Three Moves Ahead Three Moves Ahead 647.5: Len and D.M. Join the Yakuza (WtHTI Patreon Preview)
Mar 14, 2026
D.M. Schmeyer, a Manhattan litigation partner who advises game studios, reconnects with Len to nerd out about nearly 30 years of gaming. They trade Tokyo and Japan travel stories, joke about Yakuza misadventures, and reminisce about formative strategy and JRPG influences. Conversations hop between industry life, press codes and teaching crisis management, and favorite deep-dive game recommendations.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Keep Pursuing Media Even Through Bullshit Jobs
- If you love media, persist: both hosts advise younger listeners to keep pursuing their passions despite early low-paying jobs and slow progress.
- They cite decades of odd jobs before reaching careers in games journalism and law as proof that persistence pays off.
Beating The T-Rex By Exploiting A Game Bug
- Len and D.M. reminisce about Jurassic Park Chaos Island, a late-90s RTS using the Command & Conquer engine with original movie voice talent.
- They recall exploiting a T-Rex AI bug to kill it over 45 minutes as kids learning emergent tactics.
Total War Started With A 3D Terrain Tech Spark
- Early Total War's shock came from a novel 3D terrain engine that enabled hundreds of units and cinematic battles.
- Developers repurposed a standalone 3D terrain project into a full RTS, which became the core innovation behind Total War.