The Experience Points Podcast

How important is competition? What does the thrill of victory (and the agony of defeat!) teach us? Ian Bogost sparked these questions in a recent essay about the importance of competition, and we use his piece as a starting point to hash out the merits of having games with clear winners and losers. We also go on liberal tangents about the Olympics, dodgeball, and the effects of public leaderboards in single-player games. These are questions sparked by a recent essay by game designer To listen to the podcast:- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes here. Additionally, here is the 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:- Run time: 41 min 04 sec- "In Defense of Competition," by Ian Bogost- Music provided by Brad Sucks

We made the call and you answered. By post, pigeon, and pyschic connection, you sent in questions for the show. This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I answer them. We touch on game ideas, to DS favorites, and even the latest Kickstarter craze, the Ouya. As always, if you have questions or topics you want to hear discussed on the show, you can contact us at any time at experiencepoints[at]gmail.com or via twitter (@sjuster and @jalbor). We would also love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.

Show notes:

- Run time: 32 min 07 sec

- California Extreme's website

- Music provided by Brad Sucks

Last weekend, Jorge, Hanah, and I went on a field trip to California Extreme. Best described as "a classic arcade games show," it's a celebration of historical video and pinball games and a chance to literally play with history without having to worry about running out of quarters. After spending some time on the show floor, we regrouped to talk about our some of the standout games, our arcade wishlists, and the future of classic gaming. We cover a lot, but it's impossible to do justice to everyone's favorite arcade games, so feel free to jump into the comments with your thoughts!To listen to the podcast:- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes here. Additionally, here is the 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:- Run time: 42 min 38 sec- California Extreme's website- Music provided by Brad Sucks

Every now and then Scott and I like to take a break from our usual schedule and actually chat about - you guessed it - video games. This may be hard to believe, but we actually do play a decent amount of games ourselves. This week on the EXP podcast, Scott and I discuss what we've been playing. We touch on The Walking Dead, Metroid: The Other M, Magic the Gathering: 2013, Demon Souls and a couple more. As always, we encourage you to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

Also, we are doing another mail bag episode! Send in yours questions to us via email experiencepoints AT gmail dot com), message or reply to us on Twitter (that's @JAlbor and @SJuster)or any other method and we will discuss them on the show. To listen to the podcast:

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes here. Additionally, here is the 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:

- Run time: 42 min 07 sec

- Music provided by Brad Sucks

Is the goal of photorealistic graphics and the prevalence of gritty shooters at odds with the role of imagination in video games? In a recent column, Steven Boone wonders if the influence of realistic, violent games limits their creative potential. We use the piece as a starting point to talk about how aesthetic style impacts the experience of playing a game. Do today's high resolution, violent, and narratively focused games give us tunnel vision? It's a broad topic that encompasses everything from marketing, to art style, to storytelling techniques, so feel free to jump into the comments with your thoughts!

To listen to the podcast:

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes here. Additionally, here is the 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:

- Run time: 32 min 57 sec

- "The Last of Us, and other video games that leave absolutely nothing to the imagination," by Steven Boone, via Capital New York

- Music provided by Brad Sucks

Scott recently paid a visit to our fine nation's capital. Besides having tea with the Obama family, he visited a the cornucopia of stellar Smithsonian museums, including the American Art Museum that currently houses the first ever "Art of Video Games" exhibit. The collection highlights a treasure trove of material, albeit still a small segment of the industry as a whole. Scott and I discussed their game choices in detail in an earlier podcast, but now one of us has some familiarity with the look and feel of the exhibit. Join us on this week's podcast as we talk about modern art, cross-generational sharing, and the pleasure of being a tour guide. As always, we encourage you to leave your thoughts on the exhibit and the future of games in museums in the comments section below. To listen to the podcast:

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes here. Additionally, here is the 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:

- Run time: 40 min 04 sec

- "The Art of Video Games," an exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum

- Music provided by Brad Sucks

Supergiant Games released Bastion on XBLA back in 2011, but many players, including Scott, only recently had a chance to play the award-winning game when it joined other stellar works in the Humble Indie Bundle. This week on the podcast, Scott and I revisit one of my favorite games of 2011. Join us while we discuss what makes the game so special and the best way to bring the story to a powerful conclusion. As always, let us know your thoughts on the game in the comments section below.

To listen to the podcast:

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes here. Additionally, here is the 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:

- Run time: 35 min 38 sec

- Interview with Darren Korb via Top Score with Emily Reese

- Music by Darren Korb via the Bastion Soundtrack

As you may know, Scott and I are avid thatgamecompany fans, particularly of Journey, their latest masterpiece. It was such a rewarding and almost mystical experience we did not want it to end. Steven Poole, however, thought it should have ended just a tad sooner. This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I discuss Poole's claim that Journey's ending is a "cop out" and, more importantly, examine the way game endings can violate themes and trends established within story and gameplay. As always, we love to hear your thoughts on the subject. Chime in with your comments below!

To listen to the podcast:

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes here. Additionally, here is the 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:

- Run time: 28 min 41 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

This week, Jorge and I take a trip to the theater and discuss the recently-released Indie Game: The Movie. It's a documentary featuring the creative folks behind three of the most well-known independent games of the past few years: Braid, Super Meat Boy, and Fez. The movie offers a glimpse of the extremely personal journey of making a video game and explores the personal and professional challenges they face along the way. The film has generated a lot of discussion inside the video game community and in broader press and we're looking forward to hearing your thoughts in the comments!

Some discussion starters:

- What does the film teach us about the independent scene and the video game industry overall?

- Who is this movie for? What can gaming enthusiasts take from it and what might newcomers learn?

- What other independent developers would you like to see highlighted in a movie?

To listen to the podcast:

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes here. Additionally, here is the 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:

- Run time: 46 min 35 sec

- The official website for Indie Game: The Movie

- "Indie Game: The Movie's new credits put end to conflict," by Allistair Pinsof, via Destructoid

- Music provided by Brad Sucks

We made the drive back up to Northern California, but left pieces of ourselves back in the Los Angeles the convention center - mostly the tired and exhausted parts. This week on the show, Scott and I revisit our experience at E3 and chat about our general thoughts on the show, the weird experience such an industry show creates, and some of our video game favorites and let downs. Surely you watched the show from afar if you couldn't make it yourself. If so, chime in below in the comments section and let us know what your E3 surprises and disappointments were this year!

Show notes:

- Run time: 34 min 05 sec

- Music provided by Brad Sucks