The Zachtronics Podcast

Jul 21 2020 10 ep. 1.2k
The Zachtronics Podcast artwork

On the Zachtronics podcast we go behind the scenes of how indie games are made and interview independent game developers, asking them the questions that only another independent game developer would know to ask.

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The Zachtronics Podcast: Episode #10

Jul 21 2020
In episode #10 of the Zachtronics podcast I'm joined by Keith again, this time to interview Tom Braunlich, one of the designers of the Star Trek and Star Wars collectible card games from the 90s. We talk about designing games for licensed IP, creating mechanics that deeply evoke your theme and setting, a fair amount of sci-fi nostalgia, and the tragic downfall of Decipher. I seem t

The Zachtronics Podcast: Episode #9

Apr 29 2020
In episode #9 of the Zachtronics podcast I'm joined by Keith to interview Chris Crawford, the creator of a bunch of historically notable games, including the first commercial computer wargame. We talk about how he started making games, his time at Atari, and his post-Atari career as an "indie game developer" starting in the 1980s. We also talk about the design and philosophy of war

The Zachtronics Podcast: Episode #8

Mar 27 2020
In episode #8 of the Zachtronics podcast I interview Jeff Schader of The Skins Factory, the graphic design studio responsible for most of the Windows Media Player skins of the early 2000s. Although you might think this has nothing to do with games, it turns out there's a surprising amount of overlap; topics covered include skeuomorphic interfaces, the rise and fall of media player

The Zachtronics Podcast: Episode #7

Feb 08 2019
In episode #7 of the Zachtronics podcast I don't interview anyone! Instead, I talk with Keith and Jared (two other members of Zachtronics) about our attempt to play Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, how the game design compares to modern Dungeons and Dragons, and some of the things that make it so spectacularly weird. Download The Zachtronics Podcast: Episode #7 (52.9 MB, duration: 1:

The Zachtronics Podcast: Episode #6

Dec 29 2018
In episode #6 of the Zachtronics podcast I interview David Galindo of Vertigo Gaming, the creator of Cook, Serve, Delicious! and Cook, Serve, Delicious! 2!!. Topics covered include cooking shows, unsolicited feedback, save file formats, yet another version control lecture, and much, much more! NOTE: In this episode I mention a link to an article that Keith read about the Minecraft

The Zachtronics Podcast: Episode #5

Apr 22 2016
In episode #5 of the Zachtronics podcast I interview Jason McGann, one of the creators of Zoop, an action-puzzle game released in 1995. Topics covered include English game development, 90’s graphic design, why I love Zoop, and much, much more! ATTACHMENT: Zoop Advertisement Download The Zachtronics Podcast: Episode #5 (53.1 MB, duration: 1:17:26)

The Zachtronics Podcast: Episode #4

Jul 13 2015
In episode #4 of the Zachtronics podcast I interview Dan Dixon of Giant Army, the creator of Universe Sandbox. Topics covered include Universe Sandbox, Visual Basic, broken promises, planetary-level extinction events, and much, much more! Download The Zachtronics Podcast: Episode #4 (47.2 MB, duration: 1:08:52)

The Zachtronics Podcast: Episode #3

Jun 10 2015
In episode #3 of the Zachtronics podcast I interview Tim Saxon of Final Form Games, the creators of Jamestown and Jamestown Plus. Topics covered include Jamestown, Lua-based game engines, and much, much more! ATTACHMENT: Tim’s Example Lua Code Download The Zachtronics Podcast: Episode #3 (43.0 MB, duration: 55:33)

The Zachtronics Podcast: Episode #2

May 07 2015
In episode #2 of the Zachtronics podcast I interview Brendon Chung of Blendo Games, the creator of the upcoming Quadrilateral Cowboy (in addition to many other games). Topics covered include level design, narrative in games, Brendon’s lifelong love of first-person shooters, and much, much more! Download The Zachtronics Podcast: Episode #2 (46.8 MB, duration: 1:08:10)

The Zachtronics Podcast: Episode #1

Apr 13 2015
In episode #1 of the Zachtronics podcast I interview Zack Johnson and Kevin Simmons of Asymmetric Publications, the studio behind the long-running Kingdom of Loathing. Topics covered include the history of Kingdom of Loathing, the ups and downs of running an independent game studio, the merits of version control, making money despite our best efforts, colossal screw-ups, and much,