Video Game Crunch Everything tastes better with a little crunch!

I apologize for the radio silence as of late. As mentioned in the newest episode, my wedding is approaching very soon, so I have been insanely busy with preparations. Fortunately, I have had time to get the latest podcast up, so go ahead and download it and view the show notes as well.

Don’t expect a new podcast for at least 3-4 weeks, because I will be taking some time off for wedding/honeymoon activities.

The latest episode of the video game music podcast has been posted. Grab the show here. Check the show notes out as well.

First blood has been drawn, and now I’m following up…with more blood…drawing…or
something. Something of great interest to my esteemed acquaintance, and myself is the current condition of forums on game sites. Fan sites, game news, and most other game affiliated websites have forums of one kind or another ranging in topics from game news and FAQs to commentary and unofficial reviews. My, or perhaps I should say, our issue with the bulk of these social melting pots is their inherent nature to become destructive, condescending, elitist, and at times just plain stupid. I will refrain from naming sites specifically; because I feel that they are not responsible for their sites members so much as the members are responsible for themselves. I will also not divulge screen names and tags because I am not looking to target specific people so much as their actions and/or words in the forums.

Take a moment, and minimize this page, and bring up a new Internet window. Search for your favorite (or if you don’t have a favorite, just find one on your favorite gaming site) forum or message board. Some of you may already be saying to yourselves “oh, I know where he’s going with this…” Search any topic you want, pick a post, the most controversial and the most insignificant will bear the ripest fruit. These are the social situations that turn people on one another. If you’re having trouble finding something search for the latest “hit” game that has been released or some MMORPG.
As you read post-to-post, topic-to-topic, you see what I have been talking about. People become overnight professionals in video game analysis (some psychiatry and business), puffing their pixilated chests out in type and emotes. When I first went to game boards (about 8-10 years ago), people were for the most part, helpful and understanding. This perverted virtual hierarchy of wannabes is distorting the community to both outsiders and those within it.

If you would like to delve further into this social analysis, check out Denis Dyack’s “social experiment”. For those of you who do not know, Denis Dyack is president of Silicon Knights (Eternal Darkness, Legacy of Kain, Too Human), and an outspoken proponent of the gaming community at large. His “social experiment” was done at one of the most infamous sites for gaming (which I will refrain from naming, but you can find it easily), and sparked an interesting discussion across the gaming demographic.

I could go on this topic for a while, and I will. Every so often I’ll update the “state of the boards” with a blog or post, discussing anything and everything board-related. Because they are the perpetual voices of the community, there will always be near limitless discussion so feel free to discuss this topic on our boards. List your own situations and perspectives about the social state of gaming, but PLEASE REFRAIN FROM USING SCREENNAMES AND SITE NAMES. I know we’d all like to call-out people and entities, but for the sake of chivalry we’ll refrain from doing so.
Thanks for giving me some of your time and attention. Check out Jake’s podcast(s) and keep gaming.

For the first time in a very long time I'm actually posting the podcast announcement on the same day the podcast officially goes up! With that being said, go on and grab the mp3 and take a look at the show notes.

Maybe you have felt it in the night air in these past weeks. Something is stirring the winds of change, bleaching the mutlicolored fabric of reality and reshaping existence as we know it. In a sense I am both afraid and overjoyed to break the information to you myself....it's Jake's 24th freakin' birthday. If you didn't get him a gift he's willing to forgive you and accept belated gifts all the way up to his death. The $100 price floor set for gifts is an all time low and standard for such a prestigious fellow, so feel free to buy him several. Leave a post or send unmarked, non consecutive, large denomination bills in a secured envelope to his off shore address. But if you're as cheap as I am, just leave a little love on the message boards.

Something to note, whoever sent the hooker needs to punch air holes in the freight box next time, there is no bin at the recycling center for corpses, but we do appreciate the thought.

Happy Birthday you Son of a B****!

This episode, I talked about Microsoft's E3 press conference - a lot of juicy info was given out, so make sure and have a listen. Take a gander at the show notes as well.

As you are all probably aware by now, episode 34 has been posted (actually, it was posted a week and a half ago, but who's counting?) Grab the mp3. Feel free to take a look at the show notes as well.

Per the usual get the mp3 here. If you want more info about the music, make sure and check out the show notes. Please take a look at Trevor's blog posts and leave him a response!

What's that light on the horizon? It's the bright glow of new content spilling over the hills and mountains of this virtual world into a new day of site features and quirks. A forum for Blog commentary has been added, and with that an account creator will be added (otherwise Jake and I will have to comment on our own work).

Where are the blogs? Several (yes, as in more than one) are in the works. Podcasts are expected to become co-hosted by myself, but are still being expertly done by my brilliant acquaintance to keep your appetites wet for the coming insanity.

I'm personally excited for the forums because if anyone makes a post aside from Jake and I, that's means people are coming to our site! F***ing awesome is what that is!

Thankyou again for bearing with us during this transitional transition period (nope not a stutter).

Sorry again for the delay, but the 32nd episode of the music podcast has been posted. Per usual fair, get the mp3 and don't forget the show notes either.