The Beauty of Games With Frank Lantz

05/07/24 • 67 min

Episode 22: This conversation features a deep and insightful discussion with Frank Lantz, the director of the New York University Game Center and an award-winning game designer. Throughout the interview, Lantz explores the intricate relationship between games, culture, and education, highlighting how games can serve as a potent medium for both artistic expression and intellectual challenge.

Check out Frank's Games and Resources:
“The Beauty of Games” - A book by Frank Lantz
Universal Paperclips - A game by Frank Lantz
https://twitter.com/flantz
https://www.franklantz.net/
https://www.franklantz.net/work
https://www.linkedin.com/in/franklantz/

Resources Mentioned:
Balatro - Mentioned as a current favorite game of Frank Lantz.
Portal - Highlighted as possibly the funniest and one of the greatest games, with contributions from Eric Wolpaw.
Disco Elysium - Cited as an example of excellent narrative in games.
Kentucky Route Zero - Mentioned for its narrative focus.
The Stanley Parable and The Beginner's Guide
GeoGuessr

(00:00) - Exploring Comedy's Influence in Game Design
(00:31) - Welcome to Hey, Good Game Podcast
(00:54) - Post-Interview Reflections and Takeaways
(02:09) - Deep Dive with Frank Lantz: A Gaming Luminary
(03:36) - The Art and Challenge of Comedy in Games
(05:14) - Navigating the Addictive Nature of Games
(07:40) - Universal Paperclips: Designing for Disengagement
(26:18) - The Role of Narrative and Writing in Games
(31:12) - Games as Social and Cultural Artifacts
(33:53) - Exploring the Social Impact of Gaming
(34:21) - The Art of Taste and Social Connections in Cooking vs. Gaming
(34:39) - The Evolution of Gaming Communities and Cultural Shifts
(36:06) - The Founding and Philosophy of the NYU Game Center
(37:53) - Teaching Game Design as a Creative Discipline
(39:16) - Games as Cultural Forms and Their Deep Connection to Computer Science
(39:49) - The Intricacies of Game Design and Its Historical Significance
(40:51) - Finding Joy and Social Exchange in Sports and Games
(42:30) - Bridging Generational Gaps in Gaming Understanding
(46:47) - The Fascination with Watching Games and eSports
(51:41) - The Intellectual Depth of Bridge and Its Cultural Phenomenon
(57:42) - Envisioning the Future of Games and Their Role in Society
(01:05:28) - The Journey of Games Towards a Richer Cultural Spectrum
(01:06:01) - Closing Thoughts and Where to Find More

Check out our brainy games:

Sumplete - https://sumplete.com
Kakuro Conquest - https://kakuroconquest.com
Mathler - https://mathler.com
Crosswordle - https://crosswordle.com
Sudoku Conquest - https://sudokuconquest.com
Hitori Conquest - https://hitoriconquest.com
Wordga - https://wordga.com

(00:00) - Exploring Comedy's Influence in Game Design
(00:31) - Welcome to Hey, Good Game Podcast
(00:54) - Post-Interview Reflections and Takeaways
(02:09) - Deep Dive with Frank Lantz: A Gaming Luminary
(03:36) - The Art and Challenge of Comedy in Games
(05:14) - Navigating the Addictive Nature of Games
(07:40) - Universal Paperclips: Designing for Disengagement
(26:18) - The Role of Narrative and Writing in Games
(31:12) - Games as Social and Cultural Artifacts
(33:53) - Exploring the Social Impact of Gaming
(34:21) - The Art of Taste and Social Connections in Cooking vs. Gaming
(34:39) - The Evolution of Gaming Communities and Cultural Shifts
(36:06) - The Founding and Philosophy of the NYU Game Center
(37:53) - Teaching Game Design as a Creative Discipline
(39:16) - Games as Cultural Forms and Their Deep Connection to Computer Science
(39:49) - The Intricacies of Game Design and Its Historical Significance
(40:51) - Finding Joy and Social Exchange in Sports and Games
(42:30) - Bridging Generational Gaps in Gaming Understanding
(46:47) - The Fascination with Watching Games and eSports
(51:41) - The Intellectual Depth of Bridge and Its Cultural Phenomenon
(57:42) - Envisioning the Future of Games and Their Role in Society
(01:05:28) - The Journey of Games Towards a Richer Cultural Spectrum
(01:06:01) - Closing Thoughts and Where to Find More

Check out our brainy games:

Previous Episode

Sell or Scale? The Strategic Sale of Semantle

Episode 21: David Turner created Semantle.com, a unique word-guessing game focusing on semantic relationships. Turner shares insights on his journey from ideation to acquisition, his creative process, and upcoming projects like a graphical adventure game. We also chat about game design challenges, user testing, creativity in game development, and effective marketing strategies.

Check out David's games and links:
https://semantle.com/
https://twitter.com/SemantleGame
https://games.novalis.org/
https://middlesgame.com/
[email protected]
--

(00:00) - Kicking Off with a Creative Idea
(00:16) - Welcome to the Hey, Good Game Podcast
(01:33) - Deep Dive with David Turner: The Mind Behind Semantle
(02:15) - Exploring David's Favorite Games and Creative Hobbies
(04:38) - The Genesis of Semantle: From Concept to Viral Sensation
(05:36) - David's Unique Game Design Process and Programming Journey
(18:13) - Navigating the Complexities of Game Difficulty and Player Engagement
(21:12) - Exploring Game Design and Puzzle Complexity
(21:52) - The Art of Puzzle Testing and Design Insights
(24:28) - Challenges and Strategies in Game Difficulty
(28:38) - Monetization and the Decision to Sell a Game
(31:21) - Creative Process and Future Projects
(33:08) - Advice for Aspiring Game Developers
(39:46) - Launching New Games and Marketing Strategies
(43:07) - Reflections and Future Plans

Check out our brainy games:

Next Episode

Crafting Delight With Words

Episode 23: In this episode, we dive deep into the creative process behind the game WordPeaks with its creator, Devin Spikowski. Discover the inspirations, design decisions, and the unique journey from concept to a game enjoyed by thousands.

Check out Devin's Games and Resources:
https://vegeta897.github.io/word-peaks/
https://twitter.com/vegeta897
https://github.com/vegeta897
https://cohost.org/vegeta897
https://vegeta897.carrd.co/
https://mastodon.gamedev.place/@vegeta897