Best Espiral Podcasts (2024)

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Episode 131: Abubakar Salim (Tales Of Kenzera ZAU, Assassin's Creed Origins, House Of The Dragon Season 2) 1:03:12

28d ago1:03:12

1:03:12

He's a star of stage, screen, voice-acting, and now even game design. Abubakar Salim recently launched his debut title, Tales Of Kenzera: ZAU, and joins Paul on Dev Diary to discuss the road into game-dev, the art of voice-acting, paying homage to culture and family, as well as much more. Consider supporting the Dev Diary Patreon for early access t…

1
Episode 130: Cade Franklin (Capes, Hand Of Fate 2, The Oregon Trail) 1:03:16

1M ago1:03:16

1:03:16

A man of many talents, Cade Franklin has been excelling in game-development having been a piece of the puzzle in many Aussie classics, but has also been the star of Lego Masters, winning the series' first season. He's on Dev Diary today to discuss all of it! Consider supporting the Dev Diary Patreon for early access to episodes of both Dev Diary an…

1
2024 Spring VR Gaming News Review: Flat2VR, Laser Dance, Arkham: Shadow & Alien: Rogue Incursion 1:06:23

1M ago1:06:23

1:06:23

Don Hopper and Ian Hamilton meet to discuss some of the biggest trends in VR gaming from the first few months of 2024, including Flat2VR Studios converting classic games into VR experiences, impressive new mixed reality games, and upcoming Arkham and Alien VR games.By UploadVR

1
Episode 129: Brent Waller (Cozy Caravan, Windbound, Golden Axed) 1:12:32

2M ago1:12:32

1:12:32

Brent Waller has seen it all in the Aussie game dev scene, the GFC, the emergence of indies, and he's worked with big publishers, small, and everything in between. He was even at the tip of the spear of Early Access releases, and is returning to the well again with Cozy Caravan. Brent joins Paul on this new Dev Diary to discuss the exciting new Ear…

1
Episode 128: Daniel Utkovic (Footy Bash) 59:34

2M ago59:34

59:34

Dan Utkovic has long had a long of games and AFL, but pairing the two together is a whole other beast entirely. Along with his good mate though, he's doing just that, and he comes to Dev Diary to discuss the experience so far in this brand-new episode. Consider supporting the Dev Diary Patreon for early access to episodes of both Dev Diary and Next…

1
Episode 127: Allegra Clark & Ratana (Starfield, Stray Gods, Unicorn Overlord) 48:12

3M ago48:12

48:12

Chances are that your favourite game has featured one of Allegra Clark and/or Ratana in it. The pair were recently in Australia for The Game Expo where they graciously gave Paul an hour of their time to chat about their careers, the various jobs they've completed and the challenges of being voice actors in a busy industry for this new episode of De…

1
Next Gen Episode 12: Elliot Cox 46:03

3M ago46:03

46:03

Entering the scene in the midst of a global pandemic has been hard, but Elliot Cox has done an astounding job with his little time in the industry thus far. Elliot comes on Next Gen to discus the journey into game-dev thus far and the road ahead. Consider supporting the Dev Diary Patreon for early access to episodes of both Dev Diary and Next Gen, …

1
Episode 126: Jamie Smith (The Division, FIFA, Call of Duty Vanguard) 1:13:35

4M ago1:13:35

1:13:35

Jamie Smith burst onto the video game development landscape working on a range of acclaimed Ubisoft titles, but has never been far from the spotlight working on titles like The Division, FIFA and even Call Of Duty. Today he's working with People Can Fly working on undoubtedly awesome new titles. While we await whatever comes next, Jamie comes on De…

1
Episode 125: Chrispy (Espire 1, World Boss) 54:13

4M ago54:13

54:13

Chrispy hasn't been on the game-dev scene for long, but since arriving, his impact has been profound working on the likes of Espire 1 with Lode Media, and now kicking goals with Playside Studios. Chrispy joins Paul to discuss the journey into game development, his ambitions, and more in this new Dev Diary Consider supporting the Dev Diary Patreon f…

1
Episode 124: Takuma Endo (Octopath Traveler, Octopath Traveler II, Tenchu) 26:18

5M ago26:18

26:18

Takuma Endo has been a pillar of the Japanese game development scene for decades, with work including Tenchu, but more recently Octopath Traveler. Recently he was in Australia for PAX AUS 2023 and Paul got some time to have a chat about his incredible career, so tune in for an awesome new episode Consider supporting the Dev Diary Patreon for early …

1
Episode 123: Rich Lambert Chapter 2 (The Elder Scrolls Online) 24:18

5M ago24:18

24:18

Rich Lambert was an incredible guest when he joined me for Dev Diary at PAX in 2019. It has been a number of years but we finally got to re-convene for PAX AUS 2023, and we got to discuss the many life and game-dev changes that have played out over that time in this new episode of Dev Diary Chapter 2. Consider supporting the Dev Diary Patreon for e…

1
Episode 122: John Johanas (Hi-Fi Rush, The Evil Within 2) 39:54

6M ago39:54

39:54

John Johanas didn't have the typical pathway into video games, with work in the art not being on the radar for quite some time. Now that he's arrived though, he's made a huge impact through his work with Tango Gameworks on The Evil Within and one of 2023's finest, Hi-Fi Rush. John was in Melbourne for PAX recently and he joined Paul in a bustling h…

1
2023 Reflections And An Eye To 2024 14:26

6M ago14:26

14:26

Another year has come and gone. It's presented challenges, and also been a year of incredible successes. Join Paul for a reflection on the year that was 2023, the future of the show, the Patreon and more. Consider supporting the Dev Diary Patreon for early access to episodes of both Dev Diary and Next Gen, as well as much more! Join the Dev Diary D…

1
UploadVR's Best of VR Awards - 2023 47:14

6M ago47:14

47:14

By UploadVR

1
Next Gen Episode 11: Garth Edwards 25:38

6M ago25:38

25:38

Having been playing video games since the ripe age of 2, cutting his teeth on the likes of DOOM, Garth Edwards has always been on the path towards game development, despite any diversions that might have come up along the way. Now working with Broadside Games on Bears In Space, Garth and I came together at PAX Australia 2023 to discuss the road int…

1
Episode 121: John Eyre (The Forgotten City, Bears In Space, Hand Of Fate 2) 40:49

7M ago40:49

40:49

John Eyre has been about the Australian indie scene for a while and has seen the highs and lows that comes with all of that. What hasn't wavered has been his steely determination to succeed and form his own studio. He's doing that with Broadside Studios and comes on Dev Diary to discuss the journey through the industry so far in this new episode. C…

1
Next Gen Episode 10: Tyler Hilder 36:00

7M ago36:00

36:00

Tyler is a 2D digital artist who adores the aesthetic stylings of bygone eras. She got her diploma of Game Design from JMC in 2017, and fills her time with mysteries, westerns, history and art. She is passionate about making games for women and underrepresented demographics. In high school she became obsessed with video game artists like Kumiko Sue…

1
Episode 120: Ben Starr (Final Fantasy XVI) 1:38:24

7M ago1:38:24

1:38:24

Ben Starr exploded onto the video game acting landscape in 2023 due to his incredible work as Final Fantasy XVI's Clive Rosfield, but his journey has seen him working on stage, television, and film as well. We know the acting landscape always to be a challenging one to enter, so getting to chat with Ben about that journey, as well as the deep love …

1
Next Gen Episode 9: William Hinz 1:08:43

7M ago1:08:43

1:08:43

William Hinz is an award-winning narrative designer and playwright. They are a recipient of the Orloff Family Charitable Trust for Excellence and an inaugural La Boite X APT grantee, and has then taken all of these skills and applied it to the wonderful world of video games. Will comes on Next Gen to discuss the journey so far... and Final Fantasy …

1
Episode 119: Nadim Haddad (Karmazoo, Rayman Jungle Run, Rayman Fiesta Run) 39:55

7M ago39:55

39:55

Nadim Haddad puts kindness at the forefront of game development and it's plain for all to see in the development of his new title, Karmazoo. Nadim was recently at PAX Australia where he joined Paul to discuss the road into development, working with Ubisoft and the Rayman IP, Karmazoo and Devolver Digital and much more for this new Dev Diary. Consid…

1
Next Gen Episode 8: Sunny Tandoc 37:19

8M ago37:19

37:19

Sunny (or Sun) Tandoc is a multi-disciplinary artist and animator located in Melbourne, Australia. Sunny graduated with a Bachelors of Design (Animation and Interactive Media) from RMIT in 2021. As an animator, they specialise in 2D animation and compositing. They have a particular interest in working in mixed media. Sunny was fantastic to chat to …

1
Episode 118: Diandra Lasrado (Diablo IV, World Of Warcraft, Wildstar) 29:34

8M ago29:34

29:34

Diandra Lasrado has been a feature of some of the biggest studios in the world from Bioware, to Blizzard, and as such, as a range of fascinating stories to share. Diadra came to Australia for GCAP and PAX AUS, and I was fortunate to score the one and only interview outside of her official duties at GCAP. We discussed working at these monolithic stu…

1
Next Gen Episode 7: Emma McCaw 40:37

8M ago40:37

40:37

Emma is a passionate producer and QA tester based in Melbourne, Australia. She recently graduated with a Bachelor of Games Development (Game Design) at SAE Melbourne. She is working on a series of mini-projects with two other game dev graduates and plans to increase the team size as each project develops. Emma is bursting with talent and ambition a…

1
Episode 117: Verena & Jonas Kyratzes (The Talos Principle 2, Serious Sam, The Eternal Cylinder) 44:04

8M ago44:04

44:04

Separating work and family lives can be tough at times, especially if you're a couple working on the same games together. That's the life of Verena & Jonas Kyratzes, writers on some incredible titles like The Talos Principle and more. Join them as they share with Paul how they make it all work in this new Dev Diary! Consider supporting the Dev Diar…

1
Next Gen Episode 6: Andrew Karalis 52:39

9M ago52:39

52:39

With a range of fascinating skills at his disposal, Andy Karalis is one of the many up-and-comers of the industry to be paving the way for the next-generation of developers. With broad skills that include programming, art, sound and design, Andy is one to watch in the future. Consider supporting the Dev Diary Patreon for early access to episodes of…

1
Episode 116: Gary Whitta (Star Wars Rogue One, The Walking Dead Season 1, Gears Of War) 1:19:18

9M ago1:19:18

1:19:18

Gary Whitta is one of the most noted writers in games, film, television, and print media. This multi-disciplinary maestro has been likely responsible for something you've loved whether it be Star Wars, Gears Of War, Telltale's The Walking Dead, or Batman: Fortress. Gary kindly provided his time to Dev Diary to share the journey so far. Consider sup…

1
Next Gen Episode 5: Irini Melas 45:58

9M ago45:58

45:58

Coming from the Northern Territory, Irini Melas has come a long way to make the very best of an opportunity to enter the game-dev scene. Irini is already making big strides with her work on Foodomina, a narrative-driven 2D pixel art RPG, and has big plans to grow from here. Join her in this new Dev Diary: Next Gen as she discusses the road ahead wi…

1
Episode 115: Ron Curry (IGEA) 59:20

10M ago59:20

59:20

Ron Curry has been one of the most significant figures in the Australian gaming landscape, from being a part of the push for an R18 rating in the country, to helping governments to help developers grow. Ron comes of Dev Diary to discuss it all and what's to come in the future in this new Dev Diary. Consider supporting the Dev Diary Patreon for earl…

1
Next Gen Episode 4: Alex Murphy 36:16

10M ago36:16

36:16

Alex Murphy has taken inspiration from some of the industries most talented artists and endeavours to reach that level himself. With an Advanced Diploma of Screen and Media, Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics and Special Effects, Alex has the skills, and now he just needs opportunity. As a new participant in the SMART program, that o…

1
Episode 114: Darcy Sandall (Call Of Duty Vanguard, Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 3, The American Dream) 55:59

10M ago55:59

55:59

Few have identified their intended career path earlier than Darcy Sandall, and few have followed that trajectory directly to where they wanted to be. Join Paul, as well as super engineer, Darcy as they discuss her pathway into games, Samurai Punk, Sledgehammer Games, Call of Duty, and more! Consider supporting the Dev Diary Patreon for early access…

1
Next Gen Episode 3: Jae Stuart 38:38

10M ago38:38

38:38

Jae Stuart is a programmer, game designer, narrative designer, curator and event organiser, and they are the co-founder of Serenade, a collective which has put on popup game exhibitions in Eora and Naarm. Jae comes on Dev Diary: Next Gen to discuss all of it, as well as the SMART Program in this new episode! Consider supporting the Dev Diary Patreo…

1
Episode 113: Joe Hobbs (Star Wars Outlaws, The Division 2, Jurassic Park Evolution 2, XDefiant) 1:09:55

11M ago1:09:55

1:09:55

Joe Hobbs' head is still shaking with the whirlwind journey that he has been on over these past few years, and yet, there's one constant - hard work. Joe joins Paul to discuss working on some of the industry's biggest IPs, as well as the border hopping for game dev work in this new episode of Dev Diary! Consider supporting the Dev Diary Patreon for…

1
Next Gen Episode 2: Daisy Chan 39:49

11M ago39:49

39:49

As the creative director, producer, UI/UX designer and co-founder of the emerging game development studio Geek Latte, Daisy Chan's career in game-dev is beginning strongly. Daisy is now getting the opportunity to be a part of the SMART Program for up-and-coming game developers, and chats to Paul in this new Dev Diary: Next Gen episode to discuss th…

1
Episode 112: Tim Molony & Ben Ward (Dros, Dance Collider) 1:12:05

11M ago1:12:05

1:12:05

The lives of Tim Molony and Ben Ward have converged and diverged multiple times since their days at school together, and yet they've come together in the present day to make games. Join them, along with Paul as they discuss the journey into the industry, how they reconvened, and the title they've developed like the newly released Dros in this new D…

1
The Dev Diary Patreon - All You Need To Know 12:01

12M ago12:01

12:01

The Dev Diary Patreon is now live, and here are all the key details. Consider pledging a couple dollars to help grow the future of the show Consider supporting the Dev Diary Patreon for early access to episodes of both Dev Diary and Next Gen, as well as much more! Follow Paul and submit your ideas for future guests on Twitter. Visit the Player2 Web…

1
Next Gen Episode 1: Alex Beaty 1:00:12

12M ago1:00:12

1:00:12

Dev Diary: Next Gen is upon us at last. The Patreon is live, and while new episodes are behind the Patron tiers for early access, you get a taste of the action with this debut episode going day and date to free feeds. For this first episode, I've been joined by the awesome Alex Beaty to talk about the SMART Program they've enrolled into, and where …

1
Episode 111: Kenny Roy (I, Hope, Echelon, King Kong) 1:15:59

12M ago1:15:59

1:15:59

The percentage of indie game developers who fail financially is huge, but Kenny Roy has found a way to create a no-fail game development philosophy, and kindness is at the core. Kenny joins Paul for this new Dev Diary to discuss how he's made it all happen whilst doing extraordinary things for some vastly different groups of people in need. Follow …

1
Episode 110: Tyson Butler-Boschma Chapter 2 (Primodials Legends: Hollow Hero, Torque Drift 2) 1:06:44

1y ago1:06:44

1:06:44

It's time for a new chapter in the career path of Tyson Butler-Boschma. A former guest on the show in 2019, a lot has changed in Tyson's work life since we last spoke so he again joins Paul to discuss the changes in Primordials, the impact of social media virality, and much more in this new episode! Follow Paul and submit your ideas for future gues…

1
Episode 109: Jason De Heras (Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, God Of War III) 1:00:34

1y ago1:00:34

1:00:34

An interview years in the making, Paul chats to Jason De Heras, the experienced Design Director at Respawn who has had a hand in some of the biggest games of the decade, God Of War III, God Of War Ascension, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and 2023's Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. Join them as they discuss Jason's early love of games and how fighting game…

1
Episode 108: Chris Mosely (Beyond Contact, Looney Tunes ACME Arsenal, Hairy Balls) 51:45

1y ago51:45

51:45

Chris Mosely has been a staple of the local industry for decades and has founded some of Australia's biggest studios. Now, with Playcorp, Chris is on a new adventure, and joins Paul for this new entry of Dev Diary to discuss the incredible road to this point. Follow Paul and submit your ideas for future guests on TwitterVisit the Player2 Website an…

1
Episode 107: David Stenton (Dead Island 2, Mass Effect 2+3, Dragon Age Inquisition) 37:14

1y ago37:14

37:14

There's never been a dull moment in the career of Dambuster's David Stenton. Going way back he worked on PS1 adaptations of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, but built his way up to be a key player in the peak of Mass Effect with Mass Effect 2 and 3. Nowadays he's steering the ship for Dambuster, a studio who has been saving the day on mult…

1
Episode 106: Rob Caporetto (Innchanted, Armello) 1:37:37

1+ y ago1:37:37

1:37:37

Rob walks a fine line between video game journalism, video game content creation, and, of course, video game development, and he discusses how he entered each space, as well as some of his game dev works in this new episode of Dev Diary! Mental Procreation: Andrew Braybrook's Morpheus Diaries: http://www.zzap64.co.uk/mentalprocre.html Rob's "Guide"…

1
Episode 105: Andrew Trevillian (De Blob, De Blob 2, Resynth) 1:03:09

1+ y ago1:03:09

1:03:09

Andrew Trevillian didn't begin his career with video game development in mind, but it certainly evolved into something special in the space. From working on the likes of De Blob and Resynth, as well as his work in educating the next generation of developers, Andrew is a bit of a local legend, and so we're thrilled to have him aboard Dev Diary to di…

1
Episode 104: Jonathan Hau-Yoon (Terra Nil, Fortnite, Genital Jousting) 1:02:44

1+ y ago1:02:44

1:02:44

Jonathan Hau-Yoon has been responsible for some of the industry's most visually identifiable games, from Fortnite to Genital Jousting, and his team at Free Lives are returning with the poignant Terra Nil. Jono joins Paul for this new entry of Dev Diary to discuss the journey so far in game art. Follow Paul and submit your ideas for future guests on…

1
Episode 103: Joel Mason, Alex Ritchie, Michael Bastiaens (Dredge, Ninja Tobu) 1:10:09

1+ y ago1:10:09

1:10:09

Having worked with each other for several years on a range of very popular mobile games, Joel Mason, Alex Ritchie, Michael Bastiaens, decided that it was time to set sail on a new kind of voyage, and so, Black Salt Games, and DREDGE were born. The trio join Paul in this new Dev Diary to discuss the adventure so far. Follow Paul and submit your idea…

1
Episode 102: Dan Vogt (Fruit Ninja, De Blob 2, Skyward Journey, Mr. Shifty) 1:41:07

1+ y ago1:41:07

1:41:07

Dan Vogt has been a staple of the Australian gaming scene for several decades and has played an important hand in the growth of the local industry helping build Halfbrick into the Fruit Ninja powerhouse it became and being a consultant for developers in the local scene - Dan joins Paul for the latest entry of Dev Diary to discuss that incredible jo…

1
Episode 101: Jess Zammit (Conan Chop Chop, Represent Me) 1:09:35

1+ y ago1:09:35

1:09:35

We've met numerous developers so far that hail from the games media side of the system, but there are few who are still working in both media and game dev simultaneously. Jess Zammit is one of those unicorns though, and she brings her wonderful perspective of working in both scenes to the first episode of Dev Diary for 2023! Follow Paul and submit …

1
2022 Reflections And An Eye to 2023 10:59

1+ y ago10:59

10:59

The year has been a challenging one and a few things that were planned didn't eventuate in the ways I'd hoped, but join me in this yearly recap episode as I discuss the year that was and cast an eye forward to 2023 Follow Paul and submit your ideas for future guests on TwitterVisit the Player2 Website and the Player2 Youtube Channel where you can a…

1
Episode 100: Grant Parker (Marvel's Wolverine, Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart, Rise Of The Tomb Raider, Star Wars 1313)

1+ y ago

—

Having worked on not only some of the biggest IP in video games, but some of the biggest IP in all entertainment, what keeps Grant Parker motivated? Well as it turns out the passion never fades, but you can always find ways to complete your work in a more sustainable way. Join Paul and Grant in this huge milestone episode to discuss Star Wars 1313,…

1
Episode 99: Demetrius Leal (The Callisto Protocol, Dead Space, Call Of Duty) 37:41

1+ y ago37:41

37:41

Demetrius Leal's journey into the game development landscape isn't traditional but it's laced with excellence, from his work in film to Dead Space, Call Of Duty, and now The Callisto Protocol. Demetrius joins Paul on the even of The Callisto Protocol's launch to discuss his journey, and the darkness you need to draw upon to develop such a game. Fol…

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