UIBuzz - Software and game development

Software development of any kind is in a difficult place right now. We all have those times we would love to say screw it and move on, but is that really the answer? Probably not, at least not right now. Some thoughts in this episode. Support my content by buying me just once coffee (or more) to help me survive my Podcasting career :) https://peterwitham.com/bmc Contact me https://peterwitham.com/contact ★ Support this podcast ★

Why Short Games Feel So Satisfying (for Players and Developers) In this episode of the UI Buzz podcast, host Peter Witham reflects on the satisfaction of short games compared to long-running open-world experiences like World of Warcraft. He explains how shorter games—often idle or progressive titles found on places like itch.io—can be completed in a few hours or days, letting players finish, enjoy, and move on. Peter argues these games also benefit developers by requiring less content, enabling clear end goals, and reducing the risk of projects never being finished, especially for solo creators. He connects this to why game jams work well due to tight time limits that prevent major scope creep. With attention harder to earn and keep, he believes short games can provide a more reliable win for both players and developers. 00:00 UI Buzz Short Games 00:21 Long vs. Short Games 00:52 The Satisfaction of Short Games 01:19 Idle & Progressive Games 02:08 Developer Benefits 03:19 Game Jams & Scope Creep 05:33 Final Thoughts Contact Peter https://peterwitham.com/contact ★ Support this podcast ★

Peter returns after a busy summer with a catch-up episode covering two main topics: Concept driven mini projects: Instead of building full games or apps, Peter has been creating small, focused projects to explore specific mechanics (like player tracking and object movement in idle/progressive games). These serve as both livestream content and a reusable reference library of techniques. ProjectHack.net goes into production: Peter's hacking-style idle game is now fully released and playable in-browser at ProjectHack.net/game. A major update with missions is coming soon. The game runs on any device via the web, with instant content updates. Support the show: Buy Peter a coffee at PeterWitham.com/BMC Contact: PeterWitham.com/contact ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of UIBuzz, I reflect on a busy month away, share the release of my game MooFO on Itch.io, and discuss my take on AI declaration of use in game development. Including why I think the "AI used" checkbox needs more granularity. I also open up about intentionally stepping back from side projects, the mental health benefits of that break, and why, honestly, evaluating your numbers matters more than artificial self-imposed pressure. Play MooFO on the web at https://peterwitham.com/moofo ★ Support this podcast ★

I sit down with my good buddy Leo G. Dion from the EmpowerApps show to discuss Apple's WWDC 26 developer conference. We cover the announcements and where we think this year will go for developers and users. Support this Podcast by buying me a coffee ★ Support this podcast ★