The Experience Points Podcast

The 25th annual Game Developer's Conference has come and gone. In its wake, besides a pile of business cards, beer bottle caps, and shattered dreams, is a burning desire to make the games industry a better place. A cornucopia of panels and sessions were devoted to this very task, the vast majority of which Scott and I completely ignore in this podcast. However, we do manage to pluck out a few gems...

With the release of Dead Space 2, Jorge was finally enticed into playing the first Dead Space.  I had played the game some time ago and had quite a positive experience (check out the show notes for some of my writing on the game), so I was excited to get a chance to discuss it on the podcast.  As with all of our in-depth discussions on particular games, we cover everything from the rule systems to...

The trailer for Dead Island appeared last week and shook gaming enthusiasts to the core. The internet was positively elated by this emotionally provocative commercial, which you can find embedded below. Techland must be doing something right, the film adaptation of the game has already been optioned . But how does the trailer hold-up to our critical gaze? What is all the excitement about? Join us...

With the ubiquity of the Internet and the popularity of social games, are single-player experiences becoming a niche genre?  This week, we're happy to welcome Justin Keverne back to the podcast to discuss the role of single player games in a medium currently fascinated by group experiences.  An accomplished game designer and critic, Justin helps us make sense of the relationship between single-pla...

We have traveled the world far and wide and brought back with us a special guest for this week's show. Joining us on this very special podcast is Professor Roger Travis from the University of Connecticut. In both his educational and literary work, Roger takes a fascinating interdisciplinary approach to games, history, and classics. Who could be more suited, then, to discuss Russian plans to retell...

Batman has Robin, The Green Hornet has Kato, Sherlock Holmes has Dr. Watson: Whenever a hero needs assistance, a loyal sidekick appears to lend a helping hand.  This week, we use Brendan Main’s piece about a particularly controversial sidekick to explore how second bananas function in video games.  Feel free to type up your thoughts in the comments.  Alternatively, you can just tell your sidekick...

Take a famous icon, smear it with mod and dim the lighting, and you've got a successful franchise reboot. At least that is what Crystal Dynamics is hoping to accomplish with their latest Lara Croft project. Even though two Tomb Raider games were released in the last three years, apparently the franchise is in need of a face lift. Join us this week on the EXP Podcast while Scott and I discuss Tomb...

There’s a huge amount of great video game writing out there.  Too much for your humble hosts to ever digest by themselves.  This week, we take advantage of 2010’s embarrassment of riches and discuss some of our favorite pieces of video game writing from last year.  As always feel free to join in and spread the word about your favorite game-related posts, essays, novellas, treatises, and tweets! Pi...

This week, we stay just a bit longer under the sea, exploring the much lauded Bioshock 2 DLC, Minerva's Den. 2K's final journey into Rapture may just show other game developers how to create stand-alone additional content that puts other full length titles to shame. Some discussion starters: - How does Minerva's Den compare to Bioshock 2? - How does Minerva's Den compare the DLC from other recent...

This week, we board our bathyspheres to revisit Rapture.  BioShock 2 was faced with the monumental task of following one of gaming’s most revered titles and it was initially met with trepidation from fans.  However, the game is much more than a cookie-cutter sequel, and we spend this episode discussing the significant systemic and narrative changes it brings to the series.   Some discussion starte...

We have covered our games of the year, but 2010 held far more than just six titles, and 2011 will hold many more. This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I discuss some of the game we neglected last week, from games we never played to games we look forward to playing. Join us around the table while we devour our leftovers. As always, we encourage you to leave your thoughts in the comments section...

It’s GOTY season, and we just couldn’t let the opportunity go without talking about some of the outstanding titles we played this year.  Naming the one true “Game of the Year” is a hopelessly subjective task, so instead we each chose three games from 2010 that made strong impressions on us.  As always, feel free to join in on the conversation.  What were your highlights from 2010? Jorge’s Top Game...

In clinical psychology, continually doing a repetitive action with little or no justification is tell-tale sign of obsessive-compulsive disorder. In MMOs, it's just called the grind. Why, after so many complaints, is the grind still a major feature of nearly every MMO RPG available?  Inspired a post from Zach Best writing for Game Design Aspect of the Month, that is the very question Scott and I w...

It’s crucial for games to catch a player’s attention, but what is the best way to ensure that someone will stick around to the end?  This week, we use Leanne C. Taylor’s article to think about the ways both cutscenes and mechanics are used to keep players’ interests.  She examines the concept of the “10 minute rule” that many movies follow when attempting to engage their audiences and examines its...

In a series of posts lavishing praise on Nintendo's latest iteration on the Kirby Franchise, Kirby's Epic Yarn , Michael Abbot of the Brainy Gamer has been exploring the game's charming concept. It seems these days you can't shake your Wiimote without hitting a title, from both indie and traditional developers, that exploits some of the tactile art designs, lullaby-like musical themes or children'...

The following information is for your eyes only: This week, the Experience Points Podcast discusses Call of Duty: Black Ops.  Topics such as the game’s campaign structure, its multiplayer philosophy, and its relationship with historical subject matters are covered.  Be careful: surveillance indicates the presence of plot spoilers towards the end of show.  Your mission: listen to the show and then...

Court is in session and the fate of video games in California is on the line! Alright, maybe that's overly dramatic. But really, the Supreme Court is hearing proceedings for Schwarzenegger v. Entertainment Merchants Association. The Justices will decide whether banning the sale of videogames to minors infringes the freedom of speech enshrined in the first amendment. Based on the reactions of the c...

While the main draw of the Nintendo 3DS remains its titular capacity for accommodating a third visual dimension, other thought-provoking features are beginning to emerge.  According to The Wall Street Journal, Nintendo is looking to implement a variety of networking and communication features aimed at turning the device into a platform for social gaming.  Nintendo’s on-line strategy (such as it is...

I have been free of World of Warcraft for almost two years now, but already its tendrils are pulling me in - and I'm not the only ex-WoW player being called by the sirens of Cataclysm, Blizzard's next expansion to the iconic MMO. Sean "Elysium" Sands inspires this week's podcast discussion with his article "Is Cataclysm Enough to Bring You Back?" I know my mind has been changed at least once. As a...

While reviewers often strive for “unbiased” opinions, the impact of personal taste on one’s enjoyment of a game is unavoidable.  In the current climate of heavily authored and story-based games, is it possible for a game’s plot to impact one’s enjoyment of its game mechanics?  This week, we use an article sent to us by Sam Crisp and written by Kieron Gillen as a starting point to explore this ques...

Wow! One hundred podcasts and over three hundred posts on Experience Points and we are still going strong. This week, Scott and I look back on some of our past writings and hold an impromptu interview of sorts. Join us while we celebrate our EXP Podcast Centennial! A huge thanks to everyone who has joined us for our conversations about games and culture. We could never express our gratitude, at le...

Most people would probably agree that revealing the end of Star Craft 2 is considered a spoiler, but would they feel the same way about revealing unit stats or building techniques?  This week, we use Kieron Gillen’s article about game mechanic spoilers to explore the notion that the enjoyment of a game’s systems and rules can be affected by premature knowledge.  We cover everything from the role o...

It happens to everyone: everything is going according to plan when suddenly, you run into a virtual brick wall.  Whether this obstacle is a particularly cruel boss battle, an demanding time limit, or a mind-bending puzzle, the result is the same: you’re stuck!  This week, we use Michelle Baldwin’s piece about her odyssey to slay a mighty dragon that had been tormenting her and a friend for months....

Warning: This podcast contains more adult language than usual. This podcast might be NSFW all thanks to Austin Ivansmith, who recently wrote an interesting article on swearing in videogames. Join us this week while Scott and I discuss the ethics of curse word construction, artistic integrity and avoiding offensive language, and the types of games that just might pull off an "F Bomb" with aplomb. A...

For many folks, September means having to relinquish the last strands of summer and head back to school.  However, trading the couch for the classroom doesn’t mean you have to abandon video games.  This week, we are pleased to welcome Michael Abbott of The Brainy Gamer and Wabash College to the show.  Michael is in the process of launching “Enduring Questions,” a course “devoted to engaging studen...