Hey, Good Game explores the stories behind your favorite brainy games. Each week, we interview game creators and dig into what it takes to build a successful in...
Tetris, Chess, and Go: Martin Grider’s Indie Game Design Playbook
Martin's journey in game development, starting from his early days as a web developer to his current focus on iOS mobile applications. Martin shares his thoughts on AI in game development, his preferences for using Swift and Godot over Unity, and his experience with board game conversions and licensing. Martin also delves into his design philosophy, the challenges of monetizing games in the App Store, and his latest game projects, including a Zelda-ish 2D story-based game. Check out Martin's Resources:http://abstractpuzzle.com/http://martingrider.name/http://chesstris.com/Socials:https://www.linkedin.com/in/livingtech/https://www.facebook.com/AbstractPuzzle/about--(00:00) - Introduction to AI in Game Development
(00:25) - Welcome to the Hey! Good Game Podcast
(00:35) - Meet Martin Greider: Creator of Abstract Puzzle
(01:21) - Martin's Favorite Games and Tetris Variants
(02:08) - The Journey of GoTetris and Programming Languages
(03:36) - Porting Games to Android and Thrive's Development
(05:32) - Challenges of Swift and Game Engines
(07:45) - Freelancing and Board Game Conversions
(10:05) - Licensing and the Evolution of Digital Board Games
(18:08) - Paid vs. Free Apps: The Monetization Dilemma
(23:48) - Developing for Apple Vision Pro
(27:25) - Income Sources and New Game Projects
(39:04) - Game Design Philosophy and Chess Variants
(44:12) - Conclusion and Where to Find Martin Online
--Check out our brainy games:Sumplete - https://sumplete.comSqueezy - https://imsqueezy.com/Kakuro Conquest - https://kakuroconquest.comMathler - https://mathler.comCrosswordle - https://crosswordle.comSudoku Conquest - https://sudokuconquest.comHitori Conquest - https://hitoriconquest.comWordga - https://wordga.com
--------
43:48
From Angry Birds to Escape Rooms: The Game Design Journey of Johannes Ahvenniemi
Johannes Ahvenniemi, a seasoned mobile gaming industry professional with a diverse portfolio, including working on hits like Best Fiends and Angry Birds. Johannes shares how his interest in games started at a very young age, inspired by his brother. He discusses his passion for creating quality games without ads, his consulting work, and innovative projects like escape puzzle magazines and Sudoku solvers. Johannes also shares his experiences working at top companies like Seriously Digital and Rovio Entertainment and founding Papukaija to make games for underserved audiences. Tune in to learn more about his unconventional journey and ambitious future projects.Check out Johannes's Resources:https://adartis.fi/http://tikola.com/https://cluehound.com/ https://sudokugen.com/https://adartis.fi/games-by-sam/Socials:https://www.linkedin.com/in/johannes-ahvenniemi-0b71ab19/--(00:00) - Introduction to the Podcast
(00:26) - Guest Introduction: Johannes Ahvenniemi
(01:18) - Johannes' Favorite Games
(02:40) - Escape Room Games and Market
(05:08) - Early Coding Journey
(07:39) - Transition to Professional Game Development
(08:31) - Experience at Rovio
(11:18) - Game Industry in Finland
(13:45) - Time at Seriously Digital
(15:18) - Starting Independent Projects
(23:12) - Games by Sam
(32:43) - Consulting and Future Plans
(36:53) - Conclusion and Contact Information
--Check out our brainy games:Sumplete - https://sumplete.comSqueezy - https://imsqueezy.com/Kakuro Conquest - https://kakuroconquest.comMathler - https://mathler.comCrosswordle - https://crosswordle.comSudoku Conquest - https://sudokuconquest.comHitori Conquest - https://hitoriconquest.comWordga - https://wordga.com
--------
38:21
Modern Game Design Using Paper and AI: The Couples Game Story
A masterclass in modern game development with Osebo, revealing his journey from sketching word puzzles on a flight to Jamaica to launching Couples Game using AI tools and smart design principles. Learn how this former Tumblr and Facebook designer leverages LLMs to create engaging puzzles while building Castle's next-gen mobile game engine – proving that the best games start with pen and paper before embracing cutting-edge tech.Check out Osebo's Resources:https://castle.xyz/https://www.couples.game/https://evenings.fm/Socials: https://www.osebo.bloghttps://www.instagram.com/0sebo/https://x.com/0sebohttps://bsky.app/profile/osebo.bsky.social--(00:00) - Introduction and Welcome
(01:24) - Interview with Osebo: Game Design Insights
(02:16) - Osebo's Favorite Games
(06:48) - The Resurgence of Chess in New York
(08:08) - Osebo's Gaming Journey
(11:32) - From Design to Programming
(14:38) - Professional Journey: Tumblr and Facebook
(16:33) - Exploring VR and Oculus
(21:13) - Castle: A Cognition Gym
(22:51) - Team and Vision at Castle
(24:57) - Game Creation and Monetization
(29:18) - Prototyping on the Way to Jamaica
(30:15) - Prototyping the Game Mechanics
(30:46) - Building and Sharing the Game
(31:39) - Community Feedback and Adjustments
(33:33) - The Role of AI in Game Development
(36:31) - Challenges and Innovations in Word Games
(39:03) - Organic Growth and Community Engagement
(43:33) - Future Plans and Monetization
(49:12) - Evening.fm and Independent Radio
(54:19) - Conclusion and Contact Information
--Check out our brainy games:Sumplete - https://sumplete.comSqueezy - https://imsqueezy.com/Kakuro Conquest - https://kakuroconquest.comMathler - https://mathler.comCrosswordle - https://crosswordle.comSudoku Conquest - https://sudokuconquest.comHitori Conquest - https://hitoriconquest.comWordga - https://wordga.com
--------
55:13
Teaching Bridge to Fund Hollywood Dreams
Brian Reynolds, co-owner of The Bridge Teachers, brings a unique blend of creativity and gaming expertise to the world of bridge instruction. As an actor, writer, and director, Brian partnered with his wife Samantha to transform bridge education through their subscription-based platform thebridgeteachers.com.Key takeaways include:- Their innovative approach to teaching bridge through accessible online content- The transition from personal instruction to scalable digital education- The potential market of 37 million bridge players in the U.S.- Their mission to modernize bridge education and attract younger players- The cognitive health benefits of regular bridge playingCheck out Brian's Resources:https://thebridgeteachers.com/https://www.tiktok.com/@thebridgeteachershttps://www.instagram.com/thebridgeteachershttps://www.facebook.com/thebridgeteachers--(00:00) - Introduction to the Podcast
(00:34) - Meet Brian Reynolds: The Bridge Teacher
(01:40) - Brian's Gaming Journey
(03:08) - The World of Bridge
(03:53) - Gaming as a Social Experience
(05:21) - Brian's Perspective on Games and Life
(06:36) - Learning Bridge: A Personal Story
(08:27) - Challenges and Rewards of Learning Bridge
(11:20) - The Importance of Fun in Gaming
(17:26) - Promoting Bridge to a New Generation
(21:15) - The Bridge Teachers: A Family Business
(28:20) - BridgeBase Online and the Future of Bridge
(30:23) - Chess Ratings and Learning Dynamics
(32:44) - Bridge's Master Points System
(35:46) - Monetization Strategies for Bridge Teaching
(43:45) - Balancing Creative Pursuits and Bridge
(49:55) - The Future of Bridge and Its Market Potential
(55:13) - The Cognitive Benefits of Playing Bridge
(57:03) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts
--Check out our brainy games:Sumplete - https://sumplete.comSqueezy - https://imsqueezy.com/Kakuro Conquest - https://kakuroconquest.comMathler - https://mathler.comCrosswordle - https://crosswordle.comSudoku Conquest - https://sudokuconquest.comHitori Conquest - https://hitoriconquest.comWordga - https://wordga.com
--------
58:29
Building Random Trivia Generator: From Hobby to Household Name
Slavi Grozev, the creator of Random Trivia Generator. Slavi, originally an acoustic engineer, shares his journey of developing the popular trivia website, discussing his inspiration from long drives and quiz bowls during his time at engineering school. Despite having a full-time job and family commitments, Slavi dedicates time daily to update and evolve the platform. The conversation delves into Slavi's approach to building the site, handling user submissions, and future plans for new features. The episode also highlights Slavi's philosophy on user interaction, design focus, and the challenges of monetizing a passion project while keeping it accessible.Check out Slavi's Resources:https://www.randomtriviagenerator.com/https://twitter.com/randomtriviahttps://www.facebook.com/randomtriviagenerator--(00:00) - Introduction and Early Marketing Challenges
(00:22) - Podcast Welcome and Listener Engagement
(01:36) - Interview with Slavi Grozev Begins
(02:24) - Slavi's Favorite Game: Heroes of Might and Magic
(04:55) - Career Journey: From Chemical to Noise Engineer
(08:23) - The Birth of Random Trivia Generator
(11:36) - Building and Growing the Trivia Platform
(17:03) - User Engagement and Content Creation
(21:56) - Future Features and Enhancements
(22:28) - Early Growth and Viral Moments
(23:59) - Impact of the Pandemic
(26:30) - Acquisition Offers and Business Decisions
(27:35) - Future Plans and User Engagement
(34:17) - Monetization Strategies
(37:43) - Localization and Translation
(41:38) - Advice for Aspiring Game Creators
(43:12) - Final Thoughts and Fun Facts
--Check out our brainy games:Sumplete - https://sumplete.comSqueezy - https://imsqueezy.com/Kakuro Conquest - https://kakuroconquest.comMathler - https://mathler.comCrosswordle - https://crosswordle.comSudoku Conquest - https://sudokuconquest.comHitori Conquest - https://hitoriconquest.comWordga - https://wordga.com
Hey, Good Game explores the stories behind your favorite brainy games. Each week, we interview game creators and dig into what it takes to build a successful indie game, how to monetize, and how to get traction.