It's time once again to look at some of the independent games we've been playing over the last month!  This week, we discuss a few games created for the Ludum Dare game jam event as well as Christine Love's newest work, <i>don't take it personally, babe, it just ain't your story</i>.  Both topics encompass a huge amount of material, so we highly recommend you visit the websites listed in the show notes to explore all the intriguing games.  Weather you're into sword showers, scurvy, or social scandals, this episode has something for you!

Some discussion starters:

- Which Ludum Dare games did you enjoy?
- How can games effectively model emotional and social systems?
- What benefits does a highly-structured game like <i>don't take it personally...</i> have over more player-structured games?

To listen to the podcast:

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes here. Additionally, here is the stand-alone feed.
- Listen to the podcast in your browser by left-clicking here. Or, right-click and select "save as link" to download the show in MP3 format.
- Subscribe to this podcast and EXP's written content with the RSS link on the right.

Show notes:

- Run time: 31 min 53 sec
- Ludum Dare, The Rapid Game Creation Community
- The Legend of Mulida
- Grave Robbers
- The Wager
- don't take it personally, babe, it just ain't your story, by Christine Love
- Music provided by Brad Sucks

The Sony network has returned, but has our faith in the company? What happens to brand loyalty when the going gets tough? This week, inspired by the Gamers With Jobs podcast, Scott and I discuss our own loyalties to corporations and developers, the Sony hacking debacle, and the meaning within these illusory relationships.

Some discussion starters:
- Where do your brand loyalties lie?
- How, if at all, has Sony's recent troubles altered your relationship with the company?

To listen to the podcast:

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes here. Additionally, here is the stand-alone feed.
- Listen to the podcast in your browser by left-clicking here. Or, right-click and select "save as link" to download the show in MP3 format.
- Subscribe to this podcast and EXP's written content with the RSS link on the right.

Show notes:

- Run time: 32 min 31 sec
- "GWJ Conference Call Episode 239," via Gamers With Jobs
- Music provided by Brad Sucks

Last week, the Smithsonian American Art Museum announced the games that will be included in its upcoming exhibit <i>The Art of Video Games</i>.  After the curators selected 240 nominees, people voted for which games would be included in the exhibit.  The list is full of influential games, so we thought it would be fun to go through the selections and discuss some of the highlights.  You can follow along with us by downloading the PDF document listing the winners and runners up from the American Art Museum's website.  It's a big list, but not nearly big enough to fit everyone's most beloved games, so feel free to share your choices in the comments!

Some discussion starters:

- Which of your favorites made the list?  What were some notable omissions?
- What patterns do see across across the time periods and the various formats?
- While visual art is relatively easy to convey visually, it is can be more difficult to convey design philosophies.  How are games best presented in a public format?

To listen to the podcast:

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes here. Additionally, here is the stand-alone feed.
- Listen to the podcast in your browser by left-clicking here. Or, right-click and select "save as link" to download the show in MP3 format.
- Subscribe to this podcast and EXP's written content with the RSS link on the right.

Show notes:

- Run time: 48 min 20 sec
- "The Art of Video Games," an exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum
- Music provided by Brad Sucks

The internet is abuzz with rumors and speculations about Nintendo's 'Project Cafe,' what most of us are calling the Wii 2. The newcomer will feature a touchpad screen on each controller, HD capability, and maybe the ability to read minds.  But what about its predecessor? Are we abandoning the Wii as a failure? To help us answer this question, we are joined this week by Gus Mastrapa, who wrote a timely and provocative piece about just this subject. Join us while we discuss the high and lows of console failures, the loss of console cycle excitement, and Nintendo's history of innovation. As always, you can find original articles in the show notes.
 
Show notes:

- Run time: 53 min 17 sec
- "The Wii Was The Most Successful Video Game Failure Ever," by Gus Mastrapa via Joystick Division
- "In Memory of Moon Leaps," by Sean Sands via Gamers With Jobs
- Music by Brad Sucks