Playing With The Past

Playing with the Past is a podcast that takes a look at the history in games.

Papers Please: The Power at Checkpoint Charlie 12/09/2022

Papers Please: The Power at Checkpoint Charlie " One US soldier, who had been ordered to figure this out, actually hopped in a tank…." On today's episode, I am going discuss the game Papers Please and Checkpoint Charlie. Sources Checkpoint Charlie - Gate to Communism - U.S. Army in Cold War Berlin Video, 2012. . MacGregor, Iain. Checkpoint Charlie: The Cold War, The Berlin Wall, and the Most Dangerous Place On Earth. New York: Scribner, 2019. Roos, Dave. “How Germany Was Divided After World War II.” HISTORY. Accessed December 8, 2022. . /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/25274079

A Few of my Favorite Things 11/18/2022

A Few of my Favorite Things In this episode, I do something a little different and talk about my top 5 favorite medievalisms in video games. /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/25056537

Dracula: Impaler or Vampire 10/21/2022

Dracula: Impaler or Vampire "One time he in 1462, he left thousands of impaled victims impaled on a field after retreating from a battle." In this episode, I discuss the actual Dracula who lived and two Dracula games. Sources mentioned in the episode. Florescu, Radu, and Raymond T. McNally. 1994. In Search Of Dracula: The History of Dracula and Vampires. Subsequent edition. Boston: Mariner Books. /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/24754374

Zelda: The Art of Side Quests 10/07/2022

Zelda: The Art of Side Quests "Lacy also uses the example of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, if you haven't watched it, stop listening and go watch." In this episode, I will discuss side quests in two Zelda games and side quests in some of the medieval romances. Sources mentioned in the episode. Howard, Jeff. 2008. Quests: Design, Theory, and History in Games and Narratives. 1st edition. A K Peters/CRC Press. Lacy, Norris J. 2000. “From Medieval to Post-Modern: The Arthurian Quest in France.” South Atlantic Review 65 (2): 114–33. . /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/24614862

Northgard: A Brief History of Viking Ships 09/23/2022

Northgard: A Brief History of Viking Ships These ships and their high speeds were a cornerstone of the Viking hit-and-run raiding technique. In this episode, I will discuss Viking ships and their use in the game Northgard. /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/24465243

Crusader King III: Becoming King of England 09/09/2022

Crusader King III: Becoming King of England "Things were not all sunshine and daisy, though." In this episode, I will discuss the game Crusader Kings III again, along with the formation of England as a nation during the middle ages. Sources mentioned in this episode: Magazine, Smithsonian, and Mary Rambaran-Olm Wade Erik. n.d. “The Many Myths of the Term ‘Anglo-Saxon.’” Smithsonian Magazine. Accessed September 1, 2022. . Morris, Marc. 2021. The Anglo-Saxons: A History of the Beginnings of England: 400 – 1066. Pegasus Books /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/24305562

Sheriff of Nottingham and Robin Hood 08/26/2022

Sheriff of Nottingham and Robin Hood "There are giant sacks of gold in the castle." In this episode, I will discuss the Sheriff of Nottingham board game and a brief history of the Robin Hood stories. Sources mentioned in the episode. Baldwin, David. 2012. Robin Hood: The English Outlaw Unmasked. Amberley Publishing. /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/24170424

Coup D'etat 08/12/2022

Coup D'etat "After continuing to be an absolutely heinous person he was assassinated." In this episode I discuss the board game Coup and Maximilian Robespierre and Rafael Trujillo along with the coups both men were involved in. Sources mentioned in this episode “Coup.” n.d. BoardGameGeek. Accessed August 3, 2022. . “Definition of COUP D’ÉTAT.” n.d. Accessed August 2, 2022. . /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/24021102

Hades: The Greek Escape 07/29/2022

Hades: The Greek Escape "It is so easy as a child to see your parents and other adults in black and white terms when in reality we are all shades of grey." In this episode, I discuss the video game Hades, Greek Myths, and whether or not the game is a Greek Myth. Sources mentioned in this episode. Buxton, Richard. 2004. The Complete World of Greek Mythology. London: Thames & Hudson. /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/23881884

Fallout New Vegas: Its The End Of The World As We Know It 07/15/2022

Fallout New Vegas: Its The End Of The World As We Know It "The Black Plague was just shit icing on the cake for Europe." In this episode, I discuss several times when the apocalypse was supposed to happen and the post-apocalyptic world of Fallout New Vegas. No sources were mentioned specifically in this episode but for a full list see /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/23676263

All Aboard 07/01/2022

All Aboard "I will say that the US's train system isn't always the best, looking at you DC metro, but it is SO much better than not having it at all." In today's episode, I am riding the rails and exploring the game Ticket to Ride and the history of trains. Sources mentioned in the episode: “Railroad - Railroad History | Britannica.” n.d. Accessed June 7, 2022. . /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/23499191

Ludwig II 06/17/2022

Ludwig II "Ludwig was taken to Berg, where the small castle was being turned into a one-person asylum." Today's episode discusses the board game Castles of Mad King Ludwig and the actual King Ludwig II. Sources mentioned in the episode. McIntosh, Christopher. 2019. The Swan King: Ludwig II of Bavaria. Reissue edition. Bloomsbury Academic. “Parsifal | Summary, Characters, Background, & Facts | Britannica.” n.d. Accessed May 25, 2022. . For more information and a complete list of sources: /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/23331719

Racist Aliens 06/03/2022

Racist Aliens "The modern Merlin-like take is Aliens." In this episode, I dive into the alien artifacts on earth theory, the racism in that theory, and the alien artifacts in StarCraft 2. Sources mentioned in the episode Bond, Sarah E. 2018. “Pseudoarchaeology and the Racism Behind Ancient Aliens.” Hyperallergic. November 13, 2018. . “Exploring inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu, near Giza | Britannica.” n.d. Accessed April 26, 2022. . For more information go to www.playingwtpast.com /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/22945925

Off With Their Heads 05/20/2022

Off With Their Heads "People were killed by the thousands during this time period." In this episode, I will be discussing the Guillotine, both the game and device." For more information, go to www.playingwtpast.com /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/22945538

A Thrilling History 05/06/2022

A Thrilling History "I rode one of these in Japan at night, and it was so much fun." In this episode, I discuss Rollercoaster Tycoon 3, the early history of rollercoasters, and how much I love riding them. Sources mentioned in the episode Silverman, Stephen M. 2019. The Amusement Park: 900 Years of Thrills and Spills, and the Dreamers and Schemers Who Built Them. Illustrated edition. Black Dog & Leventhal. /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/22870811

Wonderful Wonders 04/22/2022

Wonderful Wonders "The deliberate burning of the temple in the 4th century BCE was by an infamous arsonist, Herostratus" In this episode, I discuss the game 7 Wonders Duel and dive into the history of two wonders in the game. /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/22869941

Beelzebub 04/08/2022

Beelzebub Beelzebub "Evil is going to evil." In this episode I discuss the deity/demon Baal in history and in the video game Diablo II. Sources mentioned in this episode “Baal - New World Encyclopedia.” Accessed March 16, 2022. . “Semite | Definition, Peoples, & Facts | Britannica.” Accessed March 16, 2022. . /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/22558718

You Have Died Of Dysentery 03/25/2022

You Have Died Of Dysentery "Dysentery" On this episode, I discuss all the different ways to die in the Oregon Trail game and what the reality of those deaths were like. Sources mentioned in the episode CDC. “Measles Signs and Symptoms.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, November 5, 2020. . The New York Times. “A Trail of 35,000 Lost Lives and a Grave Every 80 Yards,” May 30, 1993, sec. U.S. . “Dangers - Learn What Dangers Pioneers Faced on Their Oregon Trail Journey.” Accessed March 14, 2022. . /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/22556174

A Revolt in England 03/11/2022

A Revolt in England "There was a legend that arose after her death that she was descended from a demon. " In this episode, I discuss Eleanor of Aquitaine as Queen of England and the game Civilization VI. Sources mentioned in the episode Hilton, Lisa. Queens Consort. Pegasus Books, 2021. Turner, Ralph V. Eleanor of Aquitaine: Queen of France, Queen of England. Yale University Press, 2011. /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/22407911

A Scandal In France 02/25/2022

A Scandal In France "He stole some of Eleanor's hawks." In this episode, I discuss Eleanor of Aquitaine as Queen of France and the game Civilization VI. Sources mentioned in the episode. Civilization Wiki. "Civilizations (Civ6)." Accessed February 14, 2022. . Hilton, Lisa. Queens Consort. Pegasus Books, 2021. Turner, Ralph V. Eleanor of Aquitaine: Queen of France, Queen of England. Yale University Press, 2011. /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/22246313

BRB Going on a Quest 02/11/2022

BRB Going on a Quest "All of the sudden you're about to die and then a dragon comes sweeping in." In this episode, I will discuss some of my favorite video game quests. Sources mentioned in this episode Howard, Jeff. Quests: Design, Theory, and History in Games and Narratives. 1st edition. A K Peters/CRC Press, 2008. Kelly, Douglas. “Multiple Quests in French Verse Romance: ‘Mervelles de Rigomer’ and ‘Claris et Laris.’” L’Esprit Créateur 9, no. 4 (1969): 257–66. /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/22094921

Oh The Humanity 01/28/2022

Oh The Humanity "Team Squirrels!" In today's episode, I will be discussing the video game The Witcher and the profession of monster hunting with friend of the show Becca. Sources Mentioned in the episode Duda, Heather L. The Monster Hunter in Modern Popular Culture. 1st edition. McFarland, 2009. /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/21933629

Time Traveling With Swords Part 2 01/14/2022

Time Traveling With Swords Part 2 "Vikings!" /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/21769493

Knights With Lightsabers 12/31/2021

Knights With Lightsabers "It's Chivalry time again!" /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/21633638

Murder Most Foul Part 2 12/17/2021

Murder Most Foul Part 2 "Humans are going to Human." /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/21510386

Murder Most Foul Part 1 12/03/2021

Murder Most Foul Part 1 "What history is it full of, you ask? Jack the Ripper history." /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/21360620

Time Traveling With Swords 11/19/2021

Time Traveling With Swords "Egypt had some unique swords, including one that was found in King Tutankhamun's tomb." /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/21209759

Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here Part 2 11/05/2021

Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here Part 2 "I get to talk about one of my favorite historical topics." /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/21056495

Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here Part 1 10/22/2021

Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here Part 1 In this first of two episodes, I will be discussing Dante's Inferno, the poem, and the video game and how similar they are. /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/20895845

Playing With Folklore 10/08/2021

Playing With Folklore "A mystical creature that comes in at night and it eats peoples dreams" /episode/index/show/playingwtpast/id/20744333

Playing With The Past

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