In any game development studio, you’ll find a bunch of inspired and imaginative people who have a lot to get off their chests. To save on counseling fees, we decided to sublimate these repressed feelings about their gaming lives by sticking a microphone in their faces and creating a series of podcasts that offer an insight into what makes us – and our games – tick.
Each podcast will explore a particular theme in what we hope is an entertaining and insightful way, and this theme will also evolve throughout the month on the Irrational Games website itself. Visit regularly and you’ll find content on the site that helps illustrate what we’re trying to describe in the podcast, or expands and explores the theme further.
Please contribute to the discussions about the podcasts in the forums and if you have a great idea for a future theme then let us know! We might even send you something to say thanks. But don’t hold us to it.
So to kick off, we chose a brutal theme – “ideas that died”. We explore what happens when creativity runs into technical restrictions, a lack of clear consensus, and – at times – its own convolution. You’ll glimpse abandoned BioShock tidbits, as well as an as yet unrevealed game from four years ago when Irrational Games backed away from a zombie invasion. And much, much more.
Oh, and you’ll understand why ‘dog in a wheelchair’ is the answer to just about any question…
Irrational Behavior podcasts act as tables of contents for stories that appear here on IrrationalGames.com each month. January’s content continues to explore dead ideas with the following features:
Discuss this episode of Irrational Behavior over in the forum.
Podcast theme song, “Luna Park”, provided by Signal Hill from the album, “More After We’re Gone”.
chrisdunkley | January 12, 2010 11:06 am
Very excited for the podcast…
blacksix | January 12, 2010 11:16 am
Another podcast for me to subscribe to. I love getting inside looks at the gaming industry.
sawfish22 | January 12, 2010 11:20 am
This is amazing. I’m a big Shawn Elliott fan and I love podcasts directly from the game studios. I’ve been waiting for Ken Levine’s studio to put out a podcast for while…and finally this day has come!
ediddy999 | January 12, 2010 11:24 am
I may have just died and gone to heaven. I’m looking forward to the podcast!
missmitch | January 12, 2010 11:26 am
Robertson you are epic.
ig.jim | January 12, 2010 12:25 pm
And there’s more Robertson goodness on the way in future podcasts!
axident | January 12, 2010 11:26 am
Lollop at the dog thing, I love listening to these. Hearing the devs take on certain aspects of a game. ^_^
insulinfunk | January 12, 2010 11:27 am
Downloaded! Always good to hear more from Ken and Shawn.
spambot | January 12, 2010 11:32 am
Just finished downloading. Looking forward to another fun podcast to help get through the work day.
cyndie | January 12, 2010 11:32 am
hysterical, and so awesome. i <3 irrational. 🙂
chrisgrant | January 12, 2010 11:48 am
Very cool! Looks like we’ll be scrubbing this weekly.
bitmobjay | January 12, 2010 11:56 am
I’m looking forward to listening to this. The website looks good and I’ll be checking back frequently for updates. Good job, guys.
Incidentally, the animated gif for the podcast shows white lines in some frames when viewed in Internet Explorer. It looks fine in Firefox though.
veko | January 12, 2010 11:57 am
Very interesting. The hardest moments of game development, and where you see if a game dev is truly competent, is when you’ve to cut features off the game…
Thanks for sharing! 😉
JoshS | January 12, 2010 12:06 pm
Really enjoying the trend of developer podcasts. It is really great. Keep it up guys!
IG.Ray | January 12, 2010 12:10 pm
Dog in a Wheel Chair and Handgina I dont know what is funnier. Well Done guys!
bandango | January 12, 2010 12:12 pm
Fantastic. Dig the LWW influence. Can’t wait for more.
rndmtask | January 12, 2010 12:13 pm
Very good guys! Shawn is taking a cue from Robert Ashley’s ALWW. Perhaps a bit too much? I still like like, keep it up!
derangel | January 12, 2010 12:14 pm
Great podcast. It’ll be nice hearing Shawn Elliot hosting a podcast again. I have many fond memories of Shawn’s days as a co-host on GFW Radio. I also really like the idea of developers talking about their projects like this it really sounds like you guys had fun recording this.
I really liked the section about Division 9. You don’t often get to hear a lot about games that didn’t happen or that had to be canceled in their early stages. I find topics about those types of thins incredibly fascinating. I’d love to hear some stories from you guys about projects like The Lost and Deep Cover.
I look forward to hearing more episodes and will definitely subscribe on iTunes.
postcard | January 12, 2010 12:16 pm
I’ve downloaded this in prep for the drive to and from work tonight. It’ll be weird hearing Shawn Elliott on a podcast I’ve not downloaded from 1up… congrats on becoming Irrational again. The site’s brilliant.
woozlewozzle | January 12, 2010 12:33 pm
Thanks, good job. Please continue.
nonentity | January 12, 2010 12:47 pm
Excellent – great to hear Shawn again, in the absence of OOTG. Also interesting to hear the rest of the Irrational guys.
moncada | January 12, 2010 12:49 pm
Great webcast!
The stories were great! 🙂
gaald | January 12, 2010 12:57 pm
Fantastic podcast and awesome site! Congrats on getting your studio name back! Looking forward to visiting the site often, and listening to what I hope will be many many new episodes of the podcast.
crockpot | January 12, 2010 1:04 pm
That Division 9 game sounded pretty sweet. Hopefully this next game will have great ideas like that.
GrundyTheMan | January 12, 2010 1:28 pm
I love the production values on this podcast. Great work on the part of everyone involved. Plus the ending was just priceless. Keep it up and I will keep coming back.
yibn | January 12, 2010 1:50 pm
Can’t wait for more. I liked how forward everyone was.
GotHaggis? | January 12, 2010 1:57 pm
can’t wait to see the Division 9 stuff….the concept sounds pretty awesome.
sh0dan | January 12, 2010 3:35 pm
I know. From the sound of it, it was the zombie game I’d always wished I could play. Maybe one day, the idea will be revived and it’ll lay all those pretend zombie games to rest.
I wonder if it was an FPS or top down third person type camera played game. I’d vote for FPV myself.
nameless_one | January 12, 2010 2:02 pm
Any idea when this gets itunes approved?
ig.jim | January 12, 2010 3:32 pm
it already is: irrationalgames.com/insider/irrational-podcast/feed/
January 12, 2010 2:44 pm
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by GlennW: YAY new podcast with Shawn Elliot 🙂 (he has clearly taken podcasing tips from robert ashley) http://bit.ly/5IBJ9P…
See Original Post at http://www.ubervu.com/conversations/irrationalgames.com/insider/irrational-podcast/introducing-irrational-behavior/
bowser | January 12, 2010 2:54 pm
This is so cool! I will be looking forward to the podcasts to come!
ravenight | January 12, 2010 2:58 pm
dog….inawheelchair?
#404 | January 12, 2010 3:05 pm
awesome podcast and fantastic production!
acetken | January 12, 2010 3:14 pm
Ah, this explains why OOTG has been so… “not there” lately.
diprips | January 12, 2010 3:18 pm
The visual I got from the frog with a funnel coming out of its ass made me lose my shit completely. Can’t wait for the next one!
paperboywriter | January 12, 2010 3:21 pm
here’s the unofficial iTunes-Link: itpc://irrationalgames.com/insider/irrational-podcast/feed/
ig.jim | January 12, 2010 3:39 pm
awesome – thanks pbw!
paperboywriter | January 12, 2010 3:21 pm
btw, this was a great cast. I like those dogs.
eroc | January 12, 2010 3:28 pm
I am so excited for all the great podcasts to come. It is great that irrational wants a community setting that they will glean info from us fans and answer our questions
ghbaker | January 12, 2010 4:00 pm
Thanks for the podcast. Can’t wait to listen.
sawfish22 | January 12, 2010 4:48 pm
When is this gonna be on the iTunes store proper?
IG.Collin | January 12, 2010 4:59 pm
iTunes link is now live. itpc://irrationalgames.com/insider/irrational-podcast/feed/ or click on the iTunes logo on the bottom of the page in the footer.
apekatt | January 12, 2010 5:09 pm
Really looking forward to that dog in a wheelchair bioshock 2-promotion.
(Also: Big ups to mr Elliot for once again gracing our ears with … good stuff!)
bukkakefighter | January 12, 2010 6:46 pm
Good podcast as usual Sean, I like how it’s structured identically to This American Life.
keep up the good work
hobojohns | January 12, 2010 9:58 pm
Thank you. Getting an inside look from the perspective of the people involved is wonderful. Great production!
nuclearvatican | January 13, 2010 1:14 am
Awesome podcast, learnt a lot about bioshocks production. The music was great as well.
saleck | January 13, 2010 1:20 am
Loved the Podcast! Cant wait for the next instalment.
IG.ShawnElliott | January 13, 2010 10:13 am
Thank you all for listening!
cheers | January 13, 2010 10:37 am
Channeling a little Robert Ashley with the format was a good call. Awesome stuff! Especially the story about the pitch gone awry, I couldn’t contain busting out laughing on the subway even with all the “great, another crazy mother-f’er on the train” stairs being thrown my way.
Can’t wait for the next one.
tmulford | January 13, 2010 10:51 am
Only 30 minutes! Great job, I had a hard time recalling the story about the wheel chair dog and funnel frog to a friend because I was laughing so hard.
stoosh95 | January 13, 2010 1:03 pm
I wish my handgina could fire dogs in wheelchairs
boomshaka | January 13, 2010 3:45 pm
Loving the podcast. Make more 😀
cogadh | January 13, 2010 4:02 pm
You know, for a company called “irrational” that podcast was soothingly… rational.
massiveduck | January 13, 2010 11:51 pm
I loved it! I would like to hear something more unedited and more freeform though. I’m not saying that the two types cannot coexist or anything like that.
swifttheredfox | January 14, 2010 12:28 am
Excellent first podcast! Can’t wait to hear more from the people behind IG.
waffles | January 14, 2010 1:24 am
My favorite voice on the web has returned.
wolfami | January 14, 2010 1:32 am
Thank you for this! I am now greedy and desire more.
derubermax | January 14, 2010 2:16 am
I am a huge Shawn Elliott fan, and a huge 2K (and Irrational) fan — great job on the podcast for everyone involved.
You really have a huge talent there with Shawn, and you’re lucky to have him guys. Looking forward to hear what’s coming next!
neuroman42 | January 14, 2010 11:28 am
You guys are a class act all around… Design, writing, story, artwork, and gaming. Keep it up!!!
number47 | January 14, 2010 1:42 pm
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Do the Zombie game, but set in an open world and you will have a winner on your hands!!!!!
rmora824 | January 19, 2010 6:14 am
I second this! I read about it in the Game Informer article to hearing more about it in the podcast… now I crave playing it haha.
jillaman | January 15, 2010 1:23 am
You guys are very talented. I’m a major fan of Irrational Games, and I will support you guys to the END!!! Can’t wait to see what you’re working on next.
kyrieee | January 15, 2010 9:14 pm
Let’s only talk about Shawn Elliott and make him feel super awkward
fourzerotwo | January 15, 2010 9:26 pm
It’s good to see Irrational Games reborn and Shawn Elliott recasting pods. Now excuse me while I enter lurk mode.
nomardll769 | January 19, 2010 8:35 am
haha! Robert, man, you have style.
zenoverse | January 15, 2010 9:38 pm
Division 9 would definitely be a strong contender to Valve’s Left 4 Dead.
ironlung55177 | January 16, 2010 2:37 am
Shawn Elliot may be the definitive voice of jaded and sarcastic internet trolls, and I mean that in the best way possible. Good to hear from him again. Would it be too much to ask for more tails from Second Life?
somonflex | January 16, 2010 7:40 am
Please do Division9!!
teqonix | January 16, 2010 10:17 am
Oh man, thank you guys so much for the podcast. Irrational has been one of my favorite studios for years, and this podcast idea is awesome! Keep up all the awesome work!
pele | January 18, 2010 1:54 pm
This was pretty enjoyable. I’m always willing to hear Shawn babble on a podcast.
tokkentakker | January 18, 2010 2:30 pm
Great fun, love the “this american life” format … shared its my classes.
verge | January 18, 2010 3:16 pm
Great show, got class. Heard about this from the gianbomb guys and had to check it out. The return of the king 🙂 Some great stories and bits of info.
IG.ShawnElliott | January 19, 2010 10:08 am
Verge, where did Giantbomb mention us? That’s awesome.
svenderson | January 19, 2010 12:11 pm
That part about the insect swarm plasmid and that first trailer is really remarkable, it eventually became one of the most striking looking plasmids, although I never used it as much as it deserved.
Really looking forward to episode 2! Hurry up with it! 😉
ianwojo | January 20, 2010 1:38 pm
If only i had my ipod still……
spunkybd | January 25, 2010 1:30 am
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Do the Zombie game, but set in an open world and you will have a winner on your hands!!!!!
What he said =P GTA 4 engine? haha
jrh687 | January 26, 2010 9:37 pm
Love the podcast, keep it up!
perfectdarkling | February 13, 2010 1:42 pm
If I were getting mugged, the only thing I’d want to come to my rescue would be Dog in a Wheelchair.
jtr7 | February 19, 2010 10:18 pm
I’m really enjoying these. Thanks so much. 🙂
donatelli | February 21, 2010 7:10 pm
Really awesome and informative podcast, guys. I really hope to hear more from the Irrational team with these podcasts; had to really hold my laughter in at work while listening to the first two episodes. Thanks for all the great work!
adesilva | March 21, 2010 5:20 pm
That Zombie game actually appeared to have a lot of potential it is different from all the types of zombie games we always see. Loved hearing the entire thing, its great to hear everything from behind the scenes especially the part about needing to add things after having them in the teaser trailer. I am sure many people have seen games where they see something in the commercial think it will be fun when in fact that never even happens in the game.
stabby | April 14, 2010 7:03 am
I’m totally gonna pop my cosplay cherry as a dog in a wheelchair… who wants to come with as the frog with a funnel up its ass? …..anyone?
scruss | July 1, 2010 8:00 pm
Division 9 sounds like a lot of fun, just the kind of in depth options I like. Just from hearing you guys explain it, I would play it over Left 4 Dead any day. It just needs the option to pick up a dead zombie, jam sharp things into its body. and use it as a weapon. It’s dead, it won’t mind.
borrego | August 12, 2010 9:13 pm
Now we’re going to need an Irrational Behavior about BioShock Infinite. What was it like keeping it a secret for so long? Was anyone’s wife suspicious (I can’t tell you what I do at work, honey)? What ideas are being worked on, thrown out, etc. Will the dog in a wheelchair get a cameo? I’m just sayin, since we have a lot of organic and mechanical hybrid characters popping up into the game. Maybe the wheelchair could be part of the dog.
felonious | May 4, 2011 3:08 am
Need more Irrational Behavior!!!!!!