Out of Play Area

Technology Podcasts

A bi-weekly video game development podcast by John R. Diaz, a veteran game designer who goes 1:1 in candid conversations with the developers behind today‘s hit games where we discuss their journey and learnings in this wild industry with no punches pulled. John is a kid born to emigrants from the Dominican Republic in New York City, raised with lots of love, off of food stamps & welfare, where English was not his native language, who got lucky enough to find his passion in developing video games. It took him years in college before figuring out that video game development was something he could learn and do. It wasn‘t until 2007 when he got his lucky 1 in a million chance to get his foot in the door, which required him to move away from all of his family into a city that he knew no one in, Austin Texas to work on his first game Blacksite Area 51 with Midway Games. Since then he‘s gone on to work on some of the biggest games of our time including Grand Theft Auto V and both Red Dead Redemptions. However that road was long, exhausting, and expensive, and it didn‘t have to be. That‘s why he‘s making this show. The video game industry needs more people from all walks of life, beliefs, countries, cultures, languages, shapes, sizes, and origins to make the next big game the world wants to play. If John could do it so can you. This show is all about sharing the experiences of his network, the developers behind the games you love and play, including Game Designers, Animators, Artists, Producers, Engineers, Testers, Directors, Writers, and everything in between, sharing their stories and advice, to answer all those questions you have about how video games are made, and how do you even become a game developer. If you are making video games or want to make them this show is for you, the current & future video game developers where we discuss our art and motivations out of the lines, out of the play area. This is to help put you on to get the opportunity to make the video games you want to play, by hearing how they are made and how the people got here. http://outofplayarea.com Connect with us on Twitter @OutOfPlayArea & the host John R. Diaz. @ElKingpin

Location:

United States

Genres:

Technology Podcasts

Description:

A bi-weekly video game development podcast by John R. Diaz, a veteran game designer who goes 1:1 in candid conversations with the developers behind today‘s hit games where we discuss their journey and learnings in this wild industry with no punches pulled. John is a kid born to emigrants from the Dominican Republic in New York City, raised with lots of love, off of food stamps & welfare, where English was not his native language, who got lucky enough to find his passion in developing video games. It took him years in college before figuring out that video game development was something he could learn and do. It wasn‘t until 2007 when he got his lucky 1 in a million chance to get his foot in the door, which required him to move away from all of his family into a city that he knew no one in, Austin Texas to work on his first game Blacksite Area 51 with Midway Games. Since then he‘s gone on to work on some of the biggest games of our time including Grand Theft Auto V and both Red Dead Redemptions. However that road was long, exhausting, and expensive, and it didn‘t have to be. That‘s why he‘s making this show. The video game industry needs more people from all walks of life, beliefs, countries, cultures, languages, shapes, sizes, and origins to make the next big game the world wants to play. If John could do it so can you. This show is all about sharing the experiences of his network, the developers behind the games you love and play, including Game Designers, Animators, Artists, Producers, Engineers, Testers, Directors, Writers, and everything in between, sharing their stories and advice, to answer all those questions you have about how video games are made, and how do you even become a game developer. If you are making video games or want to make them this show is for you, the current & future video game developers where we discuss our art and motivations out of the lines, out of the play area. This is to help put you on to get the opportunity to make the video games you want to play, by hearing how they are made and how the people got here. http://outofplayarea.com Connect with us on Twitter @OutOfPlayArea & the host John R. Diaz. @ElKingpin

Twitter:

@outofplayarea

Language:

English

Website:

https://solo.to/opa

Episodes

Jason Knobler | Senior Staff Engineer @ Lightning Games | Ep 39

10/17/2022

Episode 39 features Jason Knobler, a Senior Staff Engineer at Lightning Games in Philadelphia. Jay’s a fellow Full Sail University alumni, who has worked as an Engineer on Rockstar Games’ Red Dead Redemption, and is also writing his own Harmony Game Engine. Chapters: Links: Harmoney Game Engine GitHub: https://github.com/GameOverture/HarmonyEngine Jay’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/Game_Overture Jay’s Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/game_overture Connect with the host: http://elkingpin.com Come On The Show: https://outofplayarea.com Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/out-of-play-area/id1550421307 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Da0qLAOBi6rV6ccSzx1gX?si=043f4ec5a6034bf0 Follow @outofplayarea & @elkingpin on Twitter Check out Descript using my affiliate url: http://descript.com?lmref=john@outofplayarea.com

Duration:01:29:33

Claude Jerome | Lead Gameplay Designer @ Firewalk Studios | Ep 38

8/15/2022

Episode 38 features Claude Jerome, a Lead Gameplay Designer for Firewalk Studios part of the Probably Monsters family. Claude’s experience has led him from Vicarious Visions, 1st Playable, to Microsoft on Project Spark, and Bungie on Destiny to where he is today. We talk about how he got where he is, where he’s trying to go, and everything in between. Chapters: Links: Claude’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/Claude_Jerome Claude’s LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudejerome/ Game Devs of Color Expo 2020: Advanced Game Feel: https://youtu.be/EABa8X3lEPM Project Spark E3 Demo: https://youtu.be/m37sVEgJrOA Connect with the host: http://elkingpin.com Come On The Show: https://outofplayarea.com Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/out-of-play-area/id1550421307 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Da0qLAOBi6rV6ccSzx1gX?si=043f4ec5a6034bf0 Follow @outofplayarea & @elkingpin on Twitter Check out Descript using my affiliate url: http://descript.com?lmref=john@outofplayarea.com

Duration:01:54:24

Chris Cole | Senior Technical Artist @ Amazon Game Studios | Ep 37

7/25/2022

Episode 37 features Chris Cole a Senior Pipeline Technical Artist working at Amazon Game Studios as of the debut of this episode. We discuss his time at Survios working in VR, breaking in on Blacksite Area 51 at Midway Austin, life at Blizzard working on World of Warcraft, and we discuss ways to better manage and retain your talent. Chapters: Links: Chris’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/overlorddagon/ Electric Nodes UE Plugin: https://unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/electronic-nodes Connect with the host: http://elkingpin.com Come On The Show: https://outofplayarea.com Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/out-of-play-area/id1550421307 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Da0qLAOBi6rV6ccSzx1gX?si=043f4ec5a6034bf0 Follow @outofplayarea & @elkingpin on Twitter Check out Descript using my affiliate url: http://descript.com?lmref=john@outofplayarea.com

Duration:01:50:22

Leon Kuperman | CTO @ Cast.AI | Ep 36

7/4/2022

Episode 36 features Leon Kuperman, who gets his gamedev cred from text based Zork style adventures, and is a Co-founder and CTO at CAST AI. Formerly Vice President of Security Products OCI at Oracle, Leon’s professional experience spans across tech companies such as IBM, Truition, and HostedPCI. He founded and served as the CTO of Zenedge, an enterprise security company protecting large enterprises with a cloud WAF. Leon has 20+ years of experience in product management, software design, and development, all the way through to production deployment. He is an authority on cloud computing, web application security and Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), e-commerce, and web application architecture. And that's where we talk about his journey through development, his views on building a resilient team and product, and more. Chapters: Links: Claim this Exclusive Offer from Cast.AI: https://cast.ai/outofplayarea/ Leon’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itexecutivecto/ Follow Cast. AI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cast_ai Connect with the host: http://elkingpin.com Come On The Show: https://outofplayarea.com Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/out-of-play-area/id1550421307 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Da0qLAOBi6rV6ccSzx1gX?si=043f4ec5a6034bf0 Follow @outofplayarea & @elkingpin on Twitter Check out Descript using my affiliate url: http://descript.com?lmref=john@outofplayarea.com

Duration:01:28:38

Shawn Alexander Allen | Founder @ NuChallenger | Ep 35

6/21/2022

Episode 35 of Out of Play Area the game developer's podcast, we sit down with the creator of Treachery in Beatdown City and discuss founding his company NuChallenger, alongside his time working in the Game Devs of Color Expo, as well as his journey from NYC and the games industry. Chapters: Links: Shawn’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnalexanderallen/ Shawn’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShawnDoubleA GDC Vault - Independent Games Summit: Indie SoapBox - https://gdcvault.com/play/1027343/Independent-Games-Summit-Indie GDC Vault - Knights, Fist Fights, Lasers & Catacombs: Subversive Diversity to Improve Our Games - https://gdcvault.com/play/1023756/Knights-Fist-Fights-Lasers-Catacombs (Beyond Basic Represenation) Treachery in Beatdown City: A Postmortem #GDoCExpo 2021 - https://youtu.be/4YKA_swJm5A Game Devs of Color Expo's Shawn Alexander Allen on COVID-19, Allyship & Future Plans - https://youtu.be/MKRl1TeOlQA Go Straight: The Ultimate Guide to Side-Scrolling Beat-’Em-Ups - https://www.bitmapbooks.com/products/go-straight-the-ultimate-guide-to-side-scrolling-beat-em-ups Connect with the host: http://elkingpin.com Come On The Show: https://outofplayarea.com Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/out-of-play-area/id1550421307 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Da0qLAOBi6rV6ccSzx1gX?si=043f4ec5a6034bf0 Follow @outofplayarea & @elkingpin on Twitter Check out Descript using my affiliate url: http://descript.com?lmref=john@outofplayarea.com

Duration:01:54:17

Henry Golding | Principal Software Engineering Lead @ Xbox Game Studios | Ep 34

6/7/2022

Henry Golding is a Principal Software Engineering Lead at Xbox Game Studios currently spreading the significance of Test Driven Development and Automated Testing in Game Development. He's a native of the UK who has programmed for Sea of Thieves, Minecraft, Disney Universe, and Dead Space: Extraction for the Wii. We talk about his latest endeavors as well as discuss his journey into the games industry. Chapters: Links: Henry’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hgolding/ Henry’s MobyGames:https://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,451834/ The Games Automated Testing Resource Hub : https://trello.com/b/nGE5yqZk/game-automated-testing-resource-hub Henry’s GDC Talk - Lessons Learned in Adapting the 'Sea of Thieves' Automated Testing Methodology to 'Minecraft' https://gdcvault.com/play/1027345/Lessons-Learned-in-Adapting-the Connect with the host: http://elkingpin.com Come On The Show: https://outofplayarea.com Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/out-of-play-area/id1550421307 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Da0qLAOBi6rV6ccSzx1gX?si=043f4ec5a6034bf0 Follow @outofplayarea & @elkingpin on Twitter Check out Descript using my affiliate link: http://descript.com?lmref=john@outofplayarea.com

Duration:01:47:05

Kent Hudson | Designer Director @ Brass Lion Entertainment | Ep 33

5/23/2022

Kent Hudson is a fellow Midway Austin colleague who now serves as a Design Director for Brass Lion Entertainment. We talk about his start at Ion Storm on Deus Ex in Austin TX, then his jump to 2K Marin on Bioshock 2, and end with his indie hit The Novelist and everything in between. Chapters: Links: Follow Kent on Twitter: https://twitter.com/KentInPublic Kent's MobyGames: https://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,70322/ Connect with the host: http://elkingpin.com Come On The Show: https://outofplayarea.com Learn more about Brass Lion Entertainment: https://brasslionentertainment.com/careers/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/out-of-play-area/id1550421307 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Da0qLAOBi6rV6ccSzx1gX?si=043f4ec5a6034bf0 Follow @outofplayarea & @elkingpin on Twitter Fast Company Article on Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney - https://www.fastcompany.com/90741893/epic-games-ceo-tim-sweeney-talks-the-metaverse-crypto-and-antitrust

Duration:02:28:18

Zach Mumbach | Producer & Designer @ The Wandering Band | Ep 32

5/9/2022

Zach Mumbach is a designer & producer at the Wandering Band who spent 17+ years at EA as a producer on Dante's Inferno, Dead Space, Battlefield: Hardline, Godfather 2, Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel, the Simpsons and more. We talk about his journey in and out of games and more. Chapters: Links: Follow Zach on Twitter: https://twitter.com/zachulon Zach’s MobyGames: https://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,164514/ Connect with the host: http://elkingpin.com Come On The Show: https://outofplayarea.com Check out his latest game Airborne Kingdom: https://www.airbornekingdom.com/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/out-of-play-area/id1550421307 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Da0qLAOBi6rV6ccSzx1gX?si=043f4ec5a6034bf0 Follow @outofplayarea & @elkingpin on Twitter

Duration:01:58:51

Ben Retan | Lead AI & Encounter Designer @ Hangar 13 | Ep 31

4/25/2022

Episode 31 features Ben Retan, a Lead AI & Encounter Designer at 2K’s Hangar 13 Studio out of Novato California. Ben is an old Midway Austin homie as well as a fellow Full Sail University alumni whose credits include Star Wars the Force Unleashed 1 & 2 for his days at LucasArts. We talk about Quantum Computing, Game Design, Dream Week, and more. Chapters: Links: Ben’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benretan/ Ben’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/benretan Ben’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/benretan/ Discord: Ben "Phrost" Retan#1337 Ben’s MobyGames: https://www.mobygames.com/developer/ben-retan/credits/developerId,368591/ Connect with the host: http://elkingpin.com Come On The Show: https://outofplayarea.com Learn more about Full Sail University https://www.fullsail.edu/

Duration:01:34:46

Chris Bourassa | Design Director @ Polyarc | Ep 30

4/11/2022

Episode 30 features Chris Bourassa, a Design Director at Polyarc working out of Seattle. Chris is a fellow Full Sail University of Alumni with over 15 years of game design and engineering experience having worked on Midnight Club LA & Red Dead Redemption at Rockstar San Diego and Carnage Racing at Tiny Giant on Mobile, to his last game Moss 1 & 2. Chapters: Episode Resources: Chris Bourassa’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/Bourassa86 Polyarc’s Careers :https://www.polyarcgames.com/work Connect with the host: http://elkingpin.com Show: https://outofplayarea.com Learn more about Full Sail University https://www.fullsail.edu/

Duration:01:44:25

Jason Jurecka | Lead Software Engineer @ Visual Concepts | Ep 29

3/28/2022

On episode 29 we sit down with Jason Jurecka, a Lead Software Engineer at Visual Concepts, who just released WWE 2k22 laying the smack down on the competition. He’s a fellow Full Sail Alumni who I had the pleasure to work with at R* San Diego on Red Dead Redemption 1 and GTA V, and who has worked with damn near all the heavy hitters in the game from Blizzard, to EA on Battlefield, to where it all started at Big Huge Games on Catan & Rise of Legends. Chapters: Episode Resources: Support Humanitarian Relief for Ukraine (epicgames.com) Jason Jurecka’s' LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-jurecka-9362182/ Visual Concepts’ Careers: https://vcentertainment.com/careers/ Connect with the host: http://elkingpin.com Show: https://outofplayarea.com Learn more about Full Sail University https://www.fullsail.edu/

Duration:01:50:48

Alan Blaine | Principal Tech Designer @ Bungie | Ep 28

3/14/2022

Episode 28 is dedicated to the people of Ukraine. We sit down with Alan Blaine, a Principal Technical Designer for Bungie on Destiny, and a former Rockstar Designer for Red Dead Redemption and Grand Theft Auto V. We talk about the latest release of the Witch Queen, his upcoming GDC 2022 talk, and the craft of being a Technical Designer and a good manager while still staying hands on as a Technical Designer. Chapters: Episode Resources: GDC 2021 Panel Avoid an Identity Crisis as a Technical Designer: https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1027541/Avoid-an-Identity-Crisis-as GDC 2022 Talk: 1000 Hours of Difficulty: How Destiny Build Systemic Challenge: https://schedule.gdconf.com/session/1000-hours-of-difficulty-how-destiny-builds-systemic-challenge/882052 Alan Blaine’s' LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-blaine-4163314/ Alane’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/Alan_M_Blaine Bungie Careers : https://careers.bungie.com/ Connect with the host: http://elkingpin.com Show: https://outofplayarea.com

Duration:01:53:20

James Kane | QA Manager & Designer @ Raccoon Logic | Ep 27

2/28/2022

Episode 27 of Out of Play Area the game developer's podcast features James Kane, a Game Designer & QA Manager at Raccoon Studios in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He's an old WB Games Montreal buddy in arms during our time on Metallica & Gotham Knights, who has gone on to do major things in the industry coming up through QA and studying Game Design at Dawson College. Chapters: Episode Resources: James' LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-kane-14893b47/ Racoon Logic : https://www.raccoonlogic.com/careers Connect with the host: http://elkingpin.com Show: https://outofplayarea.com

Duration:01:18:17

Marie Mejerwall | Consultant Game Director | Ep 26

2/14/2022

Marie has a long career in game development, where she has worked on several AAA titles such as Batman Arkham Origins, Dead Rising, RollerCoaster Tycoon and Deus Ex. She worked for a number of well-renowned studios such as Ubisoft, Capcom, Warner Bros and Eidos, eventually making her way up to Game Director. Nowadays, she is a consultant who offers her services for studios, publishers, investors and schools. Marie was also one of the early pioneers of eSports, which she started her side career in by co-driving Femina Gaming, the world’s then-biggest community org for female esports. Her focus was on events and she arranged Counter-Strike competitions at Dreamhack 2004-2010. She then continued in competitive MOBA SMITE, fielding roles such as commentator, analyst and coach for a top #12 team. She also organized and produced tournament broadcasts for ESL and Meltdown eSports bar. Chapters: Episode Resources: Marie's Website: https://mejerwall.com Marie's MobyGames: https://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,592335/ Marie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariemejerwall/ Game Dev Map: https://www.gamedevmap.com/ Show Website: http://outofplayarea.com Connect with the host: http://elkingpin.com

Duration:01:43:45

Mauro Fiore | Studio Design Director @ EA Firemonkeys | Ep 25

1/31/2022

On Season 2’s premiere episode we surf the waves of change with Mauro Fiore, Studio Design Director at EA Firemonkeys in Melbourne, Australia. Mauro has spent 20+ years navigating the ever evolving gaming landscape - from console to casual to mobile and beyond. Join us as we discuss his journey from Carnegie Mellon University’s Entertainment Technology Center to Angel Studios, Rockstar Games, Zynga, Forgame, Linekong, and EA, working on titles such as Midnight Club 2 & 3, Red Dead Redemption, CityVille, FarmVille 2, BattleCore, Independence Day Extinction, Real Racing 3, Need for Speed No Limits, the Sims Free Play, and the Sims Mobile. Chapters: Show Resources: Midnight Club Take 2 Buys Zynga LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maurovfiore/ Portfolio: https://www.maurovfiore.com/

Duration:03:00:21

2021 Retrospective | John R. Diaz | Tech Designer @ Electronic Arts | Ep 24

12/27/2021

This bonus episode features your host John R. Diaz, a Senior Technical Designer for Electronic Arts Frostbite Engine. In this 1:1 we look back on the podcast and the inaugural year, where we've been, and where we hope to go in 2022. Season 202(2) will kick off at the end of January / early February. See you all then! Feel free to connect with John www.elkingpin.com And connect with the show at www.outofplayarea.com Links to other recommended podcasts: Game Dev with a Shot of Jameson: https://open.spotify.com/show/2lvzEmdq6X9vwKWMi4F6CF The AIAS Game Maker's Notebook: https://www.interactive.org/Interviews/the_game_makers_notebook.asp The Game Dev Show: https://www.ptw.com/thegamedevshow/ The Habibis: https://thehabibis.transistor.fm/ GDC Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3IjaJ0YoZiVvgOK5xRlDQx Zero To Play Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/13V48s0adPvEQRHHKPUU13

Duration:00:36:49

Johnny Wu | QA Director @ Riot Games | Ep 23

12/13/2021

Johnny Wu is a QA Director at Riot Games in Santa Monica who has worked for Respawn on Apex Legends, King, Zynga, and King. Chapters: Links: Johnny Wu on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnywu85/ Connect with the host: https://linktr.ee/jkingpin Follow the show: http://outofplayarea.com

Duration:01:41:27

Elaine Gomez | Game Designer @ Brass Lion Entertainment | Ep 22

11/29/2021

Episode 22 of the game dev's podcast features Elaine Gomez a Game Designer at Brass Lion Entertainment based out of New York City. Elaine Gómez is an award-winning game designer currently working at Brass Lion Entertainment with 5 years of experience in gameplay and systems design. She is one of the six co-founders of Latinx in Gaming and supports the non-profit organization with game development-related initiatives and resources. Elaine is passionate about mentorship and often lends her design knowledge and resources to serve young game developers across the globe. Chapters: Links: https://twitter.com/chulatastic http://www.elaine-gomez.com/ https://brasslionentertainment.com/careers/ https://www.amazon.com/Games-Design-Play-detailed-iterative/dp/0134392078 https://www.pureref.com/

Duration:02:01:29

Angelica Baca | UX Designer @ Intercept Games | Ep 21

11/8/2021

Angelica "Jel" Baca is a UX Designer at Intercept Games who found her way through QA for Glu Mobile, Bungie, PopCap, Card Kingdom, and King. Listen to her journey through this industry and how she thrives today. Chapters: Links: Jel Baca on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jellbel Jel Baca on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelica-baca-16518230/ Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back - Nes Playthrough Connect with the host: https://linktr.ee/jkingpin Follow the show: http://outofplayarea.com

Duration:01:30:19

Ryan Paradis | Game Design Director @ Bungie | Ep 20

10/25/2021

Ryan Paradis, Design Director at Bungie working on Destiny talks about his journey through Full Sail University, working at Rockstar Games in San Diego, to Bungie on Destiny, to 343 on Halo Infinite and more. Chapters: Additional Links: Ryan's Moby Games: https://www.mobygames.com/developer/brian-dumlao/credits/developerId,92531/ Connect with the host - https://linktr.ee/jkingpin Connect with us: http://outofplayarea.com

Duration:01:33:51