147: Digging Deep with The Roottrees are Dead

147: Digging Deep with The Roottrees are Dead

Author: The Secret Lives of Games October 10, 2025 Duration: 1:18:10

Laura chats with Jeremy Johnston and Robin Ward about The Roottrees are Dead, their genealogy, murder-mystery, "static deduction" game. We discuss the development process of taking a jam prototype to full release, developing hints and systems that lead players to satisfying discoveries, and the taxonomy of games like The Roottrees are Dead and The Return of the Obra Dinn.

Spoilers abound, so consider playing the game first before tuning in.


Audio edited by Dylan Shumway

 

Discussed in this episode:

The Roottrees are Dead (Steam) https://store.steampowered.com/app/2754380/The_Roottrees_are_Dead/  

The Roottrees are Dead (itch.io – Global Game Jam entry) https://jjohnstongames.itch.io/the-roottrees-are-dead 

Return of the Obra Dinn https://store.steampowered.com/app/653530/Return_of_the_Obra_Dinn/ 

Outer Wilds https://store.steampowered.com/app/753640/Outer_Wilds/ 

Her Story https://store.steampowered.com/app/368370/Her_Story/ 

Family https://owlskip-games.itch.io/family 

Type Help https://william-rous.itch.io/type-help 

The Rise of the Golden Idol https://store.steampowered.com/app/2716400/The_Rise_of_the_Golden_Idol/ 

Blue Prince https://store.steampowered.com/app/1569580/Blue_Prince/ 

Severance https://tv.apple.com/us/show/severance/umc.cmc.1srk2goyh2q2zdxcx605w8vtx 

White Lotus https://www.max.com/shows/white-lotus/14f9834d-bc23-41a8-ab61-5c8abdbea505

Righteous Gemstones https://www.max.com/shows/righteous-gemstones/c3bd0a34-c4ce-4ca5-bd6c-820df7340671 

Announcement: Eggplant Plays De Mol (2025 Season) https://eggplant.show/announcing-eggplant-plays-de-mol-2025-season 

The Genius (Korean Game Show) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Genius_(TV_series) 

Robin Ward's blog (links to socials included) https://eviltrout.com/ 

The Roottrees are Dead Discord server https://discord.com/invite/Z6Y5sE9Dgt 


https://eggplant.show/
https://discord.gg/eggplant
https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow


Ever wonder what really happens between the initial spark of an idea and the final product you play? The Secret Lives of Games pulls back the curtain, offering a rare, unvarnished look at the creative journey. Each episode is built around a candid conversation with a game creator, moving far beyond simple promotion to explore the messy, beautiful, and often surprising realities of their work. You’ll hear about the late-night breakthroughs, the frustrating dead ends, and the personal philosophies that shape the games we love. This podcast is less about reviews or news and more about understanding the human effort behind the pixels and code. It’s for anyone who’s curious about the art and craft of game development, whether you’re a seasoned player, an aspiring designer, or simply fascinated by creative processes. Listen in for genuine stories about problem-solving, narrative design, artistic choices, and the intricate process of building interactive worlds. These are the detailed, behind-the-scenes discussions that reveal how games truly come to life.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Secret Lives of Games
Podcast Episodes
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Ninpek [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:11
We're joined by Adam Robinson-Yu (A Short Hike) to discuss Ninpek, the third game in the UFO 50 collection. "It's ninja time! Run and jump to reach the end of the world." Next week: Paint Chase, with guest co-host Caroly…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Bug Hunter [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:48
We're joined by Frank Lantz (Universal Paperclips), Jack Schlesinger (Knotwords), and John Axon (Battle Vision Network) to discuss Bug Hunter, the second game in the UFO 50 collection. "The moon quarry has a bug problem…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Barbuta [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:58
We're joined by Xalavier Nelson Jr. (I Am Your Beast), Sylvie (Sylvie Lime), and Gabe Cuzzillo (Ape Out) to discuss Barbuta, the first game in the UFO 50 collection. "Explore the castle but watch out for traps!" Next wee…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Introduction [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:45
We introduce Eggplant Presents: A Year of UFO 50 - our new 1-year weekly show covering every game in the UFO 50 collection. Join us! Next week: Barbuta, with guest co-hosts Xalavier Nelson Jr. and Gabe Cuzzillo.
Into the Depths: Slice & Dice - Part 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:00:59
In this 3rd and final installment of our latest deep-dive miniseries, the crew continue to discuss "yahtzee roguelike" Slice & Dice, a host favorite that has made our GOTY list for two years running. We're joined once ag…
An otherworldly Eggplant announcement! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:38
Sorry for the lack of new episodes! We have some big stuff brewing though, tune into this announcement for the details.
141: Challenging Orthodoxy with sylvie [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:29:28
Doug and Zach talk to prolific game maker sylvie (love game), together with guest co-host Raigan Burns (Metanet Software). We talk about sylvie's design process, freeware games, subverting traditional orthodoxies around…
140: Minding Your Manors with Botany Manor [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:32
We're joined by Laure De Mey and Kitt Byrne of Balloon Studios to chat about their Victorian first-person puzzler Botany Manor. We discuss building a space that feels the right amount of "real," letting history guide you…

«1...678910