Shannon McDowell (she/her) is a board game inventor and puzzle designer who was hired to research and mitigate cultural bias in the puzzles for the 2019 Red Bull Escape Room World Championships. Shannon walks us through how she became a professional puzzle designer, how cultural biases manifest in escape rooms & puzzle design, and how to design puzzles that are challenging while remaining inclusive.

00:02:07 – How We Connect Through Games
00:04:28 – Meet Shannon
00:10:21 – “We Haven’t Seen Everything That’s Possible”
00:17:36 – Cultural Bias in Escape Rooms
00:20:26 – Five Categories of Cultural Bias in Puzzles
00:24:55 – How to Make a Bad Escape Room

00:38:18 – How Hints Can Make or Break A Puzzle
00:50:55 – On Physical Accessibility in Escape Rooms
01:01:00 – The Value of Inclusivity in Gaming

Resources
Shannon’s publications – https://www.shannonmcdowell.ca/publications-media
Shannon’s free puzzles – https://www.shannonmcdowell.ca/puzzles
SCRAP Entertainment Inc – https://realescapegame.com/about/
2019 Red Bull Escape Room World Championship – https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/events/red-bull-escape-room-world-championships-final
Cryptex Hunt – https://cryptexhunt.com/2022/

Support my show! www.bubblegumbitchcraft.etsy.com

Credits
Guest – Shannon McDowell, https://www.shannonmcdowell.ca/
Production by Victor Media Group, Inc. – https://victormediagroup.co/
Original Music by Byson – https://spoti.fi/3eoC47l
Creator / Host – Clara Mount (@bubblegum_titan on Twitter)
Executive Producers– J.B. Adams and Gerard Mitchell
Sound Editing – Anna Hughes

TW: sexual assault and abuse, grooming, bullying, threats, talk of suicide, racism.
Raquel Skellington (she/her), the world’s first full-time professional LARPer, tells the story of how she built her career, survived a traumatic public character assassination during the peak of cancel culture, and now represents some of the biggest companies in the LARP sphere. She also shares her thoughts about being the first pro LARPer as a woman of color, and what that means for her.

00:02:06 — Meet Raquel!
00:13:02 — “LARP fundamentally changed me”
00:22:49 — Becoming a professional LARPer
00:39:38 — When modeling and LARPing converge
00:47:59 — Surviving a racially fueled public attack
01:06:51 — Recovery and growth
01:21:21 — What keeps Raquel going

Games
Sims series — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sims
House of the Dead 2 — https://bit.ly/39cqL25
Civilization series — https://bit.ly/3zpXWK9
Paladins — https://www.paladins.com/
Dystopia Rising — http://www.dystopiarisinglarp.com/
Dammerung — https://www.larpcoop.com/dammerung

Other Resources
Calimacil — https://calimacil.com/?aff=117
Ateliers Nemesis — https://ateliers-nemesis.com/en/
Drachenfest US — https://www.drachenfest.us/

Support my show! www.bubblegumbitchcraft.etsy.com

Credits
Guest — Raquel Skellington, https://raquel-skellington.carrd.co/
Production by Victor Media Group, Inc. — https://victormediagroup.co/
Original Music by Byson — https://spoti.fi/3eoC47l
Creator / Host — Clara Mount (@bubblegum_titan on Twitter)
Executive Producers — J.B. Adams and Gerard Mitchell
Sound Editing — Anna Hughes

Elaine Gómez (she/her), Puerto Rican game designer at Brass Lion Entertainment, shares how game design can be a tool for exploring and celebrating culture, and how she’s leaving a legacy of accessibility through her work in the video game industry.

00:01:19 — Meet Elaine!
00:15:11 — A beautiful storybook
00:20:40 — Game design philosophy
00:29:20 — Leaving your mark as a designer
00:39:36 — Representing cultures with sensitivity
00:51:22 — The importance of accessibility design
01:03:21 — The industry needs to learn to share
01:15:15 — Getting started with accessible design

Games
Child of Light — https://bit.ly/3wqQwUR
Assassin’s Creed 3 — https://bit.ly/3815A2g
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey — https://bit.ly/3FYHbH8
Mulaka — https://www.lienzo.mx/mulaka/
The Last of Us — https://bit.ly/3G6gnVy

Other Resources
Brass Lion Entertainment Careers — https://brasslionentertainment.com/careers/
AbleGamers — https://ablegamers.org/
Accessible Player Experiences (APX) — https://accessible.games/accessible-player-experiences/

Support my show! www.bubblegumbitchcraft.etsy.com

Credits
Guest — Elaine Gómez (she/her), @chulatastic or http://www.elaine-gomez.com/
Production by Victor Media Group, Inc. — https://victormediagroup.co/
Original Music by Byson — https://spoti.fi/3eoC47l
Creator / Host — Clara Mount (@bubblegum_titan on Twitter)
Executive Producers — J.B. Adams and Gerard Mitchell
Sound Editing — Anna Hughes

“If you like video games and music so much, why don’t you write music for video games?” Today’s guest said “BET!” Tune in for a behind the scenes look at game audio and insights on networking in the game industry, featuring Chel Wong (she/they), award-winning game music composer and sound designer with credits on games such as Kine, OnlyCans, and Whisker Squadron.

01:06 — Meet Chel!
08:27 — A life shaped by games
14:00 — The secret life of game audio
28:47 — “I failed teaching”
32:21 — Advice on getting into audio
38:11 — Networking for gamers
50:30 — Curated spaces

Games
Kine — https://www.kinegame.com/kine-home
OnlyCans — https://oxyoxspring.itch.io/onlycans
Whisker Squadron — https://bit.ly/3MKO0yf
She Dreams Elsewhere — https://www.studiozevere.com/
Death’s Door — https://playdeathsdoor.com/
Sable — https://www.shed-works.co.uk/sable
Guilty Gear Strive — https://www.guiltygear.com/ggst/en/
Outer Wilds — https://www.mobiusdigitalgames.com/outer-wilds.html
NieR Gestalt – https://bit.ly/3sbp6zP
Trails in the Sky — https://bit.ly/3ycgUDs
Pokemon Diamond — https://diamondpearl.pokemon.com/en-us/
RedOut — https://redout.games/
F-Zero — https://bit.ly/3w3xRNG
Kirby Air Ride — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirby_Air_Ride
Ghost Trick — https://bit.ly/3KC76oF
Team Fortress 2 — https://www.teamfortress.com/
Undertale — https://undertale.com/
A Hat in Time — https://www.gearsforbreakfast.com/games/a-hat-in-time/
Heroes of the Storm — https://heroesofthestorm.com/en-us/
Warframe — https://www.warframe.com/landing
Hyper Light Drifter — https://www.heartmachine.com/hyper-light-drifter

Other Resources
Charity EP Jam — https://charityepjam.bandcamp.com/music
AbleGamers — https://ablegamers.org/
Andrew Prahlow (composer for Outer Wilds) — http://www.andrewprahlow.com/
Akash Thakkar (music for Hyper Light Drifter) — https://www.akashthakkar.com/

Support my show! www.bubblegumbitchcraft.etsy.com

Credits
Guest — Chel Wong (she/they), @chelwongaudio on Twitter/IG or https://linktr.ee/chelwongaudio
Production by Victor Media Group, Inc. — https://victormediagroup.co/
Original Music by Byson — https://spoti.fi/3eoC47l
Creator / Host — Clara Mount (@bubblegum_titan on Twitter)
Executive Producers — J.B. Adams and Gerard Mitchell
Sound Editing — Anna Hughes

The season 3 premiere features Lawrence Moore (he/him), Founder and CEO of LARPing in Color (LINC), and Dr. Rachael Cofield (they/them), Director of Programs and Operations at LINC. Tune in to hear the full story of the first time Lawrence cried at LARP, the origins of LINC, and the importance of normalizing inclusive behaviors to make LARP better for future players. And don’t forget to apply for free sensitivity consulting through the Normalize Paid Emotional Labor (NPEL) program!

00:01:23 — Meet Lawrence and Rachael!
00:17:56 — Lawrence gets scared and cries at a LARP
00:25:06 — LARPing for emotional impact
00:30:56 — LARPing in Color origin story
00:42:24 — Document your values, or Rachael’s PHD in “go the f*** home”
00:53:20 — Free (and paid) diversity resources
01:05:15 — Building a community based on values

Games
Garden of Destinies (LARP) — https://gardenofdestinieslarp.com/
Pantheon LARP — https://www.clockworkmonsterproductions.com/pantheon

Other Resources
LARPing in Color — https://larpingincolor.com/
NPEL Program — https://larpingincolor.com/npel

Support my show! >> www.bubblegumbitchcraft.etsy.com

Credits
Guests — Lawrence Moore and Dr. Rachael Cofield (@rachaeldoesgeography on Twitter)
Production by Victor Media Group, Inc. — https://victormediagroup.co/
Original Music by Byson — https://spoti.fi/3eoC47l
Creator / Host — Clara Mount (@bubblegum_titan on Twitter)
Executive Producers — J.B. Adams and Gerard Mitchell
Sound Editing — Anna Hughes

Unpopular opinion: impostor syndrome isn’t a bad thing, and if you’re lucky, it never goes away. Tune in to hear Michelle Flamm, Senior Systems Designer at WB Games San Francisco, talk about why impostor syndrome makes you a great designer, what the Blizzard lawsuit represents to her as a woman in the industry, and how game studios can provide ongoing support for marginalized employees.

01:07 — Meet Michelle!
13:10 — Supporting diversity in games
19:55 — Blizzard lawsuits
28:09 — Impostor syndrome hot take
31:40 — HR, get out the way
41:53 — Mentorship 101

Games
Animal Crossing — https://animal-crossing.com/
Destiny franchise — https://www.bungie.net/
World of Warcraft — https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/
Final Fantasy XIV — https://www.finalfantasyxiv.com/
Sniper Elite — https://sniperelitegames.com/en
Boyfriend Dungeon — https://www.boyfrienddungeon.com/
Final Fantasy 11 — http://www.playonline.com/ff11us/index.shtml

Other Resources
Timeline of the Blizzard controversy — https://bit.ly/3HLocjC
Women directors leaving Blizzard — https://bit.ly/3CFmyML

Don’t forget to check out our friends at the Quit The Build podcast! https://www.quitthebuild.com/

Credits
Guest — Michelle Flamm, @mmogirlkai on IG or https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleflamm/
Production by Victor Media Group, Inc. — https://victormediagroup.co/
Original Music by Byson — https://spoti.fi/3eoC47l
Creator / Host — Clara Mount
Executive Producers — J.B. Adams and Gerard Mitchell
Sound Editing — Aaron Trnka

When you were a kid, did you ever think that making video games could be a career? Turns out, a lot of us didn’t… but some of us found our way to it anyway. Tune in to hear Jarory de Jesus, Technical Designer at Elodie Games, talk about his nontraditional path to the industry, the challenges that are unique to aspiring game devs of color, and how game studios can evolve to be more inclusive.

01:20 — Meet Jarory!
13:28 — A nontraditional way in
21:43 — Barriers to entry
36:30 — Advice for aspiring game devs
41:00 — Advancing devs of color
54:54 — How can we be better?

Games
Rust — https://rust.facepunch.com/
Duck Hunt (NES) — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duck_Hunt
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order — https://www.ea.com/games/starwars/jedi-fallen-order
Persona 5 — https://atlus.com/p5r/
Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) — https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/home
Madden NFL — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madden_NFL

Other Resources
Unity (game engine) — https://unity.com/
Extra Credits — https://www.youtube.com/user/ExtraCreditz
Game Maker’s Toolkit — https://www.youtube.com/user/McBacon1337
Blacks in Gaming (Facebook) — https://bit.ly/3oG25nJ
Blacks in Gaming (Discord) — https://discord.com/invite/eSrZ476ecj
Latinx in Gaming — https://www.latinxingaming.com/
Games Industry Gathering — https://games.industrygathering.com/home.html
International Game Developers Association (IGDA) — https://igda.org/

Don’t forget to check out our friends at the Quit The Build podcast! https://www.quitthebuild.com/

Credits
Guest — Jarory de Jesus, https://www.linkedin.com/in/jarory-de-jesus/
Production by Victor Media Group, Inc. — https://victormediagroup.co/
Original Music by Byson — https://spoti.fi/3eoC47l
Creator / Host — Clara Mount
Executive Producers — J.B. Adams and Gerard Mitchell
Sound Editing — Aaron Trnka

How can diversity across the gaming industry enrich gaming experiences for all of us? And how do we make sure we’re leaving the world a better place for those who come after us? Join us as we talk with DeAngelo Murillo, creator of geek media site TheGeekLyfe.com, about Latinx experiences in the gaming community, the importance of normalizing mental health through the games we play, and the inspiration behind his brand-new inclusive TTRPG, Emerald Templars.

01:18 — Meet DeAngelo!
14:10 — Questionable Latinx representation
23:08 — The community bands together
30:05 — A grimdark inclusive TTRPG
38:40 — Normalizing mental health through play
50:35 — Advice for creatives

Games
Apex Legends — https://www.ea.com/games/apex-legends
World of Warcraft — https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/
Coyote & Crow — https://coyoteandcrow.net/
Into the Mother Lands — https://motherlandsrpg.com/
Emerald Templars — https://thegeeklyfe.com/emeraldtemplars/
Cortex RPG — https://www.cortexrpg.com/

Other Resources
The Geek Lyfe — https://thegeeklyfe.com/
DeAngelo’s Twitch Channel — https://www.twitch.tv/that_deangelo
DeAngelo’s Discord community — https://discord.com/invite/pFcsdwR

Don’t forget to check out our friends at the Quit The Build podcast! https://www.quitthebuild.com/

Credits
Guest — DeAngelo Murillo, https://linktr.ee/deangelomurillo
Production by Victor Media Group, Inc. — https://victormediagroup.co/
Original Music by Byson — https://spoti.fi/3eoC47l
Creator / Host — Clara Mount
Executive Producers — J.B. Adams and Gerard Mitchell
Sound Editing — Aaron Trnka

What do you think is the hardest part about being a femme content creator? Today’s guest, Nerissa Hart aka RUBIEHART (they/she), is an actor, multidisciplinary theatre artist, streamer, and professional speedrunner. Tune in to hear Nerissa talk about what makes the speedrunning community unique, describe how they respond to discrimination, and remind us that we all have a place in the gaming community.

01:10 — Meet Nerissa!
11:25 — Theatre + gaming = LARP
18:36 — Crash course on speedrunning
21:50 — Nerissa’s origin story
33:10 — Speedrunning for charity
39:05 — Gender disparities in gaming
49:50 — Dealing with discrimination

Games
Shadow of the Colossus — https://rb.gy/x0uka5
Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons — https://rb.gy/feesqk
Velvet Noir (LARP) — https://www.entropicendeavors.com/velvetnoir
Super Mario 64 — https://rb.gy/izrv3e

Other Resources
RUBIEHART Twitch Channel — http://twitch.tv/rubiehart
Team ICO — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Team_Ico
LiveArtDC — https://liveartdc.com/
Speedrun stats and info — https://www.speedrun.com/
Games Done Quick — https://gamesdonequick.com/

Don’t forget to check out our friends at the Quit The Build podcast! https://www.quitthebuild.com/

Credits
Guest — Nerissa Hart, https://linktr.ee/rubiehart
Production by Victor Media Group, Inc. — https://victormediagroup.co/
Original Music by Byson — https://spoti.fi/3eoC47l
Creator / Host — Clara Mount
Executive Producers — J.B. Adams and Gerard Mitchell
Sound Editing — Anna Hughes