Pixel Sift

We've hit the double digits, this is Episode 10 of Pixel Sift. If you just tuned in, thanks for joining us and each week we talk video games and video game culture. This week we streamed the show live on twitch.tv/pixelsift so you can watch as well as listen. First up on the show today we talk about the worst players online who ruin the multiplayer for everyone. Riot Games makers of the extremely popular League of Legends, have implemented a new system where the worst players online miss out completely on free loot. Other games such as Hearthstone by Blizzard have opted out of online chat entirely, using emotes and phrases instead. If you are in Western Australia this weekend you can check out the Perth Games Festival, a celebration of WA game dev talent. We spoke to Jon Hayward and Jess Watson from Let's Make Games who organised the Perth Games Festival. It's on the 28th of November 2015 at the Perth Town Hall, and tickets are free. Head to perthgamesfestival.com.au for all the details. Finally f

It's a big part of all creative industries, and advertising is looking to expand into gaming in a big way. We talk about how gaming can embrace some advertising, and what advertising doesn't sit well within a gaming context. Sticking with promotion and advertising, Alternate Reality Games or ARGs can unite fans to investigate and discover another dimension of their gaming experience. Recently Edmund McMillen and Florian Himsl, developers of the Binding of Issac unveiled a mysterious ARG which unlocked content within their game after gamers had completed puzzles in the real world. We talk about how ARGs can complement a game and expand the narrative world. Finally we look at the legacy of gaming, with backwards compatibility being introduced to current gen console Xbox One. Is this a customer friendly move to maintain the value of your older games, or is it simply just a carrot for customers who have complained about a lack of new next-gen titles. You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter,

This week we are looking at crowd multiplayer where game streamers can have their games changed by those watching at home. Rise of Tomb Raider on Xbox One can take the input of viewers on Twitch and introduce challenges and help. Indie game Choice Chamber takes this to another level. Seriously check it out, it's kinda mind blowing. If you've spent many long nights playing games, you'll be familiar with marathon gaming sessions. We spoke to Dione and Keegan from the 1UP Game Marathon who on Saturday 14th will be playing games for 24 hours to raise money for MS Society WA. Last week the Extra Life marathon raised millions for charity, so what is it about gaming that gets people to open their wallets. They might need either some protective equipment such as these gaming glasses. Finally this week the collaboration between Nintendo and Sony was discovered after years of rumour and speculation. We talk all the big gaming rumours and urban legends, such as the massive flop ET: The Extra Terrestrial on t

This week Gianni and Mitch are joined by special guest Brad Power, one of the games tutors here at Murdoch University. In case you missed the news Swedish free to play casual game power house and makers of Candy Crush King was purchased by Activision Blizzard for US$5.9 Billion. We explore what this means and why they may have reached that valuation. We also spoke to Paul Turbett, the founder of Black Lab Games based here in Western Australia . Paul told us all about Star Hammer: The Vanguard Prophecy, a science fiction spaceship fleet strategy game with tabletop roots. Finally we recap some of the cool things you might have seen if you were over east for the Melbourne International Games Week, which includes GCAP, Unite and PAX Australia for an all round festival of fun. You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Twitch and Steam. Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll find us!  Support the show: https://sifter.store

If you are like many Australians, the thought of Halloween might give you some cultural cringe. While Aussies have been slow to adopt what is seen as an American tradition, the games we play are global and games such as World of Warcraft and Destiny are holding in game events. We look at what in game events do for the player who is coming back to games week after week. We also talk about how identity and expression plays out in video gaming. Recently Sony has queried players about an option to change your Playstation Network ID, and we starting thinking about how much of your gaming identity is woven into the name you choose. Do you identify your gamertag or username or do you keep it separate from your real name and personality? Is it safe or wise to do so? Finally we look at when fans get up in arms, and there is a backlash against the company making the game. OVERKILL developers of the popular multiplayer game Pay Day 2, copped some flak from angry but passionate players this week after introducing what wa

This week we are exploring episodic content in games. Instead of getting everything at once you can now get your games in little bite sized chunks. Some of the biggest games are trying it out, and it's also being used by smaller developers . Can episodic gameplay be used in innovative and interesting ways or is it just a way to stretch out your purchases? Liam Hunt and Sam Zeid of ByteSprite Games joined us this week, and told us all about their new local multiplayer game Bramblelash, and some of the other educational games that they've been working on. You can download the Bramblelash pre-release demo here, and it's available on Windows, Mac and Linux Finally we spoke about hilarious glitches and other unintended "features" and how you can make your own fun in your game. It turns out gamers can make a game out of anything even breaking games. You can find us on all the social media sites, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Twitch and Steam. Just search for "pixelsift" and you'll fi

This week we explore the nostalgia and the value of couch based split-screen multiplayer, both competitive and cooperative. Halo 5: Guardians will be dropping split-screen multiplayer in favour of higher graphical quality and people aren't happy. The Halo series spearheaded the console shooter, and fans are disappointed that a big part of their Halo experience is going away. There are games keeping the split-screen option so sitting on the couch with your friends playing games is still alive. We look at the inevitable remake, remaster and re-release of video games as they move to new platforms. Is this just a money grabbing exercise or is the cultural history being saved for future generations? Storytelling in gaming is a multifaceted process and some games are now dropping their dedicated single player campaigns in favour of having a deeper multiplayer experience. How does the embedded story telling compare to the player generated story telling in games? Sandbox game Minecraft will be going the opposite

Last week we told you all about the SAG-AFTRA Video Game voice actor strike, well this week they've hit another threshold.There are other rumblings in the union sphere as well with the Major eSports teams uniting for better conditions. We also chat about plans to introduce a new format of Downloadable content for the Guitar Hero franchise and how DLC has evolved over the years. Finally we talk a little bit about the ex-Microsoft developers "Twisted Pixel" of the Splosion Man fame leaving the roost and striking out on there own. When Bungie did that they made Mitch's favourite game. You can find us on social media, Discord, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Twitch, YouTube and Steam. Just search for "pixelsift"Support the show: https://sifter.store

With the pervasive nature of online and connected consoles and computers, game developers can deliver Alphas & Betas of your favourite games before they hit the shelves. With some betas acting more like a playable demo, rather than a work in progress, are we being trained to expect too much from Early Access, and in development titles or have we missed the meaning of in progress? Speaking of getting you hyped for games that aren't out yet, we tackle the big issue of pre-ordering games. With exclusive content locked behind pre-orders and individual retailers holding the keys to particular content should we be putting down hard earned cash before the game arrives, especially with games that aren't up to scratch? Finally some of the biggest actors in video games are talking are speaking in hushed tones, and concerned voices. SAG-AFTRA the union that represents actors in Television and videogames is calling for better conditions for those who work hard to make the characters more than pixels and polyg

NOTE: When we recorded this show, we were broadcasting under the name High Score, which turns out is pretty popular gaming podcast name. We are now called PIXEL SIFT. Scott talks about old school Zelda, and tuning a NES to a new TV. There is a use for analog again! Mitch runs us through a bit of Destiny's year two content, The Taken King, and the Angry Birds Movie, and good video game movie adapations. Are there any? Who knows. Gianni chats about eSports and the huge industry it is rapidly becoming, and how you could get a uni scholarship for gaming skills. Rabee tells us all about a game being developed at Murdoch University, One Hint Hitman and the process of creating sound for such a game. You can find us on social media, Discord, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Twitch, YouTube and Steam. Just search for "pixelsift"Support the show: https://sifter.store