We're back this week and a lot has happened since our last episode and you can download it here!
Episode 9: Troubled in Paradise...
Episode 9: Troubled in Paradise...
Video game journalist, blogger, writer and DJ working on popular culture analysis and trying to be humourous.
Thursday, 25 April 2013
Saturday, 20 April 2013
A Small Observation on Cinematic Storytelling in Video Games
I can tell you now this is not that short of an observation, but I think it's short in how expansive this could all really be written. Video games are not always a linear platform. They don't have the same rules and restrictions as cinema does, due to the combination of autonomy of movement with the player and the levels that are designed for them. That freedom is crucial in making the player understand the world or exposition the game is meant to be telling them on more than one occasion.
The issue I have with most games is that a lot of their exposition and worldbuilding is done through cutscenes that are incredibly obtuse and could be a lot more subtler. Either bits of dialogue or extended sequences create a world that feels more like a poorly produced play rather than a world I am living or playing through. In his GDC talk, Antony Johnston, writer of the Wasteland comics, the Alex Rider series and the first few Dead Space games, shows how important cutting unnecessary bits of dialogue and action is within the game Alan Wake.
I've always been a fan of "kill your darlings" in writing as more often than not it keeps a writer humble and self-aware with their writing. For example, I had a whole opening bit explaining why Bioshock Infinite is awesome and going into a good two paragraphs on how the first act sets things up properly...then I read Brendan Koegh's piece on it and realise he is smarter, articulate, older and better at writing about that than I am and may ever be. So I decided to focus on Johnston and Alan Wake instead....for now.
The issue I have with most games is that a lot of their exposition and worldbuilding is done through cutscenes that are incredibly obtuse and could be a lot more subtler. Either bits of dialogue or extended sequences create a world that feels more like a poorly produced play rather than a world I am living or playing through. In his GDC talk, Antony Johnston, writer of the Wasteland comics, the Alex Rider series and the first few Dead Space games, shows how important cutting unnecessary bits of dialogue and action is within the game Alan Wake.
I've always been a fan of "kill your darlings" in writing as more often than not it keeps a writer humble and self-aware with their writing. For example, I had a whole opening bit explaining why Bioshock Infinite is awesome and going into a good two paragraphs on how the first act sets things up properly...then I read Brendan Koegh's piece on it and realise he is smarter, articulate, older and better at writing about that than I am and may ever be. So I decided to focus on Johnston and Alan Wake instead....for now.
Wednesday, 17 April 2013
Tuesday, 12 March 2013
Episode 6 - Courtney Adjourned
Yes, we are back and we're ready to pitch...this week a little something different and you can download it here.
Sim City is fun but still ruined by servers.
Social Gaming is fun for no one.
The Cinema Going Experience
The PS4
Internet cultures are hard to take seriously
Let's Players be cray
Anita Sarkeesian vs. Feminists
Two guys discuss feminism in a completely biased and ignorant manner.
Humanism and Equality
and then we pitch you a TV series....
COURTNEY ADJOURNED
This week's episode: PILOT! or A Head Case
Starring Jon Benjamin,
Zach Braff
and newcomer, Katherine Mulhaney
playing Courtney Braithwaite in...
COURTNEY ADJOURNED, COMING THIS FALL TO NBC
Also give us feedback on whether or not you prefer the pitching first or the talking first, we're working on tweaking the formula and getting things done right.
Saturday, 9 March 2013
Episode 5 :The GriefCast
Hey all twelve of you who listen to our show,
This week is more of a serious episode as Ben and I discuss the finer points of life, such as the handling of Sim City by it's distributor EA Games and boobs, but we also discuss grief, suicide and death. The episode is a reflection of how I've been feeling of the past fortnight and while I don't apologise for the content in the episode, I do feel that it's appropriate to warn people about it or at least tell them that we didn't pitch anything this week. We will return in a few days with a new episode and back to our regularly scheduled programming, but this was something I felt I had to do.
Thanks for being fans of the show and I hope you enjoy it regardless,
This week is more of a serious episode as Ben and I discuss the finer points of life, such as the handling of Sim City by it's distributor EA Games and boobs, but we also discuss grief, suicide and death. The episode is a reflection of how I've been feeling of the past fortnight and while I don't apologise for the content in the episode, I do feel that it's appropriate to warn people about it or at least tell them that we didn't pitch anything this week. We will return in a few days with a new episode and back to our regularly scheduled programming, but this was something I felt I had to do.
Thanks for being fans of the show and I hope you enjoy it regardless,
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