Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast The HP Video Game Podcast Network - John JP Podlasek

In this episode, I spoke with Keith Plesha, Sr. Recruiter with Krafton Americas who offers valuable insights from his recruiting career. He emphasizes the significance of networking, continuous learning, and staying on top of industry trends for career success. Topics such as interpersonal skills, mentorship, and the impact of remote work on hiring are also discussed.
The conversation transitions into challenges faced by current (and aspiring) game developers, including layoffs and the effects of mergers and acquisitions. Keith expresses interest in the decision-making processes behind job cuts and the metrics driving those. Additionally, we discuss the surge in gaming during the pandemic and its implications for industry growth and adaptation.
We then get into topics around previous over-hiring, shifts in user acquisition strategy due to Apple privacy changes, and the repercussions of job cuts. The importance of proactive career management, financial readiness, using ArtStation, and maintaining an updated LinkedIn profile is also stressed. Hear some personal stories, playtesting mishaps, and favorite games, along with the importance of resilience and adaptability in this changing field.
In conclusion, we talk more about the importance of financial preparedness, career flexibility, and proactive networking. He advocates for staying informed about industry developments, possessing a versatile skill set, and being open to temporary alternative career paths in this current industry climate.

Bio:
As a Recruiter with nearly 20 years of experience, Keith Plesha has spent the last decade focused on the games industry. He’s currently serving as a Sr. Recruiter with Krafton Americas, supporting corporate roles in publishing as well as multiple studios including Striking Distance Studios, Unknown Worlds, and PUBG Madison. Prior to this role, Keith spent 7 years with Activision and Meta, and loves leveraging his experience to identify top talent and help shape the future of the gaming industry. 

Show Links:
* M+DEV - website
* GrackleHQ - website
* ArtStation - website
* Amir’s 14 Games Jobs Resources - website
* Meta Lays Off More Than 11,000 - CNBC website
* What’s Going On With All Of These Game Industry Layoffs - Polygon website
* Richard King - LinkedIn
* The Psychology of Money - Amazon

Connect With Links:
* Keith Plesha - LinkedIn
* KRAFTON, Inc. - website

Game Dev Advice Links: 
* YouTube - check out this episode with 100% more video
* Patreon - 1:1 career coaching through the Gain Wisdom membership
* website - show notes, links, stuff
* info@gamedevadvice.com - reach out!
* Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733
* Level Ex Jobs - Current openings for advancing the practice of medicine through play
* Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links
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In this episode, I spoke with Sam Glassenberg, Founder and CEO of Level Ex, as we dive into subjects encompassing the gaming industry, technology, and healthcare. Sam recounts his unexpected journey into gaming, beginning as an animator at LucasArts and eventually helping lead Microsoft’s DirectX Graphics team. We then transition to discussing the critical importance of having a portfolio for job seekers, the interesting challenges of working in Tech Art, the foundational value of solid engineering principles, and the innovative ways Level Ex pushes Unity3D beyond its limits.
Our conversation also touches on the essential qualities of empathy, adaptability, and curiosity in the gaming industry. Sam fondly recalls working on his two favorite projects, Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter and Gastro Ex. We also explore the role of generative AI in skill enhancement, the unique challenges of movie-based games, and the exciting yet still maturing potential of AR/VR/XR technologies. Sam then shares an amusing story from a medical conference and emphasizes the need for improved medical training, along with his interest in casual and hyper-casual mobile games.
As the episode nears its end, Sam provides insights from his recent trip to Kiev where Level Ex is helping assist the Ukrainian armed forces in medical training and his experiences presenting at NATO. He sheds light on the neuroscience behind game design and identifies professional video games as a burgeoning opportunity within the industry. We conclude with Sam encouraging game developers to embrace AI and where to find him online for further discussions and collaboration.

Bio:
Sam Glassenberg is the CEO and Founder of Level Ex - the world's first medical video game company. Sam leads a team of veteran game developers and designers who are establishing a new genre of medical games: pushing the limits of game design, physics, and rendering to capture the most terrifying challenges of medicine. Offering the only games certified to provide AMA Category 1 Continuing Medical Education credit, Level Ex's games are played by over a million medical professionals. 20 out of the top 40 medical device and pharmaceutical companies use Level Ex game technology to train and sell their products. Level Ex's games are used by leading medical societies - and NASA - to disseminate the latest guidelines and techniques for topics ranging from COVID to Space Health. Through their work, Level Ex is rapidly establishing 'play' as a fundamental force accelerating adoption in medicine. 

Show Links:
* DirectX - Wikipedia
* FarBridge - website
* ArtStation - website
* SIGGRAPH 2019 Real-Time Live! - YouTube
* Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter - Wikipedia
* Gastro Ex - website
* ChatGPT - website

Connect With Links:
* Sam Glassenberg - LinkedIn
* Sam Glassenberg - blog
* Sam Glassenberg - X/Twitter
* Level Ex - website
* Level Ex - YouTube

Game Dev Advice Links: 
* YouTube - check out this episode with 100% more video
* Patreon - 1:1 career coaching through the Gain Wisdom membership
* website - show notes, links, stuff
* info@gamedevadvice.com - reach out!
* Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733
* Level Ex Jobs - Current openings for advancing the practice of medicine through play
* Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links
* X/Twitter - not really using it to be honest
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 I welcome Alex Seropian, founder and CEO of Look North World on this episode kicking off the 5th (wow, 5th) year of the podcast. Hear as Alex shares insights about his current role, including hosting The Fourth Curtain podcast and his new studio, Look North World. Learn about the growing significance of user-generated content (UGC) in the gaming industry and the potential for UGC to become a major part of the industry in the coming years. Alex also reflects on his journey in the game industry, from his early exposure to video games to the founding of Bungie after college and working on games like Marathon and Halo.
We then get into his curiosity about the future of the game industry, particularly in relation to the impact of technology, such as AI and virtual reality. He also raises concerns about job stability and diversity within our industry, emphasizing the importance of building a diverse workforce. Alex then shares his excitement about the Steam Deck hardware and highlights his ongoing passion for gaming.
In closing, Alex offers a piece of advice for those working in the industry, expressing optimism about the future of the game industry, and the role of entertainment in people's lives. We acknowledge the fluctuations and challenges within the industry but maintain a positive outlook for its future.

Bio:
Alex Seropian is an entrepreneur and video game developer who has been creating video games for more than 30 years. He is currently the founder and CEO of Look North World, a developer of games & entertainment for creator communities. Alex started in the video game industry by founding Bungie (Halo, Marathon, Myth). He is also the founder of Wideload Games and Industrial Toys. Alex has held executive positions at Microsoft, Disney, and Electronics Arts. Along with starting companies, he is the host of The Fourth Curtain Podcast, a mentor and advisor to numerous startups, and serves as a board advisor to the Tumo Center in Armenia.

Show Links:
* The Fourth Curtain Podcast - website
* UGC - GamesBeat
* Bungie - Wikipedia
* UEFN Game Engine - website
* Steam Deck - Steam website

Connect With Links:
* Alex Seropian - LinkedIn
* Look North World - website
* Alex Seropian - X/Twitter

Game Dev Advice Links: 
* YouTube - check out this episode with 100% more video
* Patreon - 1:1 career coaching through the Gain Wisdom membership
* website - show notes, links, stuff
* X/Twitter - pretty dormant 
* info@gamedevadvice.com - reach out!
* Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733
* Level Ex website - Careers page for advancing the practice of medicine through play
* Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links
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I welcome Jennifer Javornik, the Chief Partnerships Officer at Filament Games on this 60th episode. Learn about her current role, the company’s connection with UW Madison, and how she transitioned from a traditional IT role into the game industry. Hear about being in improv comedy, learning to be less formal, and how the industry embraces being yourself. We then share advice about starting out, having content to show, testing, and being able to hit the ground running. 
Hear about the intricacies of doing client work, opportunities to work in marketing, and the importance of being flexible in this industry. We then get into teamwork, communication skills, and one of her favorite projects, iCivics.org. Learn about industry consolidation concerns, questions about the future, supporting VR/AR/MR, and hype cycles.
Our discussion then pivots to a funny story about Minecraft, the NY Times Spelling Bee, and spending time away from games outside of work. As we wrap up, hear about some unusual projects she’s worked on for dairy farmers and pediatric MRIs to help kids, taking care of yourself, keeping your skills current, and the upcoming M+DEV 2023 conference in Madison, WI.

Bio:
Jennifer Javornik is a video game executive who specializes in partnerships, business development, revenue growth, and entrepreneurship. She is currently the Chief Partnerships Officer for Filament Games, a video game studio that specializes in digital games, simulations, VR and AR experiences for positive impact. She is also a founding member and former Executive Director of the Wisconsin Games Alliance and currently serves on the Unity Global Education Board.

Show Links:
* What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy - Amazon
* iCivics.org - website
* Microsoft acquiring Activision Blizzard - The Verge
* Magic Leap - website
* M+DEV 2023: Nov. 10, 2023 - website

Connect with Links:
* Jennifer Javornik - LinkedIn
* Filament Games - website

Game Dev Advice Links: 
* Patreon - please support the the show if you find it useful or interesting so new episodes can keep coming out
* website
* Twitter
* email: info@gamedevadvice.com
* Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733
* Level Ex Careers website
* Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links
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I welcome Ryan Douglas, the Co-Founder at DeepWell DTx, NeuFluent / Founder, Nextern to this episode. Learn how DeepWell DTx is working to meld medical professionals, scientists, and game developers to create mental health digital therapeutics through play and neuroscience. 
Hear about the power of gaming to improve mental health, citing games like Tetris and Animal Crossing that have shown mental health benefits. Ryan then shares the value of creating experiences that make players feel better without consciously realizing it, along with potential negative effects around boundary conditions in medicine.
We then get into the meteoric rise of the game industry, how it’s still immature at times, and the need for individuals to understand their motivations to be successful. Ryan then shares about the importance of building a culture centered on individual passions and shared purpose, how “crunch” isn’t unique to the industry, and work/life balance challenges.
Hear about Ryan’s diverse career journey, the mental health emergency, F2P issues, digital therapeutics, flow states, the problem with gamification, and finding the overlap between game mechanics and treatment mechanisms. We then go into his 5 Creator Keys, EQ, finding people you trust, social media, regulation, AI, and both the power and over-hype of VR and AR.
As we wrap up, we hear an unusual story about his career, life changes, excitement around their upcoming game, video game violence fallacy, working with the FDA, improving mental health, medicinal media, sharing on LinkedIn, finding your why, avoiding toxicity, and listening to your gut.

Bio:
Ryan Douglas is a renowned expert and innovator in mental health, artificial intelligence, and surgical robotics with nearly 20 years of experience. Ryan is the co-founder of DeepWell DTx, a video game publisher and developer focused on creating medically therapeutic games with compelling gameplay. He has commercialized over 20 medical devices, including treatments for depression, hypertension, breast cancer survivors, women's health, chronic pain, and neurological conditions. Additionally, Ryan holds pivotal patents in medical AI and robotics and has achieved FDA clearance for breakthrough therapies.

Show Links:
* Simon Sinek - Find Your Why YouTube
* Animal Crossing and Mental Health The Gamer
* da Vinci Surgical System Website
* Pistol Whip Oculus
* 1941: Counter Attack Wikipedia

Connect With Links:
* Ryan Douglas LinkedIn
* DeepWell DTx Website
* DeepWell DTx Twitter

Game Dev Advice Links: 
* Patreon - please help support the show if you find it useful!
* Twitter
* Website
* Email: info@gamedevadvice.com
* Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733
* Level Ex Careers website
* Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links
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I welcome Jeff Linville, the Co-Founder and Sound Designer at Ritual Studios to this episode. We discuss topics like sound design, pitching your game to publishers, and the future of AR and VR. Jeff shares about the importance of your personal network, learning how to script and work in-engine, and maintaining a healthy mindset with the ups and downs of the industry. 
We then go into the importance of sound design, highlighting the transformative power of sound that enhances player experiences. Hear about the challenges faced by sound designers, such as time constraints and file size limitations, plus having content cut.
Jeff shares why he’s bullish on VR and thoughts around AR possibly replacing smartphones through spatial computing. We then get into the concerns about AI's impact on game development and copyright issues, along with ideas around the benefits.
Hear how the team pivoted their game pitch to get better results by focusing on bite-sized call-to-action prompts, plus using gifs and game audio to create the game experience. Learn the importance for sound designers to be able to work in-engine and script, plus having an engineer connection to help implement ideas and tech.
Jeff and I then talk about the importance of seizing opportunities, networking with peers, and maintaining a positive attitude through setbacks. We then wrap up discussing chance encounters, the abundance of good people in the industry, and the power of doing great work.

Bio:
Jeff Linville is Co-Founder of Ritual Studios, a Chicago based indie studio working on their first title, Fretless: The Wrath of Riffson. Jeff has been in the game industry for over 6 years as a Sound Designer and Composer working on various titles, including Fretless and Cardio Ex.

Show Links:
* Fretless: The Wrath of Riffson Reveal Trailer YouTube
* Cardio Ex Game Soundtrack on Spotify
* FMOD website
* Apple’s Vision Pro spatial computing Apple website
* Guild Wars 2 website
* Alien: Isolation App Store
* The 2023 Hollywood Strike for Dummies Vulture

Connect With Links:
* Fretless: The Wrath of Riffson Steam page
* Ritual Studios Twitter
* Jeff Linville Twitter
* Jeff Linville YouTube
* Playdigious home page
* Playdigious TikTok

Game Dev Advice Links: 
* Game Dev Advice Patreon - please support this work if you find it useful
* Game Dev Advice Twitter
* Game Dev Advice email: info@gamedevadvice.com
* Game Dev Advice website
* Level Ex Careers - we’re hiring for lots of roles!
* Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733
* Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links
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