Well, getting regular I guess needs a kick start. though now I’m weekly, we need to get the day earlier and earlier now. Anyway, no big news last week. It was the week after GDC so I can expect that. This week is different so the next episode will have bigger and funner questions. Anyway, thanks for the support from all of you and I’m still here.

Game Trivia:

• Trivia of the Week
• Top Selling Games of 2008 in Japan
• Kojima’s Favorite Games

Top Anticipated Games in the US at GameFly
Top Games in Japan
Top Games in UK
Top PC Games

My Game Addiction:

• Dungeons and Dragons co-creator Dave Arneson passes away at 61

You can read our show notes here.

You can vote for us at Podcast Alley or make us your favorites at Podcast Pickle.

Please leave a comment or email me at
gameaddicthotline@gmail.com

Game of the Week

If you see some weird things on the site, it’s because I’m doing some things differently. I’m no longer hand coding my podcasts after many screw ups on my part. I’m going to try out Blubrry’s Powerpress and see if it works. This means, I need a new podcast feed for all of my interviews. So I’m going to make one soon so that all archived interviews are all on one feed. Thanks for keeping up with me and hope to hear from you on the phone, email or in person.

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I’m back and hopefully for a very long time. GDC was last week and it was a solemn one especially with the economy crashing around games. I wasn’t able to go this year due to journalism issues, but I’m super hoping to go to GDC China and/or Canada this year to make up for that. Hope you all are well. Lets see what was in today’s show:

Game Trivia:

• News of the Week
• GDC Anouncments
• Game Developers Choice Award Show

Top Anticipated Games in the US at GameFly
Top Games in Japan
Top Games in UK
Top PC Games

My Game Addiction:

• Game Developers Conference News
• What I’ve been playing these few weeks

You can read our show notes here.

You can vote for us at Podcast Alley or make us your favorites at Podcast Pickle

Please leave a comment or email me at
gameaddicthotline@gmail.com

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Sorry for the Boxing day release. I’m a little behind when family is around. I love the season just for that. I’m also loving Fallout 3. If you have stories about it, tell me. I am so fascinated in the level design. It’s interesting to explore the city and what things you’ll find. Also bought the orange box and got to play Portal and Team Fortress 2. I’m so still in 2006. I hope to try the best in PC this next year.

Game Trivia:

• Top Gaming Stories
• November’s Top Games
• 2008’s Most Disapointing Games

Top Anticipated Games in the US at GameFly
Top Games in Japan
Top Games in UK
Top PC Games

My Game Addiction:

• Phone Calls
• Pew Research on Adult Gaming

You can read our show notes here.

We also played music from Dr. Octoroc. Check it out.

You can vote for us at Podcast Alley or make us your favorites at Podcast Pickle and please digg us at digg.com

Please leave a comment or email me at
gameaddicthotline@gmail.com

Game of the Week

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Well, it’s back. I sound really bad this time, but give me some time, I’ll be back once I get into the swing of things. I really need some help though. Please comment on this podcast and on the voice line about what you want to hear on the show. This will really help me out. I really want to hear what game issues you are interested about. I want to get better at my commentary. Thanks a ton.

Game Trivia:

• Top Gaming Stories
• Black Friday
• August 2004 EGM

Top Anticipated Games in the US at GameFly
Top Games in Japan
Top Games in UK
Top PC Games

My Game Addiction:

• Black Friday

You can read our show notes here.

You can vote for us at Podcast Alley or make us your favorites at Podcast Pickle and please digg us at digg.com

Please leave a comment or email me at
gameaddicthotline@gmail.com

Game of the Week

Just giving you all a heads up. I’m not dead or stopping the podcast. I should give you a look at the past few weeks.

First, I got a job at Microsoft. I work in the MSN Games division. If you have an issue, email me. Just don’t expect anything much to happen. It is Microsoft of course. But, I you will get good customer service from me. The Job is Tue – Sat. So I may do the shows on Mondays and export it out. I’m going to talk to AllGames about shifting me out of Mondays due to this.

Second, I’ve been dating a lot more. So that means less free time for rss reading and editing the podcast. I am really happy about the dating, but sad it takes up some time for this. Once I get a better schedule, I’ll get back.

Third, I just upgraded the wordpress and added podpress to my site. I hope that by streamlining the show more, it will be much funner for you and me. Also working to get the show in a better quality by buying a quieter power supply and doing other things to make it funner.

If you haven’t twittered me, please do so at http://twitter.com/gameaddict.

Thanks for your enjoyment of my show. I know it is hard to listen to someone who does a show every once in a while. I hope to remedy this sooner, rather than later.

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So, I’m back. Sorry about the lateness. I’ve had issues and wanted to get things in order before I came back. I will be working on tightening the show a little bit and hope you will continue to stay for the ride. Here is the show. It’s a short one with commentary only.

You can vote for us at Podcast Alley or make us your favorites at Podcast Pickle and please digg us at digg.com

Please leave a comment or email me at
gameaddicthotline@gmail.com

Games of the Week

Had a fun time time yesterday meeting up with the guys over at GameHouse and Real.com. They were having a tour for game press and local press and a look at some new games coming out from the companies. I really enjoyed myself and met up with some friends in the industry.

I got to play the Wiiware game Boingz that will be released in the next few months. It was reminiscent of The Lost Vikings in which you can switch players, but the intersting thing about it was the idea that you “pin” your guy to an object. I really thought it was an interesting idea, not sure if it will grab the audience it wants, especially after a certain article. But it is the beginning of WiiWare, so I am not expecting crazy awesome games. Too bad the downloadable content side is getting bigger with DSi and XNA coming out this November.

Here are some pics and videos from the event

You’ve been thinking for years about the next great game that could sell millions of copies and now you want to get it developed. Who do you go to? What should I expect when pitching the game? What do I to prepare for the pitch meeting? These questions were answered by Zombie games president John Williamson and panel guests on Friday night at the Penny Arcade Expo.

“So you want to pitch a game?” focused most of its discussion on choosing the right game ideas, what you are expected to do to prepare for that pitch meeting and what to do during the pitch to publishers. The panelists, including developers and business people that work with publishers told the crowd of gamers started the panel by speaking about the over 1,500 to 2,000 pitches they are sent to them every year, and how only 3 to 5 of those ideas become games that are sold in the market.

The process of an idea becoming a game goes through steps that include coming up with the idea, preparing the idea for presentation, presenting it to an agent inside the company in charge of game development and ends with the approval by the companies heads.

Many think that there idea could become the next big game, but Williamson and his panel gave the aspiring game makers advice about what to do before starting to shop around their game:

* Cultivate your idea: Though you have an idea, have you looked at
all the questions that people might have behind it. What will the
art style be? Who is this game towards? What differentiate this
game from other? Can you describe the game in under 15 seconds?
* Create a demo: Proof of concept is very big for the publishers. If
you can show you have more than just an idea, you on well on your
way. The demo doesn’t have to be perfect said the panel, but
should show that you are serious about the idea.
* Find the right developer for your game: A penguin platformer game
with two brothers that wear red and green sweaters probably won’t
work well with Nintendo. Find the developer that you think works
well with your idea.
* Do your research: Research how games that compare to your game do
with the market and add that to your pitch. Also research the
costs and other things that may spark the interest of the
publishers. One panelists said he would like to see 3 – 6 months
of preperation, with 200 – 300 pages of documentation on all areas
of the game. (including budget)

Once you have done those things, the panelists said its time to find the agent working for the companies you are interested presenting to and set up appointments with them or go straight to the developers to show them your idea. Once you get those appointments, the panel gave some important tips on making a better presentation

* Simplify your presentation: Make sure you can tell a publisher
about your game idea quickly and simply so that you don’t confuse
the person you present to or even yourself when questions come up
about the idea.
* Bring your team: Bringing the developers that know the more
complicated parts of the game like art or game mechanics can help
to answer some of the publishers questions. But don’t bring too
many people or you may have too many people talking at once about
the idea.
* Don’t start with the Story: Game publishers, according to the
panel, say that most of the presentation should be about the
gameplay. Though art, story and the cost are important, if the
gameplay sucks, it won’t be picked up.
* Be prepared: Be prepared for any question that could come up from
the developers and if your game is rejected. Be prepared to find
out why it was from the developers and how you can make it better.
Their opinions may tweak your game to the level it needs to become
a game later on.

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PAX PAX PAX PAX PAX

I love this time of the year. My birthday, gone to the Weird Al Yankovich concert, PAX and a trip to China and back to work. I can’t wait to see you guys at PAX. If you do see me, answer my questions for a prize. I need to get rid of a lot of items. This is the last GAH for the season too. We’ll start season four when I return from China.

Game Trivia:

• Top Selling Xbox 360 Games in Japan
• Jellyvision
• NPD Sales for July 2008
• Gaming News

Top Games in Australia
Top Games in Japan
Top Games in UK
Top PC Games

My Game Addiction:

• PAX

You can read our show notes here.

The promo played was for AllGames.com PAX Show

You can vote for us at Podcast Alley or make us your favorites at Podcast Pickle and please digg us at digg.com

Please leave a comment or email me at
gameaddicthotline@gmail.com

Game of the Week

Castle Crashers (XBLA)