What happens when sound meets storytelling in the gaming world? Benjamin Dawe and composer Samuel Shepherd unpack the journey of Sam’s musical project Parade Music, reflect on the indie artist grind, and break down why the right soundtrack can completely transform a game. They touch on the haunting beauty of Silent Hill 3, the cult-classic charm of Evergrace, and how Japanese music has left a global imprint on gaming. Trip-hop, Hyperpop, and more—we’re talking deep cuts and fresh takes.

The Three Thousands present Play List Ep. 04 - From TF2 to EA and Beyond: How Sam Kayler-Thomson Turned Passion into a Pro Game Dev Career.

In this episode, we sit down with Game Designer Sam Kayler-Thomson, who went from modding Team Fortress 2 in his bedroom to working at EA Designing Real Racing 3 and now at The Three Thousands. We cover everything from turning uni projects into paid gigs, surviving game dev deadlines, the real deal with esports + AI taking over car culture.

What you'll learn:

• How modding TF2 kickstarted Sam’s career

• The power of community feedback in game design

• Why QA might be the secret weapon in dev

• How AI is changing the game (literally) in car culture

Sean Reynolds, known as the 'Ghost Signs guy', shares his journey to becoming a Cultural Archaeologist, exploring the stories behind faded advertisements in Melbourne, Australia. He discusses the influence of video games on his life, particularly titles like Chrono Trigger, Maniac Mansion, and Mortal Kombat, and reflects on his experiences working in Hollywood. The conversation also touches on his transition to Australia, the vibrant culture of Melbourne, and the release of his book, 'Melbourne Ghost Signs', which delves into the history, significance and stories behind these signs in the community.

The Three Thousands bring you Play List Ep. 02 with Experience Design Director Guy Walshe.

We dive into the evolution of gaming through Guy’s lens—growing up in Hong Kong and shaping titles at Electronic Arts in Australia, Ubisoft in Toronto, and Ken Levine’s Ghost Story Games in Boston. He shares insights on adapting to Australia’s culture, the early days of online gaming with BBS, and the clever mechanics of underrated titles like Phantom Crash and Solar Winds.

From his shift from art to experience design, Guy reflects on pivotal moments with classics like Shadow of the Colossus and Bioshock. It’s a sharp, thoughtful convo—give it a listen!

From Atari to AI: 25 years in gaming with Mauro Fiore! Join host Benjamin Dawe on Episode 01 of the Play List podcast as he chats with veteran Game Director and Creative Director Mauro Fiore (ex-Rockstar Games, Zynga & Electronic Arts). Hear Mauro’s favorite games of all time, tales from the trenches of Game Development, the evolution of Game Design, and Mauro's take on the future of play.