EPISODE · Dec 4, 2025 · 1H 8M
From Juilliard to Games: Finding the Soul in Narrative Design (feat. Leif Oleson-Cormack)
from Good Game Edmonton · host Cory "Sellarcast" Sellar
What happens when a Juilliard-trained playwright and award-winning comedian designs video game narratives?Leif Olesen-Cormack (The Low Road, Tales Noir Preludes) discusses the biggest creative challenges in game development today. Plus, more on his multifaceted arts career.Leif and Cory attempt to unpack their version of the heated debate around artificial intelligence, discussing why AI is fantastic for mundane tasks but can lack the crucial "soul" and human experience needed to craft truly meaningful art and comedy. This leads to a discussion on how Leif’s work in games forced him to reverse-engineer stories to align with existing game mechanics and complex conversation puzzles. Not to mention dealing with the unique difficulty of landing jokes in a game where traditional comedic timing is disrupted. In the final act, we learn why growing up in the Edmonton arts scene provides an unexpected advantage over major creative hubs like New York.Plus, Leif offers a preview of his upcoming comedy album recording, Alone Ranger.Important Links:thelowroad.com/store.steampowered.com/app/2020030/Tails_Noir_Preludes/ leifoc.com/edmontonarts.ca/event/leif-oleson-cormack-alone-ranger-live-album-tapinginstagram.com/leifoc/store.steampowered.com/app/3001200/Tails_Noir_Rebel_Rush
What this episode covers
What happens when a Juilliard-trained playwright and award-winning comedian designs video game narratives?Leif Olesen-Cormack (The Low Road, Tales Noir Preludes) discusses the biggest creative challenges in game development today. Plus, more on his multifaceted arts career.Leif and Cory attempt to unpack their version of the heated debate around artificial intelligence, discussing why AI is fantastic for mundane tasks but can lack the crucial "soul" and human experience needed to craft truly meaningful art and comedy. This leads to a discussion on how Leif’s work in games forced him to reverse-engineer stories to align with existing game mechanics and complex conversation puzzles. Not to mention dealing with the unique difficulty of landing jokes in a game where traditional comedic timing is disrupted. In the final act, we learn why growing up in the Edmonton arts scene provides an unexpected advantage over major creative hubs like New York.Plus, Leif offers a preview of his upcoming comedy album recording, Alone Ranger.Important Links:thelowroad.com/store.steampowered.com/app/2020030/Tails_Noir_Preludes/ leifoc.com/edmontonarts.ca/event/leif-oleson-cormack-alone-ranger-live-album-tapinginstagram.com/leifoc/store.steampowered.com/app/3001200/Tails_Noir_Rebel_Rush
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From Juilliard to Games: Finding the Soul in Narrative Design (feat. Leif Oleson-Cormack)
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