Game/Life Balance U.S.

Cody introduces special guest “Russian Jon,” a long-time friend of the podcast who discusses what it’s like to buy Steam games in Russia. Then, Cody recaps the GonnaGeek Network podcasting event he attended at C2E2, and the two Jons review the roguelike dungeon crawler Darkest Dungeon. Show Notes: * Cody and Jon introduce / re-introduce Russian Jon to the podcast, and he discusses what it’s like to acquire games on Steam in Russia * Russian Jon, a long-time friend of both Cody and American Jon (Regular Jon? AmeriJon?), tells some stories about growing up with them, how he knows the podcast, and what he does with his free time * Life Stuff * Cody discusses the panel he sat on at the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2), GonnaGeek Network Presents: Everyday Podcasting For Your Everyday Life * Cody talks about the benefits of being on a network and how cool it was that there was a huge crowd at C2E2 that really actively participated in the panel * Cody also explains how the weekend inspired him to get a brand-new podcast rig, and exactly why that may affect the sound quality of this episode * Full Gamer  * The two Jons review Darkest Dungeon, a roguelike, dungeon crawler video game created by indie game developer Red Hook Studios * Although there are some major problems with the game, its reception on Steam varies wildly; listen to hear what kind of gamer would enjoy this game most, and what kind of gamer should probably pass on the chance to play it * 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: ‘Subterranean Kamikaze‘ by Sixto Sounds, zircon, via OverClocked ReMix (http://ocremix.org) * Game/Life Balance AUS official web site: http://www.gamelifebalanceaustralia.com/

Cody gives a public service announcement about The Legend of Zelda dungeons and going to a teeth whitening dentist (in real life), and Jon reviews The Witness, the new puzzle game from Jonathan Blow. Show Notes: * Cody explains the importance of never, ever quitting a Zelda game while in the middle of playing through a dungeon, even if you’ve already played it several times in the past * Cody and Jon discuss March Madness, and you’ll be shocked at what they have to say about their brackets (or lack thereof) * Life Stuff * Cody explains the importance of going to the dentist for regular checkups, and gives a public service announcement encouraging everyone to go following his painful story of oral hygiene * Full Gamer  * Jon is so hype about the new Jonathan Blow game “The Witness,” he claims it’s one of the best single-player experiences he can remember * Jon struggles to explain an abstract puzzle game without giving away any spoilers or strategies * 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: ‘Subterranean Kamikaze‘ by Sixto Sounds, zircon, via OverClocked ReMix (http://ocremix.org) * Game/Life Balance AUS official web site: http://www.gamelifebalanceaustralia.com/

Jon did his duty as an American citizen by participating in the Minnesota caucus process, and boy, was it exciting! Plus: Cody delves into Sherlock Holmes after seeing a musical about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, then discusses ownership of fictional characters. Show Notes: * Jon explains his new-found love of red wine in a weird conversation about beer and Australia * Current News * Jon and his wife participated in the Minnesota caucus, and it was much more exciting than they had anticipated * Life Stuff  * Cody’s girlfriend brought him to see The Man Who Murdered Sherlock Holmes, a musical at Mercury Theatre in Chicago,and it was awesome * Who “owns” a fictional character? Cody talks about The People vs. George Lucas and other instances of characters taking on a life of their own * 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: ‘Subterranean Kamikaze‘ by Sixto Sounds, zircon, via OverClocked ReMix (http://ocremix.org) * Game/Life Balance AUS official web site: http://www.gamelifebalanceaustralia.com/

Cody and his girlfriend Casey discuss the current production of 2666 at Goodman Theatre, which they had the opportunity to see over the weekend. They also finished watching Twin Peaks, and have a lot to say about its final episodes. Show Notes: * Game/Life Balance Australia has finally launched! Or, re-launched! …either way, Cody is excited about it! * Hear why Cody is now referring to his usual co-host Jonathan Martin as “Uncle Stabbo,” and meet this week’s guest host Casey * Cody reveals his true identity as a Nigerian princess, as discussed on Game/Life Balance Australia * Life Stuff * Cody and Casey discuss the book 2666 by Roberto Bolaño, doing their best to synthesize the plot part by part * Hear what they thought when they saw 2666 at Goodman Theatre, a 5-hour production adapted and directed by Robert Falls and Seth Bockley * Life Stuff (part 2) * Although Cody and Casey already discussed Twin Peaks extensively on the WGN Plus podcast You’ve Binge Challenged, they return to the subject to discuss the final episodes of the series now that they’ve finished it * Hear what they thought of the series’ decline as Cody asks: how can really good shows like Twin Peaks and Battlestar Galactica become so un-watchable so quickly? * 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: ‘Subterranean Kamikaze‘ by Sixto Sounds, zircon, via OverClocked ReMix (http://ocremix.org) * Game/Life Balance AUS official web site: http://www.gamelifebalanceaustralia.com/

The Deadpool movie is set to surpass Passion of the Christ as the highest-grossing Rated R film of all time, and having seen it last weekend, Cody completely understands why. Hear all about it in this episode of the Game/Life Balance U.S. podcast! Show Notes: * Cody and Jon are really hype about the fact that Risk of Rain, one of their favorite multiplayer games, is going to be released on the PS4 with a robust matchmaking system * Cody and Jon discuss the basic tenets of the podcast, which somehow involves Vatican City and/or Rome * Current News * Deadpool is breaking box office records for rated R movies, and Cody explains why everyone needs to see the movie because it’s ridiculously awesome * Cody attempts to explain Deadpool’s background and origin story, despite not really knowing it very well * Life Stuff * Jon drank a ridiculous amount of wine with his family, and it was hilarious and awesome * Cody argues that Jon didn’t have difficulty recovering from his drunken episode because he’s getting old, but because he doesn’t get drunk often enough * Jon tells a crazy story about trying to give food to his son’s classmates, because Allergies * 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: ‘Subterranean Kamikaze‘ by Sixto Sounds, zircon, via OverClocked ReMix (http://ocremix.org) * Game/Life Balance AUS official web site: http://gamelifebalance.podomatic.com/

Jon tells a hilarious story about a “free to play” game he’s been playing on his phone, and Cody discusses how he’s learning about the Federal Reserve. Then, he and Jon delve into U.S. politics for a bit before Cody goes FULL GAMER and reviews The Order: 1886 for the PlayStation 4. Show Notes: * Jon tells a ridiculous story about Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes, featuring a ONE HUNDRED DOLLAR “micro” transaction * Cody discusses the book he’s reading, The Power and Independence of the Federal Reserve, and talks about his foray into learning about the Federal Reserve System… including how it somehow explains the assassination of John F. Kennedy (???) * Jon talks about The Big Short, which he saw over the weekend, and how it differed from his expectations * Cody jokes about the idea of doing a political podcast, then explains the resemblance between politics and playing a very complicated game * Jon brings up a good point about anti-establishment rhetoric in the current U.S. political environment, critical of a sometimes overly reductive and dismissive public * Both Jon and Cody take issue with presidential candidates and their supporters demonizing their opponents and making broad generalizations about people running for political office * Cody expresses reservations about Donald Trump as a human being, and asks deep, impactful questions about human nature * Life Stuff * Jon is hosting a gigantic family get together in his new house this weekend, and he’s pretty excited about it * Result: rampant references to Full House and Too Many Cooks, followed by an aside about how Jon’s son constantly gets him sick * Valid question: would Jon rather change a diaper, talk to Cody, or change Cody’s diaper? Riveting conversation, plus smoothies * Full Gamer * Cody reviews The Order: 1886, a PlayStation 4 exclusive video game he actually finished (!!!), by first focusing on the plot, and then how the in-game violence affected his experience * Were movies / cinema ever called “talkies?” Learn the answer in this piece of edutainment! * Cody and Jon discuss the pros and cons of quick time events * Cody plugs a cool Amazon price tracker tool called camelcamelcamel, and explains why he used it to buy a copy of Wrestlemania X-Seven * 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: ‘Subterranean Kamikaze‘ by Sixto Sounds, zircon, via OverClocked ReMix (http://ocremix.org) * Game/Life Balance AUS official web site: http://gamelifebalance.podomatic.com/

Cody and Jon are joined by a very special guest to discuss his experience with the competitive video game scene, including how to balance such a hobby with the rigorous demands of high school (!!!). Show Notes: * Cody and Jon welcome Chris Long to the podcast, a long-time listener of the podcast eager to share his experience with competitive gaming * Life Stuff * Chris talks about his experience building robots for robotics competitions, then makes Cody and Jon feel really old by talking about some other awesome high school things * Jon asks the question on everyone’s mind: why didn’t Space Ghost get a really cool streaming treatment? * Full Gamer * Chris talks about how he got into the Smash Bros. Brawl: Project M tournament scene, then talks Team Fortress 2 * Cody mentions that he actually participated in MELEE-FC Diamond, a major Smash Bros. Melee tournament in 2007, giving him mad street cred * Hear Chris explain how much time it takes him to organize and manage a Team Fortress 2 team, and how the seasons are structured * Yes: he schedules scrimmages, too. Hear what that’s like, including major challenges and roles for his team * Cody doesn’t understand why Chris doesn’t just build a robot to build him a computer, but apparently there’s a good reason why that’s a terrible idea * Life Stuff (again) * Jon tells a story about how his son has entered major meltdown mode, and how parenting apparently becomes difficult when you cannot physically stop a human being from constantly screaming nonstop * 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: ‘Subterranean Kamikaze‘ by Sixto Sounds, zircon, via OverClocked ReMix (http://ocremix.org) * Game/Life Balance AUS official web site: http://gamelifebalance.podomatic.com/

Cody somehow unexpectedly became a political writer when his post about Bernie Sanders went viral. Hear him discuss how it’s changed his life, including a surprisingly thoughtful discussion with Jon about politics and identity. Then, hear Jon go “FULL GAMER” and chat about the video game Sunless Sea. Show Notes: * Jon insists on recording a promo for the GonnaGeek Network, even though the broadcast already started * Current News – Cody wrote an article about Bernie Sanders and somehow became a political writer on the Huffington Post after it went viral on his web site * Jon talks to Cody about the Iowa caucus, including Brian Williams and MSNBC’s coverage of the event and why he really hates CNN * Life Stuff – Cody discusses how “going public” about his political POV is new territory for him, and chats about internet culture with Jon * They talk about how and why politics are tied to identity and ideologies, and also tackle surprising facts about internet trolls and what motivates them to be so awful * A Donald Trump supporter leaves a comment on this podcast during the YouTube broadcast, and Cody delivers a public service announcement to register to vote * Full Gamer – Jon discusses the video game Sunless Sea and explains what audience would most appreciate the game * Jon also bought The Witness, the newest game from Jonathan Blow, and explains the specific reason why he hasn’t actually started playing it yet * Jon briefly discusses the Fine Brothers controversy, which Cody thinks is just stupid * 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: ‘Subterranean Kamikaze‘ by Sixto Sounds, zircon, via OverClocked ReMix (http://ocremix.org) * Game/Life Balance AUS official web site: http://gamelifebalance.podomatic.com/

League of Legends brought in $1.6 billion in revenue in 2015, and Jon explains why that’s a big deal for video games and their fans. He then explains why he’s hype about The Witness, and Cody discusses why he’s addicted to the Yik Yak app. Show Notes: * Current news: League of Legends * Jon discusses how the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game earned $1.6 billion in revenues in 2015 — seven times more than its closest competitor in the genre * Cody has a brilliant plan to combine World of Warcraft with Facebook in order to maximize its profits so it can compete with League of Legends, and Jon ups the ante by introducing the concept of farming to the revolutionary idea * On a random tangent, Cody explains the origin of the phrase “and Bob’s your uncle,” which Jon refuses to believe is a thing that actually exists * Cody also explains the importance of keeping super PACs out of video games, then explains the best candy to pair with espresso: is it Nestle Crunch, Kit Kat, or Snickers? * Hype: The Witness * Jon discusses The Witness, the newest game from Jonathan Blow, and talks with Cody about Braid and why that game was also totally awesome * Somehow, for some reason, Cody ends up talking about AJ Styles’ WWE debut in the 2016 Royal Rumble, and how it’s possible that Triple H won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in 2016 * Life Stuff: Yik Yak * Cody explains why he’s addicted to the Yik Yak app (to the best of his ability), and of course Jon makes fun of it, because College Students * 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: ‘Subterranean Kamikaze‘ by Sixto Sounds, zircon, via OverClocked ReMix (http://ocremix.org) * Game/Life Balance AUS official web site: http://gamelifebalance.podomatic.com/

Do you always finish what you started? How about in video games? What exactly does “finished” mean, anyway? Hear Jon and Cody discuss 100 percent completion and more in this exciting Game/Life Balance U.S. podcast! Show Notes: * Cody introduces the segments that will make up future of episodes of Game/Life Balance U.S.: Balancing Act, Current News, Full Gamer, Game LIVE, Hype, Life Stuff, and Oddities * Life Stuff * Jon bought a new house, and it was broken! So he talks about how he fixed it, and Cody wonders how much of their mutual enjoyment from “fixing things” is because of who they are and how much is because they’re just getting older * Oddities * Cody discovered the legend of Desert Bus, a bizarre video game created by Penn & Teller of all people, and through Jon learns about Desert Bus For Hope, an equally if not more ridiculous charity event centered around said ridiculous video game * Hype * Jon is hype about something completely unrelated to video games, which makes Cody angry but also gives him an opportunity to accuse Jon of once again basically copying everything he does with his girlfriend * Cody is hype about video games like Mighty No. 9, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD, and Star Fox Zero, which brings up a discussion about Amazon Prime’s new video game pricing and other ways to save money buying video games * Balancing Act * Jon miraculously achieved a 100% completion rate in Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, which is shocking because he hasn’t done that with a video game in at least a year and a half * Cody discusses how he can’t quit playing Metal Gear Solid V in a seemingly endless pursuit of a 100% completion with the game, and Jon explains why he needs to be happy just quitting things sometimes * Hear the difference between finishing what you started when it comes to video games, TV shows, books, and other projects, and why some are harder than others, as Cody and Jon strive to achieve a Game/Life Balance (in the U.S.)! * 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: ‘Subterranean Kamikaze‘ by Sixto Sounds, zircon, via OverClocked ReMix (http://ocremix.org) * Game/Life Balance AUS official web site: http://gamelifebalance.podomatic.com/

Cody and Jon discuss Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Then, Jon has figured out a legendary way to strike a balance between games and life, and Cody doesn’t understand how to podcast anymore but he DOES like reading books. Show Notes: * Jon finally saw Star Wars: The Force Awakens and discusses his thoughts and feelings about the film * Cody launches into a tangent about Quentin Tarantino films, including his thoughts on The Hateful Eight * Both Jon and his wife made agreed upon the same New Year’s Resolutions, and Jon explains why that has given him more time to play video games than he can remember having in recent memory * While he doesn’t necessarily make New Year’s Resolutions, Cody explains his thoughts behind forming new habits and how Lent is a good time for him to cultivate them * In a surprising tangent, Jon and Cody discuss books and what to read before going to sleep * Then, they vaguely promise new segments for the future of the podcast—stay tuned to hear what they have in store for the future of Game/Life Balance U.S.! * 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: ‘Subterranean Kamikaze‘ by Sixto Sounds, zircon, via OverClocked ReMix (http://ocremix.org) * Game/Life Balance AUS official web site: http://gamelifebalance.podomatic.com/

Cody Gough and Jonathan Martin debut their new lifestyle podcast after 4 years of hosting their video game podcast, Unqualified Gamers, which they ended at the end of 2015. Learn about the hosts, the new podcast, and their favorite video games of 2015. Show Notes: * Cody Gough introduces the Game/Life Balance U.S. podcast with Jonathan Martin * Cody and Jon explain why they stopped doing their old video game podcast, Unqualified Gamers, and why people should listen to Game/Life Balance U.S. * Learn about what types of games Cody and Jon like, what they have in common, and more about their backgrounds, including Cody’s professional accomplishments and Jon’s family pride * Don’t forget to check out the original Australian version of the Game/Life Balance podcast! * Cody and Jon name their honorable mentions for their games of the year: Final Fantasy XIV, Hyrule Warriors, Dying Light, and Elbow Room * Cody and Jon discuss their games of the year, including (in no particular order) The Swapper, Until Dawn, Final Fantasy Record Keeper, Sid Meier’s Civilization V: CivAddiction’s Multiplayer Modpack, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, and Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain * 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: ‘Subterranean Kamikaze‘ by Sixto Sounds, zircon, via OverClocked ReMix (http://ocremix.org) * Game/Life Balance AUS official web site: http://gamelifebalance.podomatic.com/

Learn why Jon sold his entire collection of physical video games and consoles, and why his wife is upset with his decision. Jon and Cody’s significant others join them with some surprising perspectives on collecting “things” and the emotional value of physical objects. Tune in for the final episode of Unqualified Gamers before Cody and Jon move on to their next venture, Game/Life Balance U.S.! Show Notes: * Cody and Jon explain the saga of why Jon decided to sell all of his video games * Jon’s wife Casey argues that it was a terrible decision for several reasons, including that the decision was made too quickly and that now he’s lost a sense of history from his game collection * Cody’s girlfriend Casey talks a bit about the relationship between objects and at what point something becomes a “collection” * Jon debates the utility of simply “having objects” while his wife insists that there’s a connection to those objects that make them more significant * Cody and Jon both reminisce about some of their fond memories of games, and how much the physical games have to do with the memories associated with them * Jon’s wife Casey argues that if only digital copies of things matter, then why not just take pictures of everything and get rid of the physical objects? * Jon and his wife make fun of people who shut down their computers… which Cody admits he does, basically all the time * Cody offers his Diablo II display case to Jon’s household to make everyone feel better about him getting rid of all of his games, but they instead tentatively settle on a copy of International Track & Field for Playstation * Cody brings the conversation back around to Steam libraries and collecting games, including the guilt induced from purchasing new games when there are dozens of un-played games in a game library * Jon reveals one of at least one games that he DID keep, despite selling the vast majority of his collection, and explains why: lack of emulation * With some of the money he made from selling all of his games, Jon bought a brand-new computer and built it by himself for the first time ever! Hear how smoothly it went * Cody laments that he has a bunch of old NES games in excellent condition, but they aren’t worth anything—even Castlevania II: Dracula’s Curse in great condition * Jon discusses the role of emulation in game valuation, and Cody talks about other weird video game artifacts he’s recently found * Cody and Jon look back at the last 4 years of Unqualified Gamers (which started in January 2012, even though they say it started in January 2011) and reflect on the last few years of adventures together * Cody thanks many of the listeners and contributors who supported Unqualified Gamers over the years, including the GonnaGeek Network, and he and Jon thank everyone for being so positive and awesome * Always providing content, Cody explains what listeners can expect in the weeks leading up to the premiere of their new podcast in January 2016 * Cody and Jon explain why they’re ending Unqualified Gamers on the note of selling your video games, then recount the incredible story behind the name of their new podcast, Game/Life Balance U.S. Then hear what to expect when it launches!

Cody discusses the concept and efforts behind worldwide nuclear disarmament in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, including efforts from Reddit communities to participate in one of the biggest metagames he’s seen since Twitch Plays Pokemon. Then, he and Jon have a MAJOR announcement about the future of Unqualified Gamers! Show Notes: * Cody and Jon discuss whether 127 is a prime number (it is) in a moment of ominous foreshadowing * Cody explains how nuclear weapons work (kind of) in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, and the inner workings of Konami’s “worldwide nuclear disarmament” event online * Members of two subreddits, /r/MetalGearPhilanthropy (which Cody mistakenly calls Metal Gear Philosophers throughout the episode) and /r/MetalGearPatriots, are particularly active in vying for disarmament and proliferation, respectively * Cody references “mainstream” pickup of the event, including WIRED and Ars Technica * Jon compares the event to events in massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) * Meanwhile, in real life, Cody and Jon actually saw each other in the flesh over Thanksgiving! Hear them recap their turkey day weekends, including Cody seeing Jon’s son running around and being hilarious * Hear why Jon is still playing Final Fantasy XIV, and what his latest plans are for his PC gaming life * PC building with Jonathan Martin * Cody and Jon make a MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT regarding the future of Unqualified Gamers * You will not want to miss next week’s episode, for anything, no matter what * Also on the GonnaGeek Network this week, check out Legends of S.H.I.E.L.D. Episode #99 and All Things Good and Nerdy Episode #187: Clever Cosplay Returns

Jon has a bone to pick with the upcoming downloadable content release schedule for Star Wars Battlefront, and Cody debates with him whether Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is guilty of DLC misdeeds.  Show Notes: * Photo credit: Marco Verch via Flickr * Jon recounts the tale of one man’s ridiculous customer service experience with Sony * Cody counter-points with some good customer service experiences he’s had with Sony, which somehow leads to Jon talking about a subscription he has that allows him to listen to old baseball games… which is completely pointless * Jon is not a fan of how difficult it is to unsubscribe from basically anything on the iTunes Store * Jon claims that if you get a “dumb” customer service representative, sometimes you can get totally screwed * Cody posits that stupidity isn’t the only thing that can affect your customer service experience, as many people are great and many people are just kind of terrible people * Jon and Cody argue about whether they’re even arguing at this point in the customer service conversation * They transition into downloadable content (DLC) discussion mode, starting with a reference to the atrocious DLC in Plants vs. Zombies 2: Garden Warfare * Jon gives a primer on the Battlefield video game series, since Star Wars Battlefront is essentially a Battlefield game and the third game in the Star Wars: Battlefront series * Jon explains the $50 Season Pass available to order pre-release, and why he thinks that’s too expensive and splits the player base too dramatically * Is the initial offering for the game too thin at $60 for a game that’s been in development for a very long time? Cody doesn’t think it is, and discusses with Jon * Cody discusses his history with the Call of Duty DLC map packs and how dissatisfied he was with the maps * Jon compares Destiny’s latest expansions to the price of the season pass to highlight its absurdity to him, and Cody argues why the content is “worth it” to some * In Cody’s world, it’s just as offensive to have spent $20 on a game like Gone Home as it is to spend fifty bucks on some DLC, then reminisces on his multiplayer days playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and 3 with his friends * Jon concedes that he is probably “just old” and seamlessly transitions into a discussion on in-app / in-game purchases, which seem a little more frightening * Cody helps enable the most seamless transition basically ever * Cody explains the online multiplayer in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, including Forward Operating Bases (FOBs), your staff, R&D, and offense/defense when infiltrating bases in multiplayer mode * Jon is a fan… up until Cody starts talking about how you can buy insurance, using real-world money, to “insure” your virtual characters from being captured by online adversaries * The verdict is out regarding exactly whom is the target of the game...