All Systems Brough - Introduction

All Systems Brough - Introduction

Author: The Secret Lives of Games November 22, 2025 Duration: 2:01:41

We're joined by Frank Lantz (Q-UP) and Mare Sheppard + Raigan Burns of Metanet (N++) for the first episode of All Systems Brough, a year-long exploration of the work of Michael Brough. We share our thoughts on why Michael's oeuvre demands a deep dive, add some historical context, and share the plan for the year ahead. We also introduce a (final?) rebrand to the podcast!

Next episode: 868-HACK
(it's also recommended that you start playing Vesper.5 now to prepare for later)

 (Tentative) Episode/play order:

  1. 868-HACK

  2. Vertex Dispenser

  3. Zaga-33

  4. Vesper.5

  5. Corrypt

  6. Kompendium (plus digital archiving of O)

  7. BECOME A GREAT ARTIST IN JUST 10 SECONDS

  8. Helix (plus SMESPORT)

  9. Imbroglio

  10. Cinco Paus

  11. P1 Select (plus Quinzena maybe?) & Broughlike Game Jam Games

  12. 868-BACK (caveat: still in development)

Audio edited by Dylan Shumway

 
Discussed in this episode:

 

Michael Brough's Website

https://www.smestorp.com/ 

Michael O'Blivion's Youtube Channel

https://www.youtube.com/@michael_oblivion 

Flock

https://annapurnainteractive.com/en/games/flock 

Wilmot's Warehouse Boardgame

https://www.cmyk.games/products/wilmot

Q-UP

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3730790/QUP/

Donkeyspace (Frank's Substack)

https://franklantz.substack.com/

 The Beauty of Games

https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262552950/the-beauty-of-games/ 

 Metanet Software

https://www.metanetsoftware.com/about-us

 N++

https://nplusplus.org/

 PRACTICE 2015: Mare Sheppard

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBCDeMl4VwY 

 FTL

https://subsetgames.com/ftl.html

 Sylvie's Games

https://sylvie.website/

 A wild start, 41 points with no artifacts! (Cinco Paus LP ep 1) by vivafringe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-8xXBwAdG4

 Droqen's website

https://www.droqen.com/ 

 Raigan's bluesky (will give away free copies of Cinco Paus on Christmas!)

https://bsky.app/profile/raiganburns.bsky.social 

 Q-UP OST

https://kariomart.bandcamp.com/album/q-up-ost

 868-HACK (Steam)

https://store.steampowered.com/app/274700/868HACK/

Vesper.5 

https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2012/08/vesper5.html 



https://www.youtube.com/@thesecretlivesofgames

https://discord.com/invite/tslog

https://www.patreon.com/tslog


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
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