20 - Adrian Vaughan of The Drifter, PlaySide Studios, and SO much more!

20 - Adrian Vaughan of The Drifter, PlaySide Studios, and SO much more!

Adrian Vaughan might just be the most interesting video game guest I can think of, and I’m not just saying that. I invited Adrian on the show after being absolutely stunned by his work on The Drifter, in which he voices multiple characters – none more impactful than the main character, Mick Carter. Listening to Adrian voice Mick changed my perspective on the value, cathartic joy, and emotional resonance that voice acting can bring to a work of art – video game or not. Then, I did a little research. Low and behold, Adrian has voiced characters in a number of other stellar indie games, including Loco Motive, Harold Halibut, and Mouse: P.I. for Hire. But wait! There’s more. He’s also been working as an artist, 3D modeler, and art lead at game studios since 2007. For his day job, Adrian has helped create and ship titles like Civ VII, Shattered, Age of Empires III, Smash Golf, Need For Speed: No Limits, and many, many more. What an absolute gem of a person and practitioner. Adrian's website: https://www.adievaughan.com/ Adrian's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/yeoldshrimpeyes.bsky.social Adrian's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7-YSyr0ribAeGiH-HlBy2A The Inanimate Mr. Coatrack: https://powerhoof.itch.io/the-inanimate-mr-coatrack Intergalactic Wizard Force: https://powerhoof.itch.io/intergalactic-wizard-force The Maître D': https://powerhoof.itch.io/the-maitre-d The Drifter: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1170570/The_Drifter/ All of Powerhoof's itch games: https://powerhoof.itch.io/ Fincher: https://nofilmschool.com/david-fincher-filmmaking-style Deakins: https://infocusfilmschool.com/cinematographer-roger-deakins/ RedLetterMedia: https://www.youtube.com/user/RedLetterMedia

19 - Fer of Tossdown

Fer is the solo developer behind the chaotic and flow-state-inducing delivery roguelike Tossdown. The way I’ve heard Fer describe his game is the stylistic flair of Jet Set Radio meets the action arcade gameplay of Crazy Taxi, and if that’s not fuel for the soul then I don’t know what is. I’m super excited to sit down with Fer to discuss his experience as a Nigerian game developer and how he came up with the idea for the beautiful mix of stylish, sporadic elegance that is Tossdown.  Wishlist Tossdown on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3241560/Tossdown/ Check out Fer's itch.io page: https://theferfactor.itch.io/

18 - Matt Fister (AKA Freezebeam) of Realmfold & Towerbound

Matt Fister is an indie game developer based in Boston, Massachusetts. He goes by the tag Freezebeam and is known for creating surreal bitscapes across genres and modes of play in his games. I’m a particular fan of his shmups: Unseelie Chorus and Escape Wizard. His game Towerbound is perhaps the most clever take on tower defense I’ve seen to date, featuring small tweaks to the tried-and-true formula that change the entire flow of the genre in a way that feels fresh. And his newest game is a peaceful city builder called Realmfold. Go play it now!  Play Realmfold and all of Matt's games on his itch page HERE: https://freezebeam.itch.io/ Check out Domino Grove: https://ezra-szanton.itch.io/domino-grove AND our interview with Domino Grove creator Ezra Szanton here: https://indiegamegarden.transistor.fm/6 Subset Games (creators of Into the Breach and FTL): https://subsetgames.com/ Dorfromantik (video game version): https://store.steampowered.com/app/1455840/Dorfromantik/ Dorfromantik (board game version): https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/370591/dorfromantik-the-board-game Sol Cesto: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2738490/Sol_Cesto/ Rift Wizard: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1271280/Rift_Wizard/ Path of Achra: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2128270/Path_of_Achra/ Animal Well: https://store.steampowered.com/app/813230/ANIMAL_WELL/ DEMON'S TILT: https://store.steampowered.com/app/422510/DEMONS_TILT/ XENOTILT: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2008980/XENOTILT_HOSTILE_PINBALL_ACTION/ Obsidian (notetaking app): https://obsidian.md/ My silly little game, Harley & Bleak: https://darthmalks.itch.io/harley-bleak

17 - Pete of Chaystar Unlimited, the makers of Asbury Pines

Pete is part of a two-person development team called Chaystar Unlimited. They are the developers of Asbury Pines, an expansive, narrative-driven idle game about a small town through the ages. In Asbury Pines, Pete's unique perspective on game design and storytelling comes through in a way that you have to experience to believe. Join us for a conversation about games writing, making independent projects, and the joy that can stem from treating characters with care. Go buy Asbury Pines! It's AMAZING: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2212790/Asbury_Pines/ Check out Chaystar's other game, Lilith Odyssey: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1450800/Lilith_Odyssey/ Join the Asbury Pines Discord and follow along with Pete's development journey: https://discord.com/invite/thyYmrT Flink Pamingo on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/flinkpamingo Chaystar's early webcomic, SEa DoPe! https://www.moddb.com/games/sea-dope

16 - Dave Lloyd of Powerhoof, the makers of The Drifter

Dave Lloyd’s video games inspire me more than any other pieces of media I’ve consumed in recent memory. Dave is a champion of the adventure game genre, having explored everything from pulpy thrillers to high fantasy adventures through the art form that has become a bit of a dying breed in games. Since the heyday of LucasArts adventure games that spanned from the late 1980s to the early 2000s, the genre has decreased in popularity thanks to what some players perceive to be outdated mechanics and the rise of other, similar genres – like the visual novel. Dave’s work is not only dedicated to telling outstanding stories. It’s also very much about keeping the adventure game alive, while simultaneously pushing the genre to new heights. His magnum opus to date is The Drifter, a gritty, time-jumping thriller that also manages to portray an intimate story of love and loss in the modern day. He released the tool he used to make The Drifter on public forums for free. PowerQuest is a Unity framework that helps devs make engaging adventure games while not getting overwhelmed by the breadth of the engine at large. Dave’s commitment to making adventure games communal is as inspiring to me as his masterful artwork, coding, and storytelling. It is such a genuine honor to have him on the show. Go do yourself a favor and play The Drifter: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1170570/The_Drifter/ Powerhoof's itch.io page is a trove of hidden treasures: https://powerhoof.itch.io/ Make your own adventure game with PowerQuest! https://powerhoof.itch.io/powerquest And...check out Dave & Barney's website: https://www.powerhoof.com/