Nice Games Club - a gamedev podcast! Podcast By Lydia Stephen and Mark cover art

Nice Games Club - a gamedev podcast!

Nice Games Club - a gamedev podcast!

By: Lydia Stephen and Mark
Listen for free

The podcast where nice gamedevs talk gaming and game development. Nice!© Nice Games Club, Noble Robot Art Science Fiction
Episodes
  • GDC 2026 Special (Part 1)

    GDC 2026 Special (Part 1)
    Apr 2 2026
    This year's GDC Special is a big one. So big that this episode is over 2 hours long... and it's only part 1 (but your nice hosts don't know that yet)!0:15:49GDC 2026 - Monday GDC Encounters: Speed Networking Day 1Game Developer ConferenceThe Tension: Designing for Discomfort in 'Wanderstop'Steven MargolinGame Developer ConferenceThe Black Designers' Dilemma"Carl Varnado, Jabari Ali, Jarory DeJesus, Evan Narcisse"Game Developer ConferenceThe Games Industry Social (aka: GIG IRL)Media Indie Exchange (aka: The MIX)DogpileToot GamesGame Funding: Lessons from Outersloth"Victoria Tran, Forest Willard"Game Developer ConferenceOutersloth reveals its game funding agreement with developersAlex Forbes-CalvinGamesIndustry.bizFrom Beautiful to Playable: Texture Compression Secrets Every Game Artist Shoul…Jad DeebGame Developer ConferenceFour Artists Use Substance 3D to Texture 'Clair Obscur: Expedition 33'"Alan Reynaud, Mathieu Costat"Game Developer ConferenceGDC 101"Sam Warnke, Natalie Sam"Game Developer ConferenceFrom Reliable to Respected: Breaking Free of the Good Job TrapCecile HemeryGame Developer ConferenceEstablishing the Standards and Practices of Game Preservation"Garrett Fredley, Andrew Borman"Game Developer ConferenceFresh Grad to Art Director: My Journey at 'Love and Deepspace'Xianzi FengGame Developer ConferenceCutscene Pipeline in 'Love and Deepspace'"Xianyu Wang, Ji Zhang"Game Developer Conference1:06:09GDC 2026 - TuesdayGame Education Roundtable Day 1Game Developer ConferencePraise the Architect and Pass the Ammunition: Health & Damage in 'The Outer Wor…Game Developer Conference'Civilization VII': Impactful UI Sound Design at ScaleKadet KuhneGame Developer ConferenceWhy We Still Believe: A Conversation with Amir SatvatAmir SatvatGame Developer ConferenceAlways Supporting (the) Games CommunityAmir Satvat3rd Annual Game Developer's ConcertAustin WintoryGame Developer ConferenceTechnical Artists Roundtable (20th Year)!!! Day 1Jeff HannaGame Developer ConferenceThe Modular and Expressive World Art of 'Keeper'Nick MaksimGame Developer ConferenceLocal Game Community Organizers ForumMarlena Abraham, Michael Lee, Daniel Lin, Laia BeeGame Developer ConferenceTiny ConSociety of PlayBlack in GamingSo Your Game Got Cancelled: Navigating Personal Development and Career OutcomesMark LaCroixGame Developer ConferenceSince we recorded this episode, a major South Korean gaming website wrote up a very detailed recap of Mark's roundtable. [English Machine Translation]MAR10 Day returns with festivities for fans of all ages in honor of the Super M…NintendoWhy Good Games Fail: The Startup Audit Every Studio NeedsLucien ParsonsGame Developer Conference'despelote': Capturing the Feeling of 2001 Quito, EcuadorJulian CorderoGame Developer Conference
    Show more Show less
    Less than 1 minute
  • "First Person Schlorper" Cozy Games; Fast Travel

    "First Person Schlorper" Cozy Games; Fast Travel
    Mar 26 2026

    In this Episode, Ian once again joins the clubhouse as Dale and Mark are off on a nerdy vacation. Lydia wrestles with the term "cozy," and Stephen does some self exploration to determine why so-called cozy games make him more stressed out. Then, he creates a whole topic just to talk about the fast travel system in Dragon’s Dogma 2.

    • Stephen pitched Sledgehammer Bride to Melanated Games Kitchen.

    • Melanated Game Kitchen
    • The clubhouse hosted a Nice Thinking episode about Sledgehammer bride back in episode 240 Nice Thinking: "Sledgehammer Bride"

    • Lydia and Ian went to Con of the North

    • Con of the North

    • Lydia and Ian are playing Blippo+

    • Mark was a developer on the PC version of Blippo+ which is a 2026 IGF award finalist.
    • Blippo+
    0:09:15Cozy Games0:38:26Fast TravelDragon's Dogma 2
    Show more Show less
    Less than 1 minute
  • Evil Games Jam: Cat Comms

    Evil Games Jam: Cat Comms
    Mar 19 2026
    Watch out, Clubhouse! Evil Games Club is out of the air vents and back in orbit to interrupt your regularly scheduled Nice Programming.Five years in the vacuum of space haven't dulled their ne're-do-well nature one bit. In fact, they just intercepted a game jam prompt from one of the Nice Hosts. Will Dale, Ian, and Sam prove once and for all that Evil trumps Nice?Well, duh, of course they do! >:)The last appearance of the Evil Hosts.Evil Games Jam: Casino Go FishJunction Jam Interest FormMewgenics - SteamAxios Twin Cities, the folks who are cataloguing the Twin Cities' store cats - Audrey KennedyPromptMake a game about what actually happens when "the Cat Distribution System is at work." Matchmaking can be a secondary mechanic, but it should not be the focus.Game typeDesign documentPlayer count1SetupRulesNotes:Working title: Cat CommsWhat is the goal?Cats on a journey through an environment to find ownersDifferent cats have different movement behaviorsTorties need to meet twiceOrange ones ignore herder but follow foodBlack cats are shySingle player - one person “herding” multiple catsHerding through an urban environmentPeople (NPCs) have routes and different behaviorsGrandma moves slowJogger moves fastPeople going back and forth - work, library, grocery store, homeMechanicsOne-time use itemsFood for bait (burger, canned sardines from grocery store)Fire truck to block streetDogsMore cats than people, some people may want more than one cat“End of level” time runs out or cats just kinda leave?More cats than peopleCats get more chaotic/mischievous How to herd?Real-time movement, but you can select a cat to tell it its next move, but it keeps moving after thatMap is a small town, each level introduces new cat typesIterationsRagdoll cat - doesn’t move muchPeople who can’t be trackedBonus points for people getting their perfect catNo upgrades to your skills, just adding more challengesMatchmaking is secondaryAny cat could match with any person, but they have a perfect match somewhereDogs are a no cat zoneGrocery store could match with a cat (bodega cat)
    Show more Show less
    Less than 1 minute
No reviews yet