Blowing Cartridges

Developing Games in the mid 2000s Australia: A Gamedev Retrospective

Game development in contemporary Australia is a vibrant and ever-growing industry, led by a strong and innovative indie developer scene. Yet the sector has a long and turbulent history of periodic rapid growth and subsequent decline.

 

Taking a step back to the mid-to-late 2000s, on this episode Andrew Hung joined Zach and Brendan to discuss his journey as a game developer that saw him credited on 8 games between 2005-2009. Working for Transmission Games and then subsequently EA Melbourne Studios (Visceral Games Australia), Andrew reflects on his experiences of entering game development, the transition between hardware generations, generalities regarding the development process itself and his eventual exit from the industry in the aftermath of the GFC, contributing to one of the podcast's most compelling episodes yet.   

 

So strap in and hear all about Australian-developed sports games, WWII flight combat simulators, and even a brief comment on the cancelled Dead Space 2 Wii port. 

 

Have any comments? Feel free to drop us a line via twitter @blowcartpod or email at blowingcartridge@gmail.com

 

Brendan - @Tamazoid

Zach - @Eggerino

Andrew - Andrew Hung - MobyGames

 

Intro music - '8 Bit Ditty' by FoolBoyMedia

Outro - 'Video Game Land' by FoolBoyMedia

Swords, Dungeons, Dragons and Spaceships: Diving into Western/Computer RPGs

Roleplaying games (RPGs) have a rich history as a genre in video games, with some of the earliest and most influential video games being RPGs. Directly inspired by Dungeons and Dragons, games such as Ultima and Wizardry, to more modern games like Baldurs Gate 3, Skyrim, the Witcher Starfield and the ever-present World of Warcraft dominate much of the discourse surrounding video games. 

 

While previously, Zach and Brendan have discussed 'JRPGs', which is arguable a genre in its own right, in this episode Brendan, Zach and their guest Mario (not the guy with a red hat and blue overalls) dive into an in-depth discussion exploring what some term 'Western' or 'Computer' RPGs, discssing their respective experiences and some of their favourite games as well as the current landscape and what direction they believe western/computer RPGs are heading in. 

 

Have any comments? Feel free to drop us a line via twitter @blowcartpod or email at blowingcartridge@gmail.com

 

Brendan - @Tamazoid

Zach - @Eggerino

Mario - @Termstar (Discord and Steam)

 

Intro music - '8 Bit Ditty' by FoolBoyMedia

Outro - 'Video Game Land' by FoolBoyMedia

2013-2023: A PAX Australia Retrospective

Since its inception in 2013, Pax Australia has become an established pillar of the Australian video game landscape. Every year, tens of thousands flock to Melbourne to celebrate all things gaming and gaming culture, from the latest blockbuster video games, to the offerings of the ever-growing Australian Indie scene, to cosplay, industry and enthusiast panels, boardgames and more.

 

But what does PAX mean to us, and why do we continue to attend every single year (when able to do so?). Joining Zach and Brendan to reminisce about our respective experiences at PAX Aus is friend of the show Loc, who, like Zach, has attended every PAX since 2013. The trio dived deep into every single PAX Australia, discussing the various highlights and memorable moments of a decade of PAX Australia.

 

Have any comments? Feel free to drop us a line via twitter @blowcartpod or email at blowingcartridge@gmail.com

 

Brendan - @Tamazoid

Zach - @Eggerino

 

Intro music - '8 Bit Ditty' by FoolBoyMedia

Outro - 'Video Game Land' by FoolBoyMedia

To the Beat of the Rhythm: Rhythm Games or Why we Love Plastic Instrument Peripherals

In the late 2000s rhythm games were everywhere. Spurred on by the Guitar Hero & Rock Band craze it seems that nearly all games had a plastic instrument or two awkwardly propped up in their cupboards or surrounding their gaming setups.

 

While this craze is long dead, alongside Guitar Hero and a much-diminished Rock Band, rhythm games still exist in a variety of forms. In this genre-specific episode, Brendan and Zach are joined by plastic instrument enthusiast Rickie to discuss all things rhythm. 

 

Have any comments? Feel free to drop us a line via twitter @blowcartpod or email at blowingcartridge@gmail.com

 

Brendan - @Tamazoid

Zach - @Eggerino

Rickie - @FuzzySelenium

 

Intro music - '8 Bit Ditty' by FoolBoyMedia

Outro - 'Video Game Land' by FoolBoyMedia

What’s a Pikmin? A Series Overview

Shigeru Miyamoto's favourite oddly shaped leaf creatures are once again back in Pikmin 4, release in July 2023. But what exactly is a 'Pikmin' and why has the franchise continued over the past two decades? What makes it a unique and compelling experience that attracts a small but seemingly growing fanbase?

 

As Brendan is a Pikmin neophyte, joining the regular crew this episode is Josh from Nintenvania, whose passion for Pikmin rivals that of Zach. Starting with the first game released in 2001, the trajectory of the series is discussed, culminating in a discussion of all things Pikmin 4.

 

Have any comments? Feel free to drop us a line via twitter @blowcartpod or email at blowingcartridge@gmail.com

 

Brendan - @Tamazoid

Zach - @Eggerino

Josh - @ Nintenvania 

 

Intro music - '8 Bit Ditty' by FoolBoyMedia

Outro - 'Video Game Land' by FoolBoyMedia

Alt F4: To Save Scum or Not to Save Scum

With the popularity of Baldur's Gate 3, the topic of 'save scumming', resetting a game to get an optimal outcome and whether its the 'right thing to do' has come to the forefront. 

 

Thus Zach and Brendan dive into an in-depth discussion about save scumming, describing the different dynamics and situations in which it appears in gaming, and whether they themselves are save scummers. 

 

Have any comments? Feel free to drop us a line via twitter @blowcartpod or email at blowingcartridge@gmail.com

 

Brendan - @Tamazoid

Zach - @Eggerino

 

Intro music - '8 Bit Ditty' by FoolBoyMedia

Outro - 'Video Game Land' by FoolBoyMedia

Preserving the Games We Play: Discussing How 87% of pre-2010 Games are Unplayable

Last month in July 2023, the Video Game History Foundation released a report that suggests 87% of games released pre-2010 in the US are unplayable. 

 

Thus, Brendan dons his history hat and alongside his Zach, dives into discussing whether this matters, what are the dynamics at play relating to making games available to play for future generations and ultimately what are the respective roles of industry and non-industry actors in this environment. 

 

Have any comments? Feel free to drop us a line via twitter @blowcartpod or email at blowingcartridge@gmail.com

 

Brendan - @Tamazoid

Zach - @Eggerino

 

Intro music - '8 Bit Ditty' by FoolBoyMedia

Outro - 'Video Game Land' by FoolBoyMedia

Should We Judge Games Based On Other Games?: The Baldur’s Gate 3 Debate

And we are back after an almost 6 month unplanned hiatus! Please let us know if we have been missed!

 

On this episode, Zach and Brendan join the discussion that was kicked off just prior to the release of Baldur's Gate 3 - is it 'fair' to judge other RPGs/CRPGs to Baldur's Gate 3 given the resources and status of Larian Studios, the developer and publisher of the game? Based on a series of tweets by indie dev Xalavier Nelson Jr the subsequent conversation received much attention in the gaming media. Thus, the indominable duo as always dive in headfirst to give their thoughts on the topic. 

 

Have any comments? Feel free to drop us a line via twitter @blowcartpod or email at blowingcartridge@gmail.com

 

Brendan - @Tamazoid

Zach - @Eggerino

 

Intro music - '8 Bit Ditty' by FoolBoyMedia

Outro - 'Video Game Land' by FoolBoyMedia

Recollections of 2022

On this episode, Zach and Brendan are joined by friend of the show Drew Agnew from the House of Mario to discuss the year that was 2022. Tune in to hear the trio's experiences with gaming over the past year, their gaming highlights, why Vladimir Putin is a fan of Shantae and what they are looking forward to in 2023.

 

Have any comments? Feel free to drop us a line via twitter @blowcartpod or email at blowingcartridge@gmail.com

 

Brendan - @Tamazoid

Zach - @Eggerino

Drew - @iDrewby

 

Intro music - '8 Bit Ditty' by FoolBoyMedia

Outro - 'Video Game Land' by FoolBoyMedia

Get Ready to Rumble! VGM Battle Themes

As has become a yearly tradition for Blowing Cartridges, special guest and friend of the show John Dewis once again joins Zach & Brendan to once again discuss video game music.

 

On this episode, the trio have drawn from the hallowed vaults of video game music their favourite battle music tracks from 2022 and beyond. So tune in to find out what they believe makes a good battle track, why all their picks aren't from turn based JRPGs/RPGs and what their three track picks are. 

 

Have any comments? Feel free to drop us a line via twitter @blowcartpod or email at blowingcartridge@gmail.com

 

Brendan - @Tamazoid

Zach - @Eggerino

John - @AuraPaladin Luke's 3DS Youtube Special

 

Intro music - '8 Bit Ditty' by FoolBoyMedia

Outro - 'Video Game Land' by FoolBoyMedia

 

Music Played:

 

Viola Battle Theme: Gh()st - composed by Naofumi Harada, performed by Mikaila Delgado - Bayonetta 3 (2022)

 

Fight or Flight - composed by Machine Girl - Neon White (2022) - NME Article on soundtrack

 

Keves Battle - composed by Kenji Hiramatsu - Xenoblade Chronicles 3 (2022)

 

Blinded by Light - Composed by Ryo Yamazaki - Final Fantasy XIII (2009) 

 

Rude Buster - Composed by Toby Fox - Deltarune: Chapter 1 (2018)

 

Galleons - Composed by Duane Decker - Rise of Nations (2003)

 

Normal Duel - Composed by Ichirō Shimakura - Pokemon: Trading Card Game (1998)

 

Play the Hero (Chipp Zanuff's Theme) - Composed by Daisuke Ishiwatari - Guilty Gear Strive

 

True Mirror - Composed by Motoi Sakuraba - Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean (2003)

 

Eternity: - Composed by Nobuo Uematsu, Lyrics by Hironobu Sakaguchi, Vocals by Ian Gillan - Blue Dragon (2006)

 

Battle Theme - Composed by Yoshito Sekigawa, Shoh Murakami, Yoshiaki Kimura, Hiroki Morishita, Fumihiro Isobe  - Paper Mario: The Origami King (2020)