Season 3 2012

This week, we carefully examine and critique the first fifteen minutes of Skyrim's play experience.

This week, we give a (somewhat belated) criticism of SOPA and PIPA.

This week, we suddenly realize that we haven't done a mailbag episode is AGES.

This week, we return to the mailbag and answer a few more popular questions.

This week, we discuss the skills it takes to be a great developer (with lots of help from the folks at Stack Exchange).

This week, we finish discussing the skills it takes to be a great developer (with lots of help from the folks at Stack Exchange).

This week, we begin a three-part series discussing (and defining) Western RPGs and JRPGs.

This week, we continue discussing (and defining) Western RPGs and JRPGs, this time with a special guest!

This week, we conclude our series on Western RPGs and JRPGs.

This week, Mass Effect 3 gives us a chance to talk some more about DLC.

This week, we try (and fail) to contain our excitement about connected gaming experiences.

This week, we rattle off yet another list of games worth checking out.

This week, we look back on the last year and a half of Kinect and offer some new observations about the device.

This week, we discuss the exciting possibilities of crowd-funded games.

This week, we tackle the rampant bullying, misogyny and hate speech that occurs within the gaming community.

This week, we begin a two-part discussion on ARGs, starting with Alternate Reality Games.

This week, we conclude our discussion on ARGs, this time with Augmented Reality Games.

This week, we give a progress update on the EC Indie Fund.

This week, we discuss a major bandwidth problem we're about to run into.

This week, we discuss the AAA industry's trend toward hard-boiling its franchises, and what it means to be "mature".

This week, we offer a handy guide to making your voice heard in U.S. politics (with special guest)!

This week, we recommend some more interesting, "under the radar" games.

This week, we finally get around to talking about the trouble with power creep (with special guest)!

This week, we begin a two-part series on the Hero's Journey as applied to games.

This week, we conclude our two-part series on the Hero's Journey as applied to games (like Journey).

This week, we discuss the benefits of subtle imbalances in games (and welcome our newest team member)!

This week, we list some under-appreciated titles from the beloved 16-bit era.

This week, we speculate on the future possibilities of reselling digital copies of games.

This week, we discuss how games can convey meaning through mechanics alone.

This week, we finish discussing how games can convey meaning through mechanics alone.

This week, we talk about what makes Spec Ops: The Line so great (without spoilers).

This week, we continue our dissection of Spec Ops: The Line (SPOILERS AHOY).

This week, we give a step-by-step guide on how to choose a good game school.

This week, we talk about those playtime-limiting systems often found in social games.

This week, we talk about the crucial "first five minutes" of a game.

This week, we discuss two alternate monetization methods that could work for certain games.

This week, we are reminded once again that Mailbags are a thing we do.

This week, we explain why games shouldn't be constrained exclusively to "Fun".

This week, we talk genres and some game design theory.

This week, we explain why you don't see more game demos being released.

This week, we talk about the importance of protagonists in the horror genre (and wear costumes).

This week, we discuss the unfortunate lack of preservation for gaming's history.

This week, we discuss the design concept of Counter Play (with thanks to Tom Cadwell).

This week, we discuss the best way to approach genre blending.

This week, we talk about the factor of player skill when balancing multiplayer games.

This week, we start discussing religion in games. Finally.

This week, we talk a bit about Faith in games.