Indie Innovators

About Indie Innovators

Indie Innovators is a podcast for aspiring game devs, featuring expert interviews and industry insights to help you understand game development. Through compelling stories and invaluable guidance, we break down the process, spark creativity, and show that entering the industry isn’t as daunting as it seems. In line with BlackCap Creative’s mission, we amplify indie voices, demystify game creation, and foster trust in the gaming community. Join us on this journey of creativity, innovation, and passion—one episode at a time!

Publisher

Blackcap Creative

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

7 Jun 2024

Latest episode

2 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

39 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   2 Oct 2026

   How an AAA Producer Built an Indie Game Studio From Scratch

   Join us for an insightful episode of Indie Innovators as we dive into the world of indie game development with Matt Shultz, owner and executive producer of Jurassic Sunset Games! In this episode, we explore Matt's journey from AAA game production to founding his own indie studio, the challenges of launching a game through Kickstarter, and the realities of balancing creativity with production and team management. If you're an aspiring game developer or just curious about the indie game scene, this episode is packed with valuable insights! https://store.steampowered.com/app/2972820/Vice_Magic_City_Mayhem/ (https://store.steampowered.com/app/2972820/Vice_Magic_City_Mayhem/) https://jurassicsunsetgames.com/ (https://jurassicsunsetgames.com/) https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-schulz-26765b83/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-schulz-26765b83/) Key takeaways: * Transitioning from AAA to indie game development * The Kickstarter experience: challenges and successes * Balancing creativity with production demands * Tips for aspiring game developers Choosing the Right Game Idea https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Fb8ZPTUxOZFC2V7mHUw2H?si=QI3iRS3ZSL6SkpgG-UTXPQ (https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Fb8ZPTUxOZFC2V7mHUw2H?si=QI3iRS3ZSL6SkpgG-UTXPQ) How to Prepare for Game Jams https://open.spotify.com/episode/7n7sNiKLQTkHN7gwl0avw4?si=VaI9fuQ0QaCmHHD1ZQMajA (https://open.spotify.com/episode/7n7sNiKLQTkHN7gwl0avw4?si=VaI9fuQ0QaCmHHD1ZQMajA) How Sprints turn Goals into Achievable Steps https://open.spotify.com/episode/6e7hfu0UJxS0VXGsUqfR8m?si=seznhJm6QfOze1Ktyh3IjQ (https://open.spotify.com/episode/6e7hfu0UJxS0VXGsUqfR8m?si=seznhJm6QfOze1Ktyh3IjQ) Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:08 Meet Matt Shultz 00:15 Journey from AAA to Indie 00:33 Challenges in Game Development 01:00 The Kickstarter Experience 01:22 Balancing Creativity and Production 01:44 Tips for Aspiring Developers What's your biggest challenge with game development? Drop it in the comments! Subscribe for weekly insights into indie game development and join our community on Spotify, YouTube, and Discord! #IndieGameDev #GameDevelopment #Kickstarter

2. 

   18 Aug 2026

   How to Find the Right Game Dev Squad Without Wasting Months

   Building an indie game team is harder than most developers expect, and the biggest mistakes happen before you ever hire anyone. Spencer Koroll and James break down how to find the right people, avoid scope traps, and decide whether you actually need a teammate, a contractor, or just a better plan.If you are an aspiring indie developer, a solo creator, or someone trying to turn a game idea into a real production pipeline, this conversation is packed with practical advice you can use immediately. Spencer shares his real-world search for indie collaborators and why traditional job boards, Reddit, and random “I need a team” posts usually attract the wrong people. You’ll discover: Why curated communities outperform generic forums for finding reliable collaborators How to tell the difference between a true team member and an “idea guy” What counts as proof of ability when you have no shipped game yet How to ask for help in a way that actually gets responses Why “what you need” and “what you actually need” are not the same thing James also lays out a smart hiring framework for indie projects: identify your skill gaps, match roles to your game’s core pillars, and decide whether a task is short-term burst work or long-term continuous work. That difference changes everything, from who you recruit to whether rev share even makes sense.The episode also gets into community strategy, networking, and why showing up with curiosity matters more than sounding impressive. You’ll hear how prototypes, game jams, demo reels, and even messy work-in-progress builds can become credibility if you know how to present them.This is essential listening if you are trying to build a studio, join one, or simply avoid the costly mistakes that derail most indie teams before they get off the ground. If you want a more professional, realistic approach to team building in game dev, this episode gives you the roadmap.

3. 

   2 Jul 2026

   How Rapid Game Design Turns Chaos into Structured Innovation

   Unlock the secret to building engaging, scalable games faster with the mindset of rapid game design. Instead of drowning in endless checklists and custom code, discover how modular systems and smart prototyping can revolutionize your development process saving you time, reducing bugs, and unleashing your creativity. In this episode, James shares a behind-the-scenes look at how experienced developers streamline complexity by thinking modularly from day one. You'll learn how to implement systems like crafting, inventory, and skills through data tables, interfaces, and reusable chunks making your game adaptable and easy to update, even months down the line. We dive deep into practical tactics: how to think in variables, create flexible frameworks, and avoid the pitfalls of bespoke, hard-coded solutions that haunt many projects. You'll discover: How rapid game design isn't just about speed but about strategic iteration and mindset shifts The importance of modularity and data-driven systems for long-term flexibility How to ask the right questions to validate mechanics early and avoid wasting time on features that don’t add fun Clear rules to identify what makes a system fit for rapid prototyping Perfect for aspiring and seasoned developers alike, this episode empowers you to think like a pro saving countless hours, preventing bugs, and delivering games with more depth and polish. If you're tired of patchwork code and want to build smarter, faster, and more sustainably, this episode is your essential guide to mastering rapid game design. Whether you’re designing a survival game, shooter, or narrative-driven experience, mastering modularity and rapid prototyping will transform your workflow and future-proof your projects. Harness these principles and start turning complex visions into playable prototypes at lightning speed so you can focus on what really matters: making your game fun. Join the Conversation: Follow Indie Innovators on our socials https://linktr.ee/indieinnovators (https://linktr.ee/indieinnovators) for updates, or hop into our https://discord.gg/8QzTKEEVVT (https://discord.gg/8QzTKEEVVT) to share your own prototype plans, questions, and progress. Work with us! Business inquiries & guest requests: skoroll@indieinnovators.com (mailto:skoroll@indieinnovators.com) Building Playable Prototypes: https://youtu.be/NYqgdLGoxuQ (https://youtu.be/NYqgdLGoxuQ) Project Management / Scope Creep: https://youtu.be/0ondf_tVICM (https://youtu.be/0ondf_tVICM) 00:00 - Introduction to rapid game design and its importance 02:20 - Differentiating rapid design from chaotic development 07:05 - Managing scope with agile, toy box techniques, and modularity 09:37 - Prototyping mechanics quickly and modularly 12:20 - Practical examples 15:27 - Rules for modular system design 20:28 - Why rapid game design isn't just about speed, but flexibility and future-proofing 24:01 - Data tables, data-driven mechanics, and bloated bespoke systems 30:08 - Using interfaces and shared systems for weapons and interactions 36:43 - Creating systems that feel cohesive and aren't repetitive or fragile 45:50 - Balancing depth and simplicity with modular architecture 54:15 - Rapid prototyping in enemy variants, player attributes, and game mechanics 62:53 - Deep vs. shallow mechanics 70:33 - Sanity mechanics and systemic depth in horror games 77:14 - The importance of good questions in rapid prototyping 89:32 - Final thoughts

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

3,722

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Spotify

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 57 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

71

Social presence

0

YouTube

74

Engagement

32

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Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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