On this episode of Hanselminutes, Scott talks with Bobby Lockhart, game designer and coauthor of The Game Designer’s Workbook. They explore the craft of game design, from turning ideas into playable experiences to balancing creativity with structure, and discuss how the principles in the workbook can help both aspiring and seasoned designers build better, more engaging games.

https://www.gamedesignersworkbook.com/

This episode is sponsored by Tuple and Postman

Check out https://tuple.app/hanselminutes for the best remote pair programming app on macOS and Windows

Check out https://postman.com/hanselminutes for powerful API development and testing

The Game Designers Workbook with Bobby Lockhart

On this episode of Hanselminutes, Scott talks with Bobby Lockhart, game designer and coauthor of The Game Designer’s Workbook. They explore the craft of game design, from turning ideas into playable experiences to balancing creativity with structure, and discuss how the principles in the workbook can help both aspiring and seasoned designers build better, more engaging games.

 * https://www.gamedesignersworkbook.com [https://www.gamedesignersworkbook.com/]

On this special episode of Hanselminutes, Scott reunites with .NET Principal Engineer Safia Abdalla, nearly 500 episodes and a decade after her first appearance on the show. They reflect on the arc of her career and the evolution of the developer landscape, discussing how building competence fuels confidence, how anxieties can compound in high-pressure environments, and what strategies help engineers sustain both technical excellence and personal growth over time.

This episode is sponsored by CodeRabbit and Tuple

For effortless AI code reviews, go to https://coderabbit.ai/

Check out https://tuple.app/hanselminutes for the best remote pair programming app on macOS and Windows

Competence builds confidence with .NET Principal Engineer Safia Abdalla

On this special episode of Hanselminutes, Scott reunites with .NET Principal Engineer Safia Abdalla, nearly 500 episodes and a decade after her first appearance on the show. They reflect on the arc of her career and the evolution of the developer landscape, discussing how building competence fuels confidence, how anxieties can compound in high-pressure environments, and what strategies help engineers sustain both technical excellence and personal growth over time.

On this episode of Hanselminutes, Scott Hanselman sits down with Netlify CEO and Jamstack creator Mathias Biilmann to talk about the future of web development in the age of AI. Recorded shortly before the announcement at Netlify Deploy, the conversation explores Netlify’s new AI Workflow, how it integrates with the Jamstack philosophy, what it means for developers building modern applications, and how AI-powered automation can streamline shipping dynamic, performant sites at scale.

 * https://www.netlify.com/deploy

Push your ideas to the web with Netlify CEO Mathias Biilmann

In this episode of Hanselminutes, Scott Hanselman talks with Tuple engineer Johnny Marler about the craft and culture of pair programming. They explore how intentional collaboration can sharpen problem-solving, reduce context switching, and build trust between teammates—especially in remote environments. Johnny shares lessons from developing Tuple, developing with native code on Windows, insights from the Zig community, and why pairing remains one of the most underrated tools in a developer’s toolkit.

Learn more about Tuple: https://tuple.app/hanselminutes

The Importance of Pair Programming with Tuple's Johnny Marler

In this episode of Hanselminutes, Scott Hanselman talks with Tuple engineer Johnny Marler about the craft and culture of pair programming. They explore how intentional collaboration can sharpen problem-solving, reduce context switching, and build trust between teammates—especially in remote environments. Johnny shares lessons from developing Tuple, developing with native code on Windows, insights from the Zig community, and why pairing remains one of the most underrated tools in a developer’s toolkit.

 * https://tuple.app

In this episode of Hanselminutes, Scott Hanselman sits down with Adam Jacob, co-founder of SystemInit and creator of Chef, to explore the provocative question: Can AI save DevOps? Together, they unpack the growing complexity of modern infrastructure, the limits of human-scale operations, and how AI-driven systems might reshape the way we build, deploy, and maintain software. From declarative intent to autonomous remediation, Adam shares his vision for a future where DevOps isn't just automated—it’s intelligent.

 * https://systeminit.com

Can AI save DevOps? with SystemInit's Adam Jacob

In this episode of Hanselminutes, Scott sits down with Noel Berry, co-creator of Celeste, to explore his philosophy and process for making games in 2025, without relying on big commercial engines. Noel shares why he prefers building lightweight, custom tools over heavyweight platforms like Unity or Unreal, how modern C#, SDL3, and open‑source libraries empower small teams, and the creative freedom that comes from owning every layer of the stack. From crafting bespoke level editors to ensuring long‑term portability, Noel offers a candid look at the technical choices and personal values shaping his latest projects, including City of None.

 * https://noelberry.ca/posts/making_games_in_2025/

Making Video Games in 2025 with Celeste's Noel Berry

This week Scott welcomes Tyler Bushnell, founder of Polycade, to talk about reimagining the arcade experience for modern homes. Drawing on his family's Atari legacy, Tyler shares how Polycade blends retro charm with sleek design and modern game libraries—all while encouraging face-to-face connection. From Kickstarter roots to Techstars growth, we explore how Polycade became a favorite among creators and why the future of gaming might look more social than ever!

 * https://www.polycade.com

The Ultimate Home Arcade with Polycade's Tyler Bushnell

Hanselminutes is Fresh Air for Developers. A weekly commute-time podcast that promotes fresh technology and fresh voices. Talk and Tech for Developers, Life-long Learners, and Technologists.

Scott Hanselman

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