Pixel Sift

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, Twitte

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

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 th

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

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 Bla

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

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 So

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! Yo

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 Scho

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

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 Sal

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 Produc

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

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:

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

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

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, Twit

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 spen

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 Bartholomaeu

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 "pixelsi