Dev to Dev

Dev to Dev S02 E14 - Rob Gardner

This one's been sitting in the queue for a while, and I'm really glad I finally got to record it because Rob's story is genuinely unlike most of the ones I've told on this show. Rob Gardner is a V/O Audio Director at DICE LA, and he got there by being in a band, doing QA for over a decade, almost not pursuing games as a career at all, and, his words, being way too protective of his evenings for way too long. It's an honest, funny, and surprisingly moving conversation about what happens when your passion and your livelihood don't line up the way you expected them to, and how sometimes the skill set you built doing something else entirely turns out to be exactly what you needed. Highlights: * Rob's band got approached by EA to license a track before he'd ever worked in games — and they took almost nothing for it because they had no idea what they were doing * He describes the transition from Vivendi's sink-or-swim QA floor to DICE LA as the moment he finally felt safe enough to actually grow * The parallel between directing voice actors and playing in a band is genuinely insightful, and something I hadn't thought about before he said it * His take on social anxiety as a drummer ("you can hide behind the kit") is one of my favourite moments of the whole series Go give it a listen. I think you'll enjoy this one. FIND THE PODCAST AT: * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0Rq9lZoWphzXvxkrETrWg0] * Patreon [http://patreon.com/DevToDevPodcast] * ⁠RSS⁠ [https://api.riverside.fm/hosting/H8sKOdGf.rss] * ⁠Instagram⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/devto.devpodcast/] * ⁠Bluesky⁠ [https://bsky.app/profile/devtodevpodcast.bsky.social] * ⁠YouTube⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdRyexiIZyb6JuruHA951JQ] * ⁠Blog⁠ [https://alexsulman.wordpress.com/dev-to-dev/%E2%81%A0] * Email: DevToDevPodcast@Gmail.com [DevToDevPodcast@Gmail.com] FIND ROB AT:  * Linkedin: Rob Gardner | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/robgzzzla/]

Dev to Dev S02 E13 - Sarah Lynn

Hey everyone — this week's episode is one I really enjoyed. I'd worked briefly with Sarah in the past but didn't know much of her story, and this conversation filled in a lot of gaps. Sarah's been in the industry for over fifteen years — QA, production, a stint in marketing she describes as a "sabbatical", and a deliberate step away to become a Mum. She's candid and funny and very clear-eyed about how she works and what she needs from a role. Highlights: * How her mom — who played Duck Hunt through pregnancy — essentially handed her a career before she even knew she wanted one * The chance encounter in a Japanese class that got her first industry job * Why she thinks every Producer should spend time in marketing (even if, like Sarah, they end up hating it) * Her philosophy for joining new teams: become a cog in the machine first, ask questions second, change things third * The moment she decided to leave ZOS to stay home with her daughter — and how a tarot reading in Gettysburg was involved * Where she is now: ready to get back in the saddle, but working through what that actually means as a parent It's an honest conversation about a career that's taken some real turns, and a person who's always found her way back to the thing she loves. Go give it a listen. FIND THE PODCAST AT: * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0Rq9lZoWphzXvxkrETrWg0] * Patreon [http://patreon.com/DevToDevPodcast] * ⁠RSS⁠ [https://api.riverside.fm/hosting/H8sKOdGf.rss] * ⁠Instagram⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/devto.devpodcast/] * ⁠Bluesky⁠ [https://bsky.app/profile/devtodevpodcast.bsky.social] * ⁠YouTube⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdRyexiIZyb6JuruHA951JQ] * ⁠Blog⁠ [https://alexsulman.wordpress.com/dev-to-dev/%E2%81%A0] * Email: DevToDevPodcast@Gmail.com [DevToDevPodcast@Gmail.com] FIND SARAH AT:  * Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-lynn-578b6b35/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-lynn-578b6b35/] * Bluesky:@ [https://bsky.app/profile/sbar713.bsky.social]sbar713.bsky.social [http://sbar713.bsky.social]  * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarbear_713/ [https://www.instagram.com/sarbear_713/]

Dev to Dev S02 E12 - Tom Miles

Hey everyone, really happy to share this one! Tom Miles is someone I've worked with closely, and honestly, doing this conversation made me realise how much of his story I'd never properly heard. Tom grew up in the middle of nowhere in Norfolk, fell in love with games through a brother's Spectrum, spent years trying to get into an industry that kept not quite opening the door, and then spent 18 years at Creative Assembly building everything from weather systems to multiplayer backends once it finally did. He's the engineer who'd always say "anything is possible" in a meeting, which, trust me, you want to hear from your engineer. Highlights: * How typing game listings into a ZX Spectrum as a nine-year-old set everything in motion * Why he nearly became a musician instead (and still might have wanted to) * Building the entire UI for Rome: Total War as a junior — solo * What eventually pushed him out of Creative Assembly after 18 years * Why being a generalist felt like a weakness for years, and how it turned out to be the thing * His competitive Pokemon TCG habit (yes, seriously — tournaments in France and everything) * Why his current role at Antstream feels like the job he's always been suited for This one's warm, funny, and a bit honest about the messy middle of a long career. Go give it a listen. FIND THE PODCAST AT: * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0Rq9lZoWphzXvxkrETrWg0] * Patreon [http://patreon.com/DevToDevPodcast] * ⁠RSS⁠ [https://api.riverside.fm/hosting/H8sKOdGf.rss] * ⁠Instagram⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/devto.devpodcast/] * ⁠Bluesky⁠ [https://bsky.app/profile/devtodevpodcast.bsky.social] * ⁠YouTube⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdRyexiIZyb6JuruHA951JQ] * ⁠Blog⁠ [https://alexsulman.wordpress.com/dev-to-dev/%E2%81%A0] * Email: DevToDevPodcast@Gmail.com [DevToDevPodcast@Gmail.com] FIND TOM AT:  * https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-miles-99031b31/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-miles-99031b31/] * @ [https://bsky.app/profile/pokedaduk.bsky.social]pokedaduk.bsky.social [http://pokedaduk.bsky.social] — Bluesky

Dev to Dev S02 E11 - Gonza do Campo

SORRY FOR THE DELAY!!! There was an issue with the RSS distributor that I have not been able to resolve. Normal service will resume on Monday (hopefully!) This next episode of Dev to Dev was such a good one! Gonza do Campo grew up in Patagonia playing Atari clones, then spent a decade managing factory logistics, and is now a Principal Producer at 2K in Valencia. The journey between those two points is genuinely worth hearing. What strikes me most about Gonza's story is how every part of his background that looked like a disadvantage turned out to be exactly what he needed. The Agile and Kanban frameworks that run game production? They came out of Japanese manufacturing, the exact world Gonza spent his first career embedded in. The younger producers who came to him for advice weren't looking for someone with more game credits. They were looking for someone who'd been through harder things. He'd spent years feeling behind. He was actually ahead. There's also a really honest thread in here about imposter syndrome, ego, and what it actually takes to lead well. Gonza talks about it with wonderful maturity, and it connects directly to how he thinks about production. Worth the listen for that alone. Highlights: * Grew up in Patagonia where games were rare, expensive, and mostly clones — his first original game was Metal Gear Solid 4 * Pivoted to games at 30, studied at night while working full-time with a family * Worked his way in through a non-games role, then knocked on the studio door until they let him through * Spent years across outsourcing, indie studios, and Netflix game projects before landing at 2K * Candid about imposter syndrome, therapy, and the ongoing work of leaving ego out of leadership * Recently relocated from Argentina to Valencia with his family * Go give it a listen — Gonza tells it better than I can summarise it. FIND THE PODCAST AT: * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0Rq9lZoWphzXvxkrETrWg0] * Patreon [http://patreon.com/DevToDevPodcast] * ⁠RSS⁠ [https://api.riverside.fm/hosting/H8sKOdGf.rss] * ⁠Instagram⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/devto.devpodcast/] * ⁠Bluesky⁠ [https://bsky.app/profile/devtodevpodcast.bsky.social] * ⁠YouTube⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdRyexiIZyb6JuruHA951JQ] * ⁠Blog⁠ [https://alexsulman.wordpress.com/dev-to-dev/%E2%81%A0] * Email: DevToDevPodcast@Gmail.com [DevToDevPodcast@Gmail.com] FIND GONZA AT:  * https://www.linkedin.com/in/gonzalodoc/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gonzalodoc/]

Dev to Dev S02 E10 - Andy Roberts

In the next episode of Dev to Dev - the podcast about everyday videogame developers and why they do what they do every day - Andy Roberts explores his journey into game development. In some ways this one feels a little like a time capsule from a very different era of the industry - one where curiosity and persistence had to do a lot more of the heavy lifting - but the lessons learned and the insight given is just as valuable today as it was then. We talk about how Andy’s early interest in creativity led him into early digital art and programming, not because he set out to make games, but because it was the only way he could actually play them. That thread - making things happen when they don’t exist - is something that runs through his entire career. What really stood out to me was how much of Andy’s growth came from proximity to talented people. Sitting in rooms, listening, absorbing, and gradually finding his voice. It’s a great reminder that you don’t have to have all the answers, you just need to stay open and engaged long enough to learn them. There’s also a lot here about ego, collaboration, and the reality of working in teams. The idea that design isn’t about owning ideas, but about shaping them, is something I think a lot of people struggle with early on. And finally, there’s that sense that being a game developer isn’t really a job you switch on and off - it’s just part of how you think. That constant analysis, curiosity, and drive to create doesn’t really go away. HIGHLIGHTS * Creativity as a necessity, not a luxury, in early game development * Breaking into the industry before clear career paths existed * Learning design through observation and collaboration * The importance of managing ego in creative teams * Adapting to different projects, constraints, and technologies * Balancing being an introvert in a role that requires you to be outgoing FIND THE PODCAST AT: * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0Rq9lZoWphzXvxkrETrWg0] * Patreon [http://patreon.com/DevToDevPodcast] * ⁠RSS⁠ [https://api.riverside.fm/hosting/H8sKOdGf.rss] * ⁠Instagram⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/devto.devpodcast/] * ⁠Bluesky⁠ [https://bsky.app/profile/devtodevpodcast.bsky.social] * ⁠YouTube⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdRyexiIZyb6JuruHA951JQ] * ⁠Blog⁠ [https://alexsulman.wordpress.com/dev-to-dev/%E2%81%A0] * Email: DevToDevPodcast@Gmail.com [DevToDevPodcast@Gmail.com] FIND ANDY AT:  * https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-roberts-7a60222/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-roberts-7a60222/] * And his Company: https://www.thalamusdigital.co.uk/ [https://www.thalamusdigital.co.uk/]