Designer Notes 89: Patrice Desilets - Part 1

Designer Notes 89: Patrice Desilets - Part 1

Author: Idle Thumbs July 3, 2025 Duration: 1:44:27
In this episode, Soren interviews veteran game designer Patrice Desilets, best known for his work on Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, the Assassin’s Creed series, and Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey. They discuss being hired as the first developer at Ubisoft Montreal, the similarities between improv theater and game design, and why he wants to remove UI from his games. This episode was recorded on April 15, 2025.

Soren Johnson, founder of Mohawk Games, hosts Designer Notes, a podcast from Idle Thumbs that digs into the personal histories and creative philosophies behind game development. The central question isn't just about how games are made, but why people dedicate their lives to making them. Each conversation moves beyond a single project, tracing a guest's entire journey through the industry to uncover the formative experiences, pivotal failures, and core beliefs that shape their work. You'll hear from noted designers as they reflect on their careers with a rare depth and candor, offering more than just postmortems or technical breakdowns. These discussions reveal the human stories behind the games, exploring the intersections of craft, art, and business that define a designer's path. Listening feels like being a fly on the wall for a thoughtful, meandering chat between colleagues who share a deep passion for the medium. The Designer Notes podcast provides a unique long-form perspective on game creation, making it essential for anyone curious about the people and processes that bring interactive worlds to life. It’s a series for those who appreciate that the most compelling design lessons are often wrapped in personal narrative and professional hindsight.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 92

Designer Notes
Podcast Episodes
Designer Notes 31: Margaret Robertson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:32:16
In this episode, Adam Saltsman interviews Margaret Robertson, Game Director at PlayDots. Margaret is known for her pioneering work at Hide & Seek and as editor-in-chief at EDGE magazine. They discuss how to make a game a…
Designer Notes 30: Steve Gaynor - Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:52:14
In this episode, Soren interviews Steve Gaynor, co-founder of The Fullbright Company and best known for his work on BioShock 2, Minerva’s Den, and Gone Home. They discuss whether audio diaries need to make sense, why the…
Designer Notes 29: Steve Gaynor - Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:03:51
In this episode, Soren interviews Steve Gaynor, co-founder of The Fullbright Company and best known for his work on BioShock 2, Minerva’s Den, and Gone Home. They discuss how bad Sierra adventure design could be, why he…
Designer Notes 28: George Fan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:52:29
In this episode, Soren interviews independent game designer George Fan, who is best known as the creator of Insaniquarium and Plants vs Zombies. They discuss why he learned to program instead of just focusing on art, how…
Designer Notes 27: Lucas Pope [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:06
In this episode, Adam Saltsman interviews independent game developer Lucas Pope, best known for the immigration officer simulation Papers Please. They discuss how Naughty Dog taught him to mercilessly cut features, why i…
Designer Notes 26: Sid Meier - Part 4 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:43:07
In this episode, Soren Johnson interviews legendary game designer Sid Meier, best known for designing Pirates!, Railroad Tycoon, and Civilization. They discuss what game Sid wishes he designed, how to determine if a prot…
Designer Notes 25: Sid Meier - Part 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:50:39
In this episode, Soren Johnson interviews legendary game designer Sid Meier, best known for designing Pirates!, Railroad Tycoon, and Civilization. They discuss why dinosaurs need to have ranged attacks, how deals go down…
Designer Notes 24: Sid Meier - Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:46:48
In this episode, Soren Johnson interviews legendary game designer Sid Meier, best known for designing Pirates!, Railroad Tycoon, and Civilization. They discuss how Sid’s stealth fighter was more interesting than the real…
Designer Notes 23: Sid Meier - Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24:50
In this episode, Soren Johnson interviews legendary game designer Sid Meier, best known for designing Pirates!, Railroad Tycoon, and Civilization. They discuss using the Ayatollah Khomeini as an enemy, how Strike Eagle d…
Designer Notes 22: Amy Hennig - Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:38:37
In this episode, Soren Johnson interviews veteran game designer Amy Hennig, best known for her work on the Legacy of Kain and Uncharted series. They discuss what elements from film can’t work in games, how many hours she…