Author: Link S

Episode 049 – Conversation with Dana Nightingale, Campaign Director at Arkane Lyon

Posted on | by Link S

In this episode I speak with Dana Nightingale, Campaign Director at Arkane Lyon, and previously a level designer on the Dishonored series, and campaign designer on Deathloop.

0:00 Intro

4:45 Arkane Austin vs Arkane Lyon

9:30 The Thief modding scene and how Dana entered the industry

17:45 Words of wisdom from her experience

22:00 What is a Campaign Designer/Director?

31:30 Favorite games

38:00 Verisimilitude: Signs of life

43:45 The JRPG that clicked

54:45 Hobbies outside of gaming

1:04:00 What makes games enjoyable

1:11:00 Immersive sims

1:22:30 More short games

1:26:15 Wrap Up

Follow Dana on Twitter at https://twitter.com/DanaENight

Episode 048 – Conversation with Dave Oshry, runner of New Blood Interactive

Posted on | by Link S

Today I speak with Dave Oshry, runner of New Blood Interactive, publishers of titles such as Dusk, Gloomwood, Amid Evil, Ultrakill, and newly released Faith The Unholy Trinity.

0:00 Intro

3:30 The New Blood advertising approach

7:00 How Dave got into the industry

13:30 Beginning of the Boomer Shooter era

18:00 Words of wisdom

21:15 Talking Zelda LttP as favorite game

27:30 What makes gaming enjoyable

29:00 Platinuming Elden Ring

30:30 The kind of game Dave would love to make

33:30 The future of immersive sims

39:45 Hobbies outside of games

41:00 Wrap up

Check out Dave on Twitter at https://twitter.com/DaveOshry

Check out the New Blood Steam page via www.wehate.money or directly at https://store.steampowered.com/publisher/NewBlood/list/32813

Check out Faith The Unholy Trinity on Steam https://store.steampowered.com/app/1179080/FAITH_The_Unholy_Trinity/, GoG https://www.gog.com/en/game/faith_the_unholy_trinity, or Itch.IO https://new-blood.itch.io/faith-the-unholy-trinity

Check out Gloomwood on Steam https://store.steampowered.com/app/1150760/Gloomwood/

Check out Dusk, ahead of Dusk HD, on Steam at https://store.steampowered.com/app/519860/DUSK/

Check out Amid Evil, ahead of Amid Evil VR, on Steam https://store.steampowered.com/app/673130/AMID_EVIL/ and the Amid Evil DLC on The Black Labryinth on Steam at https://store.steampowered.com/app/1852860/AMID_EVIL__The_Black_Labyrinth/

Check out Fallen Aces on Steam at https://store.steampowered.com/app/1411910/Fallen_Aces/

Check out ULTRAKILL on Steam at https://store.steampowered.com/app/1229490/ULTRAKILL/

Wishlist Rise of the Triad: Ludicrous Edition on Steam at https://store.steampowered.com/app/1421490/Rise_of_the_Triad_Ludicrous_Edition/

Grab some New Blood merch at https://newbloodstore.com/

Check out New Blood fanart at NewBlood.Gallery

Episode 047 – Conversation with Zan, creator of Hedon Bloodrite

Posted on | by Link S

In this episode I speak with Zan, creator of Hedon Bloodrite, and currently working on 2 other upcoming titles

0:00 Intro

2:00 GzDoom as a foundation mixed with advice

13:00 Future projects

21:00 From architecture to game making

41:00 Favorite game as a child: Mil Sims, Serious Sam, Duke3D, car games

53:00 Recent and comfort games

1:05:00 Hobbies outside of gaming

12:30 Wrap up and info

Check out Zan on Twitter at https://twitter.com/hedondev

Grab Hedon Bloodrite from Steam at https://store.steampowered.com/app/1072150/Hedon_Bloodrite/ or on GoG at https://www.gog.com/game/hedon

Support Zan on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/hedon

Ashes 2063 Mod recommendation https://www.moddb.com/mods/ashes-2063

Mr Icarus Doom Mods reviews(?) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgp_adxCQiesfxKYIqIE9yQ

Episode 046 – Conversation with Tim, Blue Key Games

Posted on | by Link S

In this episode I speak with Tim from Blue Key Games, currently developing “They Came From Dimension X”

0:00 Intro

3:45 How Tim got into making games and advice from his experiences

19:45 They Came From Dimension X

45:45 Most exciting trend: The Indie Space

54:15 Hobbies outside of games

1:04:45 – Shout Outs/Links/Winding Down

Check out They Come From Dimension X on Steam at https://store.steampowered.com/app/2115890/They_Came_From_Dimension_X/ or on Itch IO at https://bluekeygames.itch.io/they-came-from-dimension-x

Check out Tim (And Blue Key Games) on Twitter at https://twitter.com/bluekeygames

Check out the Blue Key Games Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@bluekeygames

Check out the Blue Key Games Discord at https://discord.com/invite/XAw2a8fQPX

Episode 045 – Conversation with David Jalbert, creator of upcoming game Extraneum.

Posted on | by Link S

In this episode I speak with David Jalbert, creator of the upcoming first person shooter Extraneum currently available in Early Access.

0:00 Intro

3:00 The distinct style/aesthetic of Extraneum

15:00 Getting into making games and wisdom to share

29:30 Favorite childhood games

34:30 Games that don’t hold up today

47:00 Favorite recent trend

53:00 Relaxing game talk

58:15 Non-Gaming hobbies

1:04:15 Where to find more about David and Extraneum

01:06:45 Trendy games that didn’t click with David

01:12:45 Wrap Up

Check David out on Twitter at https://twitter.com/DavidJayIndie

Check out Extraneum on Steam at https://store.steampowered.com/app/1999140/Extraneum/ it also has a demo

Episode 44 – Conversation with Phil Giarrusso, Pixel Artist and Designer at Tako Boy Studios

Posted on | by Link S

In this episode I speak with Phil Giarrusso, Pixel Artist and Designer at Tako Boy Studios and creators of the upcoming title Cross Blitz and previously Candies ‘N Curses as well as Creatures of Aether. As well as a contributor to Flynn Son of Crimson and Shovel Knight Dig

0:00 Intro

05:35 How Phil got into working on games

10:00 Illustrator for pixel art

13:00 Advice for newcomers based on his own experiences

17:00 Favourite childhood games; Fate of Atlantis and other Point & Clicks

22:30 Follow up from point and clicks

25:00 Love of Kingdom Heart series

30:45 Outside hobbies; Working out, cooking, and a puppy

39:30 Cross Blitz and deck building games

48:00 Wrap Up and last thoughts

Check out Phil on Twitter at https://twitter.com/rephildesign

Check out Tako Boy Studio on Twitter at https://twitter.com/takoboystudios

Check out Cross Blitz on Steam at https://store.steampowered.com/app/1619520/Cross_Blitz/

Episode 43 – Conversation with Josh Sullivan, project lead at Awe Interactive and creators of Bullets per Minute

Posted on | by Link S

In this episode I speak with Josh Sullivan, Project Lead at Awe Interactive and creators of Bullets Per Minute

Start – 03:10 – Intro

03:10 – 6:45 – I ask Josh about a game he might have wanted to make as a child

06:45 – 14:00 – We talk about their BPM game and what looks like a newly blooming genre.

14:00 – 22:45 – Josh talks about what made him want to get into making games

22:45 – 31:45 – We talk about Josh’s favourite games when they were younger

31:45 – 40:00 – We talk about what makes gaming enjoyable to Josh and and what kind of games he might relax with after a hard day

40:00 – 44:00 – Josh talks about what kind of hobbies and things he enjoys outside of gaming

44:00 – End – Wrap up and discussion about their suggested build to help with BPM

Check out Awe Interactive on Twitter at https://twitter.com/AweInteractive

Check out Bullets Per Minute on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BPMGame

Check out Bullets Per Minute on Steam at https://store.steampowered.com/app/1286350/BPM_BULLETS_PER_MINUTE/

Episode 42 – Conversation with Trapp, programmer at Communion Games and currently making Iowa

Posted on | by Link S

In this episode I speak with Trapp, a programmer at Communion Games and currently working on their first commercial game Iowa

Start – 9:00 – Intro and a brief discussion his busy/packed life

9:00 – 27:30 – We talk about how Trapp got into developing and making games and advice they might wish to impart from their experiences

27:30 – 32:45 – We talk about Trapp’s favorite childhood games, and what makes the Halo and Starcraft series some of his favorites.

32:45 – 44:00 – We discuss RTS games more, as well as Halo Wars as it is the cross section of two genres Trapp enjoys.

44:00 – 01:05:00 – We talk about Communion Game’s upcoming game, Iowa.

01:05:00 – 01:10:00 – We talk about what other things Trapp enjoys doing outside of gaming

01:10:00 – End – Wrap up

Check Trapp out on Twitter at https://twitter.com/CommunionGames

Check out Trapp’s TikTok at

Check out the Communion Games Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQUKct7f7v2QB138B4PDDSw

Check out Elegant Crow, the other member of Communion Games at https://mobile.twitter.com/elegantcrowcg

Episode 41 – Conversation with Thomas Altenburger, game director at Flying Oak Games, makers of Scourge Bringer and NeuroVoider

Posted on | by Link S

In this episode I speak with Thomas Altenburger, game director at Flying Oak Games, creators of Scourge Bringer, and Neuro Voider.

Start – 08:45 – Intro and a discussion of game feel

08:45 – 22:15 – We talk about how and why Thomas got into making games and advice he can share to those looking to get into the industry based on his own experiences

22:15 – 32:45 – We talk about Thomas’s first introduction to gaming and what kind of games he enjoyed with his favorite game from that era being Super Metroid.

32:45 – 45:40 – We talk about what Thomas finds enjoyable about gaming

45:40 – 53:00 – Thomas discusses non-gaming related hobby and pineapple pizza.

53:00 – End – Wrap up

Check Thomas out on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mrhelmut

Check out Flying Oak Games on Twitter at https://twitter.com/FlyingOakGames

Check out all things Flying Oak related at their linktree https://linktr.ee/flyingoak

Check out the Global Game Jam https://globalgamejam.org/

And the BBQ Game Jam https://www.bbq.extra-coin.org/

Episode 40 – Conversation with Stephen Frost, Head of Production at Digital Eclipse

Posted on | by Link S

In this episode, I speak with Stephen Frost, head of production at Digital Eclipse, formerly Senior editor at PSM, and formerly producer at Sega.

Start – 17:00 – Intro and how they got into the industry

17:00 – 25:30 – Stephen shares some advice based on his experiences for those that might be looking to get into the industry

28:30 – 43:00 – We talk about Stephens favorite game(s) from his younger years. Starting with the Sierra games and other point and click/adventure style games, leading to platformers and action adventure platformers from the N64-era in his high-school days. Eventually leading to the fighters of his later high-school and college years.

43:00 – 48:00 – We talk about what it is that Stephen finds enjoyable about games

48:00 – 58:00 – We talk about what kind of things Stephen does and enjoys outside of making and playing games.

58:00 – 1:27:00 – We drift into talking about Digital Eclipse does

1:27:00 – End – Wrap up

Follow Stephen on Twitter at https://twitter.com/frostman007

Check out Digital Eclipse on Twitter at https://twitter.com/digitaleclipse

Check out the Digital Eclipse website at https://www.digitaleclipse.com/

Check out Digital Eclipse on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DigitalEclipseSoftware