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The games we love reveal something true about who we are, and about the world that made them. They Create Worlds is a podcast about the people, technology, and forces that built the video game industry.
Through video game history, the show looks at how culture, business, and technology shaped what we play, tracing the choices and circumstances that led to the games so many people around the world enjoy.
Each episode digs into where games came from, who made them, and why they were made the way they were. Business decisions, technological shifts, and creative choices all shaped what ended up on screen, and the show covers all of it together, not just one piece in isolation.
Hosted by Alex Smith and Jeffrey Daum, They Create Worlds grew out of long conversations about the strange corners of the industry and the patterns that only show up when you look across companies, platforms, and decades. That conversational feel remains, built on careful research, clear structure and editing that makes even the deepest topics easy to listen to.
History turns out to be less settled than it looks. New documents surface, memories conflict, and the clean stories about why things happened the way they did rarely survive contact with the evidence. The show digs into all of that, following the creative and business forces that pushed and pulled on each other, and uncovering the human stories that lie beneath the games so many people around the world enjoy.
New episodes are released twice a month.
Episodes
Friday Mar 01, 2024
Friday Mar 01, 2024
TCW Podcast Episode 205 - Shepherd's Mass Effect 2 & 3
In our examination of the second and third installments of the Mass Effect trilogy, we delve into the development of each game and the transformative impact of BioWare's acquisition by EA. Mass Effect 2 marked a notable departure, shifting away from RPG elements towards a more structured shooter, with a renewed emphasis on narrative, albeit sidelining the original game's crew and downplaying choices made in its predecessor. Regrettably, Mass Effect 3 faced challenges, including the departure of its head writer and a departure from the hard sci-fi roots. The third game disappointed fans as high aspirations fell short, particularly in the lack of meaningful impact from player choices on the ending, which itself was criticized for adopting a Deus Ex Machina style conclusion. Despite these setbacks, the series retains a devoted fan base, attesting to its enduring appeal.
Want to get Alex's book? Want to save some cash doing so? Want more books, and help charities? We got you!
https://www.humblebundle.com/books/game-architecture-worldbuilding-and-ai-taylor-francis-books
Mass Effect Storyline in 3 Minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WfTN57dOVg
KOTOR Conversation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8F-qqxGPNQ
MASS Effect Conversation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vSGwx0zvek
Mass Effect Lore - The Asari: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb20dR_X1E0
The Dirty Dozen Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff1V6ywnWcY
ME2 - Mordin Performing Scientist Salarian: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bj0iJtgHOCI
Mass Effect - Cerberus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_et4nN7LtAA
ME3 Endings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ1O_w0ksgw
New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!
TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com
Twitter: @tcwpodcast
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds
Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com
Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1
Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode
Outro Music: RolemMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love
Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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