Backward Compatible

Jim, Doc, and Chris discuss gamification and game-based learning as it applies in the classroom and in professional training and talent development. Plus, Rez Infinite, Mystic Vale, Mario Maker, and more. If you want to comment on this episode, ask a question, share some info, voice an opinion, or request a topic, send an email to inbox@backward-compatible.com, and we may feature you on a future episode of the podcast. Subscribe to the Backward-Compatible.com Podcast on iTunes: bit.ly/backward-compatible. You may also enjoy "Role With It," the show where the Backward Compatible crew and their guests tell improvised stories through roleplaying games. Check it out on SoundCloud (@role-with-it) or subscribe on iTunes (bit.ly/role-with-it).

Jim, Doc, and Chris ask if over-leveling or over-preparing in games is a problem, and whether the fault lies with the players or the game’s design. Plus, Batman: Arkham Knight, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Playerunknown's Battlegrounds, a new Reading List, and more. If you want to comment on this episode, ask a question, share some info, voice an opinion, or request a topic, send an email to inbox@backward-compatible.com, and we may feature you on a future episode of the podcast. Subscribe to the Backward-Compatible.com Podcast on iTunes: bit.ly/backward-compatible. You may also enjoy "Role With It," the show where the Backward Compatible crew and their guests tell improvised stories through roleplaying games. Check it out on SoundCloud (@role-with-it) or subscribe on iTunes (bit.ly/role-with-it).

Jim, Doc, and Chris continue their series on design decisions by asking when particular video game conventions can help or hurt a game. Plus, Empires: Age of Discovery, ARMS, and the new Netflix series Castlevania. If you want to comment on this episode, ask a question, share some info, voice an opinion, or request a topic, send an email to inbox@backward-compatible.com, and we may feature you on a future episode of the podcast. Subscribe to the Backward-Compatible.com Podcast on iTunes: bit.ly/backward-compatible. You may also enjoy "Role With It," the show where the Backward Compatible crew and their guests tell improvised stories through roleplaying games. Check it out on SoundCloud (@role-with-it) or subscribe on iTunes (bit.ly/role-with-it).

Jim and Chris discuss video game urban legends — from cow levels in Diablo to Saddam Hussein stockpiling PS2s. Which stories are true, how do they come to be, and how do they spread? Plus, Tetris Ultimate, XCOM 2, and impressions from E3 2017. If you want to comment on this episode, ask a question, share some info, voice an opinion, or request a topic, send an email to inbox@backward-compatible.com, and we may feature you on a future episode of the podcast. Subscribe to the Backward-Compatible.com Podcast on iTunes: bit.ly/backward-compatible. You may also enjoy "Role With It," the show where the Backward Compatible crew and their guests tell improvised stories through roleplaying games. Check it out on SoundCloud (@role-with-it) or subscribe on iTunes (bit.ly/role-with-it).

Backward Compatible cofounder Richard Wirth joins Jim and Chris to discuss convergence culture and the role of the audience in game design. Plus, Richard shares his thoughts on recent open world games and developers with good and bad community relations. If you want to comment on this episode, ask a question, share some info, voice an opinion, or request a topic, send an email to inbox@backward-compatible.com, and we may feature you on a future episode of the podcast. Subscribe to the Backward-Compatible.com Podcast on iTunes: bit.ly/backward-compatible. You may also enjoy "Role With It," the show where the Backward Compatible crew and their guests tell improvised stories through roleplaying games. Check it out on SoundCloud (@role-with-it) or subscribe on iTunes (bit.ly/role-with-it).

In a new spin-off of our Roundtable Discussion format, Jim and Chris have an in-depth, one-on-one conversation about Persona 5, covering topics ranging from aesthetics to mechanics to the game’s underlying themes. If you want to comment on this codex entry, ask a question, share some info, or voice an opinion, send an email to inbox@backward-compatible.com, and we may feature you on a future episode of the Backward Compatible Podcast. Subscribe to the Backward-Compatible.com Podcast on iTunes: bit.ly/backward-compatible. You may also enjoy "Role With It," the show where the Backward Compatible crew and their guests tell improvised stories through roleplaying games. Check it out on SoundCloud (@role-with-it) or subscribe on iTunes (bit.ly/role-with-it).

Nick Krueger joins Jim, Doc, and Chris to discuss the pros and cons of different branching dialogue systems in games. Plus, Planet Coaster, Cities: Skylines, A Way Out, Outlive, Pocket Mortys, a look ahead to E3, and more. If you want to comment on this episode, ask a question, share some info, voice an opinion, or request a topic, send an email to inbox@backward-compatible.com, and we may feature you on a future episode of the podcast. Subscribe to the Backward-Compatible.com Podcast on iTunes: bit.ly/backward-compatible. You may also enjoy "Role With It," the show where the Backward Compatible crew and their guests tell improvised stories through roleplaying games. Check it out on SoundCloud (@role-with-it) or subscribe on iTunes (bit.ly/role-with-it).

Jim, Doc, and Chris talk about optimizing games and the pros and cons of pushing the limitations of the available hardware. Plus, impressions of Puyo Puyo Tetris; RetroPie; The Sea Eternal; a new Are You Still Playing? featuring Hearthstone and Fire Emblem Heroes; and our first-ever Jim Bag segment. If you want to comment on this episode, ask a question, share some info, voice an opinion, or request a topic, send an email to inbox@backward-compatible.com, and we may feature you on a future episode of the podcast. Subscribe to the Backward-Compatible.com Podcast on iTunes: bit.ly/backward-compatible. You may also enjoy "Role With It," the show where the Backward Compatible crew and their guests tell improvised stories through roleplaying games. Check it out on SoundCloud (@role-with-it) or subscribe on iTunes (bit.ly/role-with-it).

Jim, Doc, and Chris talk about the game design of Westworld and discuss whether it's possible to create the same open-ended experience in a video game. Plus, impressions of Prey, news about Sonic Forces, and a new Reading List. If you want to comment on this episode, ask a question, share some info, voice an opinion, or request a topic, send an email to inbox@backward-compatible.com, and we may feature you on a future episode of the podcast. Subscribe to the Backward-Compatible.com Podcast on iTunes: bit.ly/backward-compatible. You may also enjoy "Role With It," the show where the Backward Compatible crew and their guests tell improvised stories through roleplaying games. Check it out on SoundCloud (@role-with-it) or subscribe on iTunes (bit.ly/role-with-it).

Jim, Doc, and Chris celebrate their 100th episode. First, they look back with a trivial quest through Backward Compatible history, then they test their knowledge of their co-hosts by guessing each other's answers to choice questions, including a few from podcast guests and contributors. If you want to comment on this episode, ask a question, share some info, voice an opinion, or request a topic, send an email to inbox@backward-compatible.com, and we may feature you on a future episode of the podcast. Subscribe to the Backward-Compatible.com Podcast on iTunes: bit.ly/backward-compatible. You may also enjoy "Role With It," the show where the Backward Compatible crew and their guests tell improvised stories through roleplaying games. Check it out on SoundCloud (@role-with-it) or subscribe on iTunes (bit.ly/role-with-it).

Jim, Doc, and Chris discuss how and why games are able to make the audience care about fictional characters. Plus, further impressions of Persona 5, Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Return, Overwatch Uprising, Hearthstone: Journey to Un’Goro, and KOMRAD. If you want to comment on this episode, ask a question, share some info, voice an opinion, or request a topic, send an email to inbox@backward-compatible.com, and we may feature you on a future episode of the podcast. Subscribe to the Backward-Compatible.com Podcast on iTunes: bit.ly/backward-compatible. You may also enjoy "Role With It," the show where the Backward Compatible crew and their guests tell improvised stories through roleplaying games. Check it out on SoundCloud (@role-with-it) or subscribe on iTunes (bit.ly/role-with-it).

Jim, Doc, and Chris discuss the Japanese storytelling format kishōtenketsu and its applications to game mechanics and narratives. Plus, Jim talks Nier: Automata, the crew discusses how disempowering the player can actually enhance a game when done right, and Backward Compatible contributor Nick Krueger writes in for a new Inbox. If you want to comment on this episode, ask a question, share some info, voice an opinion, or request a topic, send an email to inbox@backward-compatible.com, and we may feature you on a future episode of the podcast. Subscribe to the Backward-Compatible.com Podcast on iTunes: bit.ly/backward-compatible. You may also enjoy "Role With It," the show where the Backward Compatible crew and their guests tell improvised stories through roleplaying games. Check it out on SoundCloud (@role-with-it) or subscribe on iTunes (bit.ly/role-with-it).

Jim, Doc, and Chris have a roundtable discussion on Batman: The Telltale Series. Plus, Persona 5 impressions and controversy, and impressions from the beta for GWENT: The Witcher Card Game. If you want to comment on this episode, ask a question, share some info, voice an opinion, or request a topic, send an email to inbox@backward-compatible.com, and we may feature you on a future episode of the podcast. Subscribe to the Backward-Compatible.com Podcast on iTunes: bit.ly/backward-compatible. You may also enjoy "Role With It," the show where the Backward Compatible crew and their guests tell improvised stories through roleplaying games. Check it out on SoundCloud (@role-with-it) or subscribe on iTunes (bit.ly/role-with-it).

Jim, Doc, and Chris discuss the scale of game worlds. When can compression break immersion, and at what point does big become boring? Plus, a listener asks about mobile games, and we debut a new segment: Reading List. If you want to comment on this episode, ask a question, share some info, voice an opinion, or request a topic, send an email to inbox@backward-compatible.com, and we may feature you on a future episode of the podcast. Want to hear more? We cut some content from this episode for time, but you can still check it out in this week's Bonus Compatible: https://soundcloud.com/backward-compatible/bonus-compatible-ep-96. Subscribe to the Backward-Compatible.com Podcast on iTunes: bit.ly/backward-compatible. You may also enjoy "Role With It," the show where the Backward Compatible crew and their guests tell improvised stories through roleplaying games. Check it out on SoundCloud (@role-with-it) or subscribe on iTunes (bit.ly/role-with-it).

Jim, Doc, and Chris discuss the differences between developer and player stories in open world games, with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Horizon Zero Dawn serving as key examples. Plus, Nier: Automata, The Fury of Dracula, and a listener response to our Final Fantasy XV roundtable. If you want to comment on this episode, ask a question, share some info, voice an opinion, or request a topic, send an email to inbox@backward-compatible.com, and we may feature you on a future episode of the podcast. Subscribe to the Backward-Compatible.com Podcast on iTunes: bit.ly/backward-compatible. You may also enjoy "Role With It," the show where the Backward Compatible crew and their guests tell improvised stories through roleplaying games. Check it out on SoundCloud (@role-with-it) or subscribe on iTunes (bit.ly/role-with-it).

Jim, Doc, and Chris are joined by Eric Brodie of PolyKnight Games to discuss community management and marketing in the indie game industry. Plus, impressions of PlayStation VR, Suikoden II, and Ghost Stories. We also debut a new segment: "Are You Still Playing?" If you want to comment on this episode, ask a question, share some info, voice an opinion, or request a topic, send an email to inbox@backward-compatible.com, and we may feature you on a future episode of the podcast. Subscribe to the Backward-Compatible.com Podcast on iTunes: bit.ly/backward-compatible. You may also enjoy "Role With It," the show where the Backward Compatible crew and their guests tell improvised stories through roleplaying games. Check it out on SoundCloud (@role-with-it) or subscribe on iTunes (bit.ly/role-with-it).

Jim, Doc, and Chris are joined by Eric Brodie for a roundtable discussion of Final Fantasy XV. Plus, thoughts on Horizon Zero Dawn's review embargo, impressions of Fire Emblem Heroes, and announcing a new season of Role With It. If you want to comment on this episode, ask a question, share some info, voice an opinion, or request a topic, send an email to inbox@backward-compatible.com, and we may feature you on a future episode of the podcast. Want to hear more? We cut some content from this episode for time, but you can still check it out in this week's Bonus Compatible: https://soundcloud.com/backward-compatible/bonus-compatible-ep-93 Subscribe to the Backward-Compatible.com Podcast on iTunes: bit.ly/backward-compatible. You may also enjoy "Role With It," the show where the Backward Compatible crew and their guests tell improvised stories through roleplaying games. Check it out on SoundCloud (@role-with-it) or subscribe on iTunes (bit.ly/role-with-it).

Jim and Doc consider the legality of fan-made video games from the prospectives of both the copyright owners and the fan community. Plus, impressions of Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, SeaFall, and Lara Croft GO. If you want to comment on this episode, ask a question, share some info, voice an opinion, or request a topic, send an email to inbox@backward-compatible.com, and we may feature you on a future episode of the podcast. Subscribe to the Backward-Compatible.com Podcast on iTunes: bit.ly/backward-compatible. You may also enjoy "Role With It," the show where the Backward Compatible crew and their guests tell improvised stories through roleplaying games. Check it out on SoundCloud (@role-with-it) or subscribe on iTunes (bit.ly/role-with-it).

Bradley McAvoy James joins Jim, Doc, and Chris to share his advance, hands-on impressions of the Nintendo Switch before transitioning to a discussion about the console's potential. Plus, the crew responds to a listener letter about censorship on Twitch; Chris and Doc talk about their “Fellowship” campaign; and Bradley talks about “Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links.” If you want to comment on this episode, ask a question, share some info, voice an opinion, or request a topic, send an email to inbox@backward-compatible.com, and we may feature you on a future episode of the podcast. Subscribe to the Backward-Compatible.com Podcast on iTunes: bit.ly/backward-compatible. You may also enjoy "Role With It," the show where the Backward Compatible crew and their guests tell improvised stories through roleplaying games. Check it out on SoundCloud (@role-with-it) or subscribe on iTunes (bit.ly/role-with-it).

Jim, Doc, and Chris chat about their most anticipated games of the year. Plus, impressions of the Nintendo Switch preview event, and Jim hosts a new Game Show. If you want to comment on this episode, ask a question, share some info, voice an opinion, or request a topic, send an email to inbox@backward-compatible.com, and we may feature you on a future episode of the podcast. Want to hear more? We cut some content from this episode for time, but you can still check it out in this week's Bonus Compatible: https://soundcloud.com/backward-compatible/bonus-compatible-ep-90. Subscribe to the Backward-Compatible.com Podcast on iTunes: bit.ly/backward-compatible. You may also enjoy "Role With It," the show where the Backward Compatible crew and their guests tell improvised stories through roleplaying games. Check it out on SoundCloud (@role-with-it) or subscribe on iTunes (bit.ly/role-with-it).