GameDev Loadout | A Game Developer Podcast

Trynn Check is an independent game designer from DePaul University. She works at iThrive Games that promote mental health and teen thriving. She also has her studio called Intrynnsic Entertainment. We talk about her journey of going to school, working, and breaking into the game industry. Breaking into the game industry is hard, and entry-level jobs pay low, and she needed to keep her corporate responsibility to pay off school. It did not stop her from investing in skills like in Udemy or implementing game design elements into her job. She also pointed out not to assume your game is not worth it because there might be people who will resonate. So take small steps, be self-motivated, and make your game. Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast for more inspiring content. Share it with your friends. Support my work at patreon.com/gamedevloadout.

Voice actor Ben Britton graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of Arts and has been behind the mic for more than 30 years. You can hear him in a variety of games such as Lamplight City, Spellforce III, The Occupation, and many more. You have to learn how to edit files, work on volume levels, create a functional space for consistent recording, and learn acting because you will be expressing a range of emotions. One important tip is to get the exact criteria for the voice-over recording to ensure it works with the game. Support my work at patreon.com/gamedevloadout.

Vincent Michael is one of the founding directors of YHWH Games that teach students how to create video games and transform them into self-sustaining artists. We discuss: Exploit your strengths and stop wasting time on your weakness Learn the different type of artists and stages of an artist There is no work/life balance, only work/life decisions Best investments: god, family, self, board, company Hammer in your value and do not sell your service for cheap *** If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in ranking higher. Subscribe to the podcast if you felt inspired and loved this content. Sign up for Tony's email newsletter at gamedevloadout.com/subscribe Follow Tony: Twitter: twitter.com/gamedevloadout Facebook: facebook.com/gamedevloadout Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chantony/

Award-winning British voice actor, Jay Britton has done 50 titles and over 300 characters ranging from indie studios to AAA developers. Games include Divinity Original Sin 2, FIFA 17, Starcraft 2, and more. We discuss: Voice actors should be experts in creating characters Get them involved in a project as soon as possible Table reads is a great way to establish characters 90% of having a successful voice acting career is what you do outside the booth Foster emotional agility because your lines will have an angry element to it, then the next line will be sad, then the next line will be happy. On your website, have a video game demo and an email on the front page Find people who will give you truthful criticism Use a clicker to create spikes during recording so it’s easier to find that particular point when editing *** If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in ranking higher. Subscribe to the podcast if you felt inspired and loved this content. Sign up for Tony's email newsletter at gamedevloadout.com/subscribe Follow Tony: Twitter: twitter.com/gamedevloadout Facebook: facebook.com/gamedevloadout Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chantony/

Mikolai Stroinski is a music composer that has worked on the Witcher 3, Dark Souls 2 trailer, Vanishing of Ethan Carter, and much more. We discuss: Think not just as a composer but as a video game maker as well. You don’t want to get too attached to your music because it might not fit the game. Trust your inner voice because it's a sign to either continue or stop composing. Study different music vocabularies and play lots of different games. Don't just study video game music. Be a good human being because good karma ricochets back to you. Don't think about just making money. Think about how you can contribute more and positively affect people's lives. The challenges of getting a visa in America. *** If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in ranking higher. Subscribe to the podcast if you felt inspired and loved this content. Sign up for Tony's email newsletter at gamedevloadout.com/subscribe Follow Tony: Twitter: twitter.com/gamedevloadout Facebook: facebook.com/gamedevloadout Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chantony/

Jeremy Liu was the narrative design lead at NetEase Games, an intern at EA, and a technical designer at Rockstar Games. Titles include Red Dead 2, NBA Live Mobile, and Realm of Duels. We discuss: How to get into technical design Why you need to study and plan ahead of time before taking action His worst moment of working on a game that was destined to not be a commercial hit Listening is a great quality of a leader Do power naps, 20 minutes How he becomes a walking exoticism in China because of his experience in the USA The culture shock of working in the USA and China Imagine ramming through a brick wall to join the game industry. You have to want it badly enough. Market yourself as niche as possible, show how different you are to everyone else Network with the people who you want to model *** If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in ranking higher. Subscribe to the podcast if you felt inspired and loved this content. Sign up for Tony's email newsletter at gamedevloadout.com/subscribe Follow Tony: Twitter: twitter.com/gamedevloadout Facebook: facebook.com/gamedevloadout Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chantony/

Gary Kings of National Insecurities is a lead game designer, writer, editor that has worked on games such as Once Upon a Crime in the West and 2000:1 A Space Felony. We discuss: Get a producer to optimize teamwork and productivity. Before choosing a university, make sure it has the courses you want and need. Get better at game design - play lots of games, have outside people play your games, figure out what’s have been done and what hasn’t been done before. How Gary overcome his worst moment of not getting his game funded and his granddad passing away. He still found the motivation to make plans and finish his games. Don’t get too excited if a publisher is excited about your game, it’s not a guarantee that they will fund you. Take a proportional break based on your project to go on vacations, events and relax. Keep making plans even when the last one fails. Keep a lookout for new opportunities. Have an editor on board to improve the quality of writing. Go to game jams to network and create quick games. When you network, focus on making friends instead of just networking. *** If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in ranking higher. Subscribe to the podcast if you felt inspired and loved this content. Sign up for Tony's email newsletter at gamedevloadout.com/subscribe Follow Tony: Twitter: twitter.com/gamedevloadout Facebook: facebook.com/gamedevloadout Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chantony/

Ivy Dupler is a NYC-based voice actress who can be heard in video games, commercials, and cartoons. Her recent work includes voicing protagonist Special Agent Vera Englund in Whispers of a Machine (Clifftop Games/Faravid Interactive), as well as several roles in Unavowed (Wadjet Eye Games) and Lamplight City (Grundislav Games). We discuss: Don’t get distracted by mistakes during voice recording. Take a deep breath and wait a few seconds then just go again. Focusing on the mistake can mess up future takes and use up the studio and the audio engineer time. Take Improv and voice acting class. BE ALERT. Don’t miss an opportunity or a deadline. Stay on top of your tasks. Change your mindset in the audition, the employer is not looking out to get you, they are looking to you as a solution to their problems. They want you to succeed to help them. Tips during recording: measure distance by putting your pinky on the mic and extending the thumbs towards your chin. Keep headphone volumes low to around 30 percent to avoid a sound leak. *** If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in ranking higher. Subscribe to the podcast if you felt inspired and loved this content. Sign up for Tony's email newsletter at gamedevloadout.com/subscribe Follow Tony: Twitter: twitter.com/gamedevloadout Facebook: facebook.com/gamedevloadout Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chantony/

Solo UK indie Nic Rutherford is working on a game called Fringe Plant. We discuss: His decision to go full indie after having a good amount of savings Think about the accessibility of your games such as subtitles, sound effects, or controller inputs Ask questions asap to get answers asap External entities can be a waste of time such as responding to emails to people who never answer back or waiting on the phone Take some downtime as soon as you notice you are not being productive Stream your game development to talk to people and build a rapport Games are positive for the world, you are creating something for people to enjoy, relax, and feel good Use Twitter! *** If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in ranking higher. Subscribe to the podcast if you felt inspired and loved this content. Sign up for Tony's email newsletter at gamedevloadout.com/subscribe Follow Tony: Twitter: twitter.com/gamedevloadout Facebook: facebook.com/gamedevloadout Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chantony/

IGF-nominated narrative designer Xalavier Nelson Jr. creates a morally-complex world with human emotion at the core of every scenario, where the individuals outside your squad matter as much as the rangers you deploy on each map. We discuss: How too much narrative can be detrimental to the game Pre-production is one of the most important part of development Make time for your health: spending time with loves one, exercise, eating right Spend less time making your games so you can start early on building your foundation *** If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in ranking higher. Subscribe to the podcast if you felt inspired and loved this content. Sign up for Tony's email newsletter at gamedevloadout.com/subscribe Follow Tony: Twitter: twitter.com/gamedevloadout Facebook: facebook.com/gamedevloadout Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chantony/

Henrique Olifiers has been in the game industry for more than 30 years working on web-based games, massive multiplayer games, and social games. He is currently the CEO of the award-winning Bossa Studios, which are the makers of Surgeon Simulator, Monstermind and I Am Bread. Now they are currently working on Worlds Adrift, a sandbox MMO with real-time physics where you band together to build sky ships and explore floating islands of a shattered world. We discuss: Made games since he was a kid in school in a third world country. The games were in cassette tapes! I didn’t know there was even such a thing. Do 2-day game jams every single month at his company There are no oversaturation of good games Think about marketing from the beginning It’s not the players job to know how hard game development is Be wary of people that say or post something as gospel Excitement for AI that changes the game experience for each type of player and much more… *** If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in ranking higher. Do me a huge favor and subscribe to the podcast if you felt inspired and love this content. Sign up for Tony's email newsletter at gamedevloadout.com/subscribe Follow Tony: Twitter: twitter.com/gamedevloadout Facebook: facebook.com/gamedevloadout Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chantony/

Jordan Blackman has been writing, producing, and designing video games for over a decade. He is a mobile game design expert and an accomplished producer. He has designed, produced, and consulted on several 9-figure franchises for companies like Zynga, EA, and Ubisoft. Mr. Blackman brought CSI to Facebook with the smash hit, CSI: Crime City. He went on to Zynga where he led the design team on FrontierVille. Jordan has collaborated with top studios worldwide including Telltale games, Area/Code, Other Ocean, Zynga SF, Nickelodeon, EA Sports, Beeline, Facebook, Digit Games, AMC, and The Pokemon Company. You will learn: You have to focus on the core loop of your game. Prioritize working on the repetitive activity that players do the most and make it meaningful.  If you want to land a job at a company, research what they need and learn the skills to be their solutions. Why you need to invest time into people who are better than you. *** Sponsor Outstandly: Making a first great impression with your game visuals is critical. Even if the gameplay is great, if your game does not look catchy with intriguing visuals, potential buyers will not notice it or worse, never hit the buy button. If you have been listening to the podcast then you know the guests have been highlighting the importance of marketing. This is where Outstandly comes in. A creative agency that will help you create your brand identity, make engaging ads and showcase beautiful artwork. This is perfect if you are not great with artwork and need to outsource it to professionals. Focus on your strengths and let the professionals handle the rest. They are offering a bonus deal specifically to you, the Game Dev Loadout listeners. When you contact them, make sure you let them know that you heard about them from the podcast. They will offer a bonus production together with your order depending on the size. This could be extra characters/animations, user interface, user experience, and more. Go to Outstandly.com to get started on making your game look great to hook potential buyers. That is Outstandly.com. https://www.outstandly.com/art_for_games/ *** If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in ranking higher. Do me a huge favor and subscribe to the podcast if you felt inspired and love this content. For show notes and connect with the guest, please visit gamedevloadout.com/107 Sign up for Tony's email newsletter at gamedevloadout.com/subscribe Follow Tony: Twitter: twitter.com/gamedevloadout Facebook: facebook.com/gamedevloadout LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chantony

Passionate about cartoons and games since a kid, Liviu Boar dreamt of making a point and click adventure game since first seeing someone play Day of the Tentacle and realizing interactive cartoons were a possibility. Twenty-odd years later, he started a studio called Stuck In Attic together with another artist and a programmer, Kickstarted Gibbous - A Cthulhu Adventure in 2016, releasing it on August 7, 2019, for PC on Steam and GOG. You will learn: Why it’s important to go out and network. Liviu met his programmer through a bad but at the same time fortunate event. How he humanizes the game development process by constantly talking to his backers and keeping them up to date especially after a few major setbacks. Why you need to show your work to a potential audience as early as possible. Use that feedback to improve early rather than later. *** Sponsor Outstandly: Making a first great impression with your game visuals is critical. Even if the gameplay is great, if your game does not look catchy with intriguing visuals, potential buyers will not notice it or worse, never hit the buy button. If you have been listening to the podcast then you know the guests have been highlighting the importance of marketing. This is where Outstandly comes in. A creative agency that will help you create your brand identity, make engaging ads and showcase beautiful artwork. This is perfect if you are not great with artwork and need to outsource it to professionals. Focus on your strengths and let the professionals handle the rest. They are offering a bonus deal specifically to you, the Game Dev Loadout listeners. When you contact them, make sure you let them know that you heard about them from the podcast. They will offer a bonus production together with your order depending on the size. This could be extra characters/animations, user interface, user experience, and more. Go to Outstandly.com to get started on making your game look great to hook potential buyers. That is Outstandly.com. https://www.outstandly.com/art_for_games/ *** If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in ranking higher. Do me a huge favor and subscribe to the podcast if you felt inspired and love this content. For show notes and connect with the guest, please visit gamedevloadout.com/106 Sign up for Tony's email newsletter at gamedevloadout.com/subscribe Follow Tony: Twitter: twitter.com/gamedevloadout Facebook: facebook.com/gamedevloadout LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chantony

David Galindo is the creator of the Cook, Serve, Delicious! series. You will learn: How David used his real-life experiences as a barista to make his games. Why you need to study your competitors by checking their forums and customer reviews to see how they respond to their customers and to see what customers are saying about their game. How outsourcing your weakness can make a big difference in your development process. *** Sponsor Outstandly: Making a first great impression with your game visuals is critical. Even if the gameplay is great, if your game does not look catchy with intriguing visuals, potential buyers will not notice it or worse, never hit the buy button. If you have been listening to the podcast then you know the guests have been highlighting the importance of marketing. This is where Outstandly comes in. A creative agency that will help you create your brand identity, make engaging ads and showcase beautiful artwork. This is perfect if you are not great with artwork and need to outsource it to professionals. Focus on your strengths and let the professionals handle the rest. They are offering a bonus deal specifically to you, the Game Dev Loadout listeners. When you contact them, make sure you let them know that you heard about them from the podcast. They will offer a bonus production together with your order depending on the size. This could be extra characters/animations, user interface, user experience, and more. Go to Outstandly.com to get started on making your game look great to hook potential buyers. That is Outstandly.com. https://www.outstandly.com/art_for_games/ *** If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in ranking higher. Do me a huge favor and subscribe to the podcast if you felt inspired and love this content. For show notes and connect with the guest, please visit gamedevloadout.com/105 Sign up for Tony's email newsletter at gamedevloadout.com/subscribe Follow Tony: Twitter: twitter.com/gamedevloadout Facebook: facebook.com/gamedevloadout LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chantony

Angel Muniz is a designer and art lead at IS Studios. She has experience with environment and prop creation for Unity and Unreal Engines. She co-organized 3D Learning Network on Facebook for industry vets, juniors, and recent grad artists. She also tutors in 3D art and lighting for games and films. Because of Angel, I’ve been able to network and meet amazing people. Some of my guests on the show is thanks to her. In addition, she has given us her time to tell her story and tips to become successful in the game industry. You will learn: Why you got to specialize in a field that companies need and make sure you don’t do something you will dread. Mentors, communities, gaming events are all important to meet new people that can help you improve. Have a good work/life balance and priorities the most important tasks to complete. *** Bluehost Affiliate: If you want to join and succeed in the game industry then you should have a website that showcases your profile and games. This will build credibility and is a place for visitors to see your work. Nearly every guest on the show has their own website where they showcase their portfolio. Check out Bluehost for 3.95 a month to create your website. You’ll get a free domain, free security certificate, a 1-click Wordpress install, and great customer support. There is a 30-day money-back guarantee if you change your mind so there is no risk. You’ll also be supporting the podcast since I am an affiliate so I can keep bringing you more valuable content. Sign up with Bluehost, create your website, and build up your brand. Click the link to get started. www.bluehost.com/track/gamedevloadout *** If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in ranking higher. Do me a huge favor and subscribe to the podcast if you felt inspired and love this content. For show notes and connect with the guest, please visit gamedevloadout.com/02 Sign up for Tony's email newsletter at gamedevloadout.com/subscribe Follow Tony: Twitter: twitter.com/gamedevloadout Facebook: facebook.com/gamedevloadout LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chantony

Nathan Hamley is the artist and designer at Sick Chicken Studios, creator of point and click adventure game Guard Duty. Nathan has been involved in game development as a hobbyist since the mid 2000's, making the step to full time development in 2017 whilst working on his first commercial game Guard Duty. Currently freelancing as a pixel artist on various game projects whilst working through pre-production for his next personal project. You will learn: How to create a point and click adventure game. Why you need to go to game jams and conference. You need to engage with fans, build rapport, get their contact information, and constantly be in communication. The reasons why Nathan went full-time indie. *** Bluehost Affiliate: If you want to join and succeed in the game industry then you should have a website that showcases your profile and games. This will build credibility and is a place for visitors to see your work. Nearly every guest on the show has their own website where they showcase their portfolio. Check out Bluehost for 3.95 a month to create your website. You’ll get a free domain, free security certificate, a 1-click Wordpress install, and great customer support. There is a 30-day money-back guarantee if you change your mind so there is no risk. You’ll also be supporting the podcast since I am an affiliate so I can keep bringing you more valuable content. Sign up with Bluehost, create your website, and build up your brand. Click the link to get started. www.bluehost.com/track/gamedevloadout *** If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in ranking higher. Do me a huge favor and subscribe to the podcast if you felt inspired and love this content. For show notes and connect with the guest, please visit gamedevloadout.com/104 Sign up for Tony's email newsletter at gamedevloadout.com/subscribe Follow Tony: Twitter: twitter.com/gamedevloadout Facebook: facebook.com/gamedevloadout LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chantony

With 20 years in the technology industry, 10 in the game industry, on 4 continents, Roger Miller comes with a breadth of knowledge. Roger Miller has been on the leading edge of both server and client side technologies from factory automation to data cataloging to award-winning games. He has worked with leading advertising agencies such as Ogilvy One, been a vendor for entertainment companies such as Disney and HBO, created solutions for BMW and Deloitte and been nominated for awards such as the IMGA. He currently runs a small studio in Bend, OR where he crafts quality software with care. You will learn: How to effectively use Unity involving nested prefabs, ADB Logcat, package manager, and more. Download Unity for free to get started! Use a time management technique called timeboxing where you give yourself a maximum time limit in advance and complete the activity within that time frame. Manage and complete small goals first, improve, then move on to bigger goals. Just because you make a great game does not mean you will succeed. You must research marketing and advertising ahead of time. *** Bluehost Affiliate: If you want to join and succeed in the game industry then you should have a website that showcases your profile and games. This will build credibility and is a place for visitors to see your work. Nearly every guest on the show has their own website where they showcase their portfolio. Check out Bluehost for 3.95 a month to create your website. You’ll get a free domain, free security certificate, a 1-click Wordpress install, and great customer support. There is a 30-day money-back guarantee if you change your mind so there is no risk. You’ll also be supporting the podcast since I am an affiliate so I can keep bringing you more valuable content. Sign up with Bluehost, create your website, and build up your brand. Click the link to get started. www.bluehost.com/track/gamedevloadout *** If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in ranking higher. Do me a huge favor and subscribe to the podcast if you felt inspired and love this content. For show notes and connect with the guest, please visit gamedevloadout.com/103 Sign up for Tony's email newsletter at gamedevloadout.com/subscribe Follow Tony: Twitter: twitter.com/gamedevloadout Facebook: facebook.com/gamedevloadout LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chantony

Alexander McDonald is a freelance game artist working primarily in pixel art and voxel art style. He has worked on games like Duelyst, Moonquest, Primal Carnage and Rivals of Aether. He has also collaborated with streamers and YouTubers making emotes, channel designs and stream graphics. 3 Top Advice: A great pixel artist practice, practice, practice. If you are not practicing, others will. Being self-driven is what helped Alex overcome his worst moments. You need to do what it takes to succeed. Eating right will help you feel energetic and great. Try out his recipe in the episode. *** For show notes and connect with the guest, please visit gamedevloadout.com/102. Sign up for Tony's email newsletter at gamedevloadout.com/email. Follow Tony: Twitter: twitter.com/gamedevloadout Facebook: facebook.com/gamedevloadout LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chantony

Victoria Tran is the communications director at Kitfox Games, a small indie team in Montreal, Canada that is creating intriguing worlds like ‘Boyfriend Dungeon’ and ‘Moon Hunters’. They are publishing ‘Dwarf Fortress’ and ‘Six Ages’ to Steam. She has spoken at the game developer conference about Why You Should Care About Fashion and wrote a blog post about Designing Community for Kindness. She also does community consultations and co-organizes various local game events. Top 3 Advice: Create a positive environment for your community and enforce the rules to show that you care for your audience which will be trust and engagements. Tailor each message of your game to a targeted audience such as the press, streamers, and people with specific interests because they all will respond differently. When making decisions, do not overthink the worse case scenarios because most often it never happens. *** For show notes and connect with the guest, please visit gamedevloadout.com/101. Sign up for Tony's email newsletter at gamedevloadout.com/email. Follow Tony: Twitter: twitter.com/gamedevloadout Facebook: facebook.com/gamedevloadout LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chantony

We made it to episode 100! Thank you for taking the time out of your day to listen to the podcast and supporting it. This episode is about my long absence, changes to the podcast, new partners, and five action steps I learned from interviewing 100+ experts to help you get started in the game industry. Here are five actions you can take toward success: Make a plan - have a clear vision and timeline to accomplish your goals. Build genuine relationships - Go to local meetups, events like game developer conferences, or online forums to engage with new people that will be long-life friends. Invest in yourself - buy courses, get a mentor, exercise, use assets that will benefit your goal. Asking questions - it is the quickest way to get answers. The game industry is full of great people that are willing to help, all you have to do is just ask. Taking action - inaction will get you nowhere. Create powerful habits that will automatically make you take action regardless of how you feel. *** For show notes and to connect with guest, please visit gamedevloadout.com/100. Sign up for Tony's email newsletter at gamedevloadout.com/email. Follow Tony: Twitter: twitter.com/gamedevloadout Facebook: facebook.com/gamedevloadout LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chantony