Lightmap - Conversations with video game creators
Lightmap is an Australian Podcast Award winning show that explores the creative process of making videogames and interactive media, and introduces you to the creators of some of the most exciting titles. You'll meet developers, musicians, artists, journalist and more, so come join us here and on SIFTER.com.au
S2 E241 · Mon, April 07, 2025
LUSHFOIL PHOTOGRAPHY SIM ask you to open the lens and take in the beautiful isolation
LUSHFOIL PHOTOGRAPHY SIM is all about the vibes and heavily inspired by developer Matt Newell's own treks around the world with camera in hand. Originally starting as a project to create some fantastic scenery it morphed into a camera sim and featuring locations like Meelup and Castle Rock Beach in Matt's home state of Western Australia and his new home in Japan, this chill game is all about opening the lens and taking it all in. Listen to Gianni and Matt talk about the joy of photography and what inspires them to take pictures. Pocket Casts: You can now rate the show on Pocket Casts, give us a five star review learn more by heading here https://pocketcasts.com/ratings Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent video games journalism. * New subscribers only. AU$9.99/month after free trial. Plan automatically renews after trial until cancelled. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Courtney Smith , Adam Christou and Chris Button . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia and Apple for their support of SIFTER.
S2 E240 · Sun, March 23, 2025
Setting your own limits: CITIZEN SLEEPER 2: STARWARD VECTOR builds on the scifi roleplaying game
CITIZEN SLEEPER 2: STARWARD VECTOR is a special kind of game, one that builds so gently and thoroughly on its predecessor, with a bigger universe to explore for lovers of heartfelt science fiction. Developer Gareth Damian Martin joins us again, to share design intentions about expanding this world, how players narrativise every choice they make, and why this might be the last video game in this world for a little while. Listen back to our previous episode on the first game CITIZEN SLEEPER before you join us for this conversation. Pocket Casts: You can now rate the show on Pocket Casts, give us a five star review learn more by heading here https://pocketcasts.com/ratings Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent video games journalism. * New subscribers only. AU$9.99/month after free trial. Plan automatically renews after trial until cancelled. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Courtney Smith , Adam Christou and Chris Button . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia and Apple for their support of SIFTER.
S2 E239 · Thu, January 23, 2025
The best videogame soundtracks of 2024 - Meena Shamaly's top 21 tracks from 13 games
One of my favourite things each year is when Meena Shamaly host of Game Show on ABC Classic sends me the big list of tracks that have made a massive impact. These games might not be winning massive awards, a lot of them do of course, but you know every piece of music you’re going to hear has made an impact on Meena’s heart. Meena Shamaly who is a composer, musician, Australia’s biggest Oud fan boy really loves game soundtracks. So much so that every year I’ve asked, and this is the third time we’ve done this I say give me a top ten, and I get no joke double or triple that and here they all are plus bonus honourable mentions. Twenty one pieces of music from thirteen different games. It's a lot of fun so take a step back through 2024's best soundtracks in this massive special episode. Pocket Casts: You can now rate the show on Pocket Casts, give us a five star review learn more by heading here https://pocketcasts.com/ratings Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent video games journalism. * New subscribers only. AU$9.99/month after free trial. Plan automatically renews after trial until cancelled. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Courtney Smith , Adam Christou and Chris Button . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to<a href="https://www.omnystudio.com/" rel="n
S2 E238 · Mon, November 18, 2024
Valve's Steam Deck designers on the making of the groundbreaking handheld computer
It took a couple of years but the Steam Deck is officially available today for players in Australia. The reason? Well why don't we let designers Lawrence Yang, Jay Shaw and Yazan Aldehayyat explain. Gianni sat down with Valve's handheld makers in Melbourne to learn how player behaviour has changed with the launch of the portable computer, what to expect from the next generation hardware, and what they are working on next. 256GB LCD A$649.00 512GB OLED $899.00 1TB OLED $1049.00 1TB OLED White $1099.00 You can add order a Steam Deck in Australia today , head to the Steam website to grab yours now. Pocket Casts: You can now rate the show on Pocket Casts, give us a five star review learn more by heading here https://pocketcasts.com/ratings Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent video games journalism. * New subscribers only. AU$9.99/month after free trial. Plan automatically renews after trial until cancelled. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Courtney Smith , Adam Christou and Chris Button . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia and Apple for t
S2 E237 · Mon, November 04, 2024
Making history anew with CIVILIZATION VII, the next game in the milestone series
With a game series as long running as CIVILIZATION, how do you keep reinventing and refining when you hit the seventh title? With long campaigns and countless hours for each play through, these games take on a life of their own for each player. Recently at Melbourne International Games Week Firaxis Games developers Andrew Frederiksen (Lead Producer), John Fitzgerald (Lead Unit Artist) and Matthew Quickel (Senior Lead Environment Artist) shared their thoughts on the making of CIVILIZATION VII . We discuss how to update, add new features and maintain the features players love and how updated visuals add a new unique feel. Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent video games journalism. * New subscribers only. AU$9.99/month after free trial. Plan automatically renews after trial until cancelled. Pocket Casts: You can now rate the show on Pocket Casts, give us a five star review learn more by heading here https://pocketcasts.com/ratings You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Courtney Smith , Adam Christou and Chris Button . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia for their support of SIFTER.
S2 E236 · Tue, September 17, 2024
Racing and liquid raves PHANTOM SPARK is precision racing without the pressure
If you love the feeling of racing until you perfect the line PHANTOM SPARK might be exactly what you're looking for. Joon Van Hove (NUTS) one part of Icelandic studio Ghosts shares how Torfi Asgeirsson nailed the gameplay before anyone else even came on board. How subtle storytelling, but no plot, was an essential design element, that builds to competitive online leaderboards. Enjoy the retro aesthetic but don't put too much emphasis on Wipeout or F-Zero when you play. Adam Christou guest hosts this episode of Lightmap. Pocket Casts: You can now rate the show on Pocket Casts, give us a five star review learn more by heading here https://pocketcasts.com/ratings Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent video games journalism. * New subscribers only. AU$9.99/month after free trial. Plan automatically renews after trial until cancelled. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Courtney Smith , Adam Christou and Chris Button . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia for their support of SIFTER.
S2 E235 · Wed, August 21, 2024
Comedy specials and a brand new Gameboy game, comedian Tommy Dassalo on SUPER DASSALO LAND
Comedian Tommy Dassalo who you might know from podcasts Filthy Casuals and Little Dum Dum Club, thought it might be too narcissistic to make a game about yourself and charge for it. Lucky SUPER DASSALO LAND is a free prequel to his latest comedy special, so therefore not as narcissistic, and he teamed up with talented Gameboy creator Gumpy Function ( GRIMACE'S BIRTHDAY, UNEARTHED ). It's a lot of fun so get on board as Kyle guest hosts Lightmap. Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent video games journalism. * New subscribers only. AU$9.99/month after free trial. Plan automatically renews after trial until cancelled. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Courtney Smith , Adam Christou and Chris Button . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia for their support of SIFTER.
S3 E234 · Thu, August 08, 2024
Complexity is fun, designing the DISNEY LORCANA trading card game
Have you every wondered what it takes to design one of those sprawling trading card games? It's not that often that a news series pops up, there are a few major series but one of the newest to hit the tabletops is DISNEY LORCANA by Ravensburger. Ryan Miller is the co-designer and brand manager and sat down to share how a childhood love of Dungeons & Dragons, time working at Wizards of the Coast and how The Princess Bride lead him to making this new game. Find out more about Shimmering Skies the next expansion for the game, the fifth series and how to balance increasing mechanics in an ever expanding card set, design intentions behind this new expansion and why putting smiles on people's faces is Ryan's driving goal. Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent video games journalism. * New subscribers only. AU$9.99/month after free trial. Plan automatically renews after trial until cancelled. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Courtney Smith , Adam Christou and Chris Button . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia for their support of SIFTER.
S2 E233 · Wed, July 10, 2024
SCHIM is a cute joyful stealth puzzle set in the shadows of the real world
Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent video games journalism. * New subscribers only. AU$9.99/month after free trial. Plan automatically renews after trial until cancelled. Ewoud van der Werf had an idea. Could you combine Dutch folklore, shadowy stealth and his hometown to make a game that captures the cheeky joy of childlike fun? That's SCHIM , where you jump as a shadow frog interacting with this town as you move from shadow to shadow. Nils Slijkerman from Extra Nice noticed Ewoud's skill as part of an internship and a partnership was made. Learn more about translating downtown Friesland into a game, capturing joyful fun, and making everything interactive. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Courtney Smith , Adam Christou and Chris Button . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia for their support of SIFTER.
S2 E232 · Thu, June 13, 2024
CAPES is a super heroic tactics game from the makers of HAND OF FATE
Have you ever wanted to make the ultimate super hero teamup? Inspired by XCOM: CHIMERA SQUAD, CAPES is the new tactical super hero game where positioning and combo moves are the way to win. Want to put together your own fastball special? Squad composition and positioning is the way to win. Cade Franklin one of the original team on HAND OF FATE joins Lightmap to share the design intentions, making it feel super and how the team who made one of the most interesting Australian made games is back together working on new titles. Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent video games journalism. * New subscribers only. AU$9.99/month after free trial. Plan automatically renews after trial until cancelled. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Courtney Borrett , Daniel Ang , Adam Christou and Chris Button . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia for their support of SIFTER.
S2 E231 · Wed, May 29, 2024
COZY CARAVAN has cute stepped animations and chill lo-fi vibes
Chris Conte & Dean Ferguson from Queensland's 5 Lives Studios share COZY CARAVAN and ask you te enjoy lo-fi hip hop beats to open a market stall to. Learn why the team wanted to make something that was decidedly smaller than their previous titles, designing this cool stepped animation and why they still want to return to SATELLITE REIGN one day. Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent video games journalism. * New subscribers only. AU$9.99/month after free trial. Plan automatically renews after trial until cancelled. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Courtney Borrett , Daniel Ang , Adam Christou and Chris Button . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia for their support of SIFTER.
S2 E230 · Sun, May 12, 2024
BALADINS is a time-loopy RPG for up to four pals where you can't save everyone at once
Can't get your friends to come join you at your house for a night of tabletop gaming? BALADINS by French studio Seed by Seed takes the fun of rolling dice and playing a character and distills it to a cool timeloop adventure. Jean Nicholas and Thaïs Arias join Lightmap to share their narrative game which was featured as part of Ludonarracon , their coop studio structure and prototyping this cute multiplayer adventure. Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent video games journalism. * New subscribers only. AU$9.99/month after free trial. Plan automatically renews after trial until cancelled. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Courtney Borrett , Daniel Ang , Adam Christou and Chris Button . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia for their support of SIFTER.
S2 E229 · Fri, March 29, 2024
League of Geeks almost shut up shop, their last big play is SOLIUM INFERNUM
It's been nearly eight years since Trent Kusters one of the co-founders of Melbourne's League of Geeks joined me on the podcast. Back in the Pixel Sift days, Trent was working through the early days of ARMELLO their groundbreaking digital board game, but the last twelve months have been some of the hardest for the company. JUMPLIGHT ODYSSEY was shelved in order to limp along and get SOLIUM INFERNUM across the line. In a very candid interview Trent shares what went wrong and how it felt to have to bring crashing down what they had built over the last decade. We also chat about coming full circle with the tabletop boardgame version of ARMELLO being developed by King of the Castle Games. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Courtney Borrett , Daniel Ang , Adam Christou and Chris Button . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia for their support of SIFTER.
S2 E228 · Wed, March 06, 2024
BERSERK BOY is a fast paced platformer with the soul of Sonic the Hedgehog
Did you grow up blasting through Green Hill Zone or Casino Night Zone? Maybe you spent hours defeating the nefarious schemes of Dr Wily. These colourful platformers hold a fond place in the hearts of many including Zu Ehtisham solo developer of the new BERSERK BOY where you blast through levels switching elemental powers as you go. Learn how Zu build a modern platformer that is inspired by but isn't beholden to the past. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Courtney Borrett , Daniel Ang , Adam Christou and Chris Button . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia for their support of SIFTER.
S2 E227 · Tue, February 27, 2024
The enduring appeal of FRUIT NINJA, reinventing the game for Apple Vision Pro
Queensland based Halfbrick have been making games for almost 25 years, and chances are if you’ve picked up a phone in the last decade you’ve played one of their games. Fruit Ninja and Jetpack Joyride, Age of Zombies or maybe you’re a bit more oldschool and played one of their Gameboy Advance games or PlayStation or Wii titles. In an industry that surges and wanes, Halfbrick has been one of the enduring stories of game development in Australia. Shainiel Deo is CEO and one of the founders, and Maddy Annibale have just put out their newest title, SUPER FRUIT NINJA and Jetpack Joyride 2 for the Apple Vision Pro. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Courtney Borrett , Daniel Ang , Adam Christou and Chris Button . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia for their support of SIFTER.
S2 E226 · Sun, February 04, 2024
Austin Wintory, Tripod, Montaigne on writing the Grammy Award nominated STRAY GODS: THE ROLEPLAYING MUSICAL
The groundbreaking STRAY GODS: THE ROLEPLAYING MUSICAL is pretty unique and the very first Australian made game to be nominated for a Grammy Award, which will be awarded today. Composers Austin Wintory (JOURNEY, ASSASSIN'S CREED SYNDICATE) Scott Edgar and Simon Hall from musical comedy group Tripod, singer-songwritter Montaigne aka Jess Cerro join Summerfall Studios Liam Esler to talk about what it was like to make this branching musical adventure. The 66th Annual Grammy Awards will be held on Sunday 4th February 2024 (Monday 5th February in Australia) You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Courtney Borrett , Daniel Ang , Adam Christou and Chris Button . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia for their support of SIFTER.
S2 E225 · Thu, December 14, 2023
The best game soundtracks of 2023: ZELDA: TOTK, BALDUR'S GATE 3 & more
We listen back through this incredible year of games with our friend Meena Shamaly , musician, composer and host of ABC Classic's The Game Show. It's Shamaly Selects 2023 and boy are there some incredible pieces to listen to. Here is what delighted and made the top eight this year. STRAY GODS: THE ROLEPLAYING MUSICAL - Adrift & Challenging a Queen (Red Edition) TCHIA - Main Theme BALDUR'S GATE 3 - Down by the River MARVEL'S SPIDER-MAN 2 - Greater Together ASSASSIN'S CREED MIRAGE - Mirage Theme MORTAL KOMBAT 1 - A New Era (Main Theme) VENBA - Raasa THE LEGEND OF ZELDA TEARS OF THE KINGDOM - Main Theme What made your soundtrack list? Leave us a review with your favourite soundtrack. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Courtney Borrett , Daniel Ang , Adam Christou and Chris Button . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia for their support of SIFTER.
S2 E224 · Mon, November 20, 2023
KNUCKLE SANDWICH is an RPG inspired by best of GBA and Nintendo DS games
If you grew up playing the Gameboy Advance and the Nintendo DS, you might have missed the aesthetic those games created at the time, but you'd definitely remember the vibes. Those vibes are what Andy Brophy and Olivia Haines are trying to recapture in their weird and wonderful roleplaying game KNUCKLE SANDWICH . With some kicking tunes and fun turn based battles, this is a game that might just inspire the next generation of video game creators. Learn how this project went from flash game to full release and how Olivia's love of PlayStation 1 era games also shaped the game for the better. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Courtney Borrett , Daniel Ang , Adam Christou and Chris Button . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia for their support of SIFTER.
S2 E223 · Tue, October 31, 2023
A voice says SLAY THE PRINCESS. What you do next is up to you
SLAY THE PRINCESS is a horror narrative visual novel where you've got one task. You're here to slay a princess, but if you do is actually up to you. This game brings branching narratives and a style of roguelite gameplay to the visual novel genre where all your choices can lead to an ending. Developers Abby Howard and Tony Howard-Arias join Lightmap to share how their small side project SLAY THE PRINCESS was made while developing episodic game SCARLET HOLLOW and how it's found them a brand new audience. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang , Adam Christou and Chris Button . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia for their support of SIFTER.
S2 E222 · Wed, October 18, 2023
THE PLUCKY SQUIRE jumps between 2D and 3D worlds and is a gorgeous homage to gaming's past
THE PLUCKY SQUIRE feels like a world of pure imagination. Jonathan Biddle and James Turner head up All Possible Futures a completely remote studio working on the gorgeous game that acts as a love letter to some of your favourite genres and games of the last 30 years. Gianni sat down with Jonathon Biddle at PAX Australia to explore how this collaboration came together, inspirations from Nintendo games past, and what to expect when the game hits your consoles next year. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang , Adam Christou and Chris Button . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia for their support of SIFTER.
S2 E221 · Mon, October 02, 2023
Are video games causing climate change?
If you want to play a video game you have to plug something in, that power comes from somewhere and Dr Ben Abraham , has completed the second annual Net Zero Snapshot for the games industry. Ubisoft is leading the charge dropping their emissions, despite being one of the world's biggest studios, but for many other Triple A game developers they just aren't making enough of a change according to Abraham. You can read the full report over on the After Climate website . You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang , Adam Christou and Chris Button . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia for their support of SIFTER.
S2 E220 · Mon, September 25, 2023
Orchestrating the CULT OF THE LAMB ritual, River Boy on making this catchy soundtrack
When you first hear the soundtrack for CULT OF THE LAMB it's immediately clear how much of a part it is to the experience of the game. Narayana Johnson who performs under River Boy made his first soundtrack when working on Massive Monster's smash hit, and it will be rearranged and performed this Melbourne International Games Week with Orchestra Victoria . Narayana shares the origins of this work, some of the techniques used to make the music, and what it's like to be making all the sounds for the game now. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang , Adam Christou and Chris Button . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia for their support of SIFTER.
Bonus · Wed, September 13, 2023
Drop Rate - STARFIELD boldly goes, a compelling science fiction adventure among the cosmos
We've got some brand new episodes of Lightmap on the way, featuring some very cool guests but to get you there here is the latest episode of Drop Rate featuring Chris Button, SIFTER EP Gianni Di Giovanni and Player2.net.au writer Jess Zammit talking all about STARFIELD Bethesda's huge spacefaring roleplaying game. Follow Drop Rate on your favourite podcast player here New episodes of Lightmap next week. --- It's a massive universe to explore in STARFIELD a game that builds on many of the gameplay systems you've come to enjoy in Bethesda's roleplaying games. Does it live up to the hype after years of development and delays? Well it depends on what type of player you are, but there is lots of fun to be had here. Jess Zammit (Player2.net.au) joins SIFTER's own Gianni Di Giovanni for two pretty different galaxy spanning adventure. A copy of STARFIELD on Xbox Series X|S was provided to SIFTER for the purpose of this review. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang , Adam Christou , Omi Koulas and Chris Button . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia for their support of SIFTER.
S2 E219 · Thu, August 10, 2023
IMMORTALITY's Sam Barlow on why AI art could never really replace people
The first thing you notice when you see a game made by Half Mermaid the studio lead by Sam Barlow is that it doesn't really look like a game, the full motion video looks more like a TV show or movie. For Barlow what initially started as a creative and budgetary constraint of being a small indie team has become a defining feature of his work, with his most recent title IMMORTALITY which explores three decades of filmmaking. Barlow will be making his way to Australia for SXSW Sydney in October this year and spoke about his creative process, filmic literacy in the audience, and why he stands with the actors striking for a better deal in Hollywood. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang , Adam Christou and Chris Button . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia for their support of SIFTER.
S2 E218 · Tue, July 25, 2023
Motorbike stunts and metrovania combine in stylish LAIKA: AGED THROUGH BLOOD
You know when you just look at a game and think, everyone is going to be talking about this? LAIKA: AGED THROUGH BLOOD combines some of the best motorbike tricks of TRIALS with a stylish story featuring some of the coolest anthropomorphic animals in game since CULT OF THE LAMB. Ivan Papiol one of the artists from Spanish studio Brainwash Gang joins us to share the origins of their pirate collective studio, how Newgrounds flash games inspired the distinctive look & studio ethos and what it's like having to make games for a big foreign imperial culture that you've made the enemies in your game. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang , Adam Christou and Omi Koulas . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia for their support of SIFTER.
S2 E217 · Mon, July 10, 2023
The history of video games, one year and one game at a time
How do you condense more around forty years of interactive history into one book? Games journalist Jordan Minor (PC Mag, The Escapist) has taken on this task, with a new beautifully illustrated book " Video Game of the Year " which charts the biggest moments in games. Jordan shares his history as a games writer, the limit of a single game per year and why certain games were chosen over others. It's also an interesting insight into the politics of games over the last four decades. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang , Adam Christou and Omi Koulas . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia for their support of SIFTER.
Bonus · Sat, July 01, 2023
Drop Rate SIFTER's new review podcast - STORY OF SEASONS A WONDERFUL LIFE
Subscribe to Drop Rate our new review podcast for free. Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts Amazon Music Pocket Casts -- STORY OF SEASONS: A WONDERFUL LIFE revisits the 2003 farming simulator GameCube classic. In the years since its original release, farming games have risen in popularity: Stardew Valley , Wylde Flowers , and Disney Dreamlight Valley , just to name a few. Ruby Innes (Back Pocket) and Courtney Borrett (Power Up, Kotaku Australia) join us this episode to explain why this modern take on the classic game is one of the best in the series to revisit. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang , Adam Christou , Omi Koulas and Chris Button . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia for their support of SIFTER.
S2 E216 · Tue, May 23, 2023
PLANET OF LANA has its own secret language and galaxy spanning story
It might not look like it, but PLANET OF LANA is actually Wishfully's very first game after a long career in TV and animation. Lead game designer Adam Stjärnljus and script writer Klas Eriksson who both co-directed the game have been working together creatively since they were thirteen years old and have always wanted to make a game. We dive into the process of telling a story in an invented language, how composer Takeshi Furukawa (THE LAST GUARDIAN, STAR WARS CLONE WARS) fell in love with the game at first concept art and how it feels to be at the finish line after five years of development. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by KYLE Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E215 · Tue, May 09, 2023
The video game industry does not exist
You might be thinking looking at the name of this episode, hang on, haven't you been making a games podcast for nearly a decade now? Well that's the title of a new book from games researcher Brendan Keogh , who has been speaking to developers all around the world about their practice and it turns out we should be thinking about games in a totally different way. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by KYLE Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E214 · Thu, April 20, 2023
DROS is an alchemical platformer inspired by dark 80s fantasy like The Dark Crystal
Creative Director Ben Ward describes the world of DROS as kimo-kawaii or creepy cute taking direct inspiration from 1980s dark fantasy films, this platformer has you switching characters on the fly to complete each level. Producer Tim Molony and Ben join Gianni for a preview of the game ahead of the launch onto Kickstarter . Learn more about how this small team went from creating VR titles to DROS, their design inspirations and what they are looking forward to adding into the game. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by FIONA Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E213 · Thu, April 06, 2023
Why DREDGE a cosmic horror fishing game is reeling people in
There is something not quite right below the waves and in DREDGE you're pulling it all back up to the surface. This lovecraftian fishing game is simple and addictive, with plenty of creeping terror bubbling below the surface. Programmer, designer and narrative lead Joel Mason , 3D Artist Mikey Bastiaens and 2D Artist Alex Ridge from New Zealand's Black Salt Games join us to share how they designed the different systems within the game that will see you lose yourself to the sea. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by FIONA Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E212 · Mon, March 13, 2023
Why real rental horror stories are part of this spooky comedic game
Everyone has a horror story to tell when it comes to renting, there are some downright scary experiences out there, and Sydney's Fuzzy Ghost are trying to collect the best of the worst for their next game JANET DEMORNAY IS A SLUMLORD (AND A WITCH) , or JDM for short. Award winning Australian developers Scott Ford and Pete Foley join us to share the found family of renting, why CONTROL and THE THING are strong influences and the paternalistic feeling of jumping to a landlord's demands. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Support the show: https://sifter.store
Trailer · Tue, February 28, 2023
What is Lightmap? Meet video game creators and hear their story.
Lightmap is SIFTER 's interview podcast, it's won an Australian Podcast Award and features frank and honest conversations with video game creators. We talk to developers, musicians, artists and more about why they create for interactive media. There are more than 200 stories to experience in our back catalogue so why not learn a bit more about the creative process. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E211 · Mon, February 27, 2023
Explore the heavens in JUMPLIGHT ODYSSEY and delve through hell in SOLIUM INFERNUM
The digital boardgame ARMELLO was how Melbourne's League of Geeks made their name but seven years since that ground breaking indie game was released the studio this year will be sharing not one but two new games. Kelsey Gamble is the Publishing Producer and has a hand in both the scifi anime colony sim JUMPLIGHT ODYSSEY and the hellish political game SOLIUM INFERNUM . Listen to find out how the team is able to produce both games, how the games are progressing and what you can look forward to when you get your hands on these titles. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E210 · Thu, February 02, 2023
Why aren't there more video game musicals like the upcoming STRAY GODS?
STRAY GODS: THE ROLEPLAYING MUSICAL combines narrative adventure games with realtime dynamic songs that change as you make choices. Liam Esler, Managing Director of Melbourne's Summerfall Studios shares how musicians Montaigne and Tripod helped create the soundtrack to this game inspired by the musical episode of Buffy. Written by David Gaider (DRAGON AGE) and composed by Austin Wintory, it's an all star team. Catch up with our very first interview with the Summerfall team back in 2019 as they first shared their game at PAX Australia You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E209 · Wed, January 25, 2023
Has this developer nailed the modern 8bit JRPG? 8 BIT ADVENTURES 2, a love letter to classic Final Fantasy games
Retro inspired videogames are a dime a dozen but what happens if you lean in all the way, play with the nostalgic experiences of those people who grew up with the NES and the Gameboy to make something truly modern. Joshua Hallaran from Critical Games has been working on 8-BIT ADVENTURES 2 for seven years, studying the classics and creating a true love letter to the pixel graphics and chiptune of the early nineties. Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by buying us a coffee on KoFi or some merch on the SIFTER STORE Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER.
S2 E208 · Sun, January 01, 2023
The best video game soundtracks of 2022 with Meena Shamaly
What is a game without it's soundtrack? Meena Shamaly , composer and host of ABC Classic's The Game Show joins Gianni for a musical journey through some of the best sounds in video games. Check out the full list on our website: The Best Video Game Soundtracks of 2022 with Meena Shamaly Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by buying us a coffee on KoFi or some merch on the SIFTER STORE Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER.
S2 E55 · Thu, December 22, 2022
Games of the Year 2022 - ELDEN RING, CULT OF THE LAMB & more
It's our bumper Game of The Year special, we've got six different games for you as well as a bunch of honourable mentions from the SIFTER team. It was a very hard choice this year with lots of incredible games. You can read a full write up of our favourites on the SIFTER website. SIFTER's 2022 Games of the Year Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by buying us a coffee on KoFi or some merch on the SIFTER STORE Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E207 · Thu, November 10, 2022
How does morse code work? Learn in MORSE a tactical puzzle game set in World War 1
Alex Johannsson has been working on MORSE , inspired by a love of alt controllers and limited button inputs, in this game that combines real morse code and grid based combat. Alex joins Gianni to talk about the development of the game over many years and why cool weird controllers are really a big source of inspiration. Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by buying us a coffee on KoFi or some merch on the SIFTER STORE Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 Enull · Wed, October 19, 2022
Meet vtuber Miltia, one of Australia's favourite catgirls
Miltia is one of the biggest Vtubers in Australia, a partnered streamer on Twitch and she's made a career connecting with fans all over the world. You'll find her playing Apex Legends most days and she said vtubing as really allowed her to connect better with her audience. Mitch finds out what it's like vtubing, how the community responded to her new look and what she thinks of the current Apex Legends metagame. WATCH THE VIDEO INTERVIEW on our website - What is it like being a vtuber? Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by buying us a coffee on KoFi or some merch on the SIFTER STORE Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E206 · Tue, September 27, 2022
UNPACKING's music is a storytelling tool of colour and emotion
Jeff Van Dyck is a BAFTA award winning composer and sound designer, who has worked on FIFA, the TOTAL WAR series, and most recently UNPACKING as one third of Queensland based studio Witch Beam Games. Jeff shares the story of how he came to work with a small indie studio after working Triple A titles for years, the story telling in each of the pieces of music and how the next project TEMPOPO mixes rhythm and puzzle solving. You can catch Jeff Van Dyck at Melbourne International Games Week as part of APRA AMCOS High Score , presenting the closing keynote on Sunday 2nd of October. Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by buying us a coffee on KoFi or some merch on the SIFTER STORE Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E205 · Wed, September 21, 2022
WE ARE OFK is a band, a TV show, a visual novel and some of the best dialogue writing in games
WE ARE OFK is an episodic visual novel by Team OFK that pulls together a lot of really interesting elements. It's not only got it's own virtual band with an EP of great electronic pop, but contains some of the most genuinely written conversations you'd expect to overhear from that cool group of twenty somethings in the bar. Director/Writer, actor and OFK Vocalist Teddy Dief (HYPER LIGHT DRIFTER) and Co-Writer Claire Jia (Nora from Queens, Fresh Off The Boat) share the creative story of making this game, why you might be able to catch OFK on stage very soon and why making complicated queer characters is important. Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by buying us a coffee on KoFi or some merch on the SIFTER STORE Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E204 · Tue, September 13, 2022
Chill narrative game WAYWARD STRAND has 20,000 lines of spoken dialogue
Starring legendary Australian actors Michael Caton, Anne Charleston and newcomer Nancy Curtis as lead character Casey, WAYWARD STRAND is a very Australian narrative indie game with as much voice acting as 18 feature films. Nancy Curtis who plays Casey and Maize Wallin sound designer, audio programmer and composer from developer Ghost Pattern share the process of recording these performances all across the world to put together this unique story of a young journalist. Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by buying us a coffee on KoFi or some merch on the SIFTER STORE Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 Enull · Thu, September 08, 2022
What happened to post-apocalyptic deer game WAY TO THE WOODS?
Do you remember WAY TO THE WOODS ? The post apocalyptic game where you play as a magical deer moving through the ruins of humanity was revealed in 2019 as an Xbox exclusive but for mostly solo developer Ant Tan, it's been a long process of getting everything right. We sit down with Ant to find out some of the design inspirations, learn more about the game play, how Steven Universe and IKENFELL composers Aivi & Surrashu are making the soundtrack and when it's coming out. Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by buying us a coffee on KoFi or some merch on the SIFTER STORE Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E203 · Thu, August 25, 2022
CURSED TO GOLF is a roguelite golf platfomer that works way better than you'd think
CURSED TO GOLF is a rogue-like or as developer Liam Edwards likes to call it a "golf-like" platformer with some excellent tunes and beautiful pixel art graphics. We speak to Liam about the origins of the game as a small personal project, building up the team to polish it, design decisions and gameplay design as well has find out what tips he'd give to new players. There are also a few secrets and easter eggs hidden in the game as well, so learn where you should keep an eye out! Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by buying us a coffee on KoFi or some merch on the SIFTER STORE Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E202 · Tue, August 09, 2022
CULT OF THE LAMB developers Julian & Will share the secrets of building their roguelite cult simulator
CULT OF THE LAMB is really two different games in one, a town builder and a dungeon crawler, but they've been welded together using arcane magics by the creative team at Massive Monster ( THE ADVENTURE PALS , NEVER GIVE UP ) into an experience that keeps you busy. Julian Wilton , Creative Director and Will Mesilane , UI Developer share the secrets hidden in this world, what it took to build this cult management game and what they are most proud of in this exclusive interview. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by buying us a coffee on KoFi or some merch on the SIFTER STORE Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E201 · Fri, July 29, 2022
Every piece of art in CARD SHARK was hand printed, here's how it was made
CARD SHARK is a beautiful picture book styled video game where you cheat your way through 18th century France and every single graphic you see was hand printed and then scanned into the game. Lead artist and animator Nicolai Troshinsky was inspired by a love of card magic and sleight of hand, as well as a 1975 Stanley Kubrick film to build this amazing and unique game and joins SIFTER for an in depth conversation about the process of design. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by buying us a coffee on KoFi or some merch on the SIFTER STORE Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E200 · Thu, July 14, 2022
How Xalavier Nelson Jr realised WITCH STRANDINGS was the next "strand-type" game
WITCH STRANDINGS is a mouse controlled "strand-type" game, where you make connections and paths across a cursed world. Even though Hideo Kojima wanted to turn DEATH STRANDING into a genre, it was Xalavier Nelson Jr and the team at Strange Scaffold who did it first Learn more about this open world adventure through a forest, how the game runs WOLFENSTEIN 3D every single frame, and the hope that can be found in connections SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by buying us a coffee on KoFi or some merch on the SIFTER STORE Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E199 · Thu, June 30, 2022
NEON WHITE's Ben Esposito on expanding the game, dealing with cheaters and aesthetic inspirations
DLC and expansions could be a possibility for NEON WHITE , the anime inspired speedrunning shooter , but you'll need to let Game Director Ben Esposito know what you'd like to see. Ben shares the Y2K Dreamcast aesthetics of import CDs from Japan and how Machine Girl's music shaped this world, what they are doing about leaderboard cheaters, as well as how he feels about your thirstiness for all the characters in the game. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by heading to the SIFTER STORE Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E198 · Thu, June 09, 2022
V RISING is a breakthrough indie hit, why this vampire survival RPG is selling like hotcakes
Everyone is talking about V RISING , Stunlock Studios' survival game which has just entered early access and then rocketed up the Steam charts to be one of the most popular new titles around. For Community Manager Jeremy Fielding , it's a dream come true, this is the first game Fielding has worked on and there's also the challenge of managing more than 1 million players in the first couple of weeks. Learn more about the roadmap forward, how the team is tailoring the experience and what to expect as this game which is still in active development keeps evolving. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by heading to the SIFTER STORE Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E197 · Thu, May 26, 2022
TUNIC is a "Zelda-like" adventure that's packed with secrets
What if Link was a cute fox? At first glance TUNIC looks like a beautiful spiritual successor to THE LEGEND OF ZELDA franchise, but as lead developer Andrew Shouldice shares with us in this interview, it also embraces modern "souls-like" gameplay. TUNIC is filled with lots and lots of secrets, the game was at one time called Secret Legend, and Shouldice said it's all about capturing that feeling of playing a game in the pre-internet Nintendo era where a game feels like limitless exploration. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E196 · Thu, May 12, 2022
CITIZEN SLEEPER is pure dystopian science fiction with a hopeful heart
CITIZEN SLEEPER is a tabletop inspired roleplaying game from Gareth Damian Martin (IN OTHER WATERS) that puts you in the shoes of person trying to escape their digital enslavement in the far future. If it sounds grim, in parts it is, but quickly you discover your place in the world where you can make a life. Each day you've got just the dice you've been dealt, as you choose how to fulfill your goals or avoid negative countdowns, in a stylish visual novel with stunning artwork by Guillaume Singelin and a kicking scifi soundtrack by Amos Roddy . SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E195 · Sat, April 30, 2022
CHINATOWN DETECTIVE AGENCY makes searching online for answers essential to complete the game
Inspired heavily by the CARMEN SANDIEGO series, CHINATOWN DETECTIVE AGENCY is a contemporary take on the format set in a cyberpunk Singapore in 2037 where social and government support has languished. Creative Director Mark Fillon from Singapore's General Interactive Co shares the authentic design and characters you'll meet as you jet off around the world in search of answers as ex-cop Amira Darma in this glorious pixel art game. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 Enull · Sun, April 24, 2022
Credit where credit is due: Game developers call for simpler, consistent creative credits
If you work in the games industry it can be surprisingly complex to get your name into the end credits, that ending sequence often doesn't include everyone who helped to ship that video game. Project based work and short contracts, and inconsistent recognition makes it more complex than you'd think for developers to get the acknowledgement of the work put in. It's something that Alexander Swords , one of the members of the Games Credit Special Interest Group (SIG), part of the International Game Developers Association wants to change with a standarised system of creative credits. Read a written version of this story on our website: Credit where credit is due: Game developers call for simpler, consistent creative credits SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E194 · Fri, April 15, 2022
Designing an indie real time strategy game TFC: THE FERTILE CRESCENT
André Read always wanted to make a real time strategy game. A huge fan of the genre, it was many years working in the industry before he got his chance with TFC: THE FERTILE CRESCENT set in the plains of Mesopotamia. Teaming up with Anders Grønningsæter the two person team at Wield Interactive have crafted a multiplayer RTS game built with their Discord community that reimagines the classic format. They dive into the world of historical RTS games, the influence of Age of Empires on the genre, and the ways in which The Fertile Crescent works to streamline elements of the genre to create new systems and frameworks. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E193 · Sat, April 02, 2022
MINI MATCHES is a greatest hits of multiplayer couch games by a Lara Croft and Hitman developer
Philip Buchanan from It's Anecdotal was part of the teams that made the awarding winning LARA CROFT GO, HITMAN GO and DEUS EX GO mobile games, and had has just released the charming multiplayer party game MINI MATCHES. It's a collection of Philip's favourite genres with excellent visual design and something for everyone. Learn more about how making 39 DAYS TO MARS and other games have shaped the development of MINI MATCHES. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E192 · Fri, March 18, 2022
Screen Australia announces $6M fund for game development, here is how it all works
After seven years without any federal government support for the games industry, a new grant program called the $6 million Games Expansion Pack from Screen Australia was announced on Friday last week. This program replaces a successful but prematurely cancelled fund called the Australian Interactive Games Fund which was axed when this government came to power in 2014. Our guests on this episode are Paul Turbett of Black Lab Games, one the original recipients of the AIGF, speaks of the huge impact this small funding had on his business Ron Curry of IGEA, Australia's peak game development body, shares the campaigning and lobbying it took to bring this fund to life Lee Naimo, Head of Online at Screen Australia , runs through why it happened now and how it all works and John Daskalopoulos, CEO of Not Doppler , who was part of the funding announcement with Minister Paul Fletcher shares how much of a difference this funding could have made, and what opportunities it'll allow now SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Join the SIFTER Discord Support SIFTER by buying our Australian made T-Shirts Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E191 · Sat, March 05, 2022
Set forth for multiplayer adventure in CONAN CHOP CHOP a chibi cartoony roguelite
CONAN CHOP CHOP is a reimagining of the world of Conan The Barbarian that sees the rippling oiled muscles replaced with cartoony top town aesthetic reminiscent of Flash games or kids cartoons. It's the first console title for Mighty Kingdom , a studio that is more well known for their mobile titles, but it was an excellent creative challenge for Kim Forrest, Creative Director and Jeff Wong, Producer to reimagine this world for a new audience. Learn more about the inspirations behind this fun multiplayer top down rogue-lite and why announcing it in on April Fools day meant lots of people thought it might be all a joke. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Join the SIFTER Discord Support SIFTER by buying our Australian made T-Shirts Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E190 · Thu, February 17, 2022
The beauty and tragedy of post-apocalyptic adventure SUBMERGED: HIDDEN DEPTHS
Explore a drowned society, a city that has sunk beneath the waves and discover how life has continued after people in non-combat adventure game SUBMERGED: HIDDEN DEPTHS . The sequel to 2015's SUBMERGED might not exist if not for Google Stadia, it was an exclusive title for the streaming service, which meant it couldn't be played in the Uppercut Games' home country. Ed Orman (FALLOUT TACTICS, BIOSHOCK, CITY OF BRASS ) is a cofounder of Uppercut Games and said that the upcoming Playstation PC, and Xbox releases wouldn't even be possible without the Stadia team's help. Learn more about why this beauty of exploration in this game offsets the tragedy of a world struck by cataclysm. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Join the SIFTER Discord Support SIFTER by buying our Australian made video game inspired shirts Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E1 · Sun, February 13, 2022
Nintendo Direct recap, HALO composers sue Microsoft, SIMS 4 expansion pulled from sale in Russia
Welcome to Walkthrough SIFTER 's brand new weekly news recap show. Each Sunday we'll highlight some of the biggest stories in video games to keep you up to date. Your host on each episode of Walkthrough is Kyle Pauletto, an accomplished journalist with a keen interest in bringing you the best gaming stories each week THIS WEEK: Nintendo outlines 2022 and beyond in it's first Direct - Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes, Mario Kart 8 DLC, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Earthbound GTA V sells 160 million copies ahead of PS5 Xbox Series X re-release Activision Blizzard games will remain on Playstation after Microsoft acquisition EA won't release Sims 4 My Wedding Stories in Russia due to restrictions on LGBT+ content Halo composers try to requst injuction on release of Halo TV series due to remuneration dispute Inside the Team17 after announced then cancelled Worms NFT project Indie video game marketplace calls NFTs "a scam" SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Kyle Pauletto , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Join the SIFTER Discord Support SIFTER by buying our Australian made video game inspired shirts Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E189 · Fri, January 28, 2022
KARDBOARD KINGS is a cool new card shop simulator from the maker of DESERT CHILD
KARDBOARD KINGS is a store management game about a collectible card game, where you do everything but actually play the card game, managing a small town store inspired by working in retail. Oscar Brittain ( DESERT CHILD , WORLD'S FASTEST PIZZA ) and Rob Gross are Henry's House, they share the challenges of writing believable characters, why speeding up the game made it so much better and how delaying the game to add more features worked for them. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Viv Thum , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Join the SIFTER Discord Support SIFTER by buying our merch Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E188 · Tue, January 18, 2022
Paper House will count the climate cost of developing their game WOOD & WEATHER
How bad for the environment is game development? Terry Burdak from Paper House and Ben Abraham a researcher on the Environmental impact of video games join us to talk about their project to find out. They'll be tracking the exact energy usage while developing their next game WOOD & WEATHER and aim to make the process easy for other studios to do the same. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Viv Thum , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Join the SIFTER Discord Support SIFTER by buying our merch Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E35 · Mon, January 10, 2022
2021 Games of the Year Part 2 - THE FORGOTTEN CITY, SABLE & HALO INFINITE
It's that time of the year, where we sit down and consider all the amazing games we've played in 2021. This is part two of two episodes featuring the SIFTER team. Gianni Di Giovanni has been loving the historical touches and puzzle solving narrative of THE FORGOTTEN CITY by Modern Storyteller Adam Christou has become lost in the beautiful desert world of science fiction adventure SABLE by Shedworks Daniel Ang has strapped on the armor and jumped head first onto Delta Halo in HALO INFINITE by 343 Industries. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Viv Thum , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Join the SIFTER Discord Support SIFTER by buying our merch Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E187 · Mon, January 03, 2022
NEKOGRAMS is a cute cat arranging puzzle game that hides the maths behind cats
Nick Lowe, Lead Developer at Hungry Sky , first had the idea for NEKOGRAMS a cute sokoban style puzzle game where you move cats onto pillows until they are comfy in the late 2000s, but it took many projects and years until it was ready for players to enjoy. Lauren Fletcher lead artist on the game didn't know she'd be making games when she first started illustrating, and has contributed the adorable kitty aesthetic. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Viv Thum , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Join the SIFTER Discord Support SIFTER by buying our merch Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E34 · Thu, December 30, 2021
2021 Games of the Year Part 1 - MUNDAUN, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY & UNPACKING
It's that time of the year, where we sit down and consider all the amazing games we've played in 2021. This is part one of two episodes featuring the SIFTER team. Nicholas Kennedy shares the genre-subverting MUNDAUN by Hidden Fields, a horror game that brought a lot of joy Fiona Bartholomaeus teams up with a rag tag crew in Marvel's GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY by Eidos-Montreal Mitchel Loh takes time to put everything in it's right place in UNPACKING by Witch Beam Games SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Viv Thum , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Join the SIFTER Discord Support SIFTER by buying our merch Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E186 · Sun, December 12, 2021
UNPACKING is an indie puzzler with heart and a personal story for developers Wren and Tim
UNPACKING is a pixel art puzzle game tasks you with simply sorting items from boxes into rooms all the while telling a story of a woman's life. Wren Brier & Tim Dawson from Witch Beam join us to share about how they have injected emotion and spirit into their little organisational puzzle game which is entirely environmental storytelling. Lightmap is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Viv Thum , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Join the SIFTER Discord Support SIFTER by buying our merch Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E185 · Fri, December 03, 2021
BOOK OF TRAVELS is a multiplayer world with a storybook design
BOOK OF TRAVELS is a different type of MMO experience focusing more on the story and playing the game at your own pace. Dennis Gustafsson from Might and Delight joins us to talk about the philosophy of BOOK OF TRAVELS and the world they are building. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Viv Thum , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Join the SIFTER Discord Support SIFTER by buying our merch Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 Enull · Wed, November 17, 2021
From Gameboy Color to Nintendo Switch: Twenty years of game development at Wicked Witch Software
Daniel Visser started learning to make games like a lot of people who grew up in the 1970s and 1980s, by tinkering away on their computer when they ran out of things to play. That fascination and support from family lead to further studies and making games with studios like Torus Games and Melbourne House. Over twelve weeks Daniel rebuilt ALIENS: THANATOS ENCOUNTER for Gameboy Color from scratch contracting with a company in the UK, which started the company Wicked Witch in earnest in 2001. Learn a bit more about the history of this long running studio which has made AFL, NRL titles and remastered AGE OF EMPIRES II: DEFINITIVE EDITION. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Scott Quigg , Sarah Ireland , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is our Senior Producer, Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Join the SIFTER Discord Support SIFTER by buying our merch Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E184 · Fri, November 12, 2021
Rebuild a village and nurture life in chill town builder GROW: SONG OF THE EVERTREE
Queensland based studio Prideful Sloth returns to the podcast with their brand new low pressure town building adventure game GROW: SONG OF THE EVERTREE, which doesn't have the time pressures of other games in the genre. Developers Cheryl Vance and Adam Markham share their design philosophy for the game which was influenced not only by games like ANIMAL CROSSING and STORY OF SEASONS but also PERSONA 5. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Viv Thum , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Join the SIFTER Discord Support SIFTER by buying our merch Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E183 · Sat, October 30, 2021
THE LAST STAND: AFTERMATH is a zombie survival game you actually can't survive
In most zombie survival games, you eventually reach a point where you become so powerful there is nothing in the apocalypse that can stop you, but in THE LAST STAND: AFTERMATH an isometric rogue-lite, you start the game infected with limited time left to make a difference. The fifth game in THE LAST STAND series which originally started out as a Flash game developer Chris Condon of Con Artist Games shares the history of the series, how the game has been modernised and the world players will be jumping into on November 16. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Scott Quigg , Sarah Ireland , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is our Senior Producer, Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E182 · Fri, October 22, 2021
BROKEN ROADS is a FALLOUT inspired classic RPG set in Western Australia
BROKEN ROADS is a classic isometric roleplaying game by Victorian based studio Drop Bear Bytes that's set in and around the Western Australian wheatbelt community of Brookton after a cataclysmic event . Game Director Craig Ritchie and Art Director Kerst Evans join Lightmap to share the world of BROKEN ROADS, how narrative and player choice will determine the narrative path, and how documentary series Aussie Gold Hunters inspired the look of the game. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Scott Quigg , Sarah Ireland , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is our Senior Producer, Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Support the show: https://sifter.store
Tue, October 19, 2021
Four day weeks and unlimited leave, Mighty Kingdom's Tony Lawrence on the future of making games
South Australia's Mighty Kingdom (CONAN CHOP CHOP, AVA'S MANOR, PETER RABBIT RUN!) is rapidly expanding and according to COO Tony Lawrence they want to be Australia's answer to an EA sized studio. Tony has worked previously as General Manager of 2K Australia (BIOSHOCK series, THE BUREAU: XCOM DECLASSIFIED, BORDERLANDS: THE PRE-SEQUEL!) and with industry representative groups GDAA and IGEA. Speaking broadly of the economic incentives for new studios, what it was like to see foreign companies shut down the studios he helmed and what the future might hold this conversation is a great insight from one of Australia's veteran game developers. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Scott Quigg , Sarah Ireland , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is our Senior Producer, Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 Enull · Sun, October 10, 2021
Won't Someone Think of the Children?! Why Australia Bans Video Games
It is well-known amongst both developers and players that Australia has one of the most onerous and hardline classification systems in the world. From AAA titles including FALLOUT 3 to indies including DISCO ELYSIUM and most recently SLUDGE LIFE and LAKE , there are a significant number of titles that run into release problems under our current classification guidelines. In this PAX Australia 2021 panel, we'll explore how the videogames classification system works, the impact of interaction on classification, we'll look at the history of games that have been refused classification and pose the question - isn't it time our videogames classification system was overhauled? Screenhub's Jini Maxwell , Freeplay's Chad Toprak and ACMI's Arieh Offman joined SIFTER's Gianni Di Giovanni for this fun discussion . Lightmap is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Viv Thum , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S2 E181 · Fri, October 08, 2021
BLUEBERRY is an emotional platformer that tackles mental health and how our perspective shifts
Mel Taylor from Brisbane's Mellow Games was inspired by her own life to make BLUEBERRY a story focused platform game with light puzzle elements that follows a character's life from beginning to end. This semi-autobiographical game explores how our perspective shifts throughout our lives, climbing a tower filled with memories that you can replay as you get older and understand new points of view. This episode was broadcast live as part of PAX Radio at PAX Australia 2021, supported by Audio Technica. Lightmap is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Viv Thum , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E180 · Sat, September 18, 2021
The gritty and pretty world of award winning twin stick "shooter" DAP
Iris and Paul Anstey of Melbourne's Melting Parrot are first time game developers, but their teamwork on DAP a spooky adventure game with a charcoal drawing aesthetic is a combination of this couple's interests. Recently awarded the top prize at Japan's Bitsummit, The Vermillion Gate Award , and the prize for best sound this Pikmin like twin stick shooter hides complexity within it's visual style. Pixel Sift is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Viv Thum , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E179 · Wed, September 08, 2021
THE ARTFUL ESCAPE is a scifi adventure into a prog rock album cover
Johnny Galvatron of Melbourne's Beethoven & Dinosaur almost became a 3D animator, but musical success with his band the Galvatrons saw him head down another path. A love of games and storytelling never left him and once the touring was over his next project began with the musical adventure THE ARTFUL ESCAPE. This narrative sci-fi adventure game combines Hollywood talent like Lena Headey, Jason Schwartzmann (who turned up to recording sessions in cosplay) and Carl Weathers, baby, for a cosmic musical story set in a beautiful world. Pixel Sift is produced by Nicholas Kennedy , Viv Thum , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E178 · Fri, August 27, 2021
Become a cute Aussie spider on a mission in WEBBED by Sbug Games
Webbed is an cute pixel art platformer from Queensland based Sbug Games and features an adorable spider using her web-spinning skills and LASER EYES to save her boyfriend! Originally designed as a Just Cause 2 demake, the web like linking grappling hooks inspired this much anticipated game featuring stacks of Australian animals. Riley Neville (Programming, Art, Sound and Game Design) and Noah Seymour (Level and Game Design) Join us on the show to talk about the origins of the mechanics and how some of the levels began their life on paper! Pixel Sift is produced by Viv Thum , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 Enull · Fri, August 20, 2021
How piles of quokkas are teaching kids this National Science Week
Dr Michael Kasumovic is an evolutionary biologist at UNSW and founder of science education organisation Arludo who this week is taking to Twitch as part of National Science Week to teach kids through video games. Quokkapocalypse is a free game developed as part of the Sydney Science Trail that shows the impacts of predators and prey in an environment as you balance the populations. Quokkapocalypse on Apple App Store Quokkapocalypse on Google Play You can watch the livestreamed event which is in partnership with the Australian Museum on Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/arludo at 3:00PM Sunday 22nd August Australian Eastern Standard Time. The music in this episode is Guitar House by Josh Pan. Pixel Sift is produced by Viv Thum , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E177 · Fri, August 13, 2021
RETURNAL's Narrative Director Gregory Louden debuts pop music narrative game BURN
Gregory Louden (Returnal, Quantum Break, STONE) and Convict Games are back with BURN a brand new interactive narrative game with a branching story following pop start Nina Burn through the different phases of her life. Building on the experiences of making STONE , the hip-hop stoner noir game, and as Narrative Director on Housemarque's Returnal Louden shares how the story weaves music and stardom with a a soundtrack follows your choices. Pixel Sift is produced by Viv Thum , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 Enull · Tue, August 03, 2021
Less is more in minimalist skating game THE RAMP
Developer Paul Schnepf , one third of Grizzly Games who made Islanders and Superflight, was inspired by Tony Hawk Pro Skater to take up skateboarding when he was a kid, but nothing ever really captured the actual feel of skating. That's why he made THE RAMP , a isometric minimalist skating game with no points that looks amazing and tries to capture that state of flow. Music in this episode from the game The Ramp composed by Paul Schnepf and Hendrik Lux. Thanks to Paul for providing us with a copy of the game. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg , Sarah Ireland , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is our Senior Producer, Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E176 · Sat, July 31, 2021
The filmic influences of WHERE THE SNOW SETTLES
Alisha Stone is the Creative Director of Tasmania's Myriad Game Studios , a small team that have just released the narrative story game Where The Snow Settles. Where the Snow Settles draws inspiration from filmic genres telling the story of Aurelia as she travels through a world facing ecological collapse. Learn how the team juggled other work and balancing their expectations to deliver a game that can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of their level of expertise with games. Pixel Sift is produced by Viv Thum , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. Support the show: https://sifter.store
Tue, July 27, 2021
Warhammer 40,000 Battlesector - How a small Western Australian team made on the best new 40K games
Paul Turbett and Anthony Sweet of Perth's Black Lab Games are no strangers to big franchises, they made the critically and fan acclaimed strategy game Battlestar Galactica: Deadlock , but when the opportunity came to work on one of the biggest science fiction universes Warhammer 40,000 they leapt at the challenge. Warhammer 40,000 Battlesector is that game, which has been released this week to rave reviews exploring the stories of the Blood Angels Space Marine chapter in their clashes with the beastial Tyranids. WATCH A VIDEO VERSION THIS STORY HERE: Warhammer 40,000 Battlesector - How a small team in Western Australia made one of the best 40K games Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg , Sarah Ireland , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is our Senior Producer, Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds composed the Mainstream theme music. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E175 · Sat, July 24, 2021
Building the roadmap for MINI MOTORWAYS, the sequel to hit MINI METRO
Put your urban planning hat back on for Mini Motorways a minimalist puzzle game where you build roads in an ever expanding levels and makes its Steam debut this week. Casey Lucas-Quaid is Community Manager at New Zealand based Dinosaur Polo Club and share the fun feedback given by players, how to set up a good community ground rules and how this game evolved from Mini Metro which we featured on Episode 80 of the podcast Pixel Sift is produced by Viv Thum , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E174 · Sun, July 18, 2021
How Lego inspired open world transport game MARS FIRST LOGISTICS
Build your own cross-planet delivery vehicles and trek across the great red marble in Mars First Logistics , the newly announced game from multi-award winning game designer Ian MacLarty . We spoke to Ian about the ideas behind the game, designing the perfect mars rover and more. Pixel Sift is produced by Viv Thum , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E173 · Sat, June 26, 2021
AGENT INTERCEPT is the spiritual successor to the SPY HUNTER series
Jump behind the wheel of an amazing transforming spy-machine in Agent Intercept by New Zealand's PikPok which has just made it's Steam debut after arriving on Apple Arcade last year. Rick Stemm, Design Manager & Robin Wilson-Davey, Production Artist shared their design inspirations and what it took to bring this mobile game to your PC. Pixel Sift is produced by Viv Thum , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E25 · Sun, June 20, 2021
E3 2021 Extravaganza
Gianni, Fiona, Adam and Nick sit down to discuss the completely online E3 2021 streamed around the world for all to enjoy. We've found our highlights and can't wait to share them with you, but why not share yours with us by visiting https://www.pixelsift.com.au/discord to join our Discord server. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg , Sarah Ireland , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is our Senior Producer, Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds composed the Mainstream theme music. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E172 · Thu, June 10, 2021
How a podcast interview led Jono Pech to write TRIGGER WITCH
Trigger Witch is a twin-stick shooter where firearms have replaced the magic of a fantasy world. You take on the role of Colette as she unravels the story of this mashup world, a world that writer Jono Pech helped shape. Developed by New Zealand's Rainbite , Trigger Witch takes you to a Super Nintendo inspired world as you unleash carnage. Pixel Sift is produced by Viv Thum , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E171 · Mon, May 31, 2021
BEFORE WE LEAVE: A real time strategy game without the conquest
Before We Leave is a mostly non-violent strategy game where players emerge from a bunker to reclaim their world after a disaster in a beautiful hex built world which has just made its Steam debut. Developers Anna Barham and Sam Barham from New Zealand's Balancing Monkey Games wanted to make a game that actively challenged the inherent colonialism in many other strategy games as you rebuild in a world once yours. Pixel Sift is produced by Viv Thum , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E170 · Fri, May 14, 2021
AR game EASTERN MARKET MURDER lets you walk the path of history
Eastern Market Murder takes you back in time to the scene of a horrific crime, all while walking through the streets of Melbourne using augmented reality to meet the characters involved. Can you bring the killer to justice? Emma Ramsay and Andy Yong join us to talk about how they researched the history of this true crime, and worked with the descendants of the real world people involved to create this interactive game. Pixel Sift is produced by Viv Thum , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E169 · Thu, May 06, 2021
Find your way back home to seaside Goa in nostalgic narrative game FORGOTTEN FIELDS
Armaan Sandhu had trouble with a follow up release to his first game Rainswept . That feeling was captured in the narrative game Forgotten Fields , a nostalgic narrative adventure where writer Sid travels to his family home in Goa, India while formulating the idea for his next book. Recently shown as part of the LudoNarraCon online convention, Armaan shares his process of capturing the nostalgia of home, the feeling of writers block, and homesickness for the beauty of his home in Goa. Pixel Sift is produced by Viv Thum , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E168 · Tue, April 20, 2021
KINDER WORLD helps you practice mindfulness as you care for digital plants
Lauren Clinnick of Lumi Interactive wants to build a game that can help players support themselves. It's called Kinder World and players share nice messages, care for their houseplants and work towards maintaining a community garden. Lauren shares how her experiences with making previous games like Critter Clash and playing games like Animal Crossing have shaped the game. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg , Sarah Ireland , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E167 · Wed, April 07, 2021
John Romero live at XRWA
John Romero is a pinnacle of the game development industry and most people know or love his work. Titles such as Doom, Wolfenstein, Commander Keen and his newest game Empire of Sin have been delighting players for years. Speaking as part of the XRWA conference in Western Australia , John shared lessons from his decades in the games industry, how things have changed and what he thinks about the Bethesda acquisition by Microsoft of which Id Software the company he co-founded is now a part. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg , Sarah Ireland , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 Enull · Wed, March 31, 2021
Why YOU should give Valorant esports a go
Ben Green is an ESL Australia shoutcaster and is one of the people behind the university Valorant tournament Red Bull Campus Clutch and he says now is the perfect time for you to get involved. He shares what the competitive scene for Valorant is like, how it feels that esports events are coming back in person, and what he does to prepare for a match. The Red Bull Campus Clutch is open to University teams across the countrywith online qualifiers which running from April 8 to April 16, and you can register on the Red Bull Esports website Support the show: https://sifter.store
Wed, March 24, 2021
Coral Island (Soma Putera)
Coral Island is the brand new farming simulator from Indonesian studio Stairway Games . Soma Putera is the co-founder and producer and sat down to share some of the intention behind the game, why everyone in Indonesia played Harvest Moon, and what their plan is now their crowdfunding campaign exceeded their wildest dreams. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg , Sarah Ireland , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. Support the show: https://sifter.store
Mon, March 08, 2021
ACMI Games Lab (Arieh Offman)
What games would you put in a museum? Arieh Offman, ACMI’s Curator of Video Games and Programmer, has pondered that very choice when building the new interactive Games Lab exhibit . It’s part of ACMI’s new “ The Story of the Moving Image ” permanent display part of a big revamp for the screen culture museum supported in part by Australian game development studio Big Ant. Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh , Scott Quigg , Sarah Ireland , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. Support the show: https://sifter.store
Tue, February 23, 2021
Henry Mosse and the Wormhole Conspiracy (Ezra Artman)
Henry Mosse and the Wormhole Conspiracy is a point-and-click adventure game with a story focused on battling cosmic evil, family, and growing up. Ezra Artman the Director at Bad Goat the studio behind Henry Mosse joined us to talk about the importance of bringing the theme of family back into the adventure genre. Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh , Scott Quigg , Sarah Ireland , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. Support the show: https://sifter.store
Wed, February 10, 2021
Doors of Insanity (Logan Branjord)
Logan Branjord is the co-founder and lead programmer at One Shark , the international studio behind Doors of Insanity . Doors of Insanity card based, action RPG Roguelike with a focus on character creation and incredible loot. Inspired by the collective dreams of everyone that has worked on it. Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh , Scott Quigg , Sarah Ireland , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sun, January 24, 2021
The Alto Collection (Harry Nesbitt & Jair McBain)
Harry Nesbitt and Jair McBain are part of the creative and development team of The Alto Collection , combining Alto's Odyssey and Alto's Adventure the award winning mobile games into one package and making them available on modern consoles. They've just formed a new studio called Land & Sea , which aims to make "folksy" indie game experiences. They share what it's like to move onto another project when your first was a runaway hit and the advice they'd share with up and coming developers. Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh , Scott Quigg , Sarah Ireland , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E20 · Mon, December 28, 2020
Games of the Year 2020
Gianni, Adam, Mitch, Fiona and Daniel explore their favourite games of 2020, a year with a stack of amazing titles. Gianni: Umurangi Generation by Tali Faulkner Adam: Hades by Supergiant Games Daniel: Ori and the Will of the Wisps by Moon Studios Mitch & Fiona: Moving Out by SMG Studio Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Mitch Loh, Daniel Ang, Viv Thum & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds composed the Mainstream theme music. Support the show: https://sifter.store
Mon, December 21, 2020
Art of Rally (Dune Casu & Adrian Tosello )
Art of Rally is a love letter to the golden age of Group B Rally, a series of intense races that pushed drivers to their limits. Creator Dune Casu and Developer Adrian Tessello from Funselekor join us to talk about how they brought this era back to life and developing with an international team. Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh , Scott Quigg , Sarah Ireland , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sun, December 06, 2020
HoloVista (Meredith Hall)
Meredith Hall wears many hats in the Australian Games Industry. At Aconite the developers of Holovista she is a producer and at Film Victoria she is the Games and Digital Content Officer . Meredith joined us to talk about her experience working with an international team to create an artistic game with inclusivity as a top priority. Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh , Scott Quigg , Sarah Ireland , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. SPONSOR : Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support of Pixel Sift. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sat, November 21, 2020
Hive Time (Josh "Cheeseness" Bush)
Josh "Cheeseness" Bush is the Lead Developer of Hive Time the resource management game centered around a beehive. While playing you will need to adjust population ratios, conduct scientific research, and even occasionally engage in some diplomacy with neighboring insects. Josh let people pay what they wanted and launched it on the smaller indie platform Itch.io and was really candid about how it actually paid off as well as inspirations behind the game. Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh , Scott Quigg , Sarah Ireland , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. SPONSOR : Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support of Pixel Sift. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sat, November 07, 2020
Path of Titans (Matthew Cassells)
Matthew Cassells from Alderon Games ' joins us this week to talk about Path of Titans , a cross-platform MMO where you play as a dinosaur. The game is constructed for fans of dinosaurs of all kinds featuring more than 30 dinosaurs to choose from. During the episode, Matthew shared his thoughts on scientifically accurate dinosaurs and building a game with modding in mind. Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh , Scott Quigg , Sarah Ireland , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. SPONSOR : Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support of Pixel Sift. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Mon, October 26, 2020
Simon Boxer (Ring Of Pain)
Round and round our voices spiral, to bring you tales of game developers great trials. The Ring of Pain beckons you nearer, will you heed the call and see it all too clearer? A roguelike card crawler where encounters come to you, Ring of Pain by Simon Boxer and Twice Different is a stylish and unique take on the genre. Simon takes us through the design process for the game and how he wanted to create a fresh roguelike experience for players. Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh , Scott Quigg , Sarah Ireland , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. SPONSOR : Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support of Pixel Sift. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sun, October 11, 2020
Brigitta Rena (When The Past Was Around)
Brigitta Rena is the Lead Artist of When the Past Was Around by Mojiken Studio , a story, puzzle game about a girl trying to find her lost memories of a relationship with an owl headed man, a play on the classic beauty and the beast storyline. Brigitta shares how she was initially worried about making "girly" games in a male dominated industry, how she learnt to simplify her art style to be more collaborative with her team and telling a distinctively Indonesian story. Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh , Scott Quigg , Sarah Ireland , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. SPONSOR : Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support of Pixel Sift. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Fri, September 25, 2020
Set sail on the open seas in survival adventure game WINDBOUND
Windbound is a game about exploring the seas, living off the land, and building your perfect sailboat. Mitch Clifford, the lead animator and co-founder of 5 Lives Studios the studio behind Windbound joined us to tell us about the inspiration behind the game and his experience in the Australian games industry. We also get to know his dog Koji! SIFTER is produced by Mitch Loh , Scott Quigg , Sarah Ireland , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. SPONSOR : Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sun, September 13, 2020
Tali Faulkner (Umurangi Generation)
Umurangi Generation is a game that is steeped in style and culture, a photographic adventure where you snap pictures as the world around you changes. Tali Faulkner lives in regional New South Wales, who designed the game to draw on layers of experience including his Maori heritage as well as anime and cyberpunk themes. Umurangi Generation was selected as part of the PAX EGX Leftfield collection and you can pick up a demo of the game on Steam right here: Umurangi Generation Demo on Steam Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh , Scott Quigg , Sarah Ireland , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. Support the show: https://sifter.store
Tue, September 01, 2020
Paul Kopetko (Boomerang Fu)
Paul Kopetko is a sound designer and musician who wanted to learn more about making a game from start to finish, so he put together food fight themed Boomerang Fu ! It's a six player brawler where boomerangs are your weapons, as you take control of an anthropomorphic coffee cup, watermelon slice or avocado and one hit KO your rivals. Featuring some character design by former guest Julian Wilton of Massive Monster the game has had a surprisingly popular run as people challenge each other at home during lockdown. Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh , Scott Quigg , Sarah Ireland , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. SPONSOR : Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Fri, August 21, 2020
Aussie scientists use Minecraft to build a replica gravitational wave observatory
Dr Daniel Brown and his colleagues at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery in Adelaide have rebuilt one of the key observatories they use to detect gravitational waves inside the game of Minecraft. It's part of the Australian National Science Week , and they'll be giving audiences a guided tour of the device in game and live streamed on YouTube. The next tour is open on Saturday 22nd of August, at 2:00pm local Adelaide time, which is 12:30PM in Western Australia, and 2:30PM Australian Eastern Standard time and you can RSVP on Eventbrite here: Exploring Gravitational Wave Observatories in Minecraft You can join the server directly in Minecraft Java Edition by opening the following server address: minecraft.ozgrav.org:25593 You can find a written version of this story on the Pixel Sift website: Aussie scientists use Minecraft to build a replica gravitational wave observatory and you can visit it during Science Week Support the show: https://sifter.store
Mon, August 17, 2020
Ashleigh Starmer-Lee (Crossy Road Castle)
Crossy Road Castle is the multiplayer, Apple Arcade sequel, tower climbing game featuring all your favorite characters from the smash-hit mobile game Crossy Road by Hipster Whale . Ashleigh Starmer-Lee is the Lead Artist on the game and joined us to talk about her work process when designing characters for the game, working remotely and how her personal creative process is very different to how she works. Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh , Scott Quigg , Sarah Ireland , Fiona Bartholomaeus , Daniel Ang & Adam Christou . Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. SPONSOR : Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sun, August 09, 2020
Julian Ball (Len's Island)
Len's Island is a game where you can build a new life for yourself using only the tools in your backpack, once you're done grab your weapons and explore the dark dungeons below. Julian Ball from Flow Studio joined us to talk about the creation of his dream game as well as funding through Kickstarter and balancing game development with a successful YouTube channel. Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh, Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. SPONSOR : Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support of Pixel Sift. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 Enull · Sun, July 26, 2020
Video games don't make people violent new metastudy finds
A new study from New Zealand’s Massey University found that in many cases there is no reason to believe violent video games cause violent behaviour. Senior lecturer at Massey University and lead author of the study Aaron Drummond said there has been a rise in exposure to violent video games, and that in the highest quality studies, the effect is so small that it is indistinguishable from zero. You can read a written version of this story on the Pixel Sift website: Study of 21,000 participants finds violent video games have no significant effect on behaviour This episode was reported by Jason Head and Mitchel Loh. Edited by Jason Head. Gianni Di Giovanni is the Executive Producer. Support the show: https://sifter.store
Mon, July 20, 2020
Matt Ditton (Shooty Skies Overdrive)
Shooty Skies Overdrive is the virtual reality sequel to the popular mobile hit Shooty Skies, and Mighty Games CEO Matt Ditton shares why it made sense to convert the Shmup experience to full body 3D bullet hell. Matt started his career in game development in Queensland, working on games like Ty the Tasmanian Tiger, before moving to Victoria to become a producer and CEO. Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh, Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. SPONSOR : Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Fri, June 26, 2020
Daniel Hindes (Wildfire)
Daniel Hindes is the Lead at Sneaky Bastards and over the last six years this team has built Wildfire a stealth platformer built upon systemic gameplay . Wildfire is a game where you're only really limited by your imagination and experimentation as you control different elements to win. Before Daniel was a game developer he was a games journalist and editor, and it was conversations with game developers when covering games that encouraged him to make his own. He shares the lessons he's learnt along the way, and tells you why you shouldn't do what he did. Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh, Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. SPONSOR : Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 Enull · Thu, June 18, 2020
Making PAX Australia a digital experience: Luke Lancaster on developing PAX Online
Well you probably have heard the news by now, PAX Australia won't be going ahead in October this year , joining PAX West which has also been cancelled for 2020. In its place is PAX Online , a new digital festival that runs over 9 days between September 12 and 21, streaming content 24 hours a day. Luke Lancaster of ReedPop Australia shared what it was like when he realised that physical conventions just wouldn't work in 2020 due to COVID-19. Music in this episode is "Shopping for the Future" by Bit by Bit Bert and you can find it on itch.io This episode of Pixel Sift is hosted, produced and edited by Executive Producer Gianni Di Giovanni Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sun, June 14, 2020
Ben Chandler (Nighthawks)
Ben Chandler joins us on the show this week to talk about the upcoming roleplaying game Nighthawks , where you play as a fledgling vampire in a modern world where their existence is no longer a secret. Ben is an artist and animator in the games industry and has worked on titles such as Blackwell Epiphany, Unavowed and Shardlight. Ben shares with us how he got started working as an artist in the games industry as well as what the process is like working as a remote dev creating artwork and assets for Nighthawks and Wadjet Eye Games . Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh, Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 Enull · Wed, June 03, 2020
Scouting for the next League of Legends champion: Coach Chris Lee of Chiefs ESC
How do you shape a competitive League of Legends player into an esports star? Chris Lee is a coach at the Chiefs Esports Club Academy, his job is to find the up and coming talent and shape them into professionals. He’ll be working with the Australian winner of the Red Bull Solo Q tournament , a unique format of the League of Legends game where two players face each other one on one, as they take their skills to the world. Read a written version of this story here: Scouting for the next League of Legends champion: Coach Chris Lee of Chiefs ESC This episode of Pixel Sift is hosted by Mitch Loh and produced by Gianni Di Giovanni. Music in this episode is Flute of the Traveler by Harris Heller Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sat, May 30, 2020
Christopher Galea (Brimstone Brawlers) & Hacking in Single Player Games
Brimstone Brawlers is a couch multiplayer game that features a collection of unlikely heroes from hired hunters to measly shop keepers fighting their way through Victorian-inspired 3D battlegrounds. Christopher Galea , a developer from Ategig the studio behind Brimstone Brawlers joined us to talk about how he brought his skills from another industry to the game development scene. How do you feel about hacking in single-player games? Recently some players of the latest Animal Crossing have been doing whatever it takes to get quality of life changes , specific villagers , and custom fruit trees into New Horizon. Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh, Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sat, May 16, 2020
Brendan Watts (Fledgling Heroes) & who protects the history of games?
Fledgling Heroes is a side scrolling flap 'em up game where you play as collection of brave birds taking on the world. Brendan Watts is the Director at Queensland's Subtle Boom the studio behind Fledgling Heroes join us to tell us about how the game was made. Fledgling Heroes is available on Apple Arcade and the Nintendo eShop . We all have games that we just can't access anymore, but when these games become harder and harder to access, whose responsibility is it to make sure we can always revisit them? You could of course port them to a Myki card public tranport card reader , but for older games that aren't as popular as Doom ? Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh, Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sat, May 09, 2020
Saying goodbye to a lost land in [soon, only the ocean]
Game designer Max Myers wanted to make an experience that played out in real time. Each time you visit Glenn Island in [soon, only the ocean] time moves forward and you bear witness to the slow ecological collapse as it sinks into the sea. Adam Christou speaks with Max about the inspiration behind the game, and you can head to pixelsift.com.au to read an essay about what it was like to visit Glenn Island when it was above the waves . This episode was written, presented by Adam Christou. It was produced and edited by Adam Christou and Gianni Di Giovanni. Support the show: https://sifter.store
Wed, May 06, 2020
Soundself: Video games meet virtual psychadelia
Robin Arnott from Andromeda Entertainment thinks he might just have the "Trojan Horse" that'll get video gamers into meditation and mindfulness. It's called Soundself: A Technodelic , and it's virtual reality experience that some users have compared to the effects of taking psilocybin, the hallucinogenic ingredient found in some mushrooms. You can read a written version of this story here: Soundself: Video games meet virtual psychadelia - pixelsift.com.au This episode of Pixel Sift was reported by Jason Head , and produced by Gianni Di Giovanni . Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sat, May 02, 2020
Ash Ringrose (Moving Out) & Keeping games going after launch
Moving Out is cooperative chaotic local multiplayer game where you fling, chuck and heft household items into a moving truck with hilarious results. Ash Ringrose founder of SMG Studios shares how Moving Out was made and the challenges and benefits of working with an international team, including Worms developer and publisher Team17. Keeping players engaged and playing your games is one of the biggest challenges of any developer, and this week digital storefront operators Valve released some tips on how to keep your game thriving long past it's release date. Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh, Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 Enull · Thu, April 23, 2020
Jordan Mays "Elfishguy" & Brandon Langiano "Raven" on how to level up to competitive esports
Esports casters Jordan Mays " Elfishguy " & Brandon Langiano " Raven " star in a new season of Red Bull Response where they give their tips to level up your competitive skills. They shared their experience on getting into professional gaming, whether esports has hit that mainstream moment yet, and what the future looks like. Thanks to Harris Heller for use of the track " Trendy " in this episode. You can find a written version of this story here: https://www.pixelsift.com.au/post/jordan-mays-elfishguy-brandon-langiano-raven-on-how-to-level-up-to-competitive-esports Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sat, April 18, 2020
Ben Chevalier (Butter Royale) & The myth of the lone gamer
Ben Chevalier is the Art Director at Mighty Bear Games in Singapore the studio behind Butter Royale . Butter Royale is a food fight battle royale for all ages for iOS devices, with a top down isometric experience that is designed to be as accessible as possible. The stereotype of the lone gamer has been touted by mainstream media for the longest time, but with much of the world forced to distance themselves from one another physically, those that have found games have never been more connected and even former critics like the World Health Organisation are on board . Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh, Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sat, April 04, 2020
Theo Kipen (Kana Quest) & franchises back from the dead
Theo Kipen from Not Dead Design is the Lead Developer of Kana Quest , a puzzle game that aims to challenge players problem-solving skill wild also teaching the basics of Japanese Kana, and describes it like "the very best primary school teacher you ever had" With many game franchises coming back from the dead including the long awaited Half Life series , we take a look at why they even want to replicate the older games and talk about which games have done it well. Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh, Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 Enull · Wed, April 01, 2020
The ingredients of DOOM: Composer Mick Gordon on the soundtrack of DOOM Eternal
If you’ve played any of the recent Bethesda Softworks games, while you’ve been blasting demons, fighting nazis or exploring space stations you’ve been listening to music of Australian composer Mick Gordon . Hear how the soundtrack to iD Software's DOOM Eternal came together including the pumping tracks to the quiet ambience, how genre doesn't define Mick's work and why putting together a metal choir was one of the highlights of his career. Head to our website to find a full written version of this story. Thanks to Mick Gordon for use of the Doom Eternal sountrack in this story. Presented by Daniel Ang, produced and edited by Gianni Di Giovanni. Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sat, March 21, 2020
Ron Curry (IGEA) & Developers pull games from GeForce Now
Ron Curry , CEO of Interactive Games & Entertainment Association (IGEA) joins us to discuss its merger with the Game Developers Association of Australia (GDAA) and what that organisation will look like going forward as the one representative body for games in Australia. Nvidia's Geforce Now service allows you to stream games you've already purchased from a virtual computers to any device in the world, but developers have quickly pulled their games from it claiming they were not asked for permission. Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh, Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Mon, March 16, 2020
Mainstream Episode 9: Crossy Road Castle & Rainbow Six Siege
SUBSCRIBE TO MAINSTREAM This is a bonus episode from our MAINSTREAM another podcast we do that looks at those high profile titles from the biggest publishers. Gianni has been platforming his way to victory in Crossy Road Castle , the follow up to Hipster Whale's smash hit Crossy Road and Sarah has been clicking heads like crazy in Rainbow Six Siege by Ubisoft. NEWS LINKS Kotaku: E3 2020's Host City, Los Angeles, Declares State Of Emergency Polygon: Death Stranding and Control break BAFTA record with 11 award nominations each Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Mitch Loh, Daniel Ang, Viv Thum & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds composed the Mainstream theme music Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sat, February 29, 2020
Josh Sacco ( Nom Nom Apocalypse) & COVID-19 virus impact on the games industry
Josh Sacco from Deadleaf Games is the Lead Developer of Nom Nom Apocalypse a game about blasting a food zombie plague with your friends! Josh shared his experiences and a solo developer balancing his work load. The COVID-19 virus has been having a huge health impact on many different countries and their business. We'll take a look at how the virus is affecting the games industry, from the postponement of the 2020 Game Developers Conference , the cancellation of major e-sports events to the mass exodus of big companies from the PAX Floor. Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh, Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Thu, February 20, 2020
Chiptune is an instrument not a genre: Square Sounds Festival 2020
What is chiptune? Let Kristy Dossor and Alex Yabsley of Square Sounds , one of the longest running music festivals dedicated to chiptune music tell you. Head to our website to read a version of this feature story: Chiptune is an instrument not a genre: Square Sounds Festival 2020 Square Sounds is on Friday 21 February 2020 to Sunday 23 February and features musicians from all over the world including Italy, UK, Japan, France and Australia. You can check out a special playlist of Square Sounds 2020 artists on Spotify here: Square Sounds Sampler by Pixel Sift Music for this episode kindly provided by Alex Yabsley, AKA dot.ay including the tracks Washed Away and Facer. You can find dot.ay on Bandcamp. Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh, Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sat, February 15, 2020
Callum Harrington (Warhammer Underworlds: Online) & the final days of Flash
Callum Harrington is Community Manager at Steel Sky Productions , who have just released the early access digital boardgame Warhammer Underworlds: Online . It's an adaptation of the popular tabletop game, and Callum tells us what it takes to make the work as a video game and handling player expectations. 2020 is officially the final year of Adobe Flash (formerly Shockwave Flash) and that means a lot of those games you might have grown up playing or developers started their careers making might be gone for good. With projects like Flashpoint saving over 36,000 games we discuss the legacy of the flash game, and you tell us why how much you loved Neopets. Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh, Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sun, February 02, 2020
Kris Antoni (Coffee Talk) & the future of E3
Kris Antoni of Indonesia's Toge Productions joins us to talk about their newly released game Coffee Talk , a game about having heart-to-heart conversations with customers while you brew them the perfect cup. Kris shares the story of the very real people that inspired the characters of the game, and how the scope of a project can change very drastically once you get stuck into working on it. Sony for the second year in a row pulled out of presenting at E3 as the world waits in anticipation for more news on the upcoming Playstation 5. We'll discuss what this may mean for the future of E3 as well as Sony's biggest competitors in the gaming industry, and what E3 means for the fans, and what the future may hold. Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh, Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Fri, January 17, 2020
Michael Wentworth-Bell & Nick Acciarito (Espire 1 VR Operative) & the #gamedevsforfireys campaign
Michael Wentworth-Bell and Nick Acciarito from Melbourne’s Digital Lode joins us to talk about their VR game Espire 1: VR Operative . It’s a virtual reality single-player game that combines stealth and elements of Metal Gear Solid. Michael and Nick speak about the challenges they faced when combating motion sickness and what it feels like when the game is well received on on platform and slammed on another. #GameDevsForFireys is an online auction led by Defiant Development’s Morgan Jaffit to raise money for Australian bushfire efforts to support those who battle the harsh blazes across the country. We’ll also be discussing the controversy around it as Marijam Didžgalvytė released a video criticising the efforts saying that it was just "self-serving," which received a fair bit of criticism she was forced to respond to on Twitter . Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh, Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Fri, December 13, 2019
Shawn Toh (BattleSky Brigade: Harpooner) & gaming franchises forever
Shawn Toh of Singapore's BattleBrew Productions joins us to talk about his mobile game BattleSky Brigade:Harpooner , a brand new title for the Apple Arcade subscription service. It's described as a vertical shooter, that flips into a fishing game featuring cute rabbit characters. Shawn speaks about finding the right balance in difficult and developing his series into a franchise. Speaking of franchises, the major gaming companies have said recently that a perpertual franchise model is their plan going forward so you can expect to see Halo 12 , Call of Duty 47 and Diablo 19 at some point. We'll discuss how those franchises expand the series we enjoy, and Shawn gives his perspective on making an indie gaming franchise. Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh, Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sat, November 30, 2019
Dan Golding (Untitled Goose Game Composer & Video Game Academic)
Dr Dan Golding is a video game composer who has created soundtracks for the smash hit Untitled Goose Game , The Haunted Island: A Frog Detective Game and Push Me Pull You and has studied our relationships with video games. He joins us to speak about his research, the book he wrote with Leena Van Deventer Game Changers: From Minecraft to Misogny , creating the dynamic soundtrack of Untitled Goose Game was created and how people who play video games self identify online. Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh, Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Mon, November 25, 2019
Mainstream Episode 1: Sayonara Wild Hearts & L.A. Noire
This time we're going AAA, high profile and blockbuster, with some indie thrown into the mix. Mainstream is a brand new podcast from the award winning team at Pixel Sift. Subscribe for free to get episode 3 next week! Apple Podcasts Spotify Pocket Casts Radio Public Overcast RSS Each episode the team will be discussing the games they've been playing as well as breaking down some mainstream gaming news in a short succinct fortnightly podcast. We'll be releasing Mainstream on the alternate weeks to our existing Pixel Sift podcast, so each and every week you'll have something new to listen to. Thank you to Daniel Ang for creating our new podcast artwork, and Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds for composing our theme music. Daniel Ang and Gianni Di Giovanni kick off the first Mainstream by Pixel Sift , it's a look at some of the games we've been playing and the news that piqued our interest. This week Gianni has been playing dreamy arcade game Sayonara Wild Hearts by Swedish developers Simogo, and Daniel has fired up the Xbox 360 to play Team Bondi 's classic L.A. Noire . Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Support the show: https://sifter.store
Fri, November 15, 2019
Matt Trobbiani (Wrestledunk Sports) & Pokémon's impossible legacy
Matt Trobbiani joins us to talk about Team Fractal Alligator's latest game Wrestledunk Sports the game that features a collection of tight sports games that are quick to get in to but full of responsive gameplay. Wrestledunk Sports is a follow up to Matt's widely successful tittle Hacknet , Matt told Fiona and Mitch about the new direction he has taken his development. There are few games franchises that have a longer lasting legacy that the Pokemon series however it seems that Gamefreak themselves are having trouble living up to the expectations of their dedicated fan base. With calls for boycotts and death threats hurled at the developer, the fanbase of Pokémon seems to be at war with itself. We take you through this story and bring you the lows and the highs of the release of Pokémon Sword & Shield. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sat, November 02, 2019
Muhammad Hanif Bin Ghazali & Tan Kang Soon (Songbird Symphony) & is GDC out of reach?
Muhammad Hanif Bin Ghazali and Tan Kang Soon of Joysteak Studios join us from Singapore to talk about their game Songbird Symphony . A side scrolling platformer with bubbly animations and rhythm mechanics. The Game Developers Conference is the worlds largest event for games industry professionals. Providing opportunities for video game developers to learn from each other, share ideas and network. However with ticket prices inflating and geographical barriers getting in the way GDC is quickly moving out of reach for many developers that might need it the most. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Mon, October 21, 2019
Liam Esler & Benjamin Ee (Chorus) - Live at PAX Australia 2019
BONUS EPISODE Featuring creative talents of Austin Wintory, Troy Baker, Elie Young, Chorus promises to be a roleplaying game like no other featuring a dynamic musical form of storytelling, and a strong pedigree. We had the opportunity to sit down with Liam Esler and Benjamin Ee of the newly formed Summerfall Studios to learn about how the game was developed and what it was trying to achieve. You can support Chorus' crowdfunding campaign on Fig . Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sat, October 19, 2019
Party Sift 3 LIVE at PAX Australia 2019 with Party Loaded
Back for another year live from the floor of PAX Australia 2019, Party Loaded and Pixel Sift team up again to chat about our favourite parts of the show. Fiona and Viv speak to Matt and Luke from Party Loaded, and talk lines, finding great games to play, and those nifty collectible pins. If you like Party Loaded why not give them a listen! They've got a new episode out every single week. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! You can find us on social media, Discord, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Twitch, YouTube and Steam. Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
Fri, October 04, 2019
Alexander Perrin & Joshua Tatangelo (Heavenly Bodies) & National Sound and Film Archive to include video games
Alexander Perrin and Joshua Tatangelo are the Co-Founders of 2pt Interactive the studio behind Heavenly Bodies , a game about two cosmonauts navigating the the challenges of a zero gravity environment. It uses a clever control scheme with each stick controlling a character in this hilarious physics based puzzle game. The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia has recently announced that Australian made video games will now be included in the in the living collection for the purpose of preserving those works. A collection of 8 games has already been selected that include The Hobbit (Beam Software, 1982) and Hollow Knight (Team Cherry, 2017) . Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Mon, September 23, 2019
Maize Wallin & Jason Bakker (Wayward Strand) & Is Kickstarter busting union efforts?
Maize Wallin (Sound Designer and Audio Programmer) and Jason Bakker (Writer and Producer) from Ghost Pattern join us to talk about their latest project Wayward Strand . Wayward Strand is an empathetic narrative game where players explore multiple story lines playing out simultaneously on an airborne hospital ship in 1970s Australia. It was recently selected as the one of the PAX Australia indie showcase winners for 2019 , this point and click adventure game is designed for players who don't always interact with video games. Former employees of the popular crowd funding platform Kickstarter have accused the company of retaliatory firing over unionisation efforts within the company. Clarissa Redwine and Taylor Moore were both core union organisers and were let go from the company. Many indie games developers and creators have publicly shown their support for these employees and unionisation and stand in solidarity with their efforts. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Fri, September 06, 2019
Thomas Janson (Death Hall) & why wishlisting matters
Death Hall is a mobile sidescrolling platformer where you try to survive to the end, that draws heavily from the challenging flash games of the early 2000s. Developer Thomas Janson has just won a spot at 2019's PAX Australia Indie Showcase with his game Death Hall, but it's not the first time he's done it, he picked one up in 2014 as well! Every indie game always asks you to wishlist the game when it's announced and according to Ross Manthorp of YoYo Games , there is a tricky relationship with wishlists for developers. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sat, August 24, 2019
Jay Armstrong (Never Give Up) & the days are numbered for random loot boxes
Jay Armstrong is Design Director at Massive Monster and joins us to talk about their latest project Never Give Up the action side scroller featuring fast paced gameplay a progressive player controlled difficulty management and violent traps. There is also a narrator that gives "encouragement" as you die, and die and die again... We also talk the wobbly future loot boxes with random with randomly rolled rewards. With Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft gearing up with new policies to make the disclosure of loot box mandatory this could be the end of the contentious micro transactions. There are still a few missteps though as games like Apex Legends try to have the best of both worlds, but fans weren't happy . Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Wed, August 14, 2019
Screenwest announces the first five games for its $100,000 Interactive Pilot Fund
You might have seen back in May that for the first time in over a decade, video games developers in Western Australia would have direct content funding support from their state government. Screenwest is the agency that administers the Interactive Pilot Fund and first round offered $100,000 for creators of interactive experiences in Western Australia. Well the first recipients of the fund have now been announced and include dungeon crawling dating sims, Virtual Reality ghost hunting adventures, a 3d adventure games designed with accessibility at its core, cat themed puzzle game and an alternate reality game based around those “I am not a robot CAPTCHA tests.” In this bonus episode we speak hear how the fund came about, and from some of the developers who were successful. You can read the full article over on website: Screenwest announces the first five games for its $100,000 Interactive Pilot Fund Support the show: https://sifter.store
Thu, August 08, 2019
Adventures in Interactive Writing - Live at XR:WA
In an extended live panel discussion episode at XR:WA 2019, interactive writers Alan Butler , Anthony Sweet , Christy Dena , and Glen Spoors share their experience in story telling in the digital space. How do you tell a story where elements can change? And what happens when players break the rules? Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sat, July 27, 2019
Paul Jakovich (Pico Tanks) & IGEA's "Power of Games" Report
Paul Jakovich joins us to talk about Pico Tanks the competitive team based multiplayer game for mobile devices by Melbourne's very own Panda Arcade . Paul is the Creative Lead on the game and shared the challenges of balancing a game where 2 teams of 3 tanks do battle as well as maintaining a good work environment in his studio. The Interactive Games and Entertainment Association has released the newest version of it’s bi-annual report on the “Power and Impact of Video Games in Australia” . The research includes new information on the number of Australians playing games, how old they are and who they are. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Fri, July 12, 2019
Ellie Balson (Crime Scene Finvestigation) & indie devs petition G2A
Ellie Balson joins us in the studio this week to talk about her latest project Brine Scene Finvestigation , a point and click adventure game where the player investigates the disappearance of the dolphins at the local aquarium. Ellie creates quirky artistic games, with plenty of nostalgia and style. Ellie creates games from an artist's perspective, using the Adventure Game Studio to craft her work instead of another engine. Ellie's work can be found on her itch.io page . G2A the grey market digital games key reselling service has admitted that indie game sales make up only a small percentage of their business model. This has angered the indie dev community because sites like G2A have been known for facilitating the sale of fraudulent keys obtained via methods such as credit card fraud. So this has inspired some indies to petition the company to stop selling indie games entirely. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Fri, July 05, 2019
Anthony Sweet, Cabalia & Pika Pi (How do you keep creating? Live at Supanova Perth)
Being creative can be hard, but there are those among us who seem like they are never ending creativity machines. On this special episode of the award-winning Pixel Sift podcast recorded live at Supanova Perth 2019 in front of a live audience, Twitch Partner Cabalia, Cosplayer PikaPi and Battlestar Galactica Deadlock writer Anthony Sweet about what it takes to make the things we all admire and enjoy, and what happens when the creative juices aren’t flowing. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
Fri, June 28, 2019
Leon Zawada & Simon Rance (Amid Evil) & the future of gaming is a subscription
Leon Zawada and Simon Rance were next door neighbours and grew up playing Doom and Quake, before deciding to make their own games. You can see that inspiration in their newest game Amid Evil , a retro styled magical shooter built with modern technology. If you like the speed of those nineties shooters, but with a contempory twist this could be the game for you. Amid Evil is now available on Steam, Humble Store and GOG. Microsoft and Google are both making their video game subscription package push, and they want players to shell out each and every month to keep playing. With streaming a huge part of Google's Stadia will that be a viable option in countries that don't have internet that's up to scratch? Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sat, June 15, 2019
Kate Raynes-Goldie & Sof Mather (XR:WA Festival) & have indie games stagnated?
XR:WA is a brand new Western Australian immersive reality festival running in conjunction with Revelation Perth International Film Festival . The event aims to bring together great VR experiences from around the state and bridge the gap between traditional screen and interactive media. We are joined live in the studio by Dr Kate Raynes-Goldie the producer of XR:WA and Sof Mather the Curator of Playup Perth Games Zone . XR:WA is on from the 6th to the 14th of July in Perth Western Australia. Jonathan Blow has raised some concerns about the global indie development scene stating that the industry has failed to innovate and has become "stagnant" . How you define innovation in indie games has a big impact on whether or not you think this is true. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Trailer · Sat, June 01, 2019
Where should I start listening? Your guide to Pixel Sift
Welcome! If you're wondering where the best place to jump in is, well here are a few suggestions for you of our favourite episodes. There is heaps and heaps to learn and stacks and stacks of games. Head to our website pixelsift.com.au to see all we have on offer.
Fri, May 31, 2019
Dean Walshe (Void Bastards) & controversy and excitement for Play Date
Dean Walshe is the 3D Art Lead at Canberra's Blue Manchu and they've just released their comic styled rogue-lite shooter Void Bastards . Looking like the science fiction comic worlds of the 2000AD comics , Void Bastards is a game built by System Shock and Bioshock designers, where every death is a lesson and a progression. Dean shared what it was like to build a game that even after years of working on it was still a blast for him to play. Void Bastards is available now on PC and Xbox One. Well it was dropped into the world with much fanfare, the tiny yellow handheld called Play Date by software developer and publisher Panic made a big splash . Featuring an unconventional design, it got people equally excited and confused , but not without first causing a bit of controversy with a naming clash for an event featuring marginalised creators . Is the Play Date a gimmick, or has it changed the game? Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store <
Fri, May 17, 2019
Greg Dziemidowicz (VR Regatta) & the return of the Aus Interactive Games Fund
How do you translate the essentially visceral experience of taking to the sea into the world of VR? Well Greg Dziemidowicz is Director and Lead Programmer at Melbourne's MarineVerse and along with his crew of sailing VR developers have done just that. It's not just for people who sail regularly but it also allows those people who can't sail to enjoy the experience. VR Regatta is out now and has just released it's big arctic sailing map expansion. There is a big federal election happening and for YEARS government support for Australian game development support hasn't been on the agenda. The opposition Labor Party have announced a big $25m reinstatement of the Australian Interactive Games Fund (AIGF) , the Australian Greens want to put $100m into the industry . The original run of the AIGF was cut short when the Liberal-National Government came to power but not before funding a number of well known studios were able to access the fund like Defiant Development, Tin Man Games, SMG Studio and Black Lab Games. We discuss what this will mean if the funding is reinstated if there is a change of government! Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store<
Bonus · Sun, May 05, 2019
"What does it mean to be indie?" Freeplay Festival celebrates 15yrs
Hey I know you know that we're a podcast, but did you know that on our website we've got articles as well? Cool right? Well here is a bonus episode and extended version of our story "What does it mean to be indie?" Freeplay Festival celebrates 15 years." If you like this please jump on the Pixel Sift Facebook page or send us a message over on Twitter or say hello on Discord . Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sat, May 04, 2019
Hamish Wagstaff (Double Shot) & two very different approaches to crunch
Hamish Wagstaff is the Director of Aberrant Realities in Canberra, the studio behind Double Shot , a virtual reality game that has players pour and concoct drinks for their customers all while defending their bar from attackers with a variety of weapons. It's set in retro 1980s aesthetic and it's a cocktail filled to the brim with style. You might have read this week that Epic Games, the makers of Fortnite, and Respawn Entertainment, who developed Apex Legends two blockbuster battle royale games, are approaching their success in very different ways. While Epic allegedly is trying everything to keep that pace of content and fixes and burning workers out in the process, Respawn is taking a slower more manageable pace to avoid crunch. We discuss how crunch culture effects smaller studios and large studios and talk about how that is very different. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
Mon, April 22, 2019
Neil Rennison (Table of Tales) & Neil's storied career in games
Neil Rennison is the Co-Founder and Creative Director at Tin Man Games and one of the developers behind Table of Tales: The Crooked Crown , a VR adventure game featuring an evolving game board, a fully voiced dungeon master companion and an evolving story based on your actions. Neil started Tin Man Games over a decade ago now and has had an extensive career in video games before that. We spoke to him about his extensive experience in the global industry and how the scene has changed here in Australia. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sat, April 13, 2019
Katie Stegs (Critter Clash) & should all games have an easy mode?
Katie Stegs is the Marketing director of Lumi Interactive a company that started out as a marketing and consulting company but then started creating games of their own. They've just launched Critter Clash , a mobile PvP game that combine the classic sling shot mechanics of Angry Birds with the nuanced complexity of deck building wrapped in a colourful animal filled package. You can pick up the game now - Critter Clash on Google Play . Well when From Software's newest title Sekiro:Shadows Die Twice came out, the idea of an easy mode in games has set the internet on fire with many industry professionals now weighing in on the topic. We take a look at what some of them have to say, on how it could be achieved and how easy and accessible are not one in the same . Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
Bonus · Thu, April 04, 2019
New episode NEXT WEEK & Australian Podcast Awards Finalists!
We've got some exciting news! We're finalists at the Australian Podcast Awards in their inaugural Gaming category! It's super exciting and there are a lot of big names also nominated. You might also be wondering why there isn't a new episode this week, well we've gone and done a switcheroo so we'll be bringing you episode 118 next week when we speak to Katie Stegs of Lumi Interactive about their move from games PR to game developers! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sat, March 23, 2019
Matt Sanderson (Mars Underground) & parents spending 34% more on games than last year
Matt Sanderson is the creator of the brand new game Mars Underground, a post apocalyptic adventure game inspired heavily by the movie Groundhog Day where players are trapped in an endless time loop of their first day in a new school. Matt worked on this game mostly by himself, programming, creating art and music, a project that he describes as "consuming him" for years. If you like retro inspired adventures with the look of the Mother series and the wit of Monkey Island this might be for you. According to a new report parents in the US are spending more money each year on all entertainment for their kids, but a bigger proportion of that overall spend is now on games. Could one reasons for that be the shift from games as a product to games as a service? Scott and Sarah take a closer look at recent gaming trends and the spending habits they are creating. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sat, March 09, 2019
Owain Bolt (Dismantle:Contruct Carnage) & Game dev job losses around the world
Owain Bolt from Canberra's Great Helm and joined us to talk about their latest game Dismantle: Construct Carnage , a game with customisable characters and fast paced limb ripping combat. As long as you've got a head and torso you can still win in this local multiplayer arena brawler. We first spoke to the team at Great Helm back in 2016, so we find out exactly what's changed that time. It has been a turbulent couple of weeks for the international development community with massive job losses in companies like Activision Blizzard, makers of Overwatch and Call of Duty and arenaNet, developers of Guild Wars 2 . The news even hit close to home here in Australia with Melbourne based studio EA Firemonkeys also making a number of it's core staff redundant . We discuss what it's like when companies who are making record profits, still sack huge amounts of their staff. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sat, February 23, 2019
Ian MacLarty (JUMPGRID) & working as a solo developer
Ian Mclarty joins us again to talk about his latest game JUMPGRID a fast paced puzzle game that features a combination of quick fire action gameplay, sort of a plays a bit like Pacman but with teleporting. With a kicking soundtrack and cosmic level design JUMPGRID looks like it's a big departure from Ian's last game Dissembler but things might be closer than it seems. We first spoke to Ian on Episode 96 of the podcast so you check out that if you're interested in learning more about how he makes games. Developing a game by yourself is something that many indie developers are choosing to do but in a new article by Brendan Sinclair , Joakim Sandberg, developer of Iconoclasts says that solo development may not be all it's cracked up to be. We dig into the difference between solo game development and isolated game development and why one is preferable to the other. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
Fri, February 08, 2019
Aidan McKeown (Paperville Panic) & More than One Way to Launch a Game
Aidan McKeown from Ultimerse is our guest for episode 114, and he is the lead developer of Paperville Panic , a project that was initially planned to take three months, but ended up taking two years. Paperville Panic is a VR game about a town made entirely of paper that has just experienced its first fire and you are the single rookie firefighter with the power to save the day. Paperville Panic is now available on Steam and Oculus stores. There is more than one way to launch a game. Long expensive marketing campaigns that last for years or releasing a game seemingly out of nowhere without any warning. EA has done both with their latest titles Anthem and Apex Legends . Is it better to drop in from the sky into the battle royale arena of game releases, or work on the slow build of a marketing campaign. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
Fri, January 25, 2019
Daniel Elston (Guile & Glory:Firstborn) & Hbomberguys massive marathon for Mermaids UK
Daniel Elston joins us this week from Elston Studios in Melbourne to talk about his game Guile and Glory: Firstborn , a game featuring tactics, puzzles and most importantly adventure. Daniel spoke about the humble beginnings of his studio and how this retro tactical game was prototyped as a boardgame. We take a look at look back at the charity stream run by Hbomberguy and how a simple run of Donkey Kong 64 to spite a conservative comedy writer turned a classic game into a symbol of trans rights around the world and raising just under half a million dollars for Mermaids, a charity that supports trans rights in the UK . This 57 hour marathon streaming session featured celebrities like Chelsea Manning, John Romero, and politicians like Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez who made the bold (but fair) claim the N64 is the best console ever. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
Thu, January 10, 2019
Brigitta Rena (She and the Light Bearer) & The Great Server Divide
Brigitta Rena is the Art Director and Writer of the adorable and stylish She and the Light Bearer , the brand new point & click adventure game from Surabaya's Mojiken Studio . Rena shared her journey from illustrator to game developer, and what it took to make this classic yet modern fairytale. She and the Light Bearer will be released on the 17th of January. Gamers in the middle east have been swept up in the phenomenon that is Fortnite, but while the world is more connected than ever before, the lack of dedicated servers is making life hard for those going for the victory royale . # ForniteMiddleEastServers is a campaign started by Alaa "DvLZStaTioN" Ebrahim to help fight the massive lag that players experience when outside of the US or EU. We look at what it's like playing games if you aren't in one of those major markets. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! You can find us on social media Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
Fri, December 14, 2018
Ellen Jurik (Storm Boy: The Game) & Epic's store changes the game
Ellen Jurik from Sydney’s Blowfish Studios joins us in the studio this week. She is the Game Director of Storm Boy: The Game , an interactive adaptation of the classic Australian children's novel by Colin Thiele. We spoke about what it took to adapt this game, and capturing the essence of the story. We also talk about Epic Game 's aggressive push into the videogame delivery market. With better deals for developers and the promise of curation for its library it looks like they are out to give Steam a run for its money. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. SPONSOR : Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! You can find us on social media Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , and YouTube . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
Thu, November 29, 2018
Clinton McCleary (Infliction) & the Australian Senate loot box inquiry
Clinton McCleary wasn't working in games before he started Caustic Reality and his debut game Infliction. In fact it was a redundancy at work that prompted him to start working on his game over 3 years, which lead to award nominations, PAX Australia indie showcase selection and a story that really resonates with people. Infliction is a horror first person narrative exploration game that draws on Clinton's own life experiences to make something both horrifying and deeply relatable. Infliction is available now on Steam. An Australian Senate standing committee which carried out an inquiry into loot boxes, has just handed down it's report into " Gaming micro-transactions for chance-based items ". It looks like loot boxes might soon need stricter guidelines if they are to be allowed in video games in Australia, but the story isn't over yet. There are a bunch of recommendations and information in the report which you can read in full here, but let us break it all down for you so you can spend less time reading a 90 page document and more time grinding for those inevitable sprays and icons, urgh. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
Thu, November 15, 2018
Greg Louden (STONE) & Obsidian and inXile - from indie to Acquired
Greg Louden is the Chief Convict at Convict Games and our guest this episode . This remote studio have put together STONE a love letter to noir, stoner flicks with a strong Australian aesthetic and a surreal anthropomorphic animal universe . Greg shared with us what it was like to work on this game, and how he collaborated with musicians from across the world as well as roping in as many friends and family as possible. STONE is available now on Steam. This week Microsoft announced at their X018 event that they had acquired inXile Entertainment and Obsidian Entertainment makers of Wasteland 2 and Pillars of Eternity II respectively, as it bolsters its ever growing stable of first party studios and console exclusives, with some fearing a return to the studio absorption and destruction of the early 2000s. Will this mean less of the cross platform play we're coming to expect from major titles, as exclusivity and acquisitions take hold? Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
Fri, November 02, 2018
Party Sift: LIVE at PAX Australia 2018 with Party Loaded
Fresh from the showfloor of PAX Australia 2018 is PARTY SIFT the great collaborative podcast we share with our friends at Party Loaded . This year Matt and Luke stepped up to the Mic at the Audio Technica podcast booth on the show floor and we recapped some of our favourite parts of the show. If you like Party Loaded why not give them a listen! They're out every single week. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sat, October 20, 2018
Zamfir Dumitru (Dawnblade) & Red Dead Redemption 2's 100 hour work weeks
Zamfir Dumitru , the Founder & CEO of MonsterScope Studios joined us this episode to Share his team's latest project Dawnblade the modern hack 'n' slash dungeon crawler and Action RPG for mobile devices. Zamfir talked about the challenges of taking his work to Gamescom in Germany and at the Tokyo Game Show and why exhibiting it at PAXAUS seems like a walk in the park in comparison and what it is like to be so close to the end of a long development journey. The launch cycle of the hotly anticipated Red Dead Redemption 2 is in full swing and with it are the standard pre-release interviews happen with key creatives. Dan Houser, Rockstar Games Co-founder and writer caused some controversy this week when hesaid in an interview with Vulture that "The polishing, rewrites, and reedits Rockstar does are immense. 'We were working 100-hour weeks' several times in 2018" before quickly clarifying . Over the last few years we've seen a lot of push back against crunch culture in games development , and the era of high intensity work expectations isn't as readily accepted as it once was . Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , <a href="http://www.twitch.tv/pi
Sun, October 07, 2018
John Robertson (The Dark Room) & participatory culture
The infamous John Robertson , the mastermind behind the YouTube series turned popular stage show turned video game The Dark Room is our guest this episode. John has come back to his roots, working with Perth's own Stirfire Studios which brings the whole thing full circle. One of the first "games" on YouTube and based heavily on the 1980s style text adventures, John shared what it was like working with a team he'd known since he was 15 to make the Dark Room game. We also speak about participatory culture, which is a fancy way of saying fandom and audience involvement in media , and John shared his experience with the cosplay and gaming communities and how they have shaped his work. With years of experience as a cosplay contenst MC we learn how the small stories he saw play out on stage inspired his work, and how that works for his collaborative stage show. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sat, September 22, 2018
Locky Betts & Jeff Hayes (Torque Drift) & in game licencing of real products
Locky Betts and Jeff Hayes of Fitzroy's Grease Monkey Games take us on a journey with their game Torque Drift. It's a competitve drift racing game made by drift enthusiasts. We learn about how they've translated the feeling of weight shifting in a car around a corner into a game you can take with you on your phone, and challenge your friends. For the hoon at heart, Torque Drift will be out in October. We also learn a little bit about how real products end up in games, and when a brand decides they don't want to play anymore . From car manufacturers to embracing the world of gaming , to them driving off into the sunset, with some input from Locky & Jeff who tell us what it's like to bring real cars into a game you're making. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sat, September 08, 2018
James Koehne & Daniel Spiteri (Hunt 'n Sneak) & crazy lengths to unlock in-game content
Two of the developers from Melbourne based studio Pixel Engineers, James Koehne and Daniel Spiteri join us this week, they're the creators of Hunt 'n Sneak the asymetric multiplayer game where light is both your friend and foe. We learn exactly what it took to make this game that's still in development and the challenges of making a balanced game where each player has different goals. We also take a look at drastic measures some Fortnite players are taking to get their hands on a limited adition skin. Some are visiting retailers to covertly access the content on display devices. Even close friends of the Pixel Sift staff are getting in on the action with varying degress of success. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E103 · Sat, August 25, 2018
Aladar Apponyi (Eatvolve) & Audiences make gaming better
Aladar Apponyi joins us from Melbourne to talk about his game Eatvolve, the "eat em up" platformer that has players take charge of a base level lifeform climbing its way up the food chain by consuming different animals and stealing their abilities. We learn what its like moving to solo development after working at Team Bondi and the future of the game. Patrick Klepek at Waypoint wrote an interesting article this week on how playing games for an audience makes challenging and stressful games more enjoyable . From the arcade, to the couch, to streams with large heaps of watchers, they performative aspect of gaming isn't new, but it's definitely an ever increasing trend. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E102 · Sun, August 12, 2018
Sean Simon (Snake Time) & a launcher for every game
Sean Simon AKA Those Six Faces joins us this week to talk about his game Snake Time . Developed by Sean alone Snake Time takes the traditional Snake gameplay and turns it into a move by move puzzle game. Sean spoke to us about building out his first released game, and what success looks like to him. We also take a closer look at the trend of games choosing to move away from traditional online marketplaces such as Steam and Google Play and create their own launcher and store for their games. The latest publishers to go it alone are Epic Games and Bethesda. However there are concerns device security and user experience could be affected by this move. Is it a cash grab, will it allow for a more tailored game experience and is it actually be better for the players? Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E101 · Sun, July 29, 2018
David Lloyd (Regular Human Basketball) & Pre-Order Game Changer
David Lloyd from Melbourne based studio Powerhoof joins us this week to share his new game Regular Human Basketball, where you take control of a giant mech to score dunks and three pointers in the normal sport of basketball. Following on from Crawl, another local multiplayer asyncronous couch game, Dave shared what inspired the game and what they learnt along the way. Regular Human Basketball is available on PC from 1 August 2018, and you can check out our PAXAUS first look here. A court in Germany has just made it illegal for game retailer to take preorders for games that do not have a definitive release date . This could really shake up the way publishers do business. With preorders a big component of early AAA marketing, and a revenue source for retailers, we took a look at how this compares to Australian consumer law, and whether or not a ban like this might come into force here. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sat, July 14, 2018
Tim Colwill (Point & Clickbait + Game Workers Unite Australia)
Our special 100th episode guest is Tim Colwill , creator of Point & Clickbait and union organiser of the Australian chapter of Game Workers Unite . Point & Clickbait is a satirical gaming news site, described as The Onion but for games journalism, that aims to call attention to all the things that gamers and the games industry take too seriously, or doesn't take seriously enough . With a recent successful Kickstarter campaign under his belt for a print magazine version, Tim shared his thoughts on games journalism and what writing good satire should achieve. Game Workers Unite is a budding unionisation effort that formed around the 2018 Game Developers Conference, and part of a broader effort to stop workers in the games industry getting exploited for their passion. Tim is part of the organisation efforts to start Game Workers Unite Australia and draws on his work in an Australian union. Tim shares his thoughts on why unionisation is an important step for developers, journalists, streamers and anyone working in games and how pulling together makes everything better for everyone. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. .Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://si
S1 E99 · Fri, June 22, 2018
Abi Rahmani (Project Wingman) & Sony's "Epic" Fortnite Lockout
Abi Rahmani joins us in the studio to talk about his game Project Wingman , the arcade fighter jet combat game taking Kickstarter by storm . Abi let us know what is took to bring the various planes to life from right here in Perth. Sony’s move to lock out Epic accounts from playing Fortnite if they have been linked with Playstation Network accounts have the community grabbing their pickaxes in anger. With even hardcore Sony fans like Greg Miller strongly criticizing Playstation for their actions. Pixel Sift is produced by Fiona Bartholomaeus. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SUPPORT PIXEL SIFT: We couldn't do what we do without your support. If you'd like to show your support on your exterior form why not head to our Merch store? You can pick up shirts, Totes and even socks! pixelsift.com.au/sifters You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E98 · Fri, June 08, 2018
Matt Kelly (Molemen Must Die!) & Valve opts out of moderation on Steam
Matt Kelly from Mokomoto joins us all the way from Japan to talk to us about his latest game Molemen Must Die . Matt spoke to us about how his team achieved Molemen’s unique new style retro look as well as the advantages and the culture of developing games in Japan. You can also check out Pixel Sift Plays: Molemen Must Die! to see a little bit of the game or you can find out more information here: Molemen Must Die! on Steam Last month, developers of "adult" visual novel style games were told out of the blue that their games would need to be changed in order to stay in the catalog of the popular online store Steam. This week Valve released a statement addressing the concerns that some developers have voiced over curation of the store, with many hoping it would clear up some of the questions they had about Valve's position on moderation. With some developers expressing their willingness to move their games to other delivery platforms , does Valve's inconsistent application of policies and backflips give players and developers the clarity they've been looking for? Pixel Sift is produced by Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. .Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SUPPORT PIXEL SIFT: We couldn't do what we do without your support. If you'd like to show your support on your exterior form why not head to our Merch store? You can pick up shirts, Totes and even socks! pixelsift.com.au/sifters You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E97 · Fri, May 25, 2018
Justin Ng (Muffled Warfare & Stifled) & Fortnite's $100,000,000 tournament fund
Justin Ng is one of the creators of Muffled Warfare and Stifled , and he joins us to talk about how his two games both use the mechanic of echolocation in very different ways. Justin spoke about what it was like to bring these concepts into reality as well, what it's like to build a game from an April Fools joke, and what the future holds for his studio Gattai Games Epic Games , the creators of the mega sensation Fortnite, have pledged a whopping $100,000,000 , towards Fortnite esports tournaments, and they've put an emphasis on being as inclusive as possible. What what will this mean for the game itself moving forward and competitive gaming as an industry? Pixel Sift is produced by Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SUPPORT PIXEL SIFT: We couldn't do what we do without your support. If you'd like to show your support on your exterior form why not head to our Merch store? You can pick up shirts, tote bags and even socks! pixelsift.com.au/sifters You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E96 · Fri, May 11, 2018
Ian MacLarty (Dissembler) & the curse of mobile gaming timers
Ian MacLarty is a prolific game designer and one that loves making small experiential titles that challenge the way you think about playing games. We had the pleasure of speaking to Ian this week about his minimalistic puzzle game Dissembler, where you flip colour tiles to match 3 and clear the screen . You can find all of Ian's games here on his Itch.io page . Well this week a writer at Destructoid called the new Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery "The cruciatus curse of mobile gaming" and called for everyone involved to feel ashamed of themselves. It's drawn some criticism from some of the games industry's biggest names , and it seems that one persons curse is actually the charm to million dollar daily revenues. Pixel Sift is produced by Fiona Bartholomaeus, Mitch Loh & Scott Quigg. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer SUPPORT PIXEL SIFT: We couldn't do what we do without your support. If you'd like to show your support on your exterior form why not head to our Merch store? You can pick up shirts, Totes and even socks! pixelsift.com.au/sifters You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E95 · Fri, April 27, 2018
Nick McDonnell (The American Dream) & are games too long?
Nicholas McDonnell of Samurai Punk , is our guest this week, and he's joined us to share how his team created their new VR game The American Dream. The American Dream is a satirical VR title that has players navigate a world using only guns, and no problem is too big or small to be solved without them. Nicholas filled us in on what was like to make such a game and how the American audiences reacted when touring the game to US conventions. Nick joined us back in Episode 19, and you can listen back to that show here where we learnt all about Screencheat. . For a long time, the value of a game was based on how many hours of gameplay it could provide, but now the tide appears to be changing . With game audiences getting older, and priorities shifting shorter focused games are becoming a godsend for the time poor player. Are games too long, or have our tastes changed? Pixel Sift is produced by Fiona Bartholomaeus, Mitch Loh & Scott Quigg. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer SUPPORT PIXEL SIFT: We couldn't do what we do without your support. If you'd like to show your support on your exterior form why not head to our Merch store? You can pick up shirts, Totes and even socks! pixelsift.com.au/store You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E94 · Thu, April 12, 2018
Mike Blackney (Dead Static Drive) & cheating in games
Mike Blackney the developer of the highly anticipated road trip survival game Dead Static Drive is our guest this week. Dead Static Drive draws heavily on nostalgic classic americana, with drop of monster movie chucked in for good measure. We asked him about how it felt to leave his stable teaching job to become a full time game developer, what inspired the style of the game, and what sort of response he wanted players to have. Dead Static Drive is currently in development and you can check out our first impressions of the game at PAX Australia 2016 here . We're also talking about cheating in games, with a great video by Wrestling With Gaming about the history of the Game Shark and Game Genie cheat devices bringing back memories of cheat codes scribbled in the back of manuals. Why do people cheat in games , is it ok, and what happens when they take their cheating tendencies online? Thanks to James Morrison for jumping onto the show this week to take the hosting duties. Pixel Sift is produced by Fiona Bartholomaeus, Mitch Loh & Scott Quigg. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer SUPPORT PIXEL SIFT: We couldn't do what we do without your support. If you'd like to show your support on your exterior form why not head to our Merch store? You can pick up shirts, Totes and even socks! pixelsift.com.au/store Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E93 · Fri, March 30, 2018
Lachlan Juzva (Nova Flow) & Game developer unionisation
We take a look at the first-person speedrunner Nova Flow , and to help us along is Lachlan Juzva , the Creative Lead at Wrecked Angle Studios , the developers behind the title. We found out what it took to bring the team together and finally settle on a name for the project, all while dodging the snarky remarks of Lachlan's co-workers in the Twitch chat . Game developer unionisation is a hot topic after the idea was addressed in depth at this year's GDC (Game Developers Conference) . With stories of developer exploitation and burnout becoming the unfortunate norm these days the idea of unionisation is looking like a better idea. You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E92 · Thu, March 15, 2018
Tim Bermanseder (Witch Thief) & archiving extinct online games
This week as we are joined by Tim Bermanseder , a Director and Technical Artist at Cardboard Keep, the studio behind Witch Thief . Witch Thief combines a fun magical girl art style with the chaotic projectile dodging action. Tim went into detail about what it took to bring such a game to life, and how it all started with a Witch. The game preservationists at the Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment (MADE) , are leading the charge to preserve servers and other digital spaces ,from falling into obscurity, all in the name education and study. However the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) , is pushing back against this idea, saying that this allow easy theft of valuable IP and copyrighted content. How do games fit between historical objects and saleable products ? You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E91 · Fri, March 02, 2018
Ally McLean (RUMU) & The Working Lunch mentoring program
We're joined by Ally McLean this week, and she's a Gamerunner at Robot House , the studio behind RUMU , a game that features a sentient robot vacuum cleaner with plenty of love and emotion. We spoke what inspired the game and influenced its design, as well as games that respect your time, and the giving your robot a hug. We also got the chance to speak to Ally about about a new program called "The Working Lunch" which aims at mentoring and supporting women in the Australian games industry with skilled mentors the help their career development and open new doors. If you're interested in being involved make sure you follow Working Lunch on Twitter to keep up to date. You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E90 · Fri, February 16, 2018
Nico King (Rainbow Reef) & Facebook pivots to game streaming
Nico King is the Creative Director at Chaos Theory Games in Sydney and one of the creators behind Rainbow Reef . The game combines Nico's passion for coral reefs and aquarium building by putting players in charge of a small section of reef and cultivating the coral to attract and foster different sea creatures.We learn all about why Chaos Theory Games does what it does and what it's trying to achieve with the games it makes. Facebook has made a strong push to re-tool its platform to capture some of the every expanding market of gaming streamers, and has recently announced that it is providing tools and incentives to attract content creators back to the website. But a recent deal between ESL and Facebook to stream majore DOTA 2 tournaments has resulted in massive decline in viewership, and actively shutting down any alternatives. SPONSORS: Murdoch University School of Arts: Combine your love of making media, whether it's let's plays or your own games with a world class education with a degree from Murdoch University School of Arts. Click here to learn what is on offer. You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E89 · Fri, February 02, 2018
Matthew Clark (The Gardens Between) & the Aus Senate inquiry into game development
Matt Clark is the Technical Director at The Voxel Agents and he joined us this week to speak about their upcoming game The Gardens Between. This stylish and calm puzzle game drops two friends into surreal nostalgic worlds where players do not control their movements but the direction of time itself. The Gardens Between were selected for the PAX Australia Indie Showcase in 2017 , and we learn how the game has developed since we spoke to Henrik Pettersson from the show floor. After absurd amount of time (642 days to be exact) the the Australian Federal Government has finally responded to the eight recommendations from "Game On: More Than Playing Around." We discuss what the government said, after missing their deadline to respond by more than a year and how game developers have been reacting. SPONSORS: Murdoch University School of Arts: Combine your love of making media, whether it's let's plays or your own games with a world class education with a degree from Murdoch University School of Arts. Click here to learn what is on offer. Join us on Discord to chat about episodes, and anything else that catches your fancy! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E88 · Thu, January 18, 2018
Roman Maksymyschyn (Hyper Jam) & esports leagues, and partnership with traditional sport
Roman Maksymyschyn joins us to talk about Bit Dragon's latest project Hyper Jam , an arena brawler that has players fight with colourful attacks in neon soaked maps. Roman spoke to us about moving from 2D to 3D style gameplay and the impact of grants like the Unreal Dev Grants will have on the development of his game. With big personalities Robert Kraft (owner of the New England Patriots) willing to drop big money on Overwatch League teams, such as Boston Uprising, we are now seeing the next generation esports competitions. With traditional sporting leagues such as the US based Major League Soccer , and local A-League in Australia using their existing teams to sign pro-gamers under these existing brands to play their digital counterparts in "eleagues" SPONSORS: Murdoch University School of Arts: Combine your love of making media, whether it's let's plays or your own games with a world class education with a degree from Murdoch University School of Arts. Click here to learn what is on offer. You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E87 · Thu, January 04, 2018
Morgan Jaffit (Hand of Fate 2) & couch co-op games don't sell
Morgan Jaffit is Creative Director and co-founder of Brisbane's Defiant Development and our guest on our first episode for 2018. Morgan joined us to talk all about the making of hybrid action, tabletop style RPG Hand of Fate 2 . With development of the first Hand of Fate title completed Morgan and the team turned their attention to perfecting the game design, and building on what they had learnt. We also spoke of Hand of Fate:Ordeals, the upcoming board game adaptation currently in production, a collaboration with fellow Queenslanders Rule & Make . Hand of Fate 2 is now available on PC, Playstation 4 and Xbox One. It's no secret that we love a good couch multiplayer game, but they may not be the financial winners that indie developers might hope they'll be. We also speak about Morgan's advice to up and coming indie developers that couch co-op & competitive games don't sell, and what other types of games they should focus on if they'd like to turn their hobby into a career. SPONSORS: Murdoch University School of Arts: Combine your love of making media, whether it's let's plays or your own games with a world class education with a degree from Murdoch University School of Arts. Click here to learn what is on offer. You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E86 · Sat, December 23, 2017
Live at Perth Games Festival 2017 - Exhibiting your very first game
We're back for another live episode at Perth Games Festival and this year we're speaking with some early career developers from our home state of Western Australia. In a freewheeling discussion we talk with Jak and Matt from Artisans Games , who previously joined us on episode 78 & Josh and Gus of Simple Productions who've taken their uni project to the public for the very first time. We spoke with both teams about the value of getting their games in front of the public and what they'd learnt from the experience. SPONSORS: Murdoch University School of Arts: Combine your love of making media, whether it's let's plays or your own games with a world class education with a degree from Murdoch University School of Arts. Click here to learn what is on offer. You can find us on social media, Discord" , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E85 · Sat, December 09, 2017
Travers Dunkinson (HEIST) & portrayals of domestic violence in games
Travers Dunkinson one of the minds behind Heist , a game where you play as a cat burglar stealing your way through a noir style city with only non-lethal gadgets to defend yourself joined us for our final live episode for 2017. The trailer for Detroit Become Human has sent shock waves through mainstream media. Many news outlets quick to cast judgment on the subject of the gameplay footage. But could this be games as a medium graduating to more hard hitting and challenging stories? Or have Quantic Dream gone too far? Pixel Sift understands that this topic will be confronting for some listeners, if you would not like to skip this segment please feel free to scroll ahead to 14:53 to jump right into our interview with Travers Dunkinson. If you or someone you know is struggling with domestic abuse please contact these family support services. 1800 Respect national helpline : 1800 737 732 Women's Crisis Line : 1800 811 811 Men's Referral Service : 1300 766 491 Lifeline (24 hour crisis line): 131 114 Relationships Australia : 1300 364 277 SPONSORS: Murdoch University School of Arts: Combine your love of making media, whether it's let's plays or your own games with a world class education with a degree from Murdoch University School of Arts. Click here to learn what is on offer. You can find us on social media, Discord" , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E84 · Sun, November 26, 2017
Dylan J. Walker (Elden: Path of the Forgotten), lootboxes ruined Battlefront II
Dylan J. Walker, Creative Director and developer from ONERAT GAMES joins us this week . We’ve spoken to Dylan in the past at PAXAUS 2017 and 2016 but now we have him on the show with us to go into more detail about his latest project Elden , Path of the Forgotten a medieval RPG featuring a diverse collection of locations and creepy Lovecraftian enemies. We took a number when it all began and now it’s our turn to talk about the Star Wars Battlefront II look box fiasco taking Reddit by storm . Is the wider gaming community overreacting? Or is EA pointing the Death Star right at a world without micro transactions? SPONSORS: Murdoch University School of Arts: Combine your love of making media, whether it's let's plays or your own games with a world class education with a degree from Murdoch University School of Arts. Click here to learn what is on offer. You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E83 · Fri, November 10, 2017
Ed Orman (City of Brass) + neural networks, AI & gaming
Ed Orman from Uppercut Games joined us to discuss his latest game, City of Brass , a Rogue-lite FPS that pays tribute to the Arabian Knights tale of the same name. Armed with a scimitar and “the most versatile whip ever created” you slash and crack your way through a procedurally generated world filled with traps, treasure and ghoulish foes. We spoke to him about the inspiration behind the game as well as the challenges of procedural generated level development. Available now on Steam early access . Taking a looking at the remarkable programmer SethBling ’s latest creation, MariFlow , we dive into the world of Neural Networks to see what would happen if such systems were applied to gaming AI. More than just simply refining and improving upon NPC’s in future video games, this form of AI has the potential to aid and even pioneer game development. What does the future hold for artificial neural networks and games? SPONSORS: Murdoch University School of Arts: Combine your love of making media, whether it's let's plays or your own games with a world class education with a degree from Murdoch University School of Arts. Click here to learn what is on offer. Join our Discord and chat about each episode, topics, and games we should play on #PixelSiftPlays! Pixelsift on Discord You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E82 · Tue, October 31, 2017
Pixel Sift & Party Loaded live at PAX Australia
We teamed up with fellow Western Australian podcasters Party Loaded to bring you a collaborative episode recorded live on the PAX Australia convention floor featuring some of our favourite picks and games from the show. Party Loaded is a weekly 60 – 90 minute show presented by Luke, Imogen, Jam & Olly, serving up fun in the form of news, reviews and interviews from the wider video gaming industry. SPONSORS: Murdoch University School of Arts: Combine your love of making media, whether it's let's plays or your own games with a world class education with a degree from Murdoch University School of Arts. Click here to learn what is on offer. You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E81 · Sat, October 14, 2017
Simon Boxer (Bounce House) & Loot Boxes and Crates: Games as a service
Simon Boxer of Twice Different joins us this week to talk about making his brand new mobile game, , a colourful endless runner style side scroller. As you propel yourself along this bouncy world, you won’t let those pesky children have all the fun, all while avoiding the obstacles and staying in the bounce. We spoke to Simon about making his game with a team that is spread between Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane and his inspiration for making the game. You can get Bounce right now on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store There has been a fair bit of outcry this week around lootboxes and in-app purchases , so we explore the shift in the way we spend our money on gaming, and the relatively recent major shift to games as services. Over the last few years we’ve seen a rise in service based platforms and it doesn't seem to show any signs of slowing. Have we seen the end of the traditional one-off purchase? SPONSORS: Combine your love of making media, whether it's let's plays or your own games with a world class education with a degree from Murdoch University School of Arts. Click here to learn what is on offer. Murdoch University School of Arts: You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Bounce House Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E80 · Sat, September 30, 2017
Peter Curry (Mini Metro), Sony holding back on cross platform play & gaming skill elitism and toxicity
We sit down with Peter Curry, a Programmer & Designer from Dinosaur Polo Club, developers of Mini Metro . Mini Metro is a subway planning puzzle game, that puts the fun in fundamental transport logistics, with a great procedurally generated soundtrack and a fantastic minimalist design. Peter joined us from Wellington, New Zealand and we learned what it's like to develop a game about subway train network management from a country that doesn't have any subways. We’ll also be talking skill elitism and how it relates to gaming toxicity. Could the source of much of the online toxicity in games be the result of an over inflated value that we place on our gaming prestige? Lastly we took a look at the early access title Fortnite as it recently accidentally allowed PS4 and Xbox One users to play together for the briefest of moments . All eyes are now looking to Sony as to why we still are unable to play with our cross-platform counterparts. SPONSORS: Murdoch University School of Arts: Combine your love of making media, whether it's let's plays or your own games with a world class education with a degree from Murdoch University School of Arts. Click here to learn what is on offer. You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E79 · Thu, September 14, 2017
Michael Chu (Projection) & should reviewers be good at games?
Diving into a world of shadow play and adventure, Projection is game in which you control light to enable new platforms of discover , exploration and puzzle solving all whilst experiencing and controlling historically rooted shadow puppetry. Michael Chu of Sydney’s Shadowplay Studios joined us to discuss his upcoming game, being selected for the PAX Australia Indie Showcase , and rebuilding from scratch. Yosha Noesjirwan previously on the show put together the phenomenal art in this game, but wasn't able to join us this week. We also covered a much talked about topic this week and took a look at our own gaming skills as journalists. The l33t skill of journalists was called into question this month when a video was released of GamesBeat’s lead writer Dean Takahashi fumbling his way through the yet to be released Cuphead. We ask, should game journalists be good at video games? Should anyone be good at video games? What is good? What are games? SPONSORS: Combine your love of making media, whether its let's plays or your own games with a world class education with a degree from Murdoch University School of Arts. Click here to learn what is on offer. You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift!" Murdoch University School of Arts: Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E78 · Sat, September 02, 2017
Jak Gem & Matthew Sear (Collateral Damage) & indie dev steam pricing is too low
Collateral Damage is a multiplayer area brawler featuring a cast of unique characters and diverse fighting styles and Perth’s very own Matthew Sears and Jak Gem from Artisans Games joined us this week. The game is currently in beta, and they spoke about taking the game to shows, and learning from how players play their game. We also spoke about the economics of games pricing and what it means to go “ free to play ”. This topic was inspired by an article written by Sergey Galyonkin , developer of the database analysis tool Steam Spy , aired his concerns about the low prices of some indie titles and how this could be doing hard working developers a disservice . SPONSORS: Combine your love of making media, whether it's let's plays or your own games with a world class education with a degree from Murdoch University School of Arts. Click here to learn what is on offer. You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift!" Murdoch University School of Arts: Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E77 · Thu, August 17, 2017
Christy Dena (Crafting Intangibles Event) & Remakes over risky new IPs?
Christy Dena is a writer, designer and director at Universe Creation 101 . She joined us to talk about “ Crafting Intangibles ”, a free online interactive writing event which you can watch online now. Featuring talks from Narrative Designers and games writers from all over the world, Crafting Intangibles brings them together to share knowledge about how to write better for games and interactive experiences. Christy also shared with us what it takes to unite gameplay mechanics and storytelling in perfect harmony. We also talked remakes and remasters. With so many titles coming back from the dead with a shiny new coat of paint such as Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered , the rerelease train does not look to be stopping any time soon. Are the massive profits that these games rake in taking away the incentive for publishers to take a chance on new IPs? SPONSORS: Murdoch University School of Arts: Combine your love of making media, whether it's let's plays or your own games with a world class education with a degree from Murdoch University School of Arts. Click here to learn what is on offer. You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift!" Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E76 · Sat, August 05, 2017
Ian Gregory (Masquerada: Songs and Shadows) & esports on Australian free to air TV
Ian Gregory, Creative Director, of Singaporean based Witching Hour Studios the studio behind their latest project Masquarada: Songs and Shadows joins us on the show this week. Ian shared this thoughts on the struggles of developing a game in a country that is just getting its head around the idea of games being a positive influence and proving to the world Singapore’s creative strength. Ian also joined us to talk about esports on TV. With the immense popularity of competitive gaming on online streaming and networks such as ESPN in the states . Australian free to air commercial television network Channel 7 wants in on the action by broadcasting competitive Overwatch during the show ScreenPLAY. But was the audience for this sort of content there to watch it, or have they already moved away from Television entirely? SPONSORS: Murdoch University School of Arts: Combine your love of making media, whether it's let's plays or your own games with a world class education with a degree from Murdoch University School of Arts. Click here to learn about what is on offer. You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift"! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E75 · Sat, July 22, 2017
Anthony Sweet & Paul Turbett (Battlestar Galactica Deadlock), Netflix for games, playing as not intended
Paul Turbett and Anthony Sweet from Black Lab Games who are based right here in Perth talk to us about their latest project Battlestar Galactica Deadlock and we asked what it is like to be responsible for the new game adaptation of one of the most beloved science fiction series ever and how to write a game in an established universe With subscription services like Netflix making it much easier to access bold and unique shows, new services like Jump are looking to fill in the gap in the gaming market and help indie studios who are struggling for exposure . Will a games on demand style service help this problem or is it only going to be a short term fix as more games appear, and it's harder to stand out from the crowd. Finally we had a look at different ways of playing games, sometimes we can be tempted to use that one wall breach or use quick save to avoid making the wrong story decision . However is this in the spirit of what the developer intended? SPONSORS: Visit the Open Day at Murdoch University South Street Campus on Sunday 30 July 9AM to 3PM, and visit the studios where we record Pixel Sift, and enter to win Tickets for two people to any Perth Arena show! For more information on the visit the Murdoch Open Day website. Murdoch University School of Arts: You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift"! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E74 · Thu, July 06, 2017
Cheryl Vance & Joel Styles (Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles), Phil Harrison thinks PS4 & Xbox aren't growing the market
Cheryl Vance and Joel Styles are developers of the soon so be released Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles . Yonder is a gentle and friendly open world game releasing on Steam and Playstation 4 on Tuesday 18 of July! While we had them they shared what it is like to develop a game with a unique soft style and an adventure experience with no combat involved, while drawing on the open world games you played when you were young. An article by Nathan Birch got us thinking about the target audiences of our favourite consoles. Phil Harrison formerly of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe & Microsoft Game Studios said “I think Sony has done a great job in making Playstation 4 very popular. What I wonder about, and maybe worry about a little bit, is that (both Microsoft and Sony) are they growing the market? Are they building and investing in the content and broadening the experiences to bring in more players?" This prompted us to take a closer look at console demographics, who is playing what , and and who is it being targeted at? You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift"! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E73 · Fri, June 23, 2017
Adric Polkinghorne (Think of the Children), completionism & the end of GTA V mods?
Adric Polkinghorne from Jammed Up Studios joins us to talk about Think of the Children , a game that teaches us the struggle of keeping children alive. It's a chaotic child micromanagement game, built out of the adrenaline and excitement of a game jam, which in now being translated into a commercial release. Spurred on by a very vocal Twitch chat, Adric shared his thoughts on walking the thin moral line while developing his game, and travelling the world putting the game in front of players and famous YouTubers and Twitch streamers. Rockstar and their parent company Take- Two Interactive are receiving some heat from their player base after mod support was pulled from Grand Theft Auto V when a cease & desist letter was sent to creators of modding tool OpenIV . Grand Theft Auto has had a strong relationship with mods over the years with photorealistic graphics mods , to Iron Man , to exploding mobile phones . Players are up in arms and have been bashing GTA V on Steam Reviews . It raised the question around the office, do we really have the “right” to mod the games we love and could Rockstar and Take- Two have handled the situation better? An 100% completion stat is a badge players wear with honor. But what drives players to fill in every single box and collect every single puzzle piece?. We try to figure out what pushes us to chase perfection and how some games feel more satisfying to finish than others. You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift"! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E72 · Fri, June 09, 2017
Julian Wilton & Jay Armstrong (The Adventure Pals), Steam Direct and Right to Repair
Julian Wilton from Sydney and Jay Armstrong from the UK are from Massive Monster, creators of The Adventure Pals . We spoke about working together despite the distance between them and merging two iconic gaming genres into one. For years Steam Greenlight has been the number one way that indie developers could get their ideas out there, generate interest and build an audience. But after 5 years of service it is being shut down and Stream Direct , it's replacement will launch on the 13th of June. But is this going to make it harder or easier for indie developers to make a name for themselves? Finally we take a look at your “right to repair” with DIY repairs and third party tools so easy to come by these days it can be very tempting to order what you need online and attempt a fix on your broken gaming hardware. However an End-user Licence Agreement might stop you from using your console after you've repaired it. However a recent ruling by the US supreme court now has the potential to shake up this idea. What would it take for this to happen in Australia ? And would this mean you can do whatever you like to your console? You can find us on social media, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Twitch, YouTube and Steam. Just search for "pixelsift"! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E71 · Fri, May 26, 2017
David Clark (Ori and the Blind Forest), Bad Guy Valve? & You're playing it wrong
David Clark one of the creators of Ori and the Blind Forest , joined us this week. Did you know that Ori was programmed right here in Western Australia? David filled us in on what it was like developing a game with a team he first met when showing off the game at E3. David's friend and former housemate Simon Holland joined us as well to share some stories of living with him as he made Ori. This week on the show we're taking a closer look at Valve, more particularly the Steam Marketplace. An article written by Tim Colwill has drawn a number Valve's business practices into question. It left us wondering, are we too quick to forgive when it comes to Valve, and too punishing of others that try do the same? For our last topic we decided to talk about some of the games that we love but just couldn't get our friends to enjoy, as well as some popular games that didn't quite hit with us. This topic was inspired by a reddit post SkoivanSchiem AND Scott's feelings towards universally acclaimed the Last of Us. Is it a matter of taste and experience or are we simply just playing it wrong? You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift"! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E70 · Tue, May 16, 2017
Dr Jennifer Hazel (Checkpoint.org.au), games & mental health, and unhealthy behaviours
Dr Jennifer Hazel is one of the co-founders and Director of Checkpoint an organisation that aims to get the conversation going around mental health and gaming. Checkpoint have just launched a Kickstarter campaign to crowdfund a video series which looks at the way mental health is portrayed in games, and to promote healthy practices for those who play games and work in games. We talk about healthy and functional behaviours, game design and what role governments play, plus learn why Dr Hazel wanted to start a video series. Mental health is something we take very seriously here, and we're very glad that people are talking to others and seeking help if they need it. If you need help you can call Lifeline 24hrs a day on 13 11 14. You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift!" Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E69 · Thu, April 27, 2017
Sean Gabriel & Travis Avery (Desync), customisation vs story & frustum culling frustration
Travis Avery and Sean Gabriel from THE FOREGONE SYNDICATE spoke to us about their latest game DESYNC. A set in digital world laced with neon and classic 80s style geometry DESYNC forces players to think on their feet be quick on the trigger and more importantly, improvise. We’re also tackling the “ Frustum Culling ” conundrum. Last week when Kotaku gave their readers a peek under the hood of PS4 flagship title Horizon Zero Dawn they included a GIF that demonstrated how Frustum Culling works, and it's fair to say people were fascinated by the process. However some indie developers were quick to flippantly point out that the technique is neither new nor unique and that a big deal was being made out of nothing. We'll be chatting about the nuts and bolts that make up games behind the scenes and whether or not more or less of this sort of discussion needs to happen between developers and players. Games mean different things to different people , but interactivity is one thing that games do better than most other mediums. But does giving players too many choices, limit story telling potential? Is it better to have a tailor narrative experience or let the players make the story for themselves? Also Scott says something that may have ended his podcasting career… You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift"! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E68 · Fri, April 14, 2017
Nick Smith (Forts), G2A 💔 Gearbox & Persona 5 Streaming & IP theft
Nick Smith is the lead art director at EarthWork Games and he joined us to talk Forts . Forts is a 2D base fortification & assault game, finely crafted by an experienced team. Nick took questions from us and the viewers on Twitch. With the much anticipated Persona 5 finally on on the shelves many fans were raring to dive into the JRPG . But the western release came with a warning from publisher Atlus , not to spoil plot points of the game. While a perfectly reasonable request it also came with rather aggressive threats of DMCA takedowns and content ID strikes. Streamers have reacted one of two ways, steering their content well away from the series or openly defying the Atlus’s warning and streaming the game anyway . Steam key reselling service G2A has found itself in hot water again this time with former partner Gearbox Software . The row has resulted in a very public split and war of words between the two companies with neither backing down anytime soon. You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift"! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E67 · Fri, March 31, 2017
Andrew Freeth (Brief Battles), exclusivity effect & games that endure
Andrew Freeth joined us live from South Australia to give us the details on his new game Brief Battles . Brief Battles is studio Juicy Cupcake' s first shot at a commercial release, featuring a cast of quirky characters with even quirkier power doing battle over a number of interactive 2D battle ground. We look into gaming history, specifically how StarCraft has gripped its dedicated community for the better half of two decades. With an HD remake of the classic version recently announced we try to figure out just how this RTS had stayed in vogue when so many other games have faded away into the digital annals of time. Lastly we’ll be talking about an idea we have dubbed the “exclusivity effect”. Inspired a post by reddit user Commodore256 we try to analyse the effect that platform exclusive titles have on the people that faithfully buy into the likes Halo and Zelda Breath of the Wild. Mitch definitely had some thoughts about his PS4 and Horizon Zero Dawn. SPONSORS: Audible: Grab yourself a free audiobook and a 30 day trial at www.audibletrial.com/pixelsift and support Pixel Sift while you do it. You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift"! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E66 · Mon, March 27, 2017
"Why do you create?" - Live at Oz Comic Con 2017
We're back at Oz Comic Con again this year and we've brought along some of our pals. This year we were joined by Sof Mather , Hien Pham and Oscar Brittain . We asked them "Why do you create?" which is basically the these statement of Pixel Sift, but why not be explicit for once? Join us for this extended live episode and learn a little bit about what makes these game developers, artists and musicians do what they do. Thanks to Oz Comic Con for having us back again, and thanks to everyone who came down. SPONSORS: Audible: Grab yourself a free audiobook and a 30 day trial at www.audibletrial.com/pixelsift and support Pixel Sift while you do it. You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift"! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E65 · Thu, March 16, 2017
Ash Ringrose (Death Squared), Rumblemonkey P2P Gambling & the power of INFLUENCE
We’re back into the swing of things this week with episode 65 of Pixel Sift. We’re joined by Ash Ringrose the head of SMG studios . He filled us in on their latest project Death Squared . Death Squared is a co-op multiplayer puzzle game that pushes players to work together to solve problems of increasing difficulty all with the looming threat of obliteration around every corner. Ash also talked about making different games for other companies and how the experience compares to his own works. With all the controversy surrounding gambling and gaming in the recent year, we’re looking at you Trevor Martin , you would think that companies would be steering well clear of anything close to that idea. However new player on the scene Rumble Monkey is facilitating money transactions based on the outcomes of personal matches between gamers. If any of our viewers are struggling with gambling related issues please reach out to the Gambling Help Line on 1800 858 858. The phenomenon of web influencers is a relatively recent trend to hit modern society with many big companies and even the influencers themselves often miss judging the reach and impact of their massive personal audiences. Many of these personalities are well rooted in the gaming community so we decided to take a look at what happens when these individuals miss the mark with some of their content. SPONSORS: Audible: Grab yourself a free audiobook and a 30 trial at www.audibletrial.com/pixelsift and support Pixel Sift while you do it. You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift"! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E64 · Fri, March 03, 2017
Daniel Sun (Armed with Wings: Rearmed) , Nintendo Switch DOA or dynamite & dangers of marathon gaming
Mitch leads the way this week on the 64th episode of Pixel Sift. This week we’re joined by joined by Daniel Sun of Sun Studios , during the show Daniel spoke about his experiences moving his game Armed with Wings: Rearmed from the online flash collections of Newgrounds.com to more current distribution system the Stream market place. The streaming community took a hit last week when popular Twitch streamer Brian Vigneault AKA "PoShYbRiD" passed away on the 19th of February 2017 while conducting a 24 hour Twitch livestream to raise awareness for the Make a Wish foundation . This incident has brought the risks of marathon gamming back into the spot light. With lengthy streaming sessions becoming more and more popular are gamers sacrificing more than sleep in the name of charity? A number of members of the games media community has gotten their hands on the Nintendo Switch early. Sadly along with stories of a lacklustre battery life and a small release catalogue have many of Nintendo’s usually passionate fans holding off at launch. Why are people so quick to tear something down even if it hasn't been released yet? You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift"! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E63 · Fri, February 17, 2017
Justine Colla (A Township Tale), US travel ban & games and Steam Direct
This week we're joined by Justine Colla , she's from Alta and is making the immersive social game A Township Tale. Justine told us all about how society works in a VR world, what happens when players enforce the rules and what Alta can do if people get into each other's personal space. A Township Tale will be shown at GDC on 27 February to 3 March 2017 . Head to townshiptale.com Speaking of GDC, a number of developers may not be able to attend the conference this month due to the US Travel ban which has been put in place by executive order. We look at how the travel ban is impacting the gaming world, from eSports visas and the people who make games . Finally Valve is shaking up the way that it puts games onto it's Steam platform. The Steam Greenlight process is going away, and a new system Steam Direct will be replacing it, which charges a fee for admission . We'll talk about what that process means, and the prospect of indie developers paying for the place on the store. You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift"! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E62 · Fri, February 03, 2017
Yosha Noesjirwan (Inflatality), the end of Good Game & sequels that change direction
This week we’re talking design style changes, when games change certain elements of their art style, gameplay mechanics or story tone. This comes of the back of a recent Kotaku article telling gamers to “ Not take Ghost Recon Wildlands Seriously ”, referring to the apparent style changes of the new tittle. We’re also joined by YoshaNoesjirwan the 3D artist and animator behind Inflatality . It has taken the combined effort of both Hojo Studio and Deepforge Studio to bring this quirky, physics based fighter to life. Yosha ran through the process of bringing the Wavers to life and granting them the skills take the fight from the car yard to your TV. It has been a sad week of Australian games media as it was announced earlier that ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) has dropped the guillotine on their flag ship gaming show Good Game . For more than a decade Good Game was Australia’s only show dedicated to games in our mainstream media. We have been following this story very closely and are very sad to see it go. We wish everyone who worked on Good Game the best of luck for the future . Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E61 · Thu, January 26, 2017
Jack Knobel (Kieru), the last console generation & online platforms to success
We’re back with more console talk, this time focusing on the importance of good player networking features. In the past console generation Microsoft ruled this domain with it Xbox Live Gold but Sony’s game has been strong with the PS4’s PlayStation Plus service . With players now expecting robust solid ways to communicate with each other while they game, Nintendo’s proposed solutions to this issue has us scratching our heads. You like stealth? Multiplayer? Ninjas? Then you might wanna stick around to hear Jack Knobel from Pinefire Studios talk about his game Kieru . Kieru lets you take control of one of two ninja clans that can hide in either the light or the dark to do battle and dance the dance of assassination. Rumour has it that we have seen the last of consoles as we know it. With representatives from Sony and Microsoft both hinting that they’ll be changing up the release pattern for their machines. And with the PlayStation Pro on the market and the Scorpio right around the corner the shoe seems to fit pretty well. You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift"! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Thu, January 19, 2017
Alberto Santiago (Goat Punks), Twitch IRL + the end of region locking
It is hard to believe that we have been around for 60 episodes but here we are! Up first today like almost everyone on the net we’re talking Nintendo Switch news. With the new system casting aside the region locking of its predecessors we will soon be able to indulge in the dating sims and abstract JRPGs that have been kept out of our reach due to pesky region based DRM. We are also joined by Alberto Santiago, the creative director of the brand new multiplayer competitive tower climbing game Goat Punks . With a history of big projects under his belt Alberto is now striking out on his own with this latest project. He was kind enough to share some production stories on the eve of his game’s release. Streaming website Twitch has recently launched a new channel they have dubbed IRL, the aim of this new category see’s to expand the time streamers spend with their broadcast on. IRL encourages streaming personalities to keep their cameras rolling even after they put their controllers down, bringing their viewers along and sharing their everyday lives but in turn drastically lengthening the time that they spend on stream . You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift"! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E59 · Thu, January 12, 2017
Sam Izzo (Resynth), licence liquidation & the value of "Game of the Year"
When games are made in the wake of a major movie or comic book property there is time limit in which the properties in question are able to appear in the game. When the time runs out these tittles much be pulled from their market places. Unfortunately for a number of Activision games their licences have changed hands and these games can no longer be found . We first heard of Sam Izzo last year when he constructed the brilliant “ No Mario Sky ” now he and Andrew Trevillian are back. They go by the name of Polyphonic LP now and they have created a game called Resynth . Resynth combines the strength on puzzles and music to create gaming harmony . Every year ends with every major gaming outlet on the net naming their game of the year . Whether this adds credibility to the games that earn them has stirred up some debate among the Pixel Sift crew. But with so many different titles all wearing the badge proudly has the honour been watered down too far? You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift"! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Sun, January 01, 2017
Collectors Edition Episode 1 - REBROADCAST
We've put together a special collection of our favourite interviews and discussions from our first year. Originally broadcast on Radio Fremantle, in this episode we speak to Trent Kusters of League of Geeks about his game Armello, talk all about drugs in gaming, look at the adverts in games you love, and finally chat to Drew Morrow of Three Phase Interactive about his game Defect SDK. We'll be back with new episodes on the January 12 2017. You can find us on social media, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Twitch, YouTube and Steam. Just search for "pixelsift"! Support the show: https://sifter.store See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 E58 · Fri, December 16, 2016
Ellen Jurik (Siegecraft Commander), contractor pay disputes & loot box odds
Game Designer & Producer at Sydney’s Blowfish Studios , Ellen Jurik is our guest this week. We speak to Ellen about the trials of working in a studio with as many active as Blowfish while still reminding in love your work. Ellen was nice enough to join us for the the entire episode speaking about herself but also shedding an informed light on the episode other topics. The first topic of the episode looks at developer Crytek , who hit the news headlines yet again this week for failing to pay their staff . This is the second time this has occurred, with the last being in 2014 . The independent developer of games such as the original FarCry and the Xbox exclusive, Ryse , is once again faced with poor management and mass walkouts and sits as a reminder of the less than favourable side of working in the independent gaming world. Out last topic covers the gift that you love to hate, loot boxes…or crate drops, ultimate chests or whatever your game developers want to call them! After a steady pour of public disheartenment, China is taking a stand and will require developers to display the probability of item drops online . Is this a step in the right direction? We’ll have to wait and see. Blizzard also recently played into a highly loot box related story by giving away 500 loot boxes to a wronged Reddit user . All that and more on Episode 58 of Pixel Sift ! You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift"! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E57 · Thu, December 08, 2016
John Kane (Mallow Drops), social media fandom & game over
John Kane joins us for a second time right off the back of this award winning run and success in the weeks leading up to PAX Australia . The triumph of John’s previous game Killing Time at Light Speed was followed rapidly by that of his next release Mallow Drops . John tells us all about lessons learnt, what winning AGDA awards mean to him, and writing 2 year long pun threads. Game fandom is one of the reasons why some seemingly simple titles stay in the spotlight far longer than anyone thought they would. In the case of games like Five Nights At Freddy’s and Undertale they seem to have whole new lives , living in the forums and image boards like Tumblr and Reddit . The fan’s dedication to the game redefines what a successful game is , and sometimes popularity doesn’t reflect the millions of dollars that are spent on the blockbuster games. Developers spend massive amounts of time and money making their games flow so that their players have a good time. But has this made them too easy? Could the absence of the game over screen and abundance of save points simply taking the punishment out of the experience? We discuss the changing trends in game design, and why we don’t see a game over screen as often as we once did. You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift"! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E56 · Thu, December 01, 2016
James Cook (Crazy Coaster), Starcraft 2 and AI development, game localisation
James Cook developer of Crazy Coaster joined us live in the studio this week, he is from Super Cookie Games and shared his experiences on developing over vast distances and pulling design elements from his other tittles to create something new. Blizzcon 2016 brought us a lot of great news regarding our favourite Blizzard titles like Overwatch and World of Warcraft . But what caught our eye is that the developers of StarCraft II are working closely with Google’s DeepMind branch which is dedicated to developing sophisticated Intelligence . DeepMind is using the advanced understanding of strategy needed for success in StarCraft II to develop and further the skills, challenge and learning of artificial intelligence. Some games go through a process of localisation when entering markets outside of their place of origin. The reason for this is to so the game can be enjoyed in many parts of the world . But we all know the memes and the jokes , sometimes it gets lost in translation. You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift"! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E55 · Fri, November 25, 2016
Jack Condon (Kept VR), streamer sponsor transparency & trade sanction shutdowns
Late last month gamers using EA’s Origin store found themselves locked out of the service and denied access to all of their games they had bought. Did you miss this story? That’s because it happened in Myanmar, and was supposedly as a response to international trade sanctions. What happens when the games you’ve paid for disappear? We also had a chat to Jack Condon from S1T2 , he’s the lead developer of their first game Kept . We spoke about the differences between making games for clients versus making them under your own direction and the challenges and advantages of working in an indie space. In development for the past four months, Kept is an exploration of the kind of stories that can be told using the VR medium. Earlier this year Warner Brothers settled a case with the US Federal Trade Commission over the disclosure of paid commentary created by YouTuber Pewdiepie. EA have just released their new rules regarding disclosure and transparency for Youtubers and other influencers . There are some clear guidelines that everyone must now follow when uploading content featuring EA games. We discuss the nature of paid content, and when new media runs into older media rules. You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E54 · Thu, November 17, 2016
Tom Booker & Lincoln Flintoft (Barking Irons), Facebook's Gameroom & "Australia Tax"
We are joined by Tom Booker and Lincoln Flintoft from Sleepyhead Studios . These Sydney based developers are behind the mobile arcade shooter Barking Irons . Borrowing from the style of other arcade shooters such as Time Crisis and Big Game Hunter, Barking Irons compacts that experience into a hand held form you can put in your pocket. Tom, Lincoln and the rest of Sleepyhead Studios are rocking the Tom Selleck mos for Movember as well, and you can support their efforts here This week we’re talking Facebook and Unity’s new gaming initiative, Facebook Gameroom . Aiming to break into the digital delivery marketplace Gameroom is moving your mum’s favourite in browser titles to a Steam like collection and curation program on your desktop. The long debated premium that Australians pay for their games or “Australia Tax” has been a talking point since games became a thing in this country. The issue was addressed by Major Nelson himself at PAXAUS earlier this month. With demand for games at an all-time high and the price hike seemly here to say we have chat about what can be done and why we pay more in the first place. You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift"! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E53 · Fri, October 28, 2016
Gustav Seymore (Goblins of Elderstone), SAG-AFTRA Strike, Nintendo Switch announcement
It’s been almost a year now and the show down between the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and a number of different video game employers has finally kicked off. After years of talking the employers have refused to budge in contract negotiations. As of October the 21st SAG-AFTRA is on strike against a number of high profile video game companies, and voice actors are calling for a better deal. We were joined by this week by Gustav Seymore from Lost Goblin an experienced development team based in Auckland, New Zealand. Gustav joined us to talk to us about his game Goblins of Elderstone , a city management game featuring everyone’s favourite video game punching bags, goblins. As you may have noticed Gustav and his team have an affinity for the small green creatures, they feature and the main protagonists of the game. Y ou can back Goblins of Elderstone on Kickstarter right now , or check them out at the PAXAUS indie showcase. Nintendo has revealed its new baby to the world and with that the Nintendo Switch has been polarising the internet all week. We’re rather looking forward to it here at Pixel Sift but the unusual design and unique features are proving to be quit the head scratcher. We try to make heads or tails of the whole thing. You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift"! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E52 · Fri, October 21, 2016
Ken Johnson (Starlost), game currency laundering & mysterious treasure hunts
Ken Johnson from Hoodwinked Studios joined us this week to talk about his game Starlost . We asked Ken about what it takes to design a game for mobile and taking the traditional tower defence formula, and turning into something unique. You can find the Alpha version of Starlost on Google Play. Nothing inspires gamers more than a mystery. There is something about a digital treasure hunt, that brings players together and fosters community. We’ll be exploring the games that are littered with hidden content that require players to go the extra mile for the spoils , and the obscured mysteries that capture the attention of players. Just like all good things games have always had the possibly misused, in recent time sadly some people have been using certain in-game economies to launder illegal money . By buying and selling in-game currency cyber criminals to “clean” real money than can be then used to fund other damaging assets. Gamers are often the targets of these scams, as reports show they aren’t that careful with their online habits . You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift"! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E51 · Sat, October 15, 2016
Tom Cox (Tahira: Echoes of the Astral Empire), DDOS attackers charged & high profile eSports investments
Tom Cox, co-founder and lead programmer of Canberra’s Whalehammer Games joins us to talk about his new game Tahira: Echoes of the Astral Empire . Tom shared his thoughts on the challenges of making games, designing a game for a genre that he grew up with, and designing a science fiction/medieval game world, As gamers we are no strangers to the feeling of powering on our machines only to find that the network is offline, but sometimes this is because of a deliberate assault on the servers of those games. Back in 2014 a distributed denial-of-service (DDOS) attack took out the Playstation Network and Xbox Live right in the middle of the holidays.. For the longest time it seemed like the perpetrators of these attacks were untouchable, using the anonymity of the internet to fade into obscurity after the deed has been done. But now the law has caught up to small collection of disruptors . It wouldn’t be an episode of Pixel Sift without touching on the topic of eSports. Notable sporting figures such as Magic Johnson Shaquille O’Neil are now dropping some serious cash on eSports teams. With many other big names joining the ranks of owners and team affiliates we thought it would be a good idea to dive into the world of high profile eSports competition. The tournaments we love could now be moving closer to the traditional sporting organisations. You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift"! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Thu, October 13, 2016
Q&A Extended Edition!
We had heaps of great questions sent in for our live Episode 50 at Perth Games Festival, and we didn't have time to get to them all. So here in a bonus episode we're diving back into your questions! If you have any other questions send them through at any time using our contact form, or send us an email to hello [at] pixelsift.com.au You can find us on social media, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Twitch, YouTube and Steam. Just search for "pixelsift"! Support the show: https://sifter.store See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 E50 · Fri, October 07, 2016
LIVE from Perth Games Festival! Games with friends, releasing your indie game & Pixel Sift Q&A
It’s the big five zero this week for Pixel Sift, that right episode 50 is here! For this milestone we brought the show to Perth Games Festival 2016 for a live panel! First off we talked gaming with friends, how most interactive experiences can be enriched by playing with a close companion. We also welcomed back a couple of old favourites onto the show. Liam Hunt from ByteSprite Games , Mark Mennell from Gnomic Studios and Anthony Sweet from Black Lab Games all joined us to talk about their experiences releasing their games to the world. The trials they faced, what surprised them and how not to make mess of the whole process. This is an insight into the publishing world you don’t want to miss. Finally we tackled a couple of questions you submitted over the past couple of weeks in a fun little question and answer session. There were quite a few to choose from and we didn’t quite get through them all but we sure had a good time shedding some light on the queries you threw at us. Thank you to everyone that made it down to the live show, it was great to see you all there. You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift"! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E49 · Fri, September 30, 2016
Mike De Piazzi (Final Days), Oculus Rift Boycott & Predatory in-app purchases
The limit to what developers can add onto their games after launch is being pushed further and further with each title release. Now many games are entering the market for free and charging players for pieces of the game . The purchases players make can start to quickly add up often totalling more than the cost of a full retail game. Buying so many small in game items can get out of control for some gamers. For our first topic this week we take a look at the free to play model and the potential minefield micro transactions . This week we have Michael Di Piazzi from +7 Software live in the studio with us. He’s here to talk about his new game Final Days . Developed right here in Perth by Michael himself Final Days is a top down zombie survival shooter. Michael shared the process of constructing the multiplayer shooter and the value of a strong player base. Final Days will be released on the Steam Greenlight program on the 3rd of October 2016 you can find out more about Final Days at http://plus7software.com/ where you can also download the demo! Lots of us have had the chance to experience VR in one way of another. With the technology in its infancy neither of the major players can afford any bad press right now. Despite this Palmer Luckey has landed himself a boat load, with evidence that Luckey funding certain pro-Trump propaganda groups many virtual reality game developers have vowed to not support the Oculus with their titles . We take a look at the bigger picture and what this move means for the technology and the industry and whether or not a boycott is the way to resolve this issue. You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" ! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E48 · Thu, September 22, 2016
Cam Rogers & Sam Izzo (No Mario's Sky), games from outside the west & review lawsuits
Mainstream media is jumping onto the topic of video games more often these days but there is one aspect they keep failing to touch on, the power of the central Asian markets and development communities . Countries like China and South Korea are turning out quality titles that we just don’t ever see here in the west. With more and more great games coming from our friends in Asia there is a lot of talent and big money being thrown around, we cast an inquisitive eye up there this week to see what’s going on. Another week, another DMCA take down. Yet again Nintendo has taken another fan project off the net with its zero tolerance attitude towards any use of their intellectual property. No Mario Sky is the latest high profile casualty . We were lucky to talk to Sam Izzo the developer behind No Mario Sky and video game and entertainment lawyer Cam Rogers. The legal and creative minefield around the fan project is a difficult one to navigate, and Cam and Sam shared their stories. You can download DMCA's Sky, the redesigned game made by Sam's team ASMB Games here: http://asmb.itch.io/ Keeping the legal theme going this week we’ve more drama surrounding American development studio Digital Homicide . In addition to suing game reviewer Jim Sterling the studio has now filed a law suit against Steam users directly. Further attention was directed their way when the court documents were released online . No matter how ridiculous this may seem it has prompted Valve to act, swiftly making modifications to the steam reviews rules , which not everyone is happy with. You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , <a href="h
S1 E47 · Fri, September 16, 2016
Caroline Thant (Wanda), realism and simulation, flipping the F2P switch
Sometimes video games fail to hold their audience , and for multiplayer games a dwindling player base can push more players away to greener pastures. With news this week that Battleborn , launched at a similar time to Blizzard’s Overwatch, had dropped to just 2000 active players (ed. incorrectly stated as 500 players in the episode), and the call for a change in direction has already started. Is it just as simple as flicking the “free to play” switch? We also have a chat to Caroline Thant from Kodots Games . Caroline is the lead art director on their latest project Wanda. Wanda approaches the usually bleak and conflict filled post-apocalyptic genre from a perspective of love friendship and inner peace. Caroline was happy to tell us how her international team created their game. Escapism is an idea that all gamers are familiar with but sometimes games make reality the game. Many games such as GTA and the Sims try very hard to emulate things that occur in the real world, but they aren’t the most accurate simulations by any stretch. Some groups are arguing some games aren’t accurate enough skimping on some of the more grisly details You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" ! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E46 · Thu, September 08, 2016
Jessie Yeoh (Nostalgia Box Video Game Museum), casualisation of games & early access expectations
It’s well known that the average age of gamers is rising every year ( or sometimes going backwards ). With audience tastes changing , does this have an impact on the way games are made? With more adults joining in on the realm of gaming and more gamers growing up and entering full time work there isn’t always time to sink into an MMO character or schedule a six-man raid. While hardcore players may cry foul at the way game play is being designed, do their views represent everyone, or are they in the minority? For older gamers, a big part of the gaming experience can be revisiting the games you played as a kid. Jessie Yeoh is the owner of Perth’s own video game console museum The Nostalgia Box , and she shared her experiences collecting consoles, and doing the research needed to amass a collection big enough to open a museum. Early access delivery has become one of the most popular tools for indie developers to release their game while bringing in some funds to keep the project going. Gamers benefit as well by getting new games at a discounted price. Recently developers of Ark: Survival Evolved have been accused of mishandling the expectations that their playershave, by release downloadable content for their game, before it hits release. With the lines shifting between what is finished, and what is a work in progress, can we be certain of any label that applies to games? You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" ! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Fri, September 02, 2016
Henry Sham (OzHadou Fighting Games Community), games in education, LoL pay disputes
If you've fought it out against your friends over games like Street Fighter II or Tekken you'll know the feeling of lighting fast reflexes, or in my case randomly mashing buttons. Some of the world's best fighting game players descended on Sydney to take part in the OzHadou Nationals 14 , an annual event where every microsecond counts. Henry "Genxa" Sham , Tournament Organiser and Brand Manager of OzHadou joined us this week to talk about community, competition and congratulations. Head to OzHadou for more information on their monthly events. If you were like me you were probably told off in class for playing games on your calculator, especially if you weren't in maths. Today we're exploring the use of games in education and how serious games can be used to teach concepts in engaging ways. The mechanics of gaming are even being applied to the classroom , with the gamification of lessons. How can games help people learn, and what can we learn from games to teach better? Finally Riot Games, maker of the exceeding popular League of Legends has had a public stoush with some of the bigger eSports teams that make up their competitive scene. Following an interview by eSports team owner Andy Dinh, AKA TSMReginald, criticising the way Riot handles updates and patches to LoL, co-founder of Riot Marc Merril questioned the professionalism and pay that players are receiving from teams like Regi's Team SoloMid. With teams falling on either side of the equation and restrictions on the ways that teams can make money, we explore the value of work for eSports players and teams, and whether or not they are being paid adequately for their time . Thanks to Brian for the giving us the news this week. You can sign up to the Audio Game Jam here http://jams.gamejolt.io/gameaudiojam , nominate yourself or someone else for an Australian Game Developer Award at http://gcap.com.au/agda , or find out more about Matt Trobbiani's Hacknet expansion, Hacknet: Labyrinths here http://hacknet-os.com/ . You can find us on social media, Twitter , Facebook , <a href="http://www.instagram.com/pixe
S1 E44 · Fri, August 26, 2016
Kate Raynes-Goldie (WAITTA Incite Achiever of the Year), disconnected gaming & homage vs pastiche
We are joined live by Dr. Kate Raynes-Goldie , Director of Games & Interactive at FTI and winner of the WAITTA Incite “Achiever of the Year” award for her passionate advocacy for the Western Australian games industry, Kate filled us in on her hopes for the future of WA game development, her thoughts on the power of the indie game scene and how our favourite small creators may well hold the key to the future success of Australian made games. You can visit one of Kate’s projects, Playup Perth , a collaborative game testing night, at the The Nostalgia Box to sample some of WA’s finest indie games. You can visit http://playupperth.org/next-playup-event/ for tickets and details. Last week Mitch had endless trouble trying to run No Man’s Sky on the office PS4 with no web connection, so this week we’re looking at the internet connection conundrum. With more and more games requiring the internet to even launch , total offline gaming could be a thing of the past. What happens if you’re in an area where internet is spotty, and you can’t experience the cultural phenomenon that is Pokémon Go? Can you make games if you aren’t able to study and learn from the works of others? Finally we look at pastiche & homage games. With recent high profile fan made games AM2R, a remake of Metroid II , and Pokémon Uranium, a brand new adventure set in the Pokémon world being released then pulled, we examine what it means when developers copy or imitate the work of others. Is this a vital part of remix culture, or just a plain copyright infringement? You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifte
S1 E43 · Thu, August 18, 2016
Steve Heller (Surprise Attack Games), console hardware updates & Indie vs AAA price expectations
Live across the internet Steve Heller joins us, he’s Community Manager and Production Coordinator for indie publishing label Surprise Attack Games . Have you ever wondered what it takes to get all these Aussie indie games off the ground? Steve happily show us the ins and outs of indie game publishing. You can check out the growing stable of games Surprise Attack offer at http://www.surpriseattackgames.com . Most console owners dream of buying one machine and sticking with it for the long run . Even our Mitch doesn’t have the patience to constantly look for new graphics cards or hunt for driver updates. With confirmation that both Sony and Microsoft will be prepping new mid-cycle revamps to their respective consoles are the hardware developers wanting us to update more frequently? With the Xbox One S already on the shelves, and Xbox One Scorpio and the PS4 NEO somewhere over the horizon we asked what this means for those of us who’ve been happy updating their console every 5 or so years. Indie games are a particular favourite of the Pixel Sift team, and we took advantage of Steven’s knowledge from the inside of the publishing side of the fence to pick his brain about the differences between the indie and triple A marketing machines. We asked about expectations, and how that translates to pricing and where that machine might take us if we jump on. You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E42 · Fri, August 05, 2016
Bob Hayden (Vectonic), retro console resurrection, eSports olympiad
We had a chat to Bob Hayden, Bob is a West Australian developer working on a new game called Vectonic. Vectonic fills all your neon spaceship smashing needs. Bob filled us in on the challenges of creating good control feel as well as incorporating as many memes as possible into his colourful creation. You can find out more about Vectonic on http://www.vectonic.com The Olympics are right round the corner and that got us thinking about the relationship between games and official sporting tournaments . With international interest in the Olympics seeping away with every passing instance, could the introduction of eSports into the Olympic Games be the key to drawing the crowds once again ? Aside from historians that spend their days in museums and libraries, no one is more obsessed with the past than the gaming community. Nintendo has a long history of catering for this with the release of a remake once every couple of years, however they have gone one step further this time with the NES Classic Edition. But in a world where emulating is the bread and butter of many players experience, where does this new box fit in the world? You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E41 · Thu, July 28, 2016
Jane Cocks (Checkpoint.org.au), politics in games & the money of eSports.
Films and television have used political intrigue as a basis for their storylines for a long time, and today we look at the games that do the same. Games can examine the ever changing and v olatile nature of the politics , and can transport us to different worlds and contexts. Whether showing the conflict of interest those in power have, or simply having a joke at the spectacle of it all , games help us to understand the impact politics is having on our lives. We also had the pleasure of speaking to the founder and director of CheckPoint , Jane Cocks . CheckPoint is a new non-profit organisation dedicated investigating how games can be applied and designed to promote a positive headspace, or how games can help us understand the experiences of mental illness. Head to CheckPoint’s website to learn more about their mission http://www.checkpoint.org.au/ V alve’s DOTA 2 tournament “The International 2016” this week blew through the last prize pool record reaching a staggering $18,771,084.00 and counting. With the humungous financial stakes invested in eSports, we explored some of the numbers and how these types of prizes are raised . You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E40 · Thu, July 21, 2016
Darcy Smith (Armello), the digital divide: classism in games & being "a good sport"
We’ve reached our fortieth episode this week, and like every week before it we’re exploring the world around gaming. Have you ever seen another player gloat about winning a match or display less than sporting behaviour? We’re looking at when other players aren’t “good sports,” the sore losers and the arrogant winners. Is it just part of online culture, or should we be working together to encourage more civility in competitive multiplayer? The last time we spoke to League of Geeks it was all the way back in episode 11 , this time we’re joined by community manager Darcy Smith . Darcy was kind enough to talk to us about how LoG have made Twitch streaming a part of the way they work as a game development studio. We also brushed off the crystal ball and looked into the future of media and what part live streaming might play. You can watch League of Geeks do their thing over on http://www.twitch.tv/leagueofgeeks Finally we’re talking classism and elitism in games. In days gone by a person’s gear was measured in hours play or skills earnt. With micro transactions becoming more prevalent, many new games are implementing systems that allow players to pay small amounts for a tiny leg up or cosmetic element. Do these boosts impact the way players interact with one another? Could a growing divide between the haves and have nots be moving in on our online worlds? You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E39 · Thu, July 14, 2016
Ari Gibson, William Pellen & Dave Kazi (Hollow Knight), game cultural appreciation & Pokémon GOes global
This week we tackle cultural appropriation in video games. It's no secret that video game developers tend to borrow heavily from historical events and cultural tradition, but is this changing the way we approach history and culture for better or worse? We also got a chance to talk to Ari Gibson, William Pellen and Dave Kazi of Adelaide's Team Cherry . They talked us through the ins and outs of their new game Hollow Knight , a stylish platformer where you take control of a ground dwelling insect hero uncover the secrets of a mysterious and decaying world. You can find out more information about Hollow Knight at teamcherry.com.au We take on Pokémon Go for a second time this week. It's been a wild ride over the past eight days, as a result productivity has hit an all-time low due to Mitch and James contantly forsaking their duties to go after the nearest Pokéstop. With so many stories of heroism and cowardice revolving around the app what does the future hold for Niantic's newest world dominating game? You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E38 · Fri, July 08, 2016
John Kane (Killing Time at Light Speed), spaces of play & Counter-Strike conflicts of interest
This week we return to the Counter-Strike Global Offensive gambling scandal with news that prominent YouTubers Trevor 'TmarTn' Martin and Tom 'ProSyndicate' Cassell were revealed to be the owners of Counter-Strike skin gambling site CSGO Lotto. CSGO Lotto and sites like it have been accused of specifically targeting children and minors who wouldn't normally be able to gamble, but are spending real money on in game items. TmarTn and ProSyndicate have been accused of fixing matches on their site to make it appear that the odds were better than they actually are, and with audiences of more than 10 million people this has a significant impact. Joining us this week is Sydney based developer John Kane of Gritfish joined us on the line. We spoke about his newly released game Killing Time at Lightspeed which explores a cyberpunk future through the familiar world of social media. We spoke about some of the challenges of an extremely connected world, but the isolation that also brings. You can find out more about Killing Time at Lightspeed at http://www.killingtimeatlightspeed.com Finally today we explore "spaces of play." Games have the ability to transport us to many different worlds but with advances in technology we can now bring games into different environments. With the release of the highly anticipated Pokémon Go, people are taking their game out into the world. We explore what that means for building and designing games. You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E37 · Thu, June 30, 2016
Senator Scott Ludlam (Australian Greens), Non-Violent Solutions & Twitch "Bits"
Its federal election time here in Australia and with less than 48 hours until voting begins. We were fortunate enough to have a chat with Western Australian Greens senator Scott Ludlum . The Greens have just announced a policy to not improve funding for game development in Australia, but broaden incentives for foreign companies making games in Aus based on feedback provided by the industry . With a half quota for senate seats, and polls sitting and nearly 50/50 smaller players like The Greens could have a big say in Australia's future. We’re also talking violent vs non-violent problem solving in games. It seems that more often than not developers are pointing us toward an armoury as opposed to a handshake or negotiation. We explore why this is. Can we find peaceful solutions to the problems in our games without pulling the trigger on sight? Lastly the team take a closer look at Twitch’s new “Cheering” initiative. This new tool provides an alternate option for viewers to support their favourite streamers, but some people have criticised the margins that Twitch is taking off the top when the transaction is made . The team try to wrap their heads around this new payment system. We asked developers from across Australia who make gaming a big part of what they do. You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Thu, June 23, 2016
Ian Lewis & Adam Zulkifly (Party Golf), grey market resellers & avoiding games spoilers
This week on the show we were joined by two of the fantastic team at Giant Margarita , based in Tasmania, and making the cracker new game Party Golf . Dr Ian Lewis and Adam Zulkifly joined us today to talk about their "seconds to shouting" metric, designing a game perfect for parties and securing state government funding. You can check out their game at www.partygolfgame.com , and pick up the game on Playstation 4 and PC later in the year. Developer Tiny Build revealed this week that gaming key reseller G2A had sold approximately US$450,000 of their games . While many of the users who use this site are selling legitimately purchased in bundle a small number of people have been selling a large number of keys which in some cases have been purchased with stolen credit cards. We talk about the impact this has on developers, gamers, and the expectations on those sitting in the middle. With gaming media expanding beyond the older mastheads, and the push from game developers to get their games in front of as many people as they can. Reddit user NYstate proposed unplugging from the games media cycle when new games come out, in order to preserve that experience. How do developers balance providing enough information to gamers without giving away too much and what happens when fans share too much of your game? You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift". Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E35 · Fri, June 17, 2016
Jacob Janerka (Paradigm), E3 2016 wrap up & video game film adaptations
This week we speak to a master of animated gifs, Jacob Janerka . He’s a talent artist and designer and he’s working on his first game Paradigm , inspired by the weird and wonderful point and click adventure games made by Lucasarts and Sierra. We spoke about the challenges of making a game by yourself and the freedoms a one person dev team can bring. You can find more information about Paradigm over at http://www.paradigmadventure.com where you can download a demo right now. It’s one of the biggest events in gaming of the year and this year’s E3 was no different. We dive into the big announcements , some of the missteps , and pretty average justifications for decisions from the biggest developers. Finally today with a massive desire from the film industry for new stories, video games are being optioned to be made into feature films at a blistering rate. We explore when this has been done well , and when games fall far short of expectations . You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift". Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E34 · Thu, June 09, 2016
Leigh & Elissa Harris (Objects in Space), dropping the banhammer & predatory publishers
We’re back from our two-week break and we’re hitting the ground running, Gianni has returned from the land of pineapples and beaches to host once again . First off this week we’re talking justice for cheaters in online games. With player vs player elements in pretty much every title these days, the temptation to cheat can be too much for some people. But the creators of Overwatch, Blizzard have found a unique way to take down cheaters and keep them out of their servers for good. This week we spoke to sibling founders Elissa and Leigh Harris of Flat Earth Games . They spoke to us about their game “ Objects in Space ”. This space fairing simulator strays away from classic twitch based space combat to a more strategic system management style game coupled with a unique home built physical interface. Elissa and Leigh tell us how they are taking the genre into a new direction. You can find out more about their game at www.objectsgame.com With many new developers making great games, systems like Steam Greenlight can really get the ball rolling. But sadly there is a new disturbing trend is rearing its head in the gaming world. Organisations posing as legitimate publishers are now approaching small inexperienced developers promising huge exposure and a guaranteed audience for a “small” percentage of profits, only to leave them high and dry when things don’t go as planned. The team discuss ways to weed out the frauds and the difference between social media statistics and true audience engagement. You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift". Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E33 · Thu, May 19, 2016
Lisa Evans (Teaching Science through Games), Beta Burnout, cuts to Arts funding
This week on Pixel Sift we had to do without our fearless leader Gianni. In his absence Mitch took the helm along with guest presenter Brad Power . A long-time friend of Pixel Sift, Brad is a lecturer in Games Art and Design at Murdoch University . We started off on a grimmer tone, with a discussion on how the Australian Government has recently cut funding to the arts , which may see many of the indie studios that benefit from more general arts funding losing out. Earlier this week we spoke to Lisa Evans, a PHD candidate at Murdoch University and developer with Stirfire Studios. Lisa was kind enough to share her knowledge on implementing video games in research, and how that research will help with teaching people about science. Lisa is looking for more participants so if you have a moment to contribute, or you'd like to learn more about Lisa’s project visit her website to sign up . With game betas getting more publicity every year you could be forgiven for mistaking a beta period for the actual retail release. As more resources are being thrown at all-inclusive beta programs, are players wearing themselves out on the unfinished product only to pass on the game when it really hits the shelves? Brad Power helped us out with some industry insight into the matter. You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift". Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E32 · Thu, May 12, 2016
Mike Cann (Mr Nibbles Forever), Kerbal Space developer pay claims & games you can't "win"
There are many games that are so tough you feel like you can't win , but some games can be designed to be completed but at the end you aren't "victorious. " We explore the different types of narratives, and compare stories in games to films, where the protagonist isn't always better off at the end. We spoke to Michael Cann , he's a Perth based developer from Epic Shrimp , and maker of the newly released Steam game Mr Nibbles Forever . We talked about how a misstep caused the removal of all his apps from the Google Play Store , and how working with a publisher to bring his mobile games to PC. You can find Mr Nibbles Forever on Steam, or check out Epic Shrimp's other games on their site http://www.epicshrimp.com This week it was claimed that developer Squad, makers of the hit indie game Kerbal Space Program, were paying their developers only US$2400 annually . With conflicting goals, and changes in direction have Squad bitten off more than they can chew or are they taking advantage of people who are working hard to developed the game? You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift". Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E31 · Thu, May 05, 2016
Jeremy Eade & Kim-Saskia Risser-Eade (Thwart GEO), the business & consequences of social media, the Australian Senate gaming inquiry
This week developers have been throwing digital punches on social media, with Battlefield developers throwing shade at the latest trailer for Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare . An online spat can not only damage individual reputations, but also the companies that they represent . As the dust settles it leaves everyone wondering, was it really necessary? We glanced northward this week with the story from husband and wife team that operate out of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. Jeremy Eade and Kim-Saskia Risser-Eade of Outback Pixels talked about making games in WA’s red heart, and making games that make them feel happy about getting up every day for work. You can find out more about their games Roid Rage and the upcoming Thwart GEO on the Outback Pixels site . Sometimes politicians are accused of being out of touch. The Environment and Communications References Committee , a group within the Australian Senate , has just completed their report into the state of Australia’s video game industry. We explore the recommendations of this report , and discuss how this will influence the policy and legislative decisions of future Australian governments. You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift". Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E30 · Thu, April 28, 2016
Wade K. Savage (Fallout: Lanius & Skourge Legacy), rumours + fact checking, and CSGO community challenges
This week we look at video game rumours reported by the mainstream media outlets, and when popular news sites fall into the trap of reporting on speculation without fact checking. Reddit user el2mador confessed this week to tricking some of the biggest video game sites on the web with their glitch in “The Division.” Is the 24-hour news cycle causing journalists to skimp on fact checking and verification? We spoke to Fallout: Lanius creator Wade K. Savage this week and Wade told us about the challenges of filming a Fallout based short film in Perth. He also spoke about his new project Skourge Legacy, a new franchise spanning the mediums of television, toys and a videogame. You can watch Fallout: Lanius on YouTube here, or follow the progress of Skourge Legacy over on Facebook and Twitter . Lastly on this week’s show we examine the underground gambling culture within Counter Strike Global Offensive. Players are using the mechanics of the game to trade weapon skins for real world money independently of Valve’s in-game trading system . These unofficial gambling avenues have no age restriction, and it means teenagers and children are able to gamble their money away. In an effort to address problems like this Valve has implemented a new type of matchmaking , with verification of personal information, which will hopefully stop people from creating fake accounts and being hacked. Will this help curb the problem and help create a better fairer online community? You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift". <a hr
S1 E29 · Thu, April 21, 2016
Colton Onderwater (Super Salmon Migration), Dev work vs life & publisher vertical integration
On this week’s show Colton Onderwater, from Perth’s Bear-Tooth Studios , joins us in the studio and we talk all about his new game Super Salmon Migration , and his previous game Arbalest 3035 . We explored the finer points of designing stimulating gameplay for games with simple mechanics, and even simpler user inputs. Colton also shared his personal attitude toward game feel and how the specific design elements work together to form a fun elegant experience. Super Salmon Migration will be out in the first half of 2016, but you can pick up the demo right now on the Google Play store. Video game retailer GameStop, the parent company of Australia’s EB Games , announced this week that they would start publishing games . Already signed up to the new publishing deal are notable mainstream development studios Insomniac Games ( Ratchet & Clank ) and Ready At Dawn ( The Order: 1886 ) will be publishing under the new subsidiary GameTrust. GameStop has been exploring alternative sources of income to compensate for a shrinking retail return , but if once company controls how a game is funded, and how it’s distributed will consumers still get the best deal? Lastly how does the game development “crunch” really effect the people putting in the many extra hours finishing their game? Are people being fairly compensated for their time, or are they suffering for their art? The founder of WildTangent Inc Alex St. John wrote an article that heavily implied that since making games is “not a job” the developers should not expect to be compensated on the same level as someone in a more traditional occupation, a position that has been strongly criticised . With a maturing industry, and huge companies making the games we love, does gaming employe
S1 E28 · Fri, April 15, 2016
Jason Imms (TasGDS), nostalgia in demand & the future of games journalism
This week we are joined by Jason Imms , he’s the founder of the Tasmanian Game Dev Society , a group that aims to raise awareness on the game development scene in Tasmania. High quality games can be made anywhere in the world, and states like Tasmania and Western Australia may not be as isolated as it seems. Jason talks about building the reputation of Tasmanian game development scene and the future of making games in states outside of the major capitals . You can follow Jason on Twitter @jasonimms Earlier this week private World of Warcraft server “ Nostalrius ” was shut down when the organisation’s hosting company “ received a letter of formal notice from US and French lawyers, acting on the behalf of Blizzard ”. With almost 150,000 active users, and over 1,000,000 registered accounts, private legacy servers were providing a service that Blizzard isn’t interested in selling . Blizzard has every right to do this, but are they missing the demand for a product that could be a potential revenue source, following the example of other popular MMOs such as Runescape ? Journalism is currently experiencing a disruption due to emerging technologies and dwindling revenues . This has meant that the many of the older mastheads are closing shop, or changing focus. What does this mean for the future of the games journalism , and what place do journalists have when anyone can start a YouTube , or Twitch channel or create a new podcast ? Jason shared with us his experiences as a freelance journalist and we talked about the future of games journalism. You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd9LmgS9mm6n
S1 E27 · Fri, April 08, 2016
Megan Summers (Damsel), mods: copyright + creativity & “no-grind" games
This week we talk game mods and what happens when copyright owners decide that that are not on board with the changes players make to their games. What happens when the corporate world interferes with the artistic creation of mod creators . Forum RaceDepartment had over 30 pages of mods removed at the request of Formula One's rights holders, a move that is technically within their rights but leaving many fans annoyed . Can there be an equilibrium between user generated content and commercial ownership? We also reached across the country to speak to Queensland based developer Megan Summers and spoke about the “Short Form” arcade platformer her team is developing, Damsel. We talked about making games in Queensland, how you pay for indie game development and standing out from the rest of the crowd. You can find more information about Damsel on the Screwtape Studios site http://www.screwtape.net/ No one likes doing the same thing over and over again, so why do we seem to put up with it in some of our favourite games? Are we asked to spend just a bit too much time and effort unlocking all the characters and content in the games we play? Would you pay a little extra money to unlock all the content of a game immediately ? Turns out the Pixel Sift crew just might. You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E26 · Sun, April 03, 2016
Live at Oz-Comic Con 2016: Linear vs Non-linear story telling, Fan feedback + controversy, communicating in games
It's our extended LIVE episode from Perth's Oz Comic Con! First up we spoke all about the differences between linear and non-linear story telling, and the constructed narrative. We explore how creating fixed narrative can be a stylistic choice, or could be due to limitations in hardware. We also look at how a recent well articulate argument on the Overwatch beta forums was able to change a victory animation for character Tracer. We explore feedback from fans, how they can influence development , and how sometimes the squeaky wheels aren't always representative of the player base. Finally we talk all about moves to limit the communication in multiplayer games such as Hearthstone , to avoid the players from using their games to attack each other. Like all freedoms, it's a trade off and we look at whether or not that trade off is worth it. You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E25 · Thu, March 24, 2016
Dan Clayton (Blockpocalypse), game emulation and piracy + DRM.
If you want to play a game from a previous gen, there are many options available for gamers. One these options is emulation, this week we dive into emulation culture and why the technology is so popular for introducing new audiences to old games, and for playing old games in new ways. Though sometimes the games aren't all that old... We also caught up with the one of the creators of Blockpocalypse , Dan Clayton from Dime Studios . He told us all about the process of building on the foundation of a Global Game Jam project and how his game can unite and divide friendships at the very beginning of the world’s fiery end. You can find the original version of the game (called Ablockalypse) on the Global Game Jam 2015 site, and the game is planned for early access later this year. Lastly we tackle game piracy and take a look at some of the innovative methods developers use to protect their IP from being stolen. As time has gone by it seems the Digital Right management has become the staple in protecting games from piracy however many developers have come up with other creative ways to stop people from taking their games. Gianni, Mitch and Scott run through of their favourites . You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E24 · Thu, March 17, 2016
Matt Comi (Space Age), Cross-platform multiplayer & ownership of digital goods
Digital delivery is becoming the preferred option for more people, but even though we pay real money for these products, are they really ours ? Can we pass these games or digital goods to another person ? We explore this topic off the back of a Twitch Partner losing their account in a division of assets after a divorce . There may be more questions than answers however. Gianni also had the opportunity to speak to Perth based developer Matt Comi of Big Bucket . Matt filled us in on two of his games “ The Incident ” and “ Space Age ” as well as how the development process differed between the two titles. Matt also gave us some insight on how the indie dev scene has changed over time as well as how to make an in depth game for a mobile device. We also address the news that Microsoft has announced that cross-platform multiplayer connectivity will be possible between their Xbox Live network and any other network that chooses to join them . How will this change the online game-play? Will the impact of keyboard and mouse interfaces tip the playing field in competitive multiplayer? What is Microsoft’s motivation behind the sudden progressive attitude? CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS OF OUR WORLD'S FASTEST PIZZA COMPETITION : WILL, BLAIR, CORRINA, BEVAN & ARTHUR. You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E23 · Thu, March 10, 2016
Oscar Brittain (World's Fastest Pizza), the UWP backlash & Launch hiccups
This week on the show, we're joined in the studio by Fremantle game developer Oscar Brittain . He's made the new World's Fastest Pizza , a top down pizza delivery game chock full with aussie references. We talked all about making the game, and releasing it out onto the web. You can pick up World's Fastest Pizza on Steam and Itch.io when it releases on March 15th 2016. We're also giving away a couple of copies of World's Fastest Pizza to listeners, so jump on over to http://www.pixelsift.com.au/pizza to enter the draw! Microsoft has been making a few waves in the game development world with their planned Universal Windows Platform, a new way to make and distribute apps and games, which has already been used for Rise of the Tomb Raider , and the upcoming Quantum Break. Tim Sweeney CEO of Epic Games has come out swinging with a scathing critique of this new platform that limits choice for gamers and developers, echoing what Gabe Newell of Valve said about Windows 8 . We look at what this new development means and whether or not you should be worried. Finally on the show, we explore some of the game launches that didn't exactly go to plan. I spent a fair bit of time waiting for a laptop in Tom Clancy's The Division, and that didn't ratchet up the fun factor. There have been plenty of other launches that had issues and we look at why this might be and what gamers should expect. You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E22 · Thu, March 03, 2016
Robert Bruce & Chris Parkin (The future of VR), spiritual successors, and cash for reviews 💵➡️🎮👍
Reviews are a big part of the games industry, love them or loathe them. We don’t review here at Pixel Sift, but there a good review can make a game and a bad one can break it. In some excellent reporting Phil Iwaniuk from PCgamesN discovered that the site Fiverr is being used to solicit cash for positive user reviews. We look at how reviews from both the professionals and players have an impact on the games we play. With the HTC Vive preorder opening up this week we spoke to a couple of local devs about the potentials of the technology and where they thing the future lies. Robert Bruce from Immersia VR and Chris Parkin of Offpeak Games ( who we spoke to in episode 14 ) gave us their two cents and and broke down some of the challenges and potentials of the technology that is currently the talk of the town. Finally we looked back into the annals of time and pulled into the present day some games inspired by the games we loved growing up. We look at spiritual successors such who take the core idea of a game and rebuild it for a new (or possibly the same) audience. There are plenty of great examples out there and we look at why these games get made and who they get made for. You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
Thu, February 25, 2016
Louis Roots, Sof Mather & Kate Raynes-Goldie (LEVEL ONE Co-Working space), re-release double standards & learning to play games
Today on the show we look at the double standard of annually released games. Why is it that gamers are so quick to criticize franchise A , when franchise B is given a free pass ? With some of the major franchises moving away from yearly release cycle are we seeing a shift in the way games are sold, and does gamer expectation play a big part? Gianni also had the chance to talk to Sofie Mather and Louis Roots both of SK Games and Kate Raynes-Goldie of FTI who run the brand new LEVEL ONE co-working space n the Perth CBD. They have a chat about what LEVEL ONE is all about and how their organisation is helping WA developers move from hobby to full-time game development. We also chat about the state of funding in WA for aspiring game devs and fighting the brain drain. LEVEL ONE is officially launching March 3rd 2016, with free tours throughout the day and a launch party in the evening. You can RSVP to the launch party here Finally we look at how we're taught how to play games, that's right we're talking about how in game instruction works in modern games versus the 50 page manuals of old. What makes a good tutorial or intro, and what are some things that should be avoided when teaching people to navigate their game world. You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E20 · Thu, February 18, 2016
Fabian Malabello (The Otherworld Agency) & "good" bad games
First up on Pixel Sift this week, we have a look at some of the recent data gathered by Quantic Foundry on how gamers attitudes toward games change as they get older, with the ESA reporting that the average gamer is now 35 . It would seem that the motivations of gamers change as they progress down life's long road. Where do you think your gaming career will be in thirty years time? Scott sat down with Fabian Malabello, the Director of The Otherworld Agency about song writing and sound the power of sound design in games. He also was kind enough to give us some links to resources that can help aspiring video game song writers and sound designers get into the industry. If you are starting out you can head to Game Audio 101 for some great starting advice . Once you've been therejump on over to the FMOD user group or WWISE user group both on Facebook where people with experience using these programs can help you out. Finally make sure you grab yourself a copy of Unity 5 and Audio Toolkit . Finally we polish off our twentieth episode with a chat about some of the games that could have been made better but we love them all the same, we discuss the likes of Duke Nukem , the original South Park and QWOP just to name a few. Did any of ours make your list? Do you think some games missed out? You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E19 · Fri, February 12, 2016
Nick McDonnell (Screen Cheat), Obsessive game collectors & game "award baiting"
This week on the show we look at the obsessive nature of collecting games. Do you have a giant steam library? Do you scour the online stores for old cartridges and consoles. We talk about what it is that makes us collect, and sometimes never play. You can check out the value of your steam library, and how little of it you've actually played on Steam Gauge . I spent many hours playing split-screen Halo on the original Xbox, and there was always the accusation of "screening" between me and my brothers when someone got a particularly good kill. As part of the Global Game Jam in 2014 Melbourne developers Samurai Punk created their game Screencheat where you need to look at other players screens to win. Mitch and Gianni spoke to Nick McDonnell about bringing their game to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, lessons learnt and gamer entitlement. Screencheat is available on Playstation 4 and Xbox One on the 1st of March 2016. Finally this week we explore whether a game can be "awards bait" or designed to win awards or accolades. Reddit user spunk_monk posed this question this week after playing the anticipated Firewatch . Can we explore games and critical acclaim without drawing on other forms of media? Is there value in a " Game of the Year " award if every man and his dog gives out one? You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E18 · Thu, February 04, 2016
Global Game Jam Perth & game implosions and failures 🎮➕🐜
36,000 people, 93 countries and nearly 6800 games . It's the Global Game Jam , a 48 hour challenge that pits game developers against the relentless march of time. This year game devs were tasked with making a full game based on the theme of "Ritual." Let's Make Games , hosted two events in Perth on the weekend and we dropped in to the ECU site to follow the progress and journey of the jammers taking up the challenge, in a special two part story this week. You can find all the games that were created this weekend at Edith Cowan University and Murdoch University below, featuring videos and download links so you can play at home. Amazing work that was very impressively created in just 48 hours. The games will also be featured at Playup Perth on the 26th of February 2016 where you can play the games with the developers . Tickets are $10 or $7 for FTI Members, and this is an 18+ event. ECU: http://globalgamejam.org/2016/jam-sites/lets-make-games-ggj-perth-ecu-north/games Murdoch: http://globalgamejam.org/2016/jam-sites/lets-make-games-ggj-perth-murdoch-south/games We also looked at when games fail. Developers of the game Ant Simulator went online this week to share their grievances about the failure of the development process. We look at when games flop and what happens in the aftermath of some high profile implosions. You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E17 · Thu, January 28, 2016
Joshua Meadows (GX Australia), RTXAU Recap and the cost of gaming
This week we look at the cost of being a gamer. Like all hobbies there is a financial cost as well as a time cost. We break down some of the numbers about the game value proposition. Is it more expensive to be a gamer than ever before? When does gaming become too expensive a hobby? We spoke to Joshua Meadows organiser of Sydney Gaymers , and co-director of the brand new convention for LGBT gamers, GX Australia . We talked all about why a general gaming convention might not be as comfortable for some people and what planning an event like this meant. The first GX Australia will be held at the Australian Technology Park in Sydney on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th of February 2015. You can find out more information on the special guests attending, and where to get tickets on the GX Australia website http://www.gxaustralia.com . Mitch is back from RTX Australia , another US convention that's made it's debut on Aussie shores. Spawned from the minds of those creative folks at Rooster Teeth , we recap everything you might have checked out at the event. You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E16 · Fri, January 22, 2016
Lisa Rye & Brendan Ragan (Freedom Fall), Gambling in eSports, Musicians making games
The s porting world had been rocked by a gambling scandal with tennis players in the UK fixing matches to alter the odds in gambling. eSports players aren't immune to the lure of bribes to manipulate the outcomes of matches. We look at how eSports and betting cross over and how people can be tempted to take a less than honest path We spoke to Lisa Rye and Brendan Ragan from Stirfire Studios , the makers of Freedom Fall . One of the first Australian devs to be greenlit on Steam, we asked about the lessons they had learnt and things to watch out for. We also spoke about their upcoming game Debug, a platformer where you glitch the game to win. This interview features some of the music from Freedom Fall by the talented Paramorph , make sure you check them out on Bandcamp. Finally we look and listen to the games that some of our favourite musicians lent their creative talents to such as Omikron: The Nomad Dream by the late David Bowie and Quantic Dream (of Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls). Musicians have had a bigger role in gaming than you might think! You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E15 · Thu, January 14, 2016
Aranda Morrison & Mark Mennell (Square Heroes), Game Clones & Games and the Law
This week we look at when games get cloned. Blink and you may have missed it but, but a sequel to one of the biggest games in the world came out and was quickly pulled. Minecraft 2 raced to the top of the charts , but it was a dodgy clone cashing in on the Minecraft name. We look at some famous clones and ripoff games. Such as the gem Super Noah's Ark 3D, or the over 60 Flappy Bird clones that hit the App Store every day. We got up bright and early and we spoke to those lovely chaps at Gnomic Studios about their game Square Heroes . We talked to Aranda Morrison and Mark Mennell about bringing their game to Playstation 4, selling their game as a bundle and managing a fledgling multiplayer community. Finally some over zealous lawyers from Sony decided to try trademark the term "Let's Play" . We talk about some legal decisions that changed the way games were made and played. The High Court was brought in to rule on what Australians could do with their Playstation consoles, setting a legal precedent . You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E14 · Thu, January 07, 2016
Chris Parkin (Valiant), Activision buys MLG, and our 2015 year in review
In a major eSports shakeup, Activision Blizzard has purchased Major League Gaming , in a move that has left some shareholders of MLG stunned. Activision has been making moves into the eSports space already and this brings a major league under their wing. What this will mean for the future of eSports is yet to be seen. We spoke to Christopher Parkin, he's a developer and CEO of Offpeak Games, makers of the virtual reality medieval combat game Valiant . We talked about their Kickstarter campaign , and launching a new game at the infancy of VR. Oculus have just announced their pricing and preorders for their Rift headset , so gamers will soon be able to experience VR in their own homes. Finally today we wrap up the year that was 2015. We look at some of the major stories and releases of last year and talk about some of our favourite games. You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E13 · Thu, December 17, 2015
Drew Morrow (Defect: SDK), Companion apps & toys & movie tie-in games
This week we look at companion apps and the rise of toys and addons. Skylanders was one of the first games to hit the scene that used collectible figurines to play the game, but it's been joined by many others. We also explore whether apps such as Destiny's Companion app or the Fallout 4 Pip-Boy add more to your second screen experience or does it take away from the main experience. We spoke to Drew Morrow from Three Phase Interactive all about his game Defect Spaceship Destruction Kit . We spoke all about the early access process, building a game from fan feedback and nurturing a community so they come along for the ride. We played a bit of Defect over on out twitch page and you can check that on www.twitch.tv/pixelsift We also explore movie tie-in games. Many games have been made as spin offs from bigger franchises, but few do it quite as well as the Star Wars games or the legendary N64 Goldeneye. We look at what makes a good tie-in game and what causes a tie-in game to flop. You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E12 · Thu, December 10, 2015
Drugs in Gaming, PSX recap, and reimaging game modes
When gamers explore games they can make some awesome new play styles that weren't originally designed. Bungie released an official version of the Sparrow Racing League, which was created in game by players. Day Z started out as a mod for ARMA II before spinning off into it's own game. The whole MOBA genre originated as a custom map in Warcraft III. This weekend we had the Playstation Experience (PSX) convention where Sony laid out it's plans for the next year. Some of the big announcements included on of the first gameplay trailers for the anticipated Final Fantasy VII remake , the crazy looking 100 Foot Robot Golf and Ratchet & Clank Finally this week we explore the use of drugs in gaming. Popular streamer Jayson Love AKA MANvsGAME admitted that his 50 hour gaming sessions were fueled by the use of dextroamphetamine to keep him awake. The major eSports leagues such as the ESL will start drug testing their players for performance enhancing drugs like those used by MANvsGame after a major drug scandal . If you need help with drugs and alcohol or your mental well being and you are in Australia you can contact Lifeline 24 hours a day for help . LIFELINE AUSTRALIA PHONE NUMBER 13 11 14 You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E11 · Thu, December 03, 2015
Trent Kusters (Armello): Kickstarting & building a digital boardgame & managing hype
This week for our eleventh episode we broadcast live from somewhere a little bit different, we were at Casa Del Scott but you would have seen the fresh decor on our Twitch stream of this episode. If you missed us live you catch the whole episode on http://www.twitch.tv/pixelsift any time you like! This week we spoke to Trent Kusters, he's one of the co-founders of League of Geeks and we learnt all about their game Armello . We had such a great chat with Trent we split the interview in two, with the first part focusing on the challenges and benefits of developing a completely digital board game. In the second half of the interview, we talked about managing the expectations of more than 6000 backers after their successful Kickstarter campaign , and what it took to get it to that point. We also looked at when games fail to meet fan expectations, or don't meet the hype. The fans of Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 have been calling out for updated rosters, with all the current trades and injury lists, but have been left wanting. Scott fills us in on the fan disappointment and how developers could address these issues. You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E10 · Thu, November 26, 2015
Kai Ashford-Hatherly (Bellus Mortem), Toxic Online players &Perth Games Festival
We've hit the double digits, this is Episode 10 of Pixel Sift. If you just tuned in, thanks for joining us and each week we talk video games and video game culture. This week we streamed the show live on twitch.tv/pixelsift so you can watch as well as listen. First up on the show today we talk about the worst players online who ruin the multiplayer for everyone. Riot Games makers of the extremely popular League of Legends, have implemented a new system where the worst players online miss out completely on free loot . Other games such as Hearthstone by Blizzard have opted out of online chat entirely , using emotes and phrases instead. If you are in Western Australia this weekend you can check out the Perth Games Festival, a celebration of WA game dev talent. We spoke to Jon Hayward and Jess Watson from Let's Make Games who organised the Perth Games Festival. It's on the 28th of November 2015 at the Perth Town Hall, and tickets are free . Head to perthgamesfestival.com.au for all the details. Finally for our first in studio interview Kai Ashford-Hatherly, from RW Games joined us and told us all about his new game Bellus Mortem which has just launched on Kickstarter . We asked why they went Kickstarter over other funding methods. You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E9 · Thu, November 19, 2015
Ads in Games, Alternate Reality Games & Backwards compatibility
It's a big part of all creative industries, and advertising is looking to expand into gaming in a big way . We talk about how gaming can embrace some advertising, and what advertising doesn't sit well within a gaming context . Sticking with promotion and advertising, Alternate Reality Games or ARGs can unite fans to investigate and discover another dimension of their gaming experience. Recently Edmund McMillen and Florian Himsl, developers of the Binding of Issac unveiled a mysterious ARG which unlocked content within their game after gamers had completed puzzles in the real world. We talk about how ARGs can complement a game and expand the narrative world. Finally we look at the legacy of gaming, with backwards compatibility being introduced to current gen console Xbox One . Is this a customer friendly move to maintain the value of your older games, or is it simply just a carrot for customers who have complained about a lack of new next-gen titles. You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Twitch and Steam. Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E8 · Thu, November 12, 2015
Dione & Keegan (1UP Gaming Marathon) "Crowd" Multiplayer & Gaming Urban Legends
This week we are looking at crowd multiplayer where game streamers can have their games changed by those watching at home. Rise of Tomb Raider on Xbox One can take the input of viewers on Twitch and introduce challenges and help. Indie game Choice Chamber takes this to another level . Seriously check it out, it's kinda mind blowing. If you've spent many long nights playing games, you'll be familiar with marathon gaming sessions. We spoke to Dione and Keegan from the 1UP Game Marathon who on Saturday 14th will be playing games for 24 hours to raise money for MS Society WA . Last week the Extra Life marathon raised millions for charity, so what is it about gaming that gets people to open their wallets. They might need either some protective equipment such as these gaming glasses. Finally this week the collaboration between Nintendo and Sony was discovered after years of rumour and speculation. We talk all the big gaming rumours and urban legends, such as the massive flop ET: The Extra Terrestrial on the Atari 2600 found in a desert grave. You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E7 · Thu, November 05, 2015
Paul Turbett (Starhammer: The Vanguard Prophecy) King purchased, 2015 PAXAUS GCAP recap
This week Gianni and Mitch are joined by special guest Brad Power, one of the games tutors here at Murdoch University. In case you missed the news Swedish free to play casual game power house and makers of Candy Crush King was purchased by Activision Blizzard for US$5.9 Billion . We explore what this means and why they may have reached that valuation. We also spoke to Paul Turbett, the founder of Black Lab Games based here in Western Australia . Paul told us all about Star Hammer: The Vanguard Prophecy , a science fiction spaceship fleet strategy game with tabletop roots. Finally we recap some of the cool things you might have seen if you were over east for the Melbourne International Games Week , which includes GCAP , Unite and PAX Australia for an all round festival of fun. You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E6 · Thu, October 29, 2015
Seasonal Events, Self identity in games, and fan backlash
If you are like many Australians, the thought of Halloween might give you some cultural cringe. While Aussies have been slow to adopt what is seen as an American tradition, the games we play are global and games such as World of Warcraft and Destiny are holding in game events. We look at what in game events do for the player who is coming back to games week after week. We also talk about how identity and expression plays out in video gaming. Recently Sony has queried players about an option to change your Playstation Network ID , and we starting thinking about how much of your gaming identity is woven into the name you choose. Do you identify your gamertag or username or do you keep it separate from your real name and personality? Is it safe or wise to do so ? Finally we look at when fans get up in arms, and there is a backlash against the company making the game. OVERKILL developers of the popular multiplayer game Pay Day 2, copped some flak from angry but passionate players this week after introducing what was seen as micro-transactions and gated content into their game. Gamers have gotten things changed in the past when vocal campaigns reach the ears of those in charge, but are these people in the minority? You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E5 · Thu, October 22, 2015
Liam Hunt & Sam Zeid (Bramblelash), Episodic content & glitching out
This week we are exploring episodic content in games. Instead of getting everything at once you can now get your games in little bite sized chunks. Some of the biggest games are trying it out , and it's also being used by smaller developers . Can episodic gameplay be used in innovative and interesting ways or is it just a way to stretch out your purchases? Liam Hunt and Sam Zeid of ByteSprite Games joined us this week, and told us all about their new local multiplayer game Bramblelash , and some of the other educational games that they've been working on. You can download the Bramblelash pre-release demo here, and it's available on Windows, Mac and Linux Finally we spoke about hilarious glitches and other unintended "features" and how you can make your own fun in your game. It turns out gamers can make a game out of anything even breaking games. You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E4 · Thu, October 15, 2015
Split-screen multiplayer, Remakes & Remasters, and storytelling in games
This week we explore the nostalgia and the value of couch based split-screen multiplayer, both competitive and cooperative. Halo 5: Guardians will be dropping split-screen multiplayer in favour of higher graphical quality and people aren't happy. The Halo series spearheaded the console shooter, and fans are disappointed that a big part of their Halo experience is going away. There are games keeping the split-screen option so sitting on the couch with your friends playing games is still alive. We look at the inevitable remake , remaster and re-release of video games as they move to new platforms. Is this just a money grabbing exercise or is the cultural history being saved for future generations? Storytelling in gaming is a multifaceted process and some games are now dropping their dedicated single player campaigns in favour of having a deeper multiplayer experience. How does the embedded story telling compare to the player generated story telling in games? Sandbox game Minecraft will be going the opposite direction adding a single player story to it previously limitless creative experience. You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us! Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E3 · Thu, October 08, 2015
SAG-AFTRA Strike and eSport Unions, DLC subscriptions, & Twisted Pixel leaving Microsoft
Last week we told you all about the SAG-AFTRA Video Game voice actor strike , well this week they've hit another threshold.There are other rumblings in the union sphere as well with the Major eSports teams uniting for better conditions. We also chat about plans to introduce a new format of Downloadable content for the Guitar Hero franchise and how DLC has evolved over the years. Finally we talk a little bit about the ex-Microsoft developers "Twisted Pixel" of the Splosion Man fame leaving the roost and striking out on there own. When Bungie did that they made Mitch's favourite game. You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E2 · Thu, October 01, 2015
Alpha & Beta Expectations, Should you pre-order, and #Performancematters
With the pervasive nature of online and connected consoles and computers, game developers can deliver Alphas & Betas of your favourite games before they hit the shelves. With some betas acting more like a playable demo, rather than a work in progress, are we being trained to expect too much from Early Access , and in development titles or have we missed the meaning of in progress? Speaking of getting you hyped for games that aren't out yet, we tackle the big issue of pre-ordering games. With exclusive content locked behind pre-orders and individual retailers holding the keys to particular content should we be putting down hard earned cash before the game arrives, especially with games that aren't up to scratch? Finally some of the biggest actors in video games are talking are speaking in hushed tones, and concerned voices. SAG-AFTRA the union that represents actors in Television and videogames is calling for better conditions for those who work hard to make the characters more than pixels and polygons. We talk all about #performancematters You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
S1 E1 · Wed, September 23, 2015
Old School replays, Destiny Year Two, eSports, and Video game adaptations
NOTE: When we recorded this show, we were broadcasting under the name High Score, which turns out is pretty popular gaming podcast name. We are now called PIXEL SIFT. Scott talks about old school Zelda, and tuning a NES to a new TV. There is a use for analog again! Mitch runs us through a bit of Destiny's year two content, The Taken King , and the Angry Birds Movie, and good video game movie adapations. Are there any? Who knows. Gianni chats about eSports and the huge industry it is rapidly becoming, and how you could get a uni scholarship for gaming skills . Rabee tells us all about a game being developed at Murdoch University, One Hint Hitman and the process of creating sound for such a game. You can find us on social media, Discord , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Twitch , YouTube and Steam . Just search for "pixelsift" Support the show: https://sifter.store
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