October Strategic Roadmap: Community Engagement and Level Design Initiatives

In this special update, host and lead level designer Max Pez outlines a transitional phase for the podcast as he prepares for the upcoming month of October. The episode focuses on three primary pillars: the launch of a new mailing list, the celebration of "Blocktober," and a shift toward interactive, live-streamed level design sessions.

Establishing Direct Communication via Mailing List

Recognizing the volatility of social media platforms—where users are migrating between "Twitter," "Blue Sky," and "Threads"—Max Pez has decided to prioritize a more stable method of outreach. He is launching a dedicated mailing list to ensure he can consistently "reach out to all of you incredible aspiring and current game devs."

Subscribers to this list will receive three emails per week, which include:

• Curated level design resources and ideas.
• Professional insights and career lessons.
• Exclusive Q&A sessions.
• A free guide: "10 tips towards better level design."

This shift is designed to centralize information for those "constantly looking to improve level design" without the need to hunt for updates across fragmented social channels.

The Blocktober Vision: God of War vs. Space Marine 2

October marks the industry-wide celebration of "Blocktober," a month dedicated to the art of level blocking. Max Pez is currently undecided between two major projects for this period:

1. God of War Level: Finishing an existing, nearly complete project that requires "rejigging a few things" and finalizing a specific chunk to connect the "final piece."
2. Space Marine 2 Level: Starting a fresh project from scratch, which would involve "gathering references," drafting "2D maps," and utilizing the "LDKit" to block out the environment.

He expresses a slight preference for finishing the God of War level, citing it as something that has been "on the back of my mind," though he invites audience feedback in the comments to help finalize his decision. Regardless of the project, the goal is to demonstrate the "pipeline and process" of professional level design.

Transition to Live-Streamed Content

For the month of October, the podcast will move away from its "usual scheduled content" in favor of weekly live streams. This pivot is intended to foster higher "engagement" and allow the community to see the "process" and "how I make different aspects of my levels" in real-time. Max emphasizes that these sessions will be a space where they can "talk to one another" and share what everyone else is working on, creating a collaborative environment.

Technical Updates and Future Outlook

Max also notes that there have been significant "updates to the LD kit" based on "incredible feedback" from the community. He plans to showcase these improvements during his October streams to demonstrate the kit's current capabilities.

Looking ahead, Max acknowledges that this live-stream format is a temporary experiment for October, noting, "I won't be continuing it after October, probably not just due to time." The host is currently away for the first half of September, and this "quick announcement" serves to prepare the audience so that they can "hit the ground running" upon his return. Furthermore, he teases that there will be at least one special episode in October featuring an "excited" guest, promising a high-value experience for listeners.