Shows
A Drunk History Of Middle-earth36 - Elvish Names/The Valarin Language - Cosmic GeekinessIt's just Chris this week. He gets real nerdy with it, discussing how Elvish names work. He also covers what's known about the Valarin language.
2024-01-0938 min
Café BleuAlmese contro la violenza di genere, la nuova l'installazione ArtemixiaDomenica 19 novembre alle 15:00 Artemixia inaugura una nuova installazione nel Parco Robinson di Almese (Torino). L'opera è stata concepita da Rosalba Castelli e Anna Olmo con la realizzazione di Denis Valarin. Alla cerimonia di inaugurazione partecipa Carmen Consoli, cantautrice molto sensibile e vicina ai temi della parità e della violenza di genere.Ascolta l'intervista a Rosalba Castelli trasmessa in diretta martedì 14 novembre 2023 su RBE radio TV.Café Bleu, il bistrot radiofonico e televisivo di RBE è un morning show scritto e condotto da Claudio Petronella giunto alla nona stagione.Info su frequenze FM, DAB, TV e audio video streaming su ww...
2023-11-1410 min
Building Better GamesE42 Why You Should (And Shouldn't) Use Unreal, Unity, or Something Else for Game Dev with Jean-Eric KhalifeWhen it comes to saving money, working efficiently or creating value for players, what should take priority in game dev? No matter what your opinion is, tools are a possible solution to all of these problems. In this episode, we're joined by Jean-Eric Khalife, product manager at Hypixel Studios, to talk about what happens when tools are overlooked or used poorly, and when they shouldn't be used. Formerly a tech artist, he's a pro at solving problems and has plenty of examples to prove his ability to strategize the use of tools. He also shares h...
2023-08-0141 min
Building Better GamesE41 How a Toxic Relationship Between Publishing and Game Dev is Hurting Us All with Joel McGinnisThere was an unusually high number of low-quality games released in 2022, and we think we know why. The disconnect between the money and development sides often lead to rushed deadlines and games that don't live up to their promises, resulting in an oversaturated market and subpar products in competition with each other. That's why we have Joel McGinnis on this episode to help us discuss this topic, and why business and creative need to start communicating better. Joel shares his ideal relationship between money and production, including what questions should be as...
2023-07-1740 min
GameMakersFeedback & Performance Evaluation | ft. Ben Carcich & Aaron Smith from Building Better GamesFeedback and performance evaluation for employees is one of a company's most challenging, political, and sensitive topics.
However, without this practice done well, it will be tough to hold performance standards or see improvement in a team or company.
I would argue that if you are not doing this well, your team/company is doomed over the long term.
I discuss with industry experts and ex-Riot production leaders Ben Carcich and Aaron Smith from Valarin who are some of the most thoughtful and deep thinkers on leadership, production, and best practices.
OUTLINE:
0:00 Intro
3:50 Why feedback and performance evaluation is...
2023-06-261h 48
Building Better GamesE39 How to Drive Real Change as a Game Producer with Leslee SullivantHaving opposing views from your team or struggling to communicate with senior leaders and stakeholders are just a couple of common issues game producers have when trying to make changes to improve the game dev process. That's why it's crucial for leaders to understand what it takes to drive change in a positive direction, and to make sure everyone is on board. First up in this episode, senior game dev leader Leslee Sullivant shares her definition of a producer, and how her ideal role lends itself to effective leadership. Then, we discuss the difference between l...
2023-06-2040 min
Building Better GamesE38 How AI Can Help You Lead Game Dev with Bill FrischlingAI is on the tip of everyone's tongue right now. You've probably seen headlines in the news, on social media, maybe even heard conversations in the workplace. So, what's the big deal with AI, and how does it affect game dev? In this episode of Building Better Games, AI expert Bill Frischling defines AI and what it's currently capable of doing. He also explains the limitations of artificial intelligence, generative AI's completion model, and offers a ton of tips to get started using AI in your daily life or career. Plus, wh...
2023-06-0638 min
Building Better GamesE37 How to Stop Cheaters in Video Games with Paul ChamberlainWhat defines cheating in games? Is it exploiting existing bugs, using automation or macro tools? What about installing third-party mods that unlock special features in the game? Building Better Games is joined by game developer and anti-cheat expert, Paul Chamberlain, on this episode to discuss cheating and creating an anti-cheat strategy. Cheating is inevitable, but there ARE ways to mitigate its effects and keep competitive integrity in games. Paul outlines the importance of understanding your game, measuring vulnerable systems to find patterns, and the role of operations teams in combating scammers an...
2023-05-2335 min
Building Better GamesE36 Work Systems: How to Build Process that Leads to Better ResultsThings like meetings, reports and team structure are in place to help the game dev process go smoother, and create cohesion among team members. But are these work systems actually having a positive effect? If not, you probably have an alignment issue. In this episode, we dive into this topic and offer tips to build a system that inspires autonomy, creativity, and effective decision making. You'll hear about the benefits of defining goals and sharing this vision with your team, understanding how work systems and humans interact in game development, and more. ...
2023-05-0941 min
Building Better GamesE35 How to Create a Reliable Game Roadmap: Managing Uncertainty, Risk, and Team ReadinessThe truth is, most people underestimate how long a task will take. This is especially true in game dev, where new developments and problems are inevitable even with the guidance of a roadmap. During this episode, the hosts of Building Better Games dive into the misuse of roadmaps and 5 key areas leaders should focus on more. We discuss prioritization, rate of discovery, managing expectations of key stakeholders, blindspots like team readiness and more. Our tips will help producers better strategize their planning, create reliable roadmaps, communicate with their teams and keep th...
2023-04-2540 min
Building Better GamesE34 Why You Need to Be Aware That Games Are Big Business (and What Can Go Wrong) with Susan Cummings and Ryan Scott"It's cheap to have opinions. It's hard to have informed opinions. It's really, really hard to be an expert who's researched something." This episode of Building Better Games concludes our two-part series on Web3, wrapping up our conversation with game dev leaders Susan Cummings and Ryan Scott. Along with hosts Ben and Aaron, they highlight the importance of exploring the value of Web3 for games, including how leaders can stay on top of tech trends while not losing focus of player value. We also continue our discussion into why the dialogue su...
2023-04-1138 min
Building Better GamesE33 How to be a Master of Web3 Gaming Debates: Susan Cummings & Ryan Scott Share Key InsightsWeb3 is the next generation of the internet, and it's already having an effect on the gaming industry. There's a lot of opinions floating around, but one thing the hosts of Building Better Games and today's guest can agree on is that player value needs to be leading the conversation. Joining Ben and Aaron on the show today to discuss Web3 is Susan Cummings, CEO of Petaverse, and Ryan Scott, a veteran senior design leader. Susan's experience working in VR and Web3 gives her firsthand knowledge of how Web3 is affecting game development. ...
2023-03-2834 min
Building Better GamesE32 How to Convince The Leaders Above You to Support Your ChangeWhat does it mean to really drive change? How do you effectively bring up problems with leadership? How do you say no when others want too much from you? What do you do when no one cares about the issues you bring up? Get answers to these questions and MORE in today's episode! In addition, you'll hear our advice on being an active leader, rather than a passive leader that lets problems go unsolved. Plus, expect to learn how you should handle problems at every level, no matter your title. Sometimes, va...
2023-03-1437 min
A Spark Of Awareness54. Leading With A Coaching Mindset - with Aaron Smith and Ben CarcichShould the leader of today be a coach? That's what we cover in this episode with Aaron and Ben, ex-leaders at Riot Games. They are now running a consultancy organization called Valarin to grow holistic leaders across companies and our industry because better leaders make better games. Sharing the same mission as Rise and Play, that's how the three of us met in this episode. We are going back to the basics to remind the mission of a "Leader" vs a "Manager". How a Leader differs from a Manager, and why being a Leader requires different skills such as i...
2022-12-0646 min
Elite Game Developers PodcastBenjamin Carcich and Aaron Smith — Building Better LeadersAfter visiting the Building Better Games podcast, I invited the podcast hosts, Aaron Smith, and Ben Carcich, to my podcast. The guys run a leadership consultancy called Valarin, and both Aaron and Ben have an extensive experience from management positions at companies like Riot Games. Besides leadership, we talk about a lot of topics that relate to company building, like product vision, holding off from starting game projects too quickly without proper planning, and what has been the thing that has enabled so many ex-Riot people to start great gaming companies.
2022-10-101h 02
Building Better GamesS1 EP10 Joining a Team: Lead with curiosity to avoid some common trapsAs leaders, we are occasionally asked to join new teams. It could be part of a promotion or expansion of responsibility, it could be that they need help and you've 'finally' arrived to provide it. Whatever the reason, you are launched into a new and uncertain world. In this episode of the Valarin Perspective, Aaron and Ben discuss what a healthy orientation and approach looks like, and also cover a lot of common missteps, such as assuming you know what the team needs, or trying to turn the organization into something similar to what you've worked with in the past...
2021-09-091h 06
Building Better GamesS1 EP4 Operations Dudes Try Product ManagementThe first podcast we ever recorded. Starts slow, but gets rolling about halfway through. We've always loved product management. And we've always known it was hard. Now you get to watch us fumble, grow, and learn our way through managing our own mini-product building the Valarin logo. Fun ensues, enjoy the Orc music! Ask us questions, give us a piece of your mind, or start a discussion using the hashtag #ValarinPerspective Find us at www.valarinconsulting.com, or at @ValarinInc on Twitter and IG.
2021-03-161h 18
Regreso a HobbitonRegreso a Hobbiton 6x10: Tolkien, Sir Gawain y el caballero verdeEstamos de vuelta! Y con el equipo al completo! No te pierdas el retorno de Regreso a Hobbiton, en una edición donde conoceremos en detalle el poema Sir Gawain y el caballero verde, que acompañó a Tolkien durante toda su vida, desde la niñez hasta sus últimos días. Nos acercaremos a la figura de Tolkien como editor y analizaremos la influencia que el poema tuvo en su obra.
Después tenemos nuestra cita habitual con Eleder que nos presentará una lengua casi desconocida: el Valarin; visitaremos la sala de los cuentos y terminaremos con una visita a la bibli...
2020-10-262h 49
Lingue Artificiali#10 La Lingua Divina [episodio speciale]In questo episodio speciale parleremo del Valarin, lingua divina di Tolkien, insieme ad Ernesto Ragusa.Supporta il podcast: www.patreon.com/lingueartificialiAcquista il libro: https://www.amazon.it/Lingue-hobbit-orchi-Enciclopedia-illustrata/dp/8886755554/ref=sr_1_1?__mk_it_IT=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&dchild=1&keywords=lingue+hobbit+nani&qid=1595105103&sr=8-1--- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
2020-07-1908 min
Lingue Artificiali#10 La Lingua Divina [episodio speciale]In questo episodio speciale parleremo del Valarin, lingua divina di Tolkien, insieme ad Ernesto Ragusa.Supporta il podcast: www.patreon.com/lingueartificialiAcquista il libro: https://www.amazon.it/Lingue-hobbit-orchi-Enciclopedia-illustrata/dp/8886755554/ref=sr_1_1?__mk_it_IT=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&dchild=1&keywords=lingue+hobbit+nani&qid=1595105103&sr=8-1--- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
2020-07-1907 min
AthrabethEpisode 15: Tolkien's Languages: Part 1Join Athrabeth's Discord!References, Notes and Useful LinksBrackmann, Rebecca. “‘Dwarves Are Not Heroes’: Antisemitism and The Dwarves in J.R.R. Tolkien's Writing.” Mythlore, vol. 28, no. 3, 10 Apr. 2010. 109/110 Spring/Summer.https://dc.swosu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1172&context=mythloreTolkien reciting namarie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6de_SbVUVfATolkien singing namarie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkuHrD_xlJYHostetter, Carl F. “Elvish as she is spoke” http://www.elvish.org/articles/EASIS.pdfhttp://www.elvish.org/gwaith/movie_elvish.htmConvenient condensed writeups of the various Tolkien languages coveredFauskanger, Helge K. “Valarin - like the Glitter of Swords.” Ar...
2019-10-021h 14
The Prancing Pony Podcast015 - Along Came a SpiderDoom falls on Valinor in Chapter 8 of The Silmarillion. Manwë hosts a feast to reconcile the estranged sons of Finwë, but Melkor chooses that moment to get his revenge with a little help from the mother of all evil spiders (literally), Ungoliant. We bring back the 'Tolkien Fun Facts' segment with a young Professor's trek through the Swiss Alps, and wonder about Valarin bug spray. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2016-07-171h 37
Worldbuilder's AnvilEpisode 58: Erratic Explorers visit Middle Earth Today's Topic - Erratic Explorers visit Middle Earth Special thanks to One Wiki to Rule them all Basics The 800 pound Gorilla for fantasy worlds Races Humans Dwarves Elves Ents Orcs Goblins Hobbits Gaints Trolls Spiders Wraiths Wolves Places Misty Mountains The Great Sea Mirkwood The old forest Gap of Rohan Moria Mordor Brandywine River States Mordor Gondor Rohan Rivendale Languages Adûnaic Black Speech Khuzdûl Rohirric Westron Valarin Why it works Devilish details Map with the books Rich history Deep lore Division of good verses evil Please Subscribe, Rate and Review us in iTun...
2015-05-0115 min