Hi, Matt Chatters! I'm back this week with part 2 of my interview with Peter Oliphant, child actor turned game developer. In this part, Peter talks about his transition from Hollywood to Silicon Valley, which includes stops (and stories about) Sierra On-Line, Cinemaware, and Interplay. Peter's a big fan of the Atari 800, so we spend some time talking about that system and his games Wall War and Mr. Cool. Then it's on to Rocket Ranger and S.D.I. before ending with Lexi-Cross, a unique blend of Battleship and Wheel of Fortune.

Download the mp4.

This week launches a new series of interviews with Interplay programmer and designer Peter Oliphant. Peter has an amazing history as a child actor, math whiz, and finally game designer, with boatloads of interesting stories about all of it. In this first part of the interview, we focus on Peter's work for Mattel, creating some of the early handheld electronic games like World Championship Football and Gravity. Then we get into his work as an actor, working alongside such notables as Dick Van Dyke and Jimmy Stewart, as well as some cult classics like Hotrods to Hell.

You can download the mp4 here.

If you regularly enjoy Matt Chat, why not do your part to keep it going strong? I know it may look like nothing but fun, but believe me, I put a lot of real work into making these shows each week. Why not help me out by making a small donation or setting up a subscription today? It only takes a minute, and you'll be doing YOUR part to keep these interviews and retrospectives coming. Thanks!

Hi, folks! Probably not the best time given the recent public flogging I've been getting over my Gothic retrospective, but what the heck. Here's my seventh podcast. This one is admittedly a ramble, but generally focused on making games with Gamemaker and the trials and tribulations of becoming an indie game developer. Is making a "serious" indie game worth the effort if you know your work will make little to no money--and, worse--may only be seen by a dozen or so people, tops? Is the love of making games enough in and of itself to keep you motivated all the way through a year or more of development? In my case, the answer is no.

Download the podcast here.

It's Gothic time! Yes, finally, after countless requests, Matt Chat covers the 2001 German CRPG Gothic. Of course, this game launched a trilogy, and apparently Risen is keeping the lineage alive. Lots of fun stuff in this game, and some pioneering stuff like the ability to skin animals (you can even get their teeth and claws!), cook food (grilled chicken!), and much more. Plagued by one of the slowest starts in any CRPG, though, it hasn't attracted the attention that it really deserves. If you can get through the first 3-4 hours of it, you'll be hooked. Just don't blow all your ore at the swamp weed stand!

Download the mp4 here.

In the final segment of my interview with Mark Soderwall, we chat about his work on Fracture, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, Clone Wars, and much more. We also talk about the importance of game history, what it takes to be a professional game developer, and Mark's choice of reading material.

Download the mp4 here.

Be sure to watch around the 20 minute mark for a special Vintage Games surprise!

The Computerized Society (1970)I was inspired to do my first solo Armchair Arcade Radio audio podcast by a 49 cent book from 1970 that I received in the mail from Amazon today. As you can imagine, this was not just any 49 cent book from 1970, but James Martin's and Adrian R.D. Norman's, The Computerized Society. As mentioned in the podcast, I first learned of this book here. Take a listen to why I think it's so special by playing or downloading the audio file attached to this post, or simply visit iTunes and look up the charmingly misnamed "Armchair Arcade Radio" (it also features videos), or use your favorite podcatcher. Enjoy.

My apologies for not posting these sooner! This is the second and third parts of my interview with Mark Soderwall, who's giving us the lowdown on what it's like to be a graphics artist. He's got 20 years of experience and tons of stories--including juicy stuff about what Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Wachowski brothers are like backstage. It's good stuff.
Episode 130:

Episode 131:

Download Episode 130.
Download Episode 131.

This week begins my interview series with Mark Soderwall, an awesome guy with 20+ years in the industry. His resume is huge, with jobs at Mindcraft, Atari, and LucasArts. He's worked on games NBA Live, the Terminator games, Demon Stone, and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, just to name a few. Now he's devoted himself to training the next generation and inspiring indie developers with his Game Creators Vault. Enjoy!

If you haven't supported the show, don't be a scrooge! If you like these videos, please put a dollar in my stocking!. Come on, McDuck, it's Christmas! As always, you can download the MP4 for playback on your mobile device.

This week it's all about Interplay's 1995 miss Stonekeep! Featuring awesome FMV and some truly unique characters (Wahooka!), this is not a game you want to miss if you love CRPGs. While far from perfect (backtracking from hell!), there's enough here to keep you busy for a few days at least. One note: You will definitely want the awesome BOX for this game if you can find it; it's a hologram! You'll also want a copy of the novella Thera's Awakening. But if you can do without those two assets, scoop it up from GOG for a ridiculously low price!

Download the MP4 here.