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

Today we are talking to Brian Henk from Overworld Games about the Highs and Lows of running a board game company.  This episode has a ton of practical advice about how you can carefully transition to full time board game work from a different career.

I have to congratulate Brian in this episode :)  He manages to catch me off guard and ask me some questions during the show that get me ranting on a completely different topic.  So... this episode ALSO has some good discussion on how to apply to a video game company, get noticed, and sell your weaknesses as strengths in an interview.

BUT WAIT- There is more :)  I have the RARE opportunity to give a timely plug for a Kickstarter that just went live for Overworld Games

Even if you miss the Kickstarter- you might be able to get a copy sometime after the fact... you know... if you are nice to Brian and ask him for one :)

Find out more about Overworld Games Here:

• Overworld Game Website
• Overworld Games Twitter
• Overworld Games Intagram

This is a really cool interview with Indie Videogame Dev Joe Modzeleski, the creator of Gun World and Gun World 2.  This is a fascinating interview because Gunworld was NOT a popular title when it came out. Instead of letting it go and moving on to something else, Joe decided to double down and make another game based on the same intellectual property.

He even used the negative reviews of the previous game as part of his Gun World 2 marketing campaign:

The sequel no one asked for, to the game that nobody liked! The Exaction Faction, an intergalactic troupe of super heroes, has come to arrest President Eagle! Explore GunWorld to level up, collect new gear, and hunt down the Faction members in this retro-inspired action/platformer/RPG hybrid.

I love how Joe remained positive amidst all the discouraging feedback and managed to press on to launch his next project.  I think I like this interview so much because it captures a much more realistic example of how game development and iteration works.

Many thanks to Joe for sharing his process and showing us how to stay the course amidst adversity!

Why do first time game publishers ALWAYS screw up shipping?  Well, the truth of the matter is that there is a lot to it… especially if you want to do it right. Today we are joined by Dan Yarrington and Michael Fox from Ship Naked to help us navigate the murky shipping waters as well as let us know how they might be able to help.  This is a great episode where we really dive in to all the different factors involved in shipping a tabletop project.

I have been reading tons of information on this subject for my own project- and I would like to say that I had done a pretty thorough job researching what to expect from shipping.  After talking to Dan and Michael, however, I find that I had only scratched the surface on what I might run into with my project.

If you are a project creator and have plans to produce your project on your own... EVER... then this interview will be essential tool in your toolbox for success.

I want to thank everyone for all your support and enthusiasm for keeping the show going.  Its been an amazing journey, and I am looking forward to doubling down and taking the show to the next level.  Lets build it together- Let me know what you'd like to hear and I'll build it.

Lets continue to Find Our Fit and make our Passions our Profession!

Game On!

If tabletop game news had a not-so-secret headquarters- it would certainly be located in The Dice Tower. Today we are talking to Tom Vasel, The President of the Dice Tower Network- one of the main hubs for tabletop news, reviews, and events.

The Dice Tower provides podcast and Youtube reviews on tabletop games,- they even organized a convention and cruise dedicated to gaming.

This is a great interview where Tom shares his experience as a Tabletop Games Media provider.  He offers great practical advice about how to stay focused on the important things and to take your time as you build your message and your audience.

• Main Website: http://www.dicetower.com/
• Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/thedicetower
• The Network:  http://www.dicetower.com/dice-tower-network
• Twitter:@thedicetower
• Dice Tower Con: http://www.boardgaming.info/convention/
• Dice Tower Cruise: https://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/1509569/official-dice-tower-cruise-information-and-faq

In this interview I get to talk to Rodney Smith, the Host of Watch It Played.  Watch It Played is an incredibly poplular Youtube Channel with over 80k subscribers that shows boardgamers detailed instructions on how to play their favorite games.

Rodney's epic success has allowed him to produce games media as a fulltime career.  In this episode Rodney shares with us how he got his start and how to ensure produce quality content.  This has been an interview I have been looking forward to for some time, and I have to say... it was WELL WORTH THE WAIT :)

Enjoy!

ALSO- Please consider supporting Rodney's 6th Season of Watch It Played on:

to help him continue on his path of creating awesome games content for our community!

• Watch It Played Channel
• Rodney's Twitter

This is a great conversation with James Takenaka from Hit Point Sales, a tabletop game consolidator that helps indie developers get their game into distribution.  In this show we talk a lot about how different business models can work and how consolidators can act as an excellent bridge to give your game extra reach.  

I really appreciate how candid and helpful James is about game print quantities and sales figures.  It really helps give a concrete frame of reference when working on the financials of your game.

Hit Point Sales- THANKS FOR ALL THE INFO JAMES!

• Jame's Email = [email protected] 
• Also check out Ship Naked to complete the circuit on this business channel option for your game.

Impressions- With Aldo Ghiozzi

• HERE is my interview with ALDO about Impressions Consolidation Services :) 

PSI - Used by Steve Jackson Games and Fireside Games

• State of Games Podcast
•  On Board Games Podcast
• Secret Cabal Podcast

Here is a great conversation I had with Ivan Karmonov, the head of marketing at Tabletopia, to talk with us about their new digital tabletop platform.  

I am constantly on the lookout for new tools that can help you take your Gaming Career to the next level and I see a lot of potential in Tabletopia.

Their business model allows for some interesting revenue sharing as well as the opportunity for digital playtesting and online distribution for your games.

I am excited about the potential for a digital platform to help extend our reach.  A  user friendly platform for both players and designers could be a real game changer.

Enjoy this interview and let me know if you can think of any cool game business applications you'd like to share!

• https://tabletopia.com/
• https://twitter.com/TabletopiaGames
• https://www.facebook.com/TabletopiaGames

This interview is really something special.  Dave Fennoy is a true artist in the video game voice acting space. He is able to give hugely dynamic and compelling character performances that create the immersive gaming experiences we all crave.  You can check out his substantial body of work here: IMBD

I have an extremely close connection this subject matter as I have been an actor of sorts in another life.  I find it absolutely fascinating how Dave can produce such rich performances with so little context.  All of my experience required other actors and audience interaction to create something special.  Dave can't use those tools and is still expected to produce on queue.

If you have ever thought about being a video game voice actor then this is an episode you will want to listen to several times and take lots of notes.  The cool thing is that Dave offers classes to help you do what he does and can help you start out the right way.  You can find out more about Dave and his Voice Over Instruction here: 

Here is a great interview with Dave Parks, the lead developer on Second Life's graphic engine, to tell us how to make our games pretty and fast.  FAIR WARNING- there is some technical talk in this show.  

Dave does a great job of explaining the concepts behind what he is talking about, but there is some jargon involved.  

I wanted to make sure that there was some meat in the content, however, for those of you who are more technically inclined and working on your own video game projects.

• Linden Lab: http://www.lindenlab.com/
• Second Life:  http://secondlife.com/