The Unofficial PopCap PopCast

Isaac and Steve continue their deep dive with programming/game design whiz Eric Tams. Topics include a ton of stuff about Peggle, working nights on homebrew projects, moving on when the time is right, accounting for failure as well as success, and a whole spew of other fascinating stuff. LINKSStar Control: The Ur-Quan Mastershttps://sc2.sourceforge.net/downloads.php

Isaac and Steve chat with former PopCap, now Valve programmer Eric Tams. Discussion touches on chess, growing up in Utah, figuring out where games go wrong, and the unreleased gem, Prince of Toys! Check it out... if you dare!

Isaac and Steve pop in to briefly explain that while there won't be a full episode this week, listeners and fans should rest assured more PopCast is well on the way!CHAPTERS00:00  The Unofficial PopCap PopCast00:19  Hello Greetings Bonjour01:06  ...annnnnd we're out!

Steve and Isaac continue to converse with the omnitalented Ed Allard about PopCap Games and beyond.Ed co-founded Escape Factory & Sprout Games, founded Wayward Distractions, audio designed for TIVO, and directed games worldwide for PopCap... all before breakfast! We keep chatting about all of it in this second half of our conversation. Check it out!CHAPTERS00:00  The Unofficial PopCap PopCast00:19  Hello and Welcome01:22  118 Direct Reports04:29  Platform Stuff05:06  Pvz2 Development07:10  The Siloing Effect10:36  Pig Up & New IP31:01  Wayward Distractions34:09  Space Otter Charlie41:04  Game Dev Triangle of Labor46:16  The Prairies of Possibility50:09  Prototyping on Robotics50:58  Time With AI55:12  Experience Organic Life56:17  Wrapping Up

Steve and Isaac welcome the multitalented Ed Allard for conversation about his tenure at PopCap during the golden age. Co-founder of Escape Factory and Sprout Games, founder of Wayward Distractions, audio designer for the TIVO, and Director of Games Worldwide for PopCap Games around the time of the buyout. Ed has a very storied career and we get the privilege of talking with him about all of it. Join us!

Isaac and Steve continue to grill and be grilled by Rich Werner, Matt Holmberg and Julie Thomas regarding the nexus of nonsense known as the Two Bells pub. Sandwiches are discussed, as are soups, billionaires and Narnia. Pull up a stool and join us!CHAPTERS00:00  The Unofficial PopCap PopCast00:19  Hello and Welcome01:45  Previously on...02:27  Duck Hunt03:52  Pulse of Creativity07:19  Favorite Item15:56  Soups20:57  Covid 25:07  Pub at Piper's Creek34:16  We'll Never Be Billionaires38:59  A Two Bells Memory (or two)47:00  Narnia50:48  Cold Spots52:33  Life After Death55:38  This Beautiful Thing

Isaac and Steve push Zoom to the limit to babble about the legendary "PopCap South," otherwise known as the Two Bells Pub.Plants vs. Zombies artists Rich Werner and Matt Holmberg team up with bartending superstar Julie Thomas for an unflinching sprint down memory lane. We dig up old memories of a beloved bar, examine them, and shake our collective heads at the sort of nonsense we used to get up to, all while celebrating a special place that meant so much to so many.CHAPTERS00:00  The Unofficial PopCap PopCast00:19  Hello and Welcome02:27  Pop a Cap in Yer Ass03:39  Vechey04:50  Symbiotic06:56  Back Tables09:31  TTP12:37  Belltown14:02  Big Fish16:46  Human Thing19:22  Irish Noir Gangster23:05  Some Kind of Disturbance27:29  Meredith Storm29:41  Smart Drinkers Drink Water33:54  Two Bells Movie Night36:26  Punks and Party Animals40:05  Evil Disney Witch Ladies46:31  That Third Place49:30  Robo Dojo 52:01  Pure Daylight52:29  And On That

Steve, Isaac and Ace return for a scorching Part 2 discussion about Magic Powers, Zen Balls, game names, art styles, wild adventures and more Peggle and video game programming nerd stuff than a stick can be shaken at -- all these and more are talked about in this astounding episode. Rejoice!CHAPTERS00:00  The Unofficial PopCap PopCast00:19  Hello and Welcome01:25  Previously On...02:15  We Got a Hit On Our Hands03:57  Magic Powers Need Identities05:06  Zen Ball07:39  Pego Mastery11:28  Controlling the Bucket13:53  A Game Called Peggle14:24  Our Peggle's Better15:53  How To Create A Peggle Level24:24  White Room25:13  Walked Out30:59  An Original Idea34:39  Art Style - Walter Wilson39:12  Wild Adventuers and Stories49:40  GoBit.com50:10  Basically Burger Shop54:43  Scoring Systems56:33  Speedrunning58:38  Ultra Extreme Grand Master59:31  Replays1:00:45  Everything Is Feeling Good1:02:59  It's Better When Other People Like ItLINKSGobit Gameshttp://gobit.com

Isaac and Steve are hyped to chat with original Peggle programmer Ace "Brian" Rothstein.Chatstuff includes working for Sierra Online, how Ace and the various PopCap founders met, several unpublished games, and a goodly chunk of a deep deep dive into the glory that is Peggle. Check it out!CHAPTERS00:00  The Unofficial PopCap PopCast00:19  Hello, Greetings and Bonjour00:50  Ace "Brian" Rothstein03:39  I Call Myself a Programmer10:53  Sierra Online13:53  How I Became Ace17:46  Early PopCap21:32  Ready to Join the Good Guys25:00  Circle Shoot (Zuma)34:16  Deep Thoughts37:32  Punch Patrol42:38  Foxy Poker44:57  Peggle54:06  That Fever Moment1:02:20  The Brilliance of Peggle1:02:39  Until Next Time

Isaac and Steve circle back to more salty goodness with Producer Matthew Lee Johnston. Discover how PvZ2 made the transition to Fremium, what EA CEO John Riccitello said to MLJ, plenty about game jams and indie games inside indie games, Make-a-Wish projects and oh so much more. Tune in... if you dare!CHAPTERS00:00  The Unofficial PopCap PopCast00:19  Greetings and welcome00:39  Previously on...03:11  PvZ2 Rapid Iteration Mode05:32  Time Travel07:53  Plant Food11:59  Consumables13:34  Fremium16:57  My Kid Had This Great Idea19:32  "Matt's really kinda f**kin' up, right?"21:23  Business People Masquerading as Creative People24:01  Back-stabby Ladder Climbing27:47  Knock a Muthaf**ker Out30:22  When 4th and Battery Got Killed30:32  What Is 4th and Battery35:41  Allied Star Police39:18  Pop Camp43:41  Imperfect Segue45:30  Positive Mental Attitude51:08  All Things Become PossibleLINKShttps://getthatpma.com

Isaac and Steve welcome skater, entrepreneur and former PopCap and Plants vs Zombies producer Matthew Lee Johnston to the show. Learn what a first day at PopCap was like, discover interwoven webs of perfectly hand-balanced dependencies, attend to the differences between "porting" a game and "adapting" it, and be apprised of the many ways that folks can fail to see eye to eye on the very same adaptation process. All that and a fair bit more on this week's episode of The Unofficial PopCap PopCast!CHAPTERS00:00  The Unofficial PopCap PopCast00:19  Hello, Greetings00:48  Introducing Matthew Lee Johnston01:41  Tricked Into Interviewing07:41  What's a Producer?10:08  Most Noteworthy Games12:42  First Day at PopCap24:07  PvZ Xbox27:04  Controlling PvZ30:37  Fundamental Disagreement38:23  Couch Co-op41:16  Perfectly Hand-Balanced Dependencies45:06  Working "with" George Fan48:55  Plants vs. Zombies 256:18  MLJ Part 1 WrapupLINKSPMA Magazinehttps://www.getthatpma.com/

Isaac and Steve greet a very special guest: writer and former PopCap Customer Support agent, Dana Sweeney!Dana dishes dirt on how she got into PopCap, what life in the CS trenches was like, how a manager in Ireland stepped up, how she branched out from Customer Support, why she got one game-related tattoo but not another, and much, much, MUCH more! Oh, and we get a glimpse at a cat! Check it out... if you DARE.CHAPTERS00:00  The Unofficial PopCap PopCast00:19  Welcome and Bonjour01:02  PopCap Community02:41  Temping Into PopCap04:41  Free Games06:02  Supporting Customers07:09  Kitty Break - Lovey!07:37  Bonkers Emails11:43  Surviving CS19:40  Career Development21:16  Stuck in a Role22:21  Special Memories23:17  Great Place to be a Nerdy Person25:49  Double Down27:39  Undead World29:03  In a Band29:59  Tattoos31:00  PopCorn Dragon31:41  Cancelling Games33:39  Shift to Mobile34:48  Dumped in a Trash Can36:00  Lust For Tomorrow40:34  Writing Advice41:35  Final Thoughts LINKSThe Stronghold (Lust for Tomorrow & Trust In Tomorrow)https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CW4V2YCR

Matt Holmberg and Rich Werner! Two incredible Plants vs Zombies artists continue to blabble about games and more with Isaac & Steve.Topics include but are not limited to: Conan the Barbarian, fast follows, premium vs. freemium, exploding books, industry dirt, how Rich got the PvZ art job, and what these magical creatures are doing RIGHT NOW. It's inadvisable to miss it, so don't!CHAPTERS 00:00  The Unofficial PopCap PopCast00:19  Bonjour and Greetings01:37  Influences11:04  Emotion in Games20:15  Getting Into PvZ29:44  Game Names34:24  Making PvZ36:18  Premium vs. Freemium39:54  After PvZ43:45  Sequels45:24  PopCap QA47:47  PvZ Hits (The Video)53:03  Modern PvZ (PvZ 2026)58:40  Exiting PopCap1:07:35  Magical Creatures1:14:59  Right Now1:18:03  Until Next TimeLINKSGulf Guardianhttps://gulfguardian.ioThis Book Might Explode (Explodeyworld)https://explodeyworld.com/

Rich Werner & Matt Holmberg! Two amazing Plants vs Zombies artists join Isaac & Steve to blabble about making games.We talk art school, teen translation, different paths into gaming, what it's like to work on soullessly empty media tie-ins, how the magic of PNGs make everybody's lives 1000x easier, and oodles of other things! Tune in!CHAPTERS00:00  The Unofficial PopCap PopCast00:19  Greetings00:33  Early Inspirations08:45  Getting Into Games16:46  Interactive Entertainment22:29  Sprout29:50  Into PopCap37:29  PopWar/Prince of Toys47:18  Jank Animation48:34  Tools54:12  FT55:26  Free Ball58:27  Next Time: Part 2

Isaac & Steve launch into the legendary game-that-wasn't, Pig Up! Learn awful secrets about how indie games start, develop, show great promise, and get crushingly cancelled!o0:00  The Unofficial PopCap PopCast00:21  Hello01:12  The Rise and Fall of Pig Up02:20  Prologue - When Pigs Fly09:59  Prototype - When Pigs Flap28:59  Development Heaven - The Rise45:51  The Apex - The Award48:42  Development Heck - The Fall58:02  Crash Landing - Final Score1:06:11  Next TimeLINKSWired article: "Pig Up! Facebook Game Just Ruined Your Productivity" https://www.wired.com/2011/07/pig-up/

DESCRIPTIONIsaac & Steve share their memories of when megacorp Electronic Arts bought PopCap Games.CHAPTERS:00:00 Unofficial PopCap PopCast00:18 Greetings!02:52 Overview05:34 The Announcement All-Hands17:38 Follow the Money31:26 What It Meant54:34 Next Time

In the inaugural episode of The Unofficial PopCap PopCast, hosts Isaac Aubrey & Stephen Notley present their PopCap credentials and make the case for doing an insider podcast about the legendary indie game studio. Oink!