Podcast Summary
TripleClick welcomes new and old listeners at Maximum Fun's Block Party: Noted Metroid expert Maddie Myers invites new listeners to enjoy TripleClick's video game podcast and expand their Maximum Fun library.
TripleClick, a video game podcast, is participating in Maximum Fun's Block Party, a network-wide event where each show introduces itself as an invitation for new listeners. The hosts, Maddie Myers, Jason Shire, and Kirk Hamilton, welcome both old and new listeners to their podcast. Maddie Myers, the senior games editor at Polygon.com and co-host of The Mutant Ages podcast, is introduced as a noted Metroid expert and competitive gaming enthusiast. The podcast's episode serves as an introduction for newcomers and an enjoyable experience for regular listeners. The Block Party theme encourages listeners to explore other Maximum Fun shows and expand their podcast library.
Three Video Game Insiders Share Their Perspectives: Three industry veterans discuss the demanding work culture in video games, their love for analyzing music and video games, and their diverse backgrounds and roles in the industry
The trio of video game enthusiasts and industry insiders, Jason Schreier, Maddie Myers, and Kirk Hamilton, each bring unique perspectives to the table, having worked variously as authors, reporters, musicians, and educators. They met at Kotaku but now work at different outlets, with Jason at Bloomberg and Kirk hosting podcasts and freelancing. They discuss a range of topics, including the demanding work culture in video games known as "crunch," and their shared love for analyzing music and video games. Despite their different backgrounds and roles, they all continue to engage with and explore the ever-evolving world of video games, making their conversations accessible and enjoyable for both newcomers and seasoned players.
Social connections in gaming last beyond the game: Gaming offers various social experiences, from friendships to competition, and these connections can last long after the game is over.
Video games offer various social experiences, from competitive and petty interactions to forming deep friendships. These experiences can be had through multiplayer or non-multiplayer games, either online or offline. The social connections made through gaming can last long after the game itself is over, creating a community that can persist for years. Whether it's through voice calls while playing separate games or joining a video game book club, the social aspect of gaming is a significant draw for many players. The friendships formed through gaming can be just as valuable as the virtual loot or achievements, and can lead to lasting bonds that extend beyond the game world.
Exploring virtual spaces in online games: Online games offer unique collaborative experiences, allowing users to build, explore, and connect with friends through impressive digital creations.
Minecraft servers and online games in general offer unique collaborative experiences that go beyond the concept of multiplayer video games. These virtual spaces allow users to build and explore together, creating impressive digital creations like amusement parks and escape rooms. For those new to video games or looking for an alternative to phones, online games can serve as an engaging way to connect with friends. Games like Destiny, Final Fantasy 14, and Fortnite offer various levels of immersion and social interaction. Even watching friends play can be an enjoyable experience, providing a sense of camaraderie and shared enjoyment. These online communities can offer a source of pride, creativity, and connection, especially during challenging times like the pandemic.
Exploring the Appeal of Video Games: Social Connections and Artistic Depth: Video games offer unique experiences through social connections and artistic depth, emphasizing their importance as a captivating aspect of modern culture.
Video games offer unique experiences, whether it's through engaging in intricate tabletop simulations with friends or immersing oneself in the artistic depth of modern video games. Maddy's discussion of her gaming experiences highlights the appeal of both casual conversations and intense gameplay. Meanwhile, the hosts' perspective on video games as a modern art form emphasizes the importance of understanding and appreciating their evolving nature. Whether it's the social connections forged through gaming or the artistic expression found in games, the shared experience of gaming continues to be a captivating aspect of our culture.
Exploring the Artistic Landscape of Video Games: Video games offer a unique art form with interactive, immersive experiences, but their complexity and rapid evolution can make them intimidating for beginners.
Video games represent a new "super medium" of art, combining elements of various media forms such as music, acting, and design, while adding an interactive and social dimension. This interactive and evolving nature of video games makes them a fascinating art form, but also presents challenges for newcomers due to the industry's rapid evolution and the inherent complexity of the medium. Video games are unique in their ability to engage and immerse players in a shared experience, resulting in new and innovative creations each year. However, their accessibility and learning curve can make them intimidating for beginners. Overall, video games offer a rich and ever-evolving artistic landscape, worthy of exploration and discussion.
Challenges in the Video Game Industry for Newcomers: The video game industry presents unique challenges for newcomers, including labor exploitation, sexism, racism, and income inequality. Communities like Triple Click Discord can help new gamers navigate these challenges and make the experience more enjoyable and accessible.
While difficult texts in books and other media can be enriching once you understand them, video games present a unique challenge due to their interactive nature and the learning curve required to fully engage with them. The video game industry, with its massive revenue and young age, faces significant issues such as labor exploitation, sexism, racism, and income inequality. These challenges can make entering the world of gaming daunting for newcomers. However, communities like Triple Click Discord can help welcome and educate new gamers, making the experience more enjoyable and accessible. It's essential to be aware of these challenges and the importance of fostering a welcoming environment for those interested in video games.
Unethical practices in video game industry, including crunch hours and lack of fair compensation: The video game industry can involve long hours, passion, and lack of fair compensation for developers, leading to negative impacts on personal lives and health. Solutions are needed to ensure fair labor practices and a healthier work-life balance.
The video game industry, like many tech industries, can involve unethical practices, such as excessive crunch hours that can negatively impact employees' personal lives and health. This issue is unique to the video game industry due to the passion and excitement surrounding game development, which can lead to employees working long hours without proper compensation or time off. Unlike industries like banking or consulting, game developers are often not paid what they're worth for their labor and may not even be paid for overtime. The lack of unions and solidarity in the video game industry further exacerbates these issues. It's important for the industry to acknowledge these problems and find solutions to ensure fair labor practices and a healthier work-life balance for developers.
Understanding the Complexity of Video Game Creation: Video games are made by large teams, not just individual genius, and offer both personal engagement and spectator sports experiences.
Video games are a complex and multifaceted form of art and entertainment, involving not just individual genius but also team collaboration, and offering both personal engagement and spectator sports experiences. The mythologizing of individual genius in tech and arts can be problematic, and video games are no exception. However, it's important to remember that games are made by large teams and recognizing this perspective is crucial for understanding the creative decision-making process. Furthermore, video games have become one of the most popular spectator sports in the world, with competitive games like fighting games offering thrilling 1 v 1 matches and long-term rivalries. Watching these competitions can be as enjoyable as playing the games themselves and can even inspire improvement. While some games are more challenging to spectate due to their complexity, starting with simpler games can make the experience more enjoyable for newcomers. Overall, video games offer a unique blend of art, entertainment, and competition, and it's essential to appreciate the complexity and collaboration behind their creation.
Exploring the Art, Sport, and Technology of Video Games: From competitive gaming to relaxing social experiences, video games offer diverse subcultures and innovations for all levels of players.
Video games offer various experiences and subcultures, from competitive gaming like Trials of Osiris in Destiny 2, where watching skilled players can inspire awe and motivation, to speed running events like Games Done Quick, where people push the boundaries of games and discover new ways to play them. These events showcase the art, sport, and technology aspects of video games, providing entertainment and innovation for both newcomers and long-time players. Animal Crossing: New Horizons, recommended for beginners, is a charming game where players start on an island, build a house, and interact with anthropomorphic animals, offering a relaxing and social experience.
Exploring new dimensions of gaming through familiar entry points: Personal stories of Animal Crossing and Picross show how introducing a new hobby or experience through a familiar and enjoyable entry point can lead to deeper engagement and discovery. Video games offer diverse experiences from open-ended exploration to story-driven puzzles, making them an appealing and versatile form of entertainment.
Introducing a new hobby or experience through a familiar and enjoyable entry point can lead to deeper engagement and discovery. In the context of video games, this was illustrated through personal stories of Animal Crossing and Picross. Animal Crossing was a phone game that one person enjoyed, and when they were given a more immersive and feature-rich version on a Nintendo Switch, their interest deepened significantly. Picross, a puzzle game available on various platforms, was suggested as an accessible entry point for those new to gaming or more complex puzzle games. Another important point discussed was the potential of video games as interactive storytelling mediums. Two examples given were The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Return of the Obra Dinn. The former, an action-adventure exploration game, was praised for its open-ended gameplay and the freedom it offers to players. The latter, a story-driven puzzle game, was described as a captivating and intriguing experience that unfolds like a giant logic grid. Lastly, 80 Days, an interactive fiction game, was recommended for its engaging storytelling and accessibility across multiple platforms. Overall, the conversation emphasized the diverse range of experiences and genres that video games offer, making them an appealing and versatile form of entertainment.
Exploring unique gaming experiences through recommended titles: Discover a range of engaging games from graphic novel-inspired 'The Incal', horror-comic 'Inside', mystery 'Firewatch', farming simulation 'Stardew Valley', emotional 'Celeste', to time-loop 'Minit'.
The speakers recommended several video games for newcomers, each offering unique experiences. The first was "The Incal," a graphic novel-inspired game with an evocative, steampunk alternate world. The second was "Inside," a side-scrolling puzzle platformer known for its horror, humor, and abstract artistic potential. Other recommendations included "Firewatch," a mystery game set in the wilderness; "Stardew Valley," a farming simulation with RPG elements; "Celeste," a challenging platformer with a heartfelt story; and "Minit," a time-loop adventure game. These games cater to various interests and skill levels, providing a great starting point for newcomers to explore the vast world of video games.
New Nintendo Switch OLED: Enhanced display and design: The new Nintendo Switch OLED boasts a larger, more vibrant OLED display, an upgraded kickstand, and potentially improved Joy Cons, making it a noticeable upgrade for handheld gamers.
The new Nintendo Switch OLED model offers a significant improvement in screen quality and design, with a larger, more vibrant OLED display and an upgraded kickstand. While it doesn't support 4k resolution yet, some believe this may be due to supply chain issues or a potential delay for a more powerful Switch Pro model. The new Joy Cons may also have improved drifting issues. Overall, the new Switch OLED model is a worthwhile investment for those who frequently use the kickstand or prefer handheld mode, and its sleek design and improved screen make it a noticeable upgrade from the original Switch. However, it may not be worth the upgrade for those who primarily use the Switch in dock mode or are holding out for a more powerful model.
A new take on cooperative zombie shooting with Back 4 Blood and Wildermyth: Back 4 Blood, a spiritual successor to Left 4 Dead, introduces a card system and AI director for added complexity. Wildermyth, a role-playing game, focuses on procedural narration and storytelling, offering a unique experience.
Back 4 Blood, a cooperative zombie shooter for four players, is a spiritual successor to the popular game Left 4 Dead, also featuring four players and zombie combat. The game introduces a card system and an AI director, adding complexity and competition to the classic zombie shooting experience. Back 4 Blood is available on Xbox Game Pass, offering good value for subscribers. Another noteworthy game mentioned is Wildermyth, a role-playing game with a focus on procedural narration and storytelling, offering a unique and engaging narrative experience. Both games offer fresh takes on established genres and are worth checking out.
A unique RPG experience with procedurally generated narrative and character development: Spelldawn offers an immersive RPG experience with a unique magic system, procedurally generated narrative, and a focus on character relationships and development
"Spelldawn" is an engaging party-based role-playing game with a unique magic system and a procedurally generated narrative that feels like playing a tabletop RPG. The game features a world map with time passing, character growth, and a turn-based combat system that utilizes environmental magic. The mages can cast spells on objects, adding a layer of strategy and creativity. The heart of the game, however, is its storytelling, with handwritten scenarios and procedurally generated characters that evolve and interact in unexpected ways. The game's emphasis on character development and relationships creates an immersive and intriguing experience that unfolds over many hours, making it a standout in the RPG genre.
A unique RPG experience with procedural generation and handwritten content: Wildermyth offers a captivating narrative through a blend of procedural and authored content, creating a unique RPG experience reminiscent of Divinity Original Sin 2 and Disco Elysium.
"Wildermyth" is an engaging and unique role-playing game that offers a captivating narrative experience through a combination of procedural generation and handwritten content. The game, which feels like a hybrid between traditional RPGs and tabletop games, has already left a strong impression on the speaker, drawing comparisons to critically acclaimed titles like Divinity Original Sin 2 and Disco Elysium. Despite the game's procedural nature, the specific stories, vignettes, and character dialogue are written and presented in a charming and authored way, resulting in a unique and evocative narrative experience. The speaker is excited to explore more of what the game has to offer and invites the listeners to join him on this adventure.
