Checkpoints

This is a show about videogames, the people who play them and the people who make them. Each episode, a guest on the show talks about the games that have shaped their life in one way or another. Games that have inspired them, games that forged connections with others & games that have soothed wounds. Checkpoints!

My guest today is John Davison. John is currently the general manager of Glixel, a new gaming website by the publisher of Rolling Stone, but is perhaps best known to most as the VP of 1up and one of the original hosts of 1up Yours.

We talk through John's incredible career in the games press, from his early work in the UK games press on PC Player and PC Zone, the cover disk wars of the mid nineties, becoming an editor aged just 21, his move to America, the impact of 1up Yours and what inspired him to create What They Play.

We of course hit on a bunch of games too. How Skyrim and Oblivion ruled his life, why Archer MacLean's Dropzone gave him his first taste of videogame press, the generational impact of Doom and how games are a form of expression, not just in what you make, but in how you play. This was a treat.

I don't want to go to work today. I want to stay home and play. On my videogames.

iTunes HERE -  SUBSCRIBE / RATE / REVIEW

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Games discussed: Dropzone, Doom, Xenogears, Zelda, Skyrim, Oblivion, The Witcher 3, Agar.io, GTA 3, Mincraft, Star Raiders, Pole Position.

Cover design: Craig Stevenson - http://onedinosaurandhisballoon.blogspot.co.uk

Music: Samuel Baker - http://soundcloud.com/furoshiki

This is a show about videogames, the people who play them and the people who make them. Each episode, a guest on the show talks about the games that have shaped their life in one way or another. Games that have inspired them, games that forged connections with others & games that have soothed wounds. Checkpoints!

My guest today is Adriel Wallick a programmer, developer and creator of the Train Jam, an annual game jam that, unsurprisingly, takes place on a train as it travels across the US toward GDC. 

We talk about juggling work and creativity, living in the Netherlands, making a game a week for a whole year, the origins of Train Jam, transitioning from working on satellites to the videogame industry and why 1997 was such a vintage year.

We hit on a ton of games too, the endless exploration of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, why Thomas was Alone was the perfect game at the perfect time and the gut wrenching laughter of QWOP - The Opera. We also light a candle for the tireless footsoldiers of GameFAQs.

What is a man? (flings his wine glass aside) A miserable little pile of secrets! But enough talk... Have at you!

iTunes HERE -  SUBSCRIBE / RATE / REVIEW

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Games discussed: Super Mario Bros, Final Fantasy 9, Unirally, Destiny, Halo, Chrono Cross, Thomas was Alone, Rock Band, Jackbox Party, Diablo 3, Castlevania - SOTN.

Cover design: Craig Stevenson - http://onedinosaurandhisballoon.blogspot.co.uk

Music: Samuel Baker - http://soundcloud.com/furoshiki

This is a show about videogames, the people who play them and the people who make them. Each episode, a guest on the show talks about the games that have shaped their life in one way or another. Games that have inspired them, games that forged connections with others & games that have soothed wounds. Checkpoints!

Today's guest on the show is Marc Flury. Marc worked at Harmonix before leaving to form his own company, Drool. Alongside his partner and Lightning Bolt alum Brian Gibson, they've spent the last few years working on the upcoming rhythm violence game, THUMPER. The all caps are mine, but entirely necessary.  

As an American who now lives in Seoul, Marc has a unique perspective on the game dev scene in the country, and the type of games people love to make and play. Spoilers:  it's not just Starcraft. We talk about the development of Thumper, the pain of programming and the highs and lows of working in such a small team.

We also hit on his time working on Beatles Rock Band, meeting Yoko Ono, being bullied away from arcade machines in an Italian resort, the beautiful systems of Pikmin and his spiritual and psychedelic awakening as the host of The Space Show. 

Space is not only high, it's low. It's a bottomless pit.

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Games discussed: Super Mario Bros, Beatles Rock Band, Thumper, Actraiser, Monkey Island, Spaceteam, Pikmin, Gitaroo Man, Braid, House of the Dead, X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter.

Cover design: Craig Stevenson - http://onedinosaurandhisballoon.blogspot.co.uk

Music: Samuel Baker - http://soundcloud.com/furoshiki

This is a show about videogames, the people who play them and the people who make them. Each episode, a guest on the show talks about the games that have shaped their life in one way or another. Games that have inspired them, games that forged connections with others and games that have soothed wounds. Checkpoints!

Today's guest on the show is Shailesh Prabhu, creative director of Yellow Monkey Studios and owner of one of the finest beards I know of.

We talk about the videogame scene in India, the Nintendo Samurai (!), how the credits sequence at the start of Day of the Tentacle completely shifted how he understood games, and the agony and ecstasy that comes with starting your own videogame studio. 

We also hit on the joys of rhythm games, how having limited access to lots of games can make you an absolute pro in the ones you have, cricket, Counter Strike and the joy of making things.

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Games discussed: Road Fighters, Mortal Kombat 2, Day of the Tentacle, Black, Socioball, Huebrix, Super Mario, Crypt of the Necrodancer, Device 6, Thief, Arkham Asylum and Counter Strike.

Cover design: Craig Stevenson - http://onedinosaurandhisballoon.blogspot.co.uk

Music: Samuel Baker - http://soundcloud.com/furoshiki

This is a show about videogames, the people who play them and the people who make them. Each episode, a guest on the show talks about the games that have shaped their life in one way or another. Games that have inspired them, games that forged connections with others and games that have soothed wounds. Checkpoints!

Today's guest on the show is Jeff Green. Jeff has spent a the past few years working for Popcap and EA, but is perhaps best known for his long tenure on GFW/CGW magazine, and as the host of GFW Radio, one of the very first videogame podcasts and certainly one of my favourites. He is also the nicest guy, and an excellent guest.

We talk about Jeff's delinquent youth in a pinball gang, how to balance marriage and Hearthstone, bonding with his daughter in WoW, how awful it is to have to write about modems and how amazing it is to write about games. 

We wax lyrical about Half Life and Doom, wonder whether stories in games matter, think about the impact of podcasting and share thoughts on the latest Hearthstone expansion. This was a treat.

You're not the Lord of the Rings!

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Games discussed: Doom (1993), Quake, Half Life, WoW, Everquest, Bioshock, Hearthstone, Zork, Destiny, Marathon, Dark Souls 3.

Cover design: Craig Stevenson - http://onedinosaurandhisballoon.blogspot.co.uk

Music: Samuel Baker - http://soundcloud.com/furoshiki

This is a show about videogames, the people who play them and the people who make them. Each episode, a guest on the show talks about the games that have shaped their life in one way or another. Games that have inspired them, games that forged connections with others and games that have soothed wounds. Checkpoints!

My guest on today's show is William Pugh, one of the co-creators of the Stanley Parable and now director of a new studio, Crows Crows Crows.

William is really young and that's totally fine because games have been a huge part of his life since literally the moment he was born. He is very funny and very charming and this was a lot of fun to record.

We talk gaming as performance, why SNAPs never got the recognition it deserved, making VR games with Justin Roiland, the weirdly sexual characters in Cushion Cats, Harmontown, the magic of practical jokes, actual magic, Slavery! and how Super Mario made him a monster.

Places, please!

Cover design: Craig Stevenson - http://onedinosaurandhisballoon.blogspot.co.uk

Music: Samuel Baker - http://soundcloud.com/furoshiki

SUBSCRIBE HERE

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This is a show about videogames, the people who play them and the people who make them. Each episode, a guest on the show talks about the games that have shaped their life in one way or another. Games that have inspired them, games that forged connections with others and games that have soothed wounds. Checkpoints!

My guest on today's show is the games editor for the Guardian, Keith Stuart. One of the recurring themes of Keith's life in games is family. From his earliest memories of he and his dad as co-conspirators in the notion that a home computer would be 'good for homework', through to his own life as a father, and how he and his son's relationship has been completely transformed by Minecraft. A story which is soon to be fictionalised in his book, A Boy Made of Blocks. Keith's life in games is a heartwarming one.

We talk about writing videogame manuals, the magic of Phantasy Star Online, the forgotten Mario and Zelda games on the CDi, chasing the football dragon in Champ Manager, the role of a games journalist in the world of the streamer and the fascinating relationship between acting and playing videogames.

All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players. CHOOSE YOUR CLASS.

Games diccussed - Life is Strange, Portal 2, WoW, Heavy Rain, Quantum Break, The Last of Us, Minecraft, Jumpgate, Pilotwings 64, Sega Rally, Leaderboard, Civilization, Championship Manager and Uncharted.

Cover design: Craig Stevenson - http://onedinosaurandhisballoon.blogspot.co.uk

Music: Samuel Baker - http://soundcloud.com/furoshiki

SUBSCRIBE HERE

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This is a show about videogames, the people who play them and the people who make them. Each episode, a guest on the show talks about the games that have shaped their life in one way or another. Games that have inspired them, games that forged connections with others and games that have soothed wounds. Checkpoints!

Mel Croucher is a living legend. You may not have heard of him and might be thinking, 'Declan, that's a bit strong.' and I'd say, 'Listen to the episode first.' 

Mel started the first ever videogame company in the UK, Automata. They made games as statements, from profane jabs at the royalty to psychedelic drinking games starring the Pi-man. This all culminated in 1984 with the release of his most ambitious game yet, Devs Ex Machina. It was vastly ahead of it's time. This wasvideogame as concept album. An exploration of life and death with a full celebrity voice cast and a complete musical score. It also proved his undoing.

Mel is packed with extraordinary stories, we talk Sooty Xylophones, designing the first skyscrapers in Duba, broadcasting games across the radio, offering a golden sundial as a videogame prize, working with Christopher Lee and the incredible tale of how piracy caused his downfall and how one of those pirates, 25 years later, brought him back to videogames. This was a treat to record, I hope you enjoy it.

Oh, and remember kids! There's no blood in our games, it's Automata sauce.

Mel Croucher - http://www.melcroucher.net

Checkpoints #6 - http://declandineen.com/checkpoints/ppostid-5

Cover design: Craig Stevenson - http://onedinosaurandhisballoon.blogspot.co.uk

Music: Samuel Baker - http://soundcloud.com/furoshiki

SUBSCRIBE HERE

RSS HERE

This is a show about videogames, the people who play them and the people who make them. Each episode, a guest on the show talks about the games that have shaped their life in one way or another. Games that have inspired them, games that forged connections with others and games that have soothed wounds. Checkpoints!

My guest on today's show is Shahid Ahmad. For many people, Shahid is best known as the Playstation Indie Champion. He was part of a team that changed the landscape at Sony, and made Playstation a home for indie developers, developing the rich ecosystem we see today. But before that, Shahid had already had a rich and varied history with videogames.

Starting as a bedroom coder in his teenage years, Shahid has gone on to work in almost every facet of the industry - development, production, publishing, composing - as well as playing in bands and starting his own business. He's won it all, lost it all, and won it all back. His life in games is an extraordinary story.

We talk about getting RSI playing Speedball, sibling rivalry in Street Fighter, why Space Invaders is like the monolith in 2001, and the formula for knowing when a game should be greenlit. (Spoiler, there isn't one.)

Games discussed - Star Raiders, Speedball 2, Jet Set Willy, Gauntlet, Call of Duty, Olli Olli, Velocity 2X, CoD: Modern Warfare, Knight Lore and Mario Kart.

Cover design: Craig Stevenson - http://onedinosaurandhisballoon.blogspot.co.uk

Music: Samuel Baker - http://soundcloud.com/furoshiki

SUBSCRIBE HERE

RSS HERE

This is a show about videogames, the people who play them and the people who make them. Each episode, a guest on the show talks about the games that have shaped their life in one way or another. Games that have inspired them, games that forged connections with others and games that have soothed wounds. Checkpoints!

Today's guest is John Robertson. John is a stand up comedian, the host of Videogame Nation on Challenge TV and the creator of the world's only live-action videogame, The Dark Room.

We talk about his introduction to Nazi Germany via Wolfenstein 3D and an eccentric grandfather, why all Australians pronounce SEGA incorrectly,why Deadlock is the greatest turn based strategy ever made and how brutalising Buff Bagwell in WCW/NWO Revenge bonded him with a friend for life.

We also hear some harrowing tales of school camps, how a love of gaming and anime gave his early stand up career a boost and the incredible origin story of The Dark Room.

Games discussed: New Zealand Story, Wolfenstein, Sonic, Columns, Altered Beast, GODS, Red Alert 3, Deadlock, XCOM 2, Goldeneye and Castlevania 64.

You can play the Dark room yourself here

Good luck, Darren!

Cover design: Craig Stevenson - http://onedinosaurandhisballoon.blogspot.co.uk

Music: Samuel Baker - http://soundcloud.com/furoshiki

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