Welcome to Dev Game Club, where this week we continue our discussion about Grand Theft Auto III . We talk a bit about mission structure, failure states, learning through failure, and a host of other things. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: About a dozen missions into Staunton Podcast breakdown: 0:47 GTA III discussion 55:12 Break 55:45 Feedback Issues covered: homophones, the intermediate position betw...
Nov 28, 2018•1 hr 29 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where this week we continue our discussion about Grand Theft Auto III . We actually spend a little time talking about the counter-argument, that this game extends a middle finger to the moral scolds who wanted to cage video games, and then talk about specifics about its streaming, and talk about the dissonance between its systems and mission design, before turning to feedback. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, provi...
Nov 21, 2018•1 hr 34 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where this week we are beginning a new series about Grand Theft Auto III . As always, we spend the first episode situating the title in its release time frame and talk a bit about the history of the studio and creators associated with it 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: Through "The Fuzz Ball" Podcast breakdown: 0:37 GTA III discussion 58:48 ...
Nov 14, 2018•1 hr 26 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we in this episode we are lucky enough to enjoy an interview with Lulu LaMer, who started out her career at Looking Glass as QA on Thief , and went on to be a producer, including on some of the Tomb Raider games at Crystal Dynamics. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Podcast breakdown: 0:00:39 Interview 1:10:24 Break 1:10:48 Next time Issues covered: a quick list of the uses of a degree in...
Nov 07, 2018•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 137
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we in this episode we are lucky enough to enjoy an interview with Greg LoPiccolo, project lead on Thief , and Randy Smith, who was a level designer on the title. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Podcast breakdown: 0:40 Interview 1:00:08 Break 1:00:50 Feedback Issues covered: World Series, how Randy got his start, psychology and programming as substrate for game design, "Suck it down" and...
Oct 31, 2018•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 136
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we in this episode we conclude our discussion of 1998's Thief: The Dark Project . We talk a bit about equipment and gadgets, the story and enemy shifts that happen late in the game, the commitment maybe to story over what was working, and as always, our takeaways from the game. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: Through the end! Podcast breakdown: 0:45 Segment 1: Thief dis...
Oct 24, 2018•1 hr 36 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we are in the midst of series discussing 1998's Thief: The Dark Project . We talk about map trade-offs, enemy diversity and choices, the levels we played, music and objectives, and other topics. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: Up to Undercover Issues covered: "disco is my life," longer Thief: Gold levels, DLC before DLC existed, technical issues and level design, experi...
Oct 18, 2018•53 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we look back to Shadows of the Tomb Raider for a special bonus episode featuring Lead Writer Jill Murray. We talk about how the writing gets done -- spoilers, there's a lot more planning than writing -- as well as all sorts of topics that grow from that. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Issues covered: lacking access to technology, Jill's early career in visual arts/music/theater, stagin...
Oct 10, 2018•58 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we are in the midst of our series about 1998's Thief ; we talk about the story development of the world, some small mechanical bits, and then dig into the level design of the four levels we played. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: Through "The Sword" Issues covered: getting shot with an arrow, starting with the day in the life of a thief, establishing a baseline of a lif...
Oct 03, 2018•1 hr 29 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we now begin our series about 1998's Thief ; as usual, we start by setting the game in its time before diving into a few of its systems and technology requirements. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played : Through Cragscleft Prison Podcast breakdown : 0:41 Thief 53:13 Break 53:45 Feedback Issues covered : reflecting on 1998, first-person shooter games of the time, having differ...
Sep 26, 2018•1 hr 27 min
Hello, and welcome to a special bonus episode of Dev Game Club, where we talk about the most recent Tomb Raider release, Shadow of the Tomb Raider , talking a little bit about where the reboots came from and the thinking that went into them as well as some of the structural differences between the two. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: Some of the first few hours Podcast breakdown: 0:45 Shadow of the To...
Sep 19, 2018•1 hr 15 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we celebrate the triumphant return of co-host Tim Longo with... a discussion of the rest of 1996's Tomb Raider . We once again discuss the levels themselves, but also discuss traps, puzzles, and the use of voice to characterize action adventure avatars in more recent games, before turning to takeaways and your questions and feedback. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: Fini...
Sep 12, 2018•1 hr 58 min
No show notes this week as we revisit our 2016 interview with guest Janos Flösser; you can find those notes on the website. However, Brett does take a moment to answer a reader email before the show and to talk about next week afterwards.
Aug 29, 2018•1 hr 16 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we have been playing 1996's Tomb Raider . We spend more time on the levels themselves as well as diving into the AI for human enemies, the sense of space and of pace, and having no idea what to do to find a key. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played : Through Egypt, in theory Podcast breakdown : 0:41 Tomb Raider 1:00:17 Break 1:00:47 Feedback Issues covered: plumbing, level an...
Aug 22, 2018•1 hr 16 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we have been playing 1996's Tomb Raider . We specifically dive into level design, Lara's move set, combat, and a bit about technology here and there. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: Through Greece, theoretically Issues covered: dinosaurs in film in books, level size, level design and events to direct the eye, interconnectedness of areas, distilling the original game to ...
Aug 15, 2018•1 hr 8 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we are turning our eyes to 1996's Tomb Raider . In this episode we situate the game in its time, paying particular attention to the challenges of 3D and technology at the time. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: Through Peru Issues covered: setting the game in its time, 3D acceleration, "at least they got our names right," having to control a bunch of extra stuff in 3D, ca...
Aug 08, 2018•1 hr 2 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where in this bonus episode we've turned to a clear descendant of Deus Ex , 2017's Prey . We talk about the first few hours of the experience and note some of its systems and world-building, among other thoughts. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: At least up to the lobby Issues covered: post-it notes, allowing mimics, Tim gets excited, another potential forerunner, using the Go...
Aug 01, 2018•1 hr 10 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we are finishing out our discussion of 2000's Deus Ex . In our fifth episode in the series, we talk a bit about the game's viewpoint(s) and 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 at last Issues covered: Tim's marathon of M:I, the othering of Anna and Gunther as well as Walter Simons and Bob Page, building a sense of place and history, t...
Jul 25, 2018•1 hr 26 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we have finally turned our attention to 2000's Deus Ex. In our fourth episode in the series, we talk about maps, the damage model, augmentations, and more! Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: Up through the Paris Cathedral Issues covered: stealth and non-lethal play, hitting your foes with tranq darts, externalizing statistics, the things you track, a decision or a priority...
Jul 18, 2018•1 hr 8 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we have finally turned our attention to 2000's Deus Ex . In our third episode in the series, we talk about the RPG aspects as far as story goes as well as some obvious influences. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played : Up through the Paris Cathedral Issues covered : mispronouncing the title of the game, bringing in all the story as you get to Hong Kong, level geometry in Hong...
Jul 11, 2018•1 hr 12 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we have finally turned our attention to 2000's Deus Ex . In our second episode in the series, we discuss difficulty levels for different styles of play vs augmentation hard choices and some level systems specifics. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: Up through Hong Kong (in theory) Issues covered : trying to get out of the level when you've been in it a while, difficulty l...
Jul 04, 2018•1 hr 11 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we are finally turning our attention to 2000's Deus Ex. In our first episode in the series, we set the game in its time but also talk about its many connections to other games we've played here on the 'cast. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: Up to the Airfield Issues covered: ten hours of driving, convergent point in games, early indie dev mentality, formative early caree...
Jun 27, 2018•55 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club for a second Dark Forces special bonus interview edition. We speak with Matt Tateishi, a level designer on the game, talking about the environment around the building of Dark Forces , process, and leaping into the new. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Podcast breakdown: 0:39 Interview 1:03:31 Break 1:04:01 Feedback Issues covered: a brief history of Matt, architecture department at Berkeley, st...
Jun 20, 2018•1 hr 34 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club for a special bonus bonus interview edition. Justin Stinnett turns the microphones on hosts Brett Douville and Tim Longo, in addition to Daron Stinnett, to talk Republic Commando . Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Issues covered : making a squad seem smart, how to deal with the squad AI, keeping the squad in view, how to control the squad on a console, squad positioning, seeing the sniper, Sev'...
Jun 15, 2018•19 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club for a special bonus interview edition. We speak with Daron Stinnett, lead programmer and project lead on Dark Forces , looking at the beginnings of his career before turning to specifics about the game. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Podcast breakdown : 0:40 Interview segment 1:04:45 Break 1:05:17 Feedback segment Issues covered: Daron intro, the Stinnett origin story, making houses on comput...
Jun 13, 2018•1 hr 23 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we are finishing 1995's Star Wars: Dark Forces . We talk a bit about the final levels of the game while punching dragons 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: We finished the game! Podcast breakdown: 0:44 DF Discussion 59:08 Break 59:38 Takeaways Issues covered: the Kell dragon, entirely too much discussion of dragon types, being unsure what to...
Jun 06, 2018•1 hr 31 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we are in our second episode about 1995's Star Wars: Dark Forces . We delve much deeper into the level design and themes, talk about fulfilling the Star Wars fantasy, and talk about the tease of future technologies. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: Through "The Death Mark" Podcast breakdown: 0:46 DF Segment 57:09 Break 57:40 Feedback Issues covered: beating the parsec to...
May 30, 2018•1 hr 15 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we are beginning a new series about 1995's Star Wars: Dark Forces . We situate the game in its time a bit and then turn to the first three levels of the game, specifically talking about its level design and a bit about squeezing Star Wars into games. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: Through The Subterranean Hideout Podcast breakdown: 0:46 Segment 1: Dark Forces 49:50 Bre...
May 23, 2018•1 hr 8 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we are discussing the newly released return to God of War . We talk about the way the game has been modernized for current tastes, and how it maintains the feel of the series. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played : First few hours Issues covered : modern design elements, combat feel, level linearity with bits of side secrets, combat/explore, chests, pushing technology, ways y...
May 16, 2018•1 hr 13 min
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where we are finishing our series on 2005's God of War . We talk about when the game leans into the things it's not great at, the sense of epic scale, as well as turning to our traditional takeaways as we end a series. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played : Finished the game! Podcast breakdown : 0:42 God of War discussion 54:45 Break 55:11 Takeaways and Feedback Issues covered : dy...
May 09, 2018•1 hr 24 min
