The Gaming Careers Podcast - Game Development/ Gaming Jobs/ Gaming Entrepreneurship

Today we are joined by Jason Walters, the general manager of Indie Press Revolution to give us an idea on the state of tabletop RPGs, how to make them, how to sell them, and how to get them into stores.  Jason also gives us a huge storehouse of cutting edge RPGs and discusses the development of the Tabletop RPG Genre.

I have to admit that I thought I had the tabletop RPG market figured out.  Dungeons and Dragons was my gateway drug that got me started on this whole thing.  I've played Rifts, Heroes, TMNT, Vampire Mascarade, Werewolf Apocalypse, Mage Ascension, Dungeon World, FATE... and SO many others.... I have it all covered right?  I didn't know how much I didn't know... until I talked to Jason.

Indie Press Revolution is a vendor, warehouse, consolidator, and curator.... all for the Tabletop RPG market.  If you have something special or unique in that space, Indie Press Revolution may be able to help you get your game out there and in stores.  This is definitely an episode to check out if this is your flavor- you will get a heads up on whats hot and the trends in RPG games.

Find Out More Here:

• Indie Press Revolution Website
• Hero Games
• High Rock Press

 

 Today's career express episode is  hear Scott Morris, the president of Passport Game Studios.  Scott tells us how to approach publishers with our game ideas and get the most out of our interactions. 

Note: This is a LIVE RECORDING from a presentation at the Austin Game Designers and Playtesters group that I help organize - So be aware that the sound quality is... different :)

 

More about Passport Game Studios:

• Passport Game Studios PODCAST- I'm definitely putting this on my list :)
• Passport Game Studios Website
• On Twitter!

 

More about Austin Game Designers and Playtester's Group:

• Meet Us Monthly
• Facebook Group

 

Introduction

Today we are joined by long-time power gamer and founder of Behavioral Technologies and creator of Pavlok, Maneesh Sethi, who has managed to use his gamer powers to Hack The System of Life.  He’s here to help us unlock our potential.

This is a really cool interview.  I like to think of myself as a fairly productive person, but after talking with Maneesh are really need to step up my game.  

I have long believed that games DO have a transformative effect on behavior, and we as game designers have to take the responsibility seriously. Maneesh has taken this challenge and made a whole company out of it...but not in the way you might expect.

Pavlok is a device that you wear on your wrist that gives you electric shocks, beeps, or vibration when you do things you things you want to stop.  By forming a negative association with your desired habit you actually end up short circuiting your body's draw for that behavior.  Its a cool feedback loop system that we can use to help drive our productivity.

In this interview, Maneesh shares how he started his career by writing a videogame programming book for teens (at the age of 12) but not until someone told him he couldnt do it.  The need to overcome that negative reinforcement has helped propel Maneesh into the success he is today.  

Check it out, I know you are going to get a lot out of this interview... I know I did :)  Happy listening!

Productivity Tools Discussed On The Show:

• PAVLOK.com 
• Rescue Time
• BeeMinder
• Stickk
• Headspace App
• Calm App

Find out more about Maneesh Sethi and Pavlok

• Maneesh on Twitter
• Pavlok Case Studies
• Hack The System Website

Gaming Careers EXPRESS- A new format

Hello Hello All!

This is the first ever Gaming Careers Express Episode.  The idea of this content is that it is short, to the point, and gives you some concrete business and career advice to help you on your path.  I look at it as opportunity to share additional interviews, recorded lectures, or musings that I wouldn't otherwise be able to share on the show due to length.

Since this is the first segment of its type, I am really interested to get your ideas on how you like it and what you might like to hear in future segments.  I intend for these segments to come out in the off-weeks of the show, as extras, or whenever... depending on the backlog of content I have. Really, its just extras for you to help you Find Your Fit in the Industry.

With that Said- Lets Jump into the interview for today!

Alisha Volkman from Bouncing Bomb Games

In this compact conversation we dive directly in to what it is like being an artist in the boardgame space.  Alisha shares key points about how first-time designers/publishers can work with artists and how artists can guide designer/publishers who have never worker with an artist before.  Since Alisha is both an artist and designer, she has the inside scoop on where both sides can run into potholes.

ALSO-  This particular segment (and some in the future ) are actually part of a dual release show format.  Half of the interview (related to gaming careers) shows up here, while another segment will show up on The Game Crafter newsfeed. As part of  my research of the Game Crafter, I wanted to reach out to some Crafter community members to find out their experience working with them.  Its an important part of my process, and I hope this research helps you make decisions for your own projects.

YOU CAN FIND THAT INTERVIEW HERE:  COMING SOON

Anyway, that's all for now!  Let me know what you think about the above at: Steve (at) thecompanybard (dot) com.  Until next time :)

 

Find out More About Alisha

• Home Website - Includes her free game assets!
• Facebook Page
• On The Game Crafter

Getting people to take notice of your tabletop game is one of the toughest nuts to crack in the business.  Today we are joined by Avonelle Wing, the senior vice president of Double Exposure, to let give us advice about how to get more table time for our games.

On a personal note- This podcast episode is very special to me.  I love the opportunity to share what the gaming industry has to offer, but most times I'm focused primarily on what the guest has to offer you as the listener.

There are a few episodes that stand out to me where I learn something or share something personal on the show.  Episode 60,-where I talk with Jamey Stegmaier about using the 5 love languages in customer service, and Episode 26- where discover my guest actually helped me personally with my color-blind disability and didn't even know it, are both examples of this.

This episode is like those.  While Avie and I have a great discussion about how to get exposure for your tabletop game, we also explore how we are all shortsighted in our worldview and how that can affect others in our game designs.  I end up sharing some embarrassing details about my own design process and the awkwardness of working through that in a global marketplace.  

This further highlights the need for services to help expose our product to a wider audience before it is complete.    

Finally, we also discuss the transformative power of games in education, LARPing, and favorite convention picks :)  Its a long episode... but Ohhhh so good!  Enjoy.

Resources Discussed

Recommended Conventions

• Dexcon
• Dreamation
• Metatopia
• Geekway to the West
• Midwinter Gaming Convention
• Orca Con
• Chupacabracon

LARPing Resources

• Learn Larp
• Distopia Rising
• Warbirds

 

 

With ever increasing voices in the games space- being a games news and entertainment provider takes a ton of effort, talent, and “hustle” to succeed. Today we are joined by Christian Spicer- one of the hosts of the DLC podcast- a show dedicated to videogame and tabletop entertainment… To help us figure out how to crack that nut.

I want to send a special shout out to one of my listeners: Hugo Vasquez!  It was his enthusiasm and encouragement that caused this episode to come about.

I originally intended to talk to Christian about how he assembles the show, finds his content, and grows his audience.  While we do cover that a bit, we actually ended up stumbling into an awesome tangent about how to be a REAL PERSON and network at the same time.

Basically it comes down to developing real friendships and then asking for help.  Many people aren't comfortable with the idea of asking others for help... but its something that we just have to get over. This is a great episode where Christian and I get to deep dive about how to legitimately gain influence and grow your audience in an honest and genuine way... Very Cool.

Check Out Christian and all his stuff HERE:

• 2nd Comedy Album:  We Are All Going To Die
• DLC Podcast
• Department of Parenting Podcast
• At Least 20 More Minutes
• Christian's Website
  • Funny Marriage Series
  • Twitter: https://twitter.com/spicer
  • Email: Christian(dot)Spicer(at)Gmail(dot)com

 

Introduction

Today we are joined by a favorite returning guest-duo and board-game resource powerhouse.  Chris and Suzanne Zinsli ARE Cardboard Edison- A Boardgame Industry Resource aggregator AND Game Design Team - To talk to us about the importance of game design contests.

On the show I try to have a great variety of different career options in the games industry as well as highlight great tools for gaming professionals to use.  I would by lying if I said that a lot of the podcast content didn't comes from my own research for projects that I am working on; this show is one such episode :).  

In this interview Chris and Suzanne give us some great advice about how to find great game design contests, run your own game design contests, and MAYBE even talk me into submitting my own game to their contest

Contests Discussed on the Show

• Jelly Bean  Games Competition
• Boardgame Geek Contests
• Ion Award- Salt Con Contest
• Geekway to the West Contest
• The Game Crafter Game Contests
• Game Design Forum Showdown
• Hippo Dice Contest

Here is a link to Cardboard Edison COLLECTION OF CONTESTS also!

Other Awesome Resources Provided by Cardboard Edison:

• Publishers Directory THE COMPENDIUM
• Industry Reports

Tools to run your own game design contests:

• Survey Monkey
• Google Drive
• Meetup.com

Find out more about Cardboard Edison!

• Website
• Twitter
• Support On Patreon

 

Virtual Reality in videogames is HERE- its new technology and everyone is trying to figure out how best to set up shop in the next generation of gaming experiences.… Today we are Joined by long-time Video Game Art Director and Co-Founder of Gyoza Games- John Sommer- to talk to us about how to make a quality games that are pretty- and VIRTUAL-- All on a shoestring budget.  

 

Resources:

• http://austingamecon.com/ - Austin game Conference
• https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/ Unity Asset Store
• https://www.gnomon.edu/ School of Visual Effects

 

Where to find out more about Gyoza Games

• http://www.inboundvr.com/
• https://twitter.com/Gyoza_Games

 

They say a product never survives its first encounter with the customer-  The point for game designers is that you will NEVER be able to work out your game to perfection in your head or with your prototype.  You MUST test the game with someone outside your immediate circle of friends to make your game the best it can be.  But how do you find or work with playtesters?

Today we are Joined by Jeffrey Wolfe- who has been a playtester for a number of Plaid Hat games- to tell us all about what it like to be a playtester and how to interact with playtesters on your own projects.

 

Resources

• Want to try Playtesting right HERE?  
• Plaid Hat Playtesting Program
• Plaid Hat Games
• Contact Jeff on TWITTER

 

Designing a blockbuster video game is an increasingly difficult proposition with all the games that flood the market daily.  I think one of the true keys to success is really knowing what motivates your flavor of gamer.  Today we are joined by Nick Yee- The cofounder and Analytics lead at Quantic Foundry- A consulting company dedicated to helping users identify gamer motivations!

Resources:

• Get Your Board and Video Game Profile Here (VERY COOL:)
• Quantic Foundry Home Site
• Quantic Foundry Twitter