Pistol Shrimp Podcast

Pistol Shrimp

3.7 (3)
VIDEO GAMES

Pistol Shrimp (https://pistolshrimpgames.com) presents a podcast covering our experiences in the game industry, discussions on game development, and stories about the creation of our current project, The Ur-Quan Masters 2. Support us on Patreon at https://patreon.com/pistolshrimp. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

05/14/2024

Channel 44: A Conversation with Mark Yohalem

Fred and Dan chat with Mark Yohalem of Wormwood Studios, creators of Primordia, Strangeland, and Fallen Gods. Mark describes how story and gameplay work together, and dives into some of his favorite moments from The Ur-Quan Masters. 0:00 - Theme music 0:14 - Introductions 1:23 - Starflight and the roots of UQM 9:24 - Simulation vs. arcade gameplay 16:00 - Exploring space 21:22 - Beginning a game story 33:40 - Expanding on gameplay 39:13 - Importance of controls 41:24 - Space opera 47:30 - Item systems and RPGs 1:00:35 - Sourcing ideas from fans 1:11:15 - Mark's start in games 1:26:45 - How kids experience games 1:34:00 - Writing and gameplay 1:40:53 - Games with time limits 1:58:02 - Finishing a game project Follow us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/theurquanmaster Discuss with us on Discord - https://discord.gg/rasVCDmYKp Please support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/pistolshrimp Learn more about Pistol Shrimp - https://pistolshrimpgames.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2h 3m
05/07/2024

Channel 44: A Conversation with Massive Damage

Dan talks about game design with Peter McLaren and Garry Seto of Massive Damage, creators of Halycon 6 and Star Renegades. The duo share their insights on designing sci-fi concepts, building an indie studio, and the influence of The Ur-Quan Masters. 0:00 - Theme music 0:14 - Introductions 2:26 - UQM and Super Melee 12:48 - Alien dialog 16:37 - Creating alien races 26:42 - Building an indie studio 35:16 - Revitalizing retro game concepts 44:27 - Contrived vs. authentic remakes 55:50 - Games growing with their audience Follow us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/theurquanmaster Discuss with us on Discord - https://discord.gg/rasVCDmYKp Please support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/pistolshrimp Learn more about Pistol Shrimp - https://pistolshrimpgames.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1h 12m
04/30/2024

Channel 44: A Conversation with Freehold Games

Fred and Dan chat with Freehold Games about Caves of Qud and making an independent game that stands out. Jason and Brian share their love of classic space games, epic science fiction worlds, and the creative appeal of retro games. Hosted live, on Twitch. 0:00 - Theme Music 0:14 - Introductions 3:42 - Classic space games 7:30 - Making The Ur-Quan Masters 11:30.- Writing and character design 15:10 - Making a sequel 22:00 - Super Melee and combat 39:30 - Caves of Qud and tile-based gameplay 48:35 - Game controls 55:53 - Accessibility in a niche 1:08:25 - Multiplayer design 1:17:17 - Modding and player feedback Follow us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/theurquanmaster Discuss with us on Discord - https://discord.gg/rasVCDmYKp Please support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/pistolshrimp Learn more about Pistol Shrimp - https://pistolshrimpgames.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1h 20m
04/23/2024

Channel 44: A Conversation with Charlie Cleveland

Fred and Dan chat with Charlie Cleveland about Subnautica, Natural Selection, and his leadership at Unknown Worlds. They discuss the influence of The Ur-Quan Masters, and fun is more important than game balance. Charlie highlights the power of multi-linear storytelling, early access, and getting player feedback as soon as possible. Hosted live, on Twitch. 0:00 - Theme music 0:14 - Introductions 2:15 - Charlie's first game 6:25 - Designing Super Melee 9:38 - Competitive multiplayer 17:31 - Game balance versus fun 21:57 - Multi-linear storytelling 27:13 - Open worlds and procedural generation 32:53.- Simulation and systems 36:45 - Games with multiple systems 40:45 - Cult classics 43:00 - Making a sequel 51:08 - Co-operative multiplayer 53:50 - The foundation for Subnautica 56:30 - Natural Selection to Moonbreakers 59:30 - Making of Subnautica 1:05:57 - Time and money 1:12:18 - Player feedback and perspective 1:19:14 - Creative success 1:24:08 - Open development 1:29:28 - Indie vs. AAA 1:40:14 - Designing game systems 1:51:28 - Multiplayer technology 1:59:30 - Game engines 2:05:05 - Game fans 2:07:06 - Subnautica vs. Below Zero 2:10:30 - Early access and story spoilers 2:22:35 - Zen of Soduku and casual games 2:27:22 - Live service games 2:40:10 - Crowdfunding 2:44:11 - Creative community Follow us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/theurquanmaster Discuss with us on Discord - https://discord.gg/rasVCDmYKp Please support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/pistolshrimp Learn more about Pistol Shrimp - https://pistolshrimpgames.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2h 51m
04/16/2024

Channel 44: A Conversation with Mac Walters

Fred and Dan talk with Mac Walters about his experience on Mass Effect and Jade Empire, plus his transition from his leadership at BioWare to his new studio, Worlds Untold. Mac breaks down his sci-fi inspiration, and how he approaches game writing, building a vision, and working as a team. 0:00 - Theme music 0:14 - Introductions 01:22 - Mac's path to BioWare 06:20 - Inspiration and nostalgia 09:20 - How to begin a game story 12:00 - Playing your own games 13:52 - Creative possibilities and wisdom 23:55 - Delivering on an idea 28:38 - Prototyping versus finishing 41:45 - Building a shared vision 47:23 - Distributed teams and remote work 59:14 - Individual styles and personalities 1:07:10 - Star Wars, Dune, and styles of sci-fi 1:15:28 - Sequels versus new stories 1:19:45 - Staying inspired Follow us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/theurquanmaster Discuss with us on Discord - https://discord.gg/rasVCDmYKp Please support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/pistolshrimp Learn more about Pistol Shrimp - https://pistolshrimpgames.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1h 26m
04/09/2024

Channel 44: A Conversation with Richard Cobbett

Dan and Fred talk to Richard Cobbett about writing for games, including The Long Journey Home, Sunless Sea, Sunless Skies, and Nighthawks. Richard shares his love for The Ur-Quan Masters, and explains how a good storyteller can draw the player into a game's story, setting, and characters. 0:00 - Theme music 0:14 - Introductions 1:56 - The Long Journey Home 4:15 - The Ur-Quan Masters 5:52 - Layers of sci-fi writing 10:28 - Likeable villains 12:33 - Where to start writing 21:14 - Narrative design in Sunless Skies 31:35 - Writing with a team 45:46 - Star Trek and self-referencing 50:42 - Changing from the first idea 55:33 - Ownership and project size 1:00:27 - Sci-fi and procedural generation 1:04:19 - Making of Nighthawks 1:09:00 - Starting a career in games 1:27:10 - Sketches and iteration 1:36:30 - Fusing story and gameplay 1:49:43 - The unique appeal of UQM 2:02:01 - The adventure game genre Follow us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/theurquanmaster Discuss with us on Discord - https://discord.gg/rasVCDmYKp Please support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/pistolshrimp Learn more about Pistol Shrimp - https://pistolshrimpgames.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2h 12m
04/04/2024

Channel 44: A Conversation with Chris Taylor

Fred and Dan talk to Chris Taylor about leading a game production, including Total Annihilation, Dungeon Siege, and more. Chris talks about running a game studio, engaging the audience, and why it's sometimes better to be an employee than a leader. 0:00 - Theme music 0:00 - Introductions 1:16 - The UQM Team 11:48 - Chris's start in games 16:42 - Industrial Light & Magic 20:58 - Running a game studio 31:37 - Finding the fun 34:40 - The "Rock War" RTS 43:24 - Writing sci-fi factions 47:19 - Creating for an audience 56:54 - Fan feedback 1:05:35 - Making Dungeon Siege 1:21:24 - Development tools and multiplayer 1:42:20 - Nostalgia and classic games Follow us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/theurquanmaster Discuss with us on Discord - https://discord.gg/rasVCDmYKp Please support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/pistolshrimp Learn more about Pistol Shrimp - https://pistolshrimpgames.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1h 54m
03/26/2024

Channel 44: A Conversation with MinMax Games

Fred and Dan talk to Andrew Hume and Richard Clifford of MinMax Games, creators of Space Pirates and Zombies. The duo talk about building an indie game studio, the power of procedurally generated content, and the influence of The Ur-Quan Masters. 0:00 - Theme music 0:14 - Introductions 3:03 - Influence on Space Pirates and Zombies 10:14 - Discovering a game's focus 17:17 - Building an indie game studio 24:05 - Finding an audience 33:37 - Space combat 40:17 - Procedurally generated content 48:04 - Retro gaming 51:05 - The feeling of UQM Follow us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/theurquanmaster Discuss with us on Discord - https://discord.gg/rasVCDmYKp Please support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/pistolshrimp Learn more about Pistol Shrimp - https://pistolshrimpgames.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1 hr

3.7

out of 5

3 Ratings

Pistol Shrimp (https://pistolshrimpgames.com) presents a podcast covering our experiences in the game industry, discussions on game development, and stories about the creation of our current project, The Ur-Quan Masters 2. Support us on Patreon at https://patreon.com/pistolshrimp. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Creator

Pistol Shrimp
Years Active

2022 - 2024
Episodes

18
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© Pistol Shrimp
Show Website

Pistol Shrimp Podcast