The Experience Points Podcast

We thought Lucas Arts and Star Wars 1313 was our last hope for a great Star Wars game. But no. There is another. With the recent announcement that Disney will be handing over the video game licenses for Star Wars to EA, the internet has been abuzz with mixed feelings. Some are eager to see what Visceral or BioWare can do with the franchise. Others are a bit more pessimistic. This week on the podcast, Scott and I step into the proverbial "shockboxing ring" and discuss our own thoughts on the Force, old Lucas Arts games, Boba Fett, and the future of the Skywalker clan.

Show notes:

- "Saturday Soapbox: Force feeding fandom," by Dan Whitehead via Eurogamer

- Runtime: 34 mins 52 secs

- Music: "Star Wars Main Theme" and "Imperial March" by John Williams

This week, we open a gateway to the spirit realm to call forth a podcast that defies the feeble constraints our earthly plane and human minds. "What sorcery is this?" you ask. It is precisely that, mortal: this week we talk about magic. Actually, we use Robert Rath's recent article on the subject to push past the usual focus on psychic missiles and black cauldrons. Magic is a common mechanic in games, but its more sociological role is rarely portrayed. What would it look like if magic in games was a lifestyle, rather than simply a way to roast bad guys when you're tired of swinging a sword? As always, don't hesitate to join the conversation by suddenly materializing 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.

Show notes:

- "I Hate Magic," by Robert Rath, via The Escapist

- Runtime: 28 min 25 sec

- Music by: Brad Sucks

The spring lull is upon us. Without any huge release on the immediate horizon, Scott and are using this time to visit some of the games currently taking up space in our busy calendars. From gamified exercise to eSports and beyond, Scott and I have plenty of game mechanics to both love and hate. Check out all the games listed below in the show notes and be sure to chime in with your thoughts in the comments below!

- 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: 35 min 1 sec

- FitBit

- Don't Starve

- Spelunky

- lolesports.com

- Papers Please

- Monaco

- Music by: Brad Sucks

This week's podcast was inspired by Katie, an intrepid reader who recently left a comment on something Jorge wrote way back in 2008 (talk about a deep cut!). Jorge's post came at the beginning of this generation's co-op boom and Katie's response provides a good starting point to discuss the ways in which the trend has affected the way we play games. How have different styles of collaborative gameplay distinguished themselves from one another? What happens to in-game storytelling when another player is along for the ride? Is the co-op trend a fad and how will it change in the coming years? We touch on all these topics and look forward to hearing from you 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.

Show notes:

- "Coop Mode," by Jorge Albor, via Experience Points (you may have heard of it)

- Runtime: 32 min 16 sec

- Music by: Brad Sucks

Scott and I have ventured deep into Yamatai's hidden tomb and returned with a treasure trove of insight into the exciting Lara Croft reboot from Crystal Dynamics. After a painfully long, and troublesome, hype cycle, we can at last return from the island and share our thoughts on the game. Does this re-imagining of this pop-culture heroine breathe new life into the old franchise? Are quick time events back in style? Why does everyone on this island keep a diary? Join us while we discuss these questions and more! Be sure to hop into the comments below with your own thoughts on the game!

Show notes:

- Runtime: 49 min 55 sec

- Music by: Brad Sucks

This podcast started with a single question I posed to Jorge: "If someone who has never played games came to you and asked you to show them what video games are all about, what would you show them?" It's a big question, one that may well be impossible to fully tackle, but it's something that has come up in the wake of BioShock Infinite and the discussion surrounding its violent imagery. Does the game undercut the impact of some of its themes with unnecessarily explicit or abundant scenes of violence? Is it a problem that one of the premiere examples of artistic and narrative achievement in the medium falls back on the familiar run-and-gun scenario? A growing number of folks are saying "yes" to these questions. This week, we talk about what types of games encapsulate the medium, and how we introduce them to the uninitiated.- 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: 35 min 19 sec- "BioShock Infinite Is Insanely, Ridiculously Violent. It's A Real Shame," by Kirk Hamilton, via - "Opinion: Violence limits BioShock Infinite's audience — my wife included," by Chris Plante, via Polygon- Music by: Brad Sucks

Almost six years after BioShock took the world by storm and forever changed our relationship to video games, the esteemed Ken Levine is back with another work of fantastical and historical fiction. At last, after several delays, BioShock Infinite is in our hands. Columbia might be in the sky, but is the story grounded? Are the systems tight? Does any of this even make sense? Join us this week as Scott and I mine the richness that is BioShock Infinite.

As we always promise with debriefs, we will give you plenty of notice before we spoil anything, so feel free to jump in, whether or not you have played the game. When you have finally seen an end to the story though, be sure to come back and leave your thoughts on the game in the comments below (and when you do, spoiler warning tags are always appreciated.

Show notes:

- Runtime: 66 mins 32 secs

- Music by: Brad Sucks

We get it: you're busy. Professional, familial, and personal obligations have a habit of expanding to the point where video games get crowded out. However, all is not lost: inspired by Tina Amini's post, this week's podcast is a discussion about how to gracefully fit games into hectic schedules. Jorge and I talk share the secrets of how we keep up with every game released (spoiler: we don't) and how to stay connected in a way that makes playing a game a pleasure rather than a burden. The nice thing about podcasts is that you can listen to one and play a game simultaneously, so after you're done multitasking jump into the comments with your feedback!

- 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 min 13 sec

- "How to Balance Video Games with Real Life," by Tina Amini, via Kotaku

- Music by: Brad Sucks

New technology that aims to revolutionize gaming is around the corner, yet millions of people are still happy to sit down around a table and place an old-fashioned board game. The two industries have been growing, but have they been growing closer together or farther apart? Join Scott and I this week to discuss the relationships between board games and video games, then stick around while we chat with Sean Colombo about his experience translating the game Hive to the digital world.

As always, we encourage you to leave your thoughts in the comments section and, if you've been playing any fun board games lately, let us know what they are!

Show notes:

- Hive, by Blueline Studios

- Runtime: 41 min 34 sec

- Music by: Brad Sucks

This city is afraid of me. I have seen its true face. The streets are extended gutters and the gutters are full of blood and when the drains finally scab over, all the vermin will drown. The accumulated filth of all their sex and murder will foam up about their waists and all the whores and politicians will look up and shout "Save us!"... and I'll look down and whisper "SERVER BUSY."You guessed it: this week, we talk about the great SimCity snafu of 2013. The technical issues surrounding the game are fairly well documented, but they raise a variety of broader questions: What does the future look like for single player games? Is the line between design flaw and technical issue getting blurry? Should a game review be amended if the game itself changes? All this (plus some zombie-related speculation) on this week's podcast. As always, feel free to jump into the comments with your thoughts!- 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:- "Requiring Online for Single Player," by Raph Koster- "Why this isn't a one-star SimCity review," by Tom Chick- "SimCity Review: Engineering Addiction," by Russ Pits, via Polygon- Runtime: 34 min 24 sec- Music by: Brad Sucks