Meet Squanch Presents Andy Kibler!

Meet Squanch is back, and this week we're speaking with the amazing Mr. Andy Kibler!

If you don't know Andy, you should be familiar with a some of the games he's worked on. Having been in the industry since 2012, he's worked on notable titles including Destiny and Red Dead Redemption 2. He's also a big fan of good sour ale, with some great book recommendations for anyone who likes to look at written words.

Read on to learn more about Andy!

Andy Kibler, Senior Gameplay Designer

What do you do at Squanch?

I mainly work on the enemy AI.

How did you get into the industry?

I specifically went to and graduated from DigiPen to get into the game industry in 2012. I was a part of the first cohort to get through the technical design degree there and during the senior job fair I was hired by Gas Powered Games to work on Project Spark.

What are some of the games you’ve previously worked on?

• Nitronic Rush - at DigiPen as a student level designer
• Project Spark - at GPG as a content designer
• Destiny - at Bungie as an AI Tester
• Daylight - at Zombie Studios as a technical designer
• Battlenations - at Z2 as a designer
• Red Dead Redemption 2 - at Rockstar as a technical designer

Is there a game from your childhood that played a part in you pursuing a career in them?

Most likely Diablo 2, but I also have to attribute my desire to get into the industry from my dad who would randomly download game demos and have me play them when I was a kid. I’d walk up to him on the computer some mornings and he’d just tell me to play the thing he downloaded.

Can you share your favorite sandwich recipe?

I typically just get a nice loaf of bread, cut it into slices and throw ham, turkey and cheese onto it. Nothing too special.

What TV shows have you been watching recently?

My wife and I just finished Miracle Workers which was an interesting show. They completely changed up the character roles and setting in season 2, so I’ll be curious to see what season 3 ends up being.

I also finished season 5 of The Expanse which I have been enjoying. I get why season 6 is the end for the show as the book series does like a 10 year jump so I’ll be curious to see if Amazon picks it up again with the same actors. That would be wild to see.

If Superman can’t feel a bullet or train hitting him, do you really think he can feel the gentle caress of a woman?

Hmm, it could be one of those things where his skin acts like a non-newtonian fluid where the harder his skin is hit the less he feels. So, if it does work like that, he could definitely feel a gentle caress, but most likely not a slap, haha.

If you could chill on any beach in the world with a delicious beverage right now, what beach would you go to and which beverage would you drink?

Don’t know a specific location but I’d love to be at a beach with crystal clear water and be drinking some sort of sour ale. Can’t think of one off the top of my head but I do enjoy a good sour ale.

What advice do you have for others trying to get into games?

No matter how many times you get denied you just have to keep applying to places. Eventually someone will give you a shot. A school like DigiPen can help but these days there are so many resources online that you could theoretically learn a lot of stuff just by doing it yourself. The trick there is having the motivation and willpower to actually follow through with it. DigiPen gives you structure which can help but isn’t the magic bullet. You still have to put the work in and want to be in the industry.

Anything else you’d like to share?

Books I’d recommend:

• Broken Earth Series
• Mistborn Series
• The Expanse Series
• Foundation Series