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YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY EPISODE 16: Rami Ismail

Release Date: 03/26/2021

YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY

Time to sheath your lightsaber and listen to this podcast folks! This episode I am joined by Justin Perez, a gameplay designer who is best known for his work on games with incredible combat such as Kingdoms of Amalur Reckoning and the Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order series. We discussed the current state of the games industry, him appearing in the book Press Reset and the importance of working from home. Furthermore we talk about all things Star Wars, what he pays attention to when it comes to combat, the industry being more transparent about the game development process and we dive into the...

EPISODE 35: Andrejs Kļaviņš

YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY

A brand new episode for all you great murder mystery loving detectives out there is here! This time I am joined by Andrejs Kļaviņš from Color Gray Games. Andrejs and his brother are the creators of the Case of the Golden Idol, one of the best indie games of recent memory. We discuss making the game, how to find the right difficulty for a puzzle game and how becoming a father impacts your sleep schedule. Furthermore, we go into detail on designing a word based game for an international audience, cut content of the game and if AI can help to create interesting puzzles. Time...

EPISODE 34: M|O|O|N

YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY

Let’s get the dust off and finish this year strong! This episode I am joined by Stephen Gilarde, who is a DJ best known for being featured on the Hotline Miami 1 & 2 soundtrack. We discuss why he came back to the M|O|O|N moniker, his side project Was Fret, how Hotline Miami changed his life and his opinions on landlords. Furthermore, we go into detail on the issue with Spotify, Stephen talks about the only good website on the internet, dealing with social media and we get never before shared insights on some of his work. Time – Topic Discussed: 0:00 - Intro 03:26 - Guest topic:...

EPISODE 33: Masao Kobayashi

YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY

Let me pitch you an idea. How about you check out this new podcast episode?! This episode I am joined by Masao Kobayashi, who is the co-founder and the studio manager of Cut to Bits. We discuss growing up in Japan, pitching games to publishers and cultural differences. Furthermore, we go into detail on community management, learning from mistakes and Masao shares his three essential manga recommendations. Time – Topic Discussed: 0:00 - Intro 03:50 - The What else do you do?-podcast 09:30 - Doing the podcast for himself 12:23 - Splitting the podcast 16:50 - Growing up in Japan...

EPISODE 32: Aj Grand-Scrutton

YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY

Haha! (imagine this being said in a Micky Mouse voice) This episode I am joined by AJ, who is the founder and CEO of Dlala Studios. We discuss their upcoming title called Disney Illusion Island and what it is like to run a 35 people studio. Furthermore, we get into the design decisions behind making great coop games, what keeps AJ up at night and with AJ being a Disney expert I had to ask about Goofy wearing pants while Pluto isn't. Time – Topic Discussed: 0:00 - Intro 03:08 - Guest topic: Being blessed by a pug 06:10 - Guest topic: Bringing the band back together 08:30 - Revealing...

EPISODE 31: Lifeformed & Janice Kwan

YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY

Welcome all you cute foxes! This episode I am joined by Lifeformed and Janice Kwan, the composing duo behind the outstanding soundtrack of the indie darling Tunic. We discuss their working process, how a vacation to Taiwan became a permanent residence change and what breakfast essentials nourished them to compose a 60 track soundtrack. Furthermore, we discuss what it was like to work 7 years on a soundtrack, how they both come up with track titles and I get to lose a couple of potential sponsorships while asking about their hardware issues over the years. Time – Topic Discussed: 0:00 -...

EPISODE 30: Richard Lemarchand

YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY

Take your seat everyone, class is about to start! This episode I am joined by Richard Lemarchand, professor in the USC Games program at the University of Southern California to discuss his recently released book called A Playful Production Process! We discussed the making of his book, what it was like to work with industry legends, how a new generation of video game makers are tackling game design and much more. Furthermore, we discuss the hero’s journey, how Richard felt watching the Uncharted movie and I get to ask about the essential snacks he is missing out on since he moved to the...

EPISODE 29: Rebekah Valentine

YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY

BREAKING NEWS…AWARD WINNING REPORTER JOINS PODCAST! This episode I had the pleasure of welcoming Rebekah Valentine for another episode. We discussed her reports on work culture in the games industry, what her job entails and how to build a trustworthy relationship with sources. Furthermore, we discuss our favorite food related memories, the state of journalism in the industry and I get to learn more about the ins and outs of doing a food related podcast. Time – Topic Discussed: 0:00 - Intro 03:18 - Guest topic: What is the best meal we have ever eaten? 11:46 - What does her day look like?...

YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY EPISODE 28: Alex Neonakis

YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY

Hey kiddo… I found one of them episodes you like to listen to! This one features an interview with concept artist and illustrator Alex Neonakis, who worked at Naughty Dog. While at Naughty Dog, she worked on games such as The Last of Us, Left Behind, Uncharted 4, Lost Legacy and The Last of Us Part II. We discuss the exceptional work she did at the studio, her passion for details, the current state of the industry and much more. Furthermore, we talk about the concept art of Elden Ring, how social media impacts our perception of art and I get to ask about a very interesting theory about...

YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY EPISODE 27: Zi Xu

YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY

Hey Aniki… it’s time for another episode! This time I got to interview cover and poster artist Zi Xu. She is known for her incredible work for companies such as Sega, Mondo, Marvel, DC and Star Wars. We talk about the difficulty of being a freelance artist, how to deal with burnout, what inspires her and the importance of not being ashamed of your hobbies. Furthermore, we geek out over Yakuza, discuss Marvel movies and I get to learn more about her current obsession, world's fairs. Please enjoy! Time – Topic Discussed: 0:00 - Intro 01:33 - Yakuza 06:00 - Guest topic:...

More Episodes

Welcome to a very special episode of YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY. After the re-announcement of the highly controversial game Six Days in Fallujah, I wanted to learn more about the issue and the stereotypical portrayal of Arabs and Muslims in video games and Western media. I got the chance to interview Rami Ismail and we talked about how the USA dictates the discourse, how it is impossible to make a game like this that isn’t political, Rami’s experience boarding airplanes and much more.

Time – Topic Discussed:

0:00 - Intro

3:47 - The conversation around Six Days in Fallujah

10:20 - The influence of the USA on the world

19:13 - The issue with Six Days in Fallujah

29:55 - Apolitical wars

31:38 - Minorities in the USA

34:05 - The Current State of Muslim Representation in Video Games and other forms of media in 2021

40:46 - Ms. Marvel and other shows

45:01 - Two different views of the world

46:41 - Growing up bi-racial

52:34 - Rami’s experiences at the airport