Pixelmatic Chief Creative Officer, Jason Lee, calls in to discuss his design contributions to legendary RTS series (Age of Empires, Company of Heroes, and Warhammer 40,000), Pixelmatic’s upcoming space strategy game (Infinite Fleet), and the challenges of implementing actual cryptocurrencies both for in-game trade and to raise funds for the game’s development.
On Motivation
By community request: Thoughts on the topic of motivation, both in everyday life and in indie game development.
Legomania!
Lego and Unity have teamed up to offer an educational experience set in the Lego universe, but is there more than meets the eye? We’ll discuss who the new Lego microgame project is for, what you can accomplish with it, and speculate wildly about what’s next.
Playing Under Pressure with Weakest Link Contestant Spencer Scott
Weakest Link contestant Spencer Scott calls in ahead of his debut on NBC’s popular game show to talk about his experience, his mindset under pressure, and the early experiences in his life that may have helped set him on his path. We also take a look at the design of The Weakest Link, what makes it compelling, and what might make for a successful video game adaptation in the modern day.
Games as a Service
By community request, we take a look at the games as a service model, its performance in the game industry, and its impact on traditional revenue models in games.
Avoid Millions in Fines
A major industry publisher has finally been burned in the global crackdown on loot crates. It could have been easily avoided.
My Big Stupid Mouth
Trying to leverage LinkedIn and participating in a discussion about parenting, revenue models, and publisher trust may have recently landed me deeper in enemy territory than I intended to go. Get the full story, hear a good rule of thumb for dealing with publishers, and learn a two-word phrase that lets you know to stop listening to anyone immediately.
The Public Opinion Trial of Alex Hutchinson
A creative director at Google Stadia makes surprising comments about the relationship between streamers, studios, and publishers. The community points out it’s not the first time he’s gained controversial attention. Jason Schreier emerges from the Fortress of Condescension to dunk on…everyone. We look for the dividing line separating fact from fiction about Alex Hutchinson.
Golden Axed!
SEGA celebrates its 60th anniversary by releasing a cancelled Golden Axe reboot on Steam, complete with a tongue-in-cheek title sequence and apologies for its bugs and jankiness. The developer cries foul and tells the story behind its chaotic production.
Wheaton’s Law Has Consequences
An email from a familiar name illustrated a perfect example of why you should be kind to people in your content space, or failing that, at least be quiet. We’ll also discuss why a sky-high number of followers on social media isn’t exactly what you should be chasing.