Game/Life Balance U.S. Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Literally The Only Podcast Ever Made in All of 2019 (Game/Life Balance U.S. Podcast Ep. 060) Jul 25, 2019

Show notes

Cody and Jon record their first episode together in 2019, and hilarity ensues. Also in this jam-packed episode: Cody dives into Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers, and Jon reviews Hollow Knight and Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden. They also talk about Xbox Game Pass, Risk of Rain 2, the TV shows Silicon Valley and Star Trek: The Next Generation, and micheladas.

Show Notes:

Join the GonnaGeek Discord server, where you can chat with Cody, Jon, and several other members of the GonnaGeek Network: https://discord.gg/yBBBtGT
To nominate an SNES Classic game for them to review on a future episode, email unqualifiedpodcast@gmail.com or tweet at Cody @ProducerCody and/or Jon @eatplaygame
Find Game/Life Balance U.S. on the GonnaGeek Network, on WGN Plus, our YouTube channel, and more!
Podcast theme song intro/outro credit: ‘Unity‘ by TheFatRat with permission
Game/Life Balance AUS official web site: http://www.gamelifebalanceaustralia.com
Learn something new in just a few minutes every day on Cody’s daily podcast for Curiosity.com

Elliot Callighan Talks “Unlock Audio” and Sound Design for Media (Game/Life Balance U.S. Podcast Ep. 059) Apr 23, 2019

Show notes

Elliot Callighan, composer and sound designer for media and adjunct professor at DePaul University, joins Cody to discuss his new project, Unlock Audio. It’s a tool for re-framing game audio to make it developer-centric from both a creative and business perspective. They also talk game design education, sound design, and — of course — what video games they’ve been playing lately!

Elliot is a classically trained violinist and pianist, metal guitarist and electronic music enthusiast with degrees in Music Composition and Sound Design for Cinema. Currently, Elliot is an independent Composer and Sound Designer, a Soundpost Co-Chair for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Overture Council as well as Adjunct Faculty in the Film & Game programs at DePaul University. His work has been featured in campaigns for United Airlines, The Chicago Advertising Federation, GMC, The Godrej Group, Chevrolet Motors, The Goodman Theatre as well as many independent films and games. In addition, he is an Officer and Platoon Leader in the Illinois Army National Guard.

Show Notes:

Elliot Callighan discusses:
- How he got into composing and sound design for media, including video games.
- Why anyone who’s interested in working on video games should participate in a game jam.
- His new project, Unlock Audio: “I think we’re on the cusp of how game audio is done professionally, just because it’s a lot more straight-forward and simple and easy for everyone.”
- Video games that feature the U.S. military or are actually used by the military, and why he’s thinking about audio as part of his role in the Illinois Army National Guard.
- Where voice acting falls into the “sound design” umbrella, and what it’s like working with voice actors when working on audio for video games and related media.
- The way students are approaching video game development and sound design differently than they did just a few years ago.
- Nerding out over Heroes of the Storm and an indie game called The Cursed Forest.
Visit Elliot Callighan’s website, RamovaMusic.com
Check out his new project at UnlockAudio.com
Elliot’s DePaul University faculty bio
Hear Cody’s 2017 interview with Elliot on the Curiosity Podcast: “21st Century Composing: Scoring Music For Film And Video Games”
Podcast theme song intro/outro credit: ‘Unity‘ by TheFatRat with permission
Game/Life Balance AUS official web site: http://www.gamelifebalanceaustralia.com
Learn something new in just a few minutes every day on Cody’s daily podcast for Curiosity.com

Author Blake J. Harris Talks Oculus, Facebook, and the Virtual Reality Revolution (Game/Life Balance U.S. Podcast Ep. 058) Apr 01, 2019

Show notes

Blake J. Harris, the best-selling author of “Console Wars,” has turned his attention to virtual reality with a new book. In “The History of the Future: Oculus, Facebook, and the Revolution That Swept Virtual Reality” Harris dives into the dramatic, larger-than-life true story behind the founding of Oculus and its quest for virtual reality. In this podcast, he discusses how he got his hands on the story, the twists and turns he encountered, and what’s next for virtual reality.

Show Notes:

Blake J. Harris, author of “The History of the Future: Oculus, Facebook, and the Revolution That Swept Virtual Reality,” discusses:
- The changing nature of how we consume media like this epic story of Oculus Rift.
- The extensive access he had to Oculus and Facebook in the course of writing the book.
- How he expected the story of Oculus to unfold, how Facebook expected the story to unfold, and the differences in their expectations versus reality.
- How Facebook and Oculus have responded to the book and why.
- The magic of virtual reality and how people need to experience it before they can really describe it.
- Future uses for virtual reality, from medical technologies to military applications.
- Why this book is almost like the virtual reality version of the 2010 David Fincher film “The Social Network.”
- One part of the story that really took him aback while writing the book and how it changed the course of Oculus.
Blake J. Harris’ official website
Pick up his other book, “Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle That Defined a Generation,” on Amazon
Follow Blake J. Harris on Twitter @blakejharrisNYC
Podcast theme song intro/outro credit: ‘Unity‘ by TheFatRat with permission
Game/Life Balance AUS official web site: http://www.gamelifebalanceaustralia.com
Learn something new in just a few minutes every day on Cody’s daily podcast for Curiosity.com

Favorite Video Games of 2018 (Game/Life Balance U.S. Podcast Ep. 057) Dec 26, 2018

Show notes

Cody and Jon go FULL GAMER and review their favorite video games played over the past year, in addition to discussing what they learned about balancing video games with real life. Plus: a look ahead at what’s to come in 2019!

Show Notes:

Cody discusses Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood, Undertale, 20XX, Timespinner, and more!
He and Jon both discuss Sid Meier’s Civilization VI and Heroes of the Storm.
Jon talks Darkest Dungeon, Endless Space 2, Final Fantasy XII: Zodiac Age, Dead Cells, and more!
Cody plugs the GonnaGeek Discord server, which you can join here to chat with Cody, Jon, and several other members of the GonnaGeek Network: https://discord.gg/yBBBtGT
To nominate an SNES Classic game for them to review on their next episode, email unqualifiedpodcast@gmail.com or tweet at Cody @ProducerCody and/or Jon @eatplaygame
Learn how to connect with us on the GonnaGeek Network, syndication on WGN Plus, our YouTube channel, and more!
Podcast theme song intro/outro credit: ‘Unity‘ by TheFatRat with permission
Game/Life Balance AUS official web site: http://www.gamelifebalanceaustralia.com
Learn something new in just a few minutes every day on Cody’s daily podcast for Curiosity.com

Support the show by helping Cody cover website hosting costs:

Balancing Not One, But TWO Kids: Jonathan Martin Returns to the Podcast (Game/Life Balance U.S. Podcast Ep. 056) Dec 06, 2018

Show notes

Jon returns from an extended hiatus to talk about what it’s like balancing games and life now that he has not one, but TWO, kids. He and Cody also give updates on what video games they’ve been playing over the last several months.

Show Notes:

Jon explains why he took multiple months off from the podcast, briefly recounting the story of his new baby’s early arrival (you can hear the full, uncut version of the story on our uncut recording on YouTube)
Then, Jon talks about how his time has been cut up since having a second baby, and how he was somehow able to finish his Final Fantasy “marathon” and beat multiple Final Fantasy games over 2018
Turning their attention to video games, they discuss all the changes and updates that have been made to Final Fantasy XV, how much fun Jon had playing through Dead Cells, and why he’s been able to actually play multiplayer matches in Overwatch, despite the fact that his time is fragmented
Cody explains why he and his wife watched every episode of Star Trek: The Original Series and blogged about their experience in an ongoing series of posts on Cody’s website, which you can find here: https://codygough.com/2018/08/28/i-just-watched-every-episode-of-star-trek-the-original-series-and-theres-a-lot-to-say-cody-gough/
Cody plugs the GonnaGeek Discord server, which you can join here to chat with Cody, Jon, and several other members of the GonnaGeek Network: https://discord.gg/yBBBtGT
Cody discusses a 12-hour Lord of the Rings movie marathon and a Lord of the Rings book club he participated in over the summer
Are the hosts of Game/Life Balance Australia psychic? Cody’s anecdote about AC and pro wrestling games suggests “maybe“
To nominate an SNES Classic game for them to review on their next episode, email unqualifiedpodcast@gmail.com or tweet at Cody @ProducerCody and/or Jon @eatplaygame
Learn how to connect with us on the GonnaGeek Network, syndication on WGN Plus, our YouTube channel, and more!
Podcast theme song intro/outro credit: ‘Unity‘ by TheFatRat with permission
Game/Life Balance AUS official web site: http://www.gamelifebalanceaustralia.com
Learn something new in just a few minutes every day on Cody’s daily podcast for Curiosity.com

Dave Wishnowski Changed His Life On A Dare and Ended Up Creating A Legendary Video Game (Game/Life Balance U.S. Podcast Ep. 055) Sep 04, 2018

Show notes

In 2002, Dave Wishnowski quit his job and set out to make his own wrestling game. More than 15 years later, he’s still at the helm of Pro Wrestling X, one of the most ambitious independent game projects in modern video game history. In this podcast, he tells his story and gives an update on the game that by all rights shouldn’t exist — and how he’s been able to stick with it for so long.

Show Notes:

Dave Wishnowski, creator of Pro Wrestling X, explains why he wanted to make a wrestling game and how he got started learning how to do so
He explains the challenges of developing an indie game and why there are so many first-person shooters on the market, but very few successful independent pro wrestling games.
Hear about the current Pro Wrestling X gameplay experience and what’s next for the game. You can pick up the game on Steam Early Access, available now!
- Join the Pro Wrestling X weekly email list, and don’t forget to follow Pro Wrestling X on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube
You can read more about Dave’s story in the book “The Minds Behind the Games: Interviews With Cult and Classic Video Game Developers,” available on Amazon or anywhere books are sold. You can also find an interview with the book’s author, Patrick Hickey, Jr., on a previous episode of Game/Life Balance U.S.
To nominate an SNES Classic game for them to review on their next episode, email unqualifiedpodcast@gmail.com or tweet at Cody @ProducerCody and/or Jon @eatplaygame
Learn how to connect with us on the GonnaGeek Network, syndication on WGN Plus, our YouTube channel, and more!
Podcast theme song intro/outro credit: ‘Unity‘ by TheFatRat with permission
Game/Life Balance AUS official web site: http://www.gamelifebalanceaustralia.com
Learn something new in just a few minutes every day on Cody’s daily podcast for Curiosity.com

Gen Con 2018 Board Game Review Special (Game/Life Balance U.S. Podcast Ep. 054) Aug 21, 2018

Show notes

In a special solo episode, Cody discusses his favorite games from Gen Con 2018 and offers some buying recommendations if you’re looking for the latest and greatest in strategy board games. Plus, learn a little about the role-playing game worlds of Starfinder, Arcanis: The World of Shattered Empires, and Savage Worlds.

Show Notes:

Cody discusses his favorite board game adventures from Gen Con 2018, including the following unreleased games:
- The expansion 7 Wonders: Armada / Asmodee (7 Wonders and 7 Wonders: Leaders Expansion available now)
- Dragon Ball Z: The Board Game Saga / Lynnvander Studios, estimated release date Q4 2018 (originally in conjunction with Jasco Games when it was demo’d at Gen Con 2017)
Here are Cody’s most recommended board games from Gen Con 2018:
- Azul / Plan B Games (8.0 on Board Game Geek)
- Gloomhaven / Designed by Isaac Childres, Kickstarter (9.0 on Board Game Geek)
- Terraforming Mars: Prelude expansion / Stronghold Games (8.6 on Board Game Geek)
- One Deck Dungeon: Forest of Shadows / Asmadi Games
- Root: A Game of Woodland Might and Magic / Leder Games (8.5 on Board Game Geek)
- Mystic Vale / AEG, Alderac Entertainment Group (7.3 on Board Game Geek) with a whopping TEN EXPANSIONS, with these expansions particularly highly recommended:
  - Mystic Vale: Mana Storm (8.0), with new amulets;
  - Mystic Vale: Vale of the Wild (8.1), which introduces leaders;
  - Mystic Vale: Conclave (7.4), which expands the game from 4 to 6 players;
  - Mystic Vale: Twilight Garden, released in July with no rating yet on Board Game Geek, offers player attacks and interaction (but Cody hasn’t had the chance to play it yet)
Plus, Cody delves into the world of role-playing games, including Starfinder, Arcanis: The World of Shattered Empires, and Savage Worlds
Check our past podcasts for board game reviews from Martin Con 2018, Martin Con 2016, and Martin Con 2015 (we did not do a podcast following Martin Con 2017)
To nominate an SNES Classic game for them to review on their next episode, email unqualifiedpodcast@gmail.com or tweet at Cody @ProducerCody and/or Jon @eatplaygame
Learn how to connect with us on the GonnaGeek Network, syndication on WGN Plus, our YouTube channel, and more!
Podcast theme song intro/outro credit: ‘Unity‘ by TheFatRat with permission
Game/Life Balance AUS official web site: http://www.gamelifebalanceaustralia.com
Learn something new in just a few minutes every day on Cody’s daily podcast for Curiosity.com

Board Game Review Special: Martin Con 2018 (Game/Life Balance U.S. Podcast Ep. 053) Jun 28, 2018

Show notes

Cody and Jon recap their favorite board games of “Martin Con” 2018, the annual Memorial Day Weekend board game gathering hosted at Jon’s house in Minnesota.

This year’s games include but are not limited to: Avalon, Near and Far, Chaos in the Old World, Terraforming Mars, Arkham Horror, Mystic Vale, Sid Meier’s Civilization: A New Dawn, Rising Sun, Imperial Assault (with iPad), Ethnos, Eldritch Horror, and Codenames.

Show Notes:

The two hosts give a quick rundown of the concept of “Martin Con” before diving into multiple detailed board game reviews
Check our past podcasts for board game reviews from Martin Con 2016 and Martin Con 2015 (we did not do a podcast following Martin Con 2017)
After finishing their massive board game geek-out, Cody and Jon briefly discuss their Deadpool 2 outing and Jon’s motivation to run in the ridiculous hot weather over Memorial Day weekend
To nominate an SNES Classic game for them to review on their next episode, email unqualifiedpodcast@gmail.com or tweet at Cody @ProducerCody and/or Jon @eatplaygame
Learn how to connect with us on the GonnaGeek Network, syndication on WGN Plus, our YouTube channel, and more!
Podcast theme song intro/outro credit: ‘Unity‘ by TheFatRat with permission
Game/Life Balance AUS official web site: http://www.gamelifebalanceaustralia.com
Learn something new in just a few minutes every day on Cody’s daily podcast for Curiosity.com

F-Zero: Can you be nostalgic for a bad game? (Game/Life Balance U.S. Podcast Ep. 051) May 24, 2018

Show notes

Cody and Jon attempt to explain F-Zero after playing it on the SNES Classic, despite not really caring at all about racing games. They also finally give an update on what’s going on in their lives, for once!

Show Notes:

Cody and Jon try to stumble through a review of F-Zero, despite the fact that racing games aren’t their “thing”
Jon is curious about what Cody has to say regarding the game’s “interesting mechanics,” and both of them find the game strangely entertaining, despite the fact that they agree that the game is relatively “bad”
Jon discusses his favorite terrible games: Twisted Tales of Spike McFang, X-Men for the Sega Genesis, and Sewer Shark for the Sega CD
After an in-depth discussion, play along with some F-Zero trivia!
Cody gives a “Life Stuff” update and discusses how he’s now hosting a daily podcast for Curiosity.com, which you can listen to as an Alexa Flash Briefing skill on your Amazon Echo device
Jon helped AC from Game/Life Balance Australia get Cody a belated wedding gift, which Cody thinks is SERIOUSLY THE COOLEST THING EVER, and he genuinely thanks him for the incredible present
Cody and Jon briefly discuss Avengers: Infinity War, the upcoming Solo: A Star Wars Movie, the new season of Arrested Development, and a few other movies/TV shows that are on their radar these days
To nominate an SNES Classic game for them to review on their next episode, email unqualifiedpodcast@gmail.com or tweet at Cody @ProducerCody and/or Jon @eatplaygame
Learn how to connect with us on the GonnaGeek Network, syndication on WGN Plus, our YouTube channel, and more!
Podcast theme song intro/outro credit: ‘Unity‘ by TheFatRat with permission
Game/Life Balance AUS official web site: http://www.gamelifebalanceaustralia.com
Learn something new in just a few minutes every day on Cody’s daily podcast for Curiosity.com

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