Ratchet & Clank 2 Dev Commentary: 27 - The Snowbeast Award uselesspodcasts 2011-08-19 | Mike and tony FINALLY get to Grelbin and talk about the infamous Snowbeasts, and the Snowbeast Award.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart - Episode 24- Roll Credits uselesspodcasts 2022-03-11 | We've finally reached the last episode of our Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart series. Thanks everyone for joining us.We know "what's next" might be on peoples' minds. We don't have any plans right now to make more videos, but we do want to. Stay tuned and we'll see what happens.- Mike and Tony
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart - Episode 23 - Designing Questions uselesspodcasts 2022-03-05 | Tony and Mike do some arena challenges and answer a question about design. Next up, the Grand Finale!
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart - Episode 22 - Tiny Ratchet Cage uselesspodcasts 2022-02-26 | Mike and Tony make their way through the endgame, attempting to free Ratchet and Clank from their TEENY TINY cage. They talk about their favorite weapons, the features that lived up to their expectations, and the ones that didn't.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart - Episode 21 - Dont Stop Believing uselesspodcasts 2022-02-17 | In this sparse episode, Mike and Tony continue to discuss their opinions of the game, the weapons, and the upgrade system.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart - Episode 20 - Its The Final Countdown uselesspodcasts 2022-02-10 | As Mike and Tony begin the final level, they reflect on what they've liked and disliked so far.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart - Episode 19 - A Few More Qs. Some As. uselesspodcasts 2022-02-03 | As Mike continues to remain completely baffled by the Clank puzzles, the two answer questions regarding specialization in the industry and their favorite games.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart - Episode 18 - A Bit More Q&A uselesspodcasts 2022-01-24 | Mike and Tony answer a couple more of your questions.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart - Episode 17 - Whats Left in the Building uselesspodcasts 2022-01-18 | Mike and Tony talk more on the subject of difficulty and how it differs from gameplay ramping.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart - Episode 16 - Difficulty is Difficult uselesspodcasts 2022-01-08 | Mike once again takes the controller and the pair talk about difficulty in games.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart - Episode 15 - A Solace of Quantum uselesspodcasts 2021-11-27 | Mike and Tony answer more of your questions as they continue in search of the elusive Captain.......... Quantum...? Qwantum....?
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart - Episode 14 - In Search of Quantum uselesspodcasts 2021-11-21 | Mike and Tony answer your questions as they go in search of Captain Quantum.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart - Episode 13 - Scarstu on the Nose uselesspodcasts 2021-10-25 | NEFARIOUS FIGHT!??!?!! Tony has some opinions. A clickbait haiku.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart - Episode 12 - Superhero Relativity uselesspodcasts 2021-10-16 | Continuing on from the last episode, Mike and Tony finish building the Dimensionator. They touch on several topics in the video, including the reason why superheroes have to fight each other: relativity.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart - Episode 11 - Rocket Science uselesspodcasts 2021-10-07 | Mike and Tony discuss having multiple hero characters and the pros/cons of Ratchet and Rivet having the same moveset.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart - Episode 10 - The Fixer uselesspodcasts 2021-08-29 | Mike and Tony need to fix a hunk of broken phase quartz (like you do) so they head to Torren IV to find The Fixer.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart - Episode 9 - Dudebros uselesspodcasts 2021-08-15 | Mike and Tony finish up Blizar Prime and head to Savali for a desert-skating, lorb-obtaining, dudebro-monking good time.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart - Episode 8 - New Beginning uselesspodcasts 2021-08-07 | Mike and Tony begin a new recording session as they do more Arena battles and visit the spooky Blizar Prime.Good news: I think the episodes we recorded in batch 2 are pretty good, content-wise. Bad news: We didn't fix the hitching issues by going to 30fps.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart - Episode 7 - Arena uselesspodcasts 2021-07-26 | Mike and Tony discover that, no matter the dimension, there is always a battle arena.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart - Episode 6 - Sargasso uselesspodcasts 2021-07-17 | Mike and Tony visit Sargasso and play as Rivet for the first time.Note: The video hitching is still around. Only a couple weeks more, I think.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart - Episode 5 - Bridge Flex uselesspodcasts 2021-07-11 | Mike and Tony finish off Nefarious City. On the way, they discover the true meaning of happiness, as well as a cool-ass unfolding bridge sequence.Note: As with the previous videos, there is some visual glitching. The video will, from time to time, freeze. This is a bug in our capture process. We'll record more in a couple weeks, and that should put an end to it.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart - Episode 4 - Shadow Dude uselesspodcasts 2021-07-05 | Mike and Tony go in search of The Phantom, a special stealthy resistance operative. Who could it possibly be?Note: As with the other videos so far in this series, there are a number of severe video hitches. Do not adjust your TV set, these are a result of our capture process. It'll continue for a few more videos, so buckle up.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart - Episode 3 - Classic uselesspodcasts 2021-06-27 | Mike and Tony continue their trek through Rift Apart. This time they do the second half of Corson V.Note: There are a number of severe video stuttering issues as a result of our capture process. They're likely to continue for a few more episodes since we record these in batches. So strap in.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart - Episode 2 - Too Many Ps uselesspodcasts 2021-06-22 | Mike and Tony begin their journey through Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart and are quickly blown away. Note: There are a few instances where the video hitches. Since we record these in batches, the hitches will probably continue for a few videos. We'll hopefully get it sorted out in the next few weeks for the next batch.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart - Episode 1 - Two Idiots Teaser uselesspodcasts 2021-06-18 | In this teaser Episode, Mike and Tony set up their Let's Play of Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart. The duo talk about what they're excited to see. More episodes coming soon!
Ratchet & Clank 2 Dev Commentary 28 Grelbin Continued uselesspodcasts 2021-04-20 | Mike and Tony finish up Grelbin... for now!
Interview with Mark Stuart - Patreon Podcast [4/4] uselesspodcasts 2015-11-01 | Mike interviews Insomniac Lead Game Designer Mark Stuart.0:00 - Introducing Mark8:29 - Working for a publisher as a designer20:30 - On leading the Mission team for Sunset Overdrive36:15 - Design considerations for VR
Meetings and Teamwork - Patreon Q&A Session [6/6] uselesspodcasts 2015-10-31 | Mike's second monthly Patreon Game Design Q&A for October.0:20 - How to communicate with players0:50 - User testing1:50 - Other types of feedback3:10 - Users want everything to be like Call of Duty6:37 - Communicating with teammates8:37 - Sensate and Intuitive people10:30 - Meetings are a last resort11:40 - Making meetings useful12:24 - When teammates disagree16:26 - "Yes, and" instead of "no" or "yes"19:52 - What to do if you get upset when someone disagrees23:25 - What will actually get you fired27:10 - Signing off
Interviewing Annie Vandermeer - Patreon Podcast [3/4] uselesspodcasts 2015-10-19 | Mike's special guest this time is Annie VanderMeer.
Publishers and Schedules - Patreon Q&A Session [5/6] uselesspodcasts 2015-10-19 | October 2015 Q&A session (one of two) for Mike's Patreon.Some topics covered: Game budgets, Publishers, Extensions,
Teamwork and Balancing - Patreon Q&A Session [4/6] uselesspodcasts 2015-10-19 | September 2015 Q&A session for Mike's Patreon.No show notes for this one, but some topics include: Junior Developers, Team roles, Working with a team, Loose vs Tight economies.
Level and Systems Design - Patreon Q&A Session [3/6] uselesspodcasts 2015-09-01 | Watch Mike get flustered setting up new gear. He then thinks his fancy new equipment is recording high quality audio, but the awful camera mic was recording awful audio instead. Let's see if anyone notices!Show Notes:0:00 - Mike gets everything set up (or thinks he does)1:42 - How to design upgrades for non-linear games3:15 - Mike stops being flustered and answers the question6:17 - How non-linear upgrades work in Skylanders9:45 - How non-linear upgrades work in Mega Man11:35 - Some patreon housekeeping and updates12:45 - Mike finds out more questions showed up!13:00 - Using "gamey" design principles in realistic games17:09 - If players don't know it's in your game, it's not in your game17:44 - How to lead players to a goal without taking control away20:15 - How treasure trails helped players understand Elemental Gates in Skylanders21:30 - How architecture and environment cues can be used to lead players22:47 - Real-world examples: Disneyland uses cues to lead visitors23:22 - Testing a game with different control schemes24:22 - Making sure your control schemes work25:00 - Closing remarks
Interview with Ryan Juckett - Patreon Podcast [2/4] uselesspodcasts 2015-08-29 | Mike's special guest this time is Ryan Juckett - Lead Sandbox Engineer at Bungie, Hypersect ownerShow Notes:--------------------------------------------------0:00 - Introducing Ryan6:19 - What programmers do, in general7:26 - What Ryan does at Bungie9:49 - Great talent at studios that don't make great games 11:25 - Programmers working with designers and vice-versa14:55 - A story about Ryan at Bionic18:12 - Earning trust between programmers and designers24:00 - Different design roles Ryan has worked with27:08 - Uses of scripting systems by Designers VS Programmers30:20 - Using middleware or 3rd party tech32:07 - Describing Ryan's job in layman's terms36:40 - The wide range of tech programmers work with37:21 - Talking about Inversus - Ryan's game with Hypersect38:00 - The difficulty of doing "elevator pitches" for abstract/unique games39:26 - The elevator pitch for Inversus42:29 - Where to get more info about Inversus
Interviewing Tony Garcia - Patreon Podcast [1/4] uselesspodcasts 2015-08-01 | Monthly Podcast for Mike Stout's Patreon Campaign. Special Guest - Tony GarciaShow Notes:0:12 Introduction1:02 Catching up2:10 Tony's Resume5:25 What does being a programmer entail?12:00 Interacting with programmers as a designer. 14:28 Stereotypes about programmers in the industry19:53 Over-loaded designers or programmers26:16 Double-Fine's games as Tim Schafer's personality27:20 Invisible Work33:09 Is it hard to work behind the scenes?38:33 Final wordsPatreon: http://www.patreon.com/mikedodgerstoutTheme Song: Straw Fields, by Rolemusic - freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic
The Creative Agenda - Patreon Q&A Session [2/6] uselesspodcasts 2015-07-19 | 0:16 - Mike looks for Nikhil's question from last time and doesn't find it0:55 - Game Design habits and mentalities, especially for new designers 6:50 - Throwing in everything AND the kitchen sink9:45 - A trick for pacing out setups across content12:08 - Laying a solid foundation and then iterating13:56 - Question about tying weapons/enemies into a larger meta-economy14:15 - Review of archetypes16:53 - Examples from Skylanders of weapons/enemies/economy balance21:10 - Examples from Ratchet and Clank22:25 - Obsoleting old weapons in R&C to encourage new weapons24:00 - How has Mike's approach to game design evolved over time?25:25 - Mike's kung-fu design teachers26:15 - Shedding my agenda for the players' agendas30:56 - Finding passion in designing a game that's not FOR you32:00 - Being excited when others are having fun33:30 - Confusion over game development job titles35:35 - Games aren't made by one person37:29 - Talks about all the varied roles in game development and what they do46:20 - There are many creative agendas that all make up a larger agenda49:00 - Message to Patreon supportersThe articles I'm writing for Patreon are located here: http://www.chaoticstupid.comPatreon CreditsAs always, these videos wouldn’t be possible without my supporters on Patreonhttp://www.patreon.com/mikedodgerstout ChampionsPetrov NeutrinoGuardiansMartin Ka’ai CluneyPatronsRyan AuldGenevieve PrattJesse PattinsonNikhil SureshTeal BaldVincent BakerBenefactorsJustin KeverneBen StricklandMad Jack McMadOliver LintonKatie StreifelAnnie MitsodaSupportersMargaret SpillerJason VandenBergheThe YuanxianBackersKim Acuff PittmanKarl KovacinyChristopher ParsonsMatt JuskelisMary Stout
First Patreon Q&A Session [1/6] uselesspodcasts 2015-06-23 | This is a video of the first (June) Q&A session, which Mike held once a month for his Patreon supporters in 2015.
Design Tests - Useless Podcast [Ep 6/6] uselesspodcasts 2015-06-11 | Tony is on vacation, so Mike chats with his "great designer-y-person-age-itude" (well spoken, Mike, well done) friend: Annie VanderMeer Mitsoda, of DoubleBear Productions. Note: There's some echoing in parts of the recording because of Skype.Song: The Pirate and the Dancer, by Rolemusichttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/The_Pirate_And_The_Dancer
Ratchet & Clank - [6/6] Question & Answers with @Tealgamemaster uselesspodcasts 2015-04-23 | A heartwarming final episode to Mike and Teal's RC1 let's play.See more from teal on his youtube channel: youtube.com/user/tealgamemasterA Note: This was recorded last August, before Mike and Tony worked on the Ratchet and Clank reboot.
Controls - Useless Podcast [Ep 5/6] uselesspodcasts 2015-04-07 | Mike and Tony talk about Controls, UI, Media Training, and a few other things... but mostly about controls.Song: The Pirate and the Dancer, by Rolemusichttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/The_Pirate_And_The_Dancer
Feedback and Sequels - Useless Podcast [Ep 4/6] uselesspodcasts 2015-03-19 | Mike and Tony discuss feedback, sequels, and go back to difficulty tuning (episode 3) to clarify some points.Song: The Pirate and the Dancer, by Rolemusichttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/The_Pirate_And_The_Dancer
Cheating in the Players Favor - Useless Podcast [Ep 3/5] uselesspodcasts 2015-03-12 | Mike and Tony discuss "Cheating in the player's favor," how easy and hard are not opposites, dynamic difficulty tuning, and more.Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/useless-podcasts/the-useless-podcast-episode-3-3112015Song: The Pirate and the Dancer, by Rolemusichttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/The_Pirate_And_The_Dancer
Small Things - Useless Podcast: [Ep 2/6] uselesspodcasts 2015-03-02 | Mike and Tony discuss a range of topics:1) Small things that make a big difference. 2) If you can't make it fun, make it.... 3) Killing babies. 4) Pulling it together.Song: The Pirate and the Dancer, by Rolemusichttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/The_Pirate_And_The_Dancer
What We Think About - Useless Podcast [Ep 1/6] uselesspodcasts 2015-02-21 | In this new six-episode (audio-only) series, Tony and Mike talk about what it's like to think like a game developer. This first episode is an introduction to the kinds of topics we'll be covering, as well as describing how we think when we put our game dev hats on.Theme Song: The Pirate and the Dancer, by Rolemusichttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/The_Pirate_And_The_Dancer
Ratchet & Clank - [5/6] Question & Answers with @Tealgamemaster uselesspodcasts 2014-08-25 | Mike and guest-host Teal go through Blackwater City.Topics Covered: QA Testing, the Sharkagator, working with Naughty Dog's tech, and LISP.
Ratchet & Clank - [4/5] Question & Answers with @Tealgamemaster uselesspodcasts 2014-08-05 | Mike and Teal take on Eudora and the Blarg Space Station. We also find a secret that, to our knowledge, has never been found before.
Ratchet & Clank - [3/5] Question & Answers with @Tealgamemaster uselesspodcasts 2014-07-29 | Featuring Teal Bald (tealgamemaster) - youtube.com/user/tealgamemasterTopics covered: The HD Remasters, Aridia, Cut Spherical World, Gun that shoots Robots
Ratchet & Clank - [2/5] Question & Answers with @Tealgamemaster uselesspodcasts 2014-07-22 | Teal Bald, (youtube.com/user/tealgamemaster) and Mike play through Ratchet and Clank 1. Topics covered: Enemy behaviors, QA Testing, Framerate optimization, and more.
Ratchet & Clank - [1/5] QA Testing (with Mary Stout) uselesspodcasts 2013-07-20 | Mike and Mary got together for a little reminiscing about testing on Ratchet and Clank 1.
Ratchet & Clank 3 Dev Commentary: 36- Doctor Nefarious uselesspodcasts 2012-12-31 | Mike and Tony fight Doctor Nefarious, a boss fight that Tony coded.Happy holidays everyone who celibrates them. Happy normal days everyone else.
Ratchet & Clank 3 Dev Commentary: 35 - Final Level uselesspodcasts 2012-12-24 | Mike and Tony grind agonizingly through the game's final level.
Ratchet & Clank 3 Dev Commentary: 34 - Breakables and Framerate uselesspodcasts 2012-12-17 | Episode 34: Revenge of the Garcias. Tony and Mike take on the second-to-last level and talk about framerate and a few other topics.
