I absolutely cannot believe Outer Wilds exists. It is a game that is so...me, and everything I love about video games. Discovery, curiosity, cosmic beauty, and cosmic dread. As soon as I sat down to play it, I knew I had to interview the team on how they brought this interstellar Indiana Jones mystery to life. I'm joined by creative director Alex Beachum and art director Wesley Martin of Mobius Digital, two gentlemen who grew up loving the outdoors and video games. After a student version of Outer Wilds won the 2015 Seamus McNally Grand Prize at the Independent Games Festival, a long journey began to broaden and refine the scope of this incredible experience. The three of us discuss the beauty of discovery in games, player curiosity, and nature's influence on the game's design.

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Episode 207: Let's go backpacking through space with the Outer Wilds team

The 1099 is an interview-based podcast that highlights the best writers, YouTubers, developers, publishers, and people in video games and beyond. Founded by Josiah Renaudin and hosted by Joseph Knoop, the duo brings on guests from all over the industry to talk about what they do, current trends, and methods for breaking into games.

Big thanks to Simon Viklund for writing the original theme music (you can check out his work at www.simonviklund.com) and Zach Buckley for the remix(find his work at www.zwbuckley.com). Also, thanks to the talented Aaron Sanfillippo for the logo design. Find him at www.ajscreative.com.

Leisure

Art of Rally is a gorgeous low-polygon take on the wild world of rally racing, with tight turns and plenty of burning rubber. Creator Dune Casu joins the show to discuss his love of rally racing, the sport's incredibly dangerous history, what it was like to take sketchy rally racing classes, and his stint as a digital nomad living out of a van. Apparently my old article helped inspire him to do it, dear god. I clearly have too much power.

If you couldn't tell by my gushing, Art of Rally is an incredible game that I can't put down, and I was so thrilled to have Dune on the show to discuss all things game dev. Enjoy the show.

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Follow Dune @ FunSelektor

Episode 254: Art of Rally creator Dune Casu on racing culture, nomad life, and rally school

When the newest, biggest video game launches, it's not long after that folks start complaining about bugs. But the art, business, and struggle of video game QA is something that few truly appreciate. So I recruited two incredible QA experts -- Chloe Read of QA-Quest.com and Shane Elliot of East Side Games -- to reveal what QA looks like from the inside, how the industry treats its QA workers and loses them, and all the misconceptions average gamers have about this very particular science. Enjoy the show!

For more resources, check out QA-Quest.com and EastSideGames.com.

Episode 253: What Nobody Understands About Video Game QA

Gamasutra news editor and noted Hitman diehard Alissa McAloon joins the 1099 to discuss why Hitman 3 is so damn good. We talk all about the amazing new levels, how weird it is to care about Hitman's plot, how fun it is to kill rich douchebags, and how we think Hitman could influence IO's upcoming 007 game.

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Follow Alissa at @ gliitchy on Twitter

Episode 252: Hitman 3 Review with Gamasutra's Alissa McAloon

Umurangi Generation blends the world of cyberpunk -- giant robots, kaiju, and penguins -- with the much more in-your-face world of today -- with COVID keeping us indoors, QAnon poisoning countless minds, and fascism on the rise. I talk with developer Veselekov about his Maori background, how neoliberal and conservative politics have failed nations like Australia, and how it all translates into a game where you take photos of mechs and giant squid monsters.

Episode 251: Umurangi Generation Creator Veselekov on Fascism, QAnon, and Giant Robots

Truth is a pathless land. - J Krishnamurti

These words influenced a young Matt Nava, who would go on to direct art for thatgamecompany's Journey, Flower, and later found Giant Squid and direct The Pathless and Abzu. On this week's episode, we dive into Matt's career, his father's art, and how the exhilarating and lush world and gameplay of The Pathless came to be. Matt also reflects on lessons learned from his early years of working on Flower and Journey, and what it means to find your own path in life that no one has walked before.

The Pathless is out now on PS4, PS5, and Epic Game Store.
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Support our musician at ZWBuckley.com

Episode 207: Let's go backpacking through space with the Outer Wilds team

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