EPISODE 36: Justin Perez
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...
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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...
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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:...
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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...
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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...
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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 -...
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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...
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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?...
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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...
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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:...
info_outlineWelcome to the very first podcast special! The Jason Schreier "Press Reset" special features interviews with people who appeared in his book. It details the stories of game development studio closures and how it affected the people behind some of gaming's biggest titles to date. I had the pleasure to interview Zach Mumbach, who is a former producer at Electronic Arts for games such as Dead Space 2, Dante’s Inferno, Battlefield Hardline, and the cancelled Star Wars Project Ragtag. Zach shares his journey into game development, what it was like seeing Visceral Games getting closed, what he learned from Amy Hennig and how the industry needs to evolve.
Time – Topic Discussed:
0:00 - Intro
3:08 - Guest topic: Skateboarding
05:47 - The importance of skateboard decks
07:02 - Skateboarding and inclusivity
09:06 - How did Zach’s story end up in the book?
14:26 - Reading his own story in the book
17:37 - Being a workaholic
22:00 - How Zach just walked into EA and got a job
25:40 - Quality assurance back in the day
30:07 - Becoming a producer
35:53 - Working on Godfather II & Dante’s Inferno
39:30 - Putting hats on Isaac
41:19 - Working on Army of Two
45:35 - Working on Battlefield Hardline
47:51 - Star Wars Project Ragtag
50:55 - Interacting with Amy Hennig
54:17 - The closure of Visceral Games
01:02:54 - The return of Skate and Dead Space
01:12:06 - Where are the older game developers?
01:14:49 - Leaving the industry
01:20:11 - Visiting the budget hotel room he worked on
01:21:31 - Returning to the industry
01:27:04 - Crunch in the games industry
01:34:30 - Was it worth it?
01:36:25 - Lessons learned
Things mentioned on the show:
Knives sent over to Visceral Games
Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi
Dead Space Part 1 - The Deepest Dive by MinnMax
Social Media:
Zach Mumbach
Zach Mumbach on Twitter (@zachulon)
The Wandering Band on Twitter (@AWanderingBand)
Zach Mumbach on Instagram (@zachulon)
Zach Mumbach on Facebook (@zachulon)
YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY
YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Twitter (@youmeindustry)
Dorian on Twitter (@DorianChou)
YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Instagram (@youmeindustry)
Dorian on Instagram (@dorian.chou)
YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Facebook (youmeindustry)
Intro/Outro by FreshMcZone
Artwork by Thomas Martin (Instagram: @thomas.martin.martin)