The Electronic Wireless: Leigh Alexander GDC!
RPS didn't go to GDC. Leigh Alexander did. So we thought it a good idea to get her on the yap-machine to ask her about her experiences. Bit of an experimental RPS-cast this one, being done over Skype. Will the sound quality be enough for the audiophile RPS listeners? I think it's okay - did some noise-reduction and leveling which seems to polish it up, though there's a smidge of drop-out right near the end. Ah, that internet wireless. Anyway - you can download it direct here, it has an individual net-home and here's the iTunes page, while the full running order - in case you want to skip past the bits where Leigh insists on talking about consoles - is beneath the cut...
0:00: Hello!
0:45 Kieron continues to be in denial about Alcoholism.
1:00 Introduction to what we're actually going to talk about this podcast.
1:30 A little zoo talk. Yes.
2:00 GDC: “What was it like?” Insightful questions by Gillen again. Leigh tells him, with words.
3:50 What's the big trends coming out GDC? Mobile gaming! Digital downloads! I-phone! Alternative channels.
5:15 Kieron remembers Develop last year. The webgame goldrush.
6:00 A portrait of Gillen domesticity.
6:20 The Gold Rush continues. Problems with finding quality in the Iphone.
7:30 What games were interesting and compelling to Leigh? Prototype games.
9:10 Kieron fails to pronounce Achron correctly and asks Leigh about it. Leigh is scared of the terrain.
10:40 Kieron forces Leigh to play namedropping. She has met all the cool kids, proposed to Suda and hails the funniness of Double Fine.
12:40 The GDC award ceremonies!
14:00 The DRAMAS! Is Pixeljunk Eden indie or not?
15:40 Kieron's problem with the IGF, apart from the fact he was a shit judge: it gives awards for unfinished games.
19:00 Kieron realises he's being really rude making Leigh talk about something she's got a little conflict of interest in. But Leigh is fine!
19:45 What was Leigh's stand-out presentation of GDC? Hideo Kojima, obviously. Man, this has gone totally non-PC.
21:30 Leigh talks about the Art of Brutal Legend presentation.
22:30 Leigh talks about the panel she was on, the Burned By Friendly Fire: Game Critics Rant panel. She did about an ecosystem of negativity between journos, press and the audience. Here's some coverage of the whole thing.
23:45 Some very skillful editing from where Kieron had to run to let his girlfriend into the house, as she'd forgot her keys. Oh noes!
24:30 Heather Chaplins's controversial “Games aren't immature. Game Developers are immature toe-rags” rant.
26:15 Kieron tells Leigh to fuck off and die. Out of love! Then back to the Developers Immaturity argument.
28:00 Kieron understands Heather's urge to scream. Leigh thinks it better to be constructive.
28:35 Kieron segues into the Lionhead Homophobic Abuse law suit, wondering whether it could be a good example of developer cultural immaturity which Chaplin was talking about.
31:00 Kieron's problem on Xbox Live For Windows. Sounding like a tiny girl.
32:15 Leigh asks Kieron about the Zoo. Kieron very quickly goes into a horrific poo-based monkey story. RPS-bestiality porn. Skip this bit if you're at all sensitive. Somehow Lee manages to turn it into a metaphor for Videogames. Go Leigh!
34:00 Our plans for GDC next year: Performance Games Journalism.
35:00 There was meant to be less press this year at GDC. True or false? Was the atmosphere different? Leigh talks about the joy of actual access to developers.
38:05 Kieron laments never having been to GDC. There are bars there, apparently.
38:47 Leigh talks about the GDC parties. This is turning into Hello magazine.
40:00 Kieron tells a story with all the details removed about how a friend of his got into a GDC party.
41:30 Kieron realises how sickening they are.
42:00 “We probably should wrap up shortly”. We totally don't.
42:05 Kieron starts talking about the Path.
43:15 Interpretations of the Path. Going to ponce-factor nine. And spoilers abound, so be careful.
44:30 The most important thing about the path: it's an art game which is available through a major distribution channel for money.
47:20 Some people being scared of the path: threatened by the unfamiliar.
48:20 And we wrap it up quickly. They're out!