Eggplant: The Secret Lives of Games
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Candid conversations with game creators that dive deep into the art, craft, and process of making games.
Eggplant: The Secret Lives of Games
2w ago
We're joined by LocalThunk, solo creator of the hypnotic deckbuilder Balatro. We discuss flauting the fashion of a genre and going into development blind, the benefits of balacing by feel, and why Balatro shouldn't exist.
Show Notes:
Balatro
LocalThunk
Big two
Luck Be a Landlord
Slice & Dice
Slay the Spire
Risk of Rain 2 ..read more
Eggplant: The Secret Lives of Games
1M ago
We're joined by renowned designer Eric Chahi (Another World, From Dust) to discuss his singularly surreal VR adventure Paper Beast. We discuss building a living ecosystem born from constraints, how the craft has changed over the decades, and the indecency of technology.
Show Notes:
Eric Chahi
Paper Beast
Another World
From Dust
Heart of Darkness
Strandbeest
TsuShiMaMiRe
Paprika
Pale Blue Dot ..read more
Eggplant: The Secret Lives of Games
1M ago
We're joined by Jon Ingold, co-founder of Inkle Studios (80 Days, Heaven's Vault) to discuss A Highland Song - a wild adventure through the Scottish Highlands. We chat about creating narrative-driven games without a critical path, allowing players to fail forward, and the origins of Inkle's beloved narrative scripting language, ink.
Show Notes:
Jon Ingold
A Highland Song
Inkle Studios
ink
The Forever Labyrinth
Rick Dangerous
TV Superstars
Inform
MUDs
Uncharted 3's horse-riding section ..read more
Eggplant: The Secret Lives of Games
2M ago
We (belatedly) celebrate the 5th anniversary of our show with a sprawling, silly, reflective episode with a full house of hosts! Thanks for listening to us for all this time. <3
Show Notes:
Bob Mould
Heat: Pedal to the Metal
Everest Pipkin's The Poppy Grower
Learning Moonring with Zach
A Link to the Past Redux
Paper Beast
Late Show 3-Legged Race: Video Game Speedrunner Edition
Tharsis
Blue Thunder
Everyday Shooter
PixelJunk Monsters
Puzzled Pint
Sleep No More
Teeny Little Super Guy
LearnedLeague ..read more
Eggplant: The Secret Lives of Games
2M ago
We welcome Rob Dubbin (he/they) as a permanent member of the host pool! We discuss his journey from Late Night into making games, applicable lessons learned in the writers' room, and the importance of making your own shot.
Show Notes:
Rob Dubbin
NYU Game Center
Babycastles
Wonderville
Game Studies Study Buddies
I Am America (And So Can You!)
Earl Grey
ZZT by Anna Anthropy
London Jerry: Freelance Mailman
Stephen Colbert at the White House Correspondants' Dinner
Samurai Gunn
Sportsfriends
Scripto
Scripto + Global Game Jam 2024 ..read more
Eggplant: The Secret Lives of Games
3M ago
We're joined by Kevin Poupard, co-creative director of the beautiful, meditative climbing game Jusant. We discuss the pains and gains of physics, trying something new as a studio, and anthropomorphizing mountains. Plus special guest co-host Mark Brown of Game Maker's Toolkit! Thanks Mark!
Show Notes:
Jusant
GMTK - How Jusant Makes Rock-Climbing More Immersive
Mind Over Magnet
Grow Home
Shadow of the Colossus ..read more
Eggplant: The Secret Lives of Games
4M ago
Daria Radu, Ben Wilson, and our very own Douglas Wilson join us to discuss their trick-taking card game Spoils, featured as an optional game within story-driven adventure game Saltsea Chronicles. We discuss the genesis of the game, drawing inspiration from worldbuilding, trick-taking as a mechanic, the programming of the AI systems, and more.
Show Notes:
Episode 69: Building a Better Bridge with Ben Wilson
Spoils - A Development Retrospective
Briscola Chiamata
Bridge
Skat
The Fox in the Forest ..read more
Eggplant: The Secret Lives of Games
4M ago
The creators of Tux and Fanny - Albery Birney and Gabriel Koenig - stop by to discuss their existential and hilarious adventure game Tux and Fanny. We discuss collaboration as improv comedy, the benefit of working with people from outside of games, and creating a Saturday morning cartoon from another world.
Show Notes:
Tux and Fanny (game)
Tux and Fanny (film)
Albert Birney
Gabriel Koenig
Dr. Mario or: House I Learned to Love Video Games Again and Accidentally Made One
Pixilart
Stalker
Birth - Eggplant Episode
Turn Towards Instead of Away
Russian Winnie-the-Pooh
McPixel
Animal Crossing: New Ho ..read more
Eggplant: The Secret Lives of Games
5M ago
We're joined by creative director Hannah Nicklin and writer Harry Josephine Giles to discuss Die Gute Fabrik's beautiful new story-driven adventure, Saltsea Chronicles. We dig into the world-building and construction of the playable ensemble cast, the writer's room that pulled it off, and building out design process as design.
Show Notes:
Saltsea Chronicles
Die Gute Fabrik
Hannah Nicklin
Harry Josephine Giles
Ink
Deep Dive: Designing a narrative for multiple middles and multiple heroes in Saltsea Chronicles
Saltsea Chronicles and Writing the Future
Pool Panic
Building a Better Bridge with Ben ..read more
Eggplant: The Secret Lives of Games
5M ago
We talk to our very own Zach Gage about his brand new games website, Puzzmo. We talk about player curiosity, newspaper games, Crosswords, and more.
Show Notes:
Episode 37: Designing Around Language with Zach Gage
Puzzmo manifesto
AVCX
How Hard Could It Be? (crossword puzzle by Rob Dubbin ..read more