Unit 5

Research

Features of a good podcast:

• Focus on a Central Idea that most topics discussed revolve around.
  • We will base all the topics on different game’s matchmaking
• Target and deliver the content to the right audience
  • Keep the games mentioned and jokes to a suitable age rating for the teen target audience we are aiming for.
• Structured
  • We will talk about different games in segments so that its not too convoluted
• Authenticity
  • I will be talk more scripted than the other two as I like structure but they we will chat off the top of our heads mostly so it doesn’t sound too robotic

Tumisang Bogwasi (2023). The Anatomy of a Winning Podcast: 10 Critical Elements You Need. [online] Finemediabw.com. Available at: https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/the-anatomy-of-a-winning-podcast [Accessed 20 Jan. 2026].

Podcast:How to Feel Rich! | Are You Garbage Comedy Podcast w/ Kevin Ryan & H. Foley
Format: Chat, with a introduction narrator
Who was involved: 2 guys
Music/ sfx?: There was no music or sound effects in the 5 minutes I watched.
Like: Nothing, hated the humour and found it boring. The lack of music didn’t help. Their jokes where unfunny and because the podcast was a hour long they just yapped about random stuff which didn’t really have anything to do with the title. Though that could be their style but its just not for me.

Podcast:Incredible Games That Came Out of Nowhere – The PlayStation Access Podcast
Format:Chat but with mostly the host talking and asking questions.
Who was involved:Host and 2 people chatting.
Music/ sfx?:None
Like:Much less corny then the previous podcast, its more serious and formal as its produced by PlayStation. They actually talked about the topic, starting with the game fall guy’s as the intro. I like the host mainly asking questions and the other 2 talking which is kind of how we will do our podcast.

Podcast:How Indie Gaming Has Evolved Over the Past 25 Years (ft. Edmund McMillen) | Windbreaker Podcast
Format:Interview of a indie developer
Who was involved:2 hosts with one guest
Music/ sfx?:No
Like:Pretty funny, though they are talking about one of his games they go off on a tangent about cat breeding at the start which is pretty strange but funny I guess. Yea its a bit weird they are kind of obsessed with cat breeding.

We will make a co-hosted, informal discussion style podcast with some humour though I will keep it mild as I have learnt from my research too much humour to the wrong target audience causes it to be corny and annoying. I like the more formal questioning and answer styled discussion and I will write the script for myself with that in mind.

Planning

Target audience: children/ teens who play video games

Podcast format: Discussion

Podcast name: “Why are we in this lobby?”

The host will be primarily me for the introduction and starting the questions but the other 2 are equally hosts.

Sections will be of different games: seige, rocket league, clash royale and other general games.

I chose some calm royalty free background songs from pixabay.

Script I wrote for myself as the other two wanted to make up what they said on the spot:

(Kai:) Welcome to Why Am I in This Lobby?
(Kai:) Today we’re talking about game matchmaking and why it feels broken and unfair
(Kai:) I’m kai

(Other two) im ” “

(Kai:) We’re gonna talk about bad teammates,  overpowered opponents, smurfs, anti-cheat, and why some games feel impossible to enjoy.

(Someone say smth)

(Kai:) So let’s start with the big issue: unfair matchmaking.
(Kai:) You load into a match, your teammates play like troglodytes and the opposition plays like they have years of experience.
(Kai:) It feels like the game expects you to carry your teamates, while also fighting off pros from the other team

(Someone else) talk about sometimes enemies sucking

(Kai:) The supposed “skill based matchmaking” doesnt seem to know anyones skill level.

(Someone else:)

(Kai:) Do you guys think the matchmaking could get better in anyway?

(Someone else:)

(Kai:) I don’t have much personal experience in this game but ive heard and roughly seen how terrible rainbox six seiges matchmaking is, would you like to explain further?

(Someone else:) start siege talk
-Bad matchmaking
-Cheaters

(Kai:) Now a game that we all hate and have experience with the horrific matchmaking is rocket league.

One of the most infurating games mostly because of its completely unfair match making.

Lower ranks will be boosted by their teamates to higher ranks then teams will have completely brain dead players in too high of ranks messing up games for other people

(Someone else :)-smurfing

It is partially skill and not falling for toxic rage bait. But mostly the matchmaking not picking equal opponents and biasing the game to one side

This is proven as the game uses matchmaking rank to determine opponents and usually the wining sides mmr is higher than the losing side.

(Someone else:) clash and Deck countering

(Kai:)“So yeah — matchmaking is meant to make games fair, but a lot of the time it just makes them frustrating.
Between bad balance, weak anti-cheat, and smurfs, it’s no wonder people ask: why am I in this lobby?”

“Next time, we might talk about, toxicity or why competitive games aren’t actually fun anymore.”

“Thanks for listening.”

(Other two say goodbye)

We have attempted to make it interesting by making jokes and questioning each other frequently, though the topic isn’t the most entertaining so music will help keep the veiwers attention.

Production:

Reflection:

What was your role in the activities?  

I planned the podcast. Wrote my script. Talked in the recording with the other two. Edited the podcast.

Overall the podcast went well as we stuck to and covered the topic we planned and kept it fairly entertaining with jokes.

We could probably plan better and create a proper host/guest setup where we have a better structured podcast, however we preferred the more open discussion style.

Only skills I developed were basic adobe audition skills.

The challenging part was to think of a interesting topic and research podcasts as I don’t have any interest in listening to random topics, I would rather watch something or listen to music instead.