DGC Ep 479: Splinter Cell CT Bonus Interview with Clint Hocking

DGC Ep 479: Splinter Cell CT Bonus Interview with Clint Hocking

Author: Brett Douville and Tim Longo July 22, 2026 Duration: 1:14:57

Welcome to Dev Game Club, where this week we revisit our Splinter Cell conversation with a return interview with Clint Hocking. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary.

Podcast breakdown:
1:08 Interview
1:04:47 Break
1:05:11 Outro

Issues covered: who is responsible for the MDA framework, moving to Montreal and working with New Yorkers, world-relative cameras, figuring out console cameras, the struggles with camera and controls, a game that had all the elements, neoconservative fantasy to save the world from future threats, having a team form around the ashes of disagreement, doing three jobs, clarity in the goals, design sins, having invited moments vs supporting being better than the designer, establishing a systemic language, the most complicated doors in video games, being bottom-up, negotiating all the types of doors, everyone being on board with the approach, intrinically motivated engagement, motivating the desired experience, real-world examples of what it means to get 100%, the one job, being remote vs being in the job, level design and script writing between entwined, the state of the industry.

Games, people, and influences mentioned or discussed: UbiSoft, LucasArts, Valve, Amazon, Build Machine Games, Far Cry 2, Robin Hunicke, Mark LeBlanc, Robert Zubek, Doug Church, Red Storm Entertainment, Hitman, Halo, Xbox, Bounty Hunter, Jedi Knight, Metal Gear Solid (series), Resident Evil (series), The Fifth Element, James Bond, J. T. Petty, Rainbow Six, Call of Duty, Medal of Honor, EA, GoldenEye, Bloodborne, Sekiro, FromSoft, Dark Souls, mysterydip, Watch Dogs, Warren Spector, Psychonauts, Tim Schafer, Full Throttle, Kirk Hamilton, Aaron Evers, Mark Garcia. 

Next time:
Finish Psychonauts! (-ish)

Twitch: timlongojr and twinsunscorp
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DevGameClub@gmail.com 


Dev Game Club is a conversation between two working game developers who have been there. Each week, hosts Brett Douville and Tim Longo pick a classic video game from the past-often a title that shaped design thinking or introduced a new technical standard-and break it down from their professional perspective. Their discussions go beyond nostalgia, examining how these older titles functioned, why certain creative decisions were made, and what lasting impact they left on the industry. You’ll hear specific analysis of game mechanics, narrative structure, and technical achievements, all filtered through decades of hands-on development experience. The goal isn’t just to reminisce but to extract tangible lessons that are still relevant for creators and deeply interesting for passionate players today. They invite you to play the game in question alongside them, then settle in for a detailed, insider’s post-mortem. This podcast offers a unique blend of critical appreciation and practical insight, treating video game history as a living textbook. It’s for anyone who loves games and wants to understand the craft behind them on a deeper level. New episodes release regularly, diving into a different influential game from the archives.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Dev Game Club
Podcast Episodes
DGC Ep 469: Dungeon Keeper (part two) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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DGC Ep 468: Dungeon Keeper (part one) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Welcome to Dev Game Club, where this week we begin a new series on 1997's Dungeon Keeper. We set the game in its team, Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing co…
DGC Ep 467: LoZ: Majora's Mask (part five) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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DGC Ep 466: LoZ Majora's Mask (part four) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Welcome to Dev Game Club, where this week we continue our series on Majora's Mask. Though it might come off as fairly negative, due to some of the hang-ups we've had while playing, we still love the swing of this game. D…
DGC Ep 465: LoZ Majora's Mask (part three) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Welcome to Dev Game Club, where this week we continue our series on Majora's Mask. We finally get into a dungeon and also talk more about tone, weirdnesses in the save system, and other topics. Dev Game Club looks at cla…
DGC Ep 464: LoZ: Majora's Mask (part two) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:30:00
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where this week we continue our series on Majora's Mask. We talk a bit about getting stuck, the structure, and do some extended catch-up on email. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and…
DGC Ep 463: LoZ: Majora's Mask (part one) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24:02
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where this week we begin a new series on The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. We of course set the game first in its time and at Nintendo before turning to the opening and the feel of the game. D…
DGC Ep 462: Looking Back on a Decade [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:53:07
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where this week we comment on ten years of doing this podcast. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Note: we recorded ou…
DGC Ep 461: Ultima IV (part four) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:28:39
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where this week we complete our series on 1985's Ultima IV. We delve into dungeons, pilot ships all over, explore the later-game evolutions of the quest, and share some stories before turning to…
DGC Ep 460: Ultima IV (part three) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:27:25
Welcome to Dev Game Club, where this week we continue our series on Ultima IV. We talk about the boat, we talk about dungeons (a tiny bit), we deep dive into NPCs and consequences, we talk about the quests and how everyt…