Jan. 6, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E1 - Mailbag #2
This week, we answer some more of the popular questions from our inbox.
Jan. 13, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E2 - Non-Combat Gaming
This week, we consider the neglected potential for game experiences that aren't combat based.
Jan. 20, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E3 - Piracy
This week, we dive headfirst into the controversies of video game piracy.
Jan. 27, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E4 - Amnesia and Story Structure
This week, we talk a bit about Three Act Structure, In Medias Res and amnesia as a plot device.
Feb. 3, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E5 - Playing Like a Designer Part 1
This week, we talk about how to play games like a game designer. At least, we start to.
Feb. 10, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E6 - Playing Like a Designer Part 2
This week, we finish talking about how to play games like a game designer, from which games to play to what you should watch for.
Feb. 17, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E7 - Achievements
This week, by special request, we finally get around to talking about achievements.
Feb. 24, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E8 - An Open Letter to EA Marketing
This week, we turn a critical eye to some of EA's worst recent marketing campaigns.
March 3, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E9 - Ludus Florentis
This week, we try our best to describe a big upcoming change in the world of video games, as well as what's causing it.
March 10, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E10 - True Female Characters
This week, we look at what it takes to write a great female game character.
March 17, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E11 - Tutorials 101
This week, as promised, we take a closer look at how to build a good tutorial.
March 24, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E12 - Tangential Learning
This week, we talk about one of the ways games can teach us new things (without being boring about it).
March 31, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E13 - Gamification
This week, we talk about the ways game systems are starting to be applied to real life, and what this means for the future. Also, we are joined by our first guest artist!
April 7, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E14 - Metrics
This week, we talk about the increasing focus on Metrics in the game industry, and the possible results this trend might have (both good and bad).
April 14, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E15 - Consoles are the New Coin-Op
This week, we speculate that game consoles might soon be going the way of the arcade (and why that doesn't have to be a scary thing).
April 21, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E16 - Games You Might Not Have Tried (...or Heard Of)
This week, we list a bunch of our favorite "under-the-radar" games.
April 28, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E17 - Learning From Other M
This week, we discuss some of Metroid: Other M's failings, and how similar games might avoid them in the future.
May 5, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E18 - Gamifying Education
This week, we offer some general examples for ways to improve education using game design techniques.
May 12, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E19 - Graphics vs Aesthetics
This week, we define the difference between a games "graphics" and a game's "aesthetic", and why that distinction matters.
May 19, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E20 - The Myth of the Gun
This week, we try to figure out why the U.S. has always produced more First Person Shooters than Japan.
May 26, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E21 - NOT a Security Episode
Now that the whole PSN mess is (mostly) wrapped up, we discuss the changing relationship between corporation and consumer, and the trust that relationship is going to require.
June 2, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E22 - Anonymous
This week, we take a quick break from all the games talk to discuss Anonymous, and whether or not they were actually behind the PSN outage.
June 9, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E23 - Our Oscars
This week, we talk about the need for video games to have their own "Oscars", and what that show might look like.
June 16, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E24 - The Role of the Player
This week, we get into a little bit of video game theory, discussing the creative contribution of the player to a game.
June 23, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E25 - Game Reviews
This week, we talk about reviewing games, how to pursue a game reviewing career, and how game reviewing might be improved overall.
June 30, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E26 - Race in Games
This week, we finally get around to talking about race in games, thanks mostly to the release of L.A. Noire.
July 7, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E27 - Sharing Our Medium
Video games can actually be pretty intimidating to newcomers. This week, we offer some tips for how to introduce others to our medium.
July 14, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E28 - Microtransactions
This week, we talk about microtransactions, and how they COULD be a pretty great thing if we'd just start doing them right.
July 21, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E29 - S.978 and Operation Rainfall
This week, we share some of our thoughts on two current(ish) events: the dreaded S.978 bill and Operation Rainfall.
July 27, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E30 - The Pre-Production Problem
This week, we kick off the Guest Art Marathon with a discussion on why games really need to start making time for pre-production.
Aug. 3, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E31 - "Art" Is Not the Opposite of "Fun"
This week, we address the common claim that advancing games as an art means making them less fun.
Aug. 10, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E32 - The MMORTS
This week, we address the potential for the MMORTS genre, as well as the reasons why making one seems to be such a difficult challenge.
Aug. 17, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E33 - Game Addiction part 1
This week, we begin a two-part series on the much-debated topic of "Game Addiction."
Aug. 24, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E34 - Game Addiction part 2
This week, we conclude our two-part series on the much-debated topic of "Game Addiction" (in a very, VERY unusual way).
Aug. 31, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E35 - Let's Talk About Publishing
This week, we get everyone up to speed on the Rockethub details. After that, we share our plans for the EC Indie Fund! Link to the EC Indie Fund rockethub page!
Sept. 7, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E36 - Pacing
This week, we discuss proper pacing and it's influence on game design.
Sept. 14, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E37 - Cutscenes
This week, we discuss the role (and frequent misuse) of cutscenes in video games.
Sept. 21, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E38 - Pro Gaming
This week, we consider the reasons why professional gaming hasn't really caught on in the West (yet).
Sept. 28, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E39 - Games You Might Not Have Tried #2
This week, we list off some more interesting games you might never have heard of (or gotten around to trying).
Oct. 5, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E40 - So You Want To Be a Producer
This week, we take a close look at one of the game industry's less-appreciated roles: the Producer. This week's guest art by LeeLee Scaldaferri! Check out her weekly webcomic, Name Game!
Oct. 12, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E41 - Propaganda Games
This week, we consider the unfortunate potential games have as tools for propaganda.
Oct. 19, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E42 - Call of Juarez: The Cartel
This week, we further examine the "lazy design" we discussed last week by picking apart a specific title: Call of Juarez: The Cartel.
Oct. 26, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E43 - Zombies
This week (for some Halloween fun), we decided to talk about zombies.
Nov. 2, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E44 - Working Conditions
This week, we take a hard look at just how miserable it can be to work in the game industry, and the causes behind these terrible conditions.
Nov. 9, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E45 - The Uncanny Valley
This week, we explain the theory behind the Uncanny Valley, and how best to avoid tumbling into it.
Nov. 16, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E46 - The Diablo III Marketplace
This week, we consider the intended goal (and possible results) of Blizzard's plan for a "real money" marketplace in Diablo III.
Nov. 23, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E47 - Deus Ex: Human Revolution
This week, we try to figure out exactly what it was about the new Deus Ex game we liked so much.
Nov. 30, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E48 - The Singularity
This week, we begin our two weeks of "science distraction" by looking at what role games might play in man achieving technology singularity.
Dec. 7, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E49 - Technobabble
This week, we examine that classic staple of mediocre science fiction: technobabble.
Dec. 14, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E50 - Playtesting
This week, we explain the value of playtesting your game, and offer some tips on how to get the best data possible.
Dec. 21, 2011, midnight 0.0
S2E51 - Puzzle Games
This week, we dissect a popular puzzle game to show just how complex and elegantly-designed even a simple game can be.
