Dec 22

Platforms Episode 11 – Death in the Family

PlatformsJosh Philpott, Dave Kozicki (with David McVay).

Platforms is a gamers podcast by gamers. The podcast is recorded live on Ustream with chat interaction so come and join the fun as your host candidly discuss the latest in the gaming world. The podcast is uncensored, explicit, honest and very non ‘PC’. We start this week with the trailer for ‘Red Dead Redemption’. Dave Kozicki has had a sad turn this week as his beloved PS3 died (yes, that is the death in the family), RIP Dave K’s PS3.

News This Week: ‘Mafia 2’ dated, Take 2 is in financial trouble, ‘Aliens vs Predator’ unbanned in Australia and gets special edition announcements, ‘Final Fantasy XIII’ sells between 1 and 1.1 million copies in one day, ‘God of War’ trilogy announced for PAL regions and ‘Split Second’ announced for May.

This Week’s Review: Josh and Dave preview the new game ‘Red Dead Redemption’. The general consensus? Looks awesome and it is about time we got a new western game.

Opinion: What are our favourite games in the western genre? The chat room helps out in naming some of the goodies.

This episode carries an explicit tag due to frequent coarse language.

Listen or download it here or subscribe to it on iTunes.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Platforms is brought to you by listeners, just like you. Thanks for your contributions. If you wish to make a contribution, go to the “Support Us” link above.

Send feedback for this show to platforms@geekactually.com or leave us a voice mail message to play on the show at +61 02 8011 3167 or Skype a voicemail using Skype username: geekactually. If you are an iTunes user, please leave a review as we are trying to get on the featured list and every review helps. Your comments (good or bad) help us improve the show. You can contact us here.

The Platforms Podcast is recorded live on Ustream every Monday Evening 8pm Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time (UTC+11). If you still just want to listen to the audio podcast, it will go out as normal on Tuesday. If you missed the live show, you can watch the replay all week at https://geekactually.com/platforms.

Dec 20

Merchandise Now Available

Just a quick one to let you know that ‘Geek Actually Podcast’ and ‘Platforms Podcast’ T-shirts and other merchandise is now available. Go to http://cafepress.com.au/geekactually and remember all purchases help keep the shows on the internet.

Dec 20

Geek Actually Episode 65 – Fibre Optic Goodness

New Geek Actually Cover ArtHosts: David McVay, Josh Philpott and Dave Kozicki

The Geek Actually Podcast is recorded live on Ustream with chat interaction.

This week David, Josh and Dave talk everything James Cameron. We talk about the man, his films, his women and his technology. This leads us into our feature review of ‘Avatar in 3D’. We want to wish all of our listeners (and viewers) a very happy holidays, merry Christmas and a great new year. A shout out to our friends at The Reel Junkies Podcast at weekendronin.com and The Movie Fan House Podcast at moviefanhouse.com and we welcome back to our chat room Ben Straw from Ben’s Tech Show at benstechshow.com.

News: This week we are examining the Australian Federal Government’s two new discussion papers. The first one is opening up the debate on bringing in an R18+ rating for games. The second is all about the introduction of the Mandatory Internet Filter in 2011. These are important issues, particularly the second one, and needs a lot more discussion.

Feature Reviews: This week we take a look at all things James Cameron. We discuss the life and career of the director of ‘The Terminator’, ‘Terminator 2’, ‘True Lies’, ‘Aliens’, ‘The Abyss’ and ‘Titanic’. This all leads us up to the main review of his latest film (and first in 12 years), ‘Avatar’. This is probably the cinema event of the last few years and possibly the decade. It is a must see in 3D.

This episode carries an explicit tag due to infrequent coarse language.

Listen or download it here or subscribe to it on iTunes

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Geek Actually is brought to you by listeners, just like you. Thanks for your contributions. If you wish to make a contribution, go to the “Support Us” link above.

Send feedback for this show to feedback@geekactually.com or leave us a voice mail message to play on the show at +61 02 8011 3167 or Skype a voicemail using Skype username: geekactually. Just a reminder, if you have any comments about the episodes please leave them in the comments field below or email us using the contact link above. If you are an iTunes user, please leave a review as we are trying to get on the featured list and every review helps. Your comments (good or bad) help us improve the show.

Join us on our Facebook Fan Page: facebook.com/GeekActually and the Platforms Fan Page: facebook.com/PlatfromsLive (no, that is not a spelling error!)

The Geek Actually Podcast is recorded live on Ustream every Saturday. As of next week we are changing the time. We will start at 12pm Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time (UTC+11). If you still just want to listen to the audio podcast, it will go out as normal on Sunday. Want to catch up with the video but missed the show on Saturday? Go to geekactually.com/live, the repeat runs all week.

‘Platforms’, the new gaming podcast is recorded live on Ustream on Monday night, 8pm Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time (UTC+11). You can watch it at geekactually.com/platforms. The repeat will run all week at the same address. You can subscribe to the audio version on iTunes.

Dec 15

An R18+ Rating for Games Could Be Possible in Australia

Finally some good news on the censorship issues in Australia. A discussion paper has been released by The Federal Attorney-General’s department (it was supposed to come out 6 months ago) that will allow the public to have their say on the issue of an R18+ rating for games.

The discussion paper, which can be read here, comes on the heels of the latest game, Aliens Vs. Predator, to be refused classification. Australia stands as one of the only developed nations to not have an adult classification on video games. According to the discussion paper, the government has been discussing this issue for some time but it has finally opened it to community feedback when a 2009 study showed that the average age of gamers was 25.

The discussion paper tells you how you can get involved. Now is your chance to finally have your say. I would suggest that you have your arguments very well thought out and mature. Do not just start abusing people or this will just collapse before it gets a chance. If you are an adult gamer and don’t get involved and write in on this you have no one to blame but yourself if the rating bid fails.

We have to combat the closed minded politicians with reasonable, well thought out counters to some of their arguments. As an example, an Australian Family Association spokesman, John Morrissey, is against an R18+ rating and here is his quote: “How do you enforce it? An 18-year-old can buy the game and play it with his younger brother. You never know what happens once it’s behind closed doors.”

This is a nonsense argument as we already buy R18+ rated DVDs and if we, as parents, can govern our children’s watching habits, why can’t we govern their game play. I don’t let my 10 year old watch R18+ rated movies, why would I let him play R18+ rated games. The games would have restricted sale at shops so children won’t be able to buy them and it is up to the parents to make sure the child doesn’t play the game at home.

I don’t know about you but I am really tired of being told by our government that they are better parents than me.

Please, go read the discussion paper and then let your voice be heard. Let’s get an adult rating for games and join the rest of the world.

Would you like to know more about what is banned in Australia? Go to refused-classification.com for an eye opening experience.

To finish, let me share one of my favourite quotes that I read on this issue. I apologise to the person who wrote it, I can’t remember where I read it now, but here it is: “Censorship is like banning a man from? eating a steak because a baby can’t chew it.” No truer words have ever been spoken.

Dec 15

Platforms Episode 10 – French Justice

PlatformsJosh Philpott, Dave Kozicki (with David McVay).

Platforms is a gamers podcast by gamers. The podcast is recorded live on Ustream with chat interaction so come and join the fun as your host candidly discuss the latest in the gaming world. The podcast is uncensored, explicit, honest and very non ‘PC’. We start this week with the trailer for ‘The Saboteur’.

News This Week: Bethesda denied it’s injunction against Interplay, Playstation 3 is still losing money, ‘Borderlands’ gets patched, ‘God of War 3’ finished (and Dave wonders if this is really a story), Activision counter sues No Doubt, Sony’s PS3 motion control leaked and ‘Dante’s Inferno’ gets divine..

This Week’s Review: Josh and Dave talk about the new game ‘The Saboteur’. The general consensus? The games has flaws but is insanely fun.

Opinion: Josh tries to start the question ‘Are we all over WWII games?’ but is completely derailed by Dave and the chat room, it is fun to listen to.

This episode carries an explicit tag due to frequent coarse language.

Listen or download it here or subscribe to it on iTunes.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Platforms is brought to you by listeners, just like you. Thanks for your contributions. If you wish to make a contribution, go to the “Support Us” link above.

Send feedback for this show to platforms@geekactually.com or leave us a voice mail message to play on the show at +61 02 8011 3167 or Skype a voicemail using Skype username: geekactually. If you are an iTunes user, please leave a review as we are trying to get on the featured list and every review helps. Your comments (good or bad) help us improve the show. You can contact us here.

The Platforms Podcast is recorded live on Ustream every Monday Evening 8pm Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time (UTC+11). If you still just want to listen to the audio podcast, it will go out as normal on Tuesday.

Unfortunately there is no video repeat of this weeks show as we had a major feed crash half way through the show.

Dec 12

Geek Actually Episode 64 – Unfinished Symphony

New Geek Actually Cover ArtHosts: David McVay, Josh Philpott and Dave Kozicki (with Nicholas McVay)

The Geek Actually Podcast is recorded live on Ustream with chat interaction.

This week David, Josh and Dave talk Steven Soderbergh. We also take another look at some television and talk about ‘Steven Seagal Lawman’ and Joss Whedon’s ‘Dollhouse’. We also outline the schedule for the two shows (Platforms and Geek Actually) for the holiday period. A shout out to our friends at The Reel Junkies Podcast at weekendronin.com and The Movie Fan House Podcast at moviefanhouse.com.

News: This week we have just crammed all the news together and it includes ‘Battleship the Movie’ details, Spielberg leaves ‘Harvey’ remake, DC rebooting it’s comic books, Nic Cage has major money problems, a 48 core processor is on the way and a woman was arrested for video taping a couple of minutes of ‘New Moon’.

TV Time: In a continuing look at the current season of US television, this week Dave and David look at ‘Dollhouse’. Joss Whedon’s new sci-fi series that has been axed by Fox before it gets a chance to spread it’s wings.

Feature Reviews: This week we take a look at the career of Steven Soderbergh and review a favourite, ‘Out of Sight’ and a new one ‘The Informant!’. ‘The Infomant!’ is an enjoyable film but not Soberbergh at his best. It is well worth a look. ‘Out of Sight’ is a must rent DVD.

Stick around after the closing of the show as Nicholas ‘The Little Geek’ McVay joins David for a child’s opinion of ‘Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs’.

This episode carries an explicit tag due to infrequent coarse language.

Listen or download it here or subscribe to it on iTunes

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Geek Actually is brought to you by listeners, just like you. Thanks for your contributions. If you wish to make a contribution, go to the “Support Us” link above.

Send feedback for this show to feedback@geekactually.com or leave us a voice mail message to play on the show at +61 02 8011 3167 or Skype a voicemail using Skype username: geekactually. Just a reminder, if you have any comments about the episodes please leave them in the comments field below or email us using the contact link above. If you are an iTunes user, please leave a review as we are trying to get on the featured list and every review helps. Your comments (good or bad) help us improve the show.

Join us on our Facebook Fan Page: facebook.com/GeekActually and the Platforms Fan Page: facebook.com/PlatfromsLive (no, that is not a spelling error!)

The Geek Actually Podcast is recorded live on Ustream every Saturday. As of next week we are changing the time. We will start at 12pm Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time (UTC+11). If you still just want to listen to the audio podcast, it will go out as normal on Sunday. Want to catch up with the video but missed the show on Saturday? Go to geekactually.com/live, the repeat runs all week.

‘Platforms’, the new gaming podcast is recorded live on Ustream on Monday night, 8pm Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time (UTC+11). You can watch it at geekactually.com/platforms. The repeat will run all week at the same address. You can subscribe to the audio version on iTunes.