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Aaron Smith
Building Better GamesEpisodes
Aaron Smith
Building Better Games
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Episodes of Building Better Games
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In this episode of "Building Better Games," Benjamin Carcich and Greg Street, also known as Ghostcrawler, delve into the intricacies of game design during the ideation phase. Greg shares his extensive experience from his time working on League
In this episode of "Building Better Games," hosts Benjamin Carcich and Aaron Smith dive into the complex and often frustrating topic of estimation and planning in game development. They address the challenges, misconceptions, and emotional reac
Episode 63: People, Products, Playtests (Republish of E1 of BBG) Welcome to Building Better Games! Due to Ben's recent knee surgery, we're revisiting one of our most popular episodes from season two. In this episode, originally titled "People
Are you leveraging the full potential of your leadership role in game development? Or are you stuck in the traditional tech-driven mindset? In this episode of the Building Better Games podcast, hosts Ben and Aaron dissect the common leadership
Titles and seniority impact your ability to drive positive change. It’s worth knowing what promotion looks like so you can have the maximum impact possible. In this episode of the Building Better Games podcast, join hosts Ben and Aaron as they
In this episode of the Building Better Games podcast, join hosts Ben and Aaron as they recap GDC 2024, diving deep into the heart of game development, user-generated content (UGC), and the role of AI. Ben and Aaron dissect the changing dynamic
Is true leadership about wielding power, or is it the art of empowering others? In this episode, Ben and Aaron tackle the often misunderstood concept of servant leadership within the game development arena. They dissect the myths surrounding t
Why are your favorite games getting more expensive to make? In this episode, Ben and Aaron dive into the escalating dynamics of game development costs and the transformative shift towards user-generated content and indie gaming success. They
In this episode, Ben and Aaron navigate the intricate landscape of leadership within the gaming industry. They tackle the dichotomy between mobile and traditional gaming leadership, the economic shocks shaking the foundation of game studios, an
Despair and burnout are commonplace in game development. As leaders, what can we do about that, both to prevent it and solve it when it’s present? In this episode, we're joined by Greg Street, a veteran in the game development industry, current
In this episode, Ben and Aaron delve into the complex interplay between creative direction and executive production in game development. They explore the challenges and pitfalls of aligning creative vision with operational efficiency, emphasizi
In this episode, Andrei Van Roon, the Head of League Studio at Riot Games joined Ben and Aaron to discuss the emergence of live service and gameplay in the gaming industry and how it has become the default expectation for players. Andrei shares
In this episode, Josh Thaler discusses the mindset and skills required to build successful live service games. He emphasizes the importance of total ownership, where every team member takes responsibility for the features they develop. Josh als
Steve Bromley, a games user research consultant, joins Ben and Aaron to discuss the importance of user research in game development. He emphasizes the need for teams to understand their target players and their needs, and to integrate player in
Paul Gebel, a product leader with over 20 years of experience, joins Aaron and Ben to discuss the importance of product management in game development. They explore the difference between good and bad product managers, the challenges of the rol
Join us in this enlightening episode where Serge Knystautas, a seasoned technologist with extensive experience in the gaming industry, dives into the art of crafting outstanding live services and assembling stellar technology teams. As a leader
Communication challenges are a common concern in game development studios, but are they the real root issue? In this episode, Aaron and Ben argue that the crux lies in collaboration and the intended outcomes of communication. It's not just abou
In this episode, Aaron and Ben address the prevailing frustration and cynicism within the game development industry concerning Agile methodologies. They stress the importance of acknowledging the evolving landscape, characterized by a shift fro
In this episode, Aaron and Ben delve into their winning model for exceptional game production, highlighting the skills that define successful production. Their perspective: leadership, influence, and systems building are the pivotal yet often o
In this episode, Ben and Aaron delve into the critical role of game production and shed light on common misconceptions and pitfalls often encountered by producers. The discussion uncovers three distinct categories of production traps: suboptimi
Aaron and Ben discuss the challenges of poor management practices in the gaming industry. They explore the lack of transparency, the flawed promotion system, and the need for managers to prioritize their role as people managers. They introduce
Ben and Aaron discuss the importance of understanding where your game falls on the live service spectrum and how that impacts your development process. They emphasize the need to build live service stewardship into the culture of your teams and
“Most of the failures in any project that I've ever been on have been due to lack of communication, lack of coordination, lack of respect for other people, overemphasis on procedure, as opposed to being able to react elegantly to changes in the
When it comes to saving money, working efficiently or creating value for players, what should take priority in game dev? No matter what your opinion is, tools are a possible solution to all of these problems. In this episode, we’re joined by
There was an unusually high number of low-quality games released in 2022, and we think we know why. The disconnect between the money and development sides often lead to rushed deadlines and games that don’t live up to their promises, resultin
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