The Impact Factor Ep. 42: Twitter Beef Wellington
Podcast

Welcome to the 42nd episode of The Impact Factor! The Impact Factor is what happens when two scientists, and two best friends, get together to talk about video games. Hosts Alex Samocha [biomedical scientist] and Charles Fliss [social scientist] sit down every week to discuss the week in gaming! Listen in for the news, views, and games that made the biggest impact!

Please send your suggestions and feedback to: impactfactorpodcast@gmail.com

In this episode Alex and Fliss talk about Street Fighter V, Ubisoft, Watch Dogs 2, Knights and Bikes, Hideo Kojima, Fallout 4, PS VR, Kanye West, Twitch, Tomb of the Mask, Firewatch & much more!

“What not to do when promoting your game on Twitch” by Ryan Sligh

TIF’s Firewatch Review

Subscribe to us on iTunes

YouTube page

For articles and reviews from Alex, check out: www.theimpactfactor.blogspot.com
For a blog about Japan, pop culture & more from Fliss, check out:

www.flissofthenorthstar.blogspot.com

Follow Alex @alexsamocha on Twitter. twitch.tv/megalodonphd
Follow Fliss @thecfliss on Twitter. twitch.tv/flissofthenorthstar

Intro song:

You Kill My Brother by Go! Go! Go! Micro Invasion, East Jakarta Chiptunes Compilations. Freemusic Archive. (Attribution Noncommercial Share-Alike License)
freemusicarchive.org/music/Indonesi…s_Compilation/
Transitions:
News & Views and Perspectives transitions from victorcenusa, Freesound.org (Creative Commons 0 License)
freesound.org/people/victorcenusa/sounds/148785/
freesound.org/people/victorcenusa/sounds/148784/
Experimental Methods transition from Sentuniman, Freesound.org (Attribution Noncommercial License)
freesound.org/people/Setuniman/sounds/143994/

Da

News & Views

1/30/16-2/5/16

Happy February to all you Impact Factors! Heh, I like that. January might have been a bit slow for new releases, but February is no slouch! With Crypt of the Necrodancer this week, Firewatch the next, and Street Fighter V after that, there’s no shortage of awesome gaming goodness coming our way. Keep up with the blog or follow me on Twitter to stay on top of it!

Onto News & Views! As always, this Friday feature compiles my favorite video game writing, stories, videos and more. I found some really good ones this week. From how the PC port of Final Fantasy VI is secretly good for modding, how to talk about games if you’re blind, and a report on the state of game development in central Africa, this week has it all. Let me know which stories you found the most resonant!

And of course you can check out the brand new episode of The Impact Factor podcast that was posted today! You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, or if you prefer other methods, check out our SoundCloud. We’re on YouTube too!

Spotlight

How to talk about games (if you're blind)

Robert Kingett, Kill Screen

Worth Reading

Narrative Uncertainties in Gaming: Breaking Reality

Jonathan Epstein, Gamasutra

The Binding of Isaac’s Biggest Secret Nearly Broke The Guy Who Made It

Patrick Klepek, Kotaku

On the failure of Fallout 4 at the hands of The Witcher 3

Tauriq Moosa, Polygon

The state of game development in Africa

Richard Moss, Gamasutra

The secret that makes Final Fantasy VI PC perfect for modding

Wes Fenlon, PC Gamer

With Comments

Great work on Starward Rogue, team! Now you're all laid off...?

Chris Park, Arcen Games

Chris Park of Arcen Games shares a truly tragic story of the risk, sacrifice, and harsh reality of being an independent game developer. Despite the hard work of the team and a well-reviewed final product, the financial realities of the fledgling studio meant that a large number of employees had to be let go. Game development at all levels is difficult, but these vignettes about indie development should serve as a warning sign for both young and old: it ain’t easy. I hope everyone let go can land on their feet somewhere else.

I couldn't save my child from being killed by an online predator

Anna Moore, The Guardian

Not the kind of story I usually share with you all here on the blog, but one I felt I needed to. Online gaming isn’t all fun and games. My heart goes out to this family. Especially for those of you with young children, but still important for those without, be vigilant about your online activity. There are some bad people out there. Further, this story reinforces a stance I’ve had for quite a while—law enforcement needs to take these situations more seriously. Whether it be better tools to seek out offenders or protections for potential victims. Just something more.

The Death of Rev3Games

Zack Hage, Medium

Rev3Games was a big part of my video game media consumption a few years ago. They produced thoughtful, quality content that wasn’t ashamed of being different from other gaming news or op/ed sites. Rev3Games gave one of my favorite games pundits, Adam Sessler, a vehicle to share his uninhibited self with the world. It was great, until it was just…gone. Sessler’s departure was the beginning of a very rapid end. As a footnote to the article, one of Rev3Games’s alums Max Scoville took to Reddit to clarify (and refute) some of the topics the author discussed. “Max: The people most responsible for its creation were Zac Minor and Anthony Carboni.  Everyone left for different reasons. I won't go into those (partially because it'd be unprofessional, partially because it's tedious boring business stuff) but it wasn't just as simple as the thumbnails not being flashy enough, or headlines not being stupid enough.”

Why Video Games Need More 'Just Good Friends' Relationships

Kaitlin Tremblay, VICE

Video games haven’t always (read: ever) been a source of the most dynamic character relationships. If it’s some big budget AAA game and there a few guys and a few girls, odds are two or more of them are in a romantic relationship with each other. Tremblay writes both specifically and generally about why games need more ‘just good friends’ relationships, citing Tales from the Borderlands as a recent success. Agreed. We need more Rhys & Fiona.

The Impact Factor Ep. 40: Not In A Psychopath Way
Podcast
Welcome to the 40th episode of The Impact Factor! The Impact Factor is what happens when two scientists, and two best friends, get together to talk about video games. Hosts Alex Samocha [biomedical scientist] and Charles Fliss [social scientist] sit down every week to discuss the week in gaming! Listen in for the news, views, and games that made the biggest impact!

Please send your suggestions and feedback to: impactfactorpodcast@gmail.com

In this episode Alex and Fliss talk about Lawbreakers, ESPN, PS4 & XOne sales, E3, Bethesda, DOOM, DICE, Hearthstone MEGA news, eSports, The Order: 1886, Fat Princess Adventures, and much more!

Brian Kibler's Hearthstone Standard Format Thoughts

Subscribe to us on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-impact-factor/id993404882?mt=2

 
For articles and reviews from Alex, check out: www.theimpactfactor.blogspot.com
For a blog about Japan, pop culture & more from Fliss, check out:

www.flissofthenorthstar.blogspot.com

YouTube page: www.youtube.com/channel/UC_zpRq6h1O7d2MlMYWhNNjw 

Follow Alex @alexsamocha on Twitter. twitch.tv/megalodonphd
Follow Fliss @thecfliss on Twitter. twitch.tv/flissofthenorthstar

Intro song:

You Kill My Brother by Go! Go! Go! Micro Invasion, East Jakarta Chiptunes Compilations. Freemusic Archive. (Attribution Noncommercial Share-Alike License)
freemusicarchive.org/music/Indonesi…s_Compilation/
Transitions:
News & Views and Perspectives transitions from victorcenusa, Freesound.org (Creative Commons 0 License)
freesound.org/people/victorcenusa/sounds/148785/
freesound.org/people/victorcenusa/sounds/148784/
Experimental Methods transition from Sentuniman, Freesound.org (Attribution Noncommercial License)
freesound.org/people/Setuniman/sounds/143994/

The Impact Factor’s 2015 Game of the Year Awards!

Article, Part 2 of 2

Here's part two of The Impact Factor's game of the year discussion! If you missed it, you can find part one HERE. Onto more great games!

Honorable Mention: Shovel Knight, Heroes of the Storm, Rocket League, Cibele

These games were all great, but just missed the cut. These four stood out as ones that, at one point or another, were well within my top 10 games of 2015 before being shuffled out for the others I’ve listed here. Congrats to these games on a job well done!

6. Fallout 4

What can I say about Fallout 4 that hasn’t been said a million times in a million different places before? Let’s check some of the boxes off: Fallout 4 is amazing. Fallout 4 builds upon and refines the gameplay foundation laid out by Fallout 3. Fallout 4 has an immersive open world so filled with great details, side-quests and environmental storytelling you won’t ever want to leave. Fallout 4 is peerless in the type of game it tries to be. Fallout 4 gives the player agency in nearly every element of the game, creating one of the best truly role-playing games released this year. Fallout 4 finally made it fun to shoot things without the use of V.A.T.S. Phew, that’s a lot of boxes. All of that aside, Fallout 4 meant a lot to me personally. I had been craving a content dense open world for months leading up it its release. I was lukewarm on Fallout 3 but wanted to be part of the Fallout fervor. I wanted to play a game where reality would fade away, where I would be a survivor in post-nuclear war America. Fallout 4 met and exceeded all of my expectations. I essentially played the game without interruption until I had not only beaten the main story, but also accomplished nearly every in-game achievement (trophy). I loved exploring, finding the hidden richness of every nook and cranny. Voice acting added a new level of gravity to the game’s world, and for the first time I cared about the goings on of other survivors. The harshest critique I’ll levy here is that Fallout 4 is just Fallout 3, but better. Is that really so bad? I respect Fallout 4 as a game on so many different levels, not the least of which was (hopefully) setting a new precedent in which you don’t need a multi-year marketing and preview cycle to make a game a success. I can’t wait to jump back in once DLC is released.

5. Nuclear Throne

The team that made Ridiculous Fishing and Luftrausers is making a 2D twin-stick bullet hell roguelike? You had my attention, Nuclear Throne. Little did I know that attention would turn to adoration and my dabbling would turn into full on obsession. Nuclear Throne is fantastic. It’s my new Spelunky. Ponder for a second what I mean when I write that. Spelunky is in my top five favorite games of all time. Nuclear Throne is giving me the same kind of feeling that I had while I was learning Spelunky, during which every day was an adventure as I set new goals for myself. Nuclear Throne has me fully in its clutches. The team at Vlambeer know how to make a game with sublimely satisfying gameplay and a loop that hooks you, and Nuclear Throne is no different. Where it is different, though, is just how deep and nuanced a game Nuclear Throne can be. Each character you play as completely changes the way you approach the levels. The game is filled with secrets, some clear some obscure. Some that require an unfathomable level of skill. Nuclear Throne is a perfect roguelike. You never feel like stopping a run prematurely because you either took too much damage early or found bad weapons. At the end of each run, good or bad, I found myself thinking, “just one more run.” I played Nuclear Throne for over 35 hours after only two weeks of owning the game. Considering each run is usually between 5-15 minutes, that’s a whole lot of runs (& deaths). And still, I feel like I have such a long way to go because the skill ceiling is so high. I keep on coming back for more because it’s a perfect test of what I’ve learned. It’s fun, frantic, punishing, and addicting. Nuclear Throne sounds good, looks good, and is expertly designed. Of all the games on this list, Nuclear Throne is the one I’ll still be playing in 2016. And I can’t wait.

4. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

If you were to go around the internet and see what game won the most ‘Game of the Year’ awards, it would be The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. By a landslide. For a lot of good reasons too. The Witcher 3 is one of the best open-world western RPGs ever made. The team at CD Projekt Red poured their heart and soul into the game, and it can be seen in every element of The Witcher 3. The world is expansive and brimming with things to see, people to meet, and quests to complete. The story, while simple, is easy to follow and unencumbered by usual RPG tedium. Combat is simple too, but its speed and fluidity give the player a great feeling of power. Most strikingly, every single thing in The Witcher 3 feels hand crafted. No location or path or monster is just there to fill space. Side quests are meaningful, more so than any other RPG I’ve ever played. They feel just as fleshed out as the main story quests, always having something to say or giving the player something new to do. Geralt, Yennifer, Tris and the rest of the cast are instantly familiar with distinct and charming personalities. The Witcher 3 is steeped in Slavic lore, making the monsters you fight all the more interesting (i.e. not always your standard western fantasy fare). Heck, The Witcher 3 even has a fully fleshed out card-based mini game that could have easily been a standalone release. It’s baffling to think how much work into creating The Witcher 3. But the payoff is worth it. The Witcher 3 has made me into both a Witcher and CD Projekt Red fan for life, even if I didn't like item degradation in the game. I’m so excited for what comes next.

3. SOMA

I’ll let a bit of my SOMA review serve as a quick intro, “SOMA sets a new high watermark for narrative in games. Frictional’s newest explorer slash survival horror title is a thought provoking, immersive masterpiece. Smart level and monster design keep the player actively engaged with the heady experience and maintain a great sense of momentum throughout. SOMA is deeply unnerving, content to keep you up at night rather than jump out of a dark corner to scare you.” SOMA is a game that asks the player questions about what it means to be human and what it means to die. Frictional Games matured in their storytelling, world building and gameplay in a way I never expected following Amnesia: The Dark Descent. You can tell each and every part of your trying experience in SOMA is handcrafted to immerse you in the world and the questions it asks. Long after I finished playing SOMA I wrestled with the ideas put forth by the game. How do I define my own humanity, for instance. But SOMA isn’t just some philosophy textbook. It’s a meticulously well thought out interactive experience. SOMA is a game that uses the tangibility and immersion to reinforce a narrative that could only be found in games. Frictional’s horror pedigree strengthens the game’s more terrifying moments, but also acknowledges that the scariest thing is your imagination. SOMA is easily one of the best horror games I’ve played in years and makes me so excited for the future of narrative in gaming.

2. Undertale

I was a bit late to the Undertale party, but man oh man I’m so happy I played it. This charming, old school-inspired RPG from toby fox met, exceeded, and subverted my expectations. Narrative, gameplay, fourth wall or otherwise. Undertale is a game that both stands alone as an exceptional experience as well as offers a commentary on games as a whole. The central message behind Undertale is one of non-violence or, at the very least, understanding the ramifications for your violent actions in video games. Undertale is supremely clever in doing so, with an innovative battle system and remembering your actions across play throughs or saves. The world Undertale establishes is so fully realized it comes as no surprise when you start discovering all the game’s hidden complexity. Undertale is also genuinely funny, filled with hilarious dialogue and some of the best gaming characters of 2015 (Sans and Papyrus are so great). And the music! Undertale has the best soundtrack of the year, too. I’ve seen Undertale described as a JRPG in which tedium and monotony is stripped away and replaced by humor. I can’t say I disagree (though I often like JRPG tedium). Undertale is a concise 5-8 hour experience that knows what it is and what its not. In these couple of hours Undertale establishes its own rules, tweaks them, breaks them, and keeps you on the edge of your seat as it constantly keeps the gameplay and story fresh. Undertale is probably one of the most replayable RPGs ever made, as each time you play you gain a new or fuller appreciation for the world. From my Undertale review, “Undertale is a peerless experience and serves as a perfect example of the power of auteurship in games. It’s one you shouldn’t miss.” I couldn’t agree more, me.

1. Bloodborne

“Bloodborne is a true evolution of the Souls series, taking an enormous leap forward in much the same way Dark Souls did for Demon’s Souls before it. Miyazaki and team distilled the truest essence of what makes a Souls game work and builds upon that foundation in a thoroughly unique and profoundly interesting way. The brutal and often unforgiving nature of Bloodborne works in perfect synergy with its lightning fast, hyper-aggressive precision combat. A dark and grotesque world serves as the perfect foundation of this blood-filled dark odyssey into madness and nightmares. Bloodborne has a nearly unparalleled sense of cohesion, and exudes complete confidence in every single design decision. I cannot recommend Bloodborne highly enough.” (You can read my full Bloodborne review for more)

Bloodborne is a masterpiece. Bloodborne has fought off a deluge of exceptional games over the course of 2015, staying at the top of my tentative game of the year list ever since it was release. The game is just…perfect. Combat is at a series best. The world is dark and fascinating. The gameplay loop is better than ever. The feeling of satisfaction you get when taking down one of the game’s many challenges is unrivaled in gaming. Perhaps the highest praise I can give Bloodborne is that it is just so damn confident in its design. Nothing has been compromised. Bloodborne is unashamed by its ambition, unfettered by the demands of modern gaming. It gives you a fun you can only ever find while playing Bloodborne. I’m confident Bloodborne will be looked back on as one of the best games this console generation. Bloodborne is not only my favorite game of the year, but it’s objectively 2015’s best too. So congratulations Bloodborne, you are The Impact Factor’s Game of the Year!

And of course you can hear my thoughts on the top five I listed here in The Impact Factor's game of the year podcast! You can find it below.

News & Views

12/19/15-12/25/15

Happy holidays and merry Christmas everyone! I present to you News & Views without adornment today. I hope you & yours are having a great time. See you all here again very soon.

And of course you can check out the brand new episode of The Impact Factor podcast that was posted today! You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, or if you prefer other methods, check out our SoundCloud. We’re on YouTube too!

Spotlight

Konami's bitter, yearlong breakup with Hideo Kojima, explained

Samit Sarkar, Polygon

Worth Reading

How 'Rocket League' Became 2015's Surprise Videogame Hit

Sarah E. Needleman, Wall Street Journal

Only in Dreams: Addressing the tricky question of what Media Molecule's latest is about

Martin Robinson, Eurogamer

Should I Stay or Should I Go: How to Stay Afloat in the Games Media

Luke Winkle, Paste

This Is What eSports Will Be Like In 2016

Mike Diver, Vice

Fallout 4 'addict' loses wife and job, sues Bethesda

Dan Crawley, Venture Beat

Networked gaming is the new social media, and it's a boys' club

Mimi Ito, Offworld

My year as a filthy casual Destiny player

Ben Kuchera, Polygon

News & Views

12/5/15-12/11/15

Phew, a lot has happened since last News & Views! I got to attend both days of PlayStation Experience and try VR, got back a very high and likely-to-be-funded NIH grant score, and started playing some new killer games. I hope you all have had a good week too.

But let’s get right into it. The reason you’re all here: News & Views! Every Friday I compile the week’s best video game writing and most interesting stories about the wider world of gaming. This week is no different. I found great writing about what it was like to be a Nintendo ‘gameplay counselor’ back in the 90s, how video games can act as self-expression for Saudi women, why a little more corporate sponsorship might not be bad for the fighting game community, and much more! Grab a cup of something warm and read a great article or two!

And of course you can check out the brand new episode of The Impact Factor podcast that was posted today! You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, or if you prefer other methods, check out our SoundCloud. We’re on YouTube too!

Spotlight

What digital trash dumped in games tell us about the players

Douglas Heaven, New Scientist

Worth Reading

What was it like to be a Nintendo game play counselor?

Annie Zaleski, A.V. Club

Making a game while recovering from cancer

Sam Coster, Polygon

For Young Saudi Women, Video Games Offer Self-Expression

Deborah Amos, NPR

The Linguistics of 'YouTube Voice'

Julie Beck, The Atlantic

How Nintendo fosters deep player engagement in - and around - Splatoon

Carly Smith, Gamasutra

With Comments

Nostalgia Is Ruining Video Games

Mark Hill, The Atlantic

Hill wrote an interesting piece about the detrimental power of nostalgia in entertainment culture. As any faithful TIF podcast listener will attest, I’m fully aware of how destructive nostalgia can be for both critical thought and innovation (listen here). Overly dramatic title aside, more people need to be more aware of the bad-side of nostalgia, so I’m glad Hill wrote about it here.

A Review Of Bloodborne Based On 200 Hours Of Twitch And YouTube Videos

Michael Thomsen, Forbes

What a fascinating, bizarre, and just plain awesome way to ‘review’ a game. Thomsen gives his review of Bloodborne, one of my favorite games of the year, after watching it be played for longer than it takes most people to beat the game. I find it so hard to derive something intellectually nourishing from Twitch streams, so it’s cool to see Thomsen process his experience into something stimulating. Watch or play, Bloodborne remains fantastic.

Street Fighter, E-sports and Totino's: A Recap of the Capcom Cup Tournament

Suriel Vasquez, Paste

I got to attend Capcom Cup! It was so cool being in the crowd, only a couple dozen feet from people like Daigo, Gamerbee, Infiltration, Momochi, Justin Wong, etc. I didn’t think about it at the time, but the event had production value I had not seen before at an FGC event. It was really nice to see live brackets, stat breakdowns, etc. The FGC has long been against corporate money. I certainly agree that major sponsorship money can be a corrupting influence on eSports (just look at almost any other eSport). But here, it worked. Finding the right balance is going to be important for all eSports in the future, Street Fighter included.

What Fallout 4 does with polyamory is just the beginning

Katherine Cross, Gamasutra

Fallout games are so cool in their ability to be totally different experiences for different people. I, for example, never tried to romance anyone. I think I flirted once and got rejected. But Cross went deep into the romance system present in Bethesda’s massive new RPG, exploring how it handles polyamory in new ways. A fascinating read that gave a new perspective on a game that keeps on giving.

Nintendo Sent A Game Out To Die Today

Jason Schrier, Kotaku

Oh Devil’s Third. I remember your god-awful E3 2014 demo on the IGN Live stage. I thought it had been cancelled until it quietly popped back up this summer. The game represents a fascinating phenomenon: Nintendo actively trying to bury one of its new releases. When has Nintendo ever quietly launched a game, without review copies without marketing without any fanfare whatsoever? Devil’s Third must be really bad.

News & Views

11/28/15-12/4/15

Who would have thought that early December could be such an exciting time for gaming? I remember so many years of nothing! Last night we got some cool news from The Game Awards, like Psychonauts 2 getting announced! And tomorrow I’ll head off with the finacee to the PlayStation Experience. Two solid days of gaming demos, panels, my first heads-on with VR, and lots of cool goodies. I can’t wait to tell you all more about it! Expect a special article on Tuesday and lots of PlayStation Experience talk on the podcast.

But News & Views is all about spotlighting some of the truly great gaming writing out there. Each and every week I look for cool stories, insights into developers’ minds & more. This week I have articles about developer sanctioned ‘god mode’ in Fallout 4, how to reduce anti-social behavior through game design, why discussing tiny changes to a beta is important for Street Fighter V, and much more!

And of course you can check out the brand new episode of The Impact Factor podcast that was posted today! You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, or if you prefer other methods, check out our SoundCloud. We’re on YouTube too!

Spotlight

Eternal Darkness, Psychonauts, and Sanity in Videogames

Edeline Wrigh, Kill Screen

Worth Reading

It's time to take girl games seriously

Rachel Catlett, Kill Screen

Reducing anti-social behavior in games through smart design

Ben Lewis-Evans, Gamasutra, GDC

I Just Said Yes to All the Drugs in 'Fallout 4'

Emanuel Maiberg, Motherboard

A Real Nuclear Apocalypse Would Be More Beautiful Than the World of 'Fallout 4'

Danny Lewis, Smithsonian

Let's Talk eSports: Why is "Money" a Dirty Word?

Jason Durso, MeleeItOnMe

With Comments

Why pre-release changes in Street Fighter 5 are really important for us to talk about now

John Guerrero, EventHubs

Guerrero gives his take on why we need to talk Street Fighter V beta minutia. The gaming populous is so used to not having their voice heard, or having it heard years down the line. With Street Fighter V, though, Capcom is listening to people in a substantive and powerful way. This 4-part beta is an excellent experiment in game development. Even with my minimal contribution, I feel like I’m shaping the future of a game I’m really excited for. Very cool.

Want to play Bloodborne's DLC? Don't beat the game first

Justin McElroy, Polygon

I have mixed feelings about McElroy’s conclusion. On one hand, I absolutely adore how Souls games are so confident in their design, so committed, that they are able to deliver DLC in a unique way. On the other, this style of accessing DLC content can be a real bummer. It’s one of the chief reasons I didn’t buy/play Dark Souls 2’s DLC (I was already in NG+++ for the platinum trophy). I have a similar issue here. I’m in NG+ on my one and only account, so now I have to either start a new character or tackle already brutally tough content that’s been made even harder because I’m on New Game Plus. Oh well. I’m still so excited to jump into The Old Hunters DLC.

Aevee Reviews The Destiny Flavor Text

Aevee Bee, Medium

Destiny’s flavor text is better than the game’s main story. Bee’s tongue-in-cheek piece goes through some of the game’s more interesting weapon/armor text. Worth a read for anyone who has played Destiny.

Stealth in Fallout 4 is a like a developer-sanctioned god mode

Rich Stanton, ars technica

Stealth in Bethesda Softworks games has always been ‘god mode,’ and it never gets old. At times I feel like it’s almost a nod to longtime fans of their work. You know that, if you spec correctly, you’re essentially an invisible, invincible, killing machine. It isn’t some immersion breaking thing for me. Fallout 4 never took me into a real world: it took me into a fictional one. A world in which I could easily carry 315lbs of desk fans while using my laser musket to kill a giant mutated mole rat.

Psychonnauts 2 Announced, Will Use New Crowdfunding Approach

Zorine Te, Gamespo

I love reading what Schafer has to say. He has such a passion for games, and it comes across so clearly. Psychonauts 2 was just announced last night at The Game Awards and I couldn’t be more excited. I LOVE Psychonauts. If you looking to read some great insights into the industry from someone who has been doing, and innovating upon, it for quite some time, please read this interview. It’s worth your time.

The Impact Factor Ep. 31: Better Than A Big Mac
Podcast

Welcome to the 31st episode of The Impact Factor! The Impact Factor is what happens when two scientists, and two best friends, get together to talk about video games. Hosts Alex Samocha [biomedical scientist] and Charles Fliss [social scientist] sit down every week to discuss the week in gaming! Listen in for the news, views, and games that made the biggest impact!

Please send your suggestions and feedback to: impactfactorpodcast@gmail.com

In this episode Alex and Fliss talk about The Game Awards, Fig, Hearthstone, Indivisible, Monster Hunter X, Yo-Kai Watch, Age of Empires II, Star Wars Battlefront, Fallout 4 & more!

Subscribe to us on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-impact-factor/id993404882?mt=2

 
For articles and reviews from Alex, check out: www.theimpactfactor.blogspot.com
For a blog about Japan, pop culture & more from Fliss, check out:

www.flissofthenorthstar.blogspot.com

YouTube page: www.youtube.com/channel/UC_zpRq6h1O7d2MlMYWhNNjw 

Follow Alex @alexsamocha on Twitter. twitch.tv/megalodonphd
Follow Fliss @thecfliss on Twitter. twitch.tv/flissofthenorthstar

Intro song:

You Kill My Brother by Go! Go! Go! Micro Invasion, East Jakarta Chiptunes Compilations. Freemusic Archive. (Attribution Noncommercial Share-Alike License)
freemusicarchive.org/music/Indonesi…s_Compilation/
Transitions:
News & Views and Perspectives transitions from victorcenusa, Freesound.org (Creative Commons 0 License)
freesound.org/people/victorcenusa/sounds/148785/
freesound.org/people/victorcenusa/sounds/148784/
Experimental Methods transition from Sentuniman, Freesound.org (Attribution Noncommercial License)
freesound.org/people/Setuniman/sounds/143994/

TIF Plays: Fallout 4! [4]
Gameplay

Fallout 4 is already shaping up to be one of the year's biggest releases. I'm a big fan of Bethesda open world RPGs, and ever since its announcement I was chomping at the bit to head back into post-nuclear war America. In this series of TIF Plays, I explore, kill, loot, and more! Stay with me for the journey. Check out an archive of my stream linked below, and be sure to catch me when I go live by following me on Twitter (@alexsamocha) and Twitch (MegalodonPhD) Enjoy!

TIF Plays: Fallout 4! [3]
Gameplay

Fallout 4 is already shaping up to be one of the year's biggest releases. I'm a big fan of Bethesda open world RPGs, and ever since its announcement I was chomping at the bit to head back into post-nuclear war America. In this series of TIF Plays, I explore, kill, loot, and more! Stay with me for the journey. Check out an archive of my stream linked below, and be sure to catch me when I go live by following me on Twitter (@alexsamocha) and Twitch (MegalodonPhD) Enjoy!

News & Views

11/14/15-11/20/15

Finally! The experiment week to end all experiment weeks is coming to an end. I suppose that’s a slight exaggeration, but when you do 3-4x as many samples than you’ve ever done in one week, you would be tired too! Thankfully I’ve had the amazing Justine and Fallout 4 to keep me sane.

News & Views is back, as always, with a meaty selection of great writing about video games. Check out the links below for stories about Until Dawn as an interactive movie, how AAA games have stopped innovating, the dissonance of violence & narrative in Tomb Raider, and an argument that you cannot be evil in Fallout 4.

And of course you can check out the brand new episode of The Impact Factor podcast that was posted today! You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, or if you prefer other methods, check out our SoundCloud. We’re on YouTube too!

Spotlight

Helping Hand: Robots, Video games, and a radical new approach to treating stroke patients

Karen Russell, The New Yorker

Worth Reading

The great Fallout 4 sustainable housing experiment

Adi Robertson, The Verge

Thoughts on Until Dawn and Interactive Movies

Thomas KL, In the Games of Madness

Fatal Femininity: Witches in 'Dragon Age' & 'Skyrim'

Josephine Maria, FemHype

Here's Carl Sagan's Pitch For A Contact Video Game

Patrick Klepek, Kotaku

Tomb Raider and the clash between story and violence in games

Simon Parkin, Gamasutra

With Comments

A Price Of Games Journalism

Stephen Totillo, Kotaku

This is one of the most important pieces that has been written all year. The industry has struggled for a long time to establish its identity. Most coverage of video games is modeled off entertainment writing: with reviews, previews, & other heavily PR/marketing guided content. A handful of individuals, several of whom work at Kotaku, have been attempting to bring ‘real’ journalism to games. It’s an argument I can see both sides of. I applaud Kotaku for bringing the issue to everyone’s attention.

In FALLOUT 4 You Cannot Be Evil - A Critique

ZiggyD Gaming, YouTube

ZiggyD presents an interesting question: can you truly be evil in Fallout 4? Gone is the morality system of games’ past, and almost no one reacts (or remembers) your unscrupulous actions. It’s certainly something I’ve noticed as well. As a counterpoint to his argument, though, I’d propose that your companions help to define the player’s morality. For instance, ‘evil’ actions are reflected in companions’ disapproval. Kill someone innocent or steal or use drugs, and you’ll be audibly scolded by your traveling buddy. They will also like you less. Regardless, I’m glad there’s already great Fallout 4 discussions happening around the web.

That Time Star Wars Became An Awful Fighting Game

Patrick Klepek, Kotaku

Oh man oh man. I almost forgot about this game. Thanks for helping me remember, Klepek. I sank an embarrassingly large number of hours into Teras Kasi. Luke was my main (his unblockable, homing, highly damaging super Klepek writes about may or may not have been the reason why). I can still hear the announcer saying ARDEN LYN. Good times. Bad game, but good times.

AAA Games Have Stopped Innovating

Ben Croshaw, The Escapist

Croshaw is known for his inflammatory statements. He even has a show devoted to (mostly) ‘telling it like it is’ about new AAA releases. That said, I found myself largely agreeing with what he writes here. AAA releases often feel comfortable more than actually interesting. I find my novel ideas, gameplay, and other innovations in the indie space. It’s been nice.

Dark Souls 1: Distant Views Explained

Illusory Wall, tumblr

The interconnectedness of Dark Souls’s world is one of the best elements of one of the best games ever made. This article is extensive and fantastic. I’ll let reddit user dratyan speak for me here:

 “What really makes Dark Souls a masterpiece IMO, by perfectly uniting all its elements, is the world of Lordran. Its cohesive design made me question every videogame world I'd experienced up to that point. From the wastes below the backbone of the land up to the very top of the tallest tower of the tallest castle, the world's vertical and intrinsic design never fails to maintain its authenticity and unimpaired flow. After transversing the map not too many times, I could - and still can, months after actively playing the game - definitely draw a convincing transcription of it, with all its shortcuts and intersections. It's amazing.”

I couldn’t agree more.