Game Dev Podcast | Coffee with Butterscotch

In episode 553 of 'Coffee with Butterscotch,' the brothers  take stock of a wild year at Butterscotch Shenanigans, starting with the launch of Crashlands 2 and everything that came after it. They talk about testing woes, localization headaches, and the emotional rollercoaster of reading reviews. From there, the conversation turns forward-looking, unpacking why the team is shifting toward smaller, faster projects, what they learned from early experiments with How Many Dudes, and how tools like Ludokit fit into their next chapter.Support How Many Dudes!Official Website: https://www.bscotch.net/games/how-many-dudesTrailer Teaser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgQM1SceEpISteam Wishlist: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3934270/How_Many_Dudes00:00 Cold Open00:42 Introduction and Welcome02:44 Crashlands 2 Development Challenges05:41 Launch Day Success and Initial Reception08:45 Content Updates and Player Feedback11:46 Navigating Reviews and Player Expectations14:46 Post-Launch Reflections and Future Directions17:49 Introducing Ludokid: A New Tool for Game Development25:06 Casual Conversations and Game Development Insights25:42 Achievements and Game Mechanics26:38 Ludo Kit and Development Planning28:33 Pivoting to 'How Many Dudes'30:05 Shifting Game Development Strategies31:35 Changing Perceptions of Indie Games34:36 Market Trends and Player Expectations37:54 The Evolution of Game Design40:40 Game Jams and Rapid Prototyping44:49 Demo Development and Market Testing47:54 Future Plans and Community EngagementTo stay up to date with all of our buttery goodness subscribe to the podcast on Apple podcasts (apple.co/1LxNEnk) or wherever you get your audio goodness. If you want to get more involved in the Butterscotch community, hop into our DISCORD server at discord.gg/bscotch and say hello! Submit questions at https://www.bscotch.net/podcast, disclose all of your secrets to [email protected], and send letters, gifts, and tasty treats to https://bit.ly/bscotchmailbox. Finally, if you’d like to support the show and buy some coffee FOR Butterscotch, head over to https://moneygrab.bscotch.net. ★ Support this podcast ★

In episode 552 of 'Coffee with Butterscotch,' the brothers celebrate a big personal milestone before diving into why demos matter more than ever for indie games. They break down how demos drive visibility on Steam, why they work best as hype-builders rather than pure conversion tools, and how thoughtful demo timing can spark organic player engagement. The conversation looks at demos as living marketing tools that fuel wishlists, feedback, and long-term momentum.Support How Many Dudes!Official Website: https://www.bscotch.net/games/how-many-dudesTrailer Teaser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgQM1SceEpISteam Wishlist: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3934270/How_Many_Dudes00:00 Cold Open00:29 Introduction and Welcome03:02 Celebrating Milestones: 10 Years Cancer-Free09:49 The Importance of Demos in Game Development14:01 Navigating Game Releases During Holidays14:51 The Purpose of Demos in Game Marketing18:36 Understanding Player Engagement Metrics20:24 The Role of Demos in Driving Wishlists22:37 Optimizing Demos for Next Fest Success24:27 Using Demos Beyond Next Fest26:03 Case Study: The Success of Bellatro36:27 Strategizing Demo Releases for Market Impact37:01 The Power of Demos in Game Marketing39:25 Leveraging Community Feedback for Game Development41:10 Creating Organic Buzz Through Accessibility44:08 The Risks and Rewards of Demo Releases49:32 Incremental Development and Localization Strategies51:34 The Purpose of Demos: Marketing vs. ConversionTo stay up to date with all of our buttery goodness subscribe to the podcast on Apple podcasts (apple.co/1LxNEnk) or wherever you get your audio goodness. If you want to get more involved in the Butterscotch community, hop into our DISCORD server at discord.gg/bscotch and say hello! Submit questions at https://www.bscotch.net/podcast, disclose all of your secrets to [email protected], and send letters, gifts, and tasty treats to https://bit.ly/bscotchmailbox. Finally, if you’d like to support the show and buy some coffee FOR Butterscotch, head over to https://moneygrab.bscotch.net. ★ Support this podcast ★

In episode 551 of 'Coffee with Butterscotch,' the brothers talk about why flailing is not a failure mode, it’s the strategy. They unpack how progress in game development, marketing, and life often comes from trying lots of things without knowing which will work, then slowing down as signals start to appear. It’s a look at uncertainty, experimentation, and why nobody really knows the answer, but everyone figures out a small piece by doing.Support How Many Dudes!Official Website: https://www.bscotch.net/games/how-many-dudesTrailer Teaser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgQM1SceEpISteam Wishlist: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3934270/How_Many_Dudes00:00 Cold Open00:25 Introduction and Welcome02:41 Navigating YouTube and Game Development Insights05:40 The Indie Game Developer Experience08:43 Flailing Towards Success: The Random Walk11:43 Exploring New Strategies and Marketing Approaches14:37 The Importance of Experimentation in Game Development17:43 R&D and the Value of Unpredictability20:40 Closing Thoughts on Research and Development21:38 The ROI of Science in Game Development22:17 Designing Game Mechanics: Chaos vs. Structure23:36 Iterative Design: Balancing Planning and Flexibility24:55 Class Systems and Game Evolution27:28 High-Level Planning vs. Low-Level Details30:18 Scaffolding for Game Development34:38 The Challenge of Crafting Systems36:33 Navigating Constraints in Game Design40:13 The Importance of User Feedback42:41 The Role of Humor in Game DevelopmentTo stay up to date with all of our buttery goodness subscribe to the podcast on Apple podcasts (apple.co/1LxNEnk) or wherever you get your audio goodness. If you want to get more involved in the Butterscotch community, hop into our DISCORD server at discord.gg/bscotch and say hello! Submit questions at https://www.bscotch.net/podcast, disclose all of your secrets to [email protected], and send letters, gifts, and tasty treats to https://bit.ly/bscotchmailbox. Finally, if you’d like to support the show and buy some coffee FOR Butterscotch, head over to https://moneygrab.bscotch.net. ★ Support this podcast ★

In episode 550 of 'Coffee with Butterscotch,' the brothers take a hard look at online ads and why they rarely deliver the wishlist conversions indie devs hope for. They break down misleading metrics, misclicks, and the high cost of chasing visibility through paid channels. The conversation also gets into conventions and showcases, exploring why in-person events are great for networking and playtesting but often fall short as direct sales drivers. It’s a grounded look at where marketing effort actually pays off and where it evaporates into thin air.Support How Many Dudes!Official Website: https://www.bscotch.net/games/how-many-dudesTrailer Teaser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgQM1SceEpISteam Wishlist: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3934270/How_Many_Dudes00:00 Cold Open00:12 Introduction and Welcome02:48 The Role of YouTube Shorts in Game Promotion05:32 Understanding Steam's Algorithm and Wishlist Dynamics08:44 Challenges of Scaling Marketing Efforts11:27 Exploring YouTube Ads and Their Effectiveness14:31 Evaluating the Impact of Advertising on Game Visibility19:54 Navigating Google Ads for Game Promotion22:51 Analyzing Click-Through Rates and Conversions26:07 The Efficacy of YouTube Ads29:45 The Illusion of Effective Advertising34:47 The Uncertainty of Marketing Outcomes41:47 Evaluating Events and Conventions43:09 Digital Events and Showcases45:39 The Challenge of Exclusivity in Marketing49:09 Understanding Randomness in Game Promotion51:45 The Cost-Effectiveness of Marketing Approaches55:02 Balancing Development and Marketing EffortsTo stay up to date with all of our buttery goodness subscribe to the podcast on Apple podcasts (apple.co/1LxNEnk) or wherever you get your audio goodness. If you want to get more involved in the Butterscotch community, hop into our DISCORD server at discord.gg/bscotch and say hello! Submit questions at https://www.bscotch.net/podcast, disclose all of your secrets to [email protected], and send letters, gifts, and tasty treats to https://bit.ly/bscotchmailbox. Finally, if you’d like to support the show and buy some coffee FOR Butterscotch, head over to https://moneygrab.bscotch.net. ★ Support this podcast ★

In episode 549 of 'Coffee with Butterscotch,' the brothers dig into how short-form video fits into indie game marketing and why it should be part of development from the start. They talk about tools, storytelling, and the strange logic of YouTube Shorts and TikTok, then get into what engagement metrics actually mean and how to use them without overthinking it. The conversation focuses on experimenting, learning from the data, and using community feedback to shape both your game and your marketing.Support How Many Dudes!Official Website: https://www.bscotch.net/games/how-many-dudesTrailer Teaser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgQM1SceEpISteam Wishlist: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3934270/How_Many_Dudes00:00 Cold Open00:25 Introduction and Welcome02:47 Creating Engaging Short-Form Content05:34 Tools and Techniques for Video Editing08:39 Understanding YouTube Shorts11:50 Crafting Compelling Stories in Shorts14:39 Experimentation and Iteration in Content Creation21:19 Engagement Strategies for Video Launches26:21 Understanding Video Performance Metrics28:38 The Importance of Stick Rate32:14 Algorithm Behavior and Video Longevity40:31 Translating Engagement into Sales44:38 Engagement Challenges with YouTube Shorts46:49 Analyzing Video Performance and Viewer Retention49:07 Understanding YouTube's Algorithm and Game Discovery54:11 The Importance of Video Structure and Viewer Engagement59:44 Identifying Signals of Success in Game Development01:03:46 Community Insights and Sharing Data for GrowthTo stay up to date with all of our buttery goodness subscribe to the podcast on Apple podcasts (apple.co/1LxNEnk) or wherever you get your audio goodness. If you want to get more involved in the Butterscotch community, hop into our DISCORD server at discord.gg/bscotch and say hello! Submit questions at https://www.bscotch.net/podcast, disclose all of your secrets to [email protected], and send letters, gifts, and tasty treats to https://bit.ly/bscotchmailbox. Finally, if you’d like to support the show and buy some coffee FOR Butterscotch, head over to https://moneygrab.bscotch.net. ★ Support this podcast ★