The devcom Podcast on spotify, Apple Podcasts and other common audio platforms features exclusive interviews with experts from the global games industry. Hosted by Lars Janssen.
Episodes
Monday Jun 21, 2021
Monday Jun 21, 2021
In this episode, our host Lars Janssen talks to Gerard Whelan, David O´Connor and Christian Fonnesbech from Leverage about building brands and IPs for games – an important aspect of game development that sometimes gets ignored. Our guests will share some insights into the differences between a brand and an IP and why they are especially important for a indie studios.
00:00:00 Welcome
00:00:40 Introduction of the Leverage team
00:06:16 Why is building an IP so important?
00:13:53 The difference between a brand and an IP
00:18:12 Bringing the process to developers and the associated challenges
00:22:50 Creativity that helps build a brand
00:27:08 Experience with hiring a brand agency
00:33:29 Definition of a brand
00:39:41 The luck trap
00:41:49 An IP needs a character
00:45:26 How can a small indie developer build a brand?
00:52:17 Moving from brand to IP
00:59:36 Goodbye
Monday Jun 07, 2021
Monday Jun 07, 2021
This special episode is part of the "devcom Tech & tools Summit" and we have a full house. Lars welcomes Tanya X. Short (Captain of Kitfox Games), Andrzej Wójcicki (Adavio.it), Christoffer Holmgård (CEO of modl.ai) and Niels Justesen (AI Researcher at modl.ai). The perfect round to talk about AI and how it can be used in video games. They also dive into the research process and tell us a bit about the "Bot Bowl", a competition where you can submit bots that compete in the board game "Blood Bowl".
Monday May 31, 2021
Monday May 31, 2021
In this episode, our host Lars Janssen welcomes two guests: Siggi Árnason, the founder of VIBE Mobile, a new music platform that allows you to create your musical identity through sound and visuals without the requirement of a musical background whatsoever, and Dr. Lyubomyr Matsekh, Business Development Manager for ELEKS and Project Manager for various projects like the Center of Entrepreneurship at the University of Reutlingen. With both guests, Lars talks about gamification, leadership, Serious Games, and entrepreneurship.
Monday May 17, 2021
Monday May 17, 2021
Today, our host Lars Janssen welcomes Robin Gray. Robin is the Co-Founder of Gray Jones Media, a fast
growing LGBTQ media company that produces high-quality LGBTQ content via TV, online magazines, podcasts, and live events.
They talk about the idea behind this company and about Robin's other important projects like the work as an ambassador for "Safe In Our World".
Monday May 03, 2021
Monday May 03, 2021
In this episode of the devcom podcast, our host Lars Janssen welcomes Gundolf S. Freyermuth and Björn Bartholdy, two key people behind the success of the Cologne Game Lab.
The institute has just celebrated its 10th anniversary and we take a look at the history and how the team managed to build the Cologne Game Lab into one of the most renowned places of teaching and research in the games industry. They won the "Best Serious Game"-Award with their game "Welten der Werkstoffe" at the "Der deutsche Computerspielpreis" in 2021.
00:00:15 Welcome
00:00:58 Introduction of Gundolf Freyermuth and Bjoern Bartholdy
00:02:48 Founding the Cologne Game Lab
00:07:01 Convincing the investors
00:08:57 Getting students for a new program
00:10:54 Moving forward with the bachelor program
00:14:29 The accessment process
00:17:01 The different programs
00:18:22 The diversity at the Cologne Game Lab
00:24:25 Entrepeneurship
00:30:19 Research projects
00:41:36 Eliminating the boundaries
00:45:20 The "Clash of Realities" Conference
00:51:30 A look into the future
00:54:59 Goodbye
Monday Apr 19, 2021
Monday Apr 19, 2021
In our latest episode of the devcom podcast, our host Lars Janssen welcomes Uri Marchand, CEO and Co-Founder of Overwolf.
Overwolf is the leading platform for in-game apps and mods. Uri and Lars are talking about how it all started in 2010, the main idea behind the platform, how it has evolved in recent years, and the role of user-generated content in general.
Wednesday Apr 07, 2021
Wednesday Apr 07, 2021
In this episode of the devcom podcast, our host Lars speaks with Chris Cataldi, Co-Founder and COO at Genvid Technologies. Chris offers us a view into the techniques and development of interactive streaming. He also shares some insights into their massive interactive live event "Rival Peak" that just finished its first season on Facebook. So, let's dive into an interesting conversation about viewer participation and AI-driven games.
00:00:15 Welcome
00:00:50 Introduction Chris Cataldi
00:03:13 Talking about Genvid the importance of interactive streaming
00:06:55 The Level of interaction for players
00:12:29 The possibilties and challenges of the live play experience
00:17:55 Influence into the game
00:26:10 Talking about the technology
00:38:40 Rival Peak and the next steps
01:02:02 The connection between AI driven games and classic games
01:14:25 Goodbye
Wednesday Mar 24, 2021
Wednesday Mar 24, 2021
In this episode of "devcom podcast", Lars talks to Matias Myllyrinne, CEO at Redhill Games. Matias originally started in the games industry with little experience at Remedy in 1999, moving on to Wargaming and then, in 2018, founded his own studio. He talks about his journey, why you would risk a safe job and move to video games, and how to lead through difficult situations like, for instance, a global pandemic.
- 00:00:00 Welcome
- 00:01:03 Introduction and spelling the Name Myllyrin
- 00:03:05 How to get in the videogame business and founding Red Hill Games
- 00:08:30 Why risk a safe job and how to convince Remedy to get this job with no experience
- 00:14:10 Treat a team fair as a leader
- 00:20:05 Did the pandemic change your way to lead?
- 00:30:20 How to handle the loss of direct human to human interaction
- 00:35:14 The role of a CEO in a shaping culture 00:43:00 Create a safe space for everyone
- 00:48:49 The role of diversity and different backgrounds in a team
- 01:00:15 Finding the right talent for the company
- 01:07:26 Goodbye
Wednesday Mar 10, 2021
Wednesday Mar 10, 2021
Safe in our World is an organisation that creates and foster worldwide mental health awareness within the video game industry. About this important topic our host Lars Janssen speaks with Ellie Osili-Wood, a video games presenter and journalist, and has been named as one of the most influential women in gaming. She is one of the patrons. Patrons are vital to the charity, and help define our output and leverage support from within the industry. And Samantha Ebelthite, country manager for UK&I at Electronic Arts.
Also part of this cast is Matt Murphy, CEO of Genba Digital and one of the nine trustees of Safe in our World. The Trustees of Safe in Our World are a responsible group of leaders dedicated to management and administration.
Thursday Feb 25, 2021
Thursday Feb 25, 2021
Devcom podcast presents you a special episode with our host Lars Janssen. Today we welcome Felicia Prehn to talk about "decades of managing divers communities". With over 17 years of experience Felicia gives as a lot of insights into community management. Felicia is also the keynote speaker of the "call for change conferece".
00:00:15 - Welcome
00:01:11 - Introduction Felica Prehn
00:02:49 - Becoming as a non-estonian a estonian radio host
00:07:53 - What did you learned as beeing a community manager
00:10:05 - Managing different communities
00:14:20 - How to: don´t loose your sanity - Part 1
00:16:51 - Several ways of handling toxic community members
00:21:41 - How to: don´t loose your sanity - Part 2
00:24:47 - Recognizing warning signs
00:30:10 - The right time to intervine
00:40:02 - The difference of games communities
00:46:05 - Mixing the parts of a producer and a community manager in a project
00:47:42 - The imporatance of community management as a part of the game developing
00:53:45 - Building up a international community management team
01:01:47 - The pace of change
01:05:08 - Good bye