012 : A Recipe for Simplicity? Rock Band 4, Civilization, and Bushnell’s Law

(Some information was lost. Someone keeps hacking the site. Apologies, I think) So he asked, “Are you still a fan of the Purple Cow?” Game dev students were asking the same question, from Virginia to Detroit. It’s a simple question, without a simple answer. This episode gets zen on Purple Cows, via three of my heroes: Will Wright, Jonathan Blow, and Ira Glass. NOW AVAILABLE ON YouTube! Purple Cow What about Not Original? Originality is Hard The Bubble – New Ideas The Game Design Zen Podcast is the intersection of games, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for Game developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of developing better games. Level up to zen!

(Why do people hack educational podcasts? I cannot imagine) Years ago, my boss asked, “How do you get all that stuff done?” Then, last week, my friend asked a similar question. And I realized, I didn’t have an answer. So I thought about it – podcasts, an indie business, and a family, on top of a full-time job. This episode is the answer – three tips for getting things done. NOW AVAILABLE ON YouTube! Focus (3:00) Quality of Work (7:15) Habits (19:40) The Game Design Zen Podcast is the intersection of games, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for Game developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of developing better games. Level up to zen!

I broke my own rule! A few weeks ago, I shared a project I was working on, before it was really ready. And after that, I kept putting off creating the video that I needed to get my project on Steam. Week after week, I did nothing, because I was afraid. This episode is about overcoming fear. NOW AVAILABLE ON YouTube! Breaking My Own Rule (00:35) Getting onto Steam Greenlight Overcoming Fear! Topic – Start With Something Small (05:30) From A to B, via Z The Path – Little Steps The Power of Community Topic – Set A Hard Deadline (14:20) Let’s Ride Bikes From Closet to Bedroom Zen Moment (21:10) Success Begets Success The Game Design Zen Podcast is the intersection of games, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for Game developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of developing better games. Level up to zen!

What about the business? Kenzai asked what it meant to start a business. So, this episode goes zen – covering everything from becoming an indie, to money, to products. It even discusses why you need a Purple Cow. NOW AVAILABLE ON YouTube! Kenzai’s Challenge (00:35) My Journey To Indie Topic – Start Your Business (04:50) The Legal Stuff Going Solo Topic – Money (7:50) Costs Cashflow Write Offs Topic – Products (15:00) Makes The Business Zen Moment (20:00) The Purple Cow The Game Design Zen Podcast is the intersection of games, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for Game developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of developing better games. Level up to zen! Will you forget this? It’s a Purple Cow

What must you know? At a recent game challenge, I met Matt Trobbiani, the creator of HackNet. After I got to know him, I thought itâ€d be fun to invite him on as a guest. To ensure that Game Design Zen stays zen, I recorded this for him. Itâ€s three things we should all know. Games Competition (00:35) Matt Trobbiani – Creator of HackNet (01:45) Guests vs Interviews (03:00) A Connection – Like a New Hire (05:00) Yes … And (7:00) A Knife In the Back No Buts! Working Together in Everything Interest Curve (13:45) Series of Spikes – image below (15:30) Jesse Schell – Art of Game Design (17:00) Story (18:00) “How Come You Never Talk About Story?” (20:20) Tell To Win – Peter Guber Question/Challenge Emotional Struggle Galvanizing Conclusion (with a Twist) Zen Moment (26:10) This means you! The Game Design Zen Podcast is the intersection of games, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for Game developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of developing better games. Level up to zen! The interest curve – initial spike, rising spikes, and a climax (ending immediately afterwards)

Ready for SEASON TWO?!? It’s a new year, with exciting changes in the works. To kick it off, let’s start with two giants! Theyâ€re at odds. The Indie giant, Jonathan Blow, argues that simpler is better, in almost all cases. Design guru, Brett Victor, argues for sophisticated real-time design tools. This episode digs deep, to find a winner. Check Out My Code! (00:35) What Is An Amateur? Brett Victor vs Jonathan Blow Brett Victor (08:00) Inventing On Principle The Gratitude Habit Jonathan Blow (13:45) Maximizing Resources Zen Moment (26:10) The winner is – The customer! The Game Design Zen Podcast is the intersection of games, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for Game developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of developing better games. Level up to zen!

What about failure? Your greatest ideas donâ€t live up to your expectations. You havenâ€t conquered the world. And yet, as Ira Glass says, your taste is killer. This is the season one finale of Game Design Zen – you wonâ€t want to miss it. Happy Holidays! Andrew’s Story – Frustration, Feedback Friday, and Freaking Out (00:35) Season Finale (04:00) Failure (7:00) Freaking Out “If you’re not falling down, you’re not improving” The Fiery Crucible Platforms are Different (14:45) iOS vs Android vs Steam Good Sex, Great Marriage Challenge Yourself (22:05) Your Taste is Killer (Ira Glass) The Gauntlet Deliberate Practice – Dr. Anders Ericcson Zen Moment (25:20) The Journey Star Wars – Pucumir Thryss – Anagram of me! Try, Improve, and Repeat I’m part of the Star Wars universe! The Game Design Zen Podcast is the intersection of games, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for Game developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of developing better games. Level up to zen!

Game Design Zen : Episode 014 Fallout 4?! Some predicted – game of the century. Some predicted – not my cup of tea. And for some, like me, it was our first exposure to the Fallout franchise. I didnâ€t know what to expect. Now, fifty hours in – let’s get zen! Because … Fallout 4! (00:35) I/ITSEC M&S Conference My First Fallout (02:45) Podcast Beyond – IGN – Max (against) and Jarred (pro), Ep 418. My apologies! Flow (4:45) The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly Choice (14:20) The Good (16:00) The Bad (18:05) Interest Curve – AHA! (25:00) Character Selection, Power Suits, and Companions Weather, Plot, and Story Da Shiznit! (28:30) Zen Moment (31:00) The Clear Vision Mystery Box The Game Design Zen Podcast is the intersection of games, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for Game developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of developing better games. Level up to zen!

Game Design Zen : Episode 013 Iâ€ve been struggling to tell a story. Weeks of nights staring at the ceiling with ideas swirling in my head. It demanded to be told. Until finally, today, I did the whole thing in one take. This special episode is the story of being a Make-A-Wish father. Happy Thanksgiving! The sideways glance, with wave, is for the entire auditorium, who is on their feet. The Story Demanded To Be Told (00:35) 19 Years Ago – Kayla is Born (03:38) The Children’s Hospital of King’s Daughters (CHKD) (04:55) The Most Important Night of my Life (11:00) When I Was Wrong (17:50) To Be A Nurse (24:25) The Power of Will (33:45) Kayla’s Voice (35:20) Make-A-Wish – Kayla Bear (37:35) A Thanksgiving Wish of Gratitude (40:25) Kayla’s ballerina wish was selected by the Make-A-Wish Foundation to become the Kayla Bear. The Game Design Zen Podcast is the intersection of games, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for Game developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of developing better games. Level up to zen!

Game Design Zen : Episode 012 I’d waited months for Rock Band 4 to arrive. And when it did, the guitar didn’t work! Find out what happens as we explore the recipe for Simplicity in games. Rock Band 4 (01:00) Ikea Effect – Dan Ariely (07:00) A Recipe For Simplicity (09:10) “100 ways to simplify life” (11:00) Simplicity recipe (13:00) Core – “Your garden is not complete until thereâ€s nothing else you can remove” - Will Wright Limited Choice – Barry Schwartz – Paradox of Choice & Destiny (15:00) Intuitive – Block 64. Hearthstone. (17:00) Players†Perspective (20:20) Civilization – Sid Meier CLIP (25:00) Zen Moment – Bushnellâ€s Law - (29:00) “Easy to Learn, Difficult to Master” The Game Design Zen Podcast is the intersection of games, life, and the pursuit of excellence. It is the #1 resource for Game developers, artists, and designers including the art, science, and business of developing better games. Level up to zen!