Sep 4, 2021
Following our look at the Civilization games in the previous episode, Tim and Joel look at the Paradox strategy games and The Sims. In contrast to the Civilization games, Paradox has shown signs of greater engagement with some of the more troubling historical issues that games about colony-building have generally failed...
Aug 22, 2021
Tim and Joel look at the Civilization games. We examine the way that, in every iteration, their systems have failed go beyond a view of the world rooted in capitalist realism.
Games mentioned:
- Civilization series
- Red...
Aug 12, 2021
Tim and Joel look at different ways of experiencing games, how input and interface can shape an aesthetic experience. We look at simple tweaks like removing the mini-map in Red Dead Redemption 2, and examine a team of developers using old-style telephones as voice-activated input devices.
Games mentioned:
- The Last...
Aug 5, 2021
Tim and Joel catch up on some of the games they've sampled over the last few weeks. We go over some preliminary thoughts on UI and UX, and talk about the stunning graphical improvements of PCVR.
Games played:
- The Ascent
- ShadowRun
- CyberPunk 2077
- Deus Ex
- Elite Dangerous
- Half Life 1
- Return to Castle...
Jul 29, 2021
Tim and Joel continue last week's conversation about systemic games. We look at the medieval sandbox game Crusader Kings 3, and Tim goes into his playthrough of Nantucket. We also look at games that come close to being systemic, employing complex systems, but end up relying on authored narratives.
Games mentioned: