エピソード

  • "It's hard how my mind works." Audio Middleware; Psychic Distance
    2024/09/19

    There are now episodes of Nice Games Club for each new day of the year! When you get to the last day of that year, you'll hear about Audio Middleware and Psychic Distance from us in the clubhouse.

    • About the Fair - Minnesota State Fair
    0:17:06Audio MiddlewareAn example of audio tech conversations we've had in the past.Game Audio Tools and WorkflowsWwiseAudiokineticFMODFMOD0:51:32Psychic DistancePsychic Distance: what it is and how to use itEmma DarwinThis Itch of Writing
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1分未満
  • Nice Thinking: "Player Personas"
    2024/09/12
    In this episode the boys are back in Minneapolis, but they are still thinking about their time with Ellen in Duluth, or Roboluth ;) sSo they are using this episode to talk about instructions, again, but this time though the lens of the different types of "user personas" who will be reading it.InstructionsWhat is Roboston?Roboston is a tabletop game that the the Nice Games Club came up with during an podcast Game Jam Episode. For anyone new to the podcast, we recommend starting two episodes back (at 362), for some background on the game. For those of you who wish for a full memory restoration, here is the full episode list:The original Nice Game Jam where Roboston was concievedRoboston! (Live at 2D Con 2020)A follow up episode 197 continues the devlopment because they were so excited about RobostonRoboston! (part 2)The club worked on the game over winter break in 2020-21, episode 207 summarizes what they worked on."It’s March tomorrow."We again visited Roboston over our 2023-24 winter break, and talk about in in episode 337"The Roboston Sessions"Mark and Steven visit Ellen in Duluth where they play a bunch of Roboston"Apply your context, thusly."Rulebook isMore than a script for “the teach”Verbal and visual (and, increasingly, multimedia)Define your PlayersSteve BromleyGame User ResearchDefine your PlayersUser persona is the UX term, Player persona is used in gamesThings to add to the FAQsDoes the value affected by the repeater also get multiplied if you’re adding a part? Does the value for a new part always have to come from the torso? Can you send the robot without having arms/legs/heads? How many dice should I try to go for in this check?Player Personas1. Roboston new playersBox inventory list Anatomical diagram of a robot Game setup diagram (game as a whole, what’s in your hand) Reference cards (player actions, game phases, etc.)2. Roboston experienced players Table of contents Stats for nerds Index (?) FAQ section3. Inexperienced tabletop game players Invitation to play, sense of fun Build trust with the player as the rulebook progresses4. Experienced tabletop game playersResource, reference Allow them to get right to the core, fast
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1分未満
  • The Duluth Basement Session
    2024/09/06

    Once again from hilly Duluth, Minnesota! On Day 2 of a game design weekend retreat, your nice hosts tackled rules—writing rules, rewriting rules, and playtesting them. It was a long day, culminating with a family playtest of Roboston, featuring a newly written rulebook. How did it go? Well, there's more work to be done, but we learned a lot. Your hosts discuss this and more in today's episode, recorded on Day 3 of Mark's and Stephen's trip to Duluth.

    • Minnesotan Phrases - Wanderlust In Real Life
    • Dante is the adorable troublemaker who barked MULTIPLE TIMES during the recording session.
    Resources for Rules-WritingTop Six Rules for Writing RulebooksMeeple MountainHow to Teach GamesThe Giant Brain
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1分未満
  • "Apply your context, thusly." Instructions; Cynicism
    2024/08/29

    It's a nice sleepover as this (and next) week's episode is recorded from Ellen's basement in Duluth. Mark has an angle, Ellen shares her topic, and Stephen manages.

    • The view from the rotating resturant that Mark took Stephen to - Ragnar Eythorsson, YouTube
    • Karen Puzzles - Karen Kavett, YouTube
      • 178 (TNG) + 176 (DS9) + 7 (TOS movies, including "Generations" because Kirk was in it) = 361 episodes
      • Nice Games Club = 362 episodes
    • One Piece aired it's 362nd episode 16 years ago. As of press time, it's up to 1116.

    • Our next target is My Three Sons, which has 380 episodes. We will reach that milestone at the end of 2024.

    0:07:31Instructions0:33:35Cynicism
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1分未満
  • "The lensing effect of the window." Theming vs. Aesthetics; Parries
    2024/08/22
    It’s hot in the clubhouse and hot in Ellen’s greenhouse this week, so your hosts are eager to crunch through some discussion. Ellen introduces the concept of the MDA framework, and the differences between Theming and Aesthetics, and Stephen comes to a major conclusion about parrying.0:06:40Theming vs. AestheticsThe MDA FrameworkWikipediaEllen promised Dictionary.com definitions, so here you go:AestheticsDictionary.comThemeDictionary.comWe talked about theming and aesthetics for a GameJam Game from a previous episodeThe Bike BoomAlien Isolation Themes explored n : Demystifying the Terror of Alien IsolationAndy RobertsonWired0:28:56ParriesStephen's list of why parries are so popular: 1) A way to reward mastery or paying attention 2) Rewards participation 3) An appreciable way to consider mastering the game The different variations of Parrying 1) Just Dodges 2) Traditional Parrying (miss = block) 3) Dynamic Parrying release parrying 4) Alternate button (paper mario parrying) EVO Moment 37Wikipedia
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1分未満
  • Accessibility (with Dave McKee)
    2024/08/15
    We invite music producer and sound designer Dave McKee into the clubhouse to talk about accessibility in games this week.AccessibilityAccessibilityGame DesignControl Accessibility Report - "Vivek Gohil, Ben Kendall", Family Gaming DatabaseInclusive Gaming: How Game Developers Can Make Video Games More Inclusive And A… - Accessibility.comVisual impairment accessibility musts:High ContrastUser-set color schemesBig Icons! (more important even than large text, which is also important)Leverage Haptics (HD Rumble) paired with visual cuesToning the music down (Dave recommends, regretfully)Accessibility options should come up at a game’s first-launchThe next Forza will help blind players race by listening to ‘beeps and boops’ - Tom Warren, The VergeRay Tracer - WayverbHow Next-Gen Audio Improvements in Snowdrop Could Mean Real-Time ‘Ray-Tracing A… - Youssef Maguid, UbisoftTekken 8 Accessibility Features Are Causing Controversy - Trumann Tu, GameRantThe Importance of Audio Described Cutscenes - Dom Parker, LinkedInSelf-Voicing - Ren'PyAdditional Resources not talked about on the showXbox Accessibility Guidelines V3.2 - MIcrosoftCan I Play That? - Can I Play That?XR Access - XR AccessDave McKeeGuestAn electronic and orchestral music producer and sound designer going by the name ViRiX.External linkLinktree
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1分未満
  • "Imagine it's running on a potato." Targeting Multiple Platforms; Spirit Island Spirits
    2024/08/09
    We face complexity head-on this episode with two topics that will get your neurons firing. Mark walks through considerations involved with publishing a game to multiple platforms. It's not easy, but it's a lot easier if you plan for it from the start! If you've listened to recent episodes, you'll know that Stephen has been obsessed with the tabletop game Spirit Island. Today, he shares some of the work he's done in creating a new, customized spirit for the game. Also, Mark experiences glitches, and the hosts plan a visit.Twin Cities Playtest from IGDA-TC - Eventbrite0:06:56Targeting Multiple PlatformsWe talked about porting games in Episode 175."Kapow?"Git fork vs branchGreg FosterGraphiteSlayers X: Terminal Aftermath: Vengeance of the SlayerFandomAllow controls to be remapped, reconfiguredGame Accessibility GuidelinesA Brief History of the Playstation’s Confirm And Cancel ButtonsThe Wired Fish Network BlogA Brief History of A & BMatthew GallantThe Quixotic Engineer Blog0:46:49Spirit Island SpiritsSpirit of Creation channelDiscordSpirit Design Deep DiveemilintleGoogle DocsSpirit IslandGreater Than GamesHow to Play: Spirit IslandGreater Than GamesYouTube
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1分未満
  • Physics 101 (with Scott Lembcke)
    2024/08/01
    "Pillar of the community" and creator of Chipmunk2D Scott Lembcke visits the clubhouse to talk velocity, constraints, and rigidbodies. Ellen gets the music in her head, Stephen didn’t learn the opposite lesson, and Mark makes a pretty good joke about friction.Physics 101ProgrammingChipmunk2D - Scott Lembcke , GitHubGopher (protocol)Building Excalibur.js - Erik Onarheim, YouTubeI'm pretty sure this was the song stuck in Ellen's head.What is an AABB? - Michael Rubloff, Radiance FieldsVeridian Expanse - Howling Moon Software, SteamIs pool actually just mathematics? - Stand-up Maths, YouTubeWhat is up with the spherical cow? - Rhett Allain, WiredAdvanced Character Physics - Thomas Jakobsen, Carnegie Mellon UniversityArc length of an ellipse - Ed Sandifer, The Euler ArchiveBox2D version 3.0 beta test has launched! - Erin Catto, MastodonTen Minute Physics - YouTubeScott LembckeGuest
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1分未満