Explore the latest in technology, social media, consumer electronics, digital culture and more.
--------
28:59
--------
28:59
If 'simulated gambling' is banned in kids games, why are we still seeing Loot Boxes everywhere?
You step up to a box full of prizes, and knowing that there is a chance you may not win anything, you give it your real-life money anyway. No, this isn't a game at the casino, it's a video game that children as young as four are playing in their spare time. Last year, Australia introduced classification to prevent things like this from happening, so why are we still seeing Loot Boxes show up in kids games?Also, one of the largest video game companies in the world, Electronic Arts (responsible for games like The Sims and the FIFA franchise), has just agreed to a record-breaking sale. If a Saudi Arabian private equity fund, a Trump advisor, and Silicon Valley investors are joining billion-dollar forces to buy out EA games, what does the future of our games industry look like? Plus, we take a look at one of the weirdest, most wonderful consoles in gaming and check in on what’s happening for Melbourne International Games Week October 4-12.GUESTS:David Smith, producer at ABC Gamer Seb Chan, Director & CEO of ACMI This episode of Download This Show was produced on Gadigal land, and in Naarm. Technical production by Riley Mellis.
--------
28:59
--------
28:59
Is it true that AI is going to add $60 billion to Australia's economy?
The Australian Finance Industry Association has modelled AI's contribution to economic growth in the years ahead. It found that "scaling", or expanding, the use of AI could add up to $60 billion to GDP over the next decade. But who is actually going to benefit from this, and where are we getting these numbers from?Also, we explain the blossoming $100 billion bromance between Nvidia and OpenAI, and how Gen Z elected their new PM via the gaming app Discord amidst a wave of protests.Plus, the latest on the teen social media ban.GUESTS: Mark Serrels, Editorial Director at CHOICEPeter Marks, software developer at Access InformaticsThis episode of Download This Show was made on Gadigal land.Technical production by Craig Tilmouth and John Jacobs.
--------
28:58
--------
28:58
How fanfiction took over the world (and stayed free)
Fanfiction has gone from photocopied zines traded at conventions to millions of stories shared online. From smut-filled Harry Potter ships to the fic that birthed Fifty Shades of Grey, we explore fanfiction's growth, its influence on writing and culture, and how Archive of Our Own has stayed free and fan-run in an internet that charges for almost everything.GUESTS:Danielle Binks, fanfiction (and regular fiction) writer, literary agent, and lecturer in Creative Writing at RMIT UniversityRachel Linton, board member at the Office of Transformative Works, the group that runs one of the biggest fanfiction sites out there, Archive of Our Own (AO3)This episode of Download This Show was made on Gadigal land and in Naarm.Technical production by Adrian Jones.
--------
29:04
--------
29:04
How did an Australian team make the biggest video game in the world today?
This week, an Australian video game called Hollow Knight: Silksong is the biggest video game in the world. It’s made by a small team out of Adelaide and has already sold millions of copies worldwide. What could this mean for our quietly successful games industry here in Australia? And why do we still have so much trouble seeing video games as a form of art? Also, new research is out that says up to a third of all women playing video games feel guilt-ridden about their hobby. While nobody bats an eye about consuming television or film, video games are still stigmatised as something to be ashamed of. What is it about video games that make us feel so unproductive? Plus, what if playing a video game could actively improve your mental health? A team out of Oxford University has developed a game with the express purpose of doing just that. Does it work? And what other games are out there that could be achieving the same thing? GUESTS:Ruby Innes, co-host of Back Pocket Edmond Tran, managing editor of This Week in Video Games This episode of Download This Show was made on Gadigal Land.
Download This Show is your weekly guide to the world of media, culture, and technology. From social media to gadgets, streaming services to privacy issues. Each week Rae Johnston and guests take a fun, deep dive into how technology is reshaping our lives.
Polska