Welcome to Dev Game Club, where this week we return to Blizzard's 2004 classic MMORPG World of Warcraft . We talk a bit about the grind, a notable MMO moment, some differences with world layout and characterization over time and character, as well as other topics. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: Up to level 20 Issues covered: hitting the Classic grind, fetch quests, zone refinements in modern, finding...
Dec 04, 2019•1 hr 9 min
Following on from our DGC series on 2002's Eternal Darkness , we talk with designer Brad Furminger, who got his start at Silicon Knights working on Eternal Darkness and an earlier version of Too Human . We talk about design choices on Eternal Darkness and get lots of little stories. Podcast breakdown: 0:42 Interview segment 1:03:35 Break 1:04:06 Feedback Issues covered: getting in with geographical luck, progressively getting into deeper discussions with a future employer, becoming second party ...
Nov 27, 2019•1 hr 37 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we this week we start a new series with a bit of a different goal: a game we'll play for an initial couple of episodes and then return to from time to time. We discuss 2004's seminal and crowning MMORPG World of Warcraft , discussing the year in which it came out, a history (personal and not) of MMOs, and then dig a bit into the initial hours of the game. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary....
Nov 20, 2019•1 hr 22 min
Following on from our DGC series on 1993's DOOM , we've been lucky enough to get connected with John Romero to talk about his early career and how id and DOOM came to be. We hear all sorts of stories about those early days, and we hope you enjoy it. Podcast breakdown: 0:42 Interview segment 1:40:30 Break 1:41:00 Next time Issues covered: a brief history of John Romero, playing games at the arcade and on a mainframe, programming without being able to save them, living with hyperthymesia, learning...
Nov 14, 2019•1 hr 54 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we this week we complete our play and discussion of 2002's GameCube horror adventure Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem . We discuss re-use and when it doesn't quite work here, but highlight the end of the game and then turn to our takeaways. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: Finished the game! Podcast breakdown: 0:39 Segment 1 -- ED discussion 59:30 Break 60:00 Takeaways...
Nov 06, 2019•1 hr 37 min
Just a quick announcement to let people to know we're on what we hope is a brief hiatus.
Oct 30, 2019•1 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we this week we continue our play and discussion of 2002's GameCube horror adventure Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem . We talk up the magic system as well as the level design writing checks that the camera and perhaps the tech can't quite cash, as well as other topics. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: 6-9 (Brett, nice), 6-8 (the other guy) Issues covered: Tim gets a r...
Oct 23, 2019•1 hr 29 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we this week we continue our play and discussion of 2002's GameCube horror adventure Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem . We talk a lot about the structure of the game, how it differentiates the choice we made last time, and also discuss the variety of player characters and how cleverly they get mileage out of some decisions. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: Levels 3-5 I...
Oct 16, 2019•1 hr 30 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we this week we turn to the start of our annual spooky game content by looking at 2002's GameCube horror adventure Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem . We situate the game in time a bit and talk about its critical and commercial reception, as well as the GameCube, before turning to the game proper. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: The first three levels Issues covered: h...
Oct 09, 2019•1 hr 9 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we this week we turn to the start of our bonus content about DOOM . We look at 2016's re...boot? Reimagining? Re...launch? of DOOM and talk about its modernization of mechanics and its resource loop, before turning to catch up on the mail bag. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: First few levels Podcast breakdown: 0:41 DOOM talk 40:30 Feedback Issues covered: Tim likes to g...
Oct 02, 2019•1 hr 39 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we this week we turn to the start of our bonus content about DOOM . We look at 1995's added fourth episode "Thy Flesh Consumed" as well as John Romero's 25th anniversary megawad SIGIL . Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: Thy Flesh Consumed & SIGIL Podcast breakdown: 0:40 TFC & SIGIL 47:26 Break 47:59 Feedback Issues covered: shooting a lot of eyes, who worked on wh...
Sep 25, 2019•1 hr 14 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we this week we complete the main game in our series on 1993's seminal FPS DOOM . We talk about the level design some more as well as the use of maps and other topics before turning to our takeaways. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: Episode Three: Inferno! Podcast breakdown: 0:39 Segment 1: Inferno 57:32 Break 58:04 Segment 2: Takeaways Issues covered: the feel of the ne...
Sep 18, 2019•1 hr 24 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we this week we continue our series on 1993's seminal FPS DOOM. We spend some time especially on level design and the environments and specifically how they feel different from the first, as well as other topics. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: Episode two! Issues covered: figuring out where we actually are, Hell bleeding through, chaotic and asymmetric geometry, non-cr...
Sep 11, 2019•1 hr 16 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we this week we begin a new series on 1993's seminal FPS DOOM . We talk briefly about the year in games before digging into the game proper. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: First Episode! Issues covered: where the game takes place, adventure games at a good spot, hard drives and CD-ROMs, designing for efficiency, polar opposite of rendering presentation from MYST , firs...
Aug 28, 2019•1 hr 17 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we this week the podcast does something a little bit different and takes a quick side-turn into the SNES Classic. After playing two games off-cam and two games on, the hosts talk about each game in turn. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: A bit of a number of SNES Classic Games Issues covered: the difficulty of Contra games, old school punishing difficulty, power-ups, memo...
Aug 21, 2019•1 hr 21 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we this week take a little time to talk about Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night , in our bonus episode for the series. We talk about how much of a Castlevania game it is as well as a number of other topics in a free-flowing discussion. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: The first few hours Issues covered: being pierced by shards, feeling the beat, blood pools, the many sim...
Aug 14, 2019•1 hr 14 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we this week complete our Castlevania discussion with the beloved PlayStation classic. We talk about actually finishing the game, the size and scope of the thing, character movement, enemy variety, and a host of other topics including our takeaways. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: Finished the game! Podcast breakdown: 0:38 Castlevania SOTN discussion 52:30 Break 53:07 T...
Aug 07, 2019•1 hr 38 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we are continuing our Castlevania discussion with the beloved PlayStation classic. We talk about "finishing the game," various bosses, and how the whole game provides exploration in all its systems, among other topics. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: To the castle inversion Issues covered: finishing the game without finding all of it, feeling like you had gotten enough,...
Jul 31, 2019•1 hr 18 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we are continuing our Castlevania discussion with the beloved PlayStation classic. We talk about how the structure encourages a natural and player-led exploration as well as some deep diving into weapon mechanics, among other topics. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: Up to Olrox (in theory) Issues covered: bosses that feel optional, getting health or heart-ups, the tightn...
Jul 24, 2019•1 hr 23 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we continue our Castlevania discussion with the game that renamed a genre. We talk about the year it came out, the structure of the game, and then delve into its many surprising RPG elements. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: A few hours in Issues covered: games of 1997, the PlayStation cycle, where this game fits on the Castlevania history, sticking with 2D, pushing the ...
Jul 17, 2019•1 hr 20 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we are in our second discussion of Super Castlevania IV . We discuss the ways the game mixes up its mechanics in the late game as well as its music and a few other topics before we turn to your feedback. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: Finished....? the game? Issues covered: monsters and bosses, Universal monsters movies, the difficulty of these final levels, imagining ...
Jul 10, 2019•1 hr 32 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we are in our second discussion of Super Castlevania IV . We talk about the difficulty of the game and "fairness," Mode 7 shenanigans, and how the game quickly teaches things and moves on. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: To/through Stage VIII Issues covered: the Myst-like rabbit-hole, leaning into the affordances of the SNES Classic, difficulty of Stage IV, the question...
Jul 03, 2019•1 hr 17 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where this week we turn to 1991's Super Castlevania IV , due to the series having its anniversary this year. We talk about quite a lot of stuff, including its arcade nature but also its nods to the home market, its tone and setting ,how it teaches stuff, an a host of other topics. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: The first two stages Podcast breakdown: 0:42 Castlevania Discuss...
Jun 19, 2019•1 hr 13 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where this week we aren't quite ready to say good-bye to MYST and devote a bonus episode to the 2016 Cyan game Obduction . Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: A couple of hours for Tim, the whole game for Brett Issues covered: being down the rabbit-hole for Brett, talking about the opening of Riven , losing the framing of the placed cameras, a game where you can't die, the MYST f...
Jun 12, 2019•1 hr 25 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where this week we're so lucky to get to talk with Robyn Miller, co-designer of MYST and its artist, composer, and writer as well. We think you'll agree, it's a fascinating discussion. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Podcast breakdown: 0:40 Interview! 1:06:14 Break 1:06:43 Additional discussion Issues covered: getting into game development, bringing other interests and skills to bear, drawing...
Jun 05, 2019•1 hr 17 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where this week we finish our discussion of 1993's MYST . We talk about avatar-based puzzle games, story elements, and some other bits and bobs before turning to our takeaways from the game and answering listener feedback. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: Finished the game! Podcast breakdown: 0:45 Final sections discussion 58:27 Break 59:00 Takeaways and feedback Issues covere...
May 29, 2019•1 hr 51 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where this week we continue discussing 1993's MYST . We talk about representing a physical space, the problems of camera and limited modes of interaction, and a host of other topics. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: Two more ages! (Both: Channelwood; Tim: Stoneship; Brett: Spaceship) Issues covered: turning a lot of valves, making and motivating a physical space, losing a sens...
May 22, 2019•1 hr 26 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where this week we begin a new series looking at 1993's MYST . We talk about the strains of adventure games at the time, HyperCard, the emergence of the CD-ROM platform, and a bit about the game itself. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: One Age (Mechanical, as it turned out) Issues covered: what we're playing it on and why, the game landscape in 1993, using MYST to justify CD-R...
May 15, 2019•1 hr 21 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where this week we take a bonus trip to discuss a more modern game in Devil May Cry 5 . We especially note how much they capture the feeling of the original game, despite modernizing some aspects. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: The first few hours Issues covered: cramming everything Devil May Cry into Devil May Cry 5 , iterating on a formula and delivering the same feel, pul...
May 08, 2019•1 hr 5 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where this week we complete our discussion of 2001's Devil May Cry , discussing the ending of the story (for the benefit of one co-host) and some mechanical elements about the structure before turning to our takeaways. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: Finished the game! (In theory) Podcast breakdown: 0:45 Segment 1: End of game discussion 42:55 Break 43:10 Segment 2: Takeaways...
May 01, 2019•1 hr 27 min
