The Indie Diarist: Recent Episodes
Anthony L. Wolf
Get ready to learn all about the people behind the pixels: The Indie Diarist is a podcast on the most lovable, creative and inspiring indie devs from the world of gaming!
Meet the creative minds behind your favourite indie games as your loyal Indie Diarist, content manager & writer Anthony L. Wolf, takes you through the stories of the most passionate unsung heroes in the games industry.
If you'd like to appear in this podcast, please drop me an email at howdy[at]anthonywolfwriter.com!
Trailer music & Main Theme: The Pirate and the Dancer, by Rolemusic (freemusicarchive.org)
I don't get to say this often, but an exciting episode awaits! In this one, I spent some time with Alex, one of the very first members in The Indie Diarist's Discord server, who's working on both a vampire-themed visual novel and an RPG in his Harrowed World universe. We had the chance to discuss the meaning of horror, switching engines, vampires, and a lot more – for a packed episode with loads to discover. Enjoy! 🎒💛
Support Alex:
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Try the free visual novel: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2715020/Harrowed_World_Whats_Past_Is_Portents__Vampire_Visual_Novel/?curator_clanid=44405163
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Wishlist Portents In Red: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2529270/Harrowed_World_Portents_In_Red__Vampire_RPG/?curator_clanid=44405163
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Website: https://www.harrowedworld.com/
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Discord: https://discord.com/invite/ctwZzMcVne
Support the show 🎒💛
- Join the community: https://discord.com/invite/J84aPfSSvj
- Become a Patron: https://patreon.com/theindiediarist
- Leave a donation: https://ko-fi.com/theindiediarist
- Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/theindiediarist
- Follow on Threads: https://threads.net/@theindiediarist
In this episode, I spent some time with Fiveamp Co-Founder Kevin Messenhimer, who's working with his team on a delightful survival roguelite shooter called NIMRODS. From validating your game ideas to finding a unique hook for your game, this episode is packed with little soundbites! Enjoy!
- F.Godmom (DOS game Kevin mentions on the episode): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F.Godmom
Support Kevin 🎒💛
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Wishlist NIMRODS: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2086430/NIMRODS_GunCraft_Survivor/
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@fiveamp
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Discord: https://discord.com/invite/pXYBZ6DU
Support the show 🎒💛
- Join the community: https://discord.com/invite/J84aPfSSvj
- Become a Patron: https://patreon.com/theindiediarist
- Leave a donation: https://ko-fi.com/theindiediarist
- Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/theindiediarist
- Follow on Threads: https://threads.net/@theindiediarist
In this episode, I spent some time with Dave Sims, a solo dev working on his chaotic multiplayer card game Bullcrap! and a longstanding member of The Indie Diarist's Discord!
From making character eyes larger to discussing the passion of game development, this was a much cosy and warm episode to both record and re-listen to. Hope you enjoy!
Support Dave 🎒💛
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Play Bullcrap! : https://store.steampowered.com/app/2123430/BULLCRAP/
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Website: https://loadeddeckgames.com/
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/LoadedDeckGames
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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loadeddeckgames/
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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bullcrap.guy
Support the show 🎒💛
- Join the community: https://discord.com/invite/J84aPfSSvj
- Become a Patron: https://patreon.com/theindiediarist
- Leave a donation: https://ko-fi.com/theindiediarist
- Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/theindiediarist
- Follow on Threads: https://threads.net/@theindiediarist
In this episode, I spent some time with Sheldon "CyrusTheVirus Studios" to talk about his metroidvania Cold Lazarus and his path into game dev – which was all but conventional! Starting from a self-taught basis, Sheldon managed to get a degree in software development and is now working on his own game on the side. Enjoy!
Support Sheldon 🎒💛
- Wishlist Cold Lazarus: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2766570/Cold_Lazarus/
- Website: https://cyrusthevirusstudios.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cyrusthevirus_studios/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ctvStudios
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cyrusthevirusstudios
Support the show 🎒💛
- Join the community: https://discord.com/invite/J84aPfSSvj
- Become a Patron: https://patreon.com/theindiediarist
- Leave a donation: https://ko-fi.com/theindiediarist
- Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/theindiediarist
- Follow on Threads: https://threads.net/@theindiediarist
In this episode, I spent some time with Simon Trümpler, a German indie dev currently based in France and developing a top-down shooter called Cozy Space Survivors. Simon's journey into development started when he began exploring QBasic on his dad's computer, and he's never looked back since. Enjoy!
Support Simon 🎒💛
- Wishlist Cozy Space Survivors: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2657850/Cozy_Space_Survivors/
- Website: https://simonschreibt.de/cozy-space-survivors/
- Linktree: https://simont.de/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/simonschreibt
- Mastodon: https://mastodon.gamedev.place/@simonschreibt
- Threads: https://www.threads.net/@simonschreibt
- Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/simonschreibt.bsky.social
Support the show 🎒💛
- Join the community: https://discord.com/invite/J84aPfSSvj
- Become a Patron: https://patreon.com/theindiediarist
- Leave a donation: https://ko-fi.com/theindiediarist
- Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/theindiediarist
- Follow on Threads: https://threads.net/@theindiediarist
In this third and last episode in the collaboration with Indieverse, I spent some time with indie dev and content creator Figerox, who's currently working on a couple of horror projects to help bring his vision to life. Figerox is a super energetic dev, and I hope his story will inspire you! Enjoy!
Support Figerox 🎒💛
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Figerox
- Itch: https://figerox.itch.io/
Support the show 🎒💛
- Join the community: https://discord.com/invite/J84aPfSSvj
- Become a Patron: https://patreon.com/theindiediarist
- Leave a donation: https://ko-fi.com/theindiediarist
- Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/theindiediarist
- Follow on Threads: https://threads.net/@theindiediarist
In this last episode of the Women-Led Games mini-series, I spent some time with Stumbling Cat creative director Renee Gittins, a passionate advocate and connector for devs in the indie games community! Renee is developing her own game about overcoming challenges with her studio, and her background was incredibly interesting to discover. Enjoy!
Support Renee:
- Wishlist Potions: https://store.steampowered.com/app/378690/Potions_A_Curious_Tale/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/rikukat?lang=en
- Insta: https://www.instagram.com/rikukat/?hl=en
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reneegittins/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/GinRyuChan
Support the show 🎒💛
- Join the community: https://discord.com/invite/J84aPfSSvj
- Become a Patron: https://patreon.com/theindiediarist
- Leave a donation: https://ko-fi.com/theindiediarist
- Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/theindiediarist
- Follow on Threads: https://threads.net/@theindiediarist
Finding a publisher is as much about you finding them as them finding you – and in this episode, I discussed this and more with Mark Drew and Valentina Chrysostomou from Villainous Games, a wonderful indie studio making "unusual" horror games. From Amnesia to Resident Evil, the namedropping of great horror examples was real for this one. Enjoy! 🎒💛
Support Mark & Valentina:
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Wishlist Harvest Hunt: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2009620/Harvest_Hunt/
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Mark: https://twitter.com/markdrew
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Val: https://twitter.com/valentinaChrys
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Villainous Games: https://twitter.com/wearevillainous
In this last episode of my collaboration with the Indieverse community, I spent some time with Isa Hellström, a game developer based in Sweden who's currently working on a cosy/magical farming sim called Magical Harvest. Together we explored the meaning of chasing your dreams, moving from a decade-old career into games, soulmates, and why game development is so powerful. Enjoy! 🎒💛
Wishlist Magical Harvest:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1906970/Magical_Harvest/
Find Isa online:
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Game Twitter: https://twitter.com/MagicalHarvest
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Personal Twitter: https://twitter.com/IsaVII_Games
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Game Discord: https://discord.com/invite/8tXMkrMDyy
Trying to market your games for a Korean audience? Or are you simply curious about the Korean gaming market? In this episode, I spent some time with George Jeong from Korea-based game management platform Minimap, to discuss the Big Three Ns and a lot of other incredibly interesting topics on gaming in the region – including the rise of new and talented indie studios! 🎒💛
Find George / Minimap online:
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Minimap website: https://minimap.net/
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Minimap Discord: https://discord.com/invite/cbNQMya8sG
In this episode I spent some time with Dorian "Doot", one half of a couple of developers who created the beautiful cosy masterpiece Minami Lane, where you manage a single town's street. As expected, this chat was incredibly cosy through and through, and we covered anything from the beauty of developing for the cosy niche, to creating games with your partner. Enjoy!
- Wishlist Minami Lane: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2678990/Minami_Lane/
- Doot's Links: https://linktr.ee/dodoot
In this second episode of the mini-series in collaboration with Indieverse, I spent some time with writer, game dev, trailer editor (and more) Lilliana Kendra, an amazing and restless member of the indie game dev community with a passion for... having countless passions! As a tireless multipotential myself, I could really relate with her struggles. We discussed anything from the wonders of time management to being a queer developer in a still much old-fashioned industry. Enjoy!
Find Lilliana online:
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https://twitter.com/lillianakendra
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https://www.twitch.tv/lillianakendra
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https://www.youtube.com/@lillianakendratrailers (Trailers channel)
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https://www.youtube.com/@lillikendra (Gaming channel)
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https://lilliana-kendra.itch.io/
In this episode, I spent some time with Mycelium Heaven developer Lorena Cáceres Arias, a game development and math student with a burning passion for developing engaging puzzle games that people will love to play. Lorena started playing all the way back in the Flash era, and her passion hasn't gone out since then. This is also a slightly shorter episode than usual, which will be a breath of fresh air to some! Enjoy!
Find Lorena online:
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https://twitter.com/3DGoblinDev
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https://3dgoblindev.itch.io/
Wishlist Mycelium Heaven: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2656520/Mycelium_Heaven/
In this first episode of a mini-series in collaboration with Indieverse, I spent some time with Falinere, a game dev / content creator who's developing interactive RPGs in a very specific niche: live-streaming chat games. We discussed the beauty of finding your own path, among other things. Enjoy!
Find Falinere online:
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https://www.falinere.com/
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https://www.youtube.com/falinere
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https://www.twitch.tv/falinere
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https://twitter.com/Falinere
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https://discord.com/invite/6y9UJJ3
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https://ko-fi.com/falinere
It's International Women's Day week, and for this bonus Footnote, I wanted to get together with a very special guest from the indie game development community: Charmaine Duff, founder of Women-Led Games!
In this episode, Char and I discussed the core challenges to diversity and inclusion in the industry, explored the ways in which we can all do better, and fortunately, named a few female developers!
Hope you enjoy!
NOTE: The name of the episode is inspired by (and a tribute to) a splendid Kotaku article by Senior Editor Alyssa Mercante, written shortly after PC Gamer's 30th anniversary controversy. You can read the full article here: https://kotaku.com/pc-gamer-30th-anniversary-women-games-1851021562
Find Women-Led Games online:
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Website: https://www.womenledgames.com/
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/womenledgames
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Discord: https://discord.com/invite/ffGubbcPVd
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Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/womenledgames
In this episode, I spent some time with Tanja Lind Tankred, co-founder of Other Tales Interactive and currently working on a beautiful narrative-led game anthology called Miniatures! Tanja tuned in all the way from Denmark, and together we discussed anything from the value of creativity to the power of meaningful game experiences. Enjoy!
Find Other Tales Interactive online:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/OtherTales
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/othertales/
- Discord: https://discord.com/invite/othertales
In this episode, I had a chat with Ashley 'Aemixx', developer of episodic CYOA game Gods of the Twilight, as part of a collaboration with Gentleland.net and Jacky Martin. Together we discussed all things narrative, as we dove into the details of her love for Sonic and beautifully written interactive stories.
Hope you enjoy!
- Wishlist Gods of the Twilight: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1528970/Gods_of_the_Twilight/
- Follow Ashley: https://twitter.com/godsoftwilight
- Join Ashley's Discord: https://discord.gg/j9U5BCkn53
In this second episode in collaboration with Women-led Games, I spent some time with Andrea Saravia Pérez, a narrative designer from Colombia, to talk about her AAA experience and the struggles of developers from underrepresented backgrounds who reach for success in the industry. Enjoy!
–––––––––Find Andrea online:- Twitter: https://x.com/asaraviapt- Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/asaraviapt/commissions- Itch: https://asaravia.itch.io/
In this episode, I'm proud to kick off a mini-series in collaboration with Women-Led Games! Over the next month or so, I will feature some female developers from the WLG community – with the ambition to host even more in the future. The first one in the series is German narrative designer Kay Anderson, a former aspiring biologist turned game dev, who brings her empathy and passion for stories in everything she does. Enjoy!
Kay's email: kayandersonms@gmail.com
Learn about Women-Led Games:
https://www.womenledgames.com/
In this episode, I spent some time with Jake Kordus, Director and Founder of Nibble & Byte Games – working on The Fall of Aether Station. When he's not busy managing a team of developers in aerospace software, Jake dedicates most of his free time to a burning passion for game dev – one that clearly shines through this beautiful episode here. Hope you enjoy! 🎒💛
- Wishlist The Fall of Aether Station: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2300690/The_Fall_of_Aether_Station/
- Subscribe to Jake's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4DQsoxIW7xNW2mmRIPPMKg
In this episode, I spent some time with Polygon Treehouse co-founder Alex Kanaris-Sotiriu, an ex-Sony developer turned creative director of his own Scotland-based studio. Alex has discovered a lot about the joy of "finding your own balance" in life, and this episode explores these themes and more. Enjoy!
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Wishlist Mythwrecked: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2000210/Mythwrecked_Ambrosia_Island/
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Alex's Twitter: https://x.com/kanaratron
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Polygon Treehouse Twitter: https://x.com/polytreehouse
New year, new Indie Diary – with a new podcast theme made by video game and film composer Yuri Gore! 🎒💛
In this very special episode, I spent some time with Rob Madden, creative director of Hyperluminal Games and the mind behind the beautiful upcoming puzzle-adventure Pine Hearts. Rob has an incredibly personal connection to his game, and I feel incredibly grateful to him for having wanted to share his story with me.
Plus, The Indie Diarist's new and shiny YouTube channel is now live! That's where you can find all the past, present and future episodes of the show – plus some extra content coming soon. Give it a follow here: https://www.youtube.com/@TheIndieDiarist/
Find Rob online:
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Wishlist Pine Hearts: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1781010/Pine_Hearts/
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Little Nook Twitter: https://twitter.com/LittleNookGames
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Little Nook Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littlenookpublishing/
Many indie developers "fall" into game dev, but for Ant Workshop's Tony Gowland, it was more a case of falling "out" of triple-A development.
In this 30th Indie Diary and last episode of 2023, I spent some time with a former Rockstar veteran turned indie, to discuss the value of familiar experiences, laughter, and creativity under constraints. What a beautiful way to end the first year of the show!
Hope you enjoy! 🎒💛
Buy Dungeon Golf:
- Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2144040/Dungeon_Golf/
Find Tony and his team online:
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntWorkshop
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Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tonygowland.bsky.social
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Discord: https://discord.com/invite/P6NFbuf
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3Rbt-MNHfYJt008xdlse4Q
Remember the good old days when playing games wasn't a game dev exercise? 👀 In this episode, I spent some time with Tom Curtis, a US-based developer who's been thinking about games differently since he was 11. Tom has recently delisted his HopDodge to make it the best version of itself it can be. Get ready for a journey, folks – this one feels very intimate! Hope you enjoy!
Find Tom online:
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/HopDodge
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Website: https://blankgamesonline.com/
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HopDodge (Steam): https://steamcommunity.com/app/1965680/workshop/
Influencers and creators can make a huge difference to bring your game to success. In this episode, I spent some time with Drope.me's CEO, Dima Okhrimchuk, to discuss the challenges of indie game influencer marketing, chat through the rise of micro-influencers, and share some practical tips to level up your creator marketing campaigns. Hope you enjoy!
Use the promo code INDIEDIARIST0 on Drope.me by 31 Dec 2023 to launch your first influencer campaign with 0% commission!
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Try out Drope.me: http://bit.ly/47pcZRR
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Drope.me's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dropeme/
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Drope.me's Twitter: https://twitter.com/drope_me
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Dima's email: dima@drope.me
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Dima's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dima-okhrimchuk/
[This episode was sponsored by Drope.me, an AI-enabled influencer marketing platform]
Jan Mysior is developing co-op games so he can play them with his wife and kids – and I think that's beautiful. In this episode, I spent some time with the co-owner of Yellow Dot Games, tuning in all the way from Poland to tell me about his story – and why he loves co-op games so much. Hope you enjoy!
Find Jan and his studio online:
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Website: https://www.yellowdotgames.com/
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Studio Discord: https://discord.gg/Y7yAD9K4vY
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/YellowDot_Games
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Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/yellow_dot_games
Sound design can be an incredibly powerful storytelling tool. In this episode, I sat down with Tony Wijs, owner of production studio Immersed Productions, to discuss the power of detail in sound design – and why great sound matters to create unforgettable game experiences. This episode is packed with sound design tips, so give it a good listen! Hope you enjoy!---------Find Tony online:- Website: https://immersedproductions.com- Twitter (Immersed Productions): https://twitter.com/ImmersedProd- Twitter (Tony): https://twitter.com/TonyWijsVA
Being an indie dev can get lonely. In this episode, I spent some time with Kailoulou, Founder and Lead Creative Director of Far Owl Studios – an indie team working on turn-based RPG Ethereal Metropolis – to discuss the many faces of creativity as an indie game developer. Kai is a fellow writer and we had so much to discuss together! Enjoy!------Find Kai online:- Ethereal Metropolis Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/etherealmetropolis/ethereal-metropolis-intense-tile-based-combat- Far Owl Studios (Twitter): https://twitter.com/far_owl- Far Owl Studios (YouTube)
In this episode, I spent some time with one of the show's closest supporters, Peleg Harel – a solo developer from Israel who's making a beautiful little puzzle game called Exodus. Peleg is such an amazing member of The Indie Diarist community, looking to create meaningful games and experiences for his players – with a wonderful puzzle game to match. Enjoy!
Support Peleg:
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExodusPgame
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Wishlist/try Exodus: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2293540/Exodus/
If you've listened to the episode with Kelsey Beachum (Footnote #1), you'll know that the positive value of failure is one of the themes I hold dearest – but often, it's easier said than done. In this episode, I spent some time with Dodi and George from Balcony Softworks, who are currently working on a deckbuilder RPG called Deepest Chamber: Resurrection. And the story behind the development of this game is... an interesting and touching one indeed. Enjoy!--------Find Balcony Softworks online:- Wishlist Deepest Chamber: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1552080/Deepest_Chamber_Resurrection/#app_reviews_hash- Team's Discord: https://discord.gg/DeepestChamber- Team's Twitter: https://twitter.com/BalconyTeam
How do you even start with marketing your indie game? What is the best approach to game marketing, and how do you find your audience? In this special episode extracted from a Discord-only event, I connected with three amazing professionals in the indie game marketing scene to help answerburning questions from the community! I hope you guys find it useful 🎒💛
Connect with my guests! 👇
Alex:
Personal TW: https://twitter.com/alexdharding
TW: https://twitter.com/TheIndiEXP
Website: https://theindiexp.com/
Jacky:
TW: https://twitter.com/TheJackyMartin
Website: https://www.gentleland.net/
Maren:
TW: https://twitter.com/ManekiSocial
Website: https://www.maneki.social/
As someone who left his home country at 21, I can really empathise with stories of siblings living apart. That's why in this episode I spent some time with two brothers from the Bromantic Games bunch, Daniel and Simen, who are developing an amazing settlement builder called Folklands – and who are keeping close to each other thanks to their work as game devs. 🎒💛
Enjoy!
Find Bromantic Games online:
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Wishlist Folklands: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2282890/Folklands/
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Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/folklandsgame
What do you remember of the Flash era? In this episode, I spent some time with UK-based solo dev Chaz, an incredibly passionate developer who learned to code all the way back in the age of Newground and Miniclip. We also had the chance to discuss our shared love for Final Fantasy VII. Enjoy!
Find Chaz online:
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Website: https://madebychaz.com
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Try out Soulvester VS Lil' Beezey: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2368510/Soulvester_VS_Lil_Beezey/
Support the show!
Website: https://theindiediarist.com
Patreon: https://patreon.com/theindiediarist
Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/theindiediarist
Who would have thought architecture and game design had so much in common? In this episode I spent some time with Eric Manahan, game designer and founder of The Matte Black Studio, who's currently working on his dearly beloved "Celest-oidvania" LUCID. A former architect with a burning love for games, Eric made the jump to game dev just a few years ago – but he's been harbouring this passion for way longer. Enjoy!-----Support LUCID: https://lucidkickstarter.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/matteblackstudioTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/_theMatteBlackLucid Discord: https://discord.com/invite/PQYTsAZQZu
Who knew chainmail jewellery and game development could go so well together? In this episode, I spent some time with Adrian Spencer, founder of Lakea Games and developer of Wormhole Adventurer (among other things), to discuss anything from getting into games to showcasing your project at conventions. Adrian used to stream online while making chainmail jewellery, and at some point, this passion turned into something a bit more game-related.
Find Adrian online:
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Get Wormhole Adventurer: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1959940/Wormhole_Adventurer/
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Adrian's Website: https://lakeagames.co.uk
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Adrian's Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lakea_gaming
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Adrian's Twitter: https://twitter.com/GamesLakea
Support the show:
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/theindiediarist
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Patreon: https://patreon.com/theindiediarist
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Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/theindiediarist
In this episode, I spent some time with Joe Sullivan, a former freelance contractor who made the move to independent game development with his upcoming game – FloraMancer: Seeds & Spells. From the role of imagination in game dev to his vision for his game, Joe and I had such a lovely chat together! Enjoy!
Find Joe online:
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Wishlist FloraMancer: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2259300/FloraMancer__Seeds_and_Spells/
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/sullygamedev
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Threads: https://threads.net/@floramancergame
In this episode I spent some time with OKJOY Studio, a developer/publisher tuning in all the way from Hong Kong, to chat about their games and what it means to both create and publish titles within the same team. Enjoy this slightly-shorter-than-usual episode and make sure to support the OKJOY team, so they can keep... bringing joy to people all over the world! :)
Find OKJOY Studio:
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Check out their games: https://store.steampowered.com/publisher/OKJOY
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Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/okjoy_studio
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Follow on Instagram: https://instagram.com/okjoy.studio
Is the Steam Next Fest worth it for an indie dev? What is it like to make a game that many people can play together? In this episode I spent some time with Sakura and Jan, co-founders of small indie studio RainLight and developers of Tricky Tracks – a hide-and-seek game with a twist!
Sakura and Jan were just "recovering" from the Steam Next Fest when we recorded this episode – give it a listen for a lot of tips on the event!
Find RainLight online:
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Try Tricky Tracks: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2122000/Tricky_Tracks__Early_Access/
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/tricky_tracks
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Tricky Tracks' Discord: https://discord.com/invite/EurYgCAYj4
As far as wholesome games go, Lente's "Spilled" is a great example of what happens when love for nature meets game development. In this episode, I spent some time with a talented indie dev living on a boat in the Netherlands, who's channelling her passion for the environment in her upcoming water-cleansing and oil-removing game. Enjoy!
Find Lente online:
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Wishlist Spilled: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2240080/Spilled/
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Website: https://lente.me
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/lentegamedev
Indie games and developers are the foundation of our medium: they've always been around, and they will never leave.
For this very special bonus episode, I invited over Josh from Still Loading podcast to chat together about the origins and rise of indie games, trying to figure out the impact they had on video game culture – and where we're headed next.
The result is an amazing episode full of historical facts around indie games, and something I'm personally very proud of! Thank you Josh for being such a splendid guest. 🫶
Enjoy this little collab!
Find Josh and Still Loading online:
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Facebook: https://facebook.com/stillloadingpod
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/stillloadingpod
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Instagram: https://instagram.com/stillloadingpod
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Threads: https://threads.net/stillloadingpod
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stillloadingpodcast/
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Website with podcast links: https://www.stillloadingpodcast.com/
Support the show:
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/theindiediarist
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Threads: https://threads.net/@theindiediarist
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Patreon: https://patreon.com/theindiediarist
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Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/theindiediarist
Product manager by day, indie game dev by night – Kevin Wu lives a double life, and his game dev work oozes with passion and creative love. In this episode, I spent some time with Kevin, solo developer and founder of Little Bear Studios, who just launched his turn-based RPG Magic & Machines on Steam at the end of June. From his experience developing his game to secret insights into his dream game, this episode is heartwarming and fun in equal measure.
Find Kevin online:
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Get Magic & Machines: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2341800/Magic_and_Machines/
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Kevin's Twitter: https://twitter.com/lilbearstudios
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Kevin's website: https://www.littlebear.studio/
How is it like to work with someone else's IP? In this episode, I spent some time with Kenneth ("Kenny") Engelsen, game director at Rain Games – a passionate Norwegian studio currently working on the video game adaptation of graphic novel Girl Genius. From the story of Rain Games itself to Kenny's current work at the studio, there's much to look forward to in this episode!
Find Rain Games online:
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Kenny's Twitter: https://twitter.com/RainGames_Kenny
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Studio's Twitter: https://twitter.com/rain_games
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Website: https://rain-games.com/
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Get Teslagrad 2: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1698220/Teslagrad_2/
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Try Girl Genius: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1789370/Girl_Genius_Adventures_In_Castle_Heterodyne/
I spent some time with Out of the Bit, an indie studio based in Wimbledon (UK) for the very first LIVE recorded episode of the show! I was hosted by Ali Motisi, Rosalia Trupiano and Leo Halwart, for a fun hour chatting about their pixel art adventure game Full Void, vintage games, and what it means to chase your dreams and take risks for what you really love to do.
By the time this episode goes live, Full Void will also be ready to hit Steam in the same week – so hit that Wishlist / Buy button and support this lovely multicultural bunch of devs!
Find Out of the Bit online:
Buy Full Void: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1859580/Full_Void/
Follow the team's Twitter: https://twitter.com/outofthebit
OotB Website: https://www.outofthebit.com/
Are you into cats and action RPGs? In this episode, I spent some time with the co-founders and directors of Astral Clocktower Studios, a mid-sized indie studio currently developing Kristala – a game of cats and magic. Together with Allie, Tiffany and Sarah, we touched upon many important topics, such as finding your way as an indie studio and what it means to be a women-led company. Unfortunately, the answer is precisely what you're thinking about.
Make sure to support the team with the links below!
Support Kristala:
Back the Kickstarter campaign: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kristala/kristala-dark-fantasy-arpg-for-pc-console
Wishlist on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1206410/Kristala/
Find the team online:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ACS_Games
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acs_games/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kristalagame
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ACS_Games
Website: https://astralclocktowerstudios.com
This episode was SO MUCH FUN to make! I spent some time with Steve Hollis, founder of Noisy Head Games, to learn more about his story and the development of Beyond The Long Night – a delightful roguelike published by Yogscast Games. What started off as an episode to learn more on Steve's game quickly became a chat about creativity, the beauty of roguelikes, and – like most conversations I have lately – the absolute masterpiece that is Outer Wilds. Also, the second longest episode of the podcast yet! Hope you enjoy :)
Find Steve online:
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Buy Beyond the Long Night: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1730080/Beyond_the_Long_Night/
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Steve's Twitter: https://twitter.com/NoisyHeadGames
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"Very Badly Updated" Website: https://noisyheadgames.com/
In this episode I spent some time with Evin Oxley, a game development student from the UK who's just released Kiki's Here – a game she developed for her university programme. Evin is a self-driven student who loves horror and making people smile – which may seem two opposites on the surface, yet come together in Evin's incredible passion for game development. Listen to us chatting about anything horror, indie and gaming, then try out her game at the links below!
Join the podcast's Discord! -> https://discord.gg/J84aPfSSvj
Find Evin online:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EvinOxley
Website: https://evinikuyama.itch.io/
Play Evin's Game: https://evinikuyama.itch.io/kikis-here
Happy 4-year anniversary Outer Wilds! In the longest episode of The Indie Diarist yet, I had the pleasure of spending an outstanding hour with Kelsey Beachum, Narrative Designer of Outer Wilds (plus DLC) and The Outer Worlds' DLCs among other things. We discussed anything from rewarding player exploration to NASA's missions in space – and of course, a lot of Outer Wilds (with way too much nerdage from my part).This episode features special questions from the Outer Wilds subreddit (r/OuterWilds), which I thank very much for being one of the most lovable communities on the whole internet. Also, Elwensa's stories may well be canon soon.Safe travels!-----Find Kelsey online:- Twitter: https://twitter.com/VanKelsing- Website: http://kelseybeachum.com/- Play Outer Wilds, you heretic: https://store.steampowered.com/app/753640/Outer_Wilds/
In this episode, I had an amazing chat with a fellow compatriot from my country of birth: Ramon Bocca, a studio producer from Turin, Italy! Ramon and his team are working on a beautiful series of lovecraftian, story-driven games called Omen Exitio, and they're currently finalising their work on their first sequel - 1927. As you can imagine, it will feel very much noir indeed. :)
Find Ramon and Tiny Bull Studios online:
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/TinyBullStudios
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Steam page: https://store.steampowered.com/publisher/tinybullstdios
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Wishlist Omen Exitio: 1927: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1466520/Omen_Exitio_1927/
In this episode I chatted with US-based solo dev Erik Andersen, a fellow language geek who's now working on "So to Speak" – a game about the Japanese language. If you played and loved Heaven's Vault, you're going to love this one: the references were many, and Erik's passions led to a much relaxed conversation about the beauty of game development, how to learn to take risks, and more incredibly interesting topics.
Support Erik:
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Wishlist So to Speak (Demo available): https://store.steampowered.com/app/1779030/So_to_Speak/
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Erik's Twitter: https://twitter.com/elander99
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Game's Twitter: https://twitter.com/SoToSpeakGame
In this episode, I spent some time with Romain Mesa, founder of KnightStudio and developer of Mama: Die and Retry, an old school platformer celebrating the heroes of the working class. A former lawyer, Romain is a dedicated believer of the argument of video games as a form of art – and as someone who did his dissertation on the topic, I couldn't miss the occasion to have a beautiful conversation around everything art, literature, aesthetic and game design. Enjoy!
Try Romain's game:
Mama: Die and Retry on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2211800/Mama_Die_and_Retry/
Romain's Twitter: @KnightStudio1
In this episode I chatted with the developers of SILT, a beautiful indie puzzle-horror game created by Spiral Circus Games – a UK-based studio. Two explosive creative minds coming together, Tom & Dom met by chance and have started creating games together since. They're now working on their next big thing, and they spent some time to chat with me about their story, their biggest achievements and fears – in line with the mood of their lovely little game.
BUY SILT (available on all major platforms): https://store.steampowered.com/app/1325890/SILT/
Spiral Circus Website: https://spiralcircusgames.com/
Spiral Circus Twitter: https://twitter.com/gamescircus
Spiral Circus Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spiralcircusgames/
J Wesley isn't the first and won't be the last developer to use creativity as a form of relief, catharsis and purification. His story and amazing personality, though, make for one of the most powerful episodes of the show yet. In this new Indie Diary, J and I talked about our love for id Software, the importance of self-love and acceptance, and why everyone has the power to change – if they put their mind to it.
TRIGGER WARNING: This episode focuses on the topics of addiction, rehabilitation and recovery through the power of creative arts.
Follow J online:
Website: mindovermatterentertainment.com
Twitter: @MindOMatterEnt
Ever wondered what a mix of Dungeons & Dragons and poker (yes, the card game) would look like? Wonder no further, for this episode's guest is Enrique Dryere, co-founder of Triple B Titles and developer of Aces and Adventures! From the secrets of creative inspiration to MMOs and fantasy RPG games, we had a great deal of fun in this episode.
- Buy Aces & Adventures: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1815570/Aces__Adventures/
- Follow Triple B Titles: https://twitter.com/triple_b_titles
Remember all those Facebook games back in the day? In this episode, I spoke to the man who made the engine for Mafia Wars, among others: Aleksey Dmitriev, a once studio lead now gone solo, tuning in straight from Turkey. We chatted about creativity, successes, achievements and pride as a game developer – delving into the brightest and darkest sides of game development.
Follow Aleksey: https://twitter.com/dekart1234
In this episode we meet Mateo Covic, a young developer from Germany who's just released his first game. That's one way to open the new year! Mateo is a great pixel artist and an amazing developer, who put his heart and soul into Maki's Adventure – a "fintastic sharkvania" where you get to swim, dash, dart, and bite your way to freedom. Enjoy!---Wishlist/Buy Maki's Adventure: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1843110/Makis_Adventure/---Follow Mateo and his game:Twitter: https://twitter.com/Zoroarts_DevTiktok (German Account): https://www.tiktok.com/@makisadventure_officialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoroarts18/Website: https://www.makisadventure.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwYSfJQbbUV8dw_JtkbD3ZA
In this episode we meet Thomas Kildren, a stay-at-home dad and VR developer who has a flair for turning his kids' works of art into games. Creator of Booper, Get Home!, Thomas is a hugely creative and dedicated person with an artist's soul, and someone who really puts his heart and soul into every game he works on. We discussed his current project, ambitions and personal story, in a cozy episode that is sure to warm up your heart this winter. Enjoy!
Follow Thomas online:
- Support on Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/fletcherstudios
- Website: http://www.fletcherstudios.net
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/thomaskildren
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fletcher-Studios-105542046147996/
Welcome to this very first episode of The Indie Diarist!For this very special occasion we meet Nina Freeman, creator of Cibele, Last Call and how do you Do It?, to learn more about her as a game developer and what drives her forward. From simply chatting about a bunch of great games together to the issue of visibility as an indie game creator, this first episode is already packed with tons of interesting topics – including whether or not we need a new term for "truly" independent developers. Enjoy!
Follow Nina around the web:
- Twitch: twitch.tv/ninamarie (also found on twitch.tv/britkcaley)
- Twitter: @PersocomNina
- Website: http://ninasays.so
We can all name one or more video games destined to stick in our hearts forever. One way or another, many of my picks are indie games. This podcast is all about indies – and the amazing people who make them.Welcome to The Indie Diarist, a show on the most lovable, meaningful and inspiring indie devs and tales from the world of gaming. In this show, you’ll hear from game writers, designers, artists and more, from all parts of the world, to learn about their personal journeys – and why not? Maybe pick up a new game or two for your backlog.My name is Anthony L. Wolf, content manager and gaming writer. And this is The Indie Diarist.Music: The Pirate and the Dancer, by Rolemusic (freemusicarchive.org)