The Fourth Curtain

Alexander Seropian & Aaron Marroquin

A GUIDED TOUR OF VIDEOGAME MAKERY! Hosts Alex Seropian (founder Bungie, Wideload, Industrial Toys) and Aaron Marroquin (Art Director, Game Designer, part time magician) take you on a tour of the minds that create our favorite video games. We may also wander around in our own heads too. We aim to inspire, educate and entertain you about the games you love, the people that make them and hey, if you're not a gamer we know you know one. This will help you connect with them too.

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Top 10 The Fourth Curtain Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Fourth Curtain episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Fourth Curtain for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Fourth Curtain episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

What Could Go Right with Mitch Lasky

The Fourth Curtain

04/18/24 • 80 min

You may know not the name of our guest Mitch Lasky, but you absolutely know his work. He created Activision’s third-party business and basically kicked off mobile gaming. As a VC he played a key role in the creation of Riot, Discord, Twitter and a dozen other hit businesses. Longtime partner at Benchmark Capital he’s now an owner of the LAFC soccer team. We talk the role of venture capital, marketing takeovers and more this week!

Thank you for listening to our podcast all about videogames and the amazing people who bring them to life!
Hosted by Alexander Seropian and Aaron Marroquin
Find us at www.thefourthcurtain.com
Come join the conversation at https://discord.gg/KWeGE4xHfe
Videos available at https://www.youtube.com/@thefourthcurtain
Follow us on twitter: @fourthcurtain
Edited and mastered at https://noise-floor.com
Featuring the music track Liberation by 505

The Business Romance of Mihai Pohontu

The Fourth Curtain

10/03/24 • 85 min

This week on The Fourth Curtain, we’re joined by Mihai Pohontu, CEO and Chairman of Amber Studio, a distinguished figure in the gaming industry. Mihai, who was recently named Romanian Entrepreneur of the Year, shares his fascinating journey from the upheaval of post-revolution Romania to becoming a leader in global game development. A self-described business romantic , Mihai offers insightful perspectives on the role of capitalism and entrepreneurship in shaping a better society.
Amber Studio, a valued partner to this podcast, has provided critical development services across the industry, including work on popular titles like Stumble Guys. In this episode, we dive into Mihai’s unique path into gaming through quality assurance, the philosophy behind game testing, and Amber Studio's approach to talent development in emerging markets. We also explore the industry’s challenges and opportunities in training the next generation of game developers and how Amber is actively contributing to this effort. Join us for an in-depth conversation about the future of game development, business philosophy, and the personal experiences that shaped Mihai’s career.

Timestamped Highlights:

[00:01:00] – The Value of Game Testing: Mihai discusses how starting as a tester provides invaluable insights into how software grows and evolves, highlighting the benefits for aspiring game developers.
[00:05:00] – Amber Studio and the Global Game Development Ecosystem: Mihai shares the journey of Amber Studio, including its partnership with major studios and contributions to games like Stumble Guys.
[00:09:00] – Business Romantic Philosophy: Mihai introduces his idea of "business romanticism," where capitalism is seen as a transformative force for good, beyond shareholder value.
[00:12:00] – Bridging the Junior to Senior Talent Gap: Discussion on the challenges of transitioning junior developers to senior roles and the initiatives Amber Studio has implemented to train and support emerging talent in Romania and Mexico.
[00:19:00] – Amber Studio's Growth: Mihai details the expansion of Amber Studio into multiple countries, the diversity of platforms they work on, and the unique challenges of managing such a large team across different regions.
[00:24:00] – Mihai’s Upbringing in Revolutionary Romania: He reflects on growing up in Bucharest during a time of political and economic upheaval, which shaped his relationship with video games as an escape.
[00:32:00] – Early Career at Activision: Mihai recounts his early experiences working as a QA tester for games like Civilization Call to Power and Medieval: Total War at Activision.
[00:46:00] – The Formation of EA Romania: Mihai explains how he built EA’s Romanian branch from the ground up, hiring and managing a team that helped transform the European mobile gaming market.
[00:51:00] – Challenges in the Current Game Industry: Mihai shares his thoughts on how the industry has treated external development teams during difficult financial times and calls for more ethical business pract

George Fan, I'm your biggest Fan!

The Fourth Curtain

05/25/23 • 88 min

Brains! This week's guest is the creator of Octogeddon, the upcoming Hardhat Wombat, and the absolute masterpeice Plants Vs Zombies. We talk his design process, the perils of AI and get more than a bit scatological. Alex blows his mind with a surprising detail about Crazy Dave. Listen up!
GDC Tutorials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbzhHSexzpY
Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin AI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhYw-VlkXTU

It's Patrick Curry's [Guilty] Party

The Fourth Curtain

04/13/23 • 92 min

Join Alex and Aaron for a conversation with Patrick Curry, designer on Stubbs The Zombie, John Woo’s Stranglehold and game director of Disney’s Guilty Party and founder of four studios! We find out how Patrick worked on both (and only) licensed Halo engine games, naming a game studio, finding a moral compass when it comes to handling violence in games and the future of VR.

EP0 - Take a Peek Behind the Fourth Curtain!

The Fourth Curtain

03/24/23 • 11 min

In this brief first episode, hosts Alex Seropian and Aaron Marroquin introduce you to The Fourth Curtain: a new podcast featuring conversations with the developers of amazing video games.

Ed Boon Gets into the Nitty-Gritty Metal

The Fourth Curtain

10/24/24 • 71 min

Welcome to the Season Two finale episode! And it's a Monster!!!! (Never fear, we will be back in a couple of weeks with some special episodes to bridge the gap to Season Three!)
This week's guest is Ed Boon, co-creator of Mortal Kombat and Injustice and Chief Creative Officer of Mortal Kombat and NetherRealm Studios! Starting in the world of pinball, he moved onto arcade games at the legendary Midway Games and is still making blockbusters. We discuss his World Record entry in the book of Guinness, the cultural impact of MK and the key question he asks at the start of every project, this week!
Highlights!

06:15 – 06:53
Alex introduces Ed Boon as the longest-serving video game voice actor and co-creator of Mortal Kombat, discussing his legacy in the gaming world.
08:55 – 10:01
Aaron shares a story about a rumor regarding Mortal Kombat being chosen over Judge Dredd for arcade cabinet production. Ed clarifies the details and dispels the myth.
11:00 – 11:41
Ed Boon reflects on the early days of making games, the small team behind Mortal Kombat, and the excitement of seeing it come together.
14:41 – 15:29
Ed discusses Mortal Kombat's early impact on the gaming industry and the role of digitized characters, mentioning how it was one of the first games to popularize the technology in arcades.
25:31 – 26:39
Ed describes the transition from Williams Electronics to Midway and later NetherRealm Studios, reflecting on the various "chapters" of his career in video game development.
28:33 – 29:42
Ed talks about the support Warner Brothers gave to Mortal Kombat 9, including extending the development timeline, which allowed it to become one of the biggest-selling games in the franchise.
39:34 – 41:40
Ed explains how the home version of Mortal Kombat and other controversial games like Doom and Night Trap drew attention, eventually leading to the creation of the ESRB ratings system.
45:05 – 46:00
Ed shares a memorable moment seeing 17 Mortal Kombat 2 arcade machines lined up at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, which made him realize the game's massive popularity.
47:39 – 47:54
Ed recounts how he became a member of the Screen Actors Guild to voice Scorpion’s famous line, "Get over here!" for the Mortal Kombat movie, still receiving royalty checks to this day.
48:18 – 49:33
Ed describes the approach to developing new Mortal Kombat games, focusing on how to add new features and experiences to keep each version fresh for players.
01:01:32 – 01:03:37
Ed praises the successes of other Warner Bros. studios like Rocksteady with Arkham and Avalanche with Hogwarts Legacy, reflecting on the camaraderie and collaboration within the Warner gaming family.
01:05:46 – 01:06:56
Ed describes his visit to the set of the Mortal Kombat movie, sharing the surreal experience of seeing characters like Goro come to life in live action.

Behind the Headlines: Dean Takahashi’s Journey Through Gaming’s Biggest Stories

The Fourth Curtain

08/22/24 • 62 min

In this exciting episode of The Fourth Curtain, hosts Alexander Seropian and Aaron Marroquin dive deep into the world of gaming journalism with none other than Dean Takahashi, the lead writer of GamesBeat at VentureBeat. With over three decades of experience covering tech and gaming, Dean shares his unique insights on the evolving landscape of the gaming industry, the challenges of maintaining journalistic integrity in the age of AI, and the stories that have shaped his career.

Timestamped Highlights:

[00:00:00] - Introduction and Dean’s Perspective on AI in Journalism
Dean discusses the importance of unique perspectives in journalism, especially in an era where AI-generated content is becoming more prevalent.
[00:12:00] - The Art of Juggling Multiple Stories
Dean explains how he manages to publish over ten stories a day, offering a peek into the meticulous planning and execution that goes into his work.
[00:18:00] - Dean’s Early Gaming Experiences and Journalism Journey
A nostalgic look at Dean’s introduction to video games, from playing Pong in Las Vegas to his first console, Intellivision, and his journey to becoming a prominent gaming journalist.
[00:27:00] - The Ethics of Game Journalism and Insider Information
The hosts explore the ethical considerations of covering the gaming industry, from handling embargoed information to maintaining neutrality.
[00:43:00] - The Future of Gaming: Blockchain, Web3, and Beyond
Dean shares his thoughts on the future of gaming, including the potential of blockchain and Web3 technologies in revolutionizing the industry.
[00:51:00] - Challenges and Hopes for the Gaming Industry’s Future
A discussion on the impact of unionization, open platforms, and the importance of accessibility in the gaming industry.

Tune in to hear Dean’s incredible stories and his predictions for the future of gaming. Whether you’re a seasoned industry veteran or a casual gamer, this episode offers valuable insights into the dynamic world of video games.

The Definition of Indie with Schmid and Kho

The Fourth Curtain

06/13/24 • 39 min

Our guests this week are creators of the visually-striking games Cocoon, Limbo and Inside. Jakob Scmid is co-founder of Geometric Interactive and Erwin Kho is the artist guiding a couple of those projects. We talk about readable environments, demo scenes and more this week!

The Conference

The Fourth Curtain

06/06/24 • 56 min

This past March, 30,000 people went to San Francisco for the annual Game Developers Conference. Going since 1988, GDC, brings together people from all corners of the game development community. The Fourth Curtain followed four different journeys intersecting this conference.
The First Timer: Aaron has never gone to GDC and it terrified him.
The Seasoned Pro: Patrick Curry, game studio founder on how he grew up at the conference and how it changed him.
The Founder: Chris Crawford on why he started the conference and how it ultimately drove him from the industry.
The Indie: Geometric Interactive, their award nominated game Cocoon goes to GDC and they come back with something better than trophies.

Things Blow Up with Mike Pondsmith

The Fourth Curtain

10/10/24 • 87 min

In this episode of The Fourth Curtain, legendary game designer Mike Pondsmith joins hosts Alex and Aaron for an in-depth conversation about his expansive career, from creating the tabletop RPG Cyberpunk to collaborating with CD Projekt Red on Cyberpunk 2077. Mike discusses his early days in game development, the creation of Night City, and the challenges of translating tabletop concepts into video games. The episode is full of humor, industry insights, and engaging anecdotes, offering listeners a rare look into the mind of a creator who has shaped both pen-and-paper and digital gaming worlds.

Time-Stamped Highlights

[05:00:23] – Introduction of Mike Pondsmith, founder of R. Talsorian Games and creator of Cyberpunk.
[05:01:15] – Mike talks about his early work on Crimson Skies, MechCommander, and Blood Wake.
[00:02:19] – Discussion on the challenges of developing Crimson Skies and insights into game development at the time.
[05:03:57] – Mike shares his surprise at how organized CD Projekt Red was during the development of Witcher 3and Cyberpunk 2077.
[09:17:98] – Mike Pondsmith talks about inventing Cyberpunk and how it grew into a genre-defining game.
[10:04:69] – The origins of CD Projekt Red’s relationship with Cyberpunk, including a fun anecdote about selling the first copies of Cyberpunk in Poland.
[11:49:84] – Mike’s involvement in helping the CD Projekt team stay true to the Cyberpunk universe and why flying cars were initially excluded from Cyberpunk 2077.
[12:52:40] – Discussion on the differences between Cyberpunk and Blade Runner and how Night City was built with a unique vision.
[14:53:02] – Mike recalls his son’s involvement in game design and how the family has collaborated on creative projects like Shadow Scar.
[16:42:91] – The renaissance of tabletop games and the challenges with distribution in the modern market.
[22:35:15] – Mike shares a humorous story about playing D&D with a “lady of the night” as a cleric in one of his first tabletop games.
[28:50:00] – Mike explains his philosophy on world-building and how Cyberpunk was designed to allow players to fully engage with a violent, dystopian world.
[37:05:86] – Mike describes how tabletop game design provides a skeleton framework that translates well into video game development.
[49:51:27] – Mike reveals that Night City was inspired by Disneyland, with different areas modeled after distinct thematic zones.
[54:49:35] – The story behind designing the corporate logos in Cyberpunk and the longevity of some of his designs, including Arasaka.
[62:09:65] – The unexpected naming of R. Talsorian Games and the humorous origin behind the company name.

This episode provides a fascinating journey through the mind of one of the most influential figures in both tabletop and video games, pa

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FAQ

How many episodes does The Fourth Curtain have?

The Fourth Curtain currently has 75 episodes available.

What topics does The Fourth Curtain cover?

The podcast is about Fps, Culture, Leisure, Halo, Videogames, Games, Interview, Creativity, Gaming, Podcasts, Video Games and Rpg.

What is the most popular episode on The Fourth Curtain?

The episode title 'The Conference' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on The Fourth Curtain?

The average episode length on The Fourth Curtain is 76 minutes.

How often are episodes of The Fourth Curtain released?

Episodes of The Fourth Curtain are typically released every 7 days.

When was the first episode of The Fourth Curtain?

The first episode of The Fourth Curtain was released on Mar 24, 2023.

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The Fourth Curtain

Alexander Seropian & Aaron Marroquin

Top 10 The Fourth Curtain Episodes

FAQ

How many episodes does The Fourth Curtain have?

What topics does The Fourth Curtain cover?

What is the most popular episode on The Fourth Curtain?

What is the average episode length on The Fourth Curtain?

How often are episodes of The Fourth Curtain released?

When was the first episode of The Fourth Curtain?

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