A Thoughtful Gaming Podcast

010: Thomassons, Part 3: Timers and Jumping

First we discuss timers in videogames. From their arcade origins to more modern takes of having time as a resource. Next is jumping. Why so many games have it, and why it's so effective. And finally we wrap up with some miscellaneous gaming thomassons. Pixel art, MOBAs, and more.

009: Thomassons, Part 2: Score and Difficulty

Part two of our series on thomassons, the vestiges of the arcade. In this episode we discuss score, combos, difficulty, and loss. Games mentioned include Mario, Space Invaders, Defender, Pac-Man, Assassin's Creed, Prince of Persia, and Super Meat Boy.

008: Thomassons, the Vestiges of the Arcade, Part 1: Game Length and Lives

The term Thomasson comes from Japan and describes a feature of architecture that no longer serves any purpose: a staircase to nowhere, a gate without a fence, a pole supporting nothing. These things arise as cities and buildings evolve naturally over time. The same concept can be applied to videogames. This episode starts with a few smaller examples of Thomassons in gaming, then ends with an in-depth analysis of why arcade games needed lives and how the Mario series has used them. Links: 99% Invisible on the invention of the shot clock [http://99percentinvisible.org/episode/episode-77-game-changer/] 99% Invisible on the Thomasson [http://99percentinvisible.org/episode/thomassons/] 99% Invisible on the history of pinball [http://99percentinvisible.org/episode/for-amusement-only/]

007: Titanfall of Duty, Part 2

These episodes cover the entire Call of Duty franchise, plus Titanfall. Part 2 covers Call of Duty 5-10 as well as Titanfall. If you're only interested in the Titanfall section, it starts at 31:20.

006: Titanfall of Duty, Part 1

These episodes cover the entire Call of Duty franchise, plus Titanfall. This got surprisingly out of hand. I try to keep my episodes short and on track, but I guess when my goal is to cover everything I could think of about eleven games it's gonna take a while.Part 1 covers Call of Duty 1-4, as well as the mechanics that are common to all Call of Duty games. Kotaku's overview of the Infinity Ward vs. Activision legal battle [http://kotaku.com/5513694/the-modern-warfare-fight-your-guide-to-activision-vs-infinity-ward]