Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Minisode #2 Fixed
In other news, I have no idea when we'll get the next full podcast up. Scheduling conflicts abound. Contact your favorite cast member and tell them how much you miss them!
Meanwhile, stay tuned for a few more minisodes in the coming weeks. On the plate is the newish game Dead Space, maybe some Fable 2, and possibly a short episode on the movie Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
All Things Awesome Minisode #2: Silent Hill: Homecoming
Another minisode is up. This time, we cover Silent Hill: Homecoming, otherwise known as Silent Hill 5. In the first part of the show (about 20 minutes), we give a basic review of the game. In the second part of the show, we delve deep into spoiler territory and discuss the endings and symbolism of SH:H, and the implications of this game on the SH franchise. We're both Silent Hill fans, so we ended up rambling on about the story for a good 40 minutes.
SPOILER WARNING! At around the 20 minute mark, you'll hear the Silent Hill sirens. If you don't want any spoilers on SH:H or other games in the series, stop listening!
Download it here: All Things Awesome Minisode #2 (right click and save as)
(recorded: Sunday 10/5, hosts: Schmitty, Netta) duration: 1 hour 3 minutes, 30.1mb)
Remember, spoilers start at about the 20 minute mark.
Monday, September 22, 2008
All Things Awesome Minisode #1: Spore
Trying something new here. Since all of the primary cast is pretty busy most of the time, it's tough to do podcasts more than once a month or so. As such, I've decided to launch some shorter, but more frequently updated minisodes that I'll be recording with my girlfriend Netta co-hosting. These will generally be somewhere between 15 and 30 minutes long probably, but I'm not sure how often they'll be recorded. They'll probably focus more on specific video games, TV and movies.
This debut episode is our review and discussion of Maxis' new game, Spore. We cover what happens in each of the phases, how they play, and what we think of each stage and the game's creation options.
Download it here: All Things Awesome Minisode #1 (right click and save as)
(recorded: Monday 9/22, hosts: Schmitty, Netta) duration: 36 minutes, 17.2mb)
Additional Links:
Robin Williams Demoing Spore back in '06
Feeding Frenzy
As a side note, this minisode isn't an indication of any changes to the main podcast. There'll be no cast changes or anything like that - the minisode is just a supplemental, it's not a replacement or change in direction, style or focus. It's just a way to keep the site active in between main casts, and get in depth into a few topics that we may not have time for in the main show. Thanks for listening!
Saturday, September 13, 2008
All Things Awesome Episode 6, Part 2: Video Games and Fall Movie Preview
Download it here: All Things Awesome Episode #6-2 (right click and save as)
(recorded: Sunday 9/13, hosts: Schmitty, Mike, Foz, Tim, Shawn) duration: 53 minutes, 24.5mb)
The times listed in the show notes may be about a minute off.
00:00 - 49:00: Force Unleashed demo, Too Human demo, story elements in these games
9:00 - 54:00: Castle Crashers, looting in multiplayer games
14:00 - 1:00:30: Rock Band 2 peripherals, EMusic, peripheral compatability
20:30 - 1:06:00: Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-Long Blog, technology
26:00 - 1:10:00: New movie lightning round! Bangkok Dangerous, Burn After Reading and other Coen brothers films
30:00 - 1:16:00: Sam Jackson torments people as we skirt the edge of racism, Blindness and debating the quality of the Constant Gardener, Choke, grammar hour on ATA, Red Band trailers
36:00 - 1:24:00: Saw V, Righteous Kill, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, Tim doesn't know who John Cusack is, Zack and Mirri Make a Porno and assorted Kevin Smith stuff
44:00 - 1:30:28: Max Payne movie, Schoenectady, NY, Body of Lies, The Departed, new Guy Ritchie movie, Ray Liotta in Narc
51:00 - Quantum of Solace? and more Bond... SURPRISE ENDING!
(What actually happened is the room we were recording in was apparently reserved by some sort of math club or something? So mid-recording someone came in and told us we had to vacate. We didn't have that much more to go, so we figured we may as well just cut it short at that point).
All Things Awesome Episode 6, Part 1: Wrath Beta Extravaganza
NOTE THE SPOILER WARNINGS.
Download it here: All Things Awesome Episode #6-1 (right click and save as)
(recorded: Sunday 9/13, hosts: Schmitty, Mike, Foz, Tim, Shawn) duration: 40 minutes, 18.1mb)
0:00 - 5:00: WotLK Beta talk: It's pretty! Robo-gnomes, DEHTA, Death Knights
5:00 - 6:00: Spoiler Warning!
6:00 - 13:00: Reworking of buffs in WotLK, WTF Core Hounds!, Training Dummies
13:00 - 16:00: Beta Naxx info, Naxx story info
16:00 - 17:00: Spoiler warning!
17:00 - 23:30: Tirion Fordring, WoW Geekout Warning!: Naxx loot, WotLK release date: happy birthday Foz?
23:30 - 28:30: WotLK collector's edition stuff, vanity pets, more DK discussion
28:30 - 37:00: Class specific stuff: (more geekouts) Pallies, Hunters, Druids, Shamans, the new loot drama
37:00 - 39:45: Raid accomplishments
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Episode #6 Next Weekend... Maybe?
My hope is that once the semester is properly in gear we'll be able to be more regular, but for now since most of either work at or attend some sort of academic institution, we're all preoccupied.
As an aside, I did say I wanted to keep the site moving by writing more blog-type stuff. Well, the bad news is that obviously I haven't. The good news is that I have been writing, just not here. I'm doing freelance writing for a site called Suite101.com, basically an article database of sorts. It's a little cooler than that, though, as I get to write about whatever I want.
You can find my latest articles in that ugly little misshapen widget on the bottom right pane of the site. You can also reach them from my profile here. I've got some real general WoW stuff up there that's probably no use to anyone, and some more interesting Rock Band stuff. Hopefully some more interesting WoW articles will be up in the future. Plus there are a lot of good games coming out before year's end, so expect to hear me sound off on those too. I'm a bit pressed for time as late, but I may squeeze in the occasional blog post here, too.
While I'm busy pimping my own stuff, I thought I should I try and direct more traffic to Mike's site too. BandofOutsiders.org just got a new layout if I remember correctly, so head on over and check it out.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
All Things Awesome Episode 5, Part 3: Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition
Download it here: All Things Awesome Episode #5-3 (right click and save as)
(recorded: Sunday 7/27, hosts: Schmitty, Mike, Foz, Tim, Shawn, Judge) duration: 55 minutes, 26.3mb)
0:00 - 11:00: Tim's racism drives Schmitty off, is 4th Edition still D&D?, thoughts on the new power system - does it focus the game on "roll" playing?, is 4th too complex for newbies?
11:00 - 20:00: Some praise for the new DMG, more role vs. roll playing discussion
20:00 - 29:00: Love for the new D&D monsters, turn flow and death and dying in 4E, using power cards
29:00 - 35:30: More monster talk - bemoaning the lack of flavor in the MM, stupid Gricks, Bulettes in the restroom
35:30 - 49:00: 4E miniatures, individual highs and lows of 4E, 4E "blockiness" too intimidating?
49:00 - 54:45: Some parting comments: why the lack of gnomes, etc.
All Things Awesome Episode 5, Part 2: Video Games
Download it here: All Things Awesome Episode #5-2 (right click and save as)
(recorded: Sunday 7/27, hosts: Schmitty, Mike, Foz, Tim, Shawn, Judge) duration: 50 minutes, 22.8mb)
0:00 - 9:00: Ambivalence for Final Fantasy XIII on 360, is Sony getting scared yet?, why bother with Lips when you could play Rock Band?, ambivalence about Gears II and FPS games, please let Mirror's Edge be better than Assassin's Creed
9:00 - 16:00: Diablo III talk - it's got colors!, we lavish praise on Blizzard, PHYSICS!, how to break the WoW addiction
16:00 - 20:30: Back to E3 talk with Fallout 3, some Spore talk, more drooling over Left 4 Dead
20:30 - 26:00: GTA IV: The Best GTA IV yet, the no-PS2 club
26:00 - 31:30: DS games: Final Fantasy Tactics Advance 2, The World Ends With You
31:30 - 35:00: The Penny Arcade game is fun time (especially if you like dick jokes), Garfield is dead?
35:00 - 42:00: WoW talk, MRS' first Gruul kill/25-man experience, why people like raiding, the evolution of instances
42:00 - 49:50: Wrath of the Lich King discussion: the return of Naxx, gear changes post-70, excitement over the universal 10-man content, Blizz continues to polish class balance
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
All Things Awesome Episode 5, Part 1: Movies
(recorded: Sunday 7/27, hosts: Schmitty, Mike, Foz, Tim, Shawn, Judge) duration: 50 minutes, 22.8mb)
Could it be? Our very first tecnnical issues-free podcast? Huzzah! Since we had a lot to catch up on and a big cast, we went pretty long this week, so we'll be dividing this episode up into 3 parts posted over the next few days. Stay tuned, and enjoy!
0:00 – 1:00: We’re back!
1:00 – 7:00: Movie trailers, no one wants to watch Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Watchmen trailer gave everyone giant boners, Zack Snyder done good? (well except making women in look dumb in 300)
7:00 – 16:30: Hollywood’s getting comic movies right… why?, the new generation of comic movie makers and fans, we need a hero ‘cause the world sucks?
16:30 – 22:45: Marvel remaking failed properties: new Hulk, new Punisher, etc., diluting the marvel brand name? Pushing the Avengers Initiative
22:45 – 32:00: Heath Ledger a shoe-in for a posthumous Oscar?, different takes on the Joker (check out the NPR In Character podcast), there were some other actors in The Dark Knight too…
32:00 – 36:15: WALL-E and other movies without much dialogue, environmental undertones dividing the audience
36:15 – 41:00: Indy 4 sucked!: our picks for worst parts, the power of Shia LeBeouf’s hair, George Lucas, please stop raping our childhoods
41:00 – 44:45: More Uwe Boll hating on the Dungeon Siege movie, Postal may be good?, pissing on Gary Coleman
44:45 – 50:00: X-Files’ anti-Catholic, anti-homosexual agenda, anyway, The Happening 2: What a Twist!, … annnd racism!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Episode #5 soon!
Meanwhile, I'm going to try and keep the site moving between episodes, if for no other reason than to legitimize the fact that I actually bought a domain name and server space for this. More soon.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Episode #4 Beta
Download it here: All Things Awesome Episode #4 (right click and save as)
(recorded: Saturday 4/5, hosts: Schmitty, Foz, Tim, Mike) duration: 1 hour 13 minutes, 35.1mb)
Show notes and properly edited version to come later.
EDIT: Nope, not going to bother. Sorry guys, we'll get the next one right.
Monday, March 10, 2008
All Things Awesome Episode #3
Download it here: All Things Awesome Episode #3 (right click and save as)
(recorded: Saturday 3/8, hosts: Schmitty, Foz, Tim, Shawn) duration: 1 hour 38 minutes, 45.0mb)
We had some more technical issues on this one. The quality came through better, but whenever Shawn talks, you can hear some crackling static. It's mostly just a minor nuisance in the first hour, but then gets horrendously bad. Unfortunately it was unfixable, so for some this will only be an hour show. Eventually we'll get all this crap worked out.
0:00 - 11:15: Intro, Mike and Judge are dead, more importantly, Gary Gygax is dead, our role-playing beginnings and influences: Schmitty's Raistlin, Tim's middle-school D&D, Shawn's boxes (gotta catch 'em all), the legacy of Fosberry torment, "Juvenile" vs. "Mature" D&D
11:15 - 22:00: Nerd Heroes: Jeff Hannes of Inquest, FRP vs. LARP, Joss Whedon, Monte Cook stories - he has real magic power
22:00 - 31:40: Gamer rituals, Tim's annual/semi-annual Evathon (Neon Genesis Evangelion marathon), camping out, geek hierarchy, dark side gamers, why do we hate things that people like?
31:40 - 40:00: Flavor vs. Mechanics vs. Style in games, Tim remembers to talk into his mic, Deadlands, Doomtown and HKAT, flavor in 4th Edition
40:00 - 54:45: Flavor vs. Mechanics continued: Magic vs. Legend of the Five Rings TCGs, Tim grows as a person, lack of flavor and frustrating mechanics and WoW?
54:45 - 1:00:00: Researching flavor outside of games, L5R's metaplot, Tim dishonors his family, AEG gets a thumbs up
1:00:00 - 1:05:50: Flavor vs. Mechanics: Video game and movie edition: Silent Hill, Crackdown, From Hell, The Matrix, Sin City
After our second break, Shawn's mic issues intensify significantly and he sounds like a staticy robot. You can still understand him for the most part, and everyone else comes through clearly, but it may be unlistenable in parts, as Shawn does have a lot to say about 4e. Nothing we can really do for it at this point though. We'll make sure it doesn't happen again.
1:05:50 - 1:21:00: More D&D 4th Edition talk from the D&D Experience, roll vs. role playing, Robo-Shawn attacks!, striking the balance between simple and interesting, Tim's guns, the CCG-ificiation and MMO-ification of D&D, Vancian spellcasting
1:21:00 - 1:38:30: The problems of high-level D&D, "quest rewards" and magic items in 4th, the chicken-standard economy, more complexity concerns, 4th Edition and OGL
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
All Things Awesome Episode #2
Download it here: All Things Awesome Episode #2 (right click and save as)
(recorded: Saturday 2/23, hosts: Schmitty, Foz, Tim, Mike, Judge) duration: 2 hour 31 minutes, 69.1mb)
This episode went on a bit too long, so apologies about that. I guess. I mean, it occurs to me that people like these things to be concise, but I don't really get the point of complaining about too much content. Especially when there's very detailed show notes on exactly what you can expect in each segment. But anyway, I'll stop trying to alienate you all now. Seriously, thanks for listening.
We also had some technical issues and the sound quality isn't on par with the quality we had in the first episode, but we'll get that straightened out for next time.
0:00 - 13:30: Beer!, I'm a girly man, first beer experiences, good beer, beer, bad beer, foreign beer, also... beer, Tim's sack
13:30 - 17:30: Racism, revisited: an ATA PSA
17:30 - 24:30: The writer's strike is over, what's it's effect on TV this season?, "Reaper" and other shows get the "Fox treatment," the strike's effect on the Oscars?, Bruce Vilanch sucks (except for in Ice Pirates), Jon Stewart hosting the Oscars again
24:30 - 35:30: Oscar overview: Best Picture, Best Editing, Best Actor and Actress... and none of us have seen most of these movies, Johnny Depp love, Ellen Page and Diablo Cody love, Mike spoils Gone Baby Gone (maybe?), super brief book review of Cormack McCarthy's "The Road"
35:30 - 1:03:30: Movies we dug in 2007: Die Harderest, Transformers was dumb but fun, the G.I. Joe movie is an affront to America, Tim spent his childhood in the 70s (despite being born in the 80s), tangents: 90s cartoons and Mark Millar takes over writing Fantastic Four, back to movies: Superbad, lots of Cloverfield: Mike's existentialist take on the film and ARG discussion, Shoot 'Em Up is ridiculous/awesome, Ocean's 13 = Ocean's 11 > Ocean's 12, fun with the hilariously bad Dragonlance movie
1:03:30 - 1:36:00: Games we dug in 2007: love for Orange Box, Bioshock's awesome atmosphere and gameplay decisions, dissenting opinions on Crysis, Call of Duty 4, game length discussion, X-Box Live achievement pros and cons, Gears of War PC port
1:36:00 - 1:54:20: Looking forward: games we're looking forward to in 2008, Left 4 Dead, Spore worries and the nature of Sim-games, what games work better on PC than console?
1:54:20 - 2:11:00: Looking forward on movies: the new Indy, MPAA ratings, Tim's a Nazi sympathizer, Marvel movie universe, new Harry Potter, new Batman
2:11:00 - 2:22:30: Board game discussion: Tannhauser
2:22:30 - 2:30:00: More D&D4E
Thanks for listening,
Schmitty
Sunday, February 10, 2008
All Things Awesome Episode #1
Download the first episode here: All Things Awesome Episode #1
(recorded: Saturday 2/9, hosts: Schmitty, Foz, Tim, Mike) duration: 1 hour 32 minutes, 84.3mb)
(download link is down below the streaming player)
For the moment the name of the podcast comes up as "Turn It Sideways - All Things Awesome"... that's a simple mistake that I don't feel like fixing it just now, so just ignore that.
If you're as big a geek as we are, you'll probably find something to like throughout the whole show. If you're only a part-time geek, the show notes below should point you to sections of the cast that you'll enjoy. Also, the show notes include links to all the stuff we're talking about, so if you're unfamiliar you can catch up.
0:00-9:00: Show intro, "Wanted" trailer, tangents aplenty: Wachowski bros hating, Speed Racer movie, Mark Millar and "The Ultimates," Rob Liefeld hating
9:00-16:15: "Iron Man" movie discussion: casting, CGI or no?, guys in suits!
16:15-20:40: "Sales Genie" commercials, period racism, Gamecock!, more racism!
20:40-38:30: Guitar Hero IV songs, Aerosmith involvement in GHIV, what makes a good rhythm game song?, Tim makes up music facts, the "pussification of the Chili Peppers," what makes a good Rock Band/Guitar Hero song?, Guitar Hero III kind of sucked
38:30-43:45: "Star Wars: Force Unleashed," good Star Wars games in the past
43:35-55:00: "Super Smash Bros. Brawl," flirting with hardcore SSBM, SSBB Final Smashes, Inside Jokes #1 & 2!!!, Soul Calibur IV: Vader & Yoda, SCIV online capabilities, random multiplayer stuff
55:00-59:15: HD-DVD vs. Blu-Ray... and who cares?, brief Pixar talk, Tim hates laughter
59:15-1:00:40 : World of Warcraft 2.4 Patch notes discussion, BADGER WARDS!, Mike loves his cat more than his son
1:00:40-1:32:00: D&D 4th Edition discussion: too soon?, WotC's money-making schemes, the MMO-ification of D&D, high-level D&D sucks, we're
Notes and Corrections:
- You can check out Mike's movie musings at bandofoutsiders.org under the name Another Mike
- I checked after the fact and it turns out that the $32 price I quoted for the adventure supplement for 4th edition was actually in Canadian currency, and I'm just an idiot. The Core Books are, in fact, $35 US.
- "endemic" *was* the right word. I'm a good English Major after all.
- At the end of the show I said "next week" but I'm really not sure when we'll record the next episode. Probably in like two weeks to a month.
Thanks for listening,
Schmitty
