Reading List (May 2021) (Patreon)

Hello everyone! Here's your reading list for the month of May. Let's start out with some Mass Effect-themed stuff to mark the release of the Legendary Edition remake. And then, onto a bunch more articles and videos I reckon you'll enjoy.

Commanding Shepard

[Watch | CC | 19 mins] Dynamic Level Design in Mass Effect 3’s "Cure the Genophage" Mission - Story Mode explores the many paths and outcomes of Mass Effect 3's best mission.

[Read] Mass Effect 2: Overlord Should Have Stayed in 2010 - Vice argues that the "careless and obliviously prejudiced story" of an autistic character should have been cut from Mass Effect's Legendary remake.

[Read] Plotting a course: how Mass Effect 3 brought the trilogy to a close - Eurogamer talks to Mass Effect lead writer Mac Walters about the trilogy's controversial ending, and more.

[Listen | 1 hour] Beyond the Screenplay: Episode 79 - Michael from Lessons from the Screenplay was kind enough to invite me onto his podcast to talk about all things Mass Effect. This is the YouTube version, but you can get the audio on all good podcast apps.

Design Notes

[Watch | CC | 53 mins] Analysing Every Mission from Hitman 3 - Hamish Black returns for his much-anticipated run-down of Hitman 3's level design. From the highs of Berlin and Dartmoor, to the sinking lows of Carpathian Mountains.

[Watch | CC | 59 mins] The Making of Dishonored - Noclip's latest doozy of the documentary explores Arkane's immersive sim masterpiece, Dishonored (plus, the sequels).

[Read] Designing for Coziness - Kitfox Games explores ways to make games more cozy - not just in the games themselves, but in the studios making said games.

[Read] Silent Stories: The Last of Us Part II’s Unusually Riveting Collectible Notes - Haywire Magazine explores the way The Last ofUs tells stories through found objects.

[Watch | CC | 13 mins] Vibe Checks in Video Games - Razbuten looks at the moments "that slow down the pace and ask players to reflect on life, video games, and the pursuit of happiness."

[Watch | CC | 15 mins] Flamethrower. - Ahoy explores the history of the flamethrower, in the real and virtual world.

Critical Hit

[Read] Returnal, or Arcade is Dead, Long Live Housemarque - Gamers with Glasses explores where Returnal fits into Housemarque's legacy of arcade games.

Culture Club

[Read] How the video game S.T.A.L.K.E.R. inspired a wave of real-world Chernobyl tourists - The Verge talks to the people making the pilgrimage to the home of GSC's cult classic shooter.

[Watch | No Speech | 12 mins] An Ambient Tour of Hyrule - A cozy, relaxing look at Breath of the Wild's landscape through dozens of animated postcard scenes.

[Read] ‘In the game, I knew myself as Hannah’: the trans gamers finding freedom on Roblox - Roblox is a massive deal for kids. And for those finding their gender identity, it's a perfect place to explore different bodies in a safe, virtual space.

Code Monkeys

[Watch | 11 mins] Different Game Jam Formats - Former GMTK Game Jam winner Vimlark explores the various types of game jam. I'm just sharing this because he put GMTK under "celebrity jams".

History Corner

[Watch | CC | 7 mins] Doom engine - Limited but still 3D - This well-edited video explores the power and limitations of the classic Doom engine.

[Watch | CC | 37 mins] RollerCoaster Tycoon | Noclip Greatest Hits - Noclip's gone back in time for this one. The team explores the legacy - and modern love for Rollercoaster Tycoon.

[Watch | 43 mins] Of Shamblers, Shades, and Sectors: Children of Doom Episode 6 - Errant Signal continues his year-by-year exploration of the FPS genre. 1996 gives us two, very different games: Quake and Duke Nukem 3D.

Play This

[Play] Terms & Conditions Apply - A funny game about dark patterns. You've got to avoid Ts & Cs, notifications, and cookies, on a website that's doing everything it can to trick you.

Business Lunch

[Watch | 16 mins] Ubisoft's Blockchain Experiments Are Bad for the Planet - "For the last four years, Ubisoft has been experimenting with blockchain projects, hoping to find a new revenue stream. But does it have a stance on how this stuff directly affects the climate crisis?"

Art and Audio

[Watch | CC | 1 hour] The Animation of Mega Man - Dan Root takes us on a 30 year journey of the blue bomber's animation - from killer keyframes to wonky PlayStation games.

[Watch | CC | 14 mins] How Silent Hill 2 Defined the Sound of Horror - HeavyEyed explores the audio design of Konami's seminal horror sequel.

[Watch | CC | 9 mins] The Origins of Streets of Rage's Groundbreaking Music - Game Score Fanfare looks at how video game music and EDM came together for this Mega Drive beat 'em up.

Beyond Bytes

[Read] I became an influencer as a joke – then it nearly broke me - "Comedian Bella Younger thought wellness Instagrammers were ripe for parody. Soon she was drawn in herself. Could Deliciously Stella find her way back to reality?"

[Watch | CC | 8mins] How Hollywood Makes Fake Crowds Look So Real - The tech tricks used to copy-paste people for filling up stadiums.

[Watch | 22 mins] Chloé Zhao's Oscar Win: Moment or Movement? - Be Kind Rewind is a channel about the Oscars and women in film. So she's the perfect person to explore the wider context of Nomadland's best picture win.