Laura chats with Jeremy Johnston and Robin Ward about The Roottrees are Dead, their genealogy, murder-mystery, “static deduction” game. We discuss the development process of taking a jam prototype to full release, developing hints and systems that lead players to satisfying discoveries, and the taxonomy of games like The Roottrees are Dead and The Return of the Obra Dinn. Spoilers abound, so consider playing the game first before tuning in. Audio edited by Dylan Shumway Discussed in this episode: The Roottrees are Dead (Steam) https://store.steampowered.com/app/2754380/The_Roottrees_are_Dead/ The Roottrees are Dead (itch.io – Global Game Jam entry) https://jjohnstongames.itch.io/the-roottrees-are-dead Return of the Obra Dinn https://store.steampowered.com/app/653530/Return_of_the_Obra_Dinn/ Outer Wilds https://store.steampowered.com/app/753640/Outer_Wilds/ Her Story https://store.steampowered.com/app/368370/Her_Story/ Family https://owlskip-games.itch.io/family Type Help https://william-rous.itch.io/type-help The Rise of the Golden Idol https://store.steampowered.com/app/2716400/The_Rise_of_the_Golden_Idol/ Blue Prince https://store.steampowered.com/app/1569580/Blue_Prince/ Severance https://tv.apple.com/us/show/severance/umc.cmc.1srk2goyh2q2zdxcx605w8vtx White Lotus https://www.max.com/shows/white-lotus/14f9834d-bc23-41a8-ab61-5c8abdbea505 Righteous Gemstones https://www.max.com/shows/righteous-gemstones/c3bd0a34-c4ce-4ca5-bd6c-820df7340671 Announcement: Eggplant Plays De Mol (2025 Season) https://eggplant.show/announcing-eggplant-plays-de-mol-2025-season The Genius (Korean Game Show) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Genius_(TV_series) Robin Ward’s blog (links to socials included) https://eviltrout.com/ The Roottrees are Dead Discord server https://discord.com/invite/Z6Y5sE9Dgt https://eggplant.show/ https://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow
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1:18:10
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1:18:10
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Epilogue: Final developer interview
We're joined by (most of) the developers of UFO 50 - Derek Yu, Jon Perry, Eirik Suhrke, Tyriq Plummer, and Paul Hubans - to close out our series with a project-spanning discussion of their development process, how they're feeling a year out from launch, and so much more. Next week: Who knows?? Audio edited by Dylan Shumway Discussed in this episode: 868-HACK https://868-hack.neocities.org/ Eggplant: The Secret Lives of Games Presents: A Year of UFO 50 Finale Eggstravaganza - LIVE! Recording https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTHuGIU3wRI Eggplant Merch! https://cottonbureau.com/people/eggplant-the-secret-lives-of-games-podcast A Year of Block Koala https://redcircle.com/shows/4e5322d3-2ea6-42dc-bfb3-18a427384a68 Roguelike Celebration 2025 (Including Fireside Chat with Jon Perry!) https://www.roguelike.club/event2025.html Time Barons https://www.time-barons.com/about.html Middleditch and Schwartz https://www.middleditchandschwartz.com/ SPONTANEANATION with Paul F. Tompkins https://www.earwolf.com/show_archive/spontaneanation-with-paul-f-tompkins-archive/ Scrubbin’ Trubble (Tyriq’s upcoming game) https://scrubbintrubble.com/ Madhouse (Paul’s upcoming game) https://store.steampowered.com/app/3727130/MADHOUSE/ UFO 50 Physical Edition https://www.fangamer.com/products/ufo-50-game-nintendo-switch-deluxe-edition https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow
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2:11:35
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2:11:35
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Finale Eggstravaganza - LIVE!
Full audio from our epic live series finale, packed with previous series guests, tarot readings, mad libs, touching listener letters, and so much more. Come laugh and cry with us, say goodbye to UFO 50, and hear what's next for Eggplant! Next week: Final interview with the UFO 50 recovery team! Audio edited by Dylan Shumway Discussed in this episode: Eggplant: The Secret Lives of Games Presents: A Year of UFO 50 Finale Eggstravaganza - LIVE! Twitch VOD https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2569097617 Eggplant Merch! https://cottonbureau.com/people/eggplant-the-secret-lives-of-games-podcast Zatoichi’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@Zatoichi1962-m6v Eggplant Party House Thread (for Gainsworthy’s Party House of the Day challenge!) https://discord.com/channels/690388280767807518/1286353349817663519 The Beauty of Games by Frank Lantz https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262552950/the-beauty-of-games/ A Life Well Wasted https://alifewellwasted.com/ Beyond a Boundary by C. L. R. James https://www.dukeupress.edu/beyond-a-boundary Jacques’ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jacquesnessmonster/ Sean’s Portfolio http://seanfeeley.com/ Sean’s Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/thebigfeel Sounds from The Abyss mixes https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEdRlER1F5rGvaoE-XbV6jz6OymxQw4jx Tim Follin - Chronos A Tapestry of Time theme https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2WgfEj_zjc&list=RDP2WgfEj_zjc&start_radio=1 Tim Follin - Ghouls and Ghosts Level 3 https://youtu.be/BTUD0XuXT8k?si=JpzOvQwBqS98v3EH Martin Galway - Parallax Theme https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8LEA23R-Nc&list=RDA8LEA23R-Nc&start_radio=1 Stephane Picq - Gorbi (kgb) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z48ncQu5bh4&list=RDZ48ncQu5bh4&start_radio=1 Wladcy Ciemonski (lords of the darkness) theme by Leszek Holda https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1MlvwuZc74&list=RDv1MlvwuZc74&start_radio=1 Starship Rendezvous - Mysticism (Hitoshi Sakimoto and Masaharu Iwata) https://youtu.be/YAILyCJ63iQ?si=XAaP2aah_91U29Zj&t=575 Kaimei-In (Stage 4) [Tiger Road (Arcade)] - Harumi Fujita, Tamayo Kawamoto https://youtu.be/gGEG3DOnJlA?si=Kbii_9lz72OnOR0P&t=638 The Cartoncast https://fancybat.com/cartoncast https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow
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3:10:23
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3:10:23
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - [REDACTED]
We're joined by Stephanie Boluk (UC Davis), Patrick LeMieux (UC Davis), and Steve Gillham (OzymandiasAV) to discuss [REDACTED] hidden within the UFO 50 collection. Massive spoilers ahead! Next week: Eggplant: The Secret Lives of Games Presents: A Year of UFO 50 Finale Eggstravaganza - LIVE!(Airing live on Wednesday, September 17th, 2025 at 7:30pm CST at https://www.twitch.tv/eggplantshow) Audio edited by Dylan Shumway Discussed in this episode: Eggplant Merch! https://cottonbureau.com/people/eggplant-the-secret-lives-of-games-podcast FuryForged – What dark secrets hide beneath the surface of UFO 50? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__FyJ-Obu9E UFO 50 WRITE-UP v2 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yuVnnJDmKKGrlTIGVn1Zykp9Tpn4rthGFei1gztRAN4/edit?tab=t.0 MAPPING MUSIC TO MIAS https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1kvdqYzJCO16-UAZV5tkTIrltzEOcQjQV/mobilepresent?slide=id.g30af015f402_0_0 MRMACDUGGAN'S GAME LORE SHEET https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JqOjkGkXjoRvE_uE-nc4bTfFOzcudvKP3WDanGdaio0/edit?gid=2032987708#gid=2032987708 TERMINAL 101 https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Y2gHxlxKlm2jyTIY_7QoNOF6iUjhvfWnOO6mIy6P-H8/edit?gid=0#gid=0 Exeter Book Riddles https://oldenglishpoetry.camden.rutgers.edu/exeter-book-riddles/ Mushroomy Kingdom https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhNgQ16s-u8 Deadly Premonition OST – Life is Beautiful https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzvXBFwcyek Yume Nikki https://store.steampowered.com/app/650700/Yume_Nikki/ Undertale https://undertale.com/ Off https://offtherpg.com/ Space Funeral the First https://thecatamites.itch.io/space-funeral Ib https://vgperson.com/games/ib.htm Petscop https://www.youtube.com/petscop UFO 50 Bandcamp https://phlogiston.bandcamp.com/album/ufo-50 Miasma Tower Bandcamp https://phlogiston.bandcamp.com/album/miasma-tower B3313 Mario 64 Mod https://b3313.fandom.com/wiki/B3313 Has anyone else seen this in miasma tower? i dont know how exactly to trigger it https://www.reddit.com/r/ufo50/comments/1guzkfu/has_anyone_else_seen_this_in_miasma_tower_i_dont/ The Grasshopper (and "Words on Play") https://broadviewpress.com/product/the-grasshopper-third-edition/#tab-description Glider (Conway’s Game of Life) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glider_(Conway%27s_Game_of_Life) Eric Zimmerman Manifesto: The 21st Century Will Be Defined By Games https://kotaku.com/manifesto-the-21st-century-will-be-defined-by-games-1275355204 Games Climbers Play by Lito Tejada-Flores https://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_1968_files/AJ%201968%2046-52%20Tejada-Flores%20Games.pdf https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow
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2:52:55
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2:52:55
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Cyber Owls
We're joined by Izzy Kestrel (Gexfeld, A Good Videogame), Shawn Alexander Allen (Treachery in Beatdown City), and the one and only Rand Hall (UFO 50 Voicemailer Extraordinaire) to discuss Cyber Owls, the 50th and final* game in the UFO 50 collection. “A superweapon threatens to destroy the world, and it's up to the Cyber Owls to save the day!” Next week: [REDACTED] Audio edited by Dylan Shumway Discussed in this episode: Eggplant Merch! https://cottonbureau.com/people/eggplant-the-secret-lives-of-games-podcast Cherry Rush YouTube Highlights https://www.youtube.com/@Cherry-Rush Derek Yu’s Wikiquote https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Derek_Yu Roguelike Celebration 2025 (Including Fireside Chat with Jon Perry!) https://www.roguelike.club/event2025.html Izzy’s itch.io https://iznaut.itch.io/ Izzy’s bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/iznaut.com Izzy’s Website https://iznaut.com/ Snap & Grab https://nogoblin.com/snapandgrab Shawn’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/shawndoublea/?hl=en Beatdown City Survivors https://store.steampowered.com/app/3383040/Beatdown_City_Survivors/ Tyriq’s Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/fourbitfriday.bsky.social Scrubbin’ Trubble https://scrubbintrubble.com/ The Grasshopper (and "Words on Play") https://broadviewpress.com/product/the-grasshopper-third-edition/#tab-description C.A. Brown https://www.youtube.com/@CABROWN https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow
Netherlands