Administrative Stuff: Clearing the cobwebs

Hello there.

I just realized it's been exactly two years since I last posted a blog post about games.  Hmm.  Not surprising, but surprising still.

Over at Game Over Retry, we're going to start doing a bunch of articles on games, and I think this is as good of a point as any to restart a bunch of post here as well.  It funny, I have 40+ drafts here, and looking at them, I have no idea whether any of them are relevant.

I think what I'll do is cross-post anything that makes sense to be on both sites, but leave game reviews and other random oddities that don't belong as a coherent thought here.

Oh yeah, I started doing a Twitch thing now.  This is what we do now, this is who we are.

Game Over! Retry? Podcast: Episode 26 – An Epic Evening with Dennis

Hehehe... Ready for a 2.5 hour podcast?  Enjoy!

Direct: http://www.secondary-fire.com/gor026-an-epic-evening-with-dennis/
iTunes Subscribe: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/game-over!-retry/id653554634
RSS: http://feeds.feedburner.com/GameOverRetry

When we invited one of the co-founders of Hope This Works Games to our weekly podcast, we weren’t really sure what to expect. Sure, we knew we were going to talk about what we had been playing, and we knew we were going to discuss the risks and rewards of indie game development. But none of us could predict an over-two-hour podcast with topics running the gamut from the PS4 launch, to Battlefield 4, to Go Go Dancers, to Beer that tastes like Wood, to Diablo 3, to Self Mutilation fetishes. Lots of great game talk was had, and it’s very clear that Mr. Dennis is a passionate and hilariously angry man when it comes to video games. Epic Friday? Epic Friday. Game Over Retry.

Game Over! Retry? Podcast: Episode 25 - Think of the Children!!

I've just realized that this really isn't a "word of the day", but this works just as well as a topic.

Direct: http://www.secondary-fire.com/gor025-think-of-the-children/
iTunes Subscribe: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/game-over!-retry/id653554634
RSS: http://feeds.feedburner.com/GameOverRetry

On GOR025, Harold once again comes bearing gifts, which is likely a result of a motion-game driven endorphin high. In this episode, Harold shares his experience with Star Wars Kinect and Wii Fit U, Jon complains about the downsides of Battlefield 4, and Jason plays more online poker, but not the game Harold assigned him to play. We wax deeply on designing for younger audiences, and get into the thick of it. It’s a heady episode, but a great conversation all the same. Or to put it another way … it’s a long one, but a good one (that’s what she said). Special thanks to John Kooistra for submitting this topic!

A few addendum:

• Star Wars Kinect is still pretty bad.
• Wii Fit U is decent, but the quick swap of accessories have greatly changed my usage cases: I end up choosing whichever activities that have the same accessory setup as the previous game.
• The end conclusion about kids games, or games and instructions in general, is that maybe perhaps, as an industry, we've been doing casual/mobile games all wrong.  Think about it, the bulk of games out there right now are just instructions and menus, telling you HOW to have fun.

Game Over! Retry? Podcast: Episode 24 - Unleash the Beast!

Again late to the party... here's another topic that I was more silent than I should be.  What's a genesucks game? :P

Direct: http://www.secondary-fire.com/gor024-unleash-the-beast/
iTunes Subscribe: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/game-over!-retry/id653554634
RSS: http://feeds.feedburner.com/GameOverRetry

On Game Over! Retry 24, Jon, Harold, and Jason try to dissect the classic Sega Genesis game, Altered Beast, in order to come up with ideas for a modern-day remake. We try to figure who’s a nerd, who’s an ‘anti-man’, and why Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker was such a classic title. Plus, Harold shares his experience with Hotline Miami on the PS Vita, Jon does a show and tell with his new gaming mouse (and yes, I’m aware I said DPS when I meant DPI – jc), and JW schools us with his classic Sega knowledge. All this, and then some on this week’s Game Over! Retry? podcast!

Games Referenced This Episode:

• Forza Motorsports 4
• Hotline Miami
• Battlefield 4
• Razer Ouroboros
• Team Fortress 2
• Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker
• Altered Beast

Game Over! Retry? Podcast: Episode 23 - The Harold and Jason Show

I have to disagree with the headline (I blame this on Jon entirely).  You can tell which part I spaced out on (all of the social stuff), and yes. I physically rolled my eyes when it came to the whole Facebook stuff.

Direct: http://www.secondary-fire.com/gor023-the-harold-and-jason-show/
iTunes Subscribe: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/game-over!-retry/id653554634
RSS: http://feeds.feedburner.com/GameOverRetry

He’s back! This week, Jason Wilson makes his glorious and triumphant return to the podcast after many many strikes, and some game dev crunch time. In this Rolling Start episode, Harold comes bearing gifts, Jon tries to get the podcast to do his Kris Kringle design dirty work, and Jason goes board game with Munchkin. For our Design Exercise, we roll Looting, Point & Click, Shooter, and Destruction… with obvious results… at least we think they’re obvious. But ultimately, it all boils down to Harold and Jason ignoring Jon, creating a hilarious series of awkward pauses.

Game Over! Retry? Podcast: Episode 22 - Reunited and it Feels so Good

Oh, and while I totally forgot to be posting these, we totally took a break too!

Direct: http://www.secondary-fire.com/gor022-reunited-and-it-feels-so-good/
iTunes Subscribe: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/game-over!-retry/id653554634
RSS: http://feeds.feedburner.com/GameOverRetry

After a two week hiatus, we get back to our old ways. Harold finally gets around to playing a little more GTA5 and Jon, having been out of town, got to spend some quality time with Fire Emblem: Awakening. We segue (terribly) into tutorial and intuitive UI discussions as Harold shares his first impressions of Pokemon X/Y, and Jon sneak attacks Harold with some quick Splinter Cell: Blacklist multiplayer analysis. Ah… it’s good to be back.

Oh, and once again, also behind on Pokemon, surprised?

Game Over! Retry? Podcast: Episode 21 - Copy Cat Killers

Wow, I'm so late on reposting these.  Life has gotten too busy, I hope you've figured the drill by now and was downloading these directly from the RSS/iTunes!

Direct: http://www.secondary-fire.com/gor021-copy-cat-killers/
iTunes Subscribe: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/game-over!-retry/id653554634
RSS: http://feeds.feedburner.com/GameOverRetry

How many times have you played a game and threw down your controller in disgust, thinking “This is just a clone of X”? This week, Harold and Jon wax about the difference between inspiration and just plain copying. We make comparisons between Playstation All Stars and Super Smash Brothers, why one is more successful than the other, and run through some of the major differences between Dead Space and Resident Evil. Of course, we also talk briefly about our impressions of GTA5, Harold wishes he was a puppeteer, and Jon tries to escape a Cave of repetition.

Have I gotten further in GTA5 since then? A bit.  Puppeteer? Not at all! :(