Skip to content
Sign in
Artwork for Quest Markers
LeisureGames

Quest Markers

Quest Markers

A monthly-ish podcast about video games and the stories they tell.

Play
Open in
  • 20 episodes
  • monthly
  • Avg 1 hr 2 min
  • English

Episodes 20

NewestOldestLongest
All20Unplayed20In progress0Played0
  • August 11 · 46 min

    EP 46 | Working On Your First Video Game

    Musician and sound designer Ryako joins Marina Ryan to talk about the music and sound for The Spirit Lift, a ghostpunk, roguelike game. They dig into Ryako’s journey into game development, how her experience as a music producer has helped her with sound design, and what it’s like working on your first game. Grab a coffee, and join us for a chat!* * * * * * * TIMESTAMPS:(00:00:00) Intro(00:03:03) How Ryako got into game development (00:05:40) The music of The Spirit Lift(00:08:30) Sound designing the characters & implementation(00:12:05) Mixing and mastering the music (00:13:07) Ryako’s music composition process (00:16:45) What it feels like working on your first game (& being a first-time sound designer)(00:19:20) What it’s like working on a fully-remote team (00:29:30) Where Ryako draws inspiration from (00:39:15) What advice would Ryako give her younger self? (00:44:30) Outro* * * * * * * FOLLOW USRyako’s website: https://www.ryakomusic.com/ The Spirit Lift Soundtrack: https://ryako.bandcamp.com/album/the-spirit-lift-original-game-soundtrack Marina’s socials: ⁠https://linktr.ee/marinaryan⁠ Live Show on Twitch: ⁠https://twitch.tv/marinahascoffeeQuest Markers: ⁠https://linktr.ee/questmarkers⁠Music by Marina Ryan#gamedevelopment #gamedev #gamedeveloper #gamedevpodcast #videogames #videogamesoundtrack #indiegames #indiegamedev #indiegame #roguelike #roguelikedeckbuilder #deckbuilder #sounddesign

  • June 27 · 1 hr 7 min

    EP 45 | The Art & Science of Game Development

    Parker Hartzler (Resident Evil 4 Remake, Forza Motorsport, New Tales from the Borderlands) joins Marina Ryan to talk about motion capture, lighting, and technical art in video games. They dig into each discipline and discuss what game developers are responsible for as motion capture technicians, lighting artists, and tech artists.Grab a coffee, and join us for a chat!* * * * * * * TIMESTAMPS:(00:00:00) Intro(00:04:13) How did Parker get into game development?(00:10:05) What is motion capture?(00:16:30) What does a mocap technician do? (00:22:55) Is mocap becoming more available to indies and AA studios? (00:27:27) What do lighting artists do? (00:37:45) How is lighting done differently in cutscenes vs. gameplay?(00:46:50) What do technical artists do? (01:01:10) What advice would Parker give their younger self? (01:06:53) Outro* * * * * * * FOLLOW USParker’s socials: https://bsky.app/profile/parkerhartzler.bsky.social Parker’s Unreal Engine tool: https://bsky.app/profile/parkerhartzler.bsky.social/post/3mhgoxan3tk2t Marina’s socials: ⁠https://marinaryan.carrd.co/Live Show on Twitch: ⁠https://twitch.tv/marinahascoffeeQuest Markers: ⁠https://linktr.ee/questmarkers⁠Music by Marina Ryan

  • May 30 · 41 min

    EP 44 | The Journey of Becoming a Voice Actor in Video Games

    Abigail Carey (Morbid Metal, Mecharashi, Liminal Point) joins Marina Ryan to talk about the journey of becoming a voice actor for video games. They touch on various topics, from auditions, to equipment, to growth and overcoming failure. Grab a coffee, and join us for a chat! * * * * * * * TIMESTAMPS: (00:00:00) Intro (00:03:23) How did Abigail get into acting? (00:07:17) How did Abigail get into acting for video games? (00:10:51) What kind of characters does Abigail most enjoy portraying? (00:12:40) How is voice acting for video games different than voice acting for animation or podcasts? (00:14:35) How does Abigail prepare for a role? (00:17:10) What’s it like being in the booth? (00:19:17) How does Abigail prepare to be in the booth? (00:21:47) How does Abigail continuously work on her craft? (00:25:25) Talking about equipment (00:30:47) Growth, failure, feeling ready, perfectionism (00:35:30) What advice would Abigail give her younger self? (00:00:00) Outro * * * * * * * FOLLOW US Abigail’s socials: https://linktr.ee/abigail.carey Marina’s socials: ⁠https://linktr.ee/marinaryan⁠ Live Show on Twitch: ⁠https://twitch.tv/marinahascoffeeQuest Markers: ⁠https://linktr.ee/questmarkers⁠ Music by Marina Ryan #gamedevelopment #gamedev #gamedeveloper #gamedevpodcast #videogames #videogamesoundtrack #indiegames #indiegamedev #indiegame #voiceacting #voiceactingtips #voiceactingadvice

  • April 29 · 1 hr 5 min

    EP 43 | A Studio Lead's Best Practices for Remote Work

    Dr. Miko Charbonneau joins Marina Ryan to chat about best practices for remote work, how to prioritize the team’s wellbeing and happiness, and the path that took Miko from working on Minecraft to starting her own studio. Grab a coffee, and join us for a chat! * * * * * * * TIMESTAMPS: (00:00:00) Intro (00:06:00) Miko’s path into game development (00:13:24) What is THE SPIRIT LIFT? (00:23:23) Game design, player psychology, and narrative (00:28:55) Starting a remote game studio (00:34:13) Running a healthy game studio that prioritizes the team’s happiness (00:56:50) What advice would Miko give her younger self? (01:04:34) Outro * * * * * * * FOLLOW USTHE SPIRIT LIFT Steam page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1727590/THE_SPIRIT_LIFT/ Miko’s socials: https://linktr.ee/mikocharbonneau prettysmart games’ socials: https://linktr.ee/prettysmartgames prettysmart games’ YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PrettySmartGames Marina’s socials: ⁠https://linktr.ee/marinaryan⁠ Live Show on Twitch: ⁠https://twitch.tv/marinahascoffeeQuest Markers: ⁠https://linktr.ee/questmarkers⁠ Music by Marina Ryan Miko’s podcast episode about Ada Wong: https://www.hotbaddies.club/episodes/s1-e9 Miko’s book recommendation (not sponsored): Building Your Business the Right Brain Way by Jennifer Lee This episode of Quest Markers is not sponsored.

  • March 28 · 1 hr 7 min

    EP 42 | Answering your questions about games publishing

    Rachel Heleva is back on the show to answer your questions about video game publishing! Grab a coffee, and join us for a chat!* * * * * * * TIMESTAMPS:(00:00:00) Intro(00:03:20) How Rachel got into the games industry (00:07:22) “What should I talk about when presenting a pitch deck?” (00:19:40) “What support do publishers offer besides financial support?”(00:27:50) “Should a game have a demo before we approach a publisher?”(00:34:55) “Where can I find a publisher that’s going to be the best fit for my studio?” (00:42:35) “What are some ideal terms and red flags in publishing contracts?” (00:49:55) Advice for independent game studios (01:00:05) What advice would Rachel give her younger and older selves? (01:07:11) Outro* * * * * * * January’s episode with Antonio Freyre: https://youtu.be/1NId9pvBvHI?si=aac3OAMNMjFRGu-h * * * * * * * FOLLOW USRachel’s Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hlywa.bsky.social Marina’s socials: ⁠https://linktr.ee/marinahascoffeeLive Show on Twitch: ⁠https://twitch.tv/marinahascoffeeQuest Markers: ⁠https://linktr.ee/questmarkers⁠Music by Marina Ryan

  • February 26 · 52 min

    EP 41 | How a Comic Book became a Video Game

    Tangleworm joins Marina Ryan to talk about the journey that led him to develop NOMIA, a tactics roguelike game. They delve into how fantasy and sci-fi can help us imagine a better world, how playtesters can shape the development of key game mechanics, and techniques to stay motivated while working on something as complex as a roguelike video game. Grab a coffee, and join us for a chat! * * * * * * * TIMESTAMPS: (00:00:00) Intro (00:04:00) Tangleworm’s path into game development (00:06:00) What is NOMIA? (00:07:35) The inspiration behind NOMIA’s development process (00:11:45) Why NOMIA is a game (and not a graphic novel) (00:15:50) NOMIA’s worldbuilding and narrative themes (00:26:00) Making indie game development sustainable (00:32:18) What’s been fun and challenging when developing NOMIA (00:36:36) Personal game dev philosophies (00:43:07) Advice for new game developers (00:48:50) What advice would Tangleworm give his younger self? (00:51:40) Outro * * * * * * * FOLLOW US Magenesium Ninja’s website: https://magnesiumninja.com/ NOMIA’s Steam page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3608900/NOMIA/?curator_clanid=45661602 Marina’s socials: ⁠https://linktr.ee/marinaryan⁠ Live Show on Twitch: ⁠https://twitch.tv/marinahascoffee Quest Markers: ⁠https://linktr.ee/questmarkers ⁠Music by Marina Ryan

  • February 13 · 52 min

    EP 40 | From solo dev to studio lead with Archangel Softworks

    Mike from Archangel Softworks joins Marina Ryan to talk about his game development journey and upcoming title, Highway Noir. They delve into what it’s like going from a solo developer to leading a team, managing complexity on larger-scale projects, the importance of prototyping, cohesive art direction, self-doubt, and much more. Grab a coffee, and join us for a chat! * * * * * * * TIMESTAMPS: (00:00:00) Intro (00:03:15) How Mike got into game development (00:07:00) Mike’s upcoming game, Highway Noir (00:13:10) Being a solo dev vs. being the captain of the freelance ship (00:18:13) Managing responsibilities: coding, admin, art, marketing, music, and more (00:23:15) Party selection: how hiring decisions are made (00:27:48) Art direction and artistic cohesion (00:33:15) Prototyping and practice: how experimentation and learning (00:38:30) What has been the most challenging thing about working on highway Noir (00:43:50) What has been the most fun? (00:45:50) You’re sitting on the precipice of release, how are you feeling? (00:47:58) What advice would Mike give his younger self? (00:50:00) Outro * * * * * * * FOLLOW US Mike’s socials: https://bsky.app/profile/archangelsoftworks.co.uk Highway Noir Steam page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3317730/Highway_Noir/ Marina’s socials: ⁠https://linktr.ee/marinaryan⁠ Live Show on Twitch: ⁠https://twitch.tv/marinahascoffeeQuest Markers: ⁠https://linktr.ee/questmarkers⁠ Music by Marina Ryan

  • January 29 · 1 hr 1 min

    EP 39 | Appealing Video Game Worlds with Merlino Games Founder Antonio Freyre

    Antonio Freyre joins Marina Ryan to talk about his game development journey that led him to developing his upcoming title, As Time Surrenders.They delve into topics such as ambient storytelling, using art as a way to engage in conversation, how mechanics and symbols can be used to tell game stories, building appealing worlds, Antonio’s creative process, and much more. Grab a coffee, and join us for a chat!* * * * * * TIMESTAMPS:(00:00:00) Intro (00:03:23) How Antonio got into game development(00:08:55) Games that inspire Antonio(00:13:30) Using game mechanics and emotions to tell a story(00:22:43) “The point of art is to share and engage in conversation, not to impose” (00:26:57) Using symbolism to infuse games with meaning(00:30:31) Antonio’s game dev philosophies(00:37:20) Building appealing game worlds (00:44:09) Being a musician & Antonio’s creative process (00:53:40) As Time Surrenders, Antonio’s upcoming title(00:57:00) Advice Antonio would give his younger self(01:00:48) OutroFOLLOW USAntonio’s socials: https://linktr.ee/merlinogames Merlino Games Steam page: https://store.steampowered.com/develo... Marina’s socials: ⁠https://linktr.ee/marinaryan⁠ Live Show on Twitch: ⁠ / marinahascoffee Quest Markers: ⁠https://linktr.ee/questmarkers⁠Music by Marina Ryan

  • January 27 · 56 min

    EP 38 | Grammy-Nominated Cody Matthew Johnson on Life, Creativity, & Getting Into Video Game Music

    Cody Matthew Johnson is back! He joins Marina Ryan to talk about his path into video game music, his recent Grammy nomination, his plans for 2026, and advice he has for new video game composers. They also delve into topics such as embracing failure, choosing action over hesitation, and decisive minimalism. Grab a coffee, and join us for a chat! * * * * * * * TIMESTAMPS: (00:00:00) Intro (00:03:43) Cody’s path into video game music (00:10:11) A pivotal moment in Cody’s life (00:12:14) “Ready” is not a feeling, it’s a decision (00:17:55) Action over hesitation (00:20:07) Cody’s mantra for 2026 (00:21:59) Cody’s Grammy nomination (00:26:41) Embracing failure (00:34:07) New things we want to try this year (00:42:00) Cody’s favourite way of landing a gig (00:44:29) Advice Cody has for new video game composers (00:49:00) Advice Cody would give his younger self (00:55:35) Outro * * * * * * * FOLLOW US Cody’s website: https://www.codymatthewjohnson.com/ Cody’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/codymatthewjohnson/ Marina’s socials: ⁠https://linktr.ee/marinaryan⁠ Live Show on Twitch: ⁠https://twitch.tv/marinahascoffeeQuest Markers: ⁠https://linktr.ee/questmarkers⁠ Music by Marina Ryan

  • Dec 13, 2025 · 1 hr 7 min

    EP 37 | From Resident Evil to Star Wars: How Cody Matthew Johnson approaches music making

    Cody Matthew Johnson joins Marina Ryan to talk about his creative process in making video game music. Cody has worked on everything from Resident Evil to Bayonetta, to most recently Star Wars: Outlaws, which landed him a Grammy nomination (congrats, Cody!!!). They delve into the differences between different music roles, how to balance a project’s needs with our own creative ideas, how limitations can make us more creative, what a great collaboration looks like, imposter syndrome, finding play and gratitude, and more. Grab a coffee, and join us for a chat! * * * * * * * TIMESTAMPS: (00:00:00) Intro (00:05:17) What’s the difference between a composer vs. a songwriter vs. a music producer? (00:15:28) Balancing a project’s needs with bringing our artistry into the music (00:23:39) What does a good collaborative environment look like? (00:30:40) Creativity and limitations (00:32:20) What does a great collaboration look like? (00:37:25) Finding inspiration and flow state (00:45:47) Imposter syndrome (00:47:08) The inevitable failure that is ahead (00:48:08) Finding play and gratitude (00:57:15) What does success mean to Cody? (01:03:05) What advice would Cody give his younger self? (01:07:25) Outro * * * * * * * FOLLOW US Cody’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/codymatthewjohnson/ Cody’s Twitter: https://x.com/codymatthewj Marina’s socials: ⁠https://linktr.ee/marinaryan⁠ Live Show on Twitch: ⁠https://twitch.tv/marinahascoffeeQuest Markers: ⁠https://linktr.ee/questmarkers⁠ Music by Marina Ryan

  • Nov 18, 2025 · 1 hr 3 min

    EP 36 | How indie game Shroom and Gloom drove 125k+ wishlists

    Ben Lazerbeam joins Marina Ryan to talk about the development of Team Lazerbeam’s upcoming roguelike double deckbuilder, Shroom and Gloom. They delve into the game’s design and balancing, art and implementation, and the marketing strategy that led them to 125,000+ wishlists on Steam! Grab a coffee, and join us for a chat!* * * * * * * TIMESTAMPS:(00:00:00) Intro(00:05:50) Ben’s game development journey(00:10:37) Designing and balancing a deckbuilding game (00:26:29) The art, lightning, and implementation of Shroom and Gloom(00:35:05) Marketing, wishlists, and going viral on TikTok(00:54:52) What advice would Ben give their younger self? (01:02:45) Outro* * * * * * * FOLLOW USShroom and Gloom on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3271280/Shroom_and_Gloom/ Ben’s socials: https://linktr.ee/benlazerbeam Team Lazerbeam’s socials: https://linktr.ee/teamlazerbeam Marina’s socials: ⁠https://linktr.ee/marinaryan⁠ Live Show on Twitch: ⁠https://twitch.tv/marinahascoffeeQuest Markers: ⁠https://linktr.ee/questmarkers⁠Music by Marina Ryan#gamedevelopment #gamedev #gamedeveloper #gamedevpodcast #videogames #indiegames #indiegame #indiegamedev #shroomandgloom

  • Oct 23, 2025 · 56 min

    EP 35 | How do indie horror games get made?

    Vincent Adinolfi joins Marina Ryan to talk about the development of his survival horror game Heartworm. They delve into the inspiration behind the game, Vincent’s development journey, the game’s OST, visual identity, production, accessibility, and so much more. The episode is chock-full of great development and life advice. Grab a coffee, and join us for a chat!* * * * * * * TIMESTAMPS:(00:00:00) Preview (00:00:36) Intro(00:03:28) Vincent’s path: working on his first game(00:04:47) Overview of Heartworm(00:05:53) The development of Heartworm & taking risks(00:09:25) The inspiration behind Heartworm(00:12:17) Heartworm’s creative direction and visual identity(00:15:35) The making of Heartworm’s music(00:30:15) Building in accessibility options(00:33:55) How difficult is it to get fixed camera angles right?(00:36:18) How Heartworm got published(00:40:10) Heartworm’s production (00:45:15) “Done is better than perfect” (vulnerability and finishing things)(00:49:49) Making games is hard(00:52:25) If Vincent could give his younger self a piece of advice…(00:55:48) Outro* * * * * * * FOLLOW USHeartworm on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1257030/Heartworm/ Heartworm: https://heartwormgame.com/ Heartworm’s Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/vadinolfi Heartworm’s Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/adinolfi.bsky.social Heartworm’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heartworm.game Marina’s socials: ⁠https://linktr.ee/marinaryan⁠ Live Show on Twitch: ⁠https://twitch.tv/marinahascoffeeQuest Markers: ⁠https://linktr.ee/questmarkers⁠Music by Marina Ryan

  • Sep 27, 2025 · 43 min

    EP 34 | How do indie studios get funded?

    Rachel Heleva (Akupara Games, Spiral Up Games, Strange Scaffold) joins Marina to talk about her games publishing and development journey.They delve into how game publishers work, what it means to be a game scout, the importance of production, and Rachel gives tons of advice for up-and-coming studios seeking their next publishing deal. Grab a coffee, and join us for a chat! * * * * * TIMESTAMPS:(00:00:00) Preview (00:00:22) Intro(00:03:00) Rachel’s path: getting into the industry(00:05:39) What is a games publisher?(00:09:10) What is a games scout?(00:10:40) Rachel’s experiencing helping start a publishing house (00:14:50) What makes an indie studio stand out?(00:18:40) What indicates to a publisher that a studio isn’t ready for funding yet? (00:21:33) What indicates to a publisher that a studio is ready for funding now?(00:24:28) How have Rachel’s production skills helped her in her publishing and scouting work?(00:27:15) How has Rachel’s production experience helped her identify a studio’s ability to deliver on their timelines? (00:32:33) What advice would Rachel give her younger self?(00:34:47) Words of wisdom for studios (00:37:07) Outro(00:37:27) Q&A: How did Rachel first get into her role? (00:39:36) More advice for studios (feedback, playtesting, making games publicly) FOLLOW USRachel’s Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hlywa.bsky.s... Marina’s socials: https://linktr.ee/marinahascoffeeLive Show on Twitch: ⁠ / marinahascoffee Quest Markers: ⁠https://linktr.ee/questmarkers⁠Music by Marina Ryan

  • Sep 23, 2025 · 1 hr 4 min

    EP 33 | Video Game Writing, Narrative Design, and Feeling our Emotions - A Game Dev Chat with Kate Gray (Hello Kitty Island Adventure, Moonstone Island)

    Kate Gray (Hello Kitty Island Adventure, Moonstone Island, Dimensional Double Shift) joins Marina Ryan to talk about her game development journey. They delve into what it’s like being a games writer and narrative designer, player agency and dialogue writing, the challenge of writing item descriptions, what it’s like working in VR, narrative procedural generation, Dragon Age, and more. Grab a coffee, and join us for a chat! * * * * * * * TIMESTAMPS: (00:00:00) Preview (00:00:28) Intro (00:03:08) Kate’s Intro (00:04:53) Kate’s path getting into game dev (00:13:48) What Kate is most proud of (00:16:30) Writing item descriptions and dialogue (00:19:21) Player agency & writing dialogue choices (00:22:51) Seeing writers’ voices in games (00:23:55) Narrative design & writers rooms (00:28:19) Kate’s creative process (00:31:25) Working on VR games (00:35:28) The fun and chaos of narrative procedural generation (00:44:16) Dragon Age: Inquisition, branching dialogue systems, & realistic characters (00:51:34) What advice would Kate give her younger self? (00:53:44) Wrap up (00:57:00) Q&A: Writing about impactful emotions in cute, cozy games * * * * * * * FOLLOW US Kate’s Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hownottodraw.bsky.social Marina’s socials: ⁠https://linktr.ee/marinaryan⁠ Live Show on Twitch: ⁠https://twitch.tv/marinahascoffee Quest Markers: ⁠https://linktr.ee/questmarkers⁠ Music by Marina Ryan #gamedevelopment #gamedeveloper #gamedev #gamedevpodcast #videogamewriting #narrativedesign #videogames #hellokittyislandadventure #moonstoneisland #dimensionaldoubleshift #dragonage

  • Aug 20, 2025 · 1 hr 2 min

    EP 32 | Video Game Writing, Narrative Design, & Resident Evil - A Game Dev Chat with Anna C. Webster

    Anna C. Webster joins Marina Ryan to talk about her game development journey. They delve into what it’s really like being a games writer, how narrative design roles vary from studio to studio, their love of the Resident Evil series, and much more. Grab a coffee, and join us for a chat! * * * * * * * TIMESTAMPS: (00:00:00) Preview (00:00:40) Intro (00:04:30) How Anna got into game development (00:08:30) Training as a performer (00:10:00) Lesser-known facts & misconceptions about being a video game writer and music composer (00:19:03) Using theatre techniques in game writing (00:21:51) What does a narrative designer do? (00:26:33) How narrative designers collaborate with QA (00:28:32) Talking freelancing (00:34:05) How we got into Resident Evil (00:38:55) Our favourite Resident Evil games (00:41:41) Our Resident Evil hot takes (00:44:26) Our love of Code Veronica and Ada Wong (00:46:18) Resident Evil hot takes continued (00:48:57) Favourite narrative moments in Resident Evil (00:55:49) Resident Evil 9 (00:58:56) Raid! (00:59:39) What advice would Anna give her younger self? (01:1:44) Outro * * * * * * * FOLLOW US Anna’s Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/annacwebs.bsky.social Anna’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@annacwebs Anna’s Website: https://annacwebster.com/ Marina: ⁠https://linktr.ee/marinaryan⁠ Live Show on Twitch: ⁠https://twitch.tv/marinahascoffee Quest Markers: ⁠https://linktr.ee/questmarkers⁠ Music by Marina Ryan

  • Jul 28, 2025 · 1 hr 13 min

    EP 31 | Creative Direction & Curiosity - A Game Dev Chat with David Kazi (Hollow Knight, Exo One, Ember League)

    David Kazi (Hollow Knight, ExoOne, Ember League) joins Marina Ryan to talk about his game development journey. They delve into what it was like working on Hollow Knight, the challenges that came with working on orbital physics for Exo One, and David’s journey in co-founding his own game studio, including what it means to bear the ever-changing role of Creative Director. Grab a coffee, and join us for a chat! * * * * * * * TIMESTAMPS: (00:00:00) Preview (00:00:30) Intro (00:02:30) How David got into game development (00:10:37) What it was like working on Hollow Knight (00:17:53) What it was like working on Exo One (moving from 2D to 3D development) (00:23:47) David’s journey starting up Ember League (00:27:28) Ember League’s debut game (00:29:26) Excitement and hope in working on games (00:32:10) Overcoming challenges when working on a game (00:39:49) The role of Creative Director – what does David work on week-to-week? (00:47:33) The importance of curiosity (00:52:22) David’s game dev philosophy (01:01:00) Game engines, indie game development, and player expectations (01:08:20) What advice would David give his younger self? (01:11:56) Outro * * * * * * * FOLLOW US David: https://x.com/davidkazidev Ember League: https://x.com/ember_league Marina Ryan: ⁠https://linktr.ee/marinaryan⁠ Live Show on Twitch: ⁠https://twitch.tv/marinahascoffee Quest Markers: ⁠https://linktr.ee/questmarkers⁠ Music by Marina Ryan

  • May 28, 2025 · 1 hr 8 min

    EP 30 | How We Write Music, Talent vs. Skill, Music Theory, & More - A Chat with Terran (Outbound Drift)

    Terran joins Marina to talk about writing video game music.They delve into: how they start a new piece of music, overcoming writer’s block, talent vs. skill, iterating and acting on feedback, the importance of music theory, and more.Grab a coffee, and join us for a chat!* * * * * * * TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(07:04) What games we’re playing (08:50) How Terran got into music composition(12:10) The need to create(15:13) How Marina got into music composition(17:23) How we come up with musical ideas(21:51) The importance of music theory(23:26) “Your chronic mistakes are your style”(25:23) Iterating when writing music(27:53) Making fast decision is a superpower + organizing sessions(30:16) Steps of making music(32:10) Favourite tools for music making(35:52) Learning from reference tracks and song studies(37:38) Do we listen to music differently now? (39:02) Favourite time signature (40:50) What advice we have for our younger selves + the subjectivity of music + translating the ideas we have in our head (45:29) “Talent is a myth; it’s just love over time” (47:05) Terran’s dream project(48:28) Game music we love (56:30) Outro + thank you(57:40) Post-episode chat: coming back to music with fresh ears(58:32) Post-episode chat: the fear of using up ideas (1:00:42) Post-episode chat: writer’s block(1:03:44) Post-episode chat: working on a team + getting feedback + listening sessions + staying organized FOLLOW USTerran: https://bsky.app/profile/terrancam.bsky.socialUnbound Drift: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3339860/Unbound_Drift/Marina: ⁠https://linktr.ee/marinaryan⁠ Live Show on Twitch: ⁠https://twitch.tv/marinahascoffeeQuest Markers: ⁠https://linktr.ee/questmarkers⁠Music by Marina Ryan

  • Apr 29, 2025 · 48 min

    EP 29 | Solo Dev, Streaming, & Community Building - A Chat with Fletch (Xtris, Canyon Crisis, & more)

    Fletch joins Marina to talk about working on games, streaming, and community building. They delve into: the importance of creativity, getting into game development and streaming, building safe communities, and the importance of game vision, player experience, and accessibility. Grab a coffee, and join us for a chat! * * * * * * * TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (04:33) What is a Playdate? + Physical releases of games (08:25) How Fletch got into game development and streaming (14:50) How did the first Fletch Fest come about? (17:13) The importance of creativity, joy, and whimsy (19:06) The growth of Fletch Fest (22:18) Welcoming in raiders & shoutout to Lana Lux (23:40) Working as a solo dev vs. working with others (26:15) The importance of game vision and game direction (30:17) Designing for player experience (33:03) Accessibility in games (34:27) What is Xtris? (37:43) Games Fletch is playing (42:46) What advice would we give our younger selves? (46:22) Outro + thank you FOLLOW US Fletch: https://linktr.ee/paullicino Fletch’s Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/fletchmakes Marina: ⁠https://linktr.ee/marinaryan⁠ Thank you again to Lana for the raid: https://www.twitch.tv/lana_lux Live Show on Twitch: ⁠https://twitch.tv/marinahascoffee Quest Markers: ⁠https://linktr.ee/questmarkers ⁠Music by Marina Ryan

  • Mar 28, 2025 · 1 hr 35 min

    EP 28 | Craftsmanship, Curiosity, & Teamwork in Game Dev - A Chat with Paul Dean (Pacific Drive, Magical Kitties Save the Day, & more)

    Paul Dean joins Marina to talk about working in creative roles within the gaming industry. They delve into: creative practices, habits, and techniques, what it’s like to work on a game dev team, the importance of feedback, following one’s curiosity, and time, privilege, access, and opportunity in the industry. Grab a coffee, and join us for a chat! * * * * * * * TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (06:26) Pacific Drive nominated for a Nebula Award! (09:51) Everything is interconnected (a discussion on teamwork in game dev) (18:46) Paul’s writing practice, habits, techniques, inspiration (29:19) Process and production in video games (32:00) Best practices for working on a team (47:25) Following our curiosity (1:09:40) A creative process isn’t linear (there’s no *one way* to do something) (1:17:29) Time, privilege, access, and opportunity (1:26:39) Video games we’re playing (1:35:04) Outro + thank you FOLLOW US Paul: https://linktr.ee/paullicino Paul’s Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/paullicino Marina: ⁠https://linktr.ee/marinaryan⁠ Monty Zander’s Resident Evil 1 Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wr-XJUMs6SE Live Show on Twitch: ⁠https://twitch.tv/marinahascoffee Quest Markers: ⁠https://linktr.ee/questmarkers⁠ Music by Marina Ryan

  • Feb 28, 2025 · 1 hr 29 min

    EP 27 | A Studio Lead, Games Journalist, and Composer Walk Into a Room...

    The Souls Squad is back! Sherveen, Jack, and Marina are back again to talk about the intersection between games and their disciplines in the gaming industry.They delve into misconceptions about their work, the importance of feedback and iterating, cohesion between music and game systems, some of their favourite things about what they do, and games they love. Grab a coffee, and join us for a chat! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(04:04) What games we’re playing(19:12) What games inspired us to eventually work in gaming(37:52) What video game music inspires us(44:30) Misconceptions about working in our disciplines & talking about feedback (1:05:03) Congruence between music and game systems (1:09:18) Some of our favourite things about our work(1:19:10) Games we wish we could play for the first time again(1:28:36) Outro + thank youFOLLOW US:Live Show on Twitch: ⁠twitch.tv/marinahascoffee Quest Markers: ⁠https://linktr.ee/questmarkers⁠Sherveen: https://bsky.app/profile/suduwana.bsky.socialJack: https://bsky.app/profile/jackalexroberts.bsky.social Marina: ⁠https://linktr.ee/marinaryan⁠ Music by Marina Ryan

Showing 1–20 of 20 episodes