The Secret Lives of Games

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 the episodes, and to play a Mol guessing game with us.
Links:
Ep 122: Finding Decency in Reality with Gilles De Coster (De Mol)
https://secretlives.games/122-finding-decency-in-reality-with-gilles-de-coster-de-mol
TSLOG Interview with Wouter Verstichel
https://secretlives.games/eggplant-tv-plays-de-mol-2025-season-interview-with-wouter-verstichel
TSLOG (formerly "Eggplant") De Mol 2024 recap series
https://www.patreon.com/tslog
 
https://secretlives.games 
https://discord.gg/tslog
https://www.patreon.com/tslog

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 year-long exploration of the work of Michael Brough: Zaga-33. 
This episode: Zaga-33
Next Month: Corrypt (and Lost Levels)
Audio edited by Dylan Shumway.
Discussed in this episode:
Zaga-33
https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2012/04/zaga-33.html 
868-BACK (Next Fest demo on February 23rd, 2026!)
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3304110/868BACK/ 
Michael Brough's Website
https://www.smestorp.com/ 
The Besties
https://www.themcelroy.family/podcasts/besties/ 
Post Games
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/post-games/id1815131711 
Rand's Zaga-33 Guide
https://discord.com/channels/690388280767807518/1442555333091262566/1475568523018371295 
Drop7
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drop7 
Desert Golfing
https://store.steampowered.com/app/757040/Desert_Golfing/ 
7 Day Roguelike (7DRL) version of Zaga-33
https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2012/03/7drl-zaga-33.html
Assorted comments on Zaga-33
https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2012/05/zaga-33-assorted-comments.html
Blog about scoring in games
https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2012/05/score-comment-threads-dominant.html
Brick101 Review of all 36 combo powers in Zaga-33
https://brick101.com/reviewing-all-36-combo-powers-in-zaga-33/
Blog about iOS sale numbers
https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2012/06/ios-sale-numbers.html
Follow-up blog on iOS sales numbers
https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2012/06/because-we-may-results.html
Blog on zaga, score, expressivity, and personality
https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2012/08/zaga-score-expressivity-personality.html
Blog on creating advancement in roguelikes
https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2013/03/7drl-day-2.html
7 Day Roguelike website
https://7drl.com/
PRACTICE 2013: Michael Brough
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4iswqa8r-Q
 
https://secretlives.games/ 
https://discord.gg/tslog
https://www.patreon.com/tslog
https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow

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 even having a couple surprise guests drop in. Let's get loose!


Audio edited by Dylan Shumway

Discussed in this episode:
Scripto
https://scripto.live/
Starfriends
https://shop.brainfruit.studio/products/starfriends-card-game 
2026 Independent Games Festival Awards
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoH4EmfB4Z4
Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
https://store.steampowered.com/app/205730/Insanely_Twisted_Shadow_Planet/ 
Dustbiters
https://dustbiters.com/
Tooth and Tail
https://store.steampowered.com/app/286000/Tooth_and_Tail/
Brogue
https://sites.google.com/site/broguegame/ 
Caves of Qud
https://www.cavesofqud.com/
Monaco 2
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1063030/Monaco_2/



https://secretlives.games 
https://discord.gg/tslog
https://www.patreon.com/tslog

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 they help organize. They discuss some of the Festival's origins, the logistics of producing in-person games events, the state of alt-control/arts-focused games events around the world, the relationship between South African culture and Playtopia's structure, the importance of showing the new generation how to create these spaces, the balance of growing and maintaining a festival community, and more!  

Audio edited by Dylan Shumway
Discussed in this episode:
Playtopia Festival
https://playtopiafestival.co.za/about/ 
Shroom and Gloom
https://teamlazerbeam.itch.io/shroom-and-gloom
Jamming to map creative scenes and practices by Anya Venter
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02681102.2023.2281423
A MAZE Festival
https://2026.amaze-berlin.de/
The future of public game arts festivals and non-commercial games culture by Robert Yang
https://www.blog.radiator.debacle.us/2026/02/the-future-of-public-game-arts.html
Draknek New Voices Puzzle Grant
https://grants.draknek.org/ 
Don't Get Your Hopes Up
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3795490/Dont_Get_Your_Hopes_Up/
boshi's place
https://boshis.place/events/ 
Glitch City
https://glitch.city/ 
Blood on the Clocktower
https://bloodontheclocktower.com/?country=US 
Pro Jank Footy
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3621330/Pro_Jank_Footy/
Plum Road Tea Dream
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3206340/Plum_Road_Tea_Dream/
Plum Road Tea Dream (Performance)
https://plum-road-tea-dream.com/#performance 
Dressmaker
https://store.steampowered.com/app/4019220/Dressmaker/
Cozy Lives Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/cozylivesgames/reels/
Free Lives Discord
https://discord.com/invite/freelives
Sex with Friends
https://store.steampowered.com/agecheck/app/3407070/
Wee Boats
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3578080/Wee_Boats/
Relooted
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3255890/Relooted/
Cadence
https://store.steampowered.com/app/362800/Cadence/ 
Starfriends
https://starfriends.online
Playtopia 2025 Showcased Games
https://playtopiafestival.co.za/games-2025/
 
https://secretlives.games 
https://discord.gg/tslog
https://www.patreon.com/tslog

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 they help organize. They discuss some of the Festival's origins, the logistics of producing in-person games events, the state of alt-control/arts-focused games events around the world, the relationship between South African culture and Playtopia's structure, the importance of showing the new generation how to create these spaces, the balance of growing and maintaining a festival community, and more!  

Audio edited by Dylan Shumway
Discussed in this episode:
Playtopia Festival
https://playtopiafestival.co.za/about/ 
Shroom and Gloom
https://teamlazerbeam.itch.io/shroom-and-gloom
Jamming to map creative scenes and practices by Anya Venter
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02681102.2023.2281423
A MAZE Festival
https://2026.amaze-berlin.de/
The future of public game arts festivals and non-commercial games culture by Robert Yang
https://www.blog.radiator.debacle.us/2026/02/the-future-of-public-game-arts.html
Draknek New Voices Puzzle Grant
https://grants.draknek.org/ 
Don't Get Your Hopes Up
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3795490/Dont_Get_Your_Hopes_Up/
boshi's place
https://boshis.place/events/ 
Glitch City
https://glitch.city/ 
Blood on the Clocktower
https://bloodontheclocktower.com/?country=US 
Pro Jank Footy
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3621330/Pro_Jank_Footy/
Plum Road Tea Dream
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3206340/Plum_Road_Tea_Dream/
Plum Road Tea Dream (Performance)
https://plum-road-tea-dream.com/#performance 
Dressmaker
https://store.steampowered.com/app/4019220/Dressmaker/
Cozy Lives Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/cozylivesgames/reels/
Free Lives Discord
https://discord.com/invite/freelives
Sex with Friends
https://store.steampowered.com/agecheck/app/3407070/
Wee Boats
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3578080/Wee_Boats/
Relooted
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3255890/Relooted/
Cadence
https://store.steampowered.com/app/362800/Cadence/ 
Playtopia 2025 Showcased Games
https://playtopiafestival.co.za/games-2025/
 
https://secretlives.games 
https://discord.gg/tslog
https://www.patreon.com/tslog