GameDev Loadout | A Game Developer Podcast

Oded Sharon - "You need to use your strengths as a creative person and not necessarily as a production company. If you are a small team, buy pre made assets from the assets store that are within your scope. Don't waste time building everything."

Oded Sharon is the founder and ceo of two companies, Corbomite Games and Adventure Mob. With over 18 years of experience, he made games such as Zbang, Cocktail Run, and Bolt Riley. He is also the head of Israeli IGDA and give GDC talks.

We Discuss:

Don't come in the game industry thinking that your first game is going to make you richJoin with passion, not for profitAngry Birds was the 49th game that saved Rovio from bankruptcyGoing out of scope and prototypingMake sure you're protected when working with publishersHis motivation for making games has changedGreat idea called "Awkward Simulator"An awesome GDC group that you, Game Devs, should joinConnect:

PatreonGDC Talk Twitter Adventure MobCorbomite GamesIsrael IGDA FacebookIGDA Unity SIG FacebookThe Fellowship of GDC parties FacebookBolt Riley GameResources:

GDC Game Developer ConferenceGame JamsPixel Prospector The Indie GoldmineSUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST

ITunes | Stitcher | Overcast | Other Platforms

Give me a Rating & Review

Rob Alvarez - "Every action you take has to help you build toward the objective, maybe not directly but even if it's indirectly, you have to see a path. Whatever you are including, whatever you are introducing is helping your player feel some way so that you can achieve your business objective, or your fun objective, or your learning objective."

Rob Alvarez studies gamification design for learning experience at the IE Business School which is a graduate school over at Spain. He also host a podcast called Professor Game, a weekly show where he interviews successful practitioners of games, gamification,and game thinking.

We Discuss:

Gamification that impact game design, user experience, rewards, and moreDon't add random mechanics, be more thoughtful in adding featuresThink about the core loop of fun that keeps people coming backFelt crushed during one of his first projects in gamificationLearn from failures and keep pushing forwardBe wary of information in the worldDon't keep ideas to yourselfHe use to do radio and now he does podcasting Professor GameGame getting a bad rep in the mediaReading is vital!And much more...Connect:

Professor Game Website Twitter @RobAlvarezB Email: [email protected]Resources:

Yu-kai Chou Amy Jo Kim Andrzej Marczewski Jane McgonigalGaming can make a better worldThe game that can give you 10 extra years of life Book: Reality Broken Games Better Change Haiti Simulation: the main link isn't working but you can learn more here Game: Papers, Please Simulation: 10 Downing Street Book: A Theory of Fun by Raph Koster Book: The Art of Game Design by Jesse Schell SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST

ITunes | Stitcher | Overcast | Other Platforms

Give me a Rating & Review

Sonia Michaels - "There are a lot of really qualified people out there and so when I have three people that have similar degrees, similar qualifications, and similar experience. You're going to hire the one that seems like they're going to be the best to work with because no one wants to work with a jerk."

Sonia Michaels is a senior lecturer at Digipen where she helps students create outstanding career search materials, develop their professional networking skills, and launch their careers in the game industry. Under her guidance, students and alumni have earned positions at Blizzard, Riot Games, Bungie, Microsoft, Amazon, and many more.

Keypoints:

She didn't know there was a job opportunity for teaching communication within the game industry, until she began preparing her students at DigiPen to launch their careersThere is no awesome job called Game Idea GuyCritical thinking is essentialUsing custom resumes and cover letterHow to do phone interviews Important to explain how you will fit in with the company and what you will contributeAwesome people are helping to reduce crunch time practicesAvoid using a premade templateAdd your personal branding into your resumeNo one wants to work with a jerk!Excited about more narrative driven gamesAnd much moreConnect:

EmailL [email protected] / [email protected]Twitter : @soniaghmLinkedin DigiPen Institute of Technology Career Consulting - soyouwanttomakegames GDC Sonia Michaels: Get Noticed & Get Hired Resources:

GDC Conference Associate Chris Deleon GamkedoGame developer Resources by David Arcila Trello Kate Edwards Former IGDA Exec. Director and now does Game Culturalization on Geogrify.comGDC Mata Haggis: Storytelling Tools to Boost Your Indie Game's Narrative and Gameplay PeopleRemember that knowledge is only Potential power, Execution is the game. I highly encourage you take what you learn and put it to good use. Don't let it go to waste. Connect with my guests and ask them questions, they are willing to help. Comment below to share your thoughts and experience because I read every single message. Subscribe to the podcast to hear more inspiring stories. Thank you for your time! www.gamedevloadout.com

Jenn Sandercock - "It's much better just to make, just to do. What you going to do is probably going to be wrong and need revisions. Don't spend ages on a game design doc. Just make something, show it, iterate. "

Jenn Sandercock found the independent mobile games studio called Inquisiment with the goal of creating experiences that foster friendship, curiosity, and challenge. She is also in the process of creating a series of edible games which we definitely got to get into later in the show lol because I love food. Her works include Thimbleweek Park, aglimpse: friends, and L.A. Noire.

We Discuss:

Giving yourself constraints in game designJoin meetups to network and get constructive feedbackIf the players enjoy the game, it's a good game design, simpleGot an award for Edible Games at Indiecade where you eat!Working on a cookbook in KickstarterWas told that she was jeopardizing her career by bringing cakes to peersKnowing your scale and limitationDidn't know there was an opportunity in the game industryAnd much more...Connect:

GDC Talk: Friendship, Curiosity & Challenge: focusing your career as an Indie Dev Personal Website: http://jennsand.com/index.phpCompany Website: http://inquisiment.com/Twitter: @JennSandercockResources:

Play a lot of other gamesTake influence from other median to use in your gamesBook: The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses by Jesse SchellRemember that knowledge is only Potential power, Execution is the game. I highly encourage you take what you learn and put it to good use. Don't let it go to waste. Connect with my guests and ask them questions, they are willing to help. Comment below to share your thoughts and experience because I read every single message. Subscribe to the podcast to hear more inspiring professionals. Thank you for your time! www.gamedevloadout.com

DB Cooper - "(Having to go through hierarchy) I really rather be able to sit around a proverbial campfire with everybody and say let's share ideas and I know that doesn't always work but that's when it works the best as if you got everybody's view in the open and the authority to make decisions."

DB Cooper has been acting and directing for more than 30 years. You've heard her in Bioshock 2, Hearthstone, Firefall, and DC Universe Online. She casts and directs game dialogue, is a vocal sound consultant, and a voice coach with students worldwide.

We Discuss:

Jump start her gaming career Sent a fan letter to George Oldziey of the Wing Commander seriesHer voice acting career, cast and direct game dialogueHow to cast people for your gameBenefits of being in the city where the work isYou feel alive being around your peopleYou lose nothing at all by asking for help and make the questions specificFF X had a baller castKnow when to end a project if it doesn't workConnect:

Website: dbcoopervo.comEmail: [email protected]Game: Dead and Buried for OculusResources:

Rooster TeethVoice 123Hatsune Miku HologramVocaloidLook at Game Credits for mentors and ask questionsOrcaHQGameDevMapCheck out PHP discussionRemember that knowledge is only Potential power, Execution is the game. I highly encourage you take what you learn and put it to good use. Don't let it go to waste. Connect with my guests and ask them questions, they are willing to help. Comment below to share your thoughts and experience because I read every single message. Subscribe to the podcast to hear more inspiring stories. Thank you for your time! www.gamedevloadout.com

Daniel Doan - "I can of take failure in strides and I feel kind of happy when I fail because I know what not to do next time. I'm always failing and I think that's why I also have a lot of successes."

Daniel Doan is the Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer at Black Shell Media with over 10 years of experience in the industry. He published over 65 titles on Steam, co-authored the ebook called "Guide to Game Development Success," and now runs a publishing and marketing firm dedicated to helping us reach success.

We Discuss:

He started by modding gamesHow to market early and to the right audienceFinding the right publisherMaking a hook and maintaining retentionA troll leaving a negative review on his gameHow to increase social media presenceBuilding relationshipsMany failures = many successAnd much more...Connect:

Black Shell Media WebsiteTwitter: @doandanielInstagramEmail: [email protected]SanctuaryRPG$2 - 25 minutes Consultation with Daniel Doan to walk through your marketing strategies.Resources:

RedditLinkedInRemember that knowledge is only Potential power, Execution is the game. I highly encourage you take what you learn and put it to good use. Don't let it go to waste. Connect with my guests and ask them questions, they are willing to help. Comment below to share your thoughts and experience because I read every single message. Subscribe to the podcast to hear more inspiring stories. Thank you for your time! www.gamedevloadout.com

Michael Sweet - "The investments that you make with other people, they invest back in you too and they believe in you.

Michael Sweet is an award winning composer and sound designer. Currently, he is the associate professor at Berklee College of Music where he led the development of their video game scoring curriculum. He also received the best audio award at GDC Independent Games Festival, and nominations for multiple game audio network guild awards. His work includes the Night Journey project as well as Waldan, a game.

We discuss:

He never thought his music career would merge into the game world in the early 90sWhat 7.1 Surround Sound isHow influential the sound can be on a technical levelFinding great people to work with can help you bounce back from the worst of timesWhy it's good to be to be versatileExercise and cooking are great for lifeShow your enthusiasm!Connect:

Walden, A GameNight JourneyEmail: [email protected]Resources:

IGDAFacebook GroupsPodcastsLocal Communities

Henrique Olifiers - "When someone ask you during an interview or process. Have you made a game? Have you made a mod? Have you made anything? Can I see it? It doesn't matter the quality of what you have done. It doesn't have to be the best game ever. That's not about it. It's about initiative. It's about having gone through the hardship to put that together. That already puts you above 99% of the people who are competing with you for the same thing."

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 skyships 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 companyThere are no oversaturation of good gamesThink about marketing from the beginningIt's not the players job to know how hard game development isBe wary of people that say or post something as gospelExcitement for AI that changes the game experience for each type of playerand much more...Connect:

Bossa StudiosWorlds AdriftTwitter: @OlifiersCompany Twitter: @bossastudiosResources:

Book: A Theory of Fun for Game Design by Raph KosterBook: The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses by Jesse SchellMentorsYoutube

Jake DiGennaro is the senior business development manager at Virtuos Games. The leading video game content production company specializing in game development and Triple A 3D art production. He is tasked with coordinating critical projects for clients like Sony and Blizzard to optimize their pipeline, identify opportunities, and develop solutions.

We discuss:

Business developmentDon't assume how other people operateA game he heavily invested in was cancelledConstantly learn new skills to build more avenuesExcitement for Microsoft HalolensDo information interview with experience peopleand much more…Connect:

LinkedIn Jake DiGennaroWebsite Virtuos GamesResources:

GamasutraCraigslistGDC VaultVentureBeatBook: Blood, Sweat, and PixelsItch.ioKickstarterUnity TutorialsAmazon LumberyardGameMakerThank you for listening and if you enjoy the episode and find the resources helpful, please share it with your peers.

Don't forget about the FREE giveaway where you have a chance to win $50 at Cubebrush. Discover and shop for tutorials, 3D models, brushes, textures, and more.

Nicolae Berbece in 2012 found Those Awesome Guys which is a small independent video game studio formed out of people from around the world with the purpose of, you guessed it, creating awesome games. He works on the design, art, and management for their game, Move or Die.

We discuss:

How to manage a team that's across the globeNot overshooting a projectMilestones act as motivationScary thought of being homeless if the game didn't succeedReasons for hiring people and deciding their payAnd much more...Connect:

Game Move or DieTwitter: @xelubestEmail: [email protected]FacebookWebsite: ThoseAwesomeGuysResources:

DiscordDropboxExtra CreditsGame JamsGit HubGoogle DocsIndie Game The MovieGame Engine: Love2DNewgrounds forumGame Dev RedditSlackTrelloUnityUnreal EngineUpwork