The Experience Points Podcast

You thought buying a full priced game was expensive? Microsoft just bought Mojang, and Minecraft along with them, for 2.5 billion dollars. That is way more money than I spent to play the game. So how does Microsoft plan on making it worth their while? This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I are joined by a guest to discuss the future of Minecraft, what it can mean for players, and the secret life of Notch.

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 39 mins 3 secs

- Music by Brad Sucks

It’s been a long and deadly road, but we’ve finally made it to the finale of The Walking Dead, Season 2. It’s the culmination of all the big questions: How does Clem adapt to increasingly adult responsibilities? How do you know when to stick with the group and when to strike out alone? Is alcohol the solution to dealing with the zombie apocalypse? We wouldn’t blame you if you needed a stiff drink after this one and we’re looking forward to hearing your responses in the comments!

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Show Notes:

- Runtime: 1 hr 3 mins 52 secs

- Music by Brad Sucks

The football season is back, but the eSports League of Legends season is almost coming to a close. Now I can go from sitting in a room watching strangers play a video game to sitting in a room watching strangers play a sports ball game. How different, really, are the two experiences? And what will eSports look like when we consider it a "past time"? All this and more on this week's EXP Podcast!

Can games inspire catharsis? If you mean expel bodily fluids, then yes, I suppose it's an inevitability. For the sake of your couch, I wouldn't recommend it. Instead, why not look to games for emotional catharsis? It's a question posed by Critical Distance in this month's Blogs of the Round Table. We decided to join the conversation and discuss the types of games that let us build up and then vent emotions. Competitive games, meditative headstands, and the lasting legacy of Greeks (even ones that have twin chain blades) all come up over the course of the chat. As always, we're looking forward to hearing your thoughts in the comments.

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes

- Find the show on Stitcher

- Here's the show's stand-alone feed

- Listen to the podcast in your browser by left-clicking here. Or, right-click and select "save as link" to download the show in MP3 format.

- Subscribe to this podcast and EXP's written content with the RSS link on the right.

Did you see that amazing and gorgeous looking trailer from Gamescom!? It was a fully rendered marvel! I can't wait to see how it will look in the much more limited and realistic setting of the actual game, you know, we can finally know what it is, right? This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I discuss cinematics in games, what they can offer games before and after release, and more. Have some thoughts on CG trailers or cut scenes? Let us know in the comments below, especially if you have a favorite! And if you actually do want to see a cool trailer, check out the one for Rime below.

Show notes:

- Runtime: 35 mins 05 secs

- Music by Brad Sucks

Video games are often considered a form of escapism, but what about the games that attempt to painstakingly model the small intricacies of the real world? Jorge and I aren’t very experienced when it comes to conducting virtual trains, piloting virtual planes, or growing virtual grains, but we are very much fascinated by the strong interest in simulation games. Inspired by a truly magnificent and terrifying trailer for Farm Simulator 15, we dive deep into the mindset and appeal of games about the real world.

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes

- Find the show on Stitcher

- Here's the show's stand-alone feed

- Listen to the podcast in your browser by left-clicking here. Or, right-click and select "save as link" to download the show in MP3 format.

- Subscribe to this podcast and EXP's written content with the RSS link on the right.

Show notes:

- Runtime: 37 mins 57 secs

Your bank account is slowly tricking away into nothing. Can you even remember all the services you subscribe to, right now, off the top of your head? This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I discuss all the ways we pay for games and services in more than one lump sum. We also touch upon potential value of EA Access coming to Xbox One. As always, we encourage you to subscribe to this very podcast below and let us know your thoughts on subscription models in the comments below.

Show notes:

- Runtime: 35 mins 49 secs

- "PlayStation Now rentals cost $2.99 for four hours' play, but everything could be changing," by Brian Crecente via Polygon

- "EA offers top games and big discounts for $5 a month," by Justin McElroy via Polygon

- Music by Brad Sucks

Join us “Amid the Ruins” for a discussion on episode 4 of The Walking Dead's second season. As the title suggests, this episode deals with the consequences of some very dramatic events. Characters come and go and we talk about our interpretations of Clementine’s development and her potential fate. We also posit some pretty innovative dairy farming theories.

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes

- Find the show on Stitcher

- Here's the show's stand-alone feed

- Listen to the podcast in your browser by left-clicking here. Or, right-click and select "save as link" to download the show in MP3 format.

- Subscribe to this podcast and EXP's written content with the RSS link on the right.

Show notes:

- Runtime: 46 mins 45 secs

- Music by Brad Sucks

Destiny is still more than a month away from release, but already there is so much to talk about! This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I delve into our early thoughts about the game. Is it living up to the anticipation? Does the look and feel adhere to the high standards we've set for Bungie? Where is that wizard from again? The Moon?

Everyone open your creative writing journals, it's time to answer a question: "What does 'free' mean to you?" It's a question the UK's Advertising Standards Association answered in their analysis of EA's recent Dungeon Keeper remake. The game was advertised as "free," but the ASA's ruling found otherwise, saying that the ad was "likely to create a game experience for non-spenders that did not reflect their reasonable expectations from the content of the ad" and that they can no longer use the ad to promote the game. On its surface, it seems like rebuke of some of "free-to-play's" sleazier dynamics, but it also raises some complex questions about who gets to define game systems, monetization schemes, and player expectations. Adding to the comments is always free, so jump in with your thoughts!