Pixel Sift

What is chiptune? Let Kristy Dossor and Alex Yabsley of Square Sounds, one of the longest running music festivals dedicated to chiptune music tell you. Head to our website to read a version of this feature story: Chiptune is an instrument not a genre: Square Sounds Festival 2020 Square Sounds is on Friday 21 February 2020 to Sunday 23 February and features musicians from all over the world including Italy, UK, Japan, France and Australia. You can check out a special playlist of Square Sounds 2020 artists on Spotify here: Square Sounds Sampler by Pixel Sift Music for this episode kindly provided by Alex Yabsley, AKA dot.ay including the tracks Washed Away and Facer. You can find dot.ay on Bandcamp. Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh, Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer.Support the show: https://sifter.store

Callum Harrington is Community Manager at Steel Sky Productions, who have just released the early access digital boardgame Warhammer Underworlds: Online. It's an adaptation of the popular tabletop game, and Callum tells us what it takes to make the work as a video game and handling player expectations. 2020 is officially the final year of Adobe Flash (formerly Shockwave Flash) and that means a lot of those games you might have grown up playing or developers started their careers making might be gone for good. With projects like Flashpoint saving over 36,000 games we discuss the legacy of the flash game, and you tell us why how much you loved Neopets. ‍Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh, Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done

Kris Antoni of Indonesia's Toge Productions joins us to talk about their newly released game Coffee Talk, a game about having heart-to-heart conversations with customers while you brew them the perfect cup. Kris shares the story of the very real people that inspired the characters of the game, and how the scope of a project can change very drastically once you get stuck into working on it. Sony for the second year in a row pulled out of presenting at E3 as the world waits in anticipation for more news on the upcoming Playstation 5. We'll discuss what this may mean for the future of E3 as well as Sony's biggest competitors in the gaming industry, and what E3 means for the fans, and what the future may hold. ‍Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh, Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support o

Michael Wentworth-Bell and Nick Acciarito from Melbourne’s Digital Lode joins us to talk about their VR game Espire 1: VR Operative. It’s a virtual reality single-player game that combines stealth and elements of Metal Gear Solid. Michael and Nick speak about the challenges they faced when combating motion sickness and what it feels like when the game is well received on on platform and slammed on another. #GameDevsForFireys is an online auction led by Defiant Development’s Morgan Jaffit to raise money for Australian bushfire efforts to support those who battle the harsh blazes across the country. We’ll also be discussing the controversy around it as Marijam Didžgalvytė released a video criticising the efforts saying that it was just "self-serving," which received a fair bit of criticism she was forced to respond to on Twitter. Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh, Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Sa

Shawn Toh of Singapore's BattleBrew Productions joins us to talk about his mobile game BattleSky Brigade:Harpooner, a brand new title for the Apple Arcade subscription service. It's described as a vertical shooter, that flips into a fishing game featuring cute rabbit characters. Shawn speaks about finding the right balance in difficult and developing his series into a franchise. Speaking of franchises, the major gaming companies have said recently that a perpertual franchise model is their plan going forward so you can expect to see Halo 12, Call of Duty 47 and Diablo 19 at some point. We'll discuss how those franchises expand the series we enjoy, and Shawn gives his perspective on making an indie gaming franchise. Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh, Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their s

Dr Dan Golding is a video game composer who has created soundtracks for the smash hit Untitled Goose Game, The Haunted Island: A Frog Detective Game and Push Me Pull You and has studied our relationships with video games. He joins us to speak about his research, the book he wrote with Leena Van Deventer Game Changers: From Minecraft to Misogny, creating the dynamic soundtrack of Untitled Goose Game was created and how people who play video games self identify online. ‍Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh, Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information!Support the show: ht

This time we're going AAA, high profile and blockbuster, with some indie thrown into the mix. Mainstream is a brand new podcast from the award winning team at Pixel Sift. Subscribe for free to get episode 3 next week! Apple Podcasts Spotify Pocket Casts Radio Public Overcast RSS Each episode the team will be discussing the games they've been playing as well as breaking down some mainstream gaming news in a short succinct fortnightly podcast. We'll be releasing Mainstream on the alternate weeks to our existing Pixel Sift podcast, so each and every week you'll have something new to listen to. Thank you to Daniel Ang for creating our new podcast artwork, and Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds for composing our theme music. Daniel Ang and Gianni Di Giovanni kick off the first Mainstream by Pixel Sift, it's a look at some of the games we've been playing and the news that piqued our interest. This week Gianni has been playing dreamy arcade game Sayonara Wild Hearts by Swedish developers

Matt Trobbiani joins us to talk about Team Fractal Alligator's latest game Wrestledunk Sports the game that features a collection of tight sports games that are quick to get in to but full of responsive gameplay. Wrestledunk Sports is a follow up to Matt's widely successful tittle Hacknet, Matt told Fiona and Mitch about the new direction he has taken his development. There are few games franchises that have a longer lasting legacy that the Pokemon series however it seems that Gamefreak themselves are having trouble living up to the expectations of their dedicated fan base. With calls for boycotts and death threats hurled at the developer, the fanbase of Pokémon seems to be at war with itself. We take you through this story and bring you the lows and the highs of the release of Pokémon Sword & Shield. ‍Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this w

Muhammad Hanif Bin Ghazali and Tan Kang Soon of Joysteak Studios join us from Singapore to talk about their game Songbird Symphony. A side scrolling platformer with bubbly animations and  rhythm mechanics. The Game Developers Conference is the worlds largest event for games industry professionals. Providing opportunities for video game developers to learn from each other, share ideas and network. However with ticket prices inflating and geographical barriers getting in the way GDC is quickly moving out of reach for many developers that might need it the most. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch

BONUS EPISODE Featuring creative talents of Austin Wintory, Troy Baker, Elie Young, Chorus promises to be a roleplaying game like no other featuring a dynamic musical form of storytelling, and a strong pedigree. We had the opportunity to sit down with Liam Esler and Benjamin Ee of the newly formed Summerfall Studios to learn about how the game was developed and what it was trying to achieve. You can support Chorus' crowdfunding campaign on Fig.Support the show: https://sifter.store

Back for another year live from the floor of PAX Australia 2019, Party Loaded and Pixel Sift team up again to chat about our favourite parts of the show. Fiona and Viv speak to Matt and Luke from Party Loaded, and talk lines, finding great games to play, and those nifty collectible pins. If you like Party Loaded why not give them a listen! They've got a new episode out every single week. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! You can find us on social media, Discord, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Twitch, YouTube and Steam. Just search for "pixelsift"Support the show: https://sifter.store

Alexander Perrin and Joshua Tatangelo are the Co-Founders of 2pt Interactive the studio behind Heavenly Bodies, a game about two cosmonauts navigating the the challenges of a zero gravity environment. It uses a clever control scheme with each stick controlling a character in this hilarious physics based puzzle game. The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia has recently announced that Australian made video games will now be included in the in the living collection for the purpose of preserving those works. A collection of 8 games has already been selected that include The Hobbit (Beam Software, 1982) and Hollow Knight (Team Cherry, 2017). Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you wan

Maize Wallin (Sound Designer and Audio Programmer) and Jason Bakker (Writer and Producer) from Ghost Pattern join us to talk about their latest project Wayward Strand. Wayward Strand is an empathetic narrative game where players explore multiple story lines playing out simultaneously on an airborne hospital ship in 1970s Australia. It was recently selected as the one of the PAX Australia indie showcase winners for 2019, this point and click adventure game is designed for players who don't always interact with video games. Former employees of the popular crowd funding platform Kickstarter have accused the company of retaliatory firing over unionisation efforts within the company. Clarissa Redwine and Taylor Moore were both core union organisers and were let go from the company. Many indie games developers and creators have publicly shown their support for these employees and unionisation and stand in solidarity with their efforts. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus &a

Death Hall is a mobile sidescrolling platformer where you try to survive to the end, that draws heavily from the challenging flash games of the early 2000s. Developer Thomas Janson has just won a spot at 2019's PAX Australia Indie Showcase with his game Death Hall, but it's not the first time he's done it, he picked one up in 2014 as well! Every indie game always asks you to wishlist the game when it's announced and according to Ross Manthorp of YoYo Games, there is a tricky relationship with wishlists for developers. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts

Jay Armstrong is Design Director at Massive Monster and joins us to talk about their latest project Never Give Up the action side scroller featuring fast paced gameplay a progressive player controlled difficulty management and violent traps. There is also a narrator that gives "encouragement" as you die, and die and die again... We also talk the wobbly future loot boxes with random with randomly rolled rewards. With Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft gearing up with new policies to make the disclosure of loot box mandatory this could be the end of the contentious micro transactions. There are still a few missteps though as games like Apex Legends try to have the best of both worlds, but fans weren't happy. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode

You might have seen back in May that for the first time in over a decade, video games developers in Western Australia would have direct content funding support from their state government. Screenwest is the agency that administers the Interactive Pilot Fund and first round offered $100,000 for creators of interactive experiences in Western Australia. Well the first recipients of the fund have now been announced and include dungeon crawling dating sims, Virtual Reality ghost hunting adventures, a 3d adventure games designed with accessibility at its core, cat themed puzzle game and an alternate reality game based around those “I am not a robot CAPTCHA tests.” In this bonus episode we speak hear how the fund came about, and from some of the developers who were successful. You can read the full article over on website: Screenwest announces the first five games for its $100,000 Interactive Pilot FundSupport the show: https://sifter.store

In an extended live panel discussion episode at XR:WA 2019, interactive writers Alan Butler, Anthony Sweet, Christy Dena, and Glen Spoors share their experience in story telling in the digital space. How do you tell a story where elements can change? And what happens when players break the rules? Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! Support the show: https://sifter.store

Paul Jakovich joins us to talk about Pico Tanks the competitive team based multiplayer game for mobile devices by Melbourne's very own Panda Arcade. Paul is the Creative Lead on the game and shared the challenges of balancing a game where 2 teams of 3 tanks do battle as well as maintaining a good work environment in his studio. The Interactive Games and Entertainment Association has released the newest version of it’s bi-annual report on the “Power and Impact of Video Games in Australia”. The research includes new information on the number of Australians playing games, how old they are and who they are. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR:Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journ

Ellie Balson joins us in the studio this week to talk about her latest project Brine Scene Finvestigation, a point and click adventure game where the player investigates the disappearance of the dolphins at the local aquarium. Ellie creates quirky artistic games, with plenty of nostalgia and style. Ellie creates games from an artist's perspective, using the Adventure Game Studio to craft her work instead of another engine. Ellie's work can be found on her itch.io page. G2A the grey market digital games key reselling service has admitted that indie game sales make up only a small percentage of their business model. This has angered the indie dev community because sites like G2A have been known for facilitating the sale of fraudulent keys obtained via methods such as credit card fraud. So this has inspired some indies to petition the company to stop selling indie games entirely. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive

Being creative can be hard, but there are those among us who seem like they are never ending creativity machines. On this special episode of the award-winning Pixel Sift podcast recorded live at Supanova Perth 2019 in front of a live audience, Twitch Partner Cabalia, Cosplayer PikaPi and Battlestar Galactica Deadlock writer Anthony Sweet about what it takes to make the things we all admire and enjoy, and what happens when the creative juices aren’t flowing. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus & Mitch Loh. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer.Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music this week. SPONSOR: Thank you to Murdoch University School of Arts for their support over every single episode of Pixel Sift. We couldn't have done it without you. If you want to bolster your skills in media, journalism or game development, check out the Murdoch University School of Arts website for more information! You can find us on social media, Discord, Twitte