Split Screen

Alan and Craig explain how not to become a YouTuber, and discuss humanity's darkest days from the coronavirus pandemic to Windows Vista. [Thanks for listening! Tell a friend or leave us an iTunes review about the podcast!]

Alan and Craig talk about life, writing, Split Screen and the state of the world in this, their darkest podcast. [Thanks for listening! Tell a friend or leave us an iTunes review about the podcast!]

Alan and Craig talk about the concept of gaming literacy and introduce you to videogames for the first time. [Thanks for listening! Tell a friend or leave us an iTunes review about the podcast!]

Alan and Craig recorded a fifth-year anniversary podcast in 2015 then, for reasons, released it (almost) five years later. [Thanks for listening! Tell a friend or leave us an iTunes review about the podcast!]

Our Story. Alan and Craig chat about a videogame for once: Her Story, developed by Sam Barlow. [Thanks for listening! Tell a friend or leave us an iTunes review about the podcast!]

The 'Podcast' Podcast is a podcast about podcasts. A fun run of our favourite podcasts for your enjoyment. Visit www.split-screen.net for handy podcast links which I couldn't get working here without breaking the entire podcast feed! Yeah! [Thanks for listening! Tell a friend or leave us an iTunes review about the podcast!]

The Return of the Rick Lane is a late-2014 sequel to Episode 5: A Very PC Podcast featuring Rick Lane. Recorded in Craig's flat around the same table for the first time in three years. [Thanks for listening! Tell a friend or leave us an iTunes review about the podcast!]

Alan and Craig hide in safe rooms and peek through the keyhole at survival horror games. [Thanks for listening! Tell a friend or leave us an iTunes review about the podcast!]

Alan and Craig return with a revamped website, renewed vision and a new look at remastered games. [Thanks for listening! Tell a friend or leave us an iTunes review about the podcast!]

Alan and Craig perform a complete audio autopsy on The 2012 Screenie Game of the Year winner The Walking Dead. Then they take an axe to its head. [Thanks for listening! Tell a friend or leave us an iTunes review about the podcast!]

SplitScenes Episode 5 - Craig asks James Spink what his favourite game is. Then after he giving an answer James answers the question.

Alan and Craig. In a museum. Pure and simple. You hear the camera, come see the photos!: http://www.split-screen.net/ [Thanks for listening! Tell a friend or leave us an iTunes review about the podcast!]

SplitScenes Episode 4 - Craig asks Jazmyn Henderson & Owen Jones about their favourite games.

Alan and Craig play their favourite soundscapes. This show is packed full of sonic references, but not Sonic references. Sing our praise: http://www.split-screen.net/ [Thanks for listening! Tell a friend or leave us an iTunes review about the podcast!]

SplitScenes Episode 3 - Alan provides the soundtrack to this week's Reality Check. Further reading: http://www.split-screen.net/blog/reality-check-super-collectors-article-of-the-year-edition [Thanks for listening! Tell a friend or leave us an iTunes review about the podcast!]

Alan and Craig teach you about what games have taught them in this brave new world. Further reading: http://www.split-screen.net/ [Thanks for listening! Tell a friend or leave us an iTunes review about the podcast!]

RUMOUR: Alan and Craig were fed up with all the next generation console rumours, so they decided to make up their own rumours and their own console. CONFIRMED: http://www.split-screen.net/ [Thanks for listening! Tell a friend or leave us an iTunes review about the podcast!]

Alan and Craig are back in this smash sequel where they smash sequels. The original was better: http://www.split-screen.net/ [Thanks for listening! Tell a friend or leave us an iTunes review about the podcast!]

Alan and Craig review their preview of last year. The answer: http://www.split-screen.net/ [Thanks for listening! Tell a friend or leave us an iTunes review about the podcast!]

Alan and Craig, independent journalists, journal videogame churnalism. You can hear how independent we are: Craig recording on an iPhone, Alan from inside a cave. The answer: http://www.split-screen.net/ [Thanks for listening! Tell a friend or leave us an iTunes review about the podcast!]

Alan and Craig tell the story of videogame narrative withouth the need for multiple endings. 00:00 The Beginning 00:42 The Middle 31:07 The End We're not dead: http://www.split-screen.net/podcasts [Thanks for listening! Tell a friend or leave us an iTunes review about the podcast!]

SplitScenes Episode 2 - Craig celebrates Split Screen's first birthday (alone)! To share your birthday wishes (or not) head on over to: http://www.split-screen.net/podcasts [Thanks for listening! Tell a friend or leave us an iTunes review about the podcast!]

SplitScenes Episode 1 - Craig knows what makes a legendary game and won't wait till his deathbed to speak. With a mini-episode this short you best head over to: http://www.split-screen.net/podcasts [Thanks for listening! Tell a friend or leave us an iTunes review about the podcast!]

Alan and Craig survive multiple Skype crashes to speak about the difficulties of communication, oddball controllers and biofeedback. 00:00:16 An introduction the length of Britain 00:01:54 MSN Sarcasm Detection Not Detected 00:02:58 Same couch bonding with Battlefield, Halo: Reach and Left4Dead 00:04:32 The pyschology of maze navigation and online multiplayer deathmatch 00:05:58 Playable characters saying what we're all thinking 00:07:10 Hello and welcome to the Crystal Maze Podcast 00:09:01 Incorporating player communication into design 00:11:48 Non-verbal chit-chat with Phantasy Star Online and Mario Kart Wii 00:16:54 I have no voice and I must scream obscenities 00:19:14 Listening and talking to strangers online 00:22:12 Check out Episode 4: Online Identity Crisis for more anonymous studies 00:24:26 R.Pitch4d calls me a flaming jackwagon 00:25:03 COMPLETE PODCAST IMPLOSION DETECTED---PRESS R TO RESTART 00:26:10 Esoteric Game Controllers 00:27:25 Touch and feel the Novint Falcon 00:29:03 Scratch your brain with the Emotiv Headband 00:31:23 The TrackIR headtracking will turn heads and track them 00:33:36 Strap a WiiMote to your head and see the future of 3D 00:34:11 Rub your body all over Kinect 00:37:06 BioFeedback and physical responses as controllers 00:37:55 Heart tracking and horror games 00:38:29 My Heart on Halo by Ben Lewis-Evans 00:42:59 Eye tracking and triggering events 00:46:26 Once again we talk about Valve Software and their biofeedback exploits 00:49:29 Dynamic controllers deserve dynamic games 00:52:45 Outro Check out the website for videos of all the controllers we talk about! To share your comments on this episode and more head on over to: http://www.split-screen.net/podcasts [Thanks for listening! Tell a friend or leave us an iTunes review about the podcast!]

Alan and Craig take an audio tour through the Aperture Science facilities with a review of Portal 2. 00:00:29 This slurping introduction sponsored by McDonalds 00:01:24 One sentence Portal 2 reviews 00:02:03 Portal 2 = Portal x 2? 00:03:50 Portal's brevity still impresses 00:05:27 Can lightning strike the same bottle twice? Tag: The Power of Paint running on Valve Time 00:07:41 Portal as a short story. Portal 2 as the novel that happens around you. 00:09:39 Why does the silent protagonist speak to so many designers? 00:11:31 GLaDOS, Chell & a Bring Your Daughter To Work Day potato 00:13:57 Wheatley, with more personality than a Ricky Gervais Podcast 00:17:30 I'm different 00:18:40 Intelligent Portal 2 achievements 00:20:48 Portal 2: A Video Game Comedy & Story as motive 00:22:50 Portal 2 = Portal x 3? 00:25:50 When the illogical becomes logical 00:29:01 Erik Wolpaw on games as a narrative medium 00:30:23 Craig loves combustable lemons 00:31:37 Alan loves Aristotle 00:33:13 The genius of sound design 00:35:18 Co-op and missed opportunities 00:38:10 Why aren't more people disappointed with the co-op ending? 00:40:28 Valve break the No Cutscene rule 00:42:31 Portal 2: **** 00:42:40 Outro: How Aperture Science made our lives better To share your comments on this episode and more head on over to: http://www.split-screen.net/podcasts [Thanks for listening! Tell a friend or leave us an iTunes review about the podcast!]

Alan, Craig & special guest Rick Lane from GameGripe.co.uk take a look under the hotrod hood of PC gaming and generally wander about the subject like a bunch of grease monkeys, stopping occasionally to kick the tyres. 00:00:21 A mildy amusing introduction introducing Rick Lane from GameGripe.co.uk! 00:02:11 Our introductions to PC gaming & the Wonders of Technology on Trolleys: Champ Manager, POD, The Incredible Machine & Granny's Garden 00:08:30 Is there such a thing as PC gaming anymore? 00:11:33 PC gaming in 2011 00:12:29 PC is lean forward, Console is lean back 00:16:14 The evolution of the PC gamer 00:19:53 The Great PC Game Debate! 00:20:14 The Rt. Hon. Alan: Patches, incompatibility issues & install problems 00:22:22 The Rt. Hon. Rick: Rebuttal 00:23:53 The Rt. Hon. Alan: Designing for a non-standard platform 00:24:35 The Rt. Hon. Rick: Sort of Rebuttal 00:27:40 The Rt. Hon. Alan: Lengthy install sequences now on the console 00:28:54 INTERMISSION: Craig's PC Gameshow: Install Round! 00:31:55 The Rt. Hon. Alan: PC Gaming is expensive 00:32:45 Cost of Rick's PC setup 00:34:12 The Rt. Sexy. Craig: Rebuttal 00:34:14 Cost of Alan's console setup 00:37:26 PC gaming & future-proofing 00:40:41 Disabled PC gaming 00:41:40 Are PC gamers tech obsessed? 00:45:00 PC development & streamlining at the cost of customisation 00:47:05 Piracy on the PC & the morality of Far Cry 2 00:50:00 The increasing stringencies of DRM & the alternatives 00:58:00 Mac Store, App Store, Steam & safe harbours from piracy 01:01:30 INTERMISSION: Craig's PC Gameshow: Piracy Round! 01:04:27 A winner is ??? 01:04:50 Outro: Our favourite PC games To share your comments on this episode and more head on over to: http://www.split-screen.net/podcasts [Thanks for listening! Tell a friend or leave us an iTunes review about the podcast!]

Alan and Craig took a hard look at their online counterparts and whether it's better to be Neo or Thomas A. Anderson 00:28 The many names of CPWilson aka buddySideshow & AGKuma the Artist formerly known as LordAlan 01:00 Origin Stories 02:40 Sum 41 Rules & the ways of Old: Don't give out your name 04:10 Now your full name is an integral part of the online brand 04:49 Twitter Identity infringement & The Case of The Many GirlGeeks 06:16 Trademarking names with Microsoft and Apple 06:56 Twitter spambots (infographic on the site) 07:53 The Great Twitter Bank Heist and security questions 08:40 Please Rob Me: http://pleaserobme.com 09:31 @RamEmanuel & @CatBinLady 10:18 Go to our damn funny website 10:47 No joking around on Facebook profiles 14:41 Michael Anti, a Chinese blogger whose legal name is Zhao Jing, is banned from Facebook for his pseudonym 15:25 TechCrunch, World of Warcraft & RealIDs 19:46 Come to Facebook, where everyone knows your name 20:40 I actually say "anonymity" earlier perfectly fine. Go to http://www.youtubesunshine.com/ 21:59 Boy is dick on EA forum. Boy gets banned from BioWare game. 23:50 Wait a minute, there's bad language on XBOX Live?! 26:36 Character creation as extension of personal identification. Only kidding, it's a bald joke 27:43 The gap between your eyebrows and in SecondLife 30:00 Wait a minute, female videogame characters have huge whats?! 31:49 How to remove anonymity by naming and shaming when gaming 34:10 Outro: Send us suggestions at mailbag@split-screen.net and leave us an iTunes review! Additional recommended reading: Arianna Reiche on anonymity with women in technology: http://www.ihollaback.org/blog/2011/03/15/3630/ The Border House's look at the misogynist language used on major gaming sites: http://borderhouseblog.com/?p=4860 To share your comments on this episode and more head on over to: http://www.split-screen.net/podcasts [Thanks for listening! Tell a friend or leave us an iTunes review about the podcast!]

Alan and Craig unlock the mysteries of achievements. It's mainly monkey brains and a music montage 00:28 Guitar Hero is put out to pasture 01:48 Google's definition of Achievements and the Fall of Man 02:45 Achievements as little challenges and not so little highscores 04:28 The highest achievement score in the world: 535,648G (Stallion83) 07:09 Achievements are everywhere. Some of them even have their own blogs: 360voice.com 08:21 Have achievements killed off cheats?: AchievementHunter.com 10:51 All achievements are not born equal: TrueAchievements.com 12:32 Why achievements work: All we have is monkey brains 15:59 How achievements help us 17:12 How achievements hurt us 19:55 The worst achievements 22:00 The best worst achievements of all time 24:50 Hi I'm Craig and I have a problem 26:03 Fast-talking music montage! If Old Games Had Achievements 28:56 Our most proud achievements 31:25 Outro: Send us suggestions at mailbag@split-screen.net and leave us an iTunes review! To share your comments on this episode and more head on over to: http://www.split-screen.net/podcasts [Thanks for listening! Tell a friend or leave us an iTunes review about the podcast!]

Alan and Craig take a stroll through the Steam store on the hunt for treasure and wear many, many hats. 00:17 Intro: Death to Audacity, Podcast available on iTunes and Zune (soon)! 01:19 Alan's Big Score with Assassin's Creed, Prince of Persia: Forgetten Sand(wich) 02:32 Craig's Medium Score with Dead Space, trueachievements and gamerscore envy 03:37 Minecraft vs Team Fortress 2 Infographic breaks the hearts of thousands and the server 05:18 The Evolution of Team Fortress 2 and the Origin of Hats 06:55 Steam's insane prices and cross-promotional prostitution 08:14 What is Steam and why you shouldn't cheat on it? 11:05 The Great Steam Treasure Hunt (or how to turn buying a game into a game) 17:27 Shameful admissions of spending real money on fake swag 18:52 Outro: Send us suggestions at mailbag@split-screen.net! Chances are good we will read it out on the next episode! To share your comments on this episode and more head on over to: http://www.split-screen.net/podcasts [Thanks for listening! Tell a friend or leave us an iTunes review about the podcast!]

Alan and Craig share their impressions of the games of 2011. They also share some impressions of Marcus Fenix's English father, a generic American and Michael Caine. 00:12 Introduction 00:40 Celebrity Twitter endorsements 02:11 The Games We Aren't Looking Forward To: 02:41 Max Payne 3 04:57 Dead Space 2 07:27 The Games We Are Looking Forward To: 07:40 Marvel vs Capcom 3 09:17 Mass Effect 3 10:57 Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim 13:35 Duke Nukem Forever 14:38 Gears of War 3 18:31 Diablo 3 21:49 Child of Eden 24:38 Final Cut Studio 25:13 iPhone 5 27:42 iPad 2 28:17 Portal 2 31:06 Three games from 2010 in 7 seconds: Fallout: New Vegas, Call of Duty: Black Ops, StarCraft 2 31:13 Beyond Good & Evil: HD Remake 32:31 Show close To share your comments on this episode and more head on over to: http://www.split-screen.net/podcasts [Thanks for listening! Tell a friend or leave us an iTunes review about the podcast!]