On the show this week: Alyssa Vidales, our producer(!), on cosplay culture, cosplay and gender, PAX (Penny Arcade Expo) 2107, game consoles that let you feel things, like the Nintendo Switch, social gaming, how to insulate yourself from every day’s crazy news, Fresh Air’s “What Does Putin Want?” episode, “A Prairie Home Companion” with Chris Thile (not Garrison Keilor!), and issue #42 of “Saga,” one of Omar’s favorite comics. 

Alyssa Vidales, right, and Jason Arriola strike a pose at PAX 2017. Alyssa is our guest on “Shots” this week. Contributed by Alyssa Vidales / AMERICAN-STATESMANOur beloved producer Alyssa Vidales – who moonlights for the Statesman video team – is fresh off PAX 2017, one of the biggest gaming conventions worldwide, and on the level of RTX and SXSW Gaming (also, pause. Are you not a gamer? FEAR NOT, neither is Tolly, she will be your audience surrogate this segment. Proceed). She talks to us about what she saw there, including the Nintendo Switch, an on-the-go game console that allows you to feel things you’re seeing on the screen in your hands. What? Yes. Augmented reality, now involving your sense of touch.

In our second segment, Alyssa, who is pretty awesome at cosplay, talks to us about how cosplay culture is evolving, and how that’s affected by the growing diversity of game producers. Are there more costume options for women? What about non-binary players?

On the topic of escapism, we talk in a Short Shot about our preferred coping mechanisms for today’s news cycle. Are you glued to your phone? Always reading the news? Us too! How do you stay engaged without losing your mind? Omar, Alyssa, and Tolly discuss.

How to listen:
Download the MP3 version here. (1 hr, 2 min.)

Download the beautifully enhanced AAC version. (1 hr, 2 min.)

And here’s the RSS to subscribe to the podcast. (We’re also on iTunes!)

Or listen on SoundCloud. (Also embedded at the top of this post)

Alyssa plays “Splatoon 2” on the new Nintendo Switch. Contributed by Alyssa Vidales / AMERICAN-STATESMAN

Show rundown:

0:00 Intro
3:13 Segment 1: Alyssa Vidales on PAX 2017 and the Nintendo Switch
21:20 Segment 2: Cosplay culture 101
41:33 Short Shot: Is it time to limit your news intake?
48:02 A Toast (recommendations)
56:32 Outtro, listener feedback/messages and how to reach us.

Show notes:

• Intrigued by PAX South? Go here.
• Who puts on this stuff, anyway? Penny Arcade.
• CNET’s official review of the Nintendo Switch.
• Here’s a cosplay video from PAX 2017.
• Don’t know how we missed this but Garrison Keilor isn’t on Prairie Home Companion anymore…is “A Prairie Home Companion” with Chris Thile” PHC for hipsters? 
• “What Does Putin Want?” on Fresh Air: a must-listen.
• Brian K. Vaughn’s “Saga” is on its 42nd issue – one of the “saddest things I’ve ever read,” according to Omar.

Contact:

• You can email us.
• We’re on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube!
• Tolly, Omar, and Alyssa Vidales are all on Twitter.
• The audio podcast is available through iTunes. Subscribe and rate us, won’t ya? It’s also on SoundCloud, Stitcher and Google Play Music Store.
• Want to leave a voice-mail? It’s 512-445-3672.
• Omar blogs at 512tech and Terribly Happy.
• Tolly blogs at Austin Eavesdropper.