Lightmap - Conversations with video game creators

This week we look at when games get cloned. Blink and you may have missed it but, but a sequel to one of the biggest games in the world came out and was quickly pulled. Minecraft 2 raced to the top of the charts , but it was a dodgy clone cashing in on the Minecraft name. We look at some famous clones and ripoff games. Such as the gem Super Noah's Ark 3D, or the over 60 Flappy Bird clones that...

In a major eSports shakeup, Activision Blizzard has purchased Major League Gaming , in a move that has left some shareholders of MLG stunned. Activision has been making moves into the eSports space already and this brings a major league under their wing. What this will mean for the future of eSports is yet to be seen. We spoke to Christopher Parkin, he's a developer and CEO of Offpeak Games, m...

This week we look at companion apps and the rise of toys and addons. Skylanders was one of the first games to hit the scene that used collectible figurines to play the game, but it's been joined by many others. We also explore whether apps such as Destiny's Companion app or the Fallout 4 Pip-Boy add more to your second screen experience or does it take away from the main experience. We spo...

When gamers explore games they can make some awesome new play styles that weren't originally designed. Bungie released an official version of the Sparrow Racing League, which was created in game by players. Day Z started out as a mod for ARMA II before spinning off into it's own game. The whole MOBA genre originated as a custom map in Warcraft III. This weekend we had the Playstation Exper...

This week for our eleventh episode we broadcast live from somewhere a little bit different, we were at Casa Del Scott but you would have seen the fresh decor on our Twitch stream of this episode. If you missed us live you catch the whole episode on http://www.twitch.tv/pixelsift any time you like! This week we spoke to Trent Kusters, he's one of the co-founders of League of Geeks and we learnt...

We've hit the double digits, this is Episode 10 of Pixel Sift. If you just tuned in, thanks for joining us and each week we talk video games and video game culture. This week we streamed the show live on twitch.tv/pixelsift so you can watch as well as listen. First up on the show today we talk about the worst players online who ruin the multiplayer for everyone. Riot Games makers of the extrem...

It's a big part of all creative industries, and advertising is looking to expand into gaming in a big way . We talk about how gaming can embrace some advertising, and what advertising doesn't sit well within a gaming context . Sticking with promotion and advertising, Alternate Reality Games or ARGs can unite fans to investigate and discover another dimension of their gaming experience. Rec...

This week we are looking at crowd multiplayer where game streamers can have their games changed by those watching at home. Rise of Tomb Raider on Xbox One can take the input of viewers on Twitch and introduce challenges and help. Indie game Choice Chamber takes this to another level . Seriously check it out, it's kinda mind blowing. If you've spent many long nights playing games, you'l...

This week Gianni and Mitch are joined by special guest Brad Power, one of the games tutors here at Murdoch University. In case you missed the news Swedish free to play casual game power house and makers of Candy Crush King was purchased by Activision Blizzard for US$5.9 Billion . We explore what this means and why they may have reached that valuation. We also spoke to Paul Turbett, the founder of...

If you are like many Australians, the thought of Halloween might give you some cultural cringe. While Aussies have been slow to adopt what is seen as an American tradition, the games we play are global and games such as World of Warcraft and Destiny are holding in game events. We look at what in game events do for the player who is coming back to games week after week. We also talk about how ident...

This week we are exploring episodic content in games. Instead of getting everything at once you can now get your games in little bite sized chunks. Some of the biggest games are trying it out , and it's also being used by smaller developers . Can episodic gameplay be used in innovative and interesting ways or is it just a way to stretch out your purchases? Liam Hunt and Sam Zeid of ByteSprite...

This week we explore the nostalgia and the value of couch based split-screen multiplayer, both competitive and cooperative. Halo 5: Guardians will be dropping split-screen multiplayer in favour of higher graphical quality and people aren't happy. The Halo series spearheaded the console shooter, and fans are disappointed that a big part of their Halo experience is going away. There are games ke...

Last week we told you all about the SAG-AFTRA Video Game voice actor strike , well this week they've hit another threshold. There are other rumblings in the union sphere as well with the Major eSports teams uniting for better conditions. We also chat about plans to introduce a new format of Downloadable content for the Guitar Hero franchise and how DLC has evolved over the years. Finally we ta...

With the pervasive nature of online and connected consoles and computers, game developers can deliver Alphas & Betas of your favourite games before they hit the shelves. With some betas acting more like a playable demo, rather than a work in progress, are we being trained to expect too much from Early Access , and in development titles or have we missed the meaning of in progress? Speaking of...

NOTE: When we recorded this show, we were broadcasting under the name High Score, which turns out is pretty popular gaming podcast name. We are now called PIXEL SIFT. Scott talks about old school Zelda, and tuning a NES to a new TV. There is a use for analog again! Mitch runs us through a bit of Destiny's year two content, The Taken King , and the Angry Birds Movie, and good video game movie a...