Backstage Gaming

This week, we talk about what happens after the credits role; content that's unlocked or context that's expanded after you have "finished" a game. The energy on this one is also... let's say 'unique.' Give a listen! Backstage Gaming is a proud member of the HP Video Game Podcast Network (@hpvgpodnetwork on Twitter) Enjoy our show? Consider supporting us on Patreon! (patreon.com/bsgpod) Learn more...

This week, we take a deep dive into a small, goofy scene from the classic PC stealth game, Thief. Sometimes, the best scenes are the ones you just sort of walk through. Anyway, you shoulda seen the bears in my day. Backstage Gaming is a proud member of the HP Video Game Podcast Network (@hpvgpodnetwork on Twitter) Enjoy our show? Consider supporting us on Patreon! (patreon.com/bsgpod) Learn more a...

We made it to episode 100! Thanks to all of you for your support and for coming along for the ride. To celebrate, we headed back to the Writer's Room to try taking Street Fighter in our own direction and synthesizing all of the adaptations that have come before. A tall order, it turns out! Backstage Gaming is a proud member of the HP Video Game Podcast Network (@hpvgpodnetwork on Twitter) Enjoy ou...

This week, we hunker down and get into our core competency: acting! We take a scene from Vagrant Story, one of Dylan's favorite games, give it a read through, and help direct each other to better and more nuanced performances to give you a glimpse into the real work we do as performers. Come give a listen! Backstage Gaming is a proud member of the HP Video Game Podcast Network (@hpvgpodnetwork on...

This week, we discuss some games with weird design choices. Whether it's a control scheme that chooses not to use established rules or cameras that behave strangely, we dig into designs that have been maligned and ask if they may have something else to offer. Backstage Gaming is a proud member of the HP Video Game Podcast Network (@hpvgpodnetwork on Twitter) Enjoy our show? Consider supporting us...

A shorter episode this week as we vent about what we see as a general lack of... willingness to play, let's say. We look at silent protags and RPG characters as examples of how to mine out intent from characterization. Come along! Backstage Gaming is a proud member of the HP Video Game Podcast Network (@hpvgpodnetwork on Twitter) Enjoy our show? Consider supporting us on Patreon! (patreon.com/bsgp...

This week's topic is a niche one, but we dive into a few examples of games that really put their themes out there to be seen. Come along as we take a look at these uniquely up-front games! Backstage Gaming is a proud member of the HP Video Game Podcast Network (@hpvgpodnetwork on Twitter) Enjoy our show? Consider supporting us on Patreon! (patreon.com/bsgpod) Learn more about your ad choices. Visi...

This week we wax super philosophical about the nature of acting, art, pursuing a craft, and shonen anime. Come along for the ride, won't you! Backstage Gaming is a proud member of the HP Video Game Podcast Network (@hpvgpodnetwork on Twitter) Enjoy our show? Consider supporting us on Patreon! (patreon.com/bsgpod) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we dive into the world of online games, talking through what makes them so fun, and how so many great stories can come out of them! Backstage Gaming is a proud member of the HP Video Game Podcast Network (@hpvgpodnetwork on Twitter) Enjoy our show? Consider supporting us on Patreon! (patreon.com/bsgpod) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we return to our fun mini-game, Spot the Dud! We read through some game reviews, talk about how they talk about games, and try to figure out which one got the lower score. It's fun! Come listen! Backstage Gaming is a proud member of the HP Video Game Podcast Network (@hpvgpodnetwork on Twitter) Enjoy our show? Consider supporting us on Patreon! (patreon.com/bsgpod) Learn more about your...

This week, we offer an overview of how games bring people together, even if they aren't *technically playing together. From couch co-op to Twitch streaming to live performance, the ways we interact with each other because of games are as varied and interesting as the games themselves. Backstage Gaming is a proud member of the HP Video Game Podcast Network (@hpvgpodnetwork on Twitter) Enjoy our sho...

Games are complex things that take time to figure out, and how we learn their systems varies wildly from game to game. How we go about that learning can say a lot about the games we're playing, and us as players! Backstage Gaming is a proud member of the HP Video Game Podcast Network (@hpvgpodnetwork on Twitter) Enjoy our show? Consider supporting us on Patreon! (patreon.com/bsgpod) Learn more abo...

Hi, all! Been a while! We're back, and 2021 we're going to be CONSISTENT again. To shake off the rust, we take a look at the gaming landscape of 2020 and wax a bit poetic about "what it all means." Nothing like staying on brand. Backstage Gaming is a proud member of the HP Video Game Podcast Network (@hpvgpodnetwork on Twitter) Enjoy our show? Consider supporting us on Patreon! (patreon.com/bsgpod...

This week is short and rambly, but we give a brief overview of the inherent dramatic mechanics of sports, and how eSports tap into those ideas in their own unique ways. Chris also learns about his new favorite thing of all time. Backstage Gaming is a proud member of the HP Video Game Podcast Network (@hpvgpodnetwork on Twitter) Enjoy our show? Consider supporting us on Patreon! (patreon.com/bsgpod...

This week, we finish our discussion of maps in games by looking at the other end of the topic: map-making and exploration. From the flavorful side of well-crafter, diegetic maps to the actual in-game mechanics of cartography, how a game chooses to reveal its world can have a huge impact on the feel of the experience. Backstage Gaming is a proud member of the HP Video Game Podcast Network (@hpvgpod...

This week, in what may be the first of two shows about maps, we take a look at level select maps, overworld maps, and the narrative power that a map can hold. Are they strictly utilitarian? Can they be more? Jump in and find out! Backstage Gaming is a proud member of the HP Video Game Podcast Network (@hpvgpodnetwork on Twitter) Enjoy our show? Consider supporting us on Patreon! (patreon.com/bsgpo...

This week, we chat about series and genres that we aren't typically into and what changes that. Whether it's a great trailer or a tie-in with something we already love, sometimes it just takes a little push to get us to try something new. Backstage Gaming is a proud member of the HP Video Game Podcast Network (@hpvgpodnetwork on Twitter) Enjoy our show? Consider supporting us on Patreon! (patreon....

This week, we're looking at the new fighting game, Footsies, a one-button game and teaching tool designed to improve your fighting game basics, and we dive into the other areas of game design that could benefit from the same approach. Have a listen! Backstage Gaming is a proud member of the HP Video Game Podcast Network (@hpvgpodnetwork on Twitter) Enjoy our show? Consider supporting us on Patreon...

This week, we take a look at games that treat a story as a reward in-and-of-itself. Whether it's the capstone to a sidequest or a facet of how the game is presented, sometimes a bit of narrative is every bit as rewarding as a gameplay improvement. Backstage Gaming is a proud member of the HP Video Game Podcast Network (@hpvgpodnetwork on Twitter) Enjoy our show? Consider supporting us on Patreon!...

This week, we talk about combat. Again. But this time, we talk combat aesthetic, abstraction, and how all of that comes together to help a game become what it is! Backstage Gaming is a proud member of the HP Video Game Podcast Network (@hpvgpodnetwork on Twitter) Enjoy our show? Consider supporting us on Patreon! (patreon.com/bsgpod) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adcho...

This week, we dive into one of the most often debated tools for storytelling: the voiceover narration. When can it be useful? When is it a crutch? Why does it matter?? All that and more! Backstage Gaming is a proud member of the HP Video Game Podcast Network (@hpvgpodnetwork on Twitter) Enjoy our show? Consider supporting us on Patreon! (patreon.com/bsgpod) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

This week, Dylan surprises Chris with a discussion of Alien Soldier and games that take a unique and front-loaded approach to telling ABSOLUTELY WILD stories. Backstage Gaming is a proud member of the HP Video Game Podcast Network (@hpvgpodnetwork on Twitter) Enjoy our show? Consider supporting us on Patreon! (patreon.com/bsgpod) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we go on a tour of game series that let their canons get out of hand. Whether it's split across dozens of entries in different media, or just changes a lot, there are some games that have gotten decidedly more complex than you'd expect. Backstage Gaming is a proud member of the HP Video Game Podcast Network (@hpvgpodnetwork on Twitter) Enjoy our show? Consider supporting us on Patreon!...

Not every game's biggest appeal is the story or challenge. Sometimes, you find a game that you just like to spend time in. This week, we chat about comfortable games, what makes them so fun to chill in, and why this is such a pleasant element of gaming. Backstage Gaming is a proud member of the HP Video Game Podcast Network (@hpvgpodnetwork on Twitter) Enjoy our show? Consider supporting us on Pat...

This week, we take some time to talk about games that might not need their combat system. Whether it's a game that brings enough to the table that the combat is irrelevant, or a combat system that feels tedious, we look at some offenders and offer some alternatives. Backstage Gaming is a proud member of the HP Video Game Podcast Network (@hpvgpodnetwork on Twitter) Enjoy our show? Consider support...