Brainy Gamer Podcast

In this episode I make my guest Steve Gaynor squirm uncomfortably in his seat. Of course, we also discuss his new game Gone Home, creating authentic characters, an important lesson from Ken Levine, and a secret room no reviewer has yet discovered. Plus other things. I hope you enjoy.

This is the final episode in my series of conversations about the State of Games. I encourage you to listen to the first  three shows featuring a variety of smart and thoughtful guests. In this edition I talk with Kirk Hamilton, features editor at Kotaku, and Brett Douville, Lead Programmer at Bethesda Game Studios.We discuss the impact of indie games on AAA developers, "Anita and the cesspool," and why this is the best of all possible times to be a gamer...among many other topics.  I hope you enjoy.

This is the third in a short series of conversations I'm hosting on the State of Games. I encourage you to listen to the first two episodes and stay tuned for the final installment, which will appear in the coming days. In this edition I talk with Tom Bissell, essayist, critic, and most recently script-writer for the new Gears of War: Judgment game. We discuss writing for games, the perils of Metacritic, the future of storytelling in games, and many other topics.  I hope you enjoy.

This is the second in a short series of conversations I'm hosting on the State of Games. I encourage you to listen to the first episode and stay tuned for the final two which will appear in the coming days. In this edition I talk with Chris Suellentrop, video game critic for the New York Times, and Steve Gaynor of the Fullbright Company, an indie game studio developing Gone Home, a finalist for the Excellence in Narrative award at the Indpendent Games Festival later this month. We discuss the transitional state of the game industry, the relationship of the critic to the designer, and the need for a proper festival for games ala Sundance, among other topics.  I hope you enjoy.

This is the first of several roundtable conversations I'm hosting on the State of Games, an admittedly unwieldy topic, but well-timed, I think, in this transitional period for games and the game industry. In this edition I talk with Leigh Alexander and Brendan Keogh, two of the leading critical voices examining games and the culture surrounding them. We discuss the "ecology of games," play as communication, the culture wars, and why we need to "talk about the tree," among other topics.  I hope you enjoy.

Welcome to a special Ninja Edition of the Brainy Gamer podcast!  In this edition I talk with Nels Anderson and Chris Dahlen, Lead Designer and Narrative Designer of the new game Mark of the Ninja. We discuss the development process for the game, the challenges and opportunities of working in the independent space, and why Chris is the Oscar Hammerstein of game writing...among many other topics.  I hope you enjoy.

The Brainy Gamer podcast is back! In this edition I talk with Stephen Totilo, editor-in-chief of Kotaku, one of the most influential blogs websites devoted to video games in the world. Stephen and I discuss video game journalism, the changes he's implementing at Kotaku, why "you can't escape the numbers," why Rock Paper Shotgun rocks, and why we actually need 24/7 games news....among many other topics. Thanks for your patience while I took some time off from the show, and, as always, thanks for listening!

This is the final installment in my series devoted to game designers and the design process. In this edition I talk with Jonathan Blow, creator of the highly-acclaimed Braid and a new game called The Witness, slated to appear next year. We discuss a wide array of topics, including the game community's reaction to Braid and his goals for The Witness. Jon is refreshingly open about his discoveries and missteps in the ongoing development process of his new game. He also explains why he's grown uncomfortable characterizing his projects as "art games;" It's a fascinating conversation, and I think you'll enjoy it.

This is the 2nd in a 3-part series devoted to game designers and the design process. In this segment I chat with Matthew Burns, founder of Shadegrown Games a small studio developing a new music game called Planck. Matthew is also a Producer (contract) for Microsoft, and he's worked on the Halo series since 2006. Note: We do not discuss details of Halo 4. No tidbits. No sneak peeks. The final episode in this series will appear in a few days, and it will feature an extended interview with Jonathan Blow. I hope you enjoy the show. Thanks for listening!

This edition of the podcast begins a 3-part series devoted to game designers and the design process. In this first segment I chat with Manveer Heir, Senior Designer at BioWare, about his work and the challenges presented by a complex project. Manveer discusses his day-to-day duties; problem-solving as creativity; why developers keep secrets; and why he routinely "ruins peoples dreams." Note: We do not discuss details of Mass Effect 3. If you're hoping for juicy tidbits or inside info on that game, you will not find them here. Parts 2 and 3 of the podcast will appear later this week. Listen to the opening of this episode, and you will hear me reveal whom those guests will be! I hope you enjoy the show. Thanks for listening!

This edition of the show features an in-depth discussion of L.A. Noire with Tom Bissell (Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter) and Brian Taylor (Kill Screen, GamePro). Spoilers abound, but only minor plot revelations are revealed. I think you can listen to this discussion and still fully appreciate the game as a newcomer. In fact, you might even appreciate it more.  Segment 2 features a conversation with Leigh Alexander. We discuss a range of topics, including how she prepares for a big event like E3; the impact of social networking on our lives; and how she manages working in an environment that can be both hostile and nurturing. I hope you enjoy the show, and thanks for listening!

This massive edition of the show features a Gamers Confab segment with Mitch Krpata (Boston Phoenix, et al); Nels Anderson (Klei Entertainment); and Brad Gallaway (GameCritics.com). We discuss a slew of games we've played recently, and we successfully persuade Mitch to stop hating LittleBigPlanet. Well, maybe not. Segment 2 features a roundtable conversation with Patrick Klepek (EGMi), Matthew Burns (Shadegrown Games), and Chris Dahlen (Kill Screen) recorded at GDC. We chat about our favorite sessions at the conference and trade a few stories. Did you know Patrick covered his first GDC at the age of 14, accompanied by his father? Segment 3 features a short chat with Sean Duncan, also recorded at GDC. Sean is a professor in the School of Education and the Interactive Media Studies program at Miami University I hope you enjoy the show, and thanks for listening!

This is part 1 of my GDC '11 audio diary. For more information on this project, read my previous post. Hope you enjoy it!

This episode is all about music in games. I'm joined by guests Dan Bruno (Harmonix, Cruise Elroy) and Kirk Hamilton (Gamer Melodico, Joystiq), two excellent game writers who are also talented musicians. We each play a collection of clips from our favorite pieces of game music, and we discuss why each serves the game it's written for so effectively. You'll hear everything from chiptunes to orchestral scores. If you can, listen to the show with headphones to catch all the details in the music we play. I hope you enjoy the show, and thanks for listening!

This show is the final in a 3-part series called Gatherings of the Tribe in which I talk to a variety of people about the big events that bring gamers together throughout the year: GDC, PAX, E3, etc. This episode features my conversation with game developers Matthew Burns (Shadegrown Games), Nels Anderson (Hothead Games), and David Carlton (Playdom). We discuss a variety of topics, including why developers attend PAX and GDC; why developers keep secrets; and why developers enjoy "spreading their cognitive genetic material." Hope you enjoy the show, and thanks for listening!

This show is the 2nd in a 3-part series called Gatherings of the Tribe in which I talk to a variety of people about the big events that bring gamers together throughout the year: GDC, PAX, E3, etc. This episode features my conversation with critic bloggers Kirk Hamilton (Gamer Melodico) and Rob LeFebvre (Games Are Evil, The Portable Gamer). Stay tuned for Part 3, which will feature three indie developers offering their perspectives on these big events.

This edition of the show begins a 3-part series called Gatherings of the Tribe in which I talk to a variety of people about the big events that bring gamers together throughout the year: GDC, PAX, E3, , Comic-Con, Gameloop, Games Learning and Society...the list goes on and on.  This episode features my conversation with veteran game journalists Gus Mastrapa (Wired.com, et al) and Chris Dahlen (Kill Screen Magazine, et al). Stay tuned for Parts 2 and 3, which will feature critics and developers offering their takes on these big events. Those segments will appear in the coming week.  

This edition of the show features an interview with Tom Bissell, author of the new book Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter. We discuss why Tom wrote the book; why Mirror's Edge is a better game than you think; why we ought to cut game designers some slack; and many other topics.  I hope you enjoy the show.

After a Shakespeare-induced hiatus, the Brainy Gamer podcast is back! This edition of the show features two interesting conversations. In the first segment I chat with Jamin Brophy-Warren and Chris Dahlen, co-creators of Kill Screen. We discuss their new magazine, writing about games, Roger Ebert's 4-star review of The Phantom Menace, and many other topics. In Segment 2 I talk with indie designer Jason Rohrer (Sleep is Death, Passage) about his work, his involvement in the art game movement, and the importance of simplicity.

This edition of the Brainy Gamer Podcast features a holiday extravaganza of Gamers Confab goodness: a 4-volume confection featuring a gaggle of bloggers, journalists, and designers all discussing our favorite games of 2009. This final segment includes Matthew Gallant from The Quixotic Engineer; Alex Raymond from The Border House; and Denis Farr from Gay Gamer and Vorpal Bunny Ranch.