A Broadway musician’s double life as a murder mystery maker
Get full show notes at www.post.gamesSubscribe for bonus segments and episodes, plus everything is ad-free! www.patreon.com/postgamesHeads up! You can now watch Post Games shorts on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.Today's guest is musical composer, orchestrator, lyricist, conductor, and musician Mike Pettry, who climbed the rungs of the theater world and now performs in the orchestras of award-winning Broadway shows. His performances have accompanied artists like Ben Platt and Idina Menzel.But as his Broadway career blossomed, Pettry began to fantasize about something else entirely: making a musical… video game.A murder mystery musical video game, to be precise. Murder at the Birch Tree Theater is a deduction game, in the style of Return of the Obra Dinn and The Case of the Golden Idol. Set across many years at a small community theater, it tells a story of intrigue, small-time fame, and, as the title promises, murder.I talk with Pettry about juggling his two dreams on the world's biggest stage. Or under it. He plays in the orchestra after all.Act 1: A gamer in the Broadway pitAct 2: Fine-tuning a musical murder mystery gamePatreon-bonus: Three original songs based on retro gaming classics, created by Mike Pettry and his longtime collaborator Eli BolinThe two previously wrote and orchestrated songs for John Mulaney’s Sack Lunch Bunch and Documentary Now!Act 3: The news of the weekLike the show? Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!Find episode notes and more at www.post.games. Subscribe to the Patreon for early access to episodes, additional segments, and bonus materials at patreon.com/postgames. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
--------
56:05
--------
56:05
Big predictions for the future of games
Get full episode notes for free at www.post.gamesGet bonus content, early episodes, and extended episode notes for $5 a month at www.patreon.com/postgamesThis week on Post Games, I'm answering your questions about the future of games. Plus, an extended conversation with video game podcaster, YouTuber, and content creator Brendon Bigley about his long-running series Into the Aether and his new gaming news publication, Wavelengths. Act 1: A Q&A about the future of video gamesBonus for Patreon: The nitty-gritty bits of gaming’s future, from AI toAct 2: How to launch a new video games media brand w/ Brendon BigleyBonus for Patreon: The trick to creating a successful podcastAct 3: The news of the weekYou can now watch Post Games shorts on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.Like the show? Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!Find episode notes and more at www.post.games. Subscribe to the Patreon for early access to episodes, additional segments, and bonus materials at patreon.com/postgames. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
--------
56:53
--------
56:53
Games about death improve our lives
Two options for full show notes, including links to stories, games, and related topics!Subscribe to the Patreon at www.patreon.com/postgamesSubscribe to the free newsletter at www.post.gamesNext week: For the mailbag, send voice notes to postgamesmailbag (at) gmail. Please keep them under 90 seconds and include your name and pronouns.This week on Post GamesCountless video games depict death, but few ask us to contemplate our mortality. Thank goodness. Mario wouldn’t be nearly as fun if we had to attend every goomba’s funeral.And yet, as I approach 40 and my death anxieties find new ways to keep me awake, I wonder if video games could be uniquely equipped to help us emotionally grapple with the big question that has no answer: what comes next?So, I called an expert. Video game writer and narrative director Kaitlin Tremblay has written three games exploring the many sides of death: A Mortician’s Tale, Seasonala Cemetery, and the upcoming Ambrosia Sky.Don't let the topic fool you. This is an uplifting conversation. And hey, if you're listening to this episode, then I can guarantee one thing: you're alive.Act 1: A life of making games about deathAct 2: How death in games can help usPatreon Bonus: Why I keep playing this tiny game about dyingAct 3: News of the WeekFind episode notes and more at www.post.games. Subscribe to the Patreon for early access to episodes, additional segments, and bonus materials at patreon.com/postgames. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
--------
54:51
--------
54:51
The forgotten history of Donkey Kong
Get the full episode notes at www.post.gamesSubscribe to the Patreon for bonus content and early releases at www.patreon.com/postgamesGaming historian Jeremy Parish joins me for the entire episode to tell the story of gaming’s most famous primate.Act 1: How Donkey Kong saved NintendoAct 2: Donkey Kong’s long journey back to the topPatreon Bonus: The Top 5 Donkey Kong games – and the #1 strangestAct 3: The news of the weekFind episode notes and more at www.post.games. Subscribe to the Patreon for early access to episodes, additional segments, and bonus materials at patreon.com/postgames. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
--------
50:45
--------
50:45
How to make video games funny
Get the full episode notes with links at www.post.gamesSubscribe to the Patreon for early access, bonus segments, and a monthly video series at patreon.com/postgamesThis week on Post Game: Late-night comedy writer Mike Drucker and Tactical Breach Wizards director Tom Francis explain how they make video games funny and find the humor in loving video games.Patreon bonus prologue: What it's like to write jokes for NintendoAct 1: Adapting a life of video games into a comedic memoirAct 2: The cheats to make your video game funnyAct 3: The news of the weekBonus book excerpt: Good Game, No Rematch - "The StarCraft Conspiracy"Find episode notes and more at www.post.games. Subscribe to the Patreon for early access to episodes, additional segments, and bonus materials at patreon.com/postgames. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Post Games is a listener-supported podcast about how and why we love video games. Each week, host Chris Plante reports on a new, overlooked, or underappreciated topic in gaming culture. Where did all the new porn games come from? What’s it like to be the AI that destroys the world? How has one award turned tiny indie game makers into big-name millionaires? With original interviews, writing, and a traditional audio-magazine structure, Plante keeps things entertaining, informative, and always under 90 minutes. Because Post Games is meant to be listened to, not buried in a backlog. Learn more at www.post.games. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.