YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY

Time to sheath your lightsaber and listen to this podcast folks! This episode I am joined by Justin Perez, a gameplay designer who is best known for his work on games with incredible combat such as Kingdoms of Amalur Reckoning and the Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order series. We discussed the current state of the games industry, him appearing in the book Press Reset and the importance of working from home. Furthermore we talk about all things Star Wars, what he pays attention to when it comes to combat, the industry being more transparent about the game development process and we dive into the menace that is Oggdo Bogdo. Time – Topic Discussed: 0:00 - Intro 02:30 - Guest topic: What did I learn doing this podcast? 07:50 - Press Reset & The closure of 38 Studios 17:10 - You need only a few people to start a game but a lot to finish a game 21:00  - Seeing the release of Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning 24:25 - What is going on in the games industry? 37:20 - How games look like during development 45:00 - Star Wars guidelines 55:00 - Creating a sequel without hitting the reset button 59:40 - Does working on Star Wars games take something away from the excitement? 01:07:30 - Justin's top 3 Star Wars content 01:09:18 - What makes great combat? 01:14:20 - Remote work 01:22:20 - Things that changed when becoming indie 01:23:50 - Outro   Things mentioned on the show: Immortals of Aveum Grounded II: Making The Last of Us Part II Double Fine Documentary The Making of STAR WARS Jedi: Fallen Order - Documentary Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown   Social Media: Justin Perez Justin Perez on Twitter (@thejustinperez) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Twitter (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Twitter (@DorianChou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Instagram (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Instagram (@dorian.chou) Intro/Outro by FreshMcZone Artwork by Thomas Martin (Instagram: @thomas.martin.martin)

A brand new episode for all you great murder mystery loving detectives out there is here! This time I am joined by Andrejs Kļaviņš from Color Gray Games. Andrejs and his brother are the creators of the Case of the Golden Idol, one of the best indie games of recent memory. We discuss making the game, how to find the right difficulty for a puzzle game and how becoming a father impacts your sleep schedule. Furthermore, we go into detail on designing a word based game for an international audience, cut content of the game and if AI can help to create interesting puzzles.   Time – Topic Discussed: 0:00 - Intro 02:20 - Guest topic: Mobile games 04:50 - What is The Case of the Golden Idol? 06:15 - The starting screen 09:00  - Growing up with point and click adventure games 10:44  - Ramping difficulty 18:10 - Localization 20:50 - Testing and adding smaller features to help with difficulty 24:15 - When is something done? 26:30 - Cut content 29:15  - The prototype of The Case of the Golden Idol 31:15 - The post mortem of the game 35:25 - Using AI for the story of the next game 38:00 - Difficult aspects of game development that gamers underestimate 40:10 - Known developers that reached out to Andrej 43:15 - Latvian culture in the game 46:30 - The importance of disagreement 49:52 - Outside aspects of a game that impacts its success 54:20 - Balancing personal creative satisfaction and creating a commercially viable product 57:30 Getting a dog and a daughter 59:35 - Outro   Things mentioned on the show: Slice & Dice   Social Media: Color Gray Games Andrejs Kļaviņš on Twitter (@AndrejsKlavins) Color Gray Games on Twitter (@ColorGray7) The Case of the Golden Idol Homepage   YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Twitter (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Twitter (@DorianChou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Instagram (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Instagram (@dorian.chou) Intro/Outro by FreshMcZone Artwork by Thomas Martin (Instagram: @thomas.martin.martin)  

Let's get the dust off and finish this year strong! This episode I am joined by Stephen Gilarde, who is a DJ best known for being featured on the Hotline Miami 1 & 2 soundtrack. We discuss why he came back to the M|O|O|N moniker, his side project Was Fret, how Hotline Miami changed his life and his opinions on landlords. Furthermore, we go into detail on the issue with Spotify, Stephen talks about the only good website on the internet, dealing with social media and we get never before shared insights on some of his work.   Time – Topic Discussed: 0:00 - Intro 03:26 - Guest topic: Baseball 15:24 - The problem with housing 24:48 - The origin behind the name M|O|O|N 29:33  - The beginnings of Hotline Miami 39:32  - After Hotline Miami 43:55 - Being called a video game musician 49:30 - M|O|O|N vs. Was Fret 58:50 - When is something done? 01:02:45 - Spotify and Bandcamp 01:09:30 - Social Media 01:15:50 - Does pineapple belong on pizza? 01:19:50 - Creating music for Trackmania 01:21:55 - How much is Spotify paying its artists? 01:23:03 - Comments on his past works 01:19:29 - Outro   Things mentioned on the show: Hotline Miami Trailer M|O|O|N EP  Particles EP  Artist: SCATTLE Artist: Carpenter Brut Artist: Pertubator Gamergate M|O|O|N - Mains hum   Social Media: M|O|O|N M|O|O|N on Bandcamp Was Fret on Bandcamp Stephen Gilarde on Instagram (@m.o.o.n.m.u.s.i.c) Stephen Gilarde on Twitter (@m_o_o_n_music)   YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Twitter (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Twitter (@DorianChou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Instagram (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Instagram (@dorian.chou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Facebook (youmeindustry) Intro/Outro by FreshMcZone Artwork by Thomas Martin (Instagram: @thomas.martin.martin)

Let me pitch you an idea. How about you check out this new podcast episode?! This episode I am joined by Masao Kobayashi, who is the co-founder and the studio manager of Cut to Bits. We discuss growing up in Japan, pitching games to publishers and cultural differences. Furthermore, we go into detail on community management, learning from mistakes and Masao shares his three essential manga recommendations. Time – Topic Discussed: 0:00 - Intro 03:50 - The What else do you do?-podcast 09:30 - Doing the podcast for himself 12:23 - Splitting the podcast 16:50  - Growing up in Japan 22:15  - Cultural differences 29:20 - Pitching a video game 35:50 - Community management 40:03 - Food he misses from Japan 41:55 - The indie scene of Japan 48:30 - Manga recommendations 51:40 - Outro   Things mentioned on the show: What else do you do? - podcast How Asian do you feel - podcast The Farewell by Lulu Wang Asobu Japan Manga recommendations: Say Hello To Black Jack Ushio & Tora Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind What else do you do? - Podcast Episode 45. Wait, you wanted to be a nun? (Rebekah Valentine Interview) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY - Rebekah Valentine Interview   Social Media: Cut To Bits Cut To Bits on Twitter (@CutToBits) Homepage of Cut To Bits   Masao Kobayashi Masao Kobayashi on Twitter (@MegaMasao)  YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Twitter (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Twitter (@DorianChou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Instagram (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Instagram (@dorian.chou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Facebook (youmeindustry) Intro/Outro by FreshMcZone Artwork by Thomas Martin (Instagram: @thomas.martin.martin)

Haha! (imagine this being said in a Micky Mouse voice) This episode I am joined by AJ, who is the founder and CEO of Dlala Studios. We discuss their upcoming title called Disney Illusion Island and what it is like to run a 35 people studio. Furthermore, we get into the design decisions behind making great coop games, what keeps AJ up at night and with AJ being a Disney expert I had to ask about Goofy wearing pants while Pluto isn't.   Time – Topic Discussed: 0:00 - Intro 03:08 - Guest topic: Being blessed by a pug 06:10 - Guest topic: Bringing the band back together 08:30 - Revealing Disney Illusion Island on D23 12:22  - Interacting with Disney on the game 20:25  - Hard lessons learned during Battletoads 24:31 - Learning how to run a studio 29:30 - Dealing with responsibility  32:00 - Winning UK's Best Boss and Best Places to Work in 2022 from gamesindustry.biz 36:08 - How problems can arise in running a studio 44:50  - Feeding the beast 50:03 - Point and Click Adventures 52:30 - Disney Goes Classical 54:12 - Surviving the loss of a 3 million dollar deal 01:01:28 - The golden rules of great co-op 01:05:04 - Looking at reviews 01:07:30 - Lessons learned 01:19:29 - Outro   Things mentioned on the show: Parsec Disney Illusion Island - World Premiere Trailer The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company by Robert Iger Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration by Ed Catmull That Will Never Work: The Birth of Netflix and the Amazing Life of an Idea by Marc Randolph The Double Fine Documentary Noclip - Video Game Documentaries Masters of Doom: How Two Guys Created an Empire and Transformed Pop Culture by David Kushner Immerse by Lifeformed (Music of the Double Fine Documentary) Disney Goes Classical How Dlala survived the loss of a $3m Disney deal by James Batchelor   Social Media: Dlala Studios Dlala Studios on Twitter (@dlalastudios) Homepage of Dlala Studios   AJ Grand-Scrutton AJ Grand-Scrutton on Twitter (@dnost)    YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Twitter (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Twitter (@DorianChou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Instagram (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Instagram (@dorian.chou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Facebook (youmeindustry) Intro/Outro by FreshMcZone Artwork by Thomas Martin (Instagram: @thomas.martin.martin)

Welcome all you cute foxes! This episode I am joined by Lifeformed and Janice Kwan, the composing duo behind the outstanding soundtrack of the indie darling Tunic. We discuss their working process, how a vacation to Taiwan became a permanent residence change and what breakfast essentials nourished them to compose a 60 track soundtrack.  Furthermore, we discuss what it was like to work 7 years on a soundtrack, how they both come up with track titles and I get to lose a couple of potential sponsorships while asking about their hardware issues over the years. Time – Topic Discussed: 0:00 - Intro 03:50 - Guest topic: Convenient store experiences 10:53 - The process of coming up with a song 23:45 - Warm up for making music 25:03  - Coming up with music ideas 28:41  - Finishing a track vs. working on multiple at the same time 30:10 - Going back to older tracks an re-doing them 35:25 - Swapping tracks 38:00 - Being worried about the game 41:00  - Coming up with new music 45:25 - How the environment impacted the music 48:20 - Being inspired by Chrono Trigger 50:55 - Coming up with track titles 53:35 - The food that is now associated with Tunic 54:40 - Finding your own voice 56:42 - When is a track done? 01:00:25 - Stopping yourself from crunching  01:04:57 - Dealing with hardware problems 01:09:50 - Mixing 01:12:50 - Writing instinctual  01:15:49 - Doing remixes 01:19:29 - Outro     Things mentioned on the show: Podcast episode with Felix Kramer The Tunic Soundtrack Tunic Shop Theme (My Favourite Customer) Redwood Colonade track of the Tunic Soundtrack Secret of the Forest track of the Chrono Trigger Soundtrack Janice Kwan x Gardener EP Ocean Glaze track of the Tunic Soundtrack   Social Media: Lifeformed Lifeformed on Twitter (@lifeformed) Lifeformed on Bandcamp Lifeformed on YouTube (Lifeformed) Lifeformed's Homepage   Janice Kwan Janice Kwan on Twitter (@alsojanice)  Janice Kwan on YouTube (Janice Kwan)   YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Twitter (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Twitter (@DorianChou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Instagram (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Instagram (@dorian.chou) Intro/Outro by FreshMcZone Artwork by Thomas Martin (Instagram: @thomas.martin.martin)

Take your seat everyone, class is about to start! This episode I am joined by Richard Lemarchand, professor in the USC Games program at the University of Southern California to discuss his recently released book called A Playful Production Process! We discussed the making of his book, what it was like to work with industry legends, how a new generation of video game makers are tackling game design and much more. Furthermore, we discuss the hero's journey, how Richard felt watching the Uncharted movie and I get to ask about the essential snacks he is missing out on since he moved to the US.  Time – Topic Discussed: 0:00 - Intro 02:29 - Guest topic: The books by Octavia Butler 08:52 - a playful design process  19:49 - Guest topic: The making of the book  21:52  - How did the design approach of students change over time? 21:56  - How has the perception of game development education changed? 24:48 - Seeing his students find successes on their own  29:00 - The change in perception in video game education 32:50  - The Meadow VR 36:20 - Seeing Uncharted sequels and the Uncharted movie 41:44 - Questioning the Hero's Journey 47:14 - Quiet moments vs. big showpiece scenes 52:30 - Providing feedback without demoralizing the receiver 56:12 - Snacks Richard can't get anymore 57:20 - Lessons learned 01:06:58 - Outro   Things mentioned on the show: Kindred by Octavia Butler Parable of the Sower by Ocativa Butler Parable of the Talents by Ocatvia Butler Xenogenesis Series by Octavia Butler Scary Mary Trailer On Writing by Steven King Game Feel by Steve Swink Heirloom by Abby Sherlock and Kathryn Yu The Meadow VR  The Klaxo Radio Hour Martzi's Homepage The Writer's Journey by Christopher Vogler loudQUIETloud: A Film About the Pixies   Social Media: Richard Lemarchand Richard Lemarchand on Twitter (@rich_lem) Richard Lemarchand on Instagram (rich_lem) The homepage of A Playful Production Process   YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Twitter (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Twitter (@DorianChou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Instagram (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Instagram (@dorian.chou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Facebook (youmeindustry) Intro/Outro by FreshMcZone Artwork by Thomas Martin (Instagram: @thomas.martin.martin)

BREAKING NEWS…AWARD WINNING REPORTER JOINS PODCAST! This episode I had the pleasure of welcoming Rebekah Valentine for another episode. We discussed her reports on work culture in the games industry, what her job entails and how to build a trustworthy relationship with sources. Furthermore, we discuss our favorite food related memories, the state of journalism in the industry and I get to learn more about the ins and outs of doing a food related podcast. Time – Topic Discussed: 0:00 - Intro 03:18 - Guest topic: What is the best meal we have ever eaten? 11:46 - What does her day look like? 19:49 - What happens when breaking news comes in? 20:20  - The ethics of reporting and boycotting 23:56  - How do you become a trustworthy reporter? 27:50  - How IGN became known for great reporting 33:08 - Making mistakes 39:42 - The relationship between an editor and a writer 42:47 - Bringing in personal touches into writing 48:58 - The state of games journalism in 2022 53:17 - Patreon for Journalism 58:10 - Journalism 101 01:05:58 - Undertale 01:10:10- The Cozywood Kitchenette  01:17:30 - The Metric System 01:18:45  - Pies 01:12:45  - Lessons learned  01:25:20  - Outro   Things mentioned on the show: Rebekah's interview with Swen Vincke about Baldur's Gate 3 IGN reporting on the issues at Activision Blizzard Rebekah's reporting on Global Step Rebekah's reporting on Scavengers Studio Rebekah's reporting on the studio culture at Bungie  Investigating Three Indie Superstars Accused of Emotional Abuse by People Make Games Inside The Culture Of Sexism At Riot Games by Cecilia D'Anastasio The one year anniversary of Defector   Social Media: Rebekah Valentine  Rebekah Valentine on Twitter (@duckvalentine) Rebekah Valentine's work at IGN The Cozywood Kitchenette Podcast   YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Twitter (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Twitter (@DorianChou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Instagram (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Instagram (@dorian.chou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Facebook (youmeindustry) Intro/Outro by FreshMcZone Artwork by Thomas Martin (Instagram: @thomas.martin.martin)

Hey kiddo… I found one of them episodes you like to listen to! This one features an interview with concept artist and illustrator Alex Neonakis, who worked at Naughty Dog. While at Naughty Dog, she worked on games such as The Last of Us, Left Behind, Uncharted 4, Lost Legacy and The Last of Us Part II. We discuss the exceptional work she did at the studio, her passion for details, the current state of the industry and much more. Furthermore, we talk about the concept art of Elden Ring, how social media impacts our perception of art and I get to ask about a very interesting theory about Martyr Logarius from Bloodborne. We openly talk about story events and locations of The Last of Us Part II, so if you don't want to get spoiled, you better finish the game first and then come back. Time – Topic Discussed: 0:00 - Intro 04:10 - Guest topic: Being a raid leader in World of Warcraft 06:55 - Guest topic: Elden Ring 14:04 - The job of a concept artist 20:20  - Wear and tear in clothing 23:50  - Staying motivated 26:40 - Her love for details 34:18 - Design notes from the director and player feedback 37:50 - Big setpieces vs. intimate moments 43:31 - Going freelance 48:18 - Crunch in the industry 55:00 - Lessons learned 01:01:00 - The impact of social media on art 01:04:53 - State of the industry 01:08:45 - Negativity on twitter 01:10:53  - Master Chef 01:12:20  - The implosion of Bon Appetit 01:13:35  - The infamous Martyr Logarius theory 01:15:38  - Outro   Things mentioned on the show: Character Concept artist Hyoung Taek Nam Alex fake Twitter campaign for The Last of Us Take on Me in The Last of Us Part II Blood, Sweat and Pixels by Jason Schreier Activision Blizzard scandal Eytan Zana Neil Druckmann Bruce Straley Deleted Owen's painting in the Last of Us Part II Ashley Swidowski The implosion of Bon Appetit Martyr Logarius The Ice king from Adventure Time   Social Media: Alex Neonakis Alex Neonakis on  Twitter (@Beavs) Alex Neonakis on Instagram (@alexneonakis) Alex Neonakis's Homepage   YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Twitter (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Twitter (@DorianChou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Instagram (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Instagram (@dorian.chou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Facebook (youmeindustry) Intro/Outro by FreshMcZone Artwork by Thomas Martin (Instagram: @thomas.martin.martin)

Hey Aniki… it's time for another episode! This time I got to interview cover and poster artist Zi Xu. She is known for her incredible work for companies such as Sega, Mondo, Marvel, DC and Star Wars. We talk about the difficulty of being a freelance artist, how to deal with burnout, what inspires her and the importance of not being ashamed of your hobbies. Furthermore, we geek out over Yakuza, discuss Marvel movies and I get to learn more about her current obsession, world's fairs. Please enjoy!   Time – Topic Discussed: 0:00 - Intro 01:33 - Yakuza  06:00 - Guest topic: World's fair 14:00  - Follow your passion 19:38  - The issue with Marvel and DC movies 26:40 - Concept art 37:34 - Inspirational artbooks 41:29 - Condensing a video game character 49:12 - Giving the client what they want 51:41 - Deciding what your time is worth 57:03 - Dealing with burnout 01:01:00 - Drawing hands and eyebrows 01:02:40 - Practicing 01:04:10  - Lessons learned at the Maryland Institute College of Art 01:09:02  - Lessons learned while watching Blue Period 01:10:31  - Outro   Things mentioned on the show: Francis Bourgeois Nerdy Paintings from the Neuschwanstein Castle More Info on the Castle  Cave Room inside the Castle  Magnetic Rose  Blue Period   Social Media: Zi Xu Zi Xu on Twitter (@ziqqix) Zi Xu on Instagram (@ziqqix) Zi Xu's Homepage   YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Twitter (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Twitter (@DorianChou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Instagram (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Instagram (@dorian.chou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Facebook (youmeindustry) Intro/Outro by FreshMcZone Artwork by Thomas Martin (Instagram: @thomas.martin.martin)

Put your pens down everyone and check out the newest podcast episode. I am joined by legendary graphic designer Cory Schmitz, who is best known for his work on logos such as Oculus, Valorant, Ghost of Tsushima, Sable, Control, and Analogue. We talk about his design process, his love for Columbo, what makes a great logo and Risograph. Furthermore, we dig deeper into the Papyrus font in Avatar, changing logos, what makes a great cinema and his love for shooting photos on film. Time – Topic Discussed: 0:00 - Intro 02:06 - Guest topic: Columbo 06:17 - Guest topic: e-Ink Tablet 09:46  - What does a graphic designer do? 14:00  - Separating projects 18:29 - Emergency note taking 19:17 - Last minute logo 20:55 - Plotter Notebooks 24:47 - Getting excited when logos get revealed 25:38 - Changing logos 26:44 - One-time logo 29:17 - Explaining a logo 37:11  - Commercials 39:46 - Using Papyrus in Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora 41:51 - The Bleeding Cowboy font 43:09 - Risograph 46:38 - Using film rolls 50:12  - What companies should avoid doing 51:51 - Aspects he wishes people would know more about 53:10 - Making his own video game 54:45 - Designing a Famicase 58:10 - "Visiting" Kojima Productions 59:40 - Working previous jobs 01:02:49 - His favorite cinema 01:05:27 - Designing a logo for a podcast 01:08:48 - Outro   Things mentioned on the show: Columbo Shooting Columbo Book Super Note by Ratta Sable Logos Below Logos Notebooks by Plotter Millimeter Milligram Notebooks Pepsi Logo Change Pocari Sweat Commercial Gravity Rush Commercial Famicase Michio Kaku Sign of the Cancer by Juraj Herz World Without Sun by Jacques-Yves Cousteau   Social Media: Cory Schmitz Cory Schmitz on Twitter (@CorySchmitz) Cory Schmitz on Instagram (@coryschmitz) Cory Schmitz's Homepage   YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Twitter (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Twitter (@DorianChou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Instagram (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Instagram (@dorian.chou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Facebook (youmeindustry) Intro/Outro by FreshMcZone Artwork by Thomas Martin (Instagram: @thomas.martin.martin)

Listen up everyone! This episode I had the pleasure to be joined by the lovely Debra Wilson. She is a voice acting powerhouse best known from her roles as Amanda Waller in Telltale's Batman, Savathun from Destiny, Okoye in Marvel's Avengers in War for Wakanda, Cere Junda in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Shelda from Bugsnax. We discuss some of her most memorable roles, blackness in video games, magical voice recording sessions and Debra shares her love for scorpions and tarantulas. Please enjoy.   Time – Topic Discussed: 0:00 - Intro 02:33 - Debra's scorpions and tarantulas 12:16 - What franchise made her say the craziest names? 13:41  - The process of a recording session 19:10 - Being typecast as a voice actor 24:32 - Returning to a role 29:24 - Preparation for a arole 32:26 - Blackness in video games 36:18 - Recording alone vs. being in a group 39:10  - Casting white voice actors to voice black characters 54:15 - Debra's incredible face collage shirts 58:30 - What makes a good voice acting director? 01:02:50 - Tips for improving the vocabulary 01:04:09 - Debra on Cameo 01:05:35  - Outro   Things mentioned on the show: Video about temp music (The Marvel Symphonic Universe) The gray area of casting for characters of color in games by Alan Wen Nicolas Cage Face Collage Shirt   Social Media: Debra Wilson Debra Wilson on Cameo   YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Twitter (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Twitter (@DorianChou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Instagram (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Instagram (@dorian.chou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Facebook (youmeindustry) Intro/Outro by FreshMcZone Artwork by Thomas Martin (Instagram: @thomas.martin.martin)  

Welcome to the final part of the Jason Schreier "Press Reset" special! One more time the show continues to feature interviews with people from the book. "Press Reset" details the stories of game development studio closures and how it affected the people behind some of gaming's biggest titles to date. This time I am joined by Joe Faulstick, the former producer at Irrational Games on Swat 4, Bioshock and Bioshock Infinite. Joe shares what it was like to produce some of the games industry's most legendary games, why scheduling video games is so difficult and why he left the games industry. He also talks about his experience working with Ken Levine, how in his opinion the industry must evolve and his gripe with plain oatmeal.  Time – Topic Discussed: 0:00 - Intro 04:32 - How did Joe end  up in the games industry? 07:25 - How did Joe's story get into the book? 09:25  - What was it like to read the book? 12:00 - Indie vs. AAA 14:18 - Joe's favorite chapter 15:04  - Joe's journey throughout game development 38:36 - Finding the fun in video games 50:59 - Changing visions 58:20 - Working with Ken Levine 01:05:50 - Guest topic: Fixing the issues of the industry 01:19:09 - Joe's gripe with plain oatmeal 01:21:10  - Is Joe ready for Gordon Ramsay coming over? 01:23:01  - Outro   Things mentioned on the show: Bioshock Demo Video Bioshock Hunting the Big Daddy Demo Bioshock Infinite Reveal Trailer Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull Christmas Beef Wellington by Gordon Ramsay   Social Media: Joe Faulstick Joe Faulstick on Twitter (@joefaulstick) Joe Faulstick on Instagram (jfaulstick)   YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Twitter (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Twitter (@DorianChou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Instagram (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Instagram (@dorian.chou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Facebook (youmeindustry) Intro/Outro by FreshMcZone Artwork by Thomas Martin (Instagram: @thomas.martin.martin)

Ready for more? Well, here you go! The Jason Schreier "Press Reset" special goes on and continues to feature interviews with people from the book. "Press Reset" details the stories of game development studio closures and how it affected the people behind some of gaming's biggest titles to date. This time I am joined by Joe Quadara, the former lead combat designer at Big Huge Games on Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. Joe touches upon his journey into the games industry, how to design great combat and how a legendary baseball player ended up being his boss. We also discuss the closure of Big Huge Games and how indie games are creating a path to a better games industry.   Time – Topic Discussed: 0:00 - Intro 03:56 - How did Joe's story end up in the book? 05:20 - What it was like reading his own story 06:34 - Did Joe learn something new about 38 Studios?  07:40 - How Joe ended up in the games industry 12:42 - Joe's Tekken Tag Team Tournament Team 13:46 - Quality assurance back in the day 16:52 - How Joe became a combat designer 18:25 - The best designers are multi disciplinary 19:40 - Joining Big Huge Games 24:30 - The creation of the combat pit 27:20 - The balance of criticism  31:56 - What makes good combat design? 34:56 - The difference of combat between East and West  38:30 -  Why do combat designers hate combat barks? 40:22 - The secret internal build of Urban Chaos 42:42 - The uncertain future of Big Huge Games 48:18 - Politely saying no 50:27 - The feedback for the combat of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning 52:07 - The end of Big Huge Games 54:01 - The chaos that comes along with a studio closure 54:40 - How Joe tackles the issue of sustainability of the the games industry  59:41 - Outro   Things mentioned on the show: The Curse of the Bambino Curt Schilling   Social Media: Joe Quadara Joe Quadara on Twitter (@bazooie) Joe Quadara on Instagram (@bazooie) Joe Quadara on Facebook (@Joe Quadara)   YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Twitter (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Twitter (@DorianChou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Instagram (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Instagram (@dorian.chou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Facebook (youmeindustry) Intro/Outro by FreshMcZone Artwork by Thomas Martin (Instagram: @thomas.martin.martin)

Welcome to the very first podcast special! The Jason Schreier "Press Reset" special features interviews with people who appeared in his book. It details the stories of game development studio closures and how it affected the people behind some of gaming's biggest titles to date. I had the pleasure to interview Zach Mumbach, who is a former producer at Electronic Arts for games such as Dead Space 2, Dante's Inferno, Battlefield Hardline, and the cancelled Star Wars Project Ragtag. Zach shares his journey into game development, what it was like seeing Visceral Games getting closed, what he learned from Amy Hennig and how the industry needs to evolve. Time – Topic Discussed: 0:00 - Intro 3:08 - Guest topic: Skateboarding 05:47 - The importance of skateboard decks 07:02 - Skateboarding and inclusivity  09:06 - How did Zach's story end up in the book? 14:26 - Reading his own story in the book 17:37 - Being a workaholic 22:00 - How Zach just walked into EA and got a job 25:40 - Quality assurance back in the day 30:07 - Becoming a producer 35:53 - Working on Godfather II & Dante's Inferno 39:30 - Putting hats on Isaac 41:19 - Working on Army of Two 45:35 - Working on Battlefield Hardline 47:51 - Star Wars Project Ragtag 50:55 - Interacting with Amy Hennig 54:17 - The closure of Visceral Games 01:02:54 - The return of Skate and Dead Space 01:12:06 - Where are the older game developers? 01:14:49 - Leaving the industry 01:20:11 - Visiting the budget hotel room he worked on 01:21:31 - Returning to the industry 01:27:04 - Crunch in the games industry 01:34:30 - Was it worth it? 01:36:25 - Lessons learned   Things mentioned on the show: Knives sent over to Visceral Games Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi Dead Space Part 1 - The Deepest Dive by  MinnMax   Social Media: Zach Mumbach Zach Mumbach on Twitter (@zachulon) The Wandering Band on Twitter (@AWanderingBand) Zach Mumbach on Instagram (@zachulon) Zach Mumbach on Facebook (@zachulon)   YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Twitter (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Twitter (@DorianChou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Instagram (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Instagram (@dorian.chou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Facebook (youmeindustry) Intro/Outro by FreshMcZone Artwork by Thomas Martin (Instagram: @thomas.martin.martin)

Welcome crime detectives from all over the world and join Gary Kings and myself onto a journey through mysteries, game development, writing, trailer making and Dopesmoker cuts. Gary Kings is a writer and designer of National Insecurities and created games such as Once Upon a Crime in the West and 2000:1 A Space Felony. Time – Topic Discussed: 0:00 - Intro 3:03 - Guest topic: The Hobbit Dopesmoker edit 13:02 - Music choices in 2000:1 A Space Felony 17:20 - Game Jams  26:43 - Calculating people being stuck in games 35:19 - Two great design choices in Gary's games 37:46 - The third (secret) ending of 2000:1 A Space Felony 42:10 - What makes a good murder mystery? 50:46 - Tropes in murder mystery 53:04 - E3 Trailers 01:02:20 - How does Gary view a trailer 01:04:34 - How Gary makes trailer 01:07:51 - The difficulties with making a trailer 01:10:15 - The process of writing 01:15:57 - Writing with a partner  01:18:19 - Scribbling the narrative structure of a game on a table 01:25:10 - Plugs and Outro 01:27:23 - Gaming's most famous trailer makers   Things mentioned on the show: 2000:1: A Space Felony by National Insecurities Once Upon a Crime in the West by National Insecurities THE HOBBIT: DOPESMOKER EDITION by Gary Kings The Raid 2 by Gareth Evans Ribvolver The Good, the Bad and the Ugly by Sergio Leone Details about the Old Gods Are Dead The Ace Attorney series Return of the Obra Dinn Sable E3 Trailer Metroid Dread Trailer Derek Lieu  El Paso, Elsewhere Trailer Skatebird   Social Media: Gary Kings Gary King's Homepage National Insecurities on itch.io National Insecurities on Twitter (@NIPresents) Gary Kings on Twitter (@GaryJKings) Gary Kings on Instagram (@garyjkings) Mohammed Taher on Twitter (@robokick)   YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Twitter (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Twitter (@DorianChou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Instagram (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Instagram (@dorian.chou)  YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Facebook (youmeindustry) Intro/Outro by FreshMcZone Artwork by Thomas Martin (Instagram: @thomas.martin.martin)

Grab your coffee, put down your favorite Evanescence album and dive into the newest episode! This time I am joined by Mohammed Taher, who is the founder and creative director of Brave Wave, a music label that features some of Japan's most legendary video game music composers. We discuss the thought process behind directing an album, his high quality standards and his biggest inspirations. Time – Topic Discussed: 0:00 - Intro 1:30 - Oppression of Palestine 3:46 - The response of the industry 19:45 - The way Rami Ismail engage with the topic   22:40 - The games Mohamed currently plays 26:57 - Mohammed's Street Fighter Main 28:40 - Guest topic: Investing and the stock market 01:09:10 - The origins of Brave Wave 01:17:37 - Directing an album 01:30:27 - The Generation Series 01:40:42 - Mohammed's inspiration 01:47:43 - Favorite Evanescence tracks 01:51:05 - Drinking coffee 01:55:40 - Learning Japanese  01:59:58 - Plugs and Outro   Things mentioned on the show: Our Interview with Rami Ismail  Mass Effect by Bioware The Witness by Jonathan Blow Ultra Street Fighter IV by Capcom Generation Series: Street Fighter II Morning Brew Newsletter  How Index Funds Beat Hedge Funds over Time Limited Run Games World 1​-​2: The Complete Collection Aphex Twin The Generation Series The Criterion Collection Data Discs Art by Storm Thorgerson Evanescence V60 Filter Coffee The Retro​-​Active Experience   Social Media: Brave Wave Brave Wave Homepage Brave Wave on Bandcamp Brave Wave on Instagram (@bravewavemusic) Brave Wave on Twitter (@BraveWaveMusic) Mohammed Taher on Instagram (@robokick) Mohammed Taher on Twitter (@robokick)   YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Twitter (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Twitter (@DorianChou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Instagram (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Instagram (@dorian.chou)  YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Facebook (youmeindustry) Intro/Outro by FreshMcZone Artwork by Thomas Martin (Instagram: @thomas.martin.martin)

Put down your notebooks and jump into a brand new interview! This time I am joined by Nicole Nageli, who is an amazing artist, writer and speaker. We discuss her fascination with legacy, fear in art, her love for great notebooks, some of her favorite video games and much more. She also drew an incredible little picture of our interview, be sure to check the social media channels of the podcast to see it!  Time – Topic Discussed: 0:00 - Intro 1:06 - Graduating high school 3:12 - How we met  6:57 - Guest topic: Fear in art 11:10 - Finishing a project 19:57 - What made her become an artist 28:18 - Preparing for interviews 33:26 - Her relationship with video games 37:57 -  Creating fanart for movies vs. video games 42:18 - Deciding when something is finished 48:15 - Returning to older notes 53:25 - Naming her book 54:54 - What makes a good notebook 01:07:27 - Plugs and Outro   Things mentioned on the show: Fear in Art by Nicole Nageli The Book of Life by Jorge R. Gutiérrez Press Reset by Jason Schreier Blood, Sweat, and Pixels: The Triumphant, Turbulent Stories Behind How Video Games Are Made by Jason Schreier Finishing a Game by Derek Yu How Star Wars was saved in the edit Music artist: Lakey Inspired  Director David Sandberg's Youtube Channel Nicole's TEDx Speech THE OWL HOUSE Fake Audition   Social Media: Nicole Nageli's Homepage Nicole Nageli on Instagram (@nicolenageliart) Nicole Nageli on Instagram(@nicolenageliofficial) Nicole Nageli on YouTube (Nicole Nageli)   YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Twitter (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Twitter (@DorianChou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Instagram (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Instagram (@dorian.chou)  YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Facebook (youmeindustry) Intro/Outro by FreshMcZone Artwork by Thomas Martin (Instagram: @thomas.martin.martin)

Welcome to the sequel interview called 'The Davination' This episode I am, once again, joined by Dave Mervik, the senior narrative director from Tarsier Studios. In this follow-up interview we get to discuss the changing nature of horror, his work on Little Nightmares II, how to engage with art and moving on to different projects. We also discuss terrible sequel names, things we talked about on the episode from 2020, never before released information on Little Nightmares II as well as Statik and we close off the show by collaborating in a very special way. Time – Topic Discussed: 0:00 - Intro 3:10 - Momo 6:46 - How do people experience media 11:40 - The Exorcist III  17:29 - Frank 21:40 - The Fountain 24:53 - Guest topic: The Emigrants by Vilhelm Moberg  29:00 - It Takes Two 32:28 -  Modern horror in games and movies 36:14 - Creating endings 39:03 - Three act structure 41:28 - Genius planner vs. random pretender 45:47 - Going back to older work 48:48 - Naming the podcast episode 52:15 - When is something good enough? 56:22 - Little Nightmares II 58:40 - Re-naming Little Nightmares II 01:00:05 - Moving on to different projects 01:02:35 - Weirdest piece of media that made it into a game 01:05:58 - Plugs and Outro Things mentioned on the show: Momo by Michael Ende Silent Hill 2 Soundtrack I, Partridge: We Need to Talk about Alan by Alan Partridge Dolly Parton - Jolene Dolly Parton - Jolene (33rpm slowed down digital version) The Exorcist III by William Peter Blatty Frank by Lenny Abrahamson The Fountain by Darren Aronofsky The Emigrants by Vilhelm Moberg The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck Garth Brooks Greatest Hits (Full Album) Best Songs of Garth Brooks It Could Happen to You by Andrew Bergman Midsommar by Ari Aster Hereditary by Ari Aster Statik PSVR - I solved a 3 year old secret message hidden in plain sight! Little Nightmares II  Statik  Peter Cook and Chris Morris interview   Social Media: Tarsier Studios Tarsier Studios Homepage Tarsier Studios on Instagram (@tarsierstudios) Tarsier Studios on Twitter (@TarsierStudios) Tarsier Studios on Facebook (@TarsierStudios)   YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Twitter (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Twitter (@DorianChou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Instagram (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Instagram (@dorian.chou)  YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Facebook (youmeindustry) Intro/Outro by FreshMcZone Artwork by Thomas Martin (Instagram: @thomas.martin.martin)

By clicking here you have become the Apex Champion! Congratulations! You just won an incredible podcast episode with Jobye Karmaker, from Respawn Entertainment. Learn more about what goes into the thought process of creating environments for Apex Legends, how a pork chop that Jobye cooked ended up in the game and how to provide meaningful feedback to junior artists. Furthermore, we discuss his work on Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order, how it feels like to finish a level he has worked on for a year in under half an hour and the importance of mental health.    Time – Topic Discussed: 0:00 - Intro 3:00 - Guest topic: Mental health 7:50 - A typical day at work for Jobye 10:20 - What does an environment artist do?  12:00 - Dealing with different styles in video games 12:50 - How does the story impact the design 13:55 - The difference between working on Star Wars and Apex 17:00 - The feeling of not being able to see your work ingame anymore 20:32 - The evolution of technology and graphical fidelity 22:25 - How does an environment artist play games? 24:04 - When is something truly finished? 26:05 - How much of a game's story goes into the design process 27:40 - Strict regulations for Star Wars 30:44 - Being able to finish the segment you worked on for a year in under 15 minutes 32:30 - Putting yourself into environment art 34:05 - Behind the scenes on the Mirage Pork Chop 36:40 Cooking skills 38:05 - What makes a good Omakase? 41:17 - Visiting the places you worked on ingame 44:05 - Emergencies during development 46:32 - Fields of expertise 48:08 - Having fresh eyes in environmental art 50:50 - Looking back at older work 51:51 - Providing feedback 53:05 - The difference in procedure between companies 54:43 - Tuna story 56:08 - Being Asian in the games industry & diversity 57:33 - Crunch 01:02:57 - Plugs & Outro   Things mentioned on the show: Jobye's work in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Jobye's Donburi Bowl The legendary Mirage Pork Chop   Social Media: Jobye Karmaker Jobye on Twitter (@jobyek) Jobye on Instagram (@jobyek) Jobye on Arstation Jobye's Homepage   YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Twitter (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Twitter (@DorianChou) YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Instagram (@youmeindustry) Dorian on Instagram (@dorian.chou)  YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Facebook (youmeindustry) Intro/Outro by FreshMcZone Artwork by Thomas Martin (Instagram: @thomas.martin.martin)