Game Academy

Because it's just Adam this time, he gets to write all the show notes! Adam is joined by Dr Matt Higgins and Dr Peter Howell to talk all about making some games. Yes, he's taken over the podcast, and he's talking about the usefulness of making things! Of course, we all agree that there are multiple perspectives to study games from, but with a Practice research IN Games conference coming up, we thought it might be nice to spread the good news, including some book recommendations, how our lives affect the things we make and what practice research even is.

So many show note recommendations this time!

Check out our Linktree to join the Discord: https://linktr.ee/Multiplaynetwork

Abstracts for the PING conference go in here: https://wadeg.myweb.port.ac.uk/games-technology-portal/ping23-submissions.html

Books:

Lost in a Good Game by Pete Etchells: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost-Good-Game-video-games/dp/1785784811

The Game Writing Guide by Anna Megill: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Game-Writing-Guide-Your-Dream-ebook/dp/B0BZ5V41ZM/ref=sr_1_1?crid=P3SILEAW8XPE&keywords=anna+megill&qid=1684168275&s=books&sprefix=anna+megill%2Cstripbooks%2C59&sr=1-1

Rules of Play by Katie Salen and Eric Zimmerman: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rules-Play-Design-Fundamentals-Press/dp/0262240459/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2K6TAPYC5B5S&keywords=rules+of+play&qid=1684168344&s=books&sprefix=rules+of+play%2Cstripbooks%2C60&sr=1-1

Game Design Workshop by Tracy Fullerton: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Game-Design-Workshop-Playcentric-Innovative/dp/1138098779/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2UWL0SUXRDL5Q&keywords=game+design+workshop&qid=1684168370&s=books&sprefix=game+design+workshop%2Cstripbooks%2C67&sr=1-1

Narrative Designer's Toolbox by Tobias Heussner et al.: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Narrative-Toolbox-Focal-Design-Workshops/dp/1138787086/ref=sr_1_1?crid=18LRYPLUZ06YJ&keywords=narrative+designer%27s+toolbox&qid=1684168476&s=books&sprefix=narrative+designer%27s+toolbox%2Cstripbooks%2C57&sr=1-1

Writing for Games by Hannah Nicklin: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Writing-Games-Practice-Hannah-Nicklin/dp/1032023058/ref=sr_1_5?crid=24BEHZHVQWHL0&keywords=writing+for+games&qid=1684168529&s=books&sprefix=writing+for+games%2Cstripbooks%2C63&sr=1-5

Book of Lenses by Jesse Schell: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-Game-Design-Lenses-Third/dp/1138632058/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=book+of+lenses&qid=1684168629&s=books&sprefix=book+of+lens%2Cstripbooks%2C70&sr=1-1

And all our lovely Massively Multiplay Events:

Researching the Video Game with Lisa Meek on 17 May 2023: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/researching-the-video-game-tickets-546223829177?internal_ref=social

The Pokelab Mini Conference with Steph Farnsworth and many guest speakers on 30 May 2023: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/poke-lab-a-multiplay-conference-tickets-630750831717?aff=odcleoeventsincollection

Psychology in Games with Matt Higgins, Lisa Meek and Catharine Cross on 31 May 2023: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/psychology-in-games-tickets-602340134557?aff=odcleoeventsincollection

Unpacking What We Take With Us with Adam Jerrett, now moved to 7 June 2023 at 1pm: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/unpacking-what-we-take-with-us-a-workshop-tickets-600327133617?aff=eemailordconf&ref=eemailordconf&utm_campaign=order_confirm&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eventbrite&utm_term=viewevent

Living and Dying Well with Andy Porter on 7 June 2023 at 5pm: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/living-and-dying-well-seminar-massively-multiplay-tickets-596170731707?aff=odcleoeventsincollection

Plants and Powerupswith Steph Farnsworth on 14 June 2023: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/plants-and-power-ups-tickets-602354046167?aff=odcleoeventsincollection

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On the actual anniversary episode of Game Academy, Steph and Adam talk about their busy, busy lives. PhDs are a drag. They never stop. But they should! Don't forget about your personal lives, everyone! They then split off a bit to do something different: two separate interview segments! First, Steph is joined by Amy Ahn to talk all things eSports and Overwatch 2 in the wake of the eSports courses many universities are loving so much. Then, Adam has a chat to Ana Kirlitz, resident also-PhD student who is studying gaming communities for wellbeing through the self-care game "What We Take With Us". The takeaways? Join Multiplay's eSports leagues and go and play What We Take With Us. Two excellent ways to take care of yourselves as we approach Easter! Finally, Steph catches us up on all things Massively Multiplay, including Adam's "What We Take With Us" workshop (how did Ana drag him into all this again? Something about values, probably), and all the open CFPs, including a reminder about the Pokelab conference, which is now happening as part of Massively Multiplay's Massive Month!

Check out our Linktree to join the Discord: https://linktr.ee/Multiplaynetwork

Join our Overwatch 2 eSports team: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HgCgBAEvJS0ZHc7Ng372_n98FJR9CBPefYMcgQm8na0/edit#gid=0

Join our Rocket League eSports team: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hT2hRb59k58U2OXH6ugtl2kSATIkf1Zh-QYyJNLhRQs/edit#gid=0

Check out What We Take With Us here: https://whatwetakewith.us

And Ana's Discord server: https://discord.gg/mhSpKmGQkv

Check out MultiPlay's massive CFP library: https://multiplaynetwork.org/call-for-papers/

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/multiplayn

Send questions and abstracts to networkmultiplay AT gmail DOT com

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In this near-anniversary episode of Game Academy (we launched on 6 March 2022!), Steph and Adam are joined by Lisa Meek to discuss ConfettiX's recent eSports summit in Nottingham. What does an eSports course even look like? They go down the rabbit hole and follow on to also talk about strikes in academia and debunk some myths about unions, much to Adam's surprise - unions are actually really cool! Later, Lisa and Steph chat about their obsession with Disney Dreamlight Valley and the importance of Disney for millenials, despite its obvious problems as a giant corporate monolith! Adam chimes in with his latest gaming experiences, the self-care game "What We Take With Us" that a colleague is studying for her PhD (there you go, Ana, there's your shoutout!) Finally, Steph announces a slew of CFPs for upcoming MultiPlay events and Lisa plugs the University of Durham's online games research methods seminar.

If you want to know more about, join or support strikes in academia, check out the UCU: https://www.ucu.org.uk/

Check out What We Take With Us here: https://whatwetakewith.us

And Ana's Discord server: https://discord.gg/mhSpKmGQkv

Check out our Linktree to join the Discord: https://linktr.ee/Multiplaynetwork

Get in there! Check out MultiPlay's massive CFP library: https://multiplaynetwork.org/call-for-papers/

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/multiplayn

Send questions and abstracts to networkmultiplay AT gmail DOT com

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New Year. Not Happy New Year. Just New Year. - Adam

Just kidding! Happy New Year everyone! In our first pod of 2023, Adam and Steph catch-up on everything they've been up to over Christmas and look ahead to the excitement (and exhaustion) of a new university semester. They chat about Steph's Christmas present, "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow" by Gabrielle Zevin, a very fictional book about game development because one character gets too much maternity leave, and also realistic rendering engines for blood didn't exist in 1996. It is nevertheless a really good book, so it gets a hearty recommendation.

After some PhD updates and a discussion on the impending end of the world (by completing a PhD), they pivot to another post-apocalypse: the world of The Last of Us. Adam badgers everyone to watch the HBO's adaptation of the PlayStation classic. Steph has some doubts about how TV should approach video game adaptations. They argue a bit. Surprise! It nevertheless gets another hearty recommendation because IT'S A MASTERPIECE.

Finally, MultiPlay has some big developments! January has been a year long already. Can we go back to Christmas and Crash Bash?

Check out Adam and supervisor Pete's article on how The Last of Us series expands its game's universe and values: https://theconversation.com/the-last-of-us-hbos-adaptation-elevates-the-video-games-themes-of-love-and-family-198539

Check out Tomorrow and Tomorrow on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58784475-tomorrow-and-tomorrow-and-tomorrow

Check out our Linktree to join the Discord: https://linktr.ee/Multiplaynetwork

Don't forget, MultiPlay still has an open CFP for its May hybrid anniversary conference so get those abstracts in: https://multiplaynetwork.org/call-for-papers/

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/multiplayn

Send questions and abstracts to networkmultiplay AT gmail DOT com

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Coming in smoking hot and screeching into your podcast feed just before 2023 (Happy New Year everyone!), Adam and Steph are High on Christmas and full of Christmas cheer! Awww, geez! Justin Roiland would be pleased! This month, they talk about their multiple Games of the Year, Not-Games of the Year and how 2022 was possibly a bit of a nothing-burger for video games. 2023 is looking mighty tasty, though!

The episode is really just a warm hug from us to you, our lovely listeners. But we couldn't resist a few hot takes about Lake or Death Stranding, because what is the cosy holiday season without some bad cosy games? Anyway, we need to wrap up this description now so Adam can get back to AC Valhalla and Steph can finish God of War Ragnarok!

See you next year, everyone!

Don't forget, MultiPlay still has an open CFP for its (now moved to March) big anniversary conference so get those abstracts in: https://multiplaynetwork.org/call-for-papers/

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/multiplayn

Send questions and abstracts to networkmultiplay AT gmail DOT com

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Game Academy returns! Adam and Steph are back podding (and arguing) together after Steph's break for a very special episode reflecting on the Mass Effect trilogy after MultiPlay's 10 year anniversary conference on N7 Day. Adam and Steph are joined by the conference host Calum Evans to discuss what made the series unique and just why, so many years on, fans still can't get over that ending. Game Academy also hears from Mass Effect fans Danee, Hannah and Ravi, who share their personal experiences on why Mass Effect meant so much to them.

People Make Games' chat to Mass Effect developers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhtgjmkcht8

You can catch up on our special N7 Day conference via our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdIhov-l8FHXB0eBoSoYW3znhKbjoE8Nw

MultiPlay has an open CFP for its big birthday conference happening in January so get those abstracts in: https://multiplaynetwork.org/call-for-papers/

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/multiplayn

Send questions and abstracts to networkmultiplay AT gmail DOT com

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Spoooooky! An eighth Game Academy episode appears just in time for Halloween! With Steph out of commission (she's not dead, we promise) Adam bravely faces the ghouls and curses (the ones that keep preventing us from releasing podcasts on time) with special guest Dr. Peter Howell. Adam and Pete chat a bit about Pete's adventure into being a student once again post-PhD by choosing to do a Masters in Psychology before delving into the meat of our spooky special episode: A retrospective on Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs. Pete helped design the second Amnesia game with The Chinese Room as part of his PhD, so now he gets to dig into his memory banks and tell us all the juicy details of its development! As it turns out, the world of 1900s London might not be too far off our own... Except with more Tesla pigs. But Tesla cars exist so I guess we're all doomed. All in a episode's work for Game Academy!

Check out Pete's work:

https://peterhowell.wixsite.com/whothehowell

AMFP's postmortem: https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/postmortem-the-chinese-room-s-i-amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-i-

Go and buy Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs on Steam or PSN (it's currently on sale):

https://store.steampowered.com/app/239200/Amnesia_A_Machine_for_Pigs/

https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/product/EP1188-CUSA05457_00-AMNESIACOLECTION

Get your free tickets to our special conference on N7 Day in honour of Mass Effect: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/10-years-of-the-mass-effect-trilogy-tickets-420303197177?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/multiplayn

Send questions and abstracts to networkmultiplay AT gmail DOT com

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On the seventh episode of Game Academy, Steph and Adam present an incredibly delayed podcast. We battled freshers' flu to be here and we'll never leave! Long live Game Academy! Steph is more thrilled at the prospect of the academic year than Adam, who has been the target of some angry Twitterers again, having written an article NOT ABOUT GAMERGATE. It's about values. Obviously. Instead, they get dragged into the mire, and discuss the lingering impact of gamergate on the field of video game studies and the internet in general. Steph even gives her most outrageous take yet about Anthem (and since she's writing the description this month, she gets to reiterate it: Anthem is a good game!) [Adam's note: No it isn't] 

Read Adam's original Conversation article about Values-Conscious Games emerging in the wake of GamerGate: https://theconversation.com/how-gamergate-led-the-gaming-industry-to-embrace-more-diverse-and-caring-values-190068

Why You So Angry by Innuendo Studios (Ian Danskin): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJA_jUddXvY62dhVThbeegLPpvQlR4CjF

Ian's GamerGate Postmortem: https://youtu.be/lLYWHpgIoIw

Book your free tickets to our Gothic Games and Disturbing Play Conference: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/gothic-games-and-disturbing-play-conference-tickets-419679963067?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

Get your free tickets to our special conference on N7 Day in honour of Mass Effect: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/10-years-of-the-mass-effect-trilogy-tickets-420303197177?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/multiplayuos

Send questions and abstracts to networkmultiplay AT gmail DOT com

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On the sixth episode of Game Academy, good times never seemed so good! Joined by Lisa Meek, Adam and Steph fondly (or, in Steph's case, not so much) remember when the Lionesses won the Euros. Lisa, amazing guest that she is, is firmly on the winning side with Adam while Steph laments Spain's misfortunes. Nevertheless, they fill us in on what it was like at Wembley during the Euro final. Adam, in an unsurprising turn of events, spills the details on his weddings by focusing solely on his shiny new Steam Deck. Our hosts also chat to sociologist and PhD candidate Lisa Meek, the host of September's Space and Place in Virtual Worlds week! Lisa tells us the details of the incredible line-up for the week and we all chat about our love of history through the lens of games and Lisa's undying love for County Durham. Steph also tries to convince Adam that Space and Place may just be the next big thing in video games studies, but as always, Adam's not having any of it. He does concede that Space and Place is interesting though, so that's a start.

One of us, one of us! 

Book your free tickets to the opening conference of the Space and Place in Virtual Worlds week https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/space-and-place-in-virtual-worlds-tickets-354691390497

Get your free tickets to Gothic Spaces Discussion: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/gothic-spaces-in-virtual-worlds-discussion-tickets-392337551177?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

Join our live reading group on the 14th September https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/live-reading-group-space-and-place-in-virtual-worlds-tickets-403938519987?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

Follow Lisa on Twitter: @jesuis_tired

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/multiplayuos

Send questions and abstracts to networkmultiplay AT gmail DOT com

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On the fifth episode of Game Academy, Adam and Steph take a breath after a hectic month! Adam fills us in on how this year's DiGRA conference went - and to Steph's despair - starts another ludology vs narratology debate. They continue, joined by Adam Crowley, to talk about his latest book "Representations of Poverty in Videogames". He opens our eyes to some fascinating approaches to dealing with socioeconomic factors in games, and finally blows our minds with his hopeful take on the future of the games industry and the m-m-metaverse. Yes, Steph made us talk about the metaverse, and typing that was excruciating. Finally, Steph gives a very long update on MultiPlay's upcoming events, with a special announcement in store for September's WEEK LONG Space and Place Conference! Presentaions and workshops and social events, oh my!

Get your free tickets for MultiPlay's Space and Place in Virtual Worlds Conference here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/space-and-place-in-virtual-worlds-tickets-354691390497

Follow Adam on Twitter: @AdamMCrowley

Buy Adam Crowley's book "Representations of Poverty in Videogames" here: https://www.brownsbfs.co.uk/Product/Crowley-Adam/Representations-of-Poverty-in-Videogames/9783031001437

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/multiplayuos

Send questions and abstracts to networkmultiplay AT gmail DOT com

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