The Cloning Engine

In June 2018, Ben Esposito was on his way to a game conference when he received a email that said his game had been stolen.

The idea he had been working on for six years was already for sale, by someone else. It might have been inevitable. We examine what happens when a bigger company sees an opportunity in your personal small game.

We talk to creator of Donut County, Ben Esposito, the chief operating officer of Noodlecake Studios, Ryan Holowaty and many others about how a French media conglomerate operates and why there are so many mobile game clones.

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Music on this weeks episode were thanks to the Free Music Archive. We used "Self-Driving" and "Sentimental" by Sro, "The first person crossing the bridge since a century" by Komiku, "I Used to Need the Violence" and "Rewound" by Chris Zabriskie, "Bargains" by Steve Coombs, "fascinating earthbound objects" by free energy, and "CopperNickle" by UncleBibby.

We're produced out of CJRU 1280 AM in downtown Toronto and made by Arman Aghbali and Daniel Rosen.

Feel free to leave us a comment about the show, or send us an email at builtplayshow@gmail.com.

Why E3 is a Mess

Gaming's annual grand exhibition, the Electronic Entertainment Expo is only a few more days away. But why does it look like a shadow of its former self?

E3 used to be the thing we waited all year for. Now it feels like it’s just one event among many. Brian Crecente at Variety Gaming gives us a window into the organization behind the trade expo and why they’ve struggled to keep up with the rest of the industry. Plus, Dan and Arman get into how nostalgia can be a powerful drug.

Brian story at Variety: Inside the Disarray Facing the Video Game Organization Behind E3.

For more of Brian’s work going forward, visit him on Twitter.

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Thanks to the Free Music Archive for the following songs: : "Air Hockey Saloon" by Chris Zabriske, "Southside" by Lee Rosevere, and "Kopeika" by et.

Built to Play is a product of CJRU in the heart of downtown Toronto. It was produced by Arman Aghbali and Daniel Rosen.

If you like the show please subscribe and rate us online. It helps more people find the show and gives us an idea how we're doing.

Podcast art from Alex C on Flickr.

E3 2018: We Nailed It?

Phoenix Sims of Third Person Space joins us to talk about spec work, women in games, and politics. Plus, everything we actually liked from this year's show.

Here's the games we might recommend you check out following this year's E3:

• Bravery Network*
• Cyberpunk 2077
• Ghosts of Tsushima
• Beyond Good and Evil 2
• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
• Wolfenstein: The Young Blood
• Tunic*

*Both of these are Canadian productions! Part of Beyond Good and Evil 2 will likely be made in Canada, but it's Ubisoft. Everything is made everywhere.

Thanks to the Free Music Archive for "My Sound" by Drum Kid and "Button" by Chad Crouch. Plus, OCRemix for "Incognito" by DjjD and "Smash and Burn" by WillRock.

Built to Play is a product of CJRU in the heart of downtown Toronto. It was produced by Arman Aghbali and Daniel Rosen.

If you like the show please subscribe and rate us online. It helps more people find the show and gives us an idea how we're doing.

Bad Dreams

Quantic Dream has done something unprecedented, but unfortunately most of what they've done is distressingly average.

We talk to journalists and a critic who have dove deep into what makes Detroit Become Human tick. 

• Mediapart

• Canard PC

• Le Monde

• Mashable's Detroit Become Human review

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Thanks to the Free Music Archive for "silent eyes," "building stories," " and "unexplored corridor" by 2 Mello, and "Dream,"  by Chan Wai Fat, "Button" by Chad Crouch and "Sono Tranquile" by Obsibilo.

Built to play is a product of CJRU in the heart of downtown Toronto. It was produced by Arman Aghbali and Daniel Rosen.

If you like the show please subscribe and rate us online. It helps more people find the show and gives us an idea how we're doing. Feel free to comment down below.

The Skin You Work In

Games writer Walt Williams likes to crunch, but the rest of the industry may not have as much of a choice. 

In this episode, we make reference to the following:

• Walt Williams, author of Significant Zero: Heroes, Villains, and the Fight for Art and Soul in Video Games.
• Tanya Short, founder and general manager of Kitfox Games in Montreal.
• Cameron Kunzelman, game critic and author of "Crunch culture is never just about individual choice." 
• That other time we talked about Spec Ops.
• Crunch is a form of failure pledge
• Those very, very good Street Fighter V skins. 

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A quick guide to avoiding crunch

These are not the only solutions, but as a start for what a team leader should be thinking about at a company.  A quick summary is below, and a full description in the audio.

1. Set some core hours.
2. Set expectations on what you and your team should complete by the end of the day.
3. Build a social contract around those expectations – a 10 minute morning meeting can help.
4. Track long term, as well as short, so expectations for two weeks ahead as well as months ahead.
5. Know when you’re on schedule and when you’re off, so you can make adjustments.

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THANKS TO THE FREE MUSIC ARCHIVE FOR "Village Dreaming" by Visager, "Unanswered Question," and "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" by Kevin MacLeod, "Whispering Through" by Asura, and "Shake It" by Jahzzar. 

We use clips from Wreck-It Ralph, Street Fighter II, and Street Fighter V. 

BUILT TO PLAY IS A PRODUCT OF CJRU IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN TORONTO. IT WAS PRODUCED BY ARMAN AGHBALI AND DANIEL ROSEN. 

IF YOU LIKE THE SHOW PLEASE SUBSCRIBE AND RATE US ONLINE. IT HELPS MORE PEOPLE FIND THE SHOW AND GIVES US AN IDEA HOW WE'RE DOING. FEEL FREE TO COMMENT DOWN BELOW.

Built to Play 70: Handmade

We talk handcrafted games, program detectives and memories

This episode contains the following segments:

• Luke Whittaker and Daniel Fountain talk about the connection we have with physical constructed worlds, and how we might see them in video games. (0:00)
• We look at the future of Ubisoft, Sony, and confirm that we're still pretty into memes. (11:45)
• Alex Pieschel tells what he remembers of Final Fantasy VII, based on a neat essay he wrote (37:50)
• Daniel Mullins made a "broken" game we can't really talk about, so instead we try to solve Grandia II (47:35)

Notes:

• We did a brief history of Final Fantasy VII.
• Here's what Lumino City looked like in its prime

• Here's what Lumino City looks like right now. 

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THANKS TO THE FREE MUSIC ARCHIVE FOR "eeeoooww" by Junior85, "Touch a Clown in the Frightness," by EAT, "watashi" BY  JOHNNY_RIPPER, " inside my house; some place i keep dreaming about" BY Ricky Eat Acid (JOHNNY_RIPPER REMIX), "the clouds are like lace" BY Ben McElroy, "Celeste" BY Alex Fitch, "Another Version of You" by Chris Zabriskie.

WE USED CLIPS FROM FREESOUND FROM USERS LIKE obxjohn, tarquam, magnus589, and mapleleaf. Plus sound clips from Canada: A People's History, Final Fantasy VII, Pony Island. 

BUILT TO PLAY IS A PRODUCT OF CJRU IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN TORONTO. IT WAS PRODUCED BY ARMAN AGHBALI AND DANIEL ROSEN. THE HEADER IMAGE IS BY Paul Townsend ON FLICKR. 

IF YOU LIKE THE SHOW PLEASE SUBSCRIBE AND RATE US ONLINE. IT HELPS MORE PEOPLE FIND THE SHOW AND GIVES US AN IDEA HOW WE'RE DOING. FEEL FREE TO COMMENT DOWN BELOW.

Built to Play 67: Around the World

Built to Play looks tries to leap from one place to another and builds a new world in Mario Maker

In this episode of Built to Play, there are the following segments:

• Daniel creates a whole new world in Mario Maker and teaches Arman a thing or two about playing well and building an interesting world. (0:00)
• Arman and Daniel talk about the news and the ongoing efforts of the Electronic Frontier Foundation to improve player agency. (14:20)
• Meg Jayanth, Jon Ingold and Joseph Humfrey tell us about travel , movement and how it feels to go around the world in 80 Days. (33:13)

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THANKS TO THE FREE MUSIC ARCHIVE FOR "hey ragdoll" by Boyscout Discovery, "4 AM Party" by Alex Gross, "Celeste" by Alex Fitch, "Pretend and Walk Outside" by krackatoa and "Moonglow" by Podington Bear.

WE ALSO USED CLIPS FROM Super Mario Maker, 80 Days and the film Around the World in 80 Days (1989).

BUILT TO PLAY IS A PRODUCT OF CJRU IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN TORONTO. IT WAS PRODUCED BY ARMAN AGHBALI AND WRITTEN BY AND DANIEL ROSEN.

IF YOU LIKE THE SHOW PLEASE SUBSCRIBE AND RATE US ONLINE. IT HELPS MORE PEOPLE FIND THE SHOW AND GIVES US AN IDEA HOW WE'RE DOING. FEEL FREE TO COMMENT DOWN BELOW.

Built to Play 64: Fragments of Time

We break down full motion video, a level design marriage and the end of a company.

This episode contains the following segments:

• Sam Barlow breaks down why Christopher Walken didn't hit it big in the full motion video game scene (0:00 - 15:20)
• Daniel explains the history behind a very real possibility, the Super Nintendo Playstation (15:30 - 27:25)
• We look into Robert Yang's concept of local level design and why a marriage proposal and a Los Angeles community centre can teach us about the way we interpret the world. Plus Rachel van der Meer's Portal project and Douglas Hoogland's work. (27:30 - 40:45)
• Previous guests, Tale of Tales, explain why their game failed and what that means for them. (40:50 - 54:00)

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THANKS TO THE FREE MUSIC ARCHIVE FOR "I saw you on TV" by Jahzzar, "Everybody gots problems that aren't mine," by Chris Zabriskie, "Praise Book" by Broke for Free, "Are You a Dreamer (Instrumental)" by Ben McElroy, "☆ＳＥＩＮＷＡＶＥ☆２０００☆ What's the deal with airline food?" by Abelard, "Summer Breeze Let It Out (Johnny_Ripper Remix)" by Smoking Fox, "Flying Pea v1" by Daddy Scramble, and "Vilse" by Slutet.

WE ALSO USED CLIPS FROM Portal 2, The Gary Hudson Project, Pyst, Ripper, and Her Story.

BUILT TO PLAY IS A PRODUCT OF THE SCOPE AT RYERSON RADIO STATION IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN TORONTO. IT WAS PRODUCED, EDITED AND WRITTEN BY ARMAN AGHBALI AND DANIEL ROSEN.

IF YOU LIKE THE SHOW PLEASE SUBSCRIBE AND RATE US ONLINE. IT HELPS MORE PEOPLE FIND THE SHOW AND GIVES US AN IDEA HOW WE'RE DOING. FEEL FREE TO COMMENT DOWN BELOW.

Built to Play 63: Change the Reel

Cult cinema, changing aesthetics and the year of 1972 are all on the forefront of our minds in an episode all about film and aesthetics. 

In this episode we have the following segments:

• We've all seen movies adapted into games, but usually those movies are good, even if the games are not. But in 1991 an Irish studio set out to make a adaptation of the worst film ever made, Plan 9 From Outer Space. (0:30 - 15:20)
• Daniel and Arman discuss Nintendo's reaction to the world of virtual reality and then examine how film, comics and animation meld into a Gotham theme park in Batman: Arkham Knight. (15:20 - 34:00)
• Blake Reynolds trained as a composer like his idols, John Williams and Koji Kondo. He still composes music, but he's now a game artist who specializes in pixel art. Even in this job, however, Blake's found that his work just doesn't send the right message. (34:00 - 45:00)
• Auriea Harvey and Michael Samyn describe the aesthetic behind Ebony magazine, Playboy, and why that time and place is so important to the world of Sunset. (45:00 - 57:30)

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THANKS TO THE FREE MUSIC ARCHIVE FOR "Old Movies" by Pianochocolate, "OLCP" by Marco Raaphorst, "水中(Johnny_ripper Remix)" by little Cloud, "Sunset" by Podington Bear, "Third Man Theme Live" by Rat City BRass, "Inspiration" by Box Cat Games.

WE ALSO USED CLIPS FROM Plan 9, Super Mario Bros., Auro, Star Wars, Blacula, Superfly, and Shaft's Big Score. We also used several pieces of music composed by Blake Reynolds. 

BUILT TO PLAY IS A PRODUCT OF THE SCOPE AT RYERSON RADIO STATION IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN TORONTO. IT WAS PRODUCED AND EDITED BY ARMAN AGHBALI AND DANIEL ROSEN.

IF YOU LIKE THE SHOW PLEASE SUBSCRIBE AND RATE US ONLINE. IT HELPS MORE PEOPLE FIND THE SHOW AND GIVES US AN IDEA HOW WE'RE DOING. FEEL FREE TO COMMENT DOWN BELOW.

Built to Play 61: Cyber Life

Graveyards, cyber brains, and beautiful flora make us think about the relationship between stories, cinema and the way we view games. 

In this episode we talk to the following people about their work: 

• Matthew Ritter discusses storytelling in epitaphs and why he's spent so much time wandering graveyards. Plus, Daniel and Arman discover a secret society. (00:20)
• Arman and Daniel discuss how Twitch is not for adults and Microsoft can't say Mojang. (13:00)
• James Dearden breaks down the appeal of cyberpunk in his new adventure game, Technobabylon, while Arman geeks out over Ghost in the Shell. (30:00)
• Danny Oakes tell us about an Academy Award winning tool used by cinema and games, and why that tie may actually drive the mediums further apart. (42:25)

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THANKS TO THE FREE MUSIC ARCHIVE FOR "The Libra Lunologist" by Fields of Ohio, "Lila" by Lanark, "School Boy" by Pietnastka, and "Air Hockey Saloon" by Chris Zabriske. Thanks Patrick Ellis for "Nightmares" and "Sheffield Park."

WE ALSO USED CLIPS FROM Ghost in the Shell, Technobabylon, Avengers 2 and the Witcher 3. 

BUILT TO PLAY IS A PRODUCT OF THE SCOPE AT RYERSON RADIO STATION IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN TORONTO. IT WAS PRODUCED AND EDITED BY ARMAN AGHBALI AND DANIEL ROSEN.

IF YOU LIKE THE SHOW PLEASE SUBSCRIBE AND RATE US ONLINE. IT HELPS MORE PEOPLE FIND THE SHOW AND GIVES US AN IDEA HOW WE'RE DOING. FEEL FREE TO COMMENT DOWN BELOW.