Use Your Items!

The Gang Goes Scanning Again - Metroid Prime Remastered

Metroid Prime Remastered is a miraculous masterpiece and not enough can be said about it. We dive in to explore the history of the genre, the development, and the pacing of Tallon IV.
0-1:46 Spoiler Free/History
1:46-End Spoilers and verdicts
Works Cited:
DGC Ep 355: Metroid Prime Bonus Interview with Jack Mathews! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dgc-ep-355-metroid-prime-bonus-interview-with-jack-mathews/id1090136163?i=1000621631102
The rocky story of Retro Studios before Metroid Prime:https://www.polygon.com/2018/5/29/17386066/the-rocky-story-of-retro-studios-before-metroid-prime
https://web.archive.org/web/20071129191427/http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=16389
https://web.archive.org/web/20120928094007/http://www.ign.com/articles/2009/08/29/a-space-bounty-hunter-in-texas?page=4
 
Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our favorite games. If you'd like to support the show please join us on Discord or leave us a review on Spotify and Apple Podcasts-we've love to chat!
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Join the conversation on Discord, it's free!
Email us at: useyouritems@gmail.com
Read us at: useyouritems.substack.com
Chat us at: twitch.tv/useyouritems
Follow Jason at: @skilleddrizzler on twitter
Follow Fran at: frantastico | Instagram | Linktree 
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Art by Francisco Martin
Theme music by William O'Rourke

Porridge is a tool and so is Pavol - Felvidek

Exploring the weird, wonderful world of the Slavic JPRG Felvidek. We will drink, pray, and slash our way through 15th century Slovakia.
Spoiler free for the first 60 minutes or so.
Felvidek OST
Felivdek on Steam
Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a scholarly, literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our favorite games. If you'd like to support the show please join us on Discord or leave us a review on Spotify and Apple Podcasts-we've love to chat!
----------------------------
Join the conversation on Discord
Email us at: useyouritems@gmail.com
Read us at: useyouritems.substack.com
Chat us at: twitch.tv/useyouritems
Follow Jason at: @dancingfroggame on twitter
Follow Fran at: frantastico | Instagram | Linktree 
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Art by Francisco Martin
Theme music by William O'Rourke

Can You Dig It? Bombrush Cyber Funk and the Power of the Grind

We grind and wall-ride our way through Team Reptile's Bombrush Cyber Funk--the spiritual successor to Jet Set Radio. It wasn't our favorite, but we discuss music, the potential, and graffiti.
Spoiler free for the first 60 minutes or so.
Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a scholarly, literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our favorite games. If you'd like to support the show please join us on Discord or leave us a review on Spotify and Apple Podcasts-we've love to chat!
----------------------------
Join the conversation on Discord
Email us at: useyouritems@gmail.com
Read us at: useyouritems.substack.com
Chat us at: twitch.tv/useyouritems
Follow Jason at: @dancingfroggame on twitter
Follow Fran at: @el_frantastico on threads
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Art by Francisco Martin
Theme music by William O'Rourke

Is This Real Life or Is This Structure Gel: On Soma

This time we go over Frictional Games Horror masterpiece, Soma. We explore the nature of horror, the design of this popular studio, and some heavy philosophical discussions.
CW: euthanasia
Spoiler free for the first 50 minutes or so
Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a scholarly, literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our favorite games. If you'd like to support the show please join us on Discord or leave us a review on Spotify and Apple Podcasts-we've love to chat!
----------------------------
Join the conversation on Discord
Email us at: useyouritems@gmail.com
Read us at: useyouritems.substack.com
Chat us at: twitch.tv/useyouritems
Follow Jason at: @dancingfroggame on twitter
Follow Fran at: @el_frantastico on threads
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Art by Francisco Martin
Theme music by William O'Rourke

Item Bag Found - Fantasy RPGs

We launch a possible new segment called Item Bags! Where we gather ideas for various ideas we have regarding the industry, genre, and freeform discussion. Less research and more chatter. Let us know what you think on our discord! Link below:
Skill Up interview with Yoshi P
Games Discussed:
Dark Cloud (more mentioned tbh)
Dragon's Dogma 2 (and 1 technically)
Cyberpunk
Rogue
Nethack
Skyrim
FF1, 2, 7, 16
CoD MW2
Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a scholarly, literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our favorite games. If you'd like to support the show please join us on Discord or leave us a review on Spotify and Apple Podcasts-we've love to chat!
----------------------------
Join the conversation on Discord
Email us at: useyouritems@gmail.com
Read us at: useyouritems.substack.com
Chat us at: twitch.tv/useyouritems
Follow Jason at: @dancingfroggame on twitter
Follow Fran at: @el_frantastico on threads
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Art by Francisco Martin
Theme music by William O'Rourke
 
 

The Shadows Lengthen in Carcosa; Signalis, Madness, and Love

This week we discuss Signalis, a surprise hit for us from rose-engine, and the meaning of meat, madness, reality, love, connection, and what it means to be human.
Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a scholarly, literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our favorite games. If you'd like to support the show please join us on Discord or leave us a review on Spotify and Apple Podcasts-we've love to chat!
Links and notes:
The King in Yellow free online
Signalis OST
del Toro YT Video
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Join the conversation on Discord
Email us at: useyouritems@gmail.com
Read us at: useyouritems.substack.com
Chat us at: twitch.tv/useyouritems
Follow Jason at: @dancingfroggame on twitter
Follow Fran at: @el_frantastico on threads
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Art by Francisco Martin
Theme music by William O'Rourke

Sidequest: Toxicity in Gaming!

Our first guest episode featuring Dr. Dillon Ludemann discussing Toxicity in Gaming! Join us for this special sidequest in the anthropology, philosophy, and design of video games.
Dr. Dillon Ludemann is a professor of anthropology with a focus on online communities at the University of South Carolina
Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a scholarly, literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our favorite games. If you'd like to support the show please join us on Discord or leave us a review on Spotify and Apple Podcasts-we've love to chat!
Links and notes:
https://www.thegamer.com/helldivers-2-the-least-toxic-online-game-ever-played/ perception of toxicity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnOWBrY2BQs&t=0s
https://www.raisinggoodgamers.com/
Liu and Agur 2023: “‘After All, They Don’t Know Me’ Exploring the Psychological Mechanisms of Toxic Behavior in Online Games” Games and Culture 18(5)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Queen_hypothesis
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Join the conversation on Discord
Email us at: useyouritems@gmail.com
Read us at: useyouritems.substack.com
Chat us at: twitch.tv/useyouritems
Follow Jason at: @dancingfroggame on twitter
Follow Fran at: @el_frantastico on threads
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Art by Francisco Martin
Theme music by William O'Rourke

Just Breathe, You Can Do This; Climbing Celeste Mountain

Episode 9 discussing Maddy Makes Games hit Celeste. We touch on accessibility, friendship, anxiety, depression, and overcoming goals.
TW/CW: Anxiety, Depression, Drinking, Gender Dysphoria, etc.
0-1hrish non-spoiler
Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a scholarly, literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our favorite games. If you'd like to support the show please join us on Discord or leave us a review on Spotify and Apple Podcasts-we've love to chat!
----------------------------
Join the conversation on Discord
Email us at: useyouritems@gmail.com
Read us at: useyouritems.substack.com
Chat us at: twitch.tv/useyouritems
Follow Jason at: @dancingfroggame on twitter
Follow Fran at: @el_frantastico on threads
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Art by Francisco Martin
Theme music by William O'Rourke

The Return of the Obra ft. DPI Discourse

Episode 8 and we get into 1 bit graphic design, a bit of Said's philosophy, the correct mouse sensitivity, and the making of a mystery. All our resources are noted below.
 
Listener, a heads up from Jason: I apologize for an error I made in misremembering and labeling the royalty on board as Fujianese instead of Formosan. I was recalling my previous writings on the game and did not do enough research. I will do better in future episodes and am sorry--Jason
 
0-44 non-spoiler , non-engineering discussion
44- 51:52 engineering discussion on pixels and shaders
51:52-1:15:45 remaining non-spoiler discussion
1:15:45-2:27 SPOILER TERRITORY
Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a scholarly, literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our favorite games. If you'd like to support the show please join us on Discord or leave us a review on Spotify and Apple Podcasts-we've love to chat!
1-bit shader tutorial
Lucas Pope's creation blog
----------------------------
Join the conversation on Discord
Email us at: useyouritems@gmail.com
Read us at: useyouritems.substack.com
Chat us at: twitch.tv/useyouritems
Follow Jason at: @dancingfroggame on twitter
Follow Fran at: @el_frantastico on threads
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Art by Francisco Martin
Theme music by William O'Rourke

Final Fantasy 6 or How I Learned to Love the Opera

Episode 7 and our longest yet. Today we spend over 3 hours tackling Final Fantasy 6. Digging into the origins of operatics, drama, rpg design, and post-modern theory; don't shy away we keep it fun!
Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a scholarly, literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our favorite games. If you'd like to support the show please join us on Discord or leave us a review on Spotify and Apple Podcasts-we've love to chat!
0--1:58:30 Spoiler Free Section
1:58:30-3:34:15 Literally the rest of the game
Classic WGUC What Is Opera
Opera 101, the Basics
How an Opera Gets Made
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Join the conversation on Discord
Email us at: useyouritems@gmail.com
Read us at: useyouritems.substack.com
Chat us at: twitch.tv/useyouritems
Follow Jason at: @dancingfroggame on twitter
Follow Fran at: @el_frantastico on threads
----------------------------
Art by Francisco Martin
Theme music by William O'Rourke