Jim Shepard

This episode features DarkGod, an independent developer renowned for Tome, and Jim Shepard, the creator of Dungeonmans. They delve into the challenges of getting their games greenlit on Steam and share personal insights from their Kickstarter experiences. DarkGod discusses integrating live server features to enhance player interactions, while Jim reflects on community feedback driving ongoing development. The conversation also touches on the evolution of roguelikes, with thoughts on genre blending, mobile adaptations, and exciting future plans for both games.

Jim Shepard, the creative mind behind Dungeonmans and a former AAA developer, dives into the tactical world of roguelikes. He shares the interesting journey of Dungeonmans, from its XNA origins to the challenges of resuming development. Brian Jeffers, an advocate for niche roguelikes, joins the conversation, exploring the balance of class rules and player freedom. They discuss the engaging Academy mechanics, where progression persists between runs, and the cheeky humor inspired by tabletop games. Get ready for insights into indie development and crowdfunding!

Jim Shepard, developer of Dungeonmans, discusses level design and embedding tutorials in level geometry. He talks about using rooms and cover to teach movement, making buildings readable for exploration, and how monsters and AI interact with environments. The conversation covers secret rooms, rhythm-based AI, modular level assembly, and using layout rules to guide player behavior.