Welcome to Make the Game – my name is Matt Hackett; thanks so much for being here. We are now 10 episodes in and that seems like a good time to start Season 2, where the theme is:

FOOD!

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To celebrate, I'll include one of my own custom recipes with my newsletter (email only!) during Season 2. Sign up at valadria.com.

Coming up is an entire episode about food and cooking and how that relates to game development, but today we're talking with David Stark, solo developer of Airships: Conquer the Skies. Let's jump in!

Listen on Anchor

Listen here or on your favorite podcast app.

Watch on YouTube

https://youtu.be/KXUA2aTbAsY

Watch here or on Spotify.

Show notes

Last episode I announced my new game Witchmore. I love it. I just like saying it. Anyway I wanted to thank everyone for the lovely emails, and Discord messages and Twitter DMs. It's so exciting to me that you're already telling me you'll buy the game; that's so encouraging! Sadly there's no Itch or Steam page right now and you can't buy Witchmore yet, but there are other ways to support the show:

  1. Buy my tutorial package Making Big Indie Games – for a hundred bucks you get about a movie's worth of game dev video tutorials walking through increasing the scope of your game.
  2. Check out the Amazon wishlist for gear to help me make the show.
  3. Write a review for Make the Game on your favorite podcast app.
  4. Subscribe, like, share, you know, those things.

Before we go, my question for you is: What's your favorite dish? Favorite recipe? What's different about them? (Do this again with games.) To answer: tweet at me or send me a voice recording at anchor.fm.

Thank you for listening! You are being played out by Action Strike which you are free to use in your projects. Now it's time for you to go make the game!

Behind the Waterfall

Argh it's all wet!! Forget it, I'll just email it to you. Oh we're already in email. OK.

Here's the recipe:

Matt’s Chili con Carne

  • 1 pound ground MEAT! (preferably beef or pork, or use diced mushrooms)
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 bell pepper, diced (green or orange are best)
  • (optional) 1 zucchini, diced
  • (optional) more veggies of your choice, diced
  • (optional) 1 4 oz can diced green chilis (mild)
  • (optional) 1-3 jalapeno(s) to your taste, diced (discard seeds)
  • 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 15 oz. can red beans (rinsed)
  • 1 15 oz. can white beans (rinsed)
  • 1 15 oz can black beans (rinsed)
  • (optional) 1 cup/can corn (or a cob or two)
  • 1-2 T lime juice
  • 3 T sugar
  • 2 T chili powder
  • 2 tsp. cumin
  • ½-1 tsp salt (to taste)
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • ½ tsp black ground pepper
  • (optional) cayenne powder (none = mild, small pinch = medium, ¼+ tsp = hotter)

Directions

  1. Mix the meat by hand with ½ tsp salt (and ½ tsp baking soda for extra browning).
  2. Heat oil (about 1 T) in a crock pot or similar.
  3. Add the meat to the pot in small chunks with space between (to encourage browning).
  4. Cook until browned (about 3-5 minutes per side).
  5. Smash up the meat with a spoon or whisk to the desired granularity.
  6. Add garlic, diced onion, pepper, and other optional vegetables like squash and zucchini.
  7. Cook until onion is translucent (about 6 minutes, stirring halfway).
  8. Add spices, stir and cook 1 minute.
  9. Add tomatoes, corn, and beans.
  10. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for at least 60 minutes.
  11. This chili is best after it has steeped in the fridge overnight.

Advanced techniques

  1. Use bacon fat instead of oil (extra flavor)
  2. Puree the kidney beans with the lime juice (texture and depth of flavor)
  3. Skin the peppers (skin texture can be unpleasant) or char the peppers (bell and jalapeno) over an open flame (delicious charred flavor)
  4. Add piquillo peppers, diced (yes yes yes)
  5. Use 3 kinds of sugar (white sugar, brown sugar, honey -- adds depth of flavor)

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