Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer's Podcast

In this episode, Jeff Linville — co-founder of Ritual Studios — returns to Game Dev Advice to talk about the journey behind his band-inspired RPG Fretless: The Wrath of Riffson. From starting a studio with college friends to launching worldwide with French publisher Playdigious, Jeff shares the hard-won lessons of taking the leap into full-time indie development. We go into what it really takes to form a studio, ship a first game, and survive the chaos between passion and business reality. Topics We Cover • Founding Ritual Studios after meeting at Columbia College Chicago • How Fretless mixes music, RPG, and deck-building mechanics • The moment they quit their jobs to “really do it” and chase a publishing deal • Lessons learned about funding, taxes, lawyers, and running a real company • Building a standout pitch deck and landing a deal with Playdigious in France • Managing bugs, Steam feedback, and localization into seven languages • Outsourcing art and engineering — and why it’s harder than it sounds • Choosing FMOD over Wwise for advanced Unity audio integration • Why getting your game playable early is key • How Cardio Ex shaped Jeff’s music-driven sound design • Thoughts on AI tools in audio, from noise cleanup to creative limits • Favorite soundtracks: Hyper Light Drifter and Guild Wars 1 • Current go-to games: Pillars of Eternity and Lord of the Rings Online • Reflections on Mortal Kombat, Midway Games, and player nostalgia • Advice for anyone going indie: “Be ready for it — it’s a business.” 🎥 Making-Of Documentary Making a Musical Indie Game from Scratch (30 min): https://youtu.be/3USobO6qRHE?si=aEhUEI0dwQbMqki2 🎮 Play / Follow • Fretless – The Wrath of Riffson (Steam): https://store.steampowered.com/app/2429050/Fretless__The_Wrath_of_Riffson/ • Ritual Studios (Bluesky): https://bsky.app/profile/ritualstudios.bsky.social • Ritual Studios (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/ritualgamestudios/?hl=en • Fretless Original Soundtrack (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/album/1VXVxtFzJOUYJypudcF9DN? • Jeff Linville @Dovetail (Linktr.ee): https://linktr.ee/dovetailmusic • Rob Scallon (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/RobScallon • Playdigious (Bluesky): https://bsky.app/profile/playdigious.bsky.social Bio Jeff Linville is Co-Founder of Ritual Studios, a Chicago-based indie studio that published their acclaimed debut, Fretless: The Wrath of Riffson, in July 2025. With 8+ years in game audio and production, Jeff has worked on Fretless, Cardio Ex, and more. 🕹️ Game Dev Advice Whether you’re a student, aspiring dev, or industry veteran, you’ll find practical takeaways and stories from inside game development. Start Here • Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvkY8LxjGyOPqlQKuRlObhg • Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5NChfUVhFxV9NCoUVp4uD0 • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/game-dev-advice-the-game-developers-podcast/id1450096263 • Patreon (Gain Wisdom coaching): https://www.patreon.com/gamedevadvice • Hotline: (224) 484-7733 • Email: [email protected] • Website: https://www.gamedevadvice.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, we dive deep into Tim’s creative journey behind Disney’s hit mobile game Where’s My Water? and what it really takes to break into and succeed in the game industry. From starting out in QA testing to leading creative teams at Disney, and later becoming a successful solo indie developer, Tim’s conversation is packed with insights, stories, and advice for anyone passionate about making games.

In this episode of Game Dev Advice, writer and comedian Mike Drucker shares his journey across the worlds of television, video games, and comedy. Starting as an assistant and researcher at Saturday Night Live, Mike moved into game localization at Nintendo—where he even played basketball with Reggie Fils-Aimé—before joining The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as a writer and then Full Frontal with Samantha Bee. He dives into the creative challenges of translating humor across mediums, from crafting jokes for a global audience to building narrative in games. We also discuss his book, Good Game, No Rematch, a funny and heartfelt exploration of growing up with games, self-doubt, and finding meaning in pop culture. Mike shares behind-the-scenes stories from working at IGN, creating mock news shows, and writing for Mystery Science Theater 3000. Packed with industry insights and honest advice for aspiring writers, this conversation highlights the importance of joy, resilience, and staying passionate in your craft.

Veteran game designer Stuart Maine reflects on 28 years in the industry, from his start at a cyber café to leading roles at studios like Bullfrog, Acclaim, and Two Desperados. He shares lessons on team dynamics, communication, and career growth, plus insights from his books: Designing Video Games and two titles on first-person shooter history. The interview covers the highs and lows of game development, remote work challenges, and advice for aspiring developers.

Adam Coster, CEO of Butterscotch Shenanigans, shares his journey of growing an indie studio with his brothers, overcoming challenges, and redefining their mission after a family crisis. He discusses their upcoming game Crashlands 2, the evolving industry, and the impact of subscription services. Adam also offers insights on balancing roles, indie dev realities, and AI’s potential in game development, providing actionable advice for aspiring creators.