Life Imitates Video Games: Polygoing Off
40 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 7 years ago - ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsA weekly podcast exploring the uncanny similarities between real life situations and our favorite video games.
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Episodes
Meet My Buddy Atus. Say Hi, Atus. (Update for April 2017)
April 26, 2017 19:50 - 3 minutes - 3.68 MBI'm hitting pause on the podcast for a few weeks due to a convergence of life, work and personal stuff. Here's a quick update for April of 2017.
When Ratings and Reviews Fall Flat; One-Star Shining Bright
March 23, 2017 21:59 - 44 minutes - 41.3 MBSometimes one star is all you need to guide you home. In this episode I'm exploring how ratings and reviews don't always tell the whole story.
Readied Actions and Capitalizing on Available Free Time
March 16, 2017 22:02 - 39 minutes - 36.5 MBReadied actions are an old Dungeons & Dragons tactic. They're also a great tool for springing to action when free time opens up.
Buying New Clothes and Upgrading Your Armor … Same Thing, Right?
March 13, 2017 05:05 - 59 minutes - 55 MBI was out clothes shopping - an act I don't enjoy - and realized something: buying new clothes is just like upgrading your armor in video games.
Sacrificing “Right Now” for Quality – Status Update
March 09, 2017 05:57 - 6 minutes - 6.2 MBI recorded a podcast this week but hated it. Instead of releasing a show I'm lukewarm on I'm sacrificing "right now" for a better episode.
Live Every Moment Like Your Last and Other Random Malarkey
March 01, 2017 23:04 - 34 minutes - 31.9 MBWe're six episodes deep in 2017! Time for a mailbag episode covering feedback, random topics and a rant on the phrase, "Live every moment like your last."
Level Up! School, the Pursuit of Knowledge and Acquiring New Skills
February 23, 2017 01:02 - 45 minutes - 42 MBI explore the similarities between how game characters level up and how we acquire skills in real life, especially focusing on school.
When You’re a Young Kid, Your Whole Life is a Metroidvania
February 16, 2017 05:19 - 42 minutes - 39.7 MBAs a kid, the world is full of items you can't reach and places you can't access. Like Samus. Life is a Metroidvania, especially in the early years.
Underestimating Your Opponent as Demonstrated in Super Bowl LI
February 09, 2017 01:05 - 43 minutes - 39.9 MBThe New England Patriots just staged one of the greatest comebacks in sports. We take a look at underestimating your opponent as it pertains to gaming PvP.
Poisoned! Working Under Deadlines and Implementations of Gaming Poisons
February 02, 2017 19:14 - 30 minutes - 27.8 MBWorking under a looming deadline often leads to panic and rushed decisions. When infected by any number of gaming poisons, the same perils apply.
Focus and Concentration and the Benefits of Uninterrupted Time
January 26, 2017 01:16 - 31 minutes - 29.1 MBGaming in bursts sucks. It's the same pursuing creativity. In this episode I'm exploring the importance of focus and concentration in accomplishing goals.
Podcast Resolutions for 2017, a PS4 & Blood Ministration
January 17, 2017 00:46 - 35 minutes - 32.4 MBI got a PS4 for Christmas and am finally playing Bloodborne. It's a masterpiece. We're also making some podcast resolutions for the new year.
Quick Status on the First Episode of 2017 … It’s Late. Rats.
January 14, 2017 05:11 - 3 minutes - 1.93 MBWe're two weeks deep and have yet to air the first episode of 2017. Fear not, however. It's coming soon! Here's the skinny ...
Food in Games: The Goods, Bads and Uglies
December 14, 2016 21:47 - 30 minutes - 17.3 MBThe holidays are a time for family bonding, reflection and eating too much food. This has me thinking about implementations of food in games.
The Mail is Here! Feedback and Fireside Chatting
November 21, 2016 22:43 - 50 minutes - 29.1 MBIt's been a few weeks since our last listener feedback session. I'm fireside chatting about comments, updates and improvements to the show for 2016's end.
Podcast Update for November 18, 2016
November 19, 2016 01:46 - 3 minutes - 2.12 MBThe Holidays are always crazy for scheduling. I'm committed to keeping the weekly'ish cadence, though we may miss a Friday here and there; details here.
The Perils of Echo Chambers and Reality Distortion
November 12, 2016 00:28 - 31 minutes - 18.2 MBWe're not talking about the election! In light of the election, however, I'm thinking on echo chambers and the dangers they pose to all of us.
Even Stranger Things From Our Imaginations (Conclusion)
November 08, 2016 00:56 - 45 minutes - 31.2 MBAs good as it was, even Stranger Things left us with a slew of questions. What's to come with season two? Why do people love Barb? We explore in part three.
Stranger Things Theories: Nuclear Winter of our Discontent
October 28, 2016 12:10 - 48 minutes - 28 MBI'm exploring some popular Stranger Things theories and sharing a few of my own. What IS the upside down? Is Eleven the monster? Yup. Well, probably ...
Stranger Things are Afoot at the Circle K
October 22, 2016 01:46 - 37 minutes - 21.7 MBStranger Things was the sleeper hit of the summer. In part 1 of 2, I'm talking about the vibe, production and specialness of this Netflix original show.
On Buying a New GPU for the Neurotic
October 14, 2016 21:12 - 39 minutes - 22.7 MBI recently bought a new GPU for my gaming setup. It was an angst-ridden process filled with worry about the future and whether I was spending money wisely.
The Mail Arrived! Listener Feedback, Updates and Chatting
October 07, 2016 22:48 - 40 minutes - 23.4 MBAddressing listener feedback from the past few shows, we revisit unique fantasy settings and how game communities try to bring balance in unbalanced games.
Community Pressure in Games for Good and Ill
September 30, 2016 21:25 - 47 minutes - 27.1 MBDuring a return to Souls PvP I got some hate mail about weapon choices I'd made . As a result I'm reflecting on community pressure gone good and bad.
Unique and Underutilized Fantasy Settings; Where You At?
September 23, 2016 18:48 - 42 minutes - 24.6 MBMost fantasy feels Tolkien-esque; in this podcast I'm exploring underutilized fantasy settings like the wild west, colonial periods and space.
I Didn’t Like the PlayStation Vita Because I’m an Idiot
September 16, 2016 17:08 - 50 minutes - 28.9 MBI owned a PlayStation Vita and didn't like it; I didn't care for the Nintendo 3DS, either. What's up with the current gen of portable gaming?
Mailbag! Listener Feedback for September 13, 2016
September 13, 2016 22:16 - 57 minutes - 32.7 MBListener feedback and responding to comments on the last couple episodes of the podcast, covering VR theories, the Steam Controller and release frequency.
Portable Game Systems Through Foggy Memories
September 02, 2016 22:05 - 21 minutes - 12.6 MBDuring a week of travel I'm reflecting on the portable game systems I've owned over the years. Some of them were great; some of them were duds. My favorite?
Overstayed Welcome; Game Sequels Feel Stale When …
August 26, 2016 17:05 - 39 minutes - 22.6 MBHow many is too many? This episode of the podcast explores a few long-running franchises and tries to pinpoint when game sequels start to feel stale.
Pokemon Go Away: A Soul as Black as Onyx, Nioh?
August 19, 2016 23:02 - 40 minutes - 23.1 MBTalking Dark Souls III, Pokemon Go, VR enthusiasm and Nioh amidst tangents on this grab-bag episode of the podcast. Pokemon Go away! Don't make me move.
What Does Retro Gaming Mean to Me? Glad You Asked!
August 16, 2016 07:42 - 32 minutes - 18.5 MBMost people use "retro gaming" to mean old games. I don't think age has much to do with it. In this week's show I'm wondering: what does retro gaming mean?
Pseudo-Profanity in Fantasy and Science Fiction, Dammit!
August 05, 2016 21:21 - 40 minutes - 23 MBDoes inventing a system of faux-profanity in fantasy/science fiction create a better fictional world? I talk about swearing and its effects on immersion.
Who is Snoke? Who are the Knights of Ren? Dark Siders!
July 29, 2016 22:40 - 59 minutes - 33.9 MBPart 3 in our podcast series covers the Dark Siders in The Force Awakens. Who is Snoke? Where did the Knights of Ren come from? What's next for Kylo?
Who Are Rey’s Parents? Canon! Oh, Wait … non-Canon
July 22, 2016 17:49 - 47 minutes - 27.2 MBPart 2 in our theory-crafting and speculation podcast series on The Force Awakens. Who are Rey's parents? Is she a Skywalker? No way. She's a Kenobi.
Dark Side Luke and the Star Wars of J.J. Abrams
July 15, 2016 17:41 - 28 minutes - 16.2 MBThe Force Awakens! Exploring the possibility of a Dark Side Luke Skywalker in the next Star Wars trilogy. This is part 1 in a multi-part podcast series.
Back to Podcasting: Where Have I Been? What Happened?
July 11, 2016 17:05 - 19 minutes - 11.2 MBThe last show was from 2015; it's now July of 2016. Are we finally back to podcasting? In this fireside chat I talk about the hiatus and its root causes.
Console Wars! Exploring the Nature of “Better” in Hardware
December 14, 2015 16:32 - 25 minutes - 17.6 MBThe console wars have raged since the second-ever gaming platformed launched. I take a faux-philosophical look at what "better" really means in hardware.
Using Strategy Guides for Better and Worse
December 01, 2015 17:01 - 30 minutes - 20.8 MBI'm not a fan of using strategy guides. Given time constraints, though, I make use of them to ensure I progress through games unhindered.
Pillars of Eternity is Worthy of Your Love
November 18, 2015 14:06 - 44 minutes - 30.8 MBI talk Pillars of Eternity in this episode, praising the game's fresh approach to stats, races and classes and how it plays with expectations in novel ways.
Game Nostalgia and Getting into Video Games as a Kid
November 13, 2015 13:14 - 27 minutes - 19.3 MBIn this podcast I talk origin stories and memories of getting into video games as a kid during the NES era. It's an episode of game nostalgia.
Life Beyond Dark Souls: Welcome to the Podcast!
November 13, 2015 04:02 - 18 minutes - 12.5 MBThe first podcast episode! I talk motivations on transitioning a niche YouTube channel into a show about pop-culture, exploring life beyond Dark Souls.