EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Rock On! Island

EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Rock On! Island

Author: The Secret Lives of Games April 18, 2025 Duration: 1:48:25

We're joined by Stephanie Boluk (UC Davis), Patrick LeMieux (UC Davis), and Gab Koenig (Tux and Fanny) to discuss Rock On! Island, the 30th game in the UFO 50 collection.

"Rally your cavemen and defend your cave from waves of attacking dinosaurs."

Next week: Pingolf

Audio edited by Dylan Shumway.


Discussed in this episode:

Jon Perry – How Tabletop Design Helped Shape 'UFO 50'
https://gdcvault.com/play/1035154/How-Tabletop-Design-Helped-Shape 

Bloons TD 6
https://store.steampowered.com/app/960090/Bloons_TD_6/

PixelJunk Monsters 2
https://store.steampowered.com/app/749800/PixelJunk_Monsters_2/ 

Orcs Must Die!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/102600/Orcs_Must_Die/ 

Dungeon Defenders
https://store.steampowered.com/app/65800/Dungeon_Defenders/ 

Go Home Dinosaurs!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/216090/Go_Home_Dinosaurs/ 

Tillmonk Spreadsheet with Rock On! Island Maps
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1SKJjhP__EzNfMxeaDgvVVizerLlmimvsrVh-z13CAlo/edit?gid=358915784#gid=358915784 

Brick101 Save Between Waves Mod
https://github.com/davidmpickett/ufo50-rock-on-island-save-state 

Tooth and Tail
https://store.steampowered.com/app/286000/Tooth_and_Tail/ 

Blood on the Clocktower
https://bloodontheclocktower.com/ 

A Year of UFO 50 - Mortol
https://eggplant.show/ep-a-year-of-ufo-50-mortol 

Into the Depths: Kentucky Route Zero - Part 1
https://eggplant.show/into-the-depths-kentucky-route-zero-part-1 

A Year of UFO 50 - Party House
https://eggplant.show/ep-a-year-of-ufo-50-party-house 

"Yes, And"-ing Your Design with Albert Birney and Gabriel Koenig (Tux and Fanny) https://eggplant.show/128-yes-and-ing-your-design-with-albert-birney-and-gabriel-koenig-tux-and-fanny 

 

https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow 

http://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
TSLOG TV Plays De Mol (2026 season) - Episode 4 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:42:24
We're recapping the 2026 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 14). Laura, Jey, and Doug recap Episode 4. Who is the Mole, and will Doug end up getting the lowest possible score in our Mole guessing game…
TSLOG TV Plays De Mol (2026 season) - Episode 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:28:21
We're recapping the 2026 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 14). Laura, Jey, and Doug recap Episode 3. Who is the Mole, and why was Yannis laughing so hysterically at some November rain? Join us on th…
TSLOG TV Plays De Mol (2026 season) - Episode 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:33:14
We're recapping the 2026 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 14). Laura, Jey, and Doug recap Episode 2. Who is the Mole, and should they receive an Oscar for their duplicitous performance? Join us on t…
156: Filling Buckets with Tonda Ros (Blue Prince) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:03:47
We chat with Tonda Ros (Dogubomb) one year after the release of his genre-blending room-drafting puzzlebox sensation, Blue Prince. Our discussion covers Tonda's year as the game's representative in the world; his inspira…
TSLOG TV Plays De Mol (2026 season) - Episode 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:35:56
We're recapping the 2026 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 14). Laura, Jey, and Doug tango with Episode 1 and share their Mole suspicions. Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about…
All Systems Brough - Zaga-33 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:35:06
We're joined by Chris Plante (Besties, Post Games), Hayden "Docky" Scott-Baron (Planet Coaster), and Rand Hall (voicemailer extraordinaire, Zaga-33 guide writer) for the fourth title in our year of All Systems Brough, a…
155: GDC 2026 LIVE Special! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:29:33
Recorded live from the Game Developers Conference 2026! They gave us time in the Official Podcast Box, so we made the most of it discussing the process of writing for the IGF Awards, reflecting on the culture of GDC, and…
154: Gathering Community with Ben Rausch and Anja Venter (Playtopia) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:06:08
Doug and Rob are joined by Stephanie Boluk (UC Davis) and Patrick LeMieux (UC Davis) chat with Ben Rausch (Team Lazerbeam) and Anja Venter (Free Lives) about the Playtopia Festival for Indie Games & Immersive Arts that t…
All Systems Brough - Kompendium [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:42:20
We're joined by droqen (The End of Gameplay, Starseed Pilgrim), Liz Ryerson (musician, writer, podcaster), and Harry Lee Shang Lun (Earthrise One) for the third title in our year of All Systems Brough, a year-long explor…