad stack, creatives, and UA, you are burning money every day. FPS Strike is a case study in “good enough” that could be so much more.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------Vibe. Vibe is the leading Streaming TV ad platform for small and medium-sized businesses looking for actionable advertising campaign performance.https://www.vibe.co/---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: Jakub Remiar, Felix Braberg, Matej LancaricPodcast: Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to the Game Landscape04:42 Analyzing Game Metrics and User Engagement07:38 Gameplay Mechanics and User Experience10:38 Monetization Strategies and Ad Integration13:36 Game Features and User Retention Strategies18:27 The Importance of Monetization Strategies21:08 Ad Revenue Insights and Optimization24:51 Maximizing Ad Stack Efficiency27:37 User Engagement and Retention Strategies31:38 Influencer Marketing and Organic Growth35:34 Game Mechanics and Player Experience38:42 Future of FPS Games and Industry Trends---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultanthttps://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultanthttps://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultanthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me
Welcome back to another episode of the Online Warriors Podcast! This week, we have a very special episode in store for you. We have a special guest interview featuring Daniel Greenberg, Professor of Game Design at George Mason University and founder of Winterion Game Studios! Daniel came on the show today to chat about all things gaming (and root beer)! Some quick hits from our interview: Daniel's background and start in game design academia Gaming as a staple in today's society When gaming evolved into an art form instead of a fun "diversion" Transmediation and how we interact with various forms of media The "importance of storytelling vs. gameplay mechanics" debate Game design elements that are fundamental for a really good game The story of Winterion Game Studios and the IONGAMING project "Must-play" retro games Daniel's personal game development plans/experience Daniel's favorite board game recommendations Daniel's thoughts on the future of gaming and VR's place in that future Daniel's history as a root beer aficionado Daniel answers: "If you could be a superhero, what would be your superpower?" Thanks again to Daniel Greenberg! Check him out at: Twitter: https://twitter.com/winterion Winterion Game Studios on Youtube: http://watch.winterion.com Winterion Game Studios Website: https://winterion.com/index.html George Mason University: https://www.gmu.edu/ Daniel Greenberg at GMU: https://www.gmu.edu/profiles/dgreenb2 Special shoutout to our Patreon Producers: Steven Keller and Loyd Weldy! We'd like to thank each and every one of you for listening in every week. If you'd like to support the show, you can drop us a review on your favorite podcast platform or, if you're feeling extra generous, drop us a subscribe over at Patreon.com/OnlineWarriorsPodcast. We have three tiers of subscriptions, each of which gives you some awesome bonus content! As always, we appreciate you tuning in, and look forward to seeing you next week! Stay safe and healthy everyone! Find us all over the web: Online Warriors Website: https://www.onlinewarriorspodcast.com Online Warriors Twitter: https://twitter.com/onlinewarriors1 Illeagle's Twitter: https://twitter.com/OWIlleagle86 Nerdbomber's Twitter: https://twitter.com/OWNerdbomber Techtic's Twitter: https://twitter.com/OWTechtic Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/onlinewarriorspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onlinewarriorspodcast/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwOwzY6aBcTFucWEeFEtwIg Merch Store: https://onlinewarriorspodcast-shop.fourthwall.com/
No nosso décimo nono episódio, recebemos Luis Tashiro, graduado em Game Design pela Anhembi Morumbi e CEO da Mad Mimic e Studio ZYX. Com mais de 25 anos de experiência em soluções digitais e jogos, ele liderou o sucesso de títulos autorais como No Heroes Here, premiado nacional e internacionalmente, além de Dandy Ace e Mark of the Deep — disponíveis em plataformas como PC, console e mobile. Neste papo, vamos explorar sua transição de serviços para jogos autorais, os bastidores de desenvolvimento indie e os caminhos para o mercado global.
Send us a textOur 100th Episode.Jen and I were walking through the hallways of the Indianapolis Convention Center. We had just finished setting up the booth for GenCon and we had been talking about all things roleplaying.“Hey, do you think you or Mike would be interested in doing a podcast. We could tie Oddfish Games into it and just chat about roleplaying in general.”I threw out the question hoping she would be interested. I had done some podcasting already so it wasn't a foreign concept to me and I figured a fun game podcast would be interesting to put together.A few more conversations later, a demo recording of the introduction, and finding some time in our already hectic schedule and Mike, Christina, and I sat down and started talking about the OGL scandal.Now here we are 100 episodes later.That's right, this is our 100th episode of the Epic Adventure Podcast, and that's pretty cool.For those of you that don't know, only a little over 5% of podcasts reach 100 episodes. Most fizzle out before the reach 8 episodes. Hitting 100 episodes is a solid benchmark and one we are proud of so in this episode Mike, Christina, and I are going to talk about the podcast. We are also going to be hearing from a few of our listeners throughout the episode.Mike, what do you think about reaching 100?Kick to MikeChristina, did you even realize we were getting close to 100?Kick to Christina
Paul West, founder of Fumb Games, joins Two and a Half Gamers to share the real growth story behind the studio's breakout year. From Bitcoin Miner's $10 million run to the launch of Idle Mine and a creative rebrand that hit $1 million in sixty days, Paul explains how ruthless UA strategy, creative expansion, and a “cut what doesn't work” mindset allowed a lean team to scale tenfold—right in the middle of the industry's hardest year.What's inside:UA: Bigger Risks, Smarter FocusFumb Games ditched the “three-day payback only” mindset, stretched paybacks, and invested in UA even when it was scary. They ran tons of networks, then cut to the four that moved the needle.Creative Volume and ExperimentationAI tools, influencer gigs on Fiverr, and a nonstop creative testing culture delivered more winning ads and allowed for higher spend. The team tested everything—static, video, and even reskinned gameplay for new themes.LiveOps and Community as Retention FuelWeekend and midweek events, Discord and Reddit codes, and direct player rewards kept ARPDAU and DAU rising together—unusual for a scaling idle studio.Monetization UpgradesSubscriptions became 80 percent of purchase revenue in new titles. Side revenue from play gap (offline ad fill), Zebedee (crypto microtransactions), and Discord monetization all helped lift margins.Market Read and Thematic FocusWhen Bitcoin Miner started to plateau, they rebranded a casual project into Idle Mine, doubled down on the Bitcoin theme, and saw instant traction and monetization in a proven niche.Key Takeaway:You do not 10x by playing it safe. Cut what doesn't work, invest big in what does, and let your UA and creative testing do the heavy lifting. If the theme and the community are hot, pour fuel on that fire.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop---------------------------------------Vibe. Vibe is the leading Streaming TV ad platform for small and medium-sized businesses looking for actionable advertising campaign performance.https://www.vibe.co/---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Host: Paul Westhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/paulkwest/Podcast: Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to Fum Games and Growth Strategy03:35 Challenges in the Gaming Industry06:41 Core Pillars for Future Growth09:33 Innovative Monetization Strategies13:13 User Acquisition and Community Engagement15:59 Rebranding and New Game Launch18:11 Key Takeaways and Future Outlook---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultanthttps://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultanthttps://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultanthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me---------------------------------------If you are interested in getting UA tips every week on Monday, visit lancaric.substack.com & sign up for the Brutally Honest newsletter by Matej LancaricDo you have UA questions nobody can answer? Ask Matej AI - the First UA AI in the gaming industry! https://lancaric.me/matej-ai
In episode 118 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with Pat Marino, game developer and Director of Hobby Games for The Op about capturing the excitement of the Cuphead video game in a unique tabletop experience that resonated with existing fans and the board game community. They explore what it takes to […]
SaltPOD 0006, Summer 2025 Release date: June 30, 2025 Welcome gamers! If you are a board gamer, a social gamer, or someone who loves RPGs, SaltCON is a place for you. Welcome back to SaltPOD, your dedicated deep dive into the vibrant world of SaltCon and the incredible community that makes it tick! If you're new here, SaltPOD is your backstage pass, your insider scoop, your direct line to all things SaltCON. SaltCON – the biggest and best tabletop gaming convention in the Mountain West! We're here to explore the amazing games, the fantastic people, and the unforgettable experiences that make SaltCon a must-attend event year after year. Get ready to level up your excitement!" This episode we are reviewing all the great things that happened at SaltCON Summer which happened June 6th through the 8th at the Davis Conference Center, in Layton City. The first Summer event is the smallest of the events that happen at the Davis Conference Center, but that does not mean there is a shortage of events and fun to be had. This was still three days that were packed full of RPG events, Board Game events, Social gaming events, and even a tournament or two to be played in. So sit back and let's dig in. We have a lot to talk about. Vendor Hall Some very cool stuff for gaming drinks, games, and gaming accessories. https://www.facebook.com/diethuludimension/ https://www.etsy.com/shop/DiceChaos/ https://wyvernwarfare.com/ https://www.facebook.com/Fictionmobile/ https://binarycocoa.com/ https://aalazersquirrel.com/ https://www.4xpgaming.com/ Hot Games: Andromeda's Edge Cat Blues: The Big Gig Creature Caravan Critter Kitchen Finspan House of Fado SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Slay the Spire: The Board Game Play to Win Games I played a handful of games from this game on the shelves, there were around 30 games that were there to try out and to get a chance to win them. Even if you just wanted to review the rules and enter to win the game that is an option, but this is a great way to try a game and see if you want to have a chance to win them. https://saltcon.com/summer-play-to-win/ Gaming library A huge game library with over 2500 games to check out and play. Classic games, and new games alike. There were 278 different events the attendees could sign up for. 178 Total RPG events. 85 RPG events 26 Pathfinder events 67 Dungeons and Dragons Adventurers League events Pathfinder Society: Salt of the Ocean Multi Table Event In the Eye of Abendego, the storm has receded just enough to reveal two particularly interesting new sites: one is a wrecked Pathfinder ship and the other an ancient island associated with prophesiers and demons. With some help from an old pirate friend, the Pathfinders are kitted up in order to investigate these two new occurrences, however it seems like she wasn't the only pirate with her eyes on these strange new prizes. The Society will have to face the dangers of sea and storm as they sail to their goal, hoping to beat their rivals to the hidden secrets! This event was played with multiple tables running simultaneously, at multiple level tiers. The Pathfinder Society came out victorious! D&D Adventurers League: Hold Back the Dead Multi Table Event The Adventurer's League had some close calls, and not everyone made it out alive this time... but the dead have been vanquished. For now. Hold Back the Dead is a multi-table Dungeons & Dragons adventure where heroes must defend a stronghold under siege by an overwhelming undead force. As the tide of the dead rises, players work together across tables to uncover the source of the invasion and prevent an ancient evil from breaking through. Designed for epic coordination and tense decisions, it blends horror, heroism, and high-stakes combat in a dynamic battlefield setting. Playtests for new RPG systems were available at SaltCON Summer with the highlights being Untold RPG and Nephilim the Forsaken, brought in by local game designers. SaltCON End of Summer will have a stronger focus on prototype RPG systems and welcomes game developers to join the SaltCON GameMasters Guild on Discord or Facebook to learn more about bringing their systems to the convention. Total sessions run: 175 Other popular games included Cyberpunk Red, Shadowdark, Call of Cthulhu, Shadowrun, Vampire the Masquerade, The Electric State, BESM, Nimble 2, Dragonbane, DC20, and many more! Game Swap Flea Market Saturday for 2-hours Tournaments Sabacc EventsBroadway Murder Mystery - Groomed for Murder! This was a big hit and will return for End of Summer with rumor of a second game being added. Grilled to Death Nebula: A 4X inspired Big Group Game Tichu around with Danny We had about half of the attendees learning Tichu for the first time, it was really cool to see them pick up strategies after each hand! There were many surprising outcomes, including many successful and unsuccessful Tichu calls, hands that looked certain, than turned upside down, and many laughs. Everyone that I spoke to that was learning for the first time was excited to get the game, and play some more! Blood on the Clock Tower Nine different event and one how to play event Mini Painting Seminar Saturday 1:30 64 total board game events Board Game Events 30 Board Game Events Meeple Nation events 34 Meeple Nation Board Game Events What a way to start the Summer of Gaming. So what is next? SaltCON End of Summer August 29-31 1000 badges Game library RPG area Tons of RPG events Hot Games No-Ship Math Trade Game swap Open all three days Flea Market Saturday 9-10AM Figure Painting Saturday 12:30 -3:30PM Vendors Reserved tables Four left Next Year SaltCON is adding a Sixth Event. One that will have many people very excited. SaltCON Cruise August 7-14 Leaving Seattle and cruising up to Alaska and then back to Seattle. Limited to 100 spots Gaming Library Room Block If you have any questions feel free to email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com. We are always excited to hear about new games and exciting events and great times. And with that we have completed another deep dive into the salty goodness of SaltCon! We hope you're as excited as we are for all the fun and games. Remember, SaltPOD is your ongoing connection to these amazing events. But the board gaming adventure doesn't stop here! If you love in-depth discussions, diverse perspectives, and talking about all things board games, be sure to check out our regular podcast, Meeple Nation! There we have episodes serving up fantastic content week after week. Until next time, keep rolling those dice, and we'll see you at SaltCon!"Thanks for listening.
This bonus content is a reading from Platypus, the CASTAC Blog. The full post by Mayshu (Meixu) Zhan can be read at https://blog.castac.org/2025/07/simulating-systemic-violence-game-design-as-speculative-ethnography-in-seven-days-of-destruction/. About the post: “Seven Days of Destruction” is a speculative game that confronts the structural logics of gun violence in the U.S.—poverty, miseducation, addiction—not through realism but through allegory and constraint. Set in a surreal environment of surveillance and coercion, players navigate ethical compromise and systemic complicity. Designed in the wake of campus shootings, the game merges procedural rhetoric with speculative ethnography, asking: what if the unplayable conditions of real life could be felt, not just represented? This post reflects on game design as method and politics, where playing the system becomes a mode of critique.
On this episode of On Board Games, Erik is joined by Chris and Casey from Solid Roots game company to talk about games (and other things) they've played including: Root Beyond the Sun Skip Bo Grand Austria Hotel Ma's Deep Shinola Momo's Shanghai Rummy Firefly Star Wars Outer Rim Aquanauts One Night Ultimate Werewolf Blood on the Clocktower You can get a discount on Zencastr.com using this link. (29:31) Then, they discuss a recent "Make your own board game" event that they hosted. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Inverse Genius: http://www.inversegenius.com/ Patreon account: http://www.patreon.com/obg Twitter: @onboardgames RSS Feed: http://onboardgames.libsyn.com/rss Email us: onboardgamesmailbag@gmail.com On Board Games Guild at Board Game Geek
We break down Wittle Defender, Habby's latest departure from the mass market, blending deep meta, squad RPG mechanics, and a relentless gacha system. This is not another Survivor IO. It is a meta monster built for hardcore RPG fans, multi-layered progression, gear grind, rune systems, and dozens of monetization hooks. But is it too deep for global scale?What's inside:Meta Gone WildGacha and ProgressionMore Modes, More MonetizationDeep automation and idle mechanics Ad Revenue ShrinksUA and Creative: Focused on Asia, with heavy use of fake gameplay, static images, and Rush Royale or Top Heroes clones for Facebook and TikTok ads. Playable ads exist but are rare.Key Takeaway:Wittle Defender marks Habby's pivot away from broad hybrid monetization. The focus now is on deep spend, multi-layered progression, and gacha depth for a smaller, more hardcore player base. Ad revenue is down, IAP is up, and the US is no longer the top target.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------Vibe. Vibe is the leading Streaming TV ad platform for small and medium-sized businesses looking for actionable advertising campaign performance.https://www.vibe.co/---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: Jakub Remiar, Felix Braberg, Matej LancaricYoutube: https://youtu.be/lg023xHkCUkJoin our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction and Host Dynamics02:49 Sailing Adventures and Job Interviews04:06 Whittle Defender Game Overview07:19 Game Mechanics and Progression Systems11:22 Monetization Strategies and User Experience14:22 Gameplay Modes and Challenges18:17 Character Skills and Randomization Mechanics25:18 Final Thoughts and Game Depth25:42 Character Dynamics and Game Mechanics28:36 Game Depth and Player Engagement29:52 Market Positioning and Audience Targeting34:15 Revenue Insights and Market Performance40:15 Monetization Strategies and Future Directions44:06 Game Mechanics and Trends46:13 Marketing Strategies in Gaming51:18 Investment and Development in the Gaming Industry56:14 Future Directions for Game Studios---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultanthttps://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultanthttps://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultanthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiarPlease share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me
In this podcast, I talk about the use of repeat mechanics on singular card designs.
This podcast explores how each of the colors interacts with artifacts.
In today's episode we talk about how make games less epic. Why would you want a less epic game? How do you not slip into epic? Can less epic games make for something epic down the line? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.comor Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGamingPlease leave us a review or a five star rating wherever you get your podcast.
Today, we deep-dive into Raid Rush, the Turkish-made tower defense game that is bringing roguelike deck-building, build-your-own-path mechanics, and IP crossovers to the top of the mobile charts. The crew unpacks why this game feels so deep, why Korean and US players are eating it up, and how the game balances heavy progression, smart ad placements, and old-school strategy with real modern LiveOps.What's inside:A Real Tower Defense for 2025: Raid Rush lets you build your own road, place towers with real strategy, and merge and upgrade through a deck and gacha system. Every run is different thanks to randomization, new land placement, and a menu packed with modes, heroes, and skills.IP Collabs Done RightKorea and the US Lead the PackCreative and UA Trends: The team breaks down a wild mix of real-life, static AI, and hyper-casual video hooks, plus some truly creative (and not-so-creative) uses of IP.Key Takeaway:Raid Rush shows you can still win by mixing deep strategy, roguelite randomness, smart ad and IAP segmentation, and just enough IP muscle. In a world of copycats, this one actually innovates.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------Vibe. Vibe is the leading Streaming TV ad platform for small and medium-sized businesses looking for actionable advertising campaign performance.https://www.vibe.co/---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: Jakub Remiar, Felix Braberg, Matej LancaricYoutube: https://youtu.be/9rDyKoe58b0Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction and Game Overview04:16 Game Metrics and Performance Analysis07:15 Gameplay Mechanics and Unique Features10:13 Strategic Depth and Replayability13:30 Monetization Strategies and Ad Integration16:26 Collaboration with Terminator IP and Content Expansion19:25 Final Thoughts and Future Prospects27:30 Monetization Strategies in Mobile Games30:40 Dynamic Monetization and User Engagement32:15 Creative Advertising and User Acquisition37:25 Trends in Tower Defense Games42:58 The Role of AI in Game DevelopmentMatej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultanthttps://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultanthttps://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultanthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiarPlease share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me
Send us a textWelcome to you heard it here last where we talk about news, you've already heard.We are going to start with an article from Wolfgang Baur the CEO of Kobold Press. Now this doesn't really constitute news, but I found it very interesting and thought Mike and Christina might agree.https://koboldpress.com/state-of-play-in-it-to-print-it-what-to-know-to-get-your-game-printed/The article: State of Play: In It to Print It. What to know to get your game printed. Is designed as a primer for first time game publishers looking to get their product printed. I thought it was informational not only for the publisher, but for the buyer as well. Baur lays out the printing options and talks about costs and mistakes. With GenCon coming up where you will likely see the results of every type of printing possible, this just seemed relevant. Mike, talk to us about printing?Kick to MikeChristina, anything to add?Kick to Christina Next up isn't really a news story either, more a conglomeration of observations. Ok, that's not fair, it started with a news story, so keeping with the show lets lead with that;https://www.rascal.news/dungeons-cabins-registration-is-open-and-filling-fast/In an announcement through Rascal News, Dungeons and Cabins is open for registration. Dungeons and Cabins is a 4-day immersive D&D summer camp for adults. The outing takes the traditional summer camp with everything you would expect from that and layers a D&D campaign on top of it. To give it all a twist the things you do during the summer camp activities might affect the D&D campaign. The event takes place in Running Springs California and the dates are in September.Now for my observations. What's up with all the D&D Vacations.We have D&D in a Castle, where players spend a lot of money to play D&D…you guessed it, in a castle. The locations are in the United Kingdom and surprisingly several in the US. These events are going to set up back anywhere from 3 to 5 thousand dollars.https://www.dndinacastle.com/Green Dragon Fest is another one. This one takes place in a fantastical fantasy village inspired by Tolkien located just outside Knoxville Tn. With some of the most well-known online personalities running games. This one also runs for 3-5 thousand bucks.https://greendragonfest.com/Then we have D20 Cruise. That's right a week of playing D&D on a cruise ship. What could possibly go wrong. This one is basically a mini convention set onboard a cruise ship and has more options than just playing D&D. This one is the cheapest of the bunch starting at 2,350 dollars for the week and then going up based on cabin choices.https://event.cruises/d20-cruise-a-ttrpg-vacation/Christina, what do you make of the roleplaying vacation events, you up for it?Kick to ChristinaMike, would you spend 5k to roleplay in a castle?Kick to MikeAnd there you have it, all the news, you've already heard.
In this episode, Two and a Half Gamers sit down with Shobeir Shobeiri, Director of Publisher Sales at Moloco, to give the industry's most practical, no-BS crash course on the history, mechanics, and real money in mobile ad monetization. From the origins of banners to today's machine-learning DSPs, the crew demystifies ad tech jargon, reveals the margins and secrets behind every middleman, and lays out what every publisher needs to know about maximizing revenue in 2025.What's inside:The Evolution of Ad Monetization: How mobile moved from premium, paid apps to ad-funded juggernauts, and why rewarded video is now the fastest-growing segment.DSP, SSP, and Mediation 101: How ad stacks work, what makes a DSP different, and where the money really goes between advertisers, publishers, and ad tech middlemen.Margin Math: Ad networks and exchanges quietly take cuts of 20 to 30 percent or more, but the right direct SDK can boost your ad ARPDAU by 8 to 20 percent instantly.Real-World History: From early Mad Men deals and waterfall hacks to today's real-time bidding, learn the origin stories that shaped the $262 billion mobile ad market.Creative Ad Unit Tips: Where to put banners, how to maximize rewarded ads, why playables are a must for UA, and the new rules for ad placement segmentation.Moloco's SDK Advantage: Why plugging in the Moloco SDK gives you priority, boosts ARPDAU, and connects you to two billion dollars in annual spend—backed by real results from the field.Key Takeaway:Understanding your ad stack, choosing the right partners, and owning your data is the real moat in 2025. Get your ad monetization right, and you'll be printing money—get it wrong, and you'll be just feeding middlemen.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: Felix Braberg, Matej LancaricSpecial Guest: Shobeir ShobeiriYoutube: https://youtu.be/T3OQzk0ldIYJoin our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to Mobile Advertising and Maloko04:16 The Evolution of Advertising: From Ancient Times to Mobile06:45 The Rise of Mobile Apps and Monetization Strategies09:23 Challenges in the Mobile Advertising Landscape12:29 Understanding Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs) and Supply-Side Platforms (SSPs)15:27 The Mechanics of Mediation and Ad Stacks18:06 The Transition from Waterfall Auctions to Bidding Systems21:29 The Evolution of Ad Serving and Bidding23:48 Understanding Ad Networks and Revenue Models25:44 Ad Units: Types and Their Effectiveness30:25 Pricing Models in Advertising35:03 The Role of SDKs in Ad Revenue40:11 Future of Ad Monetization---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultanthttps://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultanthttps://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultanthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me---------------------------------------If you are interested in getting UA tips every week on Monday, visit lancaric.substack.com & sign up for the Brutally Honest newsletter by Matej Lancaric
In this inspiring episode of Investing with Purpose, we sit down with Russell Hughes, a humble IHG member, creative force in the game development world, and faith-driven real estate investor. From a childhood shaped by a "starving artist" father and hard life lessons, to building successful gaming companies and getting his hands dirty flipping HUD homes, Russell's journey is anything but conventional.We explore how faith pulled him back from wayward paths, how he brings purpose into the work he does today, and how he's navigating the early stages of real estate investing with spiritual clarity. This episode is a powerful testament to aligning your calling with your career, and how ethical investing is not just possible—but purposeful.TakeawaysInvesting should reflect personal beliefs and values.Many Christians consider the ethical implications of their investments.Financial advisors play a crucial role in aligning investments with faith.Return and safety are important, but not the only factors.Ethical investments can lead to better alignment with core beliefs.Navigating ethical dilemmas is essential for faith-based investing.Investors should seek advisors who understand their values.Values-based investing can enhance personal fulfillment.Financial planning should incorporate ethical considerations.Investing wisely involves a holistic view of one's beliefs.TitlesFaith Meets Finance: A New Approach to InvestingInvesting with Integrity: Aligning Values and WealthChapters00:00 Introduction to Faith-Driven Investing01:21 Early Influences and Family Background03:02 Turning Points and Lessons Learned05:34 Faith and Values in Financial Decisions07:14 Purposeful Investments and Impact08:08 Navigating Profits vs. Principles10:29 Legacy and Wealth Transfer13:51 Community and Mentorship in Investing16:05 Dream Investments and Future Aspirations26:59 New ChapterRussell was born Texas to a loving mom and Starving Artist father who passed away when he was a young teen. After years of wayward living, Russell worked his way into the Game Development Industry and worked on several number 1 titles as well as helped start several game companies. Early on, he started buying HUD homes to do the slow flip while living in them. Russell notes that, along the way, God was not letting him slip away, He has always called him back into discipline no matter how much he strayed. He is amazing.Email: russsssman@gmail.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/russellhughesIG: @russelllhughesConnect with UsAre you interested in joining a community of like-minded individuals who aspire to build true wealth through real estate passive investing? Go to IHG Investor Club to learn more!
Most of the dorks are back! This week we're talking about world events that happen every four years...for some reason? Then Chewie talks about taking two teenagers, one of whom had not ridden a roller coaster, to Carowinds to ride roller coasters! After all of that of course we have to talk about the Final Fantasy Prerelease because ALL OF US WENT! Dirk & Mike talk about their decks, while Chewie takes over talking about how Brian & Sam did. Great fun was had by all. From there, Chewie goes into why he's less interested in Magic these days, but how thinking critically about it for all those years has stirred a deep interest in how elements of game design come together in all the games he plays. Then we devolve into the usual nonsense, like GYATT and D&D and Skyrim and how there weren't any good Jasons back in the day. Come join us in the future! The show is live on Thursdays around 8pm(ish) Eastern time on Twitch Become a Lifeguard on Patreon! – www.patreon.com/themanapool Podcast RSS Feed: https://themanapool.libsyn.com/rss YouTube: www.youtube.com/TheManaPool The Deep End: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDeepEndTMP Twitch: www.twitch.tv/themanapool Discord: discord.gg/7da7T6s BlueSky: themanapool.bsky.social Instagram: TheManaPool Threads: @TheManaPool Email: dorks@themanapool.com
Trent Kusters chats with Julian Gollop, founder and game designer at Snapshot Games. Together they discuss his legendary journey designing games from the creation of the original XCOM: UFO Defense to his studio's latest release, Chip 'n Clawz vs. the Brainioids; how to use constraint as a key design pillar; having the courage to remove features for a better play experience; and when to lean on tried and true conventions and when to avoid them. This episode is sponsored by Xsolla Episode Host: Trent Kusters Producers: Claudio Tapia and Josh Chu, The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing and leaving us a rating and review. Support the show and get all of our episodes early/ad-free: https://bit.ly/4kU34Lt Follow us: linktr.ee/AIAS Please consider supporting game dev students with: AIAS Foundation
Today, we break down Carnival Tycoon: the “idle” game that's really a Trojan Horse for social casino and slot machine mechanics. We compare every feature, monetization trick, and creative strategy to Coin Master, Monopoly Go, and the social casino giants. Find out how Carnival Tycoon hit five million dollars a month, why rewarded ads are hidden everywhere, and what makes this copycat succeed where others flop.You will learn:Why Carnival Tycoon is more social casino than idle, and how it fakes the early gameHow copy-paste UI, offers, and creative trends shape modern casino gamesThe secrets behind rewarded ad segmentation and thirty to forty-five percent ad watchersWhat separates the titans (Coin Master, Monopoly Go) from the fast followersWhy LiveOps and ruthless economy balance are the real keys to scaleHow AI, asset flipping, and creative theft drive UA in the social casino wild westGet our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------Vibe. Vibe is the leading Streaming TV ad platform for small and medium-sized businesses looking for actionable advertising campaign performance.https://www.vibe.co/---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: Jakub Remiar, Felix Braberg, Matej LancaricYoutube: Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction and Game Overview04:15 Gameplay Mechanics and Revenue Insights07:14 Comparative Analysis with Social Casino Games09:42 Visual Progression and User Engagement13:15 Monetization Strategies and User Retention16:18 Advertising Dynamics and User Segmentation19:13 Session Length and User Experience22:10 Final Thoughts and Future of Carnival Tycoon28:52 The State of LiveOps in Gaming29:39 Engagement Mechanics in Mobile Games30:21 Analyzing Game Release Timelines31:46 The Role of Marketing Partners in Game Scaling32:35 Creative Strategies in Game Advertising33:54 The Impact of AI on Game Creatives35:35 IP Infringement and Creative Theft in Gaming37:25 The Wild West of Mobile Game Marketing40:46 Trends in Game Development and Marketing44:02 Future of Onboarding in Mobile Games---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultanthttps://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultanthttps://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultanthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiarPlease share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me
I recently wrote a three-part article about the history of typal themes in Magic. This is my podcast on the topic.
In this podcast, I answer a question from my blog about how we decide when to name and not name mechanics.
In today's episode we talk about how to fight the Gods. How do you fight beings that are beyond your characters power? How can you beat something unstoppable? What other options are there to win an unwinnable fight? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.comor Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGamingPlease leave us a review or a five star rating wherever you get your podcast.
We break down all the new changes for Knights in Warhammer 40k and talk top lists like Death Guard and Emperor's Children. Imperial Knights 40k Update: 40k Chaos Knights Guide: Some links are referral links that help support the podcast LVO Tickets On Sale Now! Monument Hobbies has some of the best paints in the business: Get yours here Get your hobbies for less from Fabricators Forge J15 Games Has Your Game Aides, Tokens & Templates! Get them here: Join our discord Heretic Swag Essential Hobby Products & Tools List Buy Wyatt's Miniature: Table of Contents 00:00 Opening 07:30 News 27:32 Knights Welcome to , a new place for bringing the hobby back to wargaming! A podcast hosted by Rob Baer, Kenny Boucher & Wyatt Turk. Become a Veteran of the Long War! http://thelongwar.net/
Der alte Affe hat's noch drauf! Dome und René haben die neueste Nintendo Direct geschaut und sprechen über ihre Eindrücke zu Donkey Kong Bananza!Im Anschluss werfen die Jungs einen Blick auf die Historie der Donkey Kong Games. Wie hat das Affentheater damals angefangen und welches ist eigentlich das beste Donkey Kong Game?Zum Schluss gibt es noch den News-Flash mit dem Release des neuen Koop-Shooters FBC Firebreak von Remedy sowie der Verschiebung von Bungies Extraction-Shooter Marathon.Viel Spaß beim Hören!Pixelburg Savegame auf Instagram, Threads, YouTube und TikTokDominik Ollmann auf Instagram und ThreadsRené Deutschmann auf Instagram und Threads (00:00) - In dieser Folge... (02:48) - Erfahrungen mit der Nintendo Switch 2 (05:49) - Probleme mit dem Dock und LAN-Port der Switch 2 (08:48) - Neuer Fernseher und Gaming-Erlebnisse (11:48) - Nintendo Direct und Donkey Kong Bonanza (23:55) - Die Ursprünge von Pauline und Donkey Kong (27:48) - Erster Eindruck von Donkey Kong Bonanza (29:51) - Gameplay-Mechaniken und Zerstörungselemente (33:49) - Neue Fähigkeiten und Transformationen (37:45) - Musik und ihre Rolle im Spiel (41:50) - Die Story und die Antagonisten (44:51) - Skilltree und Gameplay-Elemente (47:16) - Die Faszination von 3D-Jump'n'Runs (48:50) - Nintendo und das Worldbuilding (51:28) - Die Evolution von Donkey Kong (54:32) - Das Nintendo Connected Universe (58:27) - Die Geschichte der Donkey Kong-Spiele (01:10:31) - Die Evolution von Donkey Kong (01:13:57) - Die Fortsetzungen und ihre Innovationen (01:19:00) - Donkey Kong 64 und seine Besonderheiten (01:23:49) - Die Ära des Gamecube und neue Spielmechaniken (01:30:29) - Die Wii-Ära und die Abkehr vom klassischen Jump'n'Run (01:32:48) - Die Evolution von Donkey Kong (01:35:49) - Neues aus der Donkey Kong Welt (01:37:48) - FBC Firebreak: Ein neuer Ansatz für Remedy (01:49:52) - Marathon: Verschiebung und Erwartungen (01:55:43) - Abschluss und Ausblick auf kommende Spiele
We tackle the legacy and latest iteration of Puzzle & Dragons, the game that defined Japanese mobile gaming and reached a mind-blowing five billion dollars in lifetime revenue. From wild metagame depth and monster collection to why Western players just never clicked with the formula, the crew unpacks the hits, misses, and museum-piece vibes of a true industry legend.What's inside:No Gacha in the Gacha Game? Cultural Roots Run DeepMuseum Piece, Not Modern HitGame Design DNAAds, UA, and ProfitKey Takeaway:Sometimes, the most influential games are the least exportable. Puzzle & Dragons is a legend in Japan, a footnote in the West, and a masterclass in knowing and owning your audience.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------Vibe. Vibe is the leading Streaming TV ad platform for small and medium-sized businesses looking for actionable advertising campaign performance.https://www.vibe.co/---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: Jakub Remiar, Felix Braberg, Matej LancaricYoutube: https://youtu.be/nPidjalbujgJoin our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to Puzzle and Dragons02:53 The Evolution of Mobile Gaming05:53 Gameplay Mechanics and Features08:48 Cultural Differences in Gaming11:41 Monetization Strategies and Ads14:42 Comparative Analysis with Other Games19:21 The State of Gaming in Japan22:46 Cultural Differences in Gaming Preferences25:35 Revenue Insights and Market Dynamics28:00 User Acquisition Challenges31:05 Reflections on Mobile Gaming History---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultanthttps://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultanthttps://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultanthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me---------------------------------------If you are interested in getting UA tips every week on Monday, visit lancaric.substack.com & sign up for the Brutally Honest newsletter by Matej LancaricDo you have UA questions nobody can answer? Ask Matej AI - the First UA AI in the gaming industry! https://lancaric.me/matej-ai
What are your hobbies? I personally enjoy dance, specifically latin dance and often I wonder, “What if I could translate salsa dancing into a toy or game?”. Well today, we're going to explore that possibility. Today my guest shares how she turned her hobby into a best selling board game!In this episode of Making It in the Toy Industry, I'm joined by Elizabeth Hargrave, award-winning board game designer and co-founder of the Tabletop Game Designers Association. You might know her from her hit game Wingspan, which turned the world of nature and birdwatching into one of the most beloved engine-building games of all time.Elizabeth shares how she took her passion for the natural world and used it to build a meaningful and immersive game that fully translated the experience of birding. Our conversation today circles around how to accurately translate the “experience” of doing various hobbies to a tabletop play pattern. In my opinion that's the secret sauce of how Elizabeth created such an incredible game on her first try.During this episode, we also talk about her upcoming game Sanibel, inspired by collecting seashells on the beach. A hobby so simple and a game so elegant, that I'm sure you'll find yourself inspired to build a tabletop experience based on your hobbies.Listen For These Important Moments:[00:01:12] - What started as a love for birdwatching became Wingspan, a wildly successful board game that blends strategy with nature through clever engine-building mechanics.[00:04:07] - Elizabeth introduces the Tabletop Game Designers Association, which offers support with contracts, advocacy, and education, perfect for both new and seasoned game designers.[00:10:51] - From butterflies to beachcombing, see how personal passions can evolve into meaningful, immersive game themes that resonate with players.[00:23:07] - Elizabeth's Wingspan pitch journey proves you don't. Learn how smart feedback, persistence, and a strong prototype can open doors for your game invention.[00:34:49] - Even with success, staying grounded in playtesting and peer feedback is key to creating games that last. No shortcuts, just a solid creative process.Send The Toy Coach Fan Mail!Support the showPopular Masterclass! How To Make & Sell Your Toy IdeasYour Low-Stress, Start-To-Finish Playful Product Launch In 5 Steps >> https://learn.thetoycoach.com/masterclass
Send us a text“Live Action Roleplaying, you've love it. We get together the first Saturday of the month and everybody is really cool.”“I don't know, I mean it's one thing to play around a table, but I'm not sure about getting all dressed up and acting it out.”“It's not like that. Dress however you want; nobody judges you and everybody is chill.”“Fine, I'll give it a try”That was the recruiting pitch I got for my first ever LARP. Live Action Roleplaying. The guy who was helping run the events was really enthusiastic and he convinced me to give it a try. I grabbed a rulebook, put together a character, got it approved, and then showed up for my first ever LARP.Now I am sure most LARPs out there could easily be described the way that guy pitched his LARP to me. Today, having the experience I have in a wide variety of games and conventions I know that most people will be welcoming, you will fit right in and I don't doubt you will have a great time.Not so much for my first one.You see it was a Vampire the Masquerade game and it was a crappy experience.The costume you wore did matter, everyone was clickier then a spoken word club on meth. And nobody was chill.That experience put me off LARPing for a long time, but over the years I have learned that I just had a bad first experience. LARPing has a lot going for it and a lot of permutations out there that might not seem like LARPing, but are.On this episode Mike, Christina and our special guest, Jen will be talking LARPing. What it means to LARP, what types of LARPs are out there and how to take advantage of this version of our great hobby.Mike, have you done a lot of LARPing?[Kick to Mike]How about you Christina, are you a LARP enthusiast?[Kick to Christina]Jen, You are the subject matter expert. Talk to us about Larping.[Kick to Jen]https://iu.mediaspace.kaltura.com/channel/K450+Heroes_+Villains_+and+Kinesiology/195190183
In this brutally honest episode, Matej interviews Zino Rost Van Tonningen, CEO of Tyr Ads, live from MAU (with zero construction noise this time). The focus is on running rewarded UA without getting burned by fraud, bad partners, or weak setups. Zino shares knowledge from his journey through agency work, the wild world of offer walls, and leading Tyr Ads from rewards app to global SDK powerhouse.What's inside:The Fraud Playbook: How faked events, cheat engines, and emulator hackers can drain $20,000 from your budget in minutes if your setup is not rock solid.How to Bulletproof Your Attribution: Why server-to-server (S2S) events, signature V5 for Adjust, and secure MMP integrations are non-negotiable. If you are not set up right, your numbers are toast.Reward Structures 101: Single reward, multi-reward, playtime offers, and daily re-engagement, the real impact on UA and long-term player progression.Choosing the Right Platform: How to interrogate your reward partner, avoid lazy multi-reward copycats, and demand daily re-engagement, data-driven nudges, and flexible KPIs.Scaling and Surviving: Why will most offerwall partners disappear in the next year unless they build better engagement and retention features? If your partner cannot adapt, you are the next victim.iOS is Heating Up: Why Apple's rules are loosening, the offerwall boom is just starting, and iOS users behave differently from Android.Key Takeaway:Rewarded UA is at a turning point: trust your numbers, interrogate your partners, demand retention and scale, or get left behind in the coming wave of consolidation.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: Matej LancaricSpecial guest: Zino Rost Van Tonningenhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/rovato/https://tyrads.com/Podcast: Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultanthttps://lancaric.me---------------------------------------Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me---------------------------------------If you are interested in getting UA tips every week on Monday, visit lancaric.substack.com & sign up for the Brutally Honest newsletter by Matej LancaricDo you have UA questions nobody can answer? Ask Matej AI - the First UA AI in the gaming industry! https://lancaric.me/matej-ai
In episode 117 of Game Design Unboxed: Inspiration to Publication we talk with game designer Simon Weinberg about his journey from reviewing terrible games to realizing just how tough it is to make good ones. He shares lessons from navigating the publishing world like understanding a company’s catalog before pitching, being patient during the long […]
Today we have Mike Love from Bad Goblin Games and we talk about their great game Trailer Park Warlords of the Apocalypse, a unique game that covers a future where mutants and the remnants of humanity fight it out.
Aaron + Gerry + Guest + Brazilian steakhouse = a very fantastic episode of SuperPod Saga. The boiz are joined by Steve, who also goes by Blink or Blinkoom, to discuss the wildest video game genre fusions! We'll be doing the Dragon Ball Z fusion dance to combine anything with everything to make some sweet, terrifying hybrids.
On this episode of On Board Games, Erik and Don talk about games (and other things) they've played including: Paper App Dungeon Super Skill Pinball Free League Publishing Hexcrawl games Monster of the Week Flamecraft You can get a discount on Zencastr.com using this link. (28:47) Then, they discuss the impact art has on the game play experience. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Inverse Genius: http://www.inversegenius.com/ Patreon account: http://www.patreon.com/obg Twitter: @onboardgames RSS Feed: http://onboardgames.libsyn.com/rss Email us: onboardgamesmailbag@gmail.com On Board Games Guild at Board Game Geek
We break down BitLife, a simulation game that proves you do not need flashy graphics or complex meta to print money. With an aggressive monetization model, evergreen retention, and a loyal fanbase, BitLife has been going strong for over seven years, now pulling in more than $110,000 a day, with ad revenue making up half of its total income.What's inside:Ad Monetization on Steroids: Interstitial ads hit you right from the tutorial, with a cooldown of 70 seconds, banners refresh every five seconds, and rewarded ads are expertly placed on emotional player moments.BitLife monetizes player choices through a web of IAPs, subscriptions, and one-time offers.Smart UA and Creative Strategy: Originally fueled by organics, Stillfront's acquisition kicked off heavy user acquisition with strong creative hooks, unique AI and UGC blends, and consistent iteration across every channel.Key Takeaway:You do not need the best graphics to win in mobile. If your product is unique, your ad monetization is ruthless, and your UA is dialed in, you can scale forever.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------Vibe. Vibe is the leading Streaming TV ad platform for small and medium-sized businesses looking for actionable advertising campaign performance.https://www.vibe.co/---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: Jakub Remiar, Felix Braberg, Matej LancaricYoutube: https://youtu.be/--JFbHlo3E8Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to Bit Life and Hosts04:27 The Growth and Acquisition of Bit Life07:36 Gameplay Mechanics and Life Choices10:18 Monetization Strategies and Ad Integration13:22 Life Events and Their Impact on Gameplay16:26 The Role of Ads in Player Experience19:27 Conclusion and Final Thoughts on Bit Life23:09 Game Mechanics and Monetization Strategies26:24 Ad Revenue Insights and User Engagement31:26 User Acquisition and Marketing Strategies38:18 Game Performance and Future Growth44:21 Final Thoughts and Ratings---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultanthttps://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultanthttps://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultanthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me
In this podcast, I talk all about Stronghold (the second expansion of the Tempest block).
In this podcast, I talk all about Exodus (the third expansion of the Tempest block).
No nosso décimo sexto episódio, recebemos Patrícia Sato, Executive Manager do Brazil Games, programa da Abragames em parceria com a ApexBrasil que impulsiona a presença dos estúdios brasileiros no mercado internacional. Com formação em Game Design e mais de 10 anos de atuação no setor, Patrícia lidera iniciativas que conectam a indústria nacional de games com o mundo, promovendo visibilidade, crescimento e exportação.
Send us a textWelcome to You Heard it Here Last where we talk about news, you've already heard.https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo70cy9?Gen-Con-Preview-BlogYou may not realize it, but GenCon is just around the corner, and while the online chatter wants to turn the tariff issues into doom and gloom for GenCon, I tend to believe it will be as big as ever. Paizo's recent announcement about GenCon events seems to bear out my sentiment.Paizo has announced they are running a Starfinder Society Second Edition event with their new 4-5 hour scenario “Collisions Wake.” They also will be hosting a Pathfinder Society adventure “Under the Eye of Mantis.” Finally, they will be releasing “Battlecry!”, official skirmish rules for leading armies.While I don't play much official Pathfinder, I think this just illustrates that GenCon will be as active as ever, not only with the games you love, but with new things as well.Dust off the credit cards, put on those compression socks, and get to GenCon.Mike, What do you think of Paizo's lineup for GenCon?[Kick to Mike]Christina, What about you?[Kick to Christina]Now onto something a little more heavy hitting.https://www.enworld.org/threads/goodman-games-revives-relationship-with-anti-semitic-publisher-for-new-city-state-kickstarter-updated.713282/In 2020 Judges Guild owner Bob Bledsaw II posted a variety of racist, homophobic and antisemitic statements online. These statements rightfully created a bit of a stir at the time and various game publishers including Bat in the Attic, Frog God Games, Goodman Games, and Drivethru RPG cut all ties with Judges Guild.It should be noted that these statements were all made by Bob Bledsaw II, not by Bob Bledsaw Snr, who co-founded Judges Guild and passed away in 2008.Fast Forward to today. Goodman Games has announced a new version of “City State of the Invincible Overlord” will be coming to crowdfunding this summer. The original version was written by Bob Bledsaw Snr and the license for “City State of the Invincible Overlord” is still owned by Judges Guild. Goodman Games will be publishing this new version through a license with Judges Guild Games.Understandable this has caused a bit of concern.EN World has a great article outlining the original issues and statements along with a current response from Goodman Games.Let's start with Christina on this one, thoughts?[kick to Christina]Mike, is this problematic or is this just business?[kick to Mike]And there you have it, all the news, you've already heard.
Fancy setting us a gaming challenge? Get in touch here!In this episode of the Gaming Blender podcast, hosts Matthew and Scott discuss the latest highlights from the Xbox Game Showcase, including the announcement of Final Fantasy for Xbox and the potential for a big year ahead for Xbox. They explore upcoming games, their trailers, and the implications for handheld gaming in a market dominated by the Nintendo Switch. We both then explore the concept of a sandbox game centered around vehicular warfare. They discuss the mechanics of building vehicles, the narrative of an underdog in a dystopian war, and the creative freedom players would have in designing their own combat machines. Thanks for listening and please leave us a review and subscribe if you enjoyed it. It really helps us out. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-gaming-blender/id1597738101Also please get in touch with us at @gamingblendpod or thegamingblenderpod@gmail.com with your ideas for new games and challenges.We have begun to update our YouTube channel with video playthroughs and we hope to put more up there soon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZTPuScm5BTf8DdwvaCj0jQKeep blending!
In this podcast, I sit down with the lead designer of Magic: The Gathering®—FINAL FANTASY™ to talk about the set's design.
In this podcast, I talk about a concept called futureproofing where we design mechanics to better enable us to use them in the future.
Game Design's Mister Tiger stops by tonight to explain his full vision for the Augment expansion and what players are still to be looking for, and how the ship may help, but ISN'T required, and talks about the future of 'full grindable' features!
This week in the club house Adrian Sandoval describes how video games are speed running art history. Your nice hosts have their minds blown many times and Steven discovers he might actually like history!? Stay tuned to find out where the 90 day return policy came from.Little Nemo and the Nightmare Fiends - Team NemoChris Totten, co-author of Adrian's book, has been on the showTeaching Gamedev to Young People, Again!Adrian SandovalGame DesignHardwareMarketingSpacewar! - WikipediaAdventure (Atari 2600) and its designer's easter egg - Atari OnlineAlex Smith, They Create Worlds - They Create WorldsEp. 22: Remembering Atari with Howard Scott Warshaw - Robin Kunimune, Video Game History HourTeach Me Something in 5 Minutes 2 - What Games Can Learn from Theatre w/ Adrian… - Adrian Sandoval, YouTubeConsole Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle That Defined a Generation - Blake J. Harris, GoodreadsAdrian SandovalGuestAdrian Sandoval is a professional game designer, historian, and educator with 15+ years of industry experience. He currently teaches game design, production and history at Drexel University. His book, "World Design for 2D Action-Adventures", co-authored with Christopher W. Totten, is available on the Routledge store.External linkhttps://www.adriansandoval.net/https://bsky.app/profile/adriansandoval.net
We design a lot of mechanics. Most don't make it to print. Why? That's my topic for this podcast.
This podcast talks about a tool we use to playtest new mechanics.
In this episode, I walk through many of the design issues that occur during vision design.
Someone on my blog asked me if I ever designed any Magic formats. It turns out that I have, so I spent a podcast episode talking about them.
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