The Two Vague Podcast: Recent Episodes
Ben Cheknis
Two Vague is a 2 player cooperative conversation program which starts with a focus word and ends on the topic of video games. Each episode contains a blend of interview questions, trivia, storytelling, improvisation and pop culture discussions.
Prepare yourself for the conversational snips of the previous thirty episodes… a potpourri of what may be our final clip show for a while. Over the last 3 years we’ve obviously refined a few things. Ben is starting to get right into the show when he’s in charge of recording; a side effect of this is that warmups are no longer as much of “a thing” for us anymore. Ben has also worked diligently on reducing the necessary recording time for special guests, so these days we are also cutting far fewer segments due to time. However, we reserve the right to revisit the clip show concept in the future, but they will no longer occur on 30 episode intervals as they have in the past. And now… on to the scraps!
00:00:21 - Why?
00:01:47 - Ep 92 Logic clip introduction
00:02:23 - Unity fee restructuring, SAG striking, Andrew’s support, and supporting indies
00:09:19 - Ep 95 Animate clip introduction
00:10:23 - Martin’s opinions about Unity, showing support by being vocal, and StarVaders
00:13:23 - Ben asks Martin about controller support on the Mac and development challenges
00:17:07 - The benefits of being a part of the Unity developer community and 3rd party tools
00:20:33 - Effective game QA testing, using Discord, and how game engines lock down code
00:25:14 - The pros and cons of making your own game engine, and Starbucks’ in Sweden
00:26:58 - Ep 96 Robot clip introduction
00:27:38 - Differences in salts, nobody wants goiters, PRINGLES® slogans, and “Hi Julius!”
00:31:38 - Let them breathe, smells like potato water, hearing Idaho, and eating them in stacks
00:34:01 - ASMR, salt favored, the most expensive salt, condiment reminder, and library garlic
00:38:41 - PRINGLES® freshness dates foreign and domestic, ASMR+, and a bathroom break
00:43:51 - Ep 98 Ink clip introduction
00:44:19 - Sensory adventure triggers another sensory adventure, and an animatronic callback
00:48:06 - Ep 100 Review clip introduction
00:48:41 - Drop dead, postmortem, rail sharing, trains falling down, and high altitude littering
00:54:47 - Ep 102 Narative clip introduction
00:55:28 - Andrew loves all things Richard Ayoade, his first, and 0118 999 88199 9119 725... 3
01:00:54 - The “Critical Film Studies” episode of a Community, and it’s just a television show
01:03:09 - Ep 103 Rhythm clip introduction
01:04:00 - Some tech talk, definitions of art, “but also that elephant…,” and walking on the flag
01:07:48 - Heather Cassils’ performance art, and Star’s experience at Purchase College
01:11:01 - Exploring what you want to learn in community college, and don’t not be happy
01:13:24 - Decoy show start, a dress rehearsal for a podcast, and short term memory screens
01:16:15 - The WiiU, The Wonderful 101, Veiwtiful Joe, and an extreme button mashing pro tip
01:19:11 - Ep 104 Lukas Eggan Interview clip introduction
01:19:50 - Discussing Alan Wake 2, Quantum Break, and a choice for the current generation
01:22:23 - Bethesda needs a win, collecting priorities, changing it in post, and LAN Parties
01:26:24 - Lukas’ noticeable change in sound quality, our cats, and Ben’s pre-show coffee
01:28:10 - Ep 106 April Fools / Turbo Tax Game Review clip introduction
01:28:59 - Agendas, sensitivity readings, the moral “high ground,” and conspiracy theories
01:32:16 - Splitting hairs of the definition, trying to explain things, and being empathetic
01:35:49 - Ep 107 Trend clip introduction
01:36:48 - A documentary about coinage, Norah’s traffic commentary, and interview feedback
01:39:32 - Actively being a passenger, Norah reveals Alaska plans, and ambient sounds
01:43:17 - Ep 109 Beat clip introduction
01:44:13 - AI responding to AI generated content, where we get our news, and the FTC ruling
01:46:41 - Twenty year old cat FRAPs, old politicians, and refusing to work with people
01:50:33 - Printed infographics, teach yourself with the internet, and positive attitudes
01:53:58 - Ben starts showcasing his writings on Substack, and closing the show
Follow Two Vague on…
Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast
On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast
On Substack: https://substack.com/@twovaguepodcast
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com
-AND-
…for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC!
https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries
References, Links, and Tags
Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #PartlyRobot #PartlyRobotIndustries #TeePublic
This week we have an AMAZING episode for you! We received another PS5 review code compliments of the fabulously kind PR ninja Robert, but before Ben spills the entire cup of tea on his time KIWIWALKS’ latest remaster of the original WitchSpring game, he recounts his 7 days of experiences in Seattle when he wasn’t busy at PAX West 2024 proper. After the review, Ben shares his LIVE (at the time) “Podcast in a Bag” interviews from the Arch Building of the Seattle Convention Center. The first one is with The Behemoth’s co-founder, artist and game designer Dan Paladin; he “sits down” with Ben to talk about his game design inspirations and of course, his favorite word. Next, JOFSOFT’s Aron Koh, the Executive Producer of the upcoming genre bending game Pizza Bandit, speaks to Ben about the circuitous route they took in their development of the game, as well as the importance of pivoting and iterating when developing for a general gaming audience.
00:00:21 - On this episode… two interviews, a game review, and Ben’s non-PAX Seattle stuff
00:01:41 - In Seattle, corned beef and cabbage, the story turns sour, and a mixed blessing
00:05:27 - The What’s Good Games party, Polaroid cameras, and dinner with Christian and Erik
00:07:25 - New friends in your 50s, Ben starts a Seattle walk, and selfie museum shenanigans
00:09:49 - Repopulating the planet, the Space Needle, and thanks to Nancy for the photos
00:11:03 - A fancy sandwich, more waking, a putting the bow on the trip with delicious Thai
00:13:16 - Witch versus evil pope, same story with different perspectives, and Suyoung Jang
00:16:14 - Building at your atelier, managing difficulty, a fat bird, and the experience system
00:19:42 - Increasing your other levels with training mini-games and bonus percentages
00:22:01 - 3 ups: well balanced, superior audiovisuals, and smart map zoom view and usage
00:23:30 - 3 downs: pet capture tutorial, inconsistent mission arrow, and blacksmith mini game
00:25:59 - Ben recommends playing, wants to see more witch stories, and closes the review
00:27:45 - The interviews, a quick disclaimer on the audio quality, crowd noise, and hot mics
00:30:23 - The seldom used a cappella Podcast in a Bag theme song!
00:30:35 - The co-founder of The Behemoth, Dan Paladin; words = ladle and cheeseborough
00:44:42 - The executive producer of JOFSOFT’s “Pizza Bandit,” Aron Koh;
00:51:44 - Aron’s words are pivot and iterate, the difference between the two, and WISHLIST!
00:53:13 - Ben shares what is in store for you on future episodes of the Two Vague Podcast
Follow Two Vague on…
Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast
On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com
-AND-
...for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC!
https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries
References, Links, and Tags
For more information on WitchSpring R from KIWIWALKS…
https://witchspringr.com/en/
For more information on The Behemoth’s amazing games…
https://www.thebehemoth.com/
For more information on JOFSOFT’s freshman release Pizza Bandit…
https://www.jofsoft.com/
WISHLIST Pizza Bandit on Steam HERE…
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2475010/Pizza_Bandit/
Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #witchspring #witchspringr #kiwiwalks #DanPaladin #TheBehemoth #AronKoh #JOVSOFT #PizzaBandit
In this special pre-PAX West 2024 edition of the Two Vague Podcast… does Ben have a couple of imaginary guests, the titular “Drop Dead Fred” perhaps? Nope! He’s got something far more engaging than a Phoebe Cates movie up his sleeve. Christian and Erik from Imaginary Game Studios join Ben to talk about their experiences in the AAA gaming space and their latest project Rogue Climber! It’s an episode that is guaranteed to be more exciting and interesting than driving a desert bus from Las Vegas to Tucson, Arizona.
Ben’s interview with Christian
00:00:20 - Introducing Imaginary Game Studios founder and Meticulous game creator Christian
00:02:46 - Correction, the game Ben played at the Local H concert was Battle Arena Toshinden
00:04:25 - Finding the fun, exorcising the design demons, mixing inspiration, and rage climbers
00:07:52 - The indie game flavor of the month, Steam genre tag problems, and the Cybertruck
00:11:55 - Ben’s arcade memories, Christian’s time in Japanese arcades, and a Dreamcast tip
00:14:53 - Getting Over it with Bennett Foddy, Penn & Teller’s Desert Bus, and Airplane Mode
00:17:54 - Capsule hotels, themed stuff in Japan, Studio Ghibli stores, and back to Desert Bus
00:21:25 - Cozy rage, Christian’s experiences in the AAA space, and speculating on the cause
00:24:40 - Cutting Peter Dinklage’s Ghost, and stratification of creatives, leaders, and execs
00:27:27 - The Imaginary Game Studios game jam, YouTube content creation, and the news
00:28:32 - Favorite word - imagination
Ben’s interview with Erik
00:30:19 - Introducing 2VP to Erik, focus required, a lifeline for Meticulous, and the first to play
00:33:07 - Meeting Christian at EA, working at Blizzard on Diablo 3, and a heroine killing spoiler
00:36:38 - The perils of stories “under wraps,” crafting meaningful stories, and is it censorship?
00:39:19 - The easiest thing to change, creating a simulacra, incorporating feedback, and DEI
00:42:55 - Everyone is NOT a narrative expert, the creative process, and remembering Anthem
00:45:08 - Getting to the fun questions, Counter-Strike bunnyhopping, and a Venn diagram
00:48:34 - Correction, only review copies of Penn & Teller's Smoke and Mirrors were made
00:51:11 - Favorite word - a tie between scofflaw and bindlestiff
Erik’s interview with Ben
00:52:50 - Where did you come up with the word concept?
00:54:44 - Tell me about your dad, what would his favorite word be, and connecting with Norah
00:57:54 - Ben gets a little personal about his relationship with his father
00:59:42 - What story about your father do you think had the biggest impact on you?
01:00:40 - Erik talks about his experiences writing for a Sports Illustrated subsidiary
01:02:19 - Andrew and Erik are in the same boat, the 23 year gap, and the booth babe sash
Follow Two Vague on…
Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast
On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at twovaguepodcast@gmail.com
-AND-
…for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC!
https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries
References, Links, and Tags
Follow all the shenanigans Imaginary Game Studios is up to…
On their website: https://www.imaginarygamestudios.com/
On their Discord: https://discord.gg/YyDD7ECtdJ
On their YouTube channel - they post all sorts of stuff from gaming news, to gaming podcasts, to game jams, to the occasional cooking video: https://www.youtube.com/@caxtnova
Imaginary Game Studios GAMES on Steam:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2673440/Rogue_Climber/ <—- WISHLIST ME NOW!!!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2175790/Meticulous/
Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #ImaginaryGameStudios #CaxtNova
Norah and Ben are excitedly hosting the pod this week. The topic word is one that most people associate with childhood, but the benefits for adults are well documented by psychologists. Ben talks about what he is playing (Wife Quest and Stellar Blade) and Norah talks about the weather before they get in to the meat and potatoes of the discussion and start playing with their fictitious food. Why are adults reluctant to use the word play in their day to day lives? Are hobbies a form of play? What was the origin of the Sony PlayStation? Our hosts explore these questions and more!
00:00:21 - Fan thanks, OnlyFans, Tucson weather, the monsoons, and Norah’s hall of records
00:04:15 - Playing baseball, fat bottom games, the nature of addiction, and not Wife Swap
00:06:45 - Norah hates reality… television, Ben explains Wife Quest, and the ABBA connection
00:09:47 - Ben recommends for a dose of nostalgia, chibi-ish style, and on to Stellar Blade
00:13:16 - The “back in my day” card, DOA Xtreme Beach Volleyball, and why robot women?
00:17:06 - Ben likes strange stories, finding your girlfriend in a dumpster, and just Flemming
00:19:29 - Reading all the verbs and nouns, Norah’s “hot take,” and mostly recreational
00:23:55 - The origin, leaping for joy, usage in print, and other phrases containing play
00:25:46 - Plays-on-words, Ben doesn’t like golf, and burning tangerine segments at the stake
00:30:03 - Imagination, mailing snails, one class short, masters of play, building with LEGOs
00:34:27 - The stigma of playing, Ben challenges, throwing arrows and TikToks, and humor
00:37:26 - Creativity throughout life, playing funky music, and Richard Melville Hall scores
00:40:40 - The story of Play-Doh, coal residue, scent libraries, and the Doctor Drill N Fill toy
00:44:10 - A Hasbro patent, used by Homer Simpson, and the Psychology Today definition
00:47:25 - Two ways of doing puzzles and having fun, maths, and the benefits for adults
00:50:12 - After a quick pee break, a connection to Nintendo, and some CES shenanigans
00:53:31 - Developing hardware out spite, a PlayStation at a concert, and Local H’s big song
00:57:08 - You can do that outside, final thoughts, and an association to creating and learning
Follow Two Vague on…
Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast
On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com
-AND-
…for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC!
https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries
References, Links, and Tags
Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #PartlyRobot #PartlyRobotIndustries #TeePublic
Andrew joins Ben this week to talk about a particular piece of punctuation that isn’t a dinkus! People have strong opinions about when and where the ellipsis should and shouldn’t be used, so our hosts decided to investigate… for SCIENCE! Along the way they discovered a number of new words to share (including dinkus)! Fortunately there won’t be a vocabulary quiz at the end of the show, but there will be an exploration of the use of the ellipsis in the text and dialog of comics, manga, and video games. Finally, they close the show with a couple of odd questions from Ben and some of their soon to be famous tangential discussion nonsense.
00:00:21 - Unrefrigerated, getting a Whirlpool, Kevin Meaney, and no refrigerator magnets?!
00:02:56 - Ben throws some crazy, cabinet positions, still a general, and getting over… again
00:04:53 - Birthday time travel, trust the process, meeting on Threads, and Judy Blume books
00:08:04 - Best social media wingman, and “The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai…” references
00:10:00 - Ben wants to compare arcade attendant notes with streamer AdventurerJessica
00:11:47 - Visual migraines, multifactorial, “the matchy color fun game,” and accomplishment
00:14:16 - Breaking up chapters, text message teaser, a very wordy hybrid, and linguistics
00:16:45 - Greek origins, graphs, two dollar words in 1800s, and the MLA format for writing
00:20:00 - Andrew thinks it’s judgmental, prescriptive versus descriptive grammar, and ain’t
00:22:31 - Interesting trends in language development, dialect coaches, and Ohio is derpy
00:24:51 - Generation Alpha’s meme inspired phrases, Florida man, and ellipsis use in texting
00:28:03 - Unspoken anger, punctuation usage confusion, the Mongolian ellipsis, and math
00:30:52 - Folding, nobody else cares, picking up styles, and guides for technical writing
00:35:10 - Vocabulary words of the episode: aposiopesis, cæsura, and “elision or deletion”
00:37:40 - Andrew goes off on Shakespeare, the days of Solid Snake, and fancy Breakout
00:39:46 - “Goddess of Victory: Nikke” conversations, and Zero Wing’s bad translations
00:42:07 - Pac-Man eating punctuation, more frequent in Japanese media, and pauses
00:44:12 - Widening the gap, interpreting the worst, and problems deciphering body language
00:48:29 - Andrew hopes he’s getting paid, the movie rights, and Ben Mezrich’s strategy
00:50:32 - Who would play you in a movie about your life, and does the face include ears?
00:52:34 - Tenet, Andrew’s nemesis, Inception, and Ben threatens to buy Andrew a BluRay
00:54:10 - Final thoughts, to confuse and annoy, that’s it, and a hero named “The Ellipsis”
Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on…
His website: https://partlyrobot.com/
On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot
On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot
On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot
Follow Two Vague on…
Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast
On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com
-AND-
…for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC!
https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries
References, Links, and Tags
Threads/IG Shout Outs for Liz, Kaja, and Jessica… (please be on the podcast)!
https://instagram.com/liz_lapoint AND check out her GenXcellent Substack!
https://instagram.com/booksbyblackley
https://instagram.com/adventurerjessica
Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #PartlyRobot #PartlyRobotIndustries #TeePublic
Lukas Eggen from gameonmedia.net is back in the virtual studio with Ben to do a proper show on a subject that he, as a seasoned journalist, is incredibly qualified to talk about. Before getting into “the news,” they talk about a few articles that Lukas has been working on for his new publication "Game On!" Then they discuss how the journalism landscape has changed with the advent of digital media and what games they have been playing recently. Following the definition, Ben and Lukas move on to their thoughts on the pitfalls of news delivery, maintaining journalistic integrity, the potential impact of AI in journalism, and navigating “tough” interviews. Finally, Ben closes the show with his obligatory goofiness and some puppet centric trivia.
00:00:20 - Hot Las Vegas, being thankful for AC, gameonmedia.net, and podcast coaching
00:03:56 - Modules, Jennifer Hale, SkillsHub, the joys of podcasting, and Ben says…
00:06:40 - Breaking news, Lukas’ focuses on journalism, and from Evo to AI in gaming
00:09:17 - Old school reporting, how news stories have changed, and digital versus printed
00:12:51 - What Lukas has been playing: Animal Crossing, Child of Light, and Marvel Snap
00:14:46 - Ben has been playing Wife Quest since TEVI, and he is pleasantly surprised
00:17:15 - miHoYo’s “Zenless Zone Zero,” “pay to win” popularity, and live service games
00:20:17 - The vision of kids today, wives snapping necks, and the definition and origin
00:23:54 - Editorial, perspective, integrity, things presented as news, and bias game news
00:27:06 - Content creators, “us older people,” the evolution of cable news, and complicity
00:29:57 - IGN buyouts, where the silicon grows, AI in journalism, and the Gannett connection
00:34:30 - Connecting with authors, investing in AI development, and what AI can’t do
00:37:35 - Expressions, connecting coincidentally, and the potential for analyzing big data
00:40:05 - Nudity for Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and the optics of interviewing Phil Spencer
00:43:36 - Esports World Cup controversy, asking the tough questions, and getting denied
00:46:51 - Everyone has a price, the word association question, and supporting journalists
00:49:50 - Ben brings the goofy, The Great Space Coaster trivia, and no Gary Gnu news
00:52:01 - Balancing the tone, and Billy Basso draws inspiration from “Indy Game: The Movie”
00:55:23 - Lukas thanks his supporters, there is a me, and closing the show with an invitation
00:57:57 - Open to Threads sponsorship, meeting cool people, and Andrew’s TeePublic promo
For all things Lukas Eggen check out…
https://www.gameonmedia.net/
-AND-
https://linktr.ee/LukasEggen
Follow Two Vague on…
Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast
On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com
-AND-
…for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC!
https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries
References, Links, and Tags
SkillsHub for Actors
https://acting.skillshub.life/
Wife Quest by Pippin Games
https://www.pippingames.com/wife-quest
Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #LukasEggen #GameOnMedia #GameOn #SkillsHubforActors #SkillsHub #JenniferHale #PippinGames #WifeQuest
This week, Ben is joined by long time fan and “aunt of the pod” Norah for a game review episode. After a BIG thank you to a PR ninja and some miscellaneous chatter about the origin of the “bunny girl” archetype, Ben dives right in to his assessment of the platform / bullet hell shooter mashup, TEVI! Stay tuned after the show for the latest 2VP tee shirt advertisement, brought to you by Partly Robot Industries.
00:00:21 - Traffic on the 1’s and 7’s, a year of Norah, Alaska, and a smoked salmon monsoon
00:02:41 - Ben’s PAX West 2024 plans, Bust-A-Move, and giving thanks to Robert… a PR Ninja
00:05:21 - PSN certification delays, Norah’s thoughts on aesthetics, and video game romances
00:09:26 - Norah is like the squirrel, and developing relationships with fictional characters
00:14:03 - Cutscene spectacles, being desensitized by the media, and a bunny wants to fit in
00:17:50 - “Metroidvania” / “bullet hell” mashup, Rabi-Ribi’s story, and the Playboy connection
00:20:19 - Try to be unbiased, reading for the articles, and from the perspective of a Boomer
00:23:04 - The mistreatment of people, power dynamics, and articles by well known authors
00:26:25 - Back to the bunny, Norah learns a new word, and looking for hidden objects
00:28:53 - The would of Az, an interesting use for a belt, and angel and demon shot mechanics
00:31:28 - The anime segments of TEVI, Ben cancels his scoring math, and Norah buying PS5
00:33:06 - Ben starts his 3 ups with a platform genera comparison and ends with cool graphics
00:35:38 - Starting with a mini-down, too many sigils, missing the sweet spot, and a big map
00:39:40 - Norah asks about skipping things, Ben’s playing strategy, and linear storylines
00:43:01 - Generational perceptions of game length, and DO check out TEVI for a nostalgic trip
00:46:23 - Another PR ninja shoutout, what Norah is wearing, and Andrew’s TeePublic ad
Follow Two Vague on…
Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast
On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com
-AND-
...for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC!
https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries
TEVI Review
A big thank you to Robert Lashley… PR Ninja from Team Critical Hit for the review key!
Developed by CreSpirit, GemaYue, Ein Lee
Published by CreSpirit, Neverland Entertainment for PC version
And PM Studios Inc. for the PS5 and Switch version
3 UPs
- TEVI is a masterfully crafted platform game with a significant number of exploration opportunities and gameplay depth.
- Tevi and supporting characters are highly customizable through the use of sigils to match your style of play.
- TEVI looks, sounds, and plays like a “best in class” retro 4th (16-bit) or 5th (32-bit) generation console platform game.
3 DOWNs
- The voice acting is not in English; however, there are English subtitles.
- The pool of sigils which grows throughout the game (up to a grand total of 250 possible) and their varying point values can make it very time consuming when creating your customized character build.
- The map of Az’s explorable areas was too far too vast and confusing to figure out where you wanted to go with ease. This goes for the story as well. At times I was disoriented or lost within each.
DO BUY and PLAY if…
You love retro style platform games; this game has lots of gameplay depth for a low cost!
References, Links, and Tags
For more information on CreSpirit’s latest game “TEVI” (now available on : Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X and Series S)…
https://www.tevi.games/en
Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #TEVI #CreSpirit #PMStudiosInc
Andrew joins Ben for 2VP’s “leather” anniversary and a chat about things AND stuff! Andrew has been writing, playing with baby CJ, and preparing for a stand-up comedy show. Ben has been playing games, but instead of following the typical show segment order, he decides to call an audible. They take the scenic route on their way to talking about the games “Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key” from developer Gust and “Goddess of Victory: Nikke” from developer Shift Up. Topics discussed include: amateur stand-up comedy writing, the origin of the name of the show, the baby schema theory, Funko collectables, the manga of Osamu Tezuka, and an AI generated art deep dive / debate.
00:00:21 - Mango’s cute vocals, 3 years of vague, Andrew’s retirement, and LtHTT the musical
00:03:07 - Time traveling, GMT or UTC, timezones in India, and Gandhi’s fake quote about hate
00:07:02 - Andrew’s joke writing process, spoken word Bohemian Rhapsody, and bring it back
00:09:34 - Star Trek actor rap battle, Ben’s laniard check silliness, and developing improv skills
00:13:14 - Tig Notaro’s piano bit, the extra sauce, adaptive humor, and Ben’s show flipflop
00:16:13 - The definition of that word, vague activities degrees, and staying in the vagus nerve
00:19:53 - Zippy the Pinhead, Chuck Norris’ second coming, and the ethologist Konrad Lorenz
00:24:00 - Chibi style and cuteness, Astro Boy, Princess Knight, and the vague duality of Kevin
00:28:19 - Ben’s next time at Texas Roadhouse, Andrew’s old hustle, and mentioning merch
00:33:22 - Soda ingredients, the Father’s Day edition of “The Buzz,” and advertising budgets
00:36:25 - Andrew’s description and a AI generated composition, and the giant swan Kaiju
00:40:07 - The changing job landscape for commercial artists and detecting AI generated art
00:43:42 - Give Clippy some work, carbon footprints, being human, and Ben really means food
00:47:14 - Humans learning art, shots fired, Ben likes a Smashmouth song, and photography
00:49:57 - The joys of day jobs, anti-AI scrubbing tactics, resume hacks, and the number three
00:55:01 - Ben’s choice, a game about doing chores, and petting all the animals in the JRPG
00:58:13 - Changing the percentage, a strange choice of robot design, and broken arms
Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on…
His website: https://partlyrobot.com/
On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot
On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot
On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot
Follow Two Vague on…
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On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com
-AND-
…for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC!
https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries
References, Links, and Tags
Time travel to Andrew’s comedy set at the Helium Comedy Club
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23IW96eVf0Y
The official Atelier Ryza 3 site
https://www.koeitecmoamerica.com/ryza3/
For all of your exposed “side-boob” needs, the official “Goddess of Victory: Nikke” site
https://nikke-en.com/
Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #KoeiTecmoAmerica #AtelierRyza3 #ShiftUp #GoddessOfVictoryNIKKE
Cheyenne joins Ben in the studio this week for an episode a year in the making! They start off talking about a big move that Cheyenne is making this year and what games they are playing. Cheyenne has been playing a couple of Larian Studios game and romancing mostly vampires. Ben has finished Pacific Drive and is trying to figure out what he’s going to play next. The hosts discuss the definition, share their results from a wikiHow “What is your aesthetic” quiz, and talk about how the definition has changed in recent decades. They also take a peek at the Aesthetics Wiki and talk about recent TikTok shenanigans before moving on to discussing their favorite video game aesthetics. Before closing the show, they ponder and explore what censorship in today’s gaming environment looks like.
00:00:20 - And Ben will, moving to Portland, explaining the podcast in a bag, and Ben’s “mo”
00:02:08 - The Rand McNally store, Cheyenne’s “Eras Tour,” and 1200 hours invested in BG3
00:05:05 - Experiencing simulated bears for science, having legs, and Pacific Drive is done
00:10:28 - Romancing things in games, not enough tabletop taglines, and on to the definition
00:14:35 - How generation Z uses the word, the quiz, Y2K and Cottagecore, and the suffix
00:19:08 - Normcore, Dark Academia and E-kids, transcending image, and what is Ben’s vibe
00:22:47 - It’s giving Beigecore, investigating the Wiki, and pronouncing Sega Uranus properly
00:28:00 - Traditional aesthetics, beauty is subjective, the inspiration of an image, and TikTok
00:32:15 - Filters, the kind of talker, Dada expression, and ByteDance divestiture speculation
00:37:31 - Asking intelligent questions, Congressional Dadcore, and wearing appropriate attire
00:42:04 - The first and last time, in Cheyenne-ese, a black and white realm, and Vanillaware
00:46:51 - Style documents, thoughts on censorship and graphics, and Shift Up’s Stellar Blade
00:52:21 - Changing demographics of players, identifying with characters, and connections
00:55:14 - Reflective morons making a difference, voices being acknowledged, and toxicity
00:58:31 - Just a misunderstanding, Cheyenne’s vampire hill, and moving towards inclusivity
01:00:35 - Not engaging, opinions about “barrelmancy,” and a Dadcore time out is needed
01:04:54 - Closing thoughts, the importance of aesthetics in games, and we’re ALL Beigecore!
Follow Two Vague on…
Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast
On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast
For ALL of your Partly Robot Industries and 2VP merchandise NEEDS, check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC!
https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com
References, Links, and Tags
The Aesthetics Wiki
https://aesthetics.fandom.com/wiki/Aesthetics_Wiki
Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #GamerThreads #Portland #AestheticsWiki #PartlyRobotIndustries #TeePublic
Andrew joins Ben this week for a special request word (from a different Ben), but first the gents share what they are up to. For Andrew it’s growing his multimedia empire; for Ben it is playing video games… obviously. Then on to the word that they will divide, conquer, and put into …containers? Additional stream of consciousness thoughts and musings include: The Big Lebowski, what is the internet (according to a U.S. Senator), Peter Falk impressions, teaching through examples, science shows for kids in the 1980’s, a method for making sourdough bread, and a video game featuring the aliquoting of Budweiser beer!
00:00:20 - Riding Nerf gun, a percentile of Portland’s funniest, and Andrew’s publishing deal
00:04:04 - ADHD research, back to the Larryverse, writing the journey, and no more rants
00:08:05 - Andrew’s new-ish TEEPUBLIC designs, the Aurtistic zine, and bite the students first
00:11:13 - Ben has been playing games, more time traveling, and fixing the personality of cars
00:13:30 - Balatro by LocalThunk, fits of declension, against the blinds, and de-buffed hearts
00:17:24 - Frowned upon in Las Vegas, the card game Flux, and an AI Gore inspired joker
00:23:15 - Sort of playing Mine Sweeper, from another Ben, The Big Lebowski, and it is a sled
00:26:23 - Finding strangers in the Alps, a father quoting/hiking, and aliquot has a definition
00:30:09 - The late great Hannibal Lecter, an era of big chemistry, and a book of science poetry
00:33:55 - Alligator & apricot, Carl Sagan fashion, chemistry equipment, and a series of tubes
00:37:50 - The Rockford Files, Peter Falk quotes from Vibes, the internet, and the concept
00:40:46 - Poisons, explaining aliquoting to a 5 year old, and a two dimensional container
00:43:54 - Science shows for kids, Bill Nye exposure, don’t do acid, and a new 2VP slogan
00:45:50 - They don’t aliquot pizza in Italy, a tool for baking sourdough bread, and Tapper
00:49:40 - Anheuser-Busch, Marvin Glass and Associates, 70’s toys, and Domino Man
00:52:06 - A Budweiser story, better in Europe, a real mustache dude, and the Bally art style
00:55:04 - Not Dig Dug, Q*Bert’s speech impediment, and using new words to annoy friends
00:58:12 - Movies based on board games, video games, and 1980’s television show properties
Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on…
His website: https://partlyrobot.com/
On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot
On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot
On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot
-AND-
…for all of your Partly Robot Industries and Two Vague Podcast merch needs, check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC!
https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries
Follow Two Vague on…
Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast
On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com
References, Links, and Tags
Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #Neurodiversity #PartlyRobotIndustries #PartlyRobot #TeePublic #ArcadeGames
This week Ben is excited to talk to Andrea about her role as a project manager at Joystick Ventures for the games “Star★Vaders,” “Big Boy Boxing,” and “Chicken Police: Into the Hive!” But first, Andrea and Ben have each been playing games with an abundance of atmospheric tension, suspense, and dare we say… creepiness. After sharing these experiences with each other, they dive right in and have a very interesting conversation about the funding, developing, promoting, and marketing of independently made video games!
00:00:20 - Rituals, runes, pools, Pacific Drive, weeping angels, and Andrea’s introduction
00:06:18 - A startup background, changes in the games Andrea plays, and still a console girl
00:10:27 - How Joystick Ventures chooses, team diversity, and the “open world” game
00:13:38 - Development, production, and what a project manager at Joystick Ventures does
00:16:48 - Facilitating development, fostering relationships, and balancing a number of projects
00:20:51 - Hungarian game noir, challenges in working globally, and Discord communication
00:25:00 - Summer showcases, Andrea says hello to Norah, and PAX versus other trade shows
00:28:52 - Ben talks about attending PAX as press, networking for the show, and playing games
00:31:34 - Public relations, marketing, activating the pillars, and demographic strategy changes
00:37:05 - Segmenting based on interest instead of demographics, and audience clusters
00:39:26 - New monster, determining appropriate platforms, and Steam infrastructure flexibility
00:42:32 - The growth of Steam, the FTC’s noncompete announcement, and speculation
00:46:15 - Movement toward independent games, and closing the show
Follow Two Vague on…
Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast
On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com
References, Links, and Tags
Joystick Ventures - https://www.joystickventures.com/
Star★Vaders - https://star-vaders.com/
Wishlist Star★Vaders on Steam - https://store.steampowered.com/app/2097570/StarVaders/
Check out the 2VP episode we did with Star★Vaders lead designer Eddie -
https://www.twovaguepodcast.com/e/episode-94-nature/
Big Boy Boxing from Soupmasters - https://soupmasters.com/
Wishlist Big Boy Boxing on Steam - https://store.steampowered.com/app/1680780/Big_Boy_Boxing/
Check out the 2VP episode we did with Big Boy Boxing lead designer Martin - https://www.twovaguepodcast.com/e/episode-95-animate/
Chicken Police: Into the Hive (the sequel to Chicken Police: Paint hit Red) by The Wild Gentlemen - https://thewildgentlemen.com/
Wishlist CP:ItH on Steam - https://store.steampowered.com/app/2362090/Chicken_Police_Into_the_HIVE/
Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #JoystickVentures #StarVaders #BigBoyBoxing #ChickenPolice #IntoTheHive
Ben and Star host 2VP this week, so shake off that tired feeling, take a moment to collect yourself, and be cool… daddy-o! There are lots of definitions to cover before getting in to the conversation. From music to an artistic subculture movement to one of Ben’s favorite BMW “comercials,” there is much to talk about. Star teaches Ben about Taylor Swift and a couple of Generation Z phrases. Ben gets really excited about being able to do his oddly specific Bob Dylan impression, and bringing up his favorite movie director. Games discussed in this episode include “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom,” “Hogwarts Legacy,” “Pacific Drive,” “Ultros,” “Cadence of Hyrule,” “Crypt of the Necrodancer,” “Alice: Madness Returns,” and “Hi-Fi Rush”
00:00:21 - Again with the third person, the unspoken bond, and TLoZ: Tears of the Kingdom
00:03:48 - Andrew’s side quest, Star tried unique Japanese Pringles, and too many ducks
00:05:18 - Ben talks about Pacific Drive, Star’s PS5 goals, and a playable acid flashback
00:09:43 - Borscht ingredients, Ben’s poetry decade, the subjectivity of art, and time signatures
00:12:20 - Buckle your notebook, club or whip, and off brand Duck Hunt, and MatPat’s show
00:15:47 - More verbs, birds flying, cooking, sailing, and Star explains “bro boats” to Ben
00:18:47 - On to the nouns, Star doesn’t know “cop speak,” a surprise, and back to Beatniks
00:20:59 - “Old timey” phrases, of German origin, word confusion, and our music choice bpm
00:23:51 - The solicitation purr, Ben’s cat impression, and the “Intro to Rhythm” class final
00:26:40 - Cowbells at daybreak, even for a Canadian, and an excuse for Swiftie Star
00:29:17 - Taylor Swift’s latest album, Patti Smith, “No tea, no shade,” and 100 percent
00:34:37 - Trading friendship bracelets with 12 year olds, and Ben’s FAVORITE impression
00:36:03 - Beyoncé and the West drama, “Beat the Devil,” and Star summarizes Alien
00:41:44 - Tony Scott movies, the original “True Romance” ending, and on to video games
00:44:07 - The “Crypt of the Necrodancer” franchise and the connection to Hi-Fi Rush
00:46:45 - On paper, mediocre 2-D platform elements, and Chai’s backstory and origin
00:50:25 - Beautiful visuals, no target locking, feels very linear, and uninspired boss fights
00:54:41 - No “real” replay value, great music (but not enough), and angry dance music
00:56:50 - A difference in opinion on Ye, no actual wives were harmed, and keeping time
00:59:18 - Star’s better final thought, beating the mulch, and a hitman for slumlord Tom Nook
Follow Two Vague on…
Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast
On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com
References, Links, and Tags
Ben recommends checking out this awesome game…
“Pacific Drive” developed by Ironwood Studios
https://www.pacificdrivegame.com/
Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #IronwoodStudios #KeplerInteractive #Ultros
This week Andrew and Ben have a word inspired by our 2nd (insert air horn sound) review code (and for the PS5 no less)! But first… a little bit of housekeeping featuring the one and only star of a single “The Three Stooges” episode, the "magic” 8-ball. As you know, the gentlemen are fond of complicated math, so prepare for that AND a long definition segment. Other topic diversions include: self help books, Ironwood Studios’ first release “Pacific Drive,” beverages, Juice Newton, superhero movies, French food, Ben’s review of Juicy Realm,” and 2VP merch ideas.
00:00:21 - Sausage, Tucson’s Zine Festival, and Andrew gets help from Asplenia Studios!
00:02:40 - Ben’s “almost first kiss,” 2VP merch possibilities, and help from Dr. Faith Harper
00:07:22 - Low budget time travel, a borscht-centric show, and Bethesda games on PS5
00:09:07 - Playing Pacific Drive, the joys of repair putty, and the “Herby-esque” station wagon
00:12:02 - Sort of a college word, and calculating the Magic 8-Ball equivocation percentage
00:17:20 - Magic 8-Ball facts, an obscure “The Three Stooges” episode, and cocktail concepts
00:19:05 - Brendan Fraser, the Orange Julius, in Swedish, and prune juice is helpful sometimes
00:23:10 - Juicing up, too soon, usage over time, cratered in the 1970’s, and pulp preferences
00:26:19 - Meat juice, a favorite kindergarten food of Ben, AZ snails, and living in slug country
00:30:05 - A direct to bathtub situation, the Tim Burton Superman movie, and the multiverses
00:33:36 - Superhero popularity waning, favorite food truck movies, and Colm Meaney roles
00:37:27 - The Fall Guy theme, the Beetlejuice window, and one of Ben’s favorite Judds
00:39:35 - The origin of a slogan, fruit chews facts, and coastal Oregon’s saltwater taffy
00:43:25 - Andrew’s Juice Newton memory, Deadpool movies, and the “Queen of Hearts” song
00:47:50 - The theory springs a leak, bringing the horns, and a new tagline for the show
00:49:56 - The story of Juicy Realm, movers and shooters, the gameplay loop, and avocados
00:52:30 - A comic strip style, PS5 is not required, powers and weapons, and saving seeds
00:55:15 - Taking chances with weapons, the four biomes, room types, and less than the cost
00:58:04 - Three ups, two payers, four sticks, no cups, three downs, and Ben recommends
01:01:21 - Fan art creations, a cup of coffee, “comfy” tracksuit merchandise, and final thoughts
A BIG THANK YOU to PM Studios and Team Critical Hit for our PS5 review key for “Juicy Realm!”
Ben’s Review of Juicy Realm
3 UPs:
- 2 player local Co-op
- Amazingly goofy Sunday funny paper cartoon graphics with a wide variety of creative weapons
- After clearing the game the first time, difficulty modifiers are added so you can accumulate more seeds when you clear a biome, but it is entirely optional.
3 DOWNs:
- No Option for online co-op gameplay
- Some minor UI anomalies do exist that make weapon modifier selection difficult at times
- Not balanced as much as I would have hoped… there is one character selection that is clearly superior and a number of weapons that are the most effective
DO BUY/PLAY… If you want a thrifty purchase with an arcade-like feel, but with the some of the variation, depth, and replay value of a rouge lite! If you like games similar to Hades and Cult of the Lamb, you may want to check it out. Even at full price, it’s a steal!
Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries
His website: https://partlyrobot.com/
On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot
On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot
On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot
Follow Two Vague
Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast
On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com
References, Links, and Tags
Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #JuicyRealm #TeamCriticalHit #PMStudiosInc #SpaceCan
Ceramicist and former fashion industry designer Jackie joins Ben this week to talk about a topic that impacts our physical AND digital lives. Jackie has a great deal of experience and interest in design, but now she is shifting her focus to digital. Ben shares his 90s / early 2000s fashion and Rory Gilmore’s boyfriend choices before getting to the definition. Other topics discussed include: fashion, digital trends, puzzle video games, commerce, the mobile gaming market segment, and video game trend predictions for 2024.
00:00:21 - Voices, a determined Mango, a Masters in a week, and ceramic artist burnout
00:03:13 - Craft vs. fine art mediums, dabbling, designing jewelry, and creativity in commerce
00:06:46 - Emulation, higher education, Ben’s harsh sting, and the Pantone color of 2024
00:10:30 - Sharing and kindness, on your bum, and the 2VP sweatpants merchandise plans
00:13:39 - An elder Millennial, Urban Decay, Ben is team Dean, and digital marketing trends
00:17:10 - Jackie’s Google UX Design certificate, flavor of the month, and Ben’s meal kit idea
00:19:05 - The definition, media toxicity, Jackie is a Google person, and relatively new word
00:23:21 - Inspired by the Narrative episode, popularity, and changes in the fashion industry
00:26:07 - Universally “in,” the speed of digital trends, navigating e-commerce, and hobbies
00:30:37 - Blurring the line, and stories of creatives dealing with the corporate environment
00:33:47 - Questioning what big companies say that gamers want, and the mobile touchpoint
00:36:27 - Trending celebrity names, Jackie’s gaming timeline, Purikura, and visiting the coffee
00:40:14 - Jackie realizes her love of puzzle games, subway stories, and Netflix’s Knittens
00:44:12 - Weekly cat fashion shows, Juicy Realm’s premise, and Ben explains “bullet hell”
00:46:40 - Konami’s 1993 Super Famicom game “Pop'n TwinBee” (Jackie CONFIRMED)!
00:49:03 - Digital licenses, subscription models, Bethesda exclusivity, and favorite soups
00:52:28 - Catching Pokémon, getting vaccinated, AR examples, and why is it appealing?
00:56:04 - Expensive VR gear, doing virtual things while walking, and generative AI in games
00:58:34 - Jackie plays devil’s advocate, thoughts on AI, self-expression, and AI voices
01:04:11 - Ben’s new Google contact, a soul, sampling artistic works, and voice royalties
01:07:13 - Ben is starstruck, the Paula Abdul briefing, and Jackie’s closing thoughts
01:10:29 - The cyclic nature of trends, no Cabbage Patch Kids, and adding wrinkles
Follow Jackie
Her website: https://www.jactse.com/
Her storefront: https://www.madbrooklyn.com/
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mad_brooklyn
Follow Two Vague
Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast
On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com
References, Links, and Tags
https://www.urbandecay.com/
https://www.pantone.com/
Ben says,
“PAULA ABDUL… please be on the podcast!”
https://paulaabdul.com/
Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #PaulaAbdul #PantoneColor2024 #UrbanDecay
To get you all excited for April 15th, Andrew joins Ben for a game review! They were under the impression that math was fun… until they tried this game. From relatively unknown game developer Intuit Inc. comes TurboTax! Andrew and Ben are playing different versions of the game, so they share their varied experiences with each other and YOU! Spoiler alert… as a game TurboTax is a dud, but as tax preparation software it’s fairly solid. Ben says, “NEEDS ZOMBIES!”
00:00:20 - The third person, dog of bag poop, and Andrew (the IRS) has set a deadline
00:02:20 - Ben and Andrew are playing different versions, and some facts about Intuit Inc.
00:04:42 - For ages 4+, Ben turns off the noise, weaker vibrations, callouses, and columns
00:06:51 - Canadian versions of TurboTax, Andrew the French spotter, and the circumflex
00:08:54 - The funny thing about French, Funk & Wagnalls, and the first AI Vice President
00:12:06 - The extra stuff and business edition, a serious side-thought, and back to taxes
00:14:41 - Some recent FTC drama, Andrew’s example side-hustle, and tick infested scooters
00:16:30 - Starting with the story and narrative, kinda’ like Zork, and Ben’s story summary
00:18:43 - You can’t get all the State DLC, 1099 talk, and don’t get Ben started on stamps
00:21:23 - Thoughts on TurboTax’s game mechanics, Andrew’s solar buff, and the wrinkle
00:24:45 - Andrew’s amended tax return side quest, round numbers, and the cost of coffee
00:26:06 - Too many rectangles, it’s not a race, no customizable avatars, and the discussion
00:28:01 - FTC callback, micro transactions, currencies, upcoming regulations, and tips
00:32:02 - The passthrough, the Sega Genesis version, and why the previous year?
00:34:08 - Arizona and Oregon DLC, getting “the kicker,” and Ben’s 3 ups and 3 downs
00:37:32 - Not compatible with Wave Financial, game saves, season passes, and zombies
00:39:34 - Andrew has stamps, not good for concrete, Ben’s true story, and postage due
00:41:34 - Thumbs up or thumbs down, lathe adjacent, and borrowing the Office Assistant
The FORMULA…
Story and Narrative (SN) + Game Mechanics (GM) + Audiovisuals (AV) = a video game experience
SN - Story / Narrative - With a name like TurboTax, you might think this is a racing game… you would be wrong! In this mostly text based “adventure,” your story can be vastly different from someone else's due to the extensive story branching. You start out playing the role of someone who has been giving money to a government over the course of a year, and now at the conclusion of the year, you are told you have to do math and fill out forms before April 15th. You are obviously the protagonist, but it’s very difficult to determine who the adversary is.
GM - Game Mechanics - For the main part of the game you are either answering questions or if you prefer, filling out the forms directly. That’s really all of the gameplay… YAWN! Even if you do fill out the forms and submit them to the government in time, you may still have to face a random boss fight in the form of an audit which can extend the playtime extensively.
AV - Audiovisuals - There is no music! The UI is very simplistic… and not in a compelling way. There is a timer and a checkered flag at the top of the screen, but that’s about as exciting as it gets. Any sound effect in the game is utterly forgettable. For the current generation of games, the graphics and audio should be much better. Zombies are needed to add some excitement!
UPs
- If you do a speed run you can be done very quickly
- You can receive money which makes it seem like you have accomplished something
- DLC is available for your State if you want to extend your gameplay
DOWNs
- Although story the branching is extensive there are really only 2 endings either you owe or you get a refund and neither of those guarantee a “good ending”
- Almost more fun to fill out the forms manually, at least with that you feel some sort of an accomplishment.
- Extra data entry is required to actually submit your forms electronically unless you have a printer and stamps, but who other than Andrew has those handy.
DO BUY… if you don’t want to do your taxes manually
DO PLAY… working tax payers have to play in some way
Note: In all seriousness, my REAL TurboTax experience was quick and easy. I have a very simple return, so if your situation is similar I, would recommend it.
Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on…
His website: https://partlyrobot.com/
On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot
On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot
On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot
Follow Two Vague on…
Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast
On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast
On (ex-)Twitter: https://twitter.com/TwoVaguePodcast
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com
References, Links, and Tags
https://www.intuit.com/
https://www.ftc.gov/
Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #AprilFools #IntuitInc #TurboTax #TaxDay #NeedsZombies
This week Andrew brings a very interesting word to the show! Ben is up for the challenge, but first he has a review of Trombone Champ! Then the hosts dive right into the discussion starting with literature… Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, Macbeth by William Shakespeare, and Star Wars by George Lucas. Coincidentally, Ben gets to talk about his biggest “Jedi: Fallen Order,” pet peeves, but then they chat briefly about constitutional law. In the “official” video games segment, Ben shares the strange development story of “The Day Before” and the numerous equivocations therein. In closing, Andrew talks about a cola marketing scam, and Ben unintentionally alienates the 2VP audience and possibly Andrew.
00:00:21 - Video GAMES, a cliffhanger, dream feeding, and the lamest form of time traveling
00:04:55 - Ben’s Trombone Champ review start, complicated math, and Dan’s trombone idea
00:09:38 - The narrative of Trombone Champ, “Funiculì, Funiculà,” and amazing audiovisuals
00:13:02 - Time to toot, gilding and “turd-ing,” secrets, inner 9 year olds, and a review closing
00:19:19 - Not equivocating, the definition, in Swedish, and affordable furniture solutions
00:21:38 - Spirit of exploration, Oedipus’ road rage, and Andrew’s Magic 8 Ball equivocation
00:24:49 - Prophecy details, the swollen foot baby, full of irony, and a bit of a cougar
00:29:09 - The Porter, “nose-painting, sleep, and urine,” 3 witches, and Macbeth vs Macduff
00:33:06 - Obi-Wan equivocates about Vader, retroactive continuity, and Luke and Leia kiss
00:36:17 - Ben talks about “Jedi: Fallen Order,” Cal Kestis, and a plethora of ponchos
00:41:48 - Ewan McGregor noises, acting with tennis balls, and a different century’s president
00:45:17 - Paying for a wall with hurt feelings, on a spectrum, and Ben’s playful equivocation
00:48:41 - The legal profession, for justice or money, and Ben’s looking at you Congress!
00:50:30 - Stuart, brief entomology, the Establishment Clause of the 1st, and Pueblo Colorado
00:55:46 - Line crossing, the story of “The Day Before,” and the Steam page is actually gone
01:02:01 - Andrew recounts the “New Coke” marketing scheme and resulting equivocations
01:05:42 - Not the “Classic, Classic Coke,” lawyers and politicians, and equivocating felines
Ben’s Trombone Champ Review Highlights
Story / Narrative - SN - (8) - You are on a quest to become the Trombone Champ by tooting your trombone, learning about and pledging allegiance to baboons, collecting and trading Trombone Champ cards, meeting strange characters, and laughing a bunch.
Audiovisuals - AV - (10) - From the character models, to the song selection, the UI which looks like something you would see on a “Dance, Dance Revolution” arcade machine, to the amazing song recording quality, to the background animations while you are “tooting”, to the satirical poke a EA Sports Games micro-transaction card collection graphics… Trombone Champ is perfectly executed in this area.
Game Mechanics - GM - (9) - Nothing new here, BUT the game mechanics are finely tuned and nostalgically fun. Choose your trombone style, sound scheme, and “tomboner,” your song, and then it’s time to TOOT! You play notes by pressing a key on the keyboard, and you use the pad to control the target reticle vertically on a line on the left side of the screen. You follow the note prompts as they scroll in from the right with key presses and mousepad movements and are rated on accuracy with “Perfectos,” “OKs,” “Nices,” “Mehs,” and “Nasties.” As you string your successes together your “CHAMP” meter fills and your multiplier builds. Once you have the meter filled completely, a celebratory airhorn sounds off; the longer you keep the “CHAMP” active, the more points you score for notes and combos. Based on your score at the end of each song, you earn “toot coins” which you can use to buy sacks of 4 cards to gather for your collection. If you have an excess of cards you can exchange them for turds, which you can use to buy the cards you are missing. Collect 10 of single card and you can “engoldenate” it so all future versions of that card you receive from a sack will be the gold version (worth more toot coins and turds). There are hidden secrets to unlock: avatars, trombones, and sound schemes (including a fart one), AND the “true ending…” becoming the fabled Trombone Champ of legend!
Ben’s FINAL VERDICT (aka the MATH) for Holy Wow Studios’ “Trombone Champ!”
(10 * .20) + (9 * .35) + (8 * .45) = 8.75 out of 10… things!
UP
A near perfect parody AND celebration of rhythm games
Incredibly customizable settings let you play the way you want
An amazingly diverse selection of incredibly well done songs
DOWN
There are a couple annoying mechanics, specifically the 100 clicks later in the game when searching for the “hidden boss.”
DO BUY AND PLAY…
If you or your family enjoys rhythm or music games, or if you just want to laugh
Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on…
His website: https://partlyrobot.com/
On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot
On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot
On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot
Follow Two Vague on…
Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast
On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast
On X-Twitter: https://twitter.com/TwoVaguePodcast
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com
References and Hashtags:
Trombone Champ links -
https://www.vecchitto.design/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1059990/Trombone_Champ/
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/trombone-champ-switch/
Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #Kickstarter #Partlyrobot #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #HolyWowStudios #TromboneChamp #TheDeadMilkmen #Stuart
We have a special episode this week hosted by Ben and Norah! After dispensing with the formalities, Ben has a great interview with journalist Lukas Eggen from the Las Vegas Review-Journal to share. Lukas has a new Kickstarter project that he is working on that will hopefully reinvigorate games journalism by going back to a traditional investigative reporting philosophy… “Game On!” Ben’s interview style is very conversational, but he does have a couple of thought provoking questions up his sleeve. Following that, Ben and Norah talk about their experiences with the game Quilts and Cats of Calico from Monster Couch (available now on Steam for the PC and Mac). Please be patient with Ben as he is still workshopping his “on air” review style.
00:00:02 - Tucson is just okay according to Norah, defending Ben, and on to the interview!
00:02:09 - A warmup conversation with Lukas, and what we are playing or looking forward to
00:06:18 - Lukas’ first review code, thoughts on KtJL, and what gamers really want
00:09:23 - Ben’s first review code, PopCap beta testing, and Lukas’ disappointment sets in
00:12:06 - Lukas’ start in journalism, gaming trajectory, and current position at LVR-J
00:17:29 - Journalistic integrity past and present, cable TV, entertainment, and bias in news
00:20:18 - Talking about the “Game On!” mission statement and what it means to Lukas
00:24:00 - Physical vs. online news pipelines, doing the work, and old fashioned news views
00:27:05 - Hat choices, Lukas’ beat, game industry focus, and gaming news diversity
00:28:54 - Does Lukas consider himself a member of the video games industry?
00:30:40 - Ben’s suggestion to sell magazine subscriptions, and Lukas on meeting Greg Miller
00:33:19 - Go to Kickstarter for more information on Lukas’ not so secret project “Game On!”
00:35:01 - Norah’s thoughts, interview styles, and Ben thanks David Letterman
00:36:02 - The embargo has lifted, Ben’s review formula, and the audiovisuals of QaCoC
00:39:02 - Cat behaviors, taco costume, creating cats, and the Calico game mechanics
00:41:10 - Quilt tessellations, game pieces, gameplay loop, and ways to score points in Calico
00:45:40 - No smallpox, 10-15 minutes per, playing online, and story mode is underwhelming
00:49:41 - QUILT WAR, “Pass and Play,” easy to learn difficult to master, and game complexity
00:52:23 - How life works, text size can’t be changed, and Norah asks about the age to play
00:57:32 - Norah’s thoughts on the tutorial, thank you to Monster Couch, and closing remarks
Check out the “LAN Parties” podcast on your favorite podcast service or listen to it here…
https://www.reviewjournal.com/podcasts/lan-parties/
To help Lukas get his “Game On!” magazine fully funded go here...
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2103037101/game-on-2
As of the publishing date of this podcast there are only 26 more days to go, so if you are interested in supporting a fresh perspective in games journalism, please consider supporting Lukas in his endeavor!
For all of Lukas Eggen’s social media and journalism stuff…
https://linktr.ee/LukasEggen
Follow Two Vague on…
Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast
On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast
On (ex-)Twitter: https://twitter.com/TwoVaguePodcast
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at... twovaguepodcast@gmail.com
A BIG thank you to Krzysiek for Monster Couch for providing us with our FIRST review code!
Ben’s Review of “Quilts and Cats of Calico”
The FORMULA…
Audiovisuals (AV) + Game Mechanics (GM) + Story and Narrative (SN) = a video game experience
Ben’s importance percentages = 20% AV + 35% GM + 45% SN
AV - Audiovisuals - (8) - The game is very cute and definitely fits into the cosy, country home category of graphic design which absolutely compliments the game perfectly. Likewise, the top notch quality songs and background music fit the theme and mood, but I would have liked more than 3-4 songs total. The cats that roam around and fall asleep at the top of the screen, but they will sometimes intersect with decorative items placed around the game board. It would have been neat if the cats would knock stuff down like “normal” cats do. You can also create and DRESS UP your own cats which was the FIRST thing I did with my review copy. Mango and/or Bash will join me in game while they are likely napping in real life. This may sound ridiculous to a non-cat lover, but I wish there were more pattern and body customization options, but it’s good enough for government work.
GM - Game Mechanics - (9) - For the details on the game rules and gameplay loop check out the Calico rules which can be found here… https://www.alderac.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Calico-Rules.pdf . The whole concept of the board game is very well thought out, so the video game adaptation works wonderfully it this area. Game rounds are about 10 min per human player, which also hits a sweet spot for me. The scoring system can be a little more advanced in the board game (with achievements), but they keep it simple here.
SN - Story / Narrative - (5) - The story mode is NOT the high point of the game, and the story dialog is barely worth paying attention to. In addition to playing the game against a single AI opponent, there are also missions that will require you to fill your quilt board with a limited number of tiles, or fulfill certain button or color goals, but there really is nothing very compelling about this mode. I’m not entirely sure how to make it more essential to the game. Perhaps if there were avatar or cat customization options given as rewards for completing story missions it might be worth playing.
UP
- PASS AND PLAY - In addition to online play, there is a local “pass and play” option if you wish to select more than one human player for the 4 available players.
- Calico is one of those amazing “easy to learn, difficult to master” games that is complex enough to hold your attention, but not so much as to alienate players.
- Simple yet fun gameplay with option to play 3 player games with online matchmaking
DOWN
- There is no setting to change the text size. I tried to show the game to Norah on my MacBook, but the goal tile description text was too small for her to read.
- The 3-4 background songs do get repetitive after playing for a while
- The graphic style of the main game vs the story mode don’t compliment each other, and the story mode is not as robust or necessary to play as I would have hoped.
DO BUY… if you want a family friendly strategy game. Heck buy the physical version too while you are at it! It would make a wonderful addition to any game night!
DO PLAY… if you are a fan of board games; Calico and it’s video twin are wonderful, well crafted game experiences.
Ben’s FINAL VERDICT aka the MATH on Quilts and Cats of Calico!
(8 * .20) + (9 * .35) + (5 * .45) = 7 out of 10… things.
References, Links, and Tags
- What’s Good Games - https://whatsgoodgames.com/
- Kinda Funny - https://linktr.ee/kindafunny
- Calico Designer Kevin Russ on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kevinruss/
- Calico Illustrator Beth Solo on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bethsobel/
Check out the catalogues of boardgames from AEG and Flatout Games…
https://www.alderac.com/ AND https://www.flatout.games/
Monster Couch’s “Quilts and Cats of Calico” has been released as of March 5th!
https://www.monstercouch.com/quilts-and-cats-of-calico/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1993180/Quilts_and_Cats_of_Calico/
Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #Calico #QuiltsAndCatsOfCalico #MonsterCouch #LukasEggen #LANParties #LasVegasReviewJournal #Kickstarter #GameOn
Dance teacher Star joins Ben this week to discuss rhythm! After Ben wishes everyone happy VD, Star talks about the festival where she is performing in a few weeks. This is not a show about laser tag, so after a brief LARP-er diversion, they drop some sick beats and start the definition portion of the program. Star tells stories about her vast dancing, choreography, teaching, and art school experiences. Ben references a Star Trek: TNG episode involving tap dancing, makes Star watch a ballet scene from the movie Top Secret, and shares information about one of his favorite musical artist’s songs. Rhythm video games discussed this week include: Rock Band, the Club Penguin disco mini-game, Dance Dance Revolution, Nintendo Power Pad games, Just Dance, Beatmania, Taiko no Tatsujin, Space Channel 5, Samba de Amigo, Frequency, Amplitude, and Trombone Champ.
00:00:21 - Homeschool energy is kinda’ like horse girl energy… it’s been on Star’s mind
00:02:49 - The Jefferson High School Democrats, “ruining the big reveal,” and happy VD!
00:06:15 - Ben just completed Soul Hackers 2, laser tag stress, and it’s actually Funtasticks
00:08:55 - LARPers have homeschool energy, RIP Galactic Battlecruiser, and into the rhythm
00:12:29 - The question at hand, syncopation, Star’s art of choreography, and dance maps
00:15:36 - Square dancing, Ben is terrible at cursive, and cross it off the bucket list
00:18:49 - Pantomime, dance code, Ben’s game idea, and make a collaboration buddy
00:21:00 - Online Warriors shout out, the business of streaming, and an old man and his cats
00:23:36 - Foot problems, ballet shoes are dumb, no tap dancing at a wedding, and sounds
00:26:08 - Playing your feet, dance solos, ballet trauma, and the “Top Secret” codpieces
00:29:19 - Dance stories, joke delay, Peter Gabriel’s “The Rhythm of the Heat,” and WOMAD
00:32:35 - Jungian Psychology, the Ghanian War Dance, Miami Vice, and the Dead Milkmen
00:34:48 - Music inspired dance, the original question, and King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard
00:37:28 - Funky again, alt-J, back to the pantomime, sick beats, and Jesse from Cuppocinnos
00:40:04 - Soundcloud rappers, Stanley Tucci, Club Penguin clubbing, dance fingers, and DDR
00:43:53 - The Power Pad, step aerobics, eleven games, Maze Epic Battle, and the Virtual Boy
00:46:34 - F the Manhattan Police clubbers, seal free, and “Come Come Fallen Corpses…”
00:48:39 - Remembering the steps of songs, Dance Dance Revolution masters, and Beatmania
00:50:40 - Just Dance, they tried, the Eye Toy, dancing torsos, Taiko no Tatsujin, and latency
00:53:36 - More competitive than deserved, real life Mario Kart in Tokyo, and bop all the things
00:56:50 - Less feet, really in to patterns, specialized controllers, and music tracks on tracks
00:59:15 - Ben thinks Holy Wow Studios’ Trombone Champ is a ridiculously fun “joke game”
01:02:26 - Four trombones play a song badly, up since 5 AM, learning rhythm, and rambling
Follow Two Vague on…
Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast
On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast
On X-Twitter: https://twitter.com/TwoVaguePodcast
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com
References and Hashtags:
Soul Hackers 2 links
https://soulhackers2.atlus.com/index.html?lang=en
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1777620/Soul_Hackers_2/
https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP0177-PPSA03743_00-SOULHACKERS00PS5
Check out friends of the pod… Online Warriors Podcast
https://www.onlinewarriorspodcast.com/
Trombone Champ links
https://www.vecchitto.design/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1059990/Trombone_Champ/
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/trombone-champ-switch/
Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #SoulHackers2 #TromboneChamp #HolyWowStudios #DanVecchitto
Ever since Ben applied for a job as a Narrative Lead at a game company he’s been contemplating the differences between narrative and story, so he’s invited his good friend Andrew from partlyrobot.com to help him navigate toward a satisfactory conclusion… and hilarity ensues. Other topics visited in this episode: Cult of the Lamb’s new DLC, crispy Japanese snacks, Instagram trends and scammers, defunct mall stores and search engines, story structures, reality television, the games of Vanillaware Ltd., AI art fails, Atari 2600 games, differences between Marvel and DC comics, and THE Guttenberg!
00:00:21 - Awesome baby, secret mukbang video, fried toothpicks, and school supply mirages
00:03:32 - Ben’s been playing “Cult of the Lamb: Sins of the Flesh,” and genre pet peeves
00:06:13 - Happy cults, strategically sacrificing heretics, and back to fried vegetable starch
00:08:25 - Kanda Curry Grand Prix Museum, and revelations of what snack foods can be
00:10:27 - Girl dinner, in the spirit of satire, a proprietary blend, and chicken and waffles flavor
00:13:47 - Ben’s critique of Scorchin’ Medium BBQ Pringles, and a new Brett Eason Ellis book
00:15:47 - Sharper Image, Spencer’s Gifts, the definition of narrative, and conflicting origins
00:20:09 - Ben mishears declension, ask.com actually DOES exist, and Scrabble scores
00:23:12 - Andrew’s Instagram scammer saga continues, and a review in the New York Times
00:25:40 - 2/10 net 30, your accounts receivable department, and alternative review channels
00:27:48 - The “story vs. narrative…” narrative, and Lawrence Durrell’s Alexandria Quartet
00:31:37 - “A Christmas Story,” the Die Hard, Melina Dillon movies, and ending on a bummer
00:34:42 - Andrew’s writing is a process, finding the threads, and a side of the denouement
00:37:37 - An agreement on dialogue, informing the story, and a “no middle” accusation
00:40:00 - Season 3 of “The Real World,” a question of reality TV, and a different episode
00:43:31 - Contest shows, Noel Fielding wranglers, and Ben puts Andrew on the spot
00:50:10 - The narrative design job, about Odin Sphere, and weaving character narratives
00:53:50 - Starting with Gwendolyn, distinct character diversity, and “picking” the ending
00:55:45 - Ben is looking forward to “Unicorn Overlord,” and Andrew gets distracted
00:57:49 - The hugging a unicorn AI art fail, not a good sign, and the “Pitfall!” narrative?
01:00:22 - Activision’s 2600 success, the Atari Force comic book, and DC vs Marvel stories
01:02:31 - The Marvel method of storytelling, writer-artists, and Jack Kirby’s bone of contention
01:05:50 - Don’t belittle the inker, and a creative narrative choice in Batman: Arkham Asylum
01:10:47 - Closing thoughts, Maine, James Joyce, changing perceptions, and trailer mashups
01:15:05 - Ben’s editing, changing the podcast name, and get the Guttenberg out of retirement
Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on…
His website: https://partlyrobot.com/
On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot
On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot
On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot
Follow Two Vague on…
Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast
On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast
On X-Twitter: https://twitter.com/TwoVaguePodcast
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com
References and Hashtags:
- Cult of the Lamb
https://www.cultofthelamb.com/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1313140/Cult_of_the_Lamb/ - Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir
https://atlus.com/osl/
https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP0177-CUSA05083_00-ODINSPHERELE0000 - Unicorn Overlord
https://unicornoverlord.atlus.com/index.html?lang=en
https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP0177-PPSA09770_00-UNICORNOVERLORD0 - Old Wise Man Hugging a Unicorn
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/pierre-de-lacaze-b11026b_this-illustrates-why-common-sense-and-activity-7158116939326742528-DgnJ
Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #Partlyrobot #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #Vanillaware #OdinSphereLeifthrasir #UnicornOverlord #Pringles #CultoftheLamb #MassiveMonster #DevolverDigital
Ben is flying solo this week, but he still has lots to talk about (and one cat to apologize for). After letting us know what he’s up to, he moves on to his experiences with the “Quilts and Cats of Calico” online multi-player beta test! A big thank you goes out to Monster Couch for inviting us to beta test! You had us at cats!
00:00:21 - ”That which does not kill you…” and why is South Korean fried toothpicks trending?
00:02:31 - On a more positive note… Star★Vaders news and Ban’s minimalist advertising
00:03:53 - Ben has completed "Soul Hackers 2" and has started a new cult… the Cult of Vague
00:05:45 - Mango shenanigans, Christmas sale purchases, and "Armor Core 6: Fires of Rubicon"
00:08:48 - Monster Couch’s “Quilts and Cats of Calico,” had Ben at cats, and Calico history
00:10:43 - Gameplay description, how to score to points, color buttons, and the obligatory cats
CORRECTION - After playing a piece, you pick 1 piece from a 3 tile "public" draw pool; then a random tile is removed from the bag to replace the one chosen by the player.
00:14:45 - Ben bought Michaela the board game version based on the strength of the beta
00:15:48 - Ben’s unexpected use of his Steam phone app, and waking up and petting cats
00:17:33 - Words coming soon and thank you for listening!
Follow Two Vague on…
Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast
On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast
On (ex-)Twitter: https://twitter.com/TwoVaguePodcast
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com
References, Links, and Tags
Follow "Star★Vaders" lead designer Eddie (@AxolotlStar on X) and learn more about the game using the links below
https://star-vaders.com/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2097570/StarVaders/
https://www.twovaguepodcast.com/e/episode-94-nature/
For more information on the board game "Calico"
Follow Calico Designer Kevin Russ on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kevinruss/
Follow Calico Illustrator Beth Solo on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bethsobel/
Check out the catalogues of boardgames from AEG and Flatout Games…
https://www.alderac.com/ AND https://www.flatout.games/
For release date and development news from Monster Couch on "Quilts and Cats of Calico…"
https://www.monstercouch.com/quilts-and-cats-of-calico/
While you’re at it, check out their other amazing adaptation of the board game Wingspan!
https://www.monstercouch.com/wingspan/
Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow#2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #Calico #QuiltsAndCatsOfCalico #MonsterCouch #StarVaders
This week Ben is dealing with some critic’s remorse, but Andrew is here to help him process his thoughts and improve his video game assessment method. After talking about what’s new for each of them, they get right into the definition. From unwanted Instagram solicitations to well-known Chicagoan movie reviewers… the conversation goes to some strange destinations before settling down upon the task at hand. Andrew provides his input on Ben’s plan of attack, Ben learns a cool new word to add to his vocabulary, and they end the show with some advice and a silly drink name.
00:00:21 - A loaded question, the preferred condiment for pizza, and emulsions o’ plenty
00:02:23 - Soul Hackers 2, Kelly LeBrock, the word queer, the Dead Milkmen, and magnets
00:05:46 - You MUST listen to the “Yahoo!” hold music by Snow, and the kids definition
00:07:40 - The Two Vague Revue, missing for a while, Mango misses Dad, and verbs
00:09:05 - Miriam gets overlooked, Aldous Huxley, interesting, Ben sings, and removing letters
00:12:35 - Reading the dictionary, the grammar rabbit hole, Howard the Duck, and the movie
00:14:17 - Performance reviews, when you are wrong, magnetic superfluids, and MRI’s work
00:16:22 - IG book review solicitations, the 100th level, make 100, and the joys of PayPal
00:20:46 - Instagram jail, Andrew loves the USPS, Rudy Flores, and Andrew’s seminars
00:25:08 - Podcast mission, carrier pigeons, vocalizations at Sam’s Club, and loopholes
00:27:23 - Remembering Gene and Roger, a greenroom priming, and can’t say that on PBS
00:29:35 - High Noon in space, review the impression, up or down, and Godzilla (1998)
00:34:43 - Andrew’s warning about “Poor Things,” a synopsis, and movies on a first date
00:38:03 - The “Speed” tagline, put a shark under it, math, and more acceptable in comedies
00:40:22 - Mixed feelings, how the sausage is made, review philosophies, and troll policing
00:44:02 - The benefits of using rubrics, and “Aesthetics, Mechanics, and Story… oh my!”
00:47:54 - Summarizing the 3 categories, food critics, and Guy Fiery in the mirror universe
00:50:26 - Influencers, formulas, the new segment, 3 ups n’ 3 downs, and Andrew’s suggestion
00:54:35 - Loose ends in stories, speaking your truth, entertaining reviews, and tax season
00:57:22 - Reviews can be helpful, a Mark Twain quote, learning by doing, and John Deere
00:59:51 - Read reviews objectively, some people are jerk-holes, Die Hard, and sex on a bus
Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on…
His website: https://partlyrobot.com/
On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot
On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot
On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot
Follow Two Vague on…
Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast
On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast
On X-Twitter: https://twitter.com/TwoVaguePodcast
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com
References and Hashtags:
- To support Andrew’s “make 100” Kickstarter… https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/partlyrobot/make-100-booger-bear-comic-mini-zines
- Check out Rudy Flores’ art projects and services… http://www.rudyfloresart.com/ AND https://www.hexandhew.com/
- For all your fictitious carrier pigeon deliveries… https://flypigeon.co/
Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #Kickstarter #Make100 #HexandHew #Partlyrobot #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #CarrierPigeons
Ben and Norah are on deck for the first show of 2024! Ben does something a little different to start out this year… a game review! The game is…
00:00:21 - Norah compliments Andrew, buys new things, and reviews "The Maestro" in brief
00:02:37 - Thirsty, UK slang, based on context, Annapurna, and Outerloop’s mission statement
00:05:07 - Falcon Age summary, Thirsty Suitors described, and Norah’s impressions of trailer
00:07:51 - Jala’s introduction / summary / prologue, and Ben explains his review structure
FORMULA
Aesthetics (A) + Game Mechanics (GM) + Story and Narrative (SN) = a video game experience
Ben’s importance percentages = 20% A + 35% GM + 45% SN
Aesthetics (A)
00:10:32 - Ben’s audio / video / aesthetics score is 10/10, and Norah’s assessment from trailer
Game Mechanics (GM)
00:12:21 - First, Thirsty Suitor’s skateboarding game mechanics
00:13:16 - Second, a description of QTEs and how cooking works in Thirsty Suitors
00:17:29 - Third, a detailed breakdown of how turn based battles work in Thirsty Suitors
Story and Narrative (SN)
00:23:32 - Finally, the story and narrative in Ben’s words followed by Norah’s questions
Three Positives
00:27:24 - For the first 6 hours of gameplay the synthesis of the game mechanics, the striking visuals, and the compelling story combine to make a near perfect gaming experience.
00:27:59 - The game has well written dialogue, powerful emotional moments, and contains authentic portrayals of LGBTQ+ and S. Asian experiences.
00:28:22 - The amazing aesthetics and style are a tribute to the love and effort the developers poured into this game.
Three Negatives
00:28:35 - Feels unfinished in a number of ways. There are only 5 super moves and only 2 of the 5 are exes. The level meter maxes out at 31 but it continues to appear like it is filling after each subsequent battle has concluded. There is a beautiful, but unnecessary map screen which gives one the impression that there would be much more to explore.
00:30:23 - The story has an “identity crisis” at the midpoint of the game and doesn’t commit to develop any of the storylines as significantly as the first 6 hours did. Additionally some story details don’t make sense logically or are counter to what you would expect that characters would have learned.
00:34:25 - South Asian cultural and historical exploration is not comprehensive as expected from Outerloop based on the statement at their website. Side note: please include the recipes next time.
Wrap-up Discussion
00:35:59 - When A’s turn (based on a true story), design creep, skateboarding, and Aggretsuko
00:40:03 - In retrospect not a great look, conflict resolution, Jala’s arc, and Rob in High Fidelity
00:43:13 - Meaningful stories, sales techniques, T.S. Eliot quote, and agreeing to a point
00:48:30 - Ben nitpicks the title and tagline, succinct, and Norah’s unintentional “sick burn”
00:51:04 - An apology, on a tear, global warming, mayonnaise, and an official close.
Ben’s FINAL VERDICT on Thirsty Suitors aka the MATH!
(10 * .20) + (6 * .35) + (6 * .45) = 6.8 out of 10… things.
DO BUY… if you want to support marginalized voices in game design (and companies like Outerloop and Annapurna).
DO PLAY… if you are new to JRPG style games and want an introduction to how those types of game mechanics work.
DO PLAY… if you would be satisfied with 5-6 hours (out the 12 hours it took Ben to thoroughly explore and complete the game) of super solid, amazingly crafted gameplay.
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References and Hashtags:
https://annapurnainteractive.com/en - #annapurnainteractive
https://outerloopgames.com/ - #outerloopgames
https://www.thirstysuitors.com/ - #thirstysuitors
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1617220/Thirsty_Suitors/
https://www.falconage.com/ - #falconage
https://www.polygon.com/23940890/thirsty-suitors-release-date-interview-annapurna - #gamedevinterview #polygon #diversity
Andrew is in his studio this week… joining Ben via satellite to talk about what is arguably his favorite artistic medium. But first, some encouraging news about Andrew narrowly avoiding the robot / AI takeover, and how his new daughter is keeping him positively occupied during a period of union drama. Then Ben shares his experiences with what he has been playing lately: Thirsty Suitors by OuterLoop Games, and Dead Island 2 by Dambuster Studios. Be warned… there are a few DI2 spoilers in the conversation, so if you want to play this game at some point, you might want to consider skipping to 00:17:00. Andrew takes yet another sensory adventure trip to Japan before the hosts dive into a discussion about the word ink. Additional subjects include: independent comics, participating in Inktober, the pros and cons of AI generated art, the origin of Andrew’s recurring character Booger Bear, and the seldom seen Mortal Kombat arcade clone from Data East… Tattoo Assassins!
00:00:21 - Sometimes Pringles, sometimes Y, not partially, buying domains, and radicalization
00:03:20 - Picketers borrowing babies, the temperament of custodians, and Skynet is at bay
00:05:13 - Ben started playing Thirsty Suitors, High Fidelity, and correction … 5 not 50
00:09:35 - Los Angeles is not an island, escape from development hell, and zombie cults
00:12:26 - Ben critiques Dead Island 2, zombie types, CHiP bursters, and an artist ruins horses
00:17:00 - Killing another can of Japanese Pringles for Andrew’s Sensory Adventure!
00:22:26 - A message to the hot honey flavor designer, and a unique airport Pringles side quest
00:25:53 - Mollusk adjacent words, Admiral Ackbar gets scared, and Andrew discovers comics
00:28:34 - DC and Marvel comic book story differences, and utilizing existing infrastructures
00:31:41 - Art classes, not the shoes, the ink aesthetic, using art software, and a first Inktober
00:36:19 - AI art, outside observer perspectives, the purpose of your art, and deeper meaning
00:41:56 - The definition, the government buys highlighters, and Ben’s memories of drafting
00:45:27 - Tattoo designs, the power of creating art, words as structure, and a choir of angles
00:48:03 - The origin of Booger Bear, Andrew’s 1st political cartoon, and from a different angel
00:50:39 - Jake Parker, no NaNoWriMo for Andrew, Inktober controversies, and staying current
00:55:01 - Whamageddon, Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, Googling sports things, and “real”
00:57:06 - Ben’s hometown arcade "The Machine," and the dumpster fire of a test game
00:59:11 - Bob Gale, didn’t make it out of COVID, MAME nostalgia, and not on VHS footage
01:02:53 - Over 2000 finishers… “eat ship and die” and the DeLorean were 100% Bob Gale
01:04:50 - The roster, the backstories, abandoned by the Army, and back to finishing moves
01:09:04 - Farting flamethrower, the Night Trap documentary, and the Hot Honey equivalent
01:11:40 - A cut above, Andrew doesn’t have tattoos, help from Harryhausen, and bad tattoos
01:13:56 - Just do Inktober, maybe wait until you are 30, and the calamari episode
Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on…
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For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com
References and Hashtags:
https://www.thirstysuitors.com/ - #thirstysuitors
https://outerloopgames.com/ - #outerloop #outerloopgames
https://deadisland.com/ - #DI2
https://www.dsdambuster.com/
https://www.theonion.com/cia-realizes-its-been-using-black-highlighters-all-thes-1819568147 - #theonion
https://inktober.com/ - #inktober
diypodcasting, #applepodcast, #podbean, #podernfamily, #videogames, #diversity, #lgbtqplus, #twovaguepodcast, #comedy #pringles #pringles_japan
Andrew joins Ben to discuss a word that is the sliver of overlap in the Venn diagram of the previous two episodes: animate and robot. Ben brings up a (very) minor controversy for Geoff Keighley’s “The Game Awards” independent game nominees this year involving Mint Rocket’s “Dave the Diver.” Andrew goes on an exotic adventure with a Pringles flavor all the way from Japan! After a very quick definition segment, Andrew shares a traumatic event from his youth involving an animatronic alien at Universal Studios, and then more 70s and 80s movies are discussed. Ben drops a quick Hall of Presidents conspiracy theory and some sad Chuck E. Cheese news before he talks about the interesting origin story of Scott Cawthorn’s incredibly popular “Five Nights at Freddy’s” franchise. Finally, they come up with an amazing new restaurant idea to close out the show.
00:00:21 - Vacuuming robot revolution crisis possibly averted, pictures with Santa, and work
00:03:35 - Fight Club villain discovery, mental health, and more happy controversial things
00:05:27 - “Dave the Diver” Independent GOTY nomination, and the inventor of the seed drill
00:08:34 - No GOTY love for “RoboCop: Rogue City,” and Ben is just a little disappointed
00:10:15 - How to classify games a independently developed, and a Double Fine edge case
00:12:10 - Andrew’s sensory adventure… Addictive Garlic Butter flavored Japanese Pringles!
00:16:45 - The official verdict, the definition, Disney’s contributions, Billy Bass, and clockwork
00:22:32 - Scary animatronics, the Neil Diamond antidote, and Andrew’s E.T. ride trauma
00:27:00 - Eliot the insurance policy, Stranger Things, and extraterrestrials for the woke agenda
00:29:36 - Blue Thunder, the underrated acting prowess of Roy Scheider, and a JAFO hat
00:31:42 - Bruce the pneumatic shark, cool to creepy, and wanting to take Teddy Ruxpin apart 00:34:29 - At an appropriate distance, David S. Pumpkins, and SNL’s the Merryville Brothers
00:36:53 - 45 in the Hall of Presidents… gate - https://www.businessinsider.com/hillary-clinton-donald-trump-animatronic-conspiracy-theory-explained-disney-world-2023-6
00:38:04 - Not realistic enough, points of articulation, computer animation, and young versions
00:41:55 - Chuck E. Cheese’s decision is not FNaF related (allegedly), and Willy’s Wonderland
00:46:20 - Scott Cawthorn’s inspiration for Five Nights at Freddy’s, and his game design arc
00:53:01 - Latest FNaF game was at PAX West, the pandemic was hard, and a story summary
00:56:27 - CORRECTION: Night Trap filming was originally funded by Hasbro for their Control-Vision system which was canceled in 1989.
00:57:27 - Having animatronic clowns in the workplace is breaking the Geneva Conventions
00:59:38 - The movie S1m0ne, the SAG strike, a brilliant restaurant idea, and a double dose.
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Ben is joined by Andrew (insert mechanical transformation sound) to form this week’s hosting duo! What’s new with them? Ben’s still playing “Dave the Diver,” but is having trouble getting through the grind. Andrew is adjusting to a “new baby schedule,” and working toward the completion of his second novel set in the “Larry-verse.” After the obligatory definition proceedings, Andrew shares the origin of his Partly Robot moniker. Then they dive in to a conversational exploration of memorable robots in assorted forms of media. Andrew talks about watching the movie “Robot and Frank,” and then Ben excitedly talks about his experiences with “RoboCop: Rogue City.” Within the mishmash of it all, they also have a teachable moment… don’t smoke at the gas station or else you’ll end up like Emil.
00:00:21 - Andrew is a “yo” guy, Andrew’s adventures in parenting, and Ed Asner babies
00:03:25 - Too much stuff in “Dave the Diver,” and a rapper wearing a Chicago Balls jersey
00:05:55 - The Premises Premise, “Larry-verse” sharks, and the lamest form of time travel
00:09:03 - Writing chapters out of order, robot ninja monkeys, and contract or barter
00:11:45 - Domo arigato, Styx’s 11th studio album, and Kilroy was imprisoned by Dr. Righteous
00:15:20 - According to “Kilroy was Here” cannon, not cool Oxford, and web crawler memories
00:17:42 - Following Nietzsche for the mustache, the Czech word for forced labor, and R.U.R.
00:20:05 - We love Ricky Junior, hazardous bar stools, and being oblivious to the robot revolt
00:22:58 - Andrew’s alter ego, being partly robot, empathy, R2D2, and robotic stereotypes
00:25:42 - Scary robots, more problematic acting choices, eating data, and a deep question
00:29:15 - The land of Cartesianism, AI hallucinations, and observing human development
00:33:44 - Isaac Asimov’s 3 laws of robotics, logical problems, and “Detroit: Become Human”
00:36:54 - Discovering the universe without senses, and “Foundation” series connections
00:39:48 - Algorithms, psychohistory, not Arthur C Clarke, and the Hugos and the Nebulas
00:42:19 - The butt kissing robot, seeing the train wreck, and emotional robots in literature
00:45:50 - A pop culture pet peeve, Gopher was a member of Congress, and Forbidden Planet
00:50:58 - Futura in Metropolis, upper management, and a summary of “Robot and Frank”
00:52:00 - Ben is excited to talk about RoboCop and playing Teyon’s “RoboCop: Rogue City”
00:55:55 - The acting of Peter Weller in the movie, and an explanation of “texture popping”
01:00:05 - Emil M. Antonowsky’s lesson, Paul Verhoeven’s backstory, and crime evidence
01:03:45 - Concluding the robot trip… WALL-E, 2-XL, Conky, R.O.B., and give robots a chance
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videogames, #robocop, #robocoproguecity, #teyon, #podernfamily, #diypodcast, #podbean, #applepodcasts, #trivia, #autism, #partlyrobot #twovaguepodcast
Martin from Soupmasters, the lead designer of Big Boy Boxing joins Ben this week to talk about game development as it relates to this week’s word! First the hosts talk about what they are up to. Martin is moving offices, coding facial expressions, and not playing recently purchased games (but maybe next week). Ben… he is trying to contain his excitement about his recent pre-order for a game inspired by a Paul Verhoeven cult movie classic! Then it’s on to the definition and coincidentally learning two Swedish words in the process. Next, Ben has lots of questions for Martin about his cartoon, movie, and video game inspirations. Finally, they engage in a side conversation about their favorite Christopher Nolan movie Tenet, and leave a mystery unsolved… for now.
00:00:30 - Introducing Martin, moving, and the importance of desk tchotchkes and large TVs
00:02:55 - Adding more character expressions, Super Mario Wonder, and SpiderMan 2
00:05:02 - Ben’s favorite Red Dead Redemption bug, and thoughts on RoboCop: Rogue City
00:08:15 - The better RoboCop, throwing away scripts, and Martin is nostalgic about Nintendo
00:10:11 - Franchise exclusives, more of a PC guy, the joys of Minecraft, and meeting Ludvig
00:13:37 - Developing characters, story, and levels using the iconic “Punch-Out!!” formula
00:16:28 - Getting in to the word, thank you Google-machine, and Swedish pronunciations
00:18:40 - The characters of Big Boy Boxing, technical feats on the NES, and animation fluidity
00:20:20 - About the BBB animating process, and working with talented professional artists
00:22:01 - Kineographs, “Captain Underpants” by Dav Pilkey, and bonding over “Hot Fuzz”
00:24:55 - A pun, Cuphead, Pizza Tower, Skullgirls, Indivisible, and Them’s Fightin’ Herds
00:28:11 - Being juggled, “Super Smash Bros.” annoyances, and characters over balancing
00:29:40 - Inspiration from Disney, “Treasure Island” the Russian 1988 film, and modern shows
00:32:15 - Rick and Morty Season 1, Episode 7 and the numerous Zardoz references therein
00:34:45 - Martin enjoys the “Death Note” animation style, and favorite animated movies
00:37:55 - Nelvana Enterprises’ decision to work on “Rock & Rule” instead of “Heavy Metal”
00:42:28 - The works of Don Bluth, Lucas Arts games of the 90s, and Tim Schafer’s games
00:44:48 - Psychonauts and Psychonauts 2 development and respective publishing dramas
00:46:21 - “Inception” connections to the Psychonauts games, and the amazing movie Tenet
00:49:45 - Ben’s bittersweet memories, and the importance of connecting with the protagonist
00:53:45 - Closing but saving the Minecraft inspired company name origin for the next time
Keep up to date on the progress of Big Boy Boxing development at the Soupmasters website https://soupmasters.com/ ! Be sure to add Big Boy Boxing to your Steam wishlist… and while your at it, download and play the demo! https://store.steampowered.com/app/1680780/Big_Boy_Boxing/
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PAX2023, #soupmasters, #bigboyboxing, #twovaguepodcast, #DIYpodcasting, #podbean, #podernfamily, #videogames
Ben is joined this week by Star★Vaders developer Eddie for their chosen, dare we say, philosophical word! Ben gets right down to business asking Eddie questions about the recent kerfuffle surrounding the game engine Unity. After dispensing with that subject, the hosts move on to nature. Ben talks about an argument (which to a scientist, is actually a question), and Eddie shares some of the their favorite outdoor activities. On the subject of games, the hosts discuss Geometric Interactive’s “Cocoon,” Teyon’s “RoboCop: Rogue City,” Maxis’ “Spore,” Niantic Inc.’s “Monster Hunter Now,” Mojang Studios’ “Minecraft” (hold the suspicious stew), Nintendo’s “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom,” and Larian Studios’ “Baldur’s Gate 3.”
00:00:20 - Introducing Eddie, the lead game designer for Star★Vaders!
00:01:35 - A window into game development cycles, and Ben shares his software experiences
00:04:39 - Using “paper prototypes” in game development and modeling in Tabletop Simulator
00:07:45 - Ben has a loaded question, and Eddie explains the pros of using Unity
00:10:10 - The proposed Unity fee changes from an independent developer’s perspective
00:12:25 - An abundance of install counting loopholes points to a lack of understanding!
00:14:35 - Developer Innersloth’s install counting concerns, and Unity being “out of touch”
00:16:17 - Shady behavior with the “Terms of Service,” DIY installation counting, and changes
00:21:49 - Ben’s story about changing a perception; can Unity build back the trust of devs?
00:23:04 - A developer poking fun at the Unity situation with “Install Fee Tycoon”
00:24:29 - Finally moving on, the axolotl, and the duality and philosophical nature of… nature
00:27:37 - The Nature of the Canadian, generational identities, and according to “Ox Ford”
00:29:58 - Québécois French, don’t forget the ducks, and connections in day to day life
00:32:41 - Nature vs nurture, more of a question for Eddie the scientist, and being nuanced
00:35:33 - A true escape for Eddie, communing with nature, and growing orchids in AZ
00:37:30 - An introduction to dragon boating, bubble tea, and investigating other biomes
00:41:03 - The awesome canyon, birds are basically dinosaurs, and Eddie describes “Cocoon”
00:44:24 - How Eddie likes his stories, the “no instructions” trend, and indie games research
00:46:53 - The movie RoboCop, practical (horror) effects in films, and “The Thing” prequel
00:49:41 - “Spore,” too many cooks, the AAA studio octopus analogy, and scope creep
00:52:07 - Games as art… a designer’s perspective, and stories we tell through art
00:55:00 - Ben has been hunting and harvesting carcasses in “Monster Hunter Now”
00:57:47 - Minecraft from Mojang Studios DOES hold the record for number of units sold.
00:59:41 - No PvP in Star★Vaders, and a closing question about realistic game ecosystems
Keep up to date on the progress of Star★Vaders development at https://star-vaders.com/ !
Be sure to add it to your Steam wishlist… and while your at it, download and play the demo! https://store.steampowered.com/app/2097570/StarVaders/
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Andrew joins Ben this week for a spork-tacular show (in cover art only); and here is your Halloween surprise… a no candy, prank-less, normally dressed, scare-free episode… that is the PREMISE! After voicing his focused excitement about a forthcoming child and how it has impacted his short term view of his job, Andrew tries Hot Honey flavored Pringles. Ben talks about the many games he has been playing as of late, but also drops a few hints about the Pringles roadmap he has devised for Andrew. Then the hosts move on to the word at hand. Ben has lots of questions about Andrew’s comedy writing process before the conversation shifts to ridiculous video game premises, followed by Ben's gameplay experiences with Squanch Games’ “High on Life.” Other tangential digressions visited include: “Kung Fury,” favorite Canadian comedy troupe “Kids in the Hall” skits, 80s and 90s contemporary authors, the creative process, “Rick and Morty” drama, Nicolas Cage movies, and much more! Oh yes… and Happy Birthday to our biggest fan NORAH!
00:00:21 - Heavy on the trivia, heavy on the video games, and a sprinkle of Pringles dust.
00:01:28 - No more vacated bowling alley Targets in Portland, too art deco, and ready to bowl
00:04:26 - Baby excitement, appropriate levels of detachment, and paternity leave priorities
00:06:49 - Find a baby, paid leave irony, making it difficult for the employer, and labor unions
00:09:18 - More robust and fleshed out, salmon country, and the Oregonian food handlers card
00:13:35 - “Baywatch Nights,” “Monster Hunter Now,” and “Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart”
00:15:12 - It’s oaky to pay for DLC if Idris Elba stars in it, and Pringles Hot Honey high jinks
00:21:12 - Andrew has one at home, an underwhelming experience, and a Madonna lyrics
00:22:55 - The definition(s), Andrew gets too vague, and an unintentional syllogism callback
00:24:49 - An assortment of ethically sourced (?) definitions, regime, regimen, and not… THAT
00:28:02 - David Hasselhoff vehicles, a “Kung Fury” love fest, and describing the premise
00:32:13 - Rotating your owl, bad premises, if you will, and going down to Premise Beach!
00:34:32 - Lorne Michaels impressions, guy has meat hand, and favorite KITH sketches
00:39:46 - Eating tacos made out of coelacanth, and Andrew’s process for writing his novel
00:42:17 - Authors developing emotional connections or relationships with their characters
00:45:06 - Trends in 80s contemporary fiction, and Andrew’s Michael Crichton movie theory
00:50:26 - “Stranger Than Fiction,” down the Nicholas Coppola rabbit hole, and all roads lead
00:54:20 - Ridiculous game premises according to Cracked: Mario, Megaman, and Tetris
00:56:31 - Ben’s opinions about a “thoroughly mediocre” game called “High on Life”
00:59:58 - Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon, too much lowbrow humor, and alien bodily fluids
01:02:48 - Looking back on being in middle-school; where does teen humor originate from?
01:04:59 - No knife DLC for Ben, final words, and a book title for Andrew’s eventual legal thriller
Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on…
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This week Ben and Andrew are channeling their inner Vulcans and to a lesser extent androids. Andrew kicks the show off with a sensory adventure... "French Fries and Ketchup" flavored Pringles! After the (kids) definition of the word logic, they move on to their very different first thoughts. For Andrew it’s Star Trek, and for Ben it’s a joke Norm Macdonald told on Late Night with Conan O’Brien in 1996. Andrew lists a few of his favorite logical fallacies before Ben talks a little bit about boolean (not bullion) logic. Most games include some sort of logic, but the hosts brainstorm a bit and come up with some examples of their favorite types. Finally, Ben has a few movie recommendations for Andrew, and Andrew has some parting advice about cults. Also… do not taunt Happy Fun Ball!
00:00:20 - Andrew played something literally ridiculous, and the king of shark movies, Jaws
00:03:20 - Waffles, Ben talks about playing Dave the Diver, and the understatement of the year
00:06:42 - ANDREW’S SENSORY ADVENTURE… ASMR… not yet sponsored by #Pringles
00:12:27 - The verdict… how it stacks up (pun intended) to other flavors, and the catsup saver
00:16:15 - Spock’s Wikipedia, “kids definition,” adult etymology, the 12th century, and words
00:19:36 - Human nature, foreshadowing fallacies, Paramount Star Trek shows, and Spock
00:22:27 - Pon farr, “to mate or to kill,” the Eugenics Wars, and a glittering generalization
00:27:27 - Data, the Star Trek tie-in that should have been, and medium for a long long time.
00:30:02 - A generalization loophole, and Norm Macdonald’s “Professor of Logic” joke
00:34:21 - Denying the antecedent, joke construction, and the illusion of logic in language
00:37:19 - Political discourse, slippery slopes, guns, nudity, and using logical fallacies
00:40:17 - The ad hominem fallacy, insults, the bandwagon appeal, and no true Scotsmen
00:43:06 - The ones that sound the funniest, and Ben misses Andrew’s obvious sarcasm
00:45:00 - Lessons Andrew learned about logical fallacies from teaching persuasive essays
00:47:29 - Goalpost moving, picking cherries, gamblers, booleans, and the Autism Quotient
00:52:53 - Moving on to video games… chess, turn based strategy, puzzle, and story games
00:55:16 - The card game Flux, the mysterious kinetic sand, and do not taunt Happy Fun Ball
00:58:55 - Tower defense, Animal Well, the Barbie movie, and Andrew’s long standing feud
01:02:22 - Billy’s inspiration for getting in to game design and “Indie Game: the Movie”
01:06:00 - Artistic expressions using logic, itchy shirt tags, and “Logical Fallacy Theatre!”
01:08:49 - Analysis paralysis, don’t join a cult, Ben talks briefly about “Cult of the Lamb”
01:10:24 - Closing the show with a crisp-centric soundbite from Ben and a little goofiness
Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on…
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Get your snacks and buckle up for a “beefy” program this week; it’s time for another show composed of cutting room floor trimmings! Don’t let that keep you away; it’s all great conversational content featuring previous cohosts: Amaya, Andrew, Ben, Cheyenne, Madison, Melody, and Norah. We start with Andrew’s Sensory Adventures (not yet sponsored by Pringles), and then dive into the deep end… of CLIPS! The diverse selection of topics include: Pringles tasting, chess incidents, the “cheekmate” device, commercials, dietary plans, old television shows, parking cars, a silly themed graph, snacks, utilitarian loops, underwater vehicles, parenthood, movies, Ben’s new waifu, and many others.
00:00:21 - A brief introduction to 2VP clip shows and then… WE’RE OFF!
00:00:51 - Clip #1 - Cut from the “Episode 89 - Ben at PAX West Day 2” opening monologue
00:02:00 - Ben and Andrew’s Philly Cheesesteak Pringles recurring bit nonsense
00:06:24 - Clip #2 - Warmup conversation from “Episode 65 - Intelligence”
00:08:58 - A very dramatic, “chess-centric” stories conversation with Ben and Cheyenne
00:17:36 - Clips #3 and #4 - From “Episode 67 - Economy,” a warmup and a topic diversion
00:18:22 - Meal kit VPN idea, “Confess, Fletch,” Tom Hamm, police shows, and Andy Sipowicz
00:24:54 - Clip #5 - From a conversation with Melody after recording “Episode 71 - Fit”
00:25:24 - Ben’s supplemental box of ice cream sandwiches weight loss program
00:28:01 - Clip #6 - A bit from “Episode 76 - Heal” that was cut for… excessive goofiness
00:28:53 - Amaya’s parking mishap and Ben’s age vs. number of points in a 3 point turn graph
00:30:27 - Clips #7 and #8 - “Episode 77 - Rating” warmup banter and a section cut for time
00:31:12 - Cookies are fruits, the dog’s bollocks, spices, sneaking in, and moose lodges
00:39:18 - Clip # 9 - Madison, Ben, and Norah’s "Episode 80 - Childhood” pre-show chat
00:40:25 - Birthday twins, by the numbers, healing growth, the youngest, and skateboards
00:53:26 - Clips #10 and #11 - Some recording adjustments from “Episode 81 - Loop”
00:54:04 - Mucous, Beer Nuts, recorded burps, Mango security, hair fasteners, tables, and age
01:00:33 - Clip #12 - “Episode 82 - Airplane!” content that was removed due timing of release
01:01:14 - Gamers save the day, submersibles, James Cameron movies, and tendril aesthetics
01:10:54 - Clip #13 - A conversational warmup from “Episode 84 - Italy (part 1)”
01:11:13 - Sound baffle, Katherine doesn’t, geriatric pregnancies, a good one, and “the talk”
01:16:36 - Clip #14 - Ben and Madison before sitting down to record “Episode 86 - Gratitude”
01:17:07 - SF6’s Marisa… designing jewelry, beating down fools, and having multiple partners
01:22:10 - Clip #15 - The “Episode 87 - Control,” a pre-show recording
01:22:38 - Andrew laugh track from the “Slotherhouse” trailer, and some “Knee High Mischief”
01:27:33 - Upcoming words, and closing the third clip show succinctly but unceremoniously
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PAX West 2023 part 3 of 3... it is the bow on the present, the cherry on top of the sundae, the other bookend, the roof on the… I digress. On day 3 Ben met Azusa, Creason, Eddie (Axolotl), Ludvig, Martin, and Bartosz. Games he played and other video game related items he saw include: “TrinityS,” “Sky the Scraper,” “Never Awake,” “Extremely Powerful Capybaras,” “StarVaders,” “Big Boy Boxing,” “The Gap,” and the Playdate handheld. Ben’s stream of consciousness associations include: the 1980 arcade game “Crazy Climber,” the largest living rodent, the axolotl, Boxing Day, the largest US clothing retailer, and a trip to the first Starbucks. Ben wraps up the show by discussing his plans for the next PAX he attends.
00:00:20 - PAX 2023 Day 3, the “Podcast in a Bag” theme song, and another minimal breakfast
00:01:30 - Playing the Indie-us Games’ “TrinityS” with Phoenixx Inc. Promotions VP Azusa - https://en.indie-us-games.co.jp/trinitys
00:03:59 - Playing the Toydium developed game designed by Ryo Kobuchi, “Sky the Scraper” with Phoenixx Inc. Promotions VP Azusa - https://store.steampowered.com/app/2387430/SKY_THE_SCRAPER/
00:06:51 - Playing the Neotro Inc.’s “NeverAwake” with Phoenixx Inc. Promotions VP Azusa - https://neverawake.neotro.jp/
00:10:17 - Ben’s memories of the arcade game Crazy Climber
00:11:35 - Playing the Studio Bravarda developed “Extremely Powerful Capybaras” with PM Studios Marketing and Production Coordinator Creason - https://studiobravarda.com/extremely-powerful-capybaras-en
00:14:35 - Background audio guest appearance by Mango
00:15:25 - Capybara facts
00:16:46 - Playing “StarVaders” with StarVaders Studio game designer Axolotl (aka Eddie) - https://star-vaders.com/
00:22:11 - A critically endangered amphibian… the axolotl
00:23:56 - Talking to Soupmasters game developer Martin about “Big Boy Boxing” - https://soupmasters.com/
00:28:49 - Just a little bit of trivia about Boxing Day
00:29:31 - Playing the Label This developed game “The Gap” with Crunching Koalas Marketing Chieftain Bartosz - https://thegapgame.com/
00:32:34 - Why they should change the name of the game and all about Gap Inc.
00:33:19 - Playing the somewhat notorious (hipster-ish) handheld console “Playdate” and learning about their SDK
00:36:41 - Cuphead cosplay, dumpling dinner, and stopping by (arguably) the first Starbucks!
00:40:15 - A “postmortem,” lessons learned, and my plans for the next PAX I attend
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PAXWest2023 #PAX2023 #PhoenixxInc #TrinityS #SkytheScraper #NeverAwake #PMStudios #StudioBravada #StarVaders #BigBoyBoxing #Soupmasters #JoystickVentures #LableThis #TheGapGame #CrunchingKoalas
This week… no time for pleasantries (Kyle)… Ben gets right into it! On day two he met Hollie, Johnson, Daniel, Cory, Sawyer, Andrew, Natalie, Chris G., Chris R., and Chris S…. all of whom he hopes will consider being a guest on 2VP in the future. Games he played, demos he experienced, and other video game related items he saw include: “PixelJunk Eden 2,” “PixelJunk Scrappers Deluxe,” “A Corgi’s Cozy Hike,” the VArmchair, “Castle Doombad,” the Pokémon card game, the VR game “Journey to Foundation,” “Animal Well,” and “Roman Sands RE:Build!” Ben’s stream of consciousness associations include: the word pixel, Ikea’s Poäng chair, and D.B. Weiss’ novel “Lucky Wander Boy.”
00:00:20 - the “Podcast in a Bag” Seattle theme
00:00:45 - PAX 2023 Day 2 starts with a boring breakfast
00:01:35 - Playing Q-Games Ltd.’s “PixelJunk Eden 2” with Hollie https://www.q-games.com/en/pixeljunk-eden-2-en/
00:05:41 - Playing Q-Games Ltd.’s “PixelJunk Scrappers Deluxe” show attendees - https://www.q-games.com/en/pixeljunk-scrappers-deluxe/
00:08:20 - The mysterious origin of the word pixel
00:09:30 - Playing and discussing the inspiration behind Scalisco Games’ “A Corgi's Cozy Hike” with Johnson and Daniel - https://scalisco.com/pages/a-corgis-cozy-hike
00:12:51 - Talking to furniture designer, carpenter, and gamer Cory about the VArmchair - https://batemanlabs.com/
00:16:24 - Ben’s favorite chair for podcasting and Poäng trivia
00:17:48 - Playing Grumpyface Studios’ “Castle Doombad” with Creative Director Chris - https://www.castledoombad.com/
00:22:12 - My failed attempt to learn how to play the Pokémon card game.
00:24:21 - Playing Archiact’s new VR game “Journey to Foundation” with PR specialist Chris - https://www.journeytofoundation.com/
00:30:51 - Talking to solo game developer Billy about his first game “Animal Well” - https://www.animalwell.net/
00:35:35 - Playing Serenity Forge’s “Roman Sands RE:Build!” with QA Specialist Chris - https://serenityforge.com/games/roman-sands-re-build
00:39:45 - D.B. Weiss’ “Lucky Wander Boy” and an uneventful yet enjoyable dinner
00:42:27 - Almost 3 burgers and a slice of key lime pie to close the show.
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PAXWest2023 #PAX2023 #QGames #PixelJunk #Salisco #Grumpyface #GrumpyfaceStudios #Archiact #SharedMemory #AnimalWell #VArmchair #BatemanLabs #SerenityForge
To help Johnson and Daniel reach their Kickstarter goal go here! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/scalisco/a-corgis-cozy-hike
Ben is back from Seattle and incredibly excited to talk about it! On day one he met Becky, Ty, David, Haylee, Rob, and Brandon… all of whom he hope will consider being a guest on 2VP in the future. Games he played or saw demos of include: “Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown,” “Wild Country,” “Cuisineer,” “Sail Forth,” “World of Horror,” and “Demonschool.” Of course it wouldn’t be Two Vague without diversions. Ben talks about his college PC, cooking in games, the origin of yacht rock, Junji Ito, and Mortal Kombat’s friendliest finishers.
00:00:20 - Intro and a brief history of the Penny Arcade Expo also known as PAX
00:04:16 - Going to PAX West 2023 my plans and expectations as a content creator
00:06:09 - Inspiration from travelogues, MS Excel love, and the next 3 episodes
00:07:43 - The slightly altered “Podcast in a Bag” theme… Seattle edition
00:07:55 - A sustainably sourced breakfast at Homegrown - https://eathomegrown.com/
00:08:32 - Playing UbiSoft’s “Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown” demo - https://www.ubisoft.com/en-us/game/prince-of-persia/the-lost-crown
00:11:35 - The original Prince of Persia games and memories of my 486DX
00:12:46 - The “Wild Country” demo with Becky from Lost Native - https://www.lostnative.co/wild-country
00:16:31 - Playing BattleBrew Production’s “Cuisineer” - https://www.cuisineerthegame.com/
00:18:58 - Remembering episode 63 on the word cook and the game BattleChef Brigade
00:20:35 - Playing Quantum Astrophysics Guild’s “Sail Forth” with publisher Ty and game designer David - https://www.qag.io/sail-forth.html
00:25:33 - The “yacht rock” interlude with Christopher Cross’ hit song Sailing (NOT literally)
00:26:32 - Playing “World of Horror” with Rob from Ysbryd - https://www.wohgame.com/
00:30:39 - Manga horror writer Junji Ito, and Ben is most interest in the one with the cats
00:33:41 - Playing Necrosoft’s “Demonschool” with game designer Brandon - https://necrosoftgames.com/demonschool/
00:39:43 - Mortal Kombat friendships, Jax playing jazz saxophone, and congressional hearings
00:41:30 - Dinner at Dough Zone - https://www.doughzonedumplinghouse.com/seattlepine
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PAXWest2023 #PAX2023 #LostNative #UbiSoft, #QAG, #Ysbryd, #Necrosoft #ReedPop
It may not seem like it at first, but Andrew and Ben are absolutely in this week’s word. They start out with what Andrew has been doing, and then Ben is a voyeur on Andrew’s flavored crisps adventure. First thoughts on the word include a life lesson, a pop singer’s breakout album, a trilogy of books by Jeff VanderMeer, and controlling the weather. On the subject of video games, the hosts discuss Starcraft, tower defense games, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, the Atari 2600 joystick, and 3 games by Remedy entertainment.
00:00:21 - Andrew’s geographical clues, Ghostbuster Afterlife, and back to school
00:03:30 - Commissioning a Christopher Walken sketch from “Bottle Rocket” era Owen Wilson
00:06:45 - Andrew’s Sensory Adventures with Suspicious Stew, Pizza, and Loaded Nachos!
00:10:34 - Satisfying Andrew’s expectation for Flame Medium, and no control group Pringles
00:13:30 - A modest proposal, a Twitter analogue, TikTok exists, blue skies, and Ben’s criticism
00:19:38 - Long list of definitions, old timey subtweets, and Ben repeats himself to feel better
00:23:24 - The limits of control, Janet Jackson (the youngest of 10), and the album Control
00:27:13 - Our utopia, Ben should call Janet Jackson, and you don’t have to eat them all now.
00:29:30 - The Souther Reach trilogy, Get Smart, current weather in Arizona, and cloud seeding
00:37:00 - Table salt, chaotic systems, weather, The (real) Avengers, and James Bond’s wife.
00:39:44 - Shade balls, no concrete evidence, AI hands, knuckles, and a giant space umbrella
00:43:51 - The Central Arizona Project, lessons not learned, Flint, and the butterfly effect
00:47:13 - Unknowns, recharge basins, the 2008 Summer Olympics, and smog elimination
00:50:01 - Andrew prefers turn-based game mechanics, and Vanillaware’s 13 Sentinels
00:54:47 - The lack of resilience in controllers, a linear progression, and winning the PEABODY!
00:57:58 - The game Control… Jesse is promoted to director of the FBC by the janitor
01:02:22 - Alan Wake 2 and Control share the same universe, and a hypothetical question
01:05:23 - Final thoughts on the word control, and Andrew will email his Buckaroo Banzai DVD
01:08:08 - Watch out for “Don’t Be Terrible” coming soon on ETC or Big Cartel, and potatoes
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Madison and Ben are excited to get philosophical with this week’s word which has a simple definition but a uniquely nuanced meaning, but first… what’s new with the hosts? Madison is reading American Dirt and Ben is playing Tango Gameworks’ “Ghostwire: Tokyo.” They take turns reflecting on what they are grateful for: experiences, trips, connections, books, and more. Before closing out the show, Madison teaches Ben about the “five love languages.”
00:00:21 - Tattoos, leg sleeves, cummerbunds, and Madison does not support the torso-pants 00:03:27 - Ben’s sphere, playing “Ghostwire: Tokyo,” and it’s actually called etherial weaving 00:05:10 - Lithuanian hosts, folklore, American Dirt by Jeanine Cumminsand, and arithmetic 00:08:29 - The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen, weird noises, and Ben’s dating fail at Fermilab 00:11:21 - Words in gratitude, number of boobs, the straightforward definition, and usage 00:14:05 - A continuation of childhood, abundance, being thankful, and being supportive 00:17:00 - Growing up in Big Bear, reflecting on experiences, Arizona storms, and PUDDLES! 00:20:48 - No public puddles, video game friendships, unexpected learnings, and thankfulness 00:25:15 - Being a drone, respect, word trees, White out, and a coworker filled support system 00:29:06 - The merits of Facebook, handfuls of coinage, not a stalker, and Sarah get married 00:31:36 - A “stretch” moment, meeting friends in New Zealand, and sharing wisdom 00:34:33 - Remembering photographs, scrapbooks, blackmail material, and dreaming of Japan 00:37:35 - Phalanges, gravitas, not wrong, universal thankfulness, and picking favorites 00:40:41 - Gratitude journals, food for your food, showing gratitude, and Ben is not familiar 00:43:43 - Exploring the definitions of the love languages: touch, time, words, gifts, and service 00:47:55 - Reading your partner’s love language, and Ben starts to understand the concept 00:50:18 - Religious twang, felines told the Egyptians to build, connections, and Westworld 00:53:57 - Peter Henry Fonda (not Henry), Andrea’s Westworld event experience, and cravings 00:57:29 - Ben has never been pregnant, the “no” jynx, and wrapping it up with final thoughts 01:00:04 - Madison recommends journaling via the “BRAIN DUMP” method.
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Continuing the conversation about Italy… sort of… Andrew and Ben discuss Pringles flavors from around the world . Ben adds a little bit of trivia about their brand mascot before the conversation switches to video games. Street Fighter 6 has introduced a new character from Italy named Marisa (secretly Ben’s new waifu)! As promised in the airplane episode, Ben reluctantly played Assassin’s Creed 2 which he describes as a “game out of time,” and he shares his thoughts from his first 10 (and only) hours of play. To close out the show… Andrew’s recommendation and irony.
00:00:21 - The Pringles display at the Schiphol Amsterdam Airport… and flame medium 00:02:58 - Ketchup flavored Pringles in Italy, and Andrew didn’t go to Europe to buy Pringles 00:04:17 - Explosive chili, an age related medical procedure, and TikTok friendly proctologists 00:06:10 - Culinary fouls of the Pringles variety, and Minecraft suspicious stew description 00:08:58 - How Mr. P got his first name, herbs, and the Screaming Dill Pickle show! 00:11:56 - Descending further down the flavor rabbit hole, and refreshing sassiness 00:14:01 - Andrew is still playing Civilization, and Marisa the master of Pankration and jewelry 00:17:00 - Marrow bones, fine arts, and Ben’s least favorite franchises Assassin’s Creed 00:19:10 - Meeting Leonardo DeVinci, blood oath humor, and Ben’s favorite line in the game 00:21:28 - Ezio’s backstory, learning stealth from sex workers, and being casual on the roof 00:24:50 - Plague doctors, secondhand leaches, creepy masks, and the third SNL reference 00:26:50 - The Hunt for Red October, stereotypical accents, and vaginas aren’t enough 00:30:45 - Hangover movies, playing chess, and getting liquored up… on a plane 00:33:48 - Sleeping on airplanes, our least favorite airlines don’t believe in legroom 00:36:02 - Go to Italy, finding history, no turtle shells or banana peels, and licensing Mario 00:39:36 - An “espresso with panna” callback, social media trepidation, and a sense of irony
Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on… His website: https://partlyrobot.com/ On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot
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Andrew from Partly Robot Industries ( https://partlyrobot.com/ ) joins Ben this week to share his vacationing experiences with his family in Italy! After Ben delivers the obligatory definition along with a side of geographic facts, they dive right in to the storytelling festivities. Andrew talks about the interesting history of Vatican City, his experience driving a Fiat 500L, staying at a farmhouse in Tuscany, a feast catered by a gaggle of nonne, and literally being “star crossed” the morning of a music festival in the Italian city of Lucca.
00:00:21 - Ben’s dad humor… with panna, and Andrew’s relaxing and exhausting vacation 00:02:21 - Geographic features of Italy, Vatican City, art history, Google Maps, and the pope 00:04:51 - Important Jesus days, and Protestants think you should take Jesus stuff seriously 00:07:50 - How Vatican City became a micro-state; Mussolini’s and the pope’s deal 00:09:47 - The most embassies, architecture, medical professionals with leeches, and tourists 00:12:59 - English speakers, a working farmhouse in Tuscany, Florence, and no choice in rental 00:15:40 - A sea of Fiats, the “big” Fiat 500 L, the wrong car, and manual vs muscle memory 00:19:30 - Mad Max driving in Disneyland, toll booths, and culture of driving on the Autostrada 00:23:10 - Roundabouts, driving on narrow roads, and Ben likes saying the word Chunnel 00:26:06 - “Sort of” rear ended, a love tap, get the insurance, Fiat SpA, and some history 00:30:12 - A tiny garbage truck from Florence, Japanese Engineering, and Mexican knowhow 00:32:22 - A family vineyard, purple feet, wine peer pressure, and something unexpected 00:34:48 - Lucca not Luka, star forts, Napoleon Plaza, and Paul Stanley drinking espresso 00:38:36 - Summer Festival 2023, the Italian division of the KISS Army, and bastion forts 00:41:21 - “Iron, physics, and heavy stuff,” family home chapels, and more Jesus stuff 00:44:42 - A dinner catered by Italian grandmothers who are particular about pronunciation 00:47:55 - Andrew is pro-nap, getting tickets, a QR code mirage, and not hirable in Florida 00:51:43 - Nudity for statues only, no bare shoulders, the shawl stall, and do your research 00:54:39 - A second SNL skit reference, and the “so tell me about the Pringles” cliffhanger!
TO BE CONTINUED in Episode 85 - Italy (part 2)
Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on… His website: https://partlyrobot.com/ On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot
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This week Ben and Norah contemplate the questions “are you… or have you ever been…,” but first they talk about what they have been up to. Surprising nobody, Norah has been watching plays and Ben has been (GASP!) playing his PS5. After the definition ceremonies they discover that they each have very different first thoughts, but they both agree that experience can be vastly different for an individual. They take a detour through the philosophical before moving on to games. Finally, Ben talks about the origin of experience points in games, how video games utilize XP, and a few terms for Norah to add to her gamer glossary.
00:00:20 - 1 word, 2 hosts, stories, trivia, mumbo-jumbo, beige, and Futurama 00:02:20 - The Stratford Shakespeare Festival, sacking creative directors, and critiques 00:05:01 - Taking pills, Little Women, Little Richard the Second, and a Wrinkle in Time 00:07:30 - American Players Theater in Spring Green Wisconsin, and Frank Lloyd Wright 00:09:02 - Ben finished Deathloop and started on Ghostwire Tokyo and Ridiculous Fishing EX 00:11:52 - Presenting the definition and origin: Norah takes the noun and Ben takes the verb 00:15:02 - Jimi Hendrix and generational perspectives on playing the Star Spangled Banner 00:18:38 - The Isley Brothers, and what does the song “Are you experienced” mean? 00:21:37 - One of Ben’s favorite movies “Brainstorm,” and a spoiler alert for a 40 year old film 00:25:15 - Recording brainwaves, drawing parallels to VR, and Norah is older than Ben 00:28:39 - Pinecones, too many variables, comprehensive Wikipedia articles, and webs 00:31:18 - “If there was a way you could experience something in a virtual environment…” 00:35:27 - Adrenalin, internalizing, a trip to Lithuania, food based profiling, and phrases 00:40:20 - A philosophical question, the senses, acquiring experience in games, and XP 00:43:04 - A “Dungeons & Dragons” origin, and experience points in roleplaying games 00:45:17 - Gaining experience points in “Ghostwire: Tokyo,” and Norah grasps the concept 00:48:00 - Types of XP growth progressions, eating, grinding, power-leveling, and a respec 00:53:42 - Do we want games to present realistic ways of gaining experience? 00:57:22 - Expectations, perceptions, perspectives on video games experience, and balance 01:01:35 - Vaguely putting a bow on the experience show… sort of!
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This week Ben is joined by Andrew from Partly Robot Industries for an appropriately timely conversation about a vehicular method for domestic and international travel… with OR without the exclamation point! Andrew’s going to Italy (and on a side quest or two), so Ben wants to assist in his mental preparation and support him in any way he can. What’s the best way to prepare for the perils of air travel… is the answer watch airplane themed movies? Who’s to say? The hosts discuss the movies they watched to get themselves in the flight headspace, so to speak: Snakes on a Plane, Airplane II: the Sequel, Soul Plane, Mad Max Beyond Thuderdome, and Zero Hour! In the video games section, Ben and Andrew talk about River Raid, After Burner, 1942, Microsoft’s Flight Simulator franchise, and Airplane Mode. To close the show the hosts each share an air travel story from their past.
00:00:21 - A shepherd of wayward wizards, up the hat game, sacking Rome, and Scott Bakula 00:05:00 - The current state of downtown Portland, to Croatia by paddle boat, and Ben’s news 00:08:19 - Special preparations, a masseuse theory, cheesy moons, and astronaut ice cream 00:10:40 - Some time in the 1920s, flying buttresses, dirigibles, and the Pima Air Museum 00:13:07 - Ben watched “Zero Hour!” the movie that made the PG rated movie “Airplane!” 00:19:12 - The lasagna, see it if you’re a fan, and Ben recommends watching “Police Squad!” 00:21:22 - Andrew watched “Airplane II: The Sequel” and “Soul Plane” to prepare for the show 00:26:14 - A critics’ summary of “Soul Plane,” a different take, and a great idea… lockers! 00:29:52 - A movie featuring ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales. 00:33:24 - A horrible plan, a warm baby in snake vision, and what boa constrictor snacks on 00:36:40 - An excellent theme for a child’s birthday, and platypuses on a hovercraft 00:39:20 - Airplane action, opposite of “Lord of the Flies,” and the George Miller movie timeline 00:42:31 - The Kevin Bacon game, Ben’s got a lay-Bacon number of two, and Colm Meaney 00:45:35 - Activision game patches, River Raid, Space Shuttle, and two possible outcomes 00:48:09 - After Burner, something that 8th graders tell 7th graders, and boot discs 00:50:16 - Capcom’s 194X series, shoot em’ ups, bullet hell, and game or joke 00:52:26 - AMC Games’ “Airplane Mode,” meal includes fish option, and Ben’s promise 00:56:00 - Ben will play Assassin’s Creed 2 while Andrew is in Italy, and airplane stories 00:57:23 - Ben’s Story: Cleveland, Grandma, flooded Cadillac, hot towels, and cold feet 01:00:20 - Andrew’s Story: Computers, lessons learned, mood slime, and being late 01:05:17 - Nearly universal, angel and devil on shoulders, and the waiter from The Buena Vista 01:08:24 - In closing… Ben’s airplane quote from a movie about submarines
For more information on what Andrew is up to, check out https://partlyrobot.com and https://partlyrobot.com/link-in-bio/ for his social media links!
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Norah joins Ben this week for a discussion about recursion, and speaking of… Happy Second Anniversary to us! Norah has just seen another loud musical, and Ben is champing at the bit to talk about the game he’s been playing lately. They start their circuitous loop with some Canadian music industry trivia, a correction for the dystopia episode, the definition, and unintentionally making fun of the Scottish. More loop centric topics include… making jewelry, an area of downtown Chicago, digital music, computer programming languages, rollercoasters, mathematics, Norah’s Summer job in college, and “time loop” movies. On the topic of video games, Ben explains the importance of engaging gameplay loops, his stance on game reviews, and his experiences with the game Deathloop by Arkane Studios.
00:00:21 - Ben’s recursion joke fail, and Norah sees the “updated” musical Tommy 00:02:42 - Other musicals… American Idiot and Jagged Little Pill, and “also known as music” 00:04:27 - Interesting Canadian music idiosyncrasies, and a dystopia episode correction 00:07:02 - 2nd Anniversary, weird duck callback, and a heartfelt THANK YOU to listeners! 00:09:30 - The definition according to Web and Ox, and Ben adds back some superfluous stuff 00:12:17 - “So I Married an Axe Murderer,” vegetarian haggis, loopholes, jewelry, and the loupe 00:15:05 - Jump rings, perspectives of helixes, the Chicago Loop, and US state opinions 00:18:57 - Ben is mistaken, what is in “the Loop,” the Chicago fireworks, and M3Ps? 00:21:17 - Audio formats, songs on a loop, “My Weekly Mixtape” shoutout, and recursion 00:23:30 - Norah is above BASIC, FORTRAN 77, and other loops in computer programming 00:25:08 - Marry the FORTRAN teacher, middle school is NOT grade school, and classrooms 00:27:45 - Mental math, Adderall, first looping rollercoaster “Flip Flap Railway,” and clothoids 00:32:26 - “Shuttle Loop” rollercoasters, strange loops, the Möbius strip, and Socrates 00:35:10 - A child’s perspective on math, the Museum of Science and Industry, and the U-505 00:37:07 - Submarines are cramped, the coal mine, model trains, and going in to video games 00:39:30 - Ben explains gameplay loops, a rare dad joke from Norah, and Donut County 00:43:25 - Match 3 game loops, Norah understands, and Ben mentions Deathloop 00:45:19 - A discussion about movies, television, and books using the “time loop” concept 00:48:07 - Celebrating “Groundhog’s Day,” and “The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle” 00:49:34 - Ben undersells the movie Looper, and other “living the same day” movies 00:51:35 - The premise (relatively spoiler free) and game mechanics of the game “Deathloop” 00:54:03 - Discrepancies in user and news outlet reviews, and the start of Ben’s critique 00:57:33 - “Redfall,” how skill trees work, a disclaimer, and the importance of intelligent AI 01:01:00 - Seven, Norah comes clean on playtime, some balancing is needed, and a bug 01:03:17 - Ben nitpicking about reviews, know your reviewer, and closing the show!
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FUN FACT - The Great Train Story is a 3,500-square-foot HO scale model railroad display located in the Transportation Zone of Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry!
In this storytelling-heavy episode, Madison joins Ben to reminisce about the days of their youth. The hosts compare their experiences as children and reflect upon how these events have impacted their lives. Ben and Madison grew up in very different households, yet they share some common personality traits… aside from being “birthday twins!” Madison has minimal experience and interest in video games, but she still has thought provoking questions for Ben about how his hobby shaped him as a person. As an added bonus, we get to hear a genuine laugh from Madison when she is educated about the “hot girl walk.”
00:00:24 - Madison doesn’t get the Ice Cube song reference… illustrating Ben’s old nickname 00:01:53 - Madison’s interest in the word childhood… compare and contrast… stability 00:04:30 - Looking forward to culture shock, going on trips solo, and exploring new places 00:07:00 - Madison’s siblings, going to the schools where parents taught, and transitioning 00:09:45 - Apologizing for transgressions, Madison’s musical forte, and the impact of music 00:12:52 - Rock music, Neil Diamond, Country Music, and innocence in childhood 00:15:41 - “Questions are free,” Madison’s childhood bedroom, and checkerboard and hands 00:19:03 - Etymology of the word childhood, Ben thinks of creativity, and oldest memories 00:22:11 - Stanley the potbelly pig, and memories of grandparents and great grandparents 00:24:01 - The birthday twins discuss the question, “does childhood end at the age of 18?” 00:27:56 - Ben remembers the Indiana dunes, how parents meet, and picking your battles 00:32:02 - The number 3, dealing with family grief, and “fool me once…” 00:34:27 - How divorce impacted Ben’s childhood, independence, and safety in numbers 00:37:10 - Allowing children to experience independence, a second childhood, and sneezing 00:38:55 - Pinball idiosyncrasies, no interest in video games, and the latchkey kid 00:44:18 - Learning social skills in a mall, and differences in how we develop independence 00:48:37 - Work ethics, paper routes, starting fires in Girl Scouts, and asking for money 00:51:25 - Madison asks Ben some questions, video game stigmas, and entertainment 00:54:25 - Ben talks about going to PAX, pinball back glass art, and Madison loves museums 00:56:47 - Nightly routine, “hot girl walk,” Madison laughs for 7 seconds, and walking dates 00:58:13 - Playing soccer in the hallway and being a kid in your own home 01:03:36 - Differences in the length of time gamers play consecutively, and smaller experiences 01:07:07 - Taking parts of your childhood into the future, differences, and similarities 01:11:37 - Stay tuned for forthcoming childhood episodes from Ben and Madison?
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Norah and Ben are feeling a bit philosophical this week (as illustrated by the topic word), and in our humble opinion they do not disappoint on the discussion front. First up on the docket, what they have been up to. Norah has been preparing a (timely) history presentation, and Ben has been playing a Sega game created as an April Fools prank. The conversation then turns to dystopian themes in fiction and other media. Ben shares some information about an inclusive community in India before moving to Russia (not literally) and the game Atomic Heart by Mundfish. Norah closes the show with an interesting question for your post-show debating pleasure.
00:00:21 - Ben doing some “workshopping,” and Norah’s discussion and presentation groups
00:03:03 - Going from being a teacher to being a teacher, and Sonic is murdered?!?
00:05:38 - Playing the role of an anthropomorphic quokka that works on the “mystery train”
00:08:41 - Starting the conversation with the definitions and origins of utopia and dystopia
00:10:40 - Jonathan Swift’s “Gulliver’s Travels,” and Ben can’t remember the Brobdingnagians
00:12:25 - Cacotopians, Anthony Burgess’ quote, and Norah starts sharing her research
00:14:51 - Mango and Bash are being bureau-cats, types of control, and data collection
00:17:00 - Differing opinions on the word apocalypse, and authors of dystopian fiction
00:20:02 - Phillip K. Dick is a strange Dick, Norah’s not a fan of Sci-Fi, and Mexican food
00:23:18 - Book burning, self-expression, Lithuanian story, and Ben doesn’t care for that Hitler
00:26:03 - Dystopian themes, Willian Golding’s “Lord of the Flies,” and a “real” utopia
00:28:33 - BuzzFeed’s “Follow This” Auroville (City of Dawn) investigation by Editor Rega Jha
00:31:18 - The 4 point charter, other episode of Follow This, and the problem with humans
00:38:02 - Ben’s experiences with the game Atomic Heart and its 1950’s dystopian setting
00:40:07 - The brief history of Facility 3826, and could robots create a utopia?
00:42:49 - Controversial rumblings about Mundfish and the release of Atomic Heart
00:45:40 - The Ministry of Digital Transformation, video game revenue models, and tanks
00:48:02 - A love letter to BioShock, what Ben enjoyed in the game, and obvious Easter eggs
00:52:45 - Things Ben thought needed additional development attention in Atomic Heart
00:54:24 - ELEVATORS, loading screens on the PS5, and dystopias in real life
00:57:33 - Closing the show with Norah’s philosophical question about a dystopia
Special guest Brian, the mastermind behind the “My Weekly Mixtape” podcast, joins Ben this week for an episode steeped in their childhood nostalgia! The word is mixtape, and the hosts will be talking at length about their experiences and memories making them. It wouldn’t be the Two Vague Podcast if there wasn’t a diversion or two along the way, but then Ben has a surprise for Brian to close out the show. They are going to make a MIXTAPE (sort of) composed of a list of memorable arcade games past and present!
00:00:21 - Introducing Brian and his “My Weekly Mixtape” podcast
00:03:05 - Brian and his buddies curated gaming centric mixes for sleepovers
00:06:13 - What sorts of shows are coming to MWM, and “musically and edibley”
00:09:12 - Teaching the younger viewers(?), tape customizations, and the gift of music
00:12:55 - Efficiency, “measure twice, cut once,” definition of mixtape, history, and statistics
00:16:18 - The fragility of cassette tapes, the worst band of all time, and not very becoming
00:17:58 - Ben bought the “Vivid” album 5 times, and home recording was NOT killing music
00:20:30 - Ignoring the innuendo in music, rumors in the time before Google, and Zima
00:23:44 - A mixology warning from Brian, get off the Zima, and Ben’s mixtapes for purposes
00:27:12 - Brian’s fascination with radio, using “deep cuts,” and an album’s track order
00:31:45 - Where Ben and Brian developed their love of music, and playing an instrument
00:34:10 - “Hot Cross Buns,” the devil’s instruments, and Brian and Ben’s game preferences
00:37:34 - Conflicting opinions on “Space Ace,” the Sega CD, and the ESRB
00:40:23 - Nintendo games with the family, the art style of Don Bluth, and Brian’s assignment
00:43:25 - Brian and Ben create a 10 game arcade using the patented(?) MWM approach
00:43:35 - Game #1 BRIAN - Konami 1988 - The Main Event
00:46:55 - Game #2 BEN - Konami 1987 - Contra
00:48:17 - Game #3 BRIAN - Midway 1997 - NFL Blitz
00:50:40 - Game #4 BEN - Atari 1988 - Cyberball
00:52:03 - Game #5 BRIAN - Nintendo 1984 - Duck Hunt
00:53:42 - Game #6 BEN - Williams 1984 - Turkey Shoot
00:54:45 - Game #7 BRIAN - Devecka Enterprises 1997 - MTV Drumscape
00:57:53 - Game #8 BEN - Bally Midway 1983 - Journey
01:00:52 - Game #9 BRIAN - Namco 2005 - Mario Kart Arcade GP
01:02:10 - Game #10 BEN - Taito 1989 - Night Striker
01:03:05 - Brian and Ben’s closing thoughts on the word mixtape
Check out Brian’s My Weekly Mixtape website for links to his social media offerings, as well as the show’s episodes and Spotify playlists! https://myweeklymixtape.com/
Norah joins Ben this week on a show that is rated V for vague! They are taking about the word rating for about 83 percent of the show, and they hope that your interest, in this specific case, is very high! Get it? After sharing what they have been watching recently, they dive right in to the definition. Ben explores the nature of MPAA movie ratings, examines their relation to censorship, and provides a couple of examples from two of his favorite movies… Galaxy Quest and Robocop. Norah recalls her experiences in advertising, drops some Michelin restaurant knowledge, and relays positive vides on the work of Consumer Reports. Finally, the discussion turns to the US government and how a congressional hearing and the strange game Night Trap helped to shape the ESRB’s video game ratings system.
00:00:21 - Ben tries something new, and Norah saw the “Little Jagged Pill” musical
00:03:00 - Ben’s dad joke about mediocrity, and then he apologizes for getting a name wrong
00:05:10 - Ben buys a movie to repent and tells Norah about the premise for “Be Kind Rewind”
00:09:25 - The definition according to Ox Ford Languages, yachts, and angry reprimands
00:12:45 - Again with the Google N-gram Viewer, and Ben unintentionally tests Norah
00:15:33 - Norah thinks that the definition needs to be simplified, and Ben can’t affords a yacht
00:17:54 - Mild censorship and how ratings can control what you read, view, play, etc.
00:20:56 - The subjective nature and the sliding scale of ratings systems
00:23:07 - From the Hayes Code to the MPAA rating system… is it still censorship?
00:26:28 - Bring your lawyer to the movie theater, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
00:28:56 - Example of how the movie industry uses ratings to stifle creativity: “Galaxy Quest”
00:31:34 - Robocop, Siskel and Ebert, and Ben’s rendition of the “At the Movies” theme
00:36:44 - Norah explains the origin of Michelin star ratings
00:39:28 - Consumer Reports, schools, grades, books, and Neilson Ratings
00:43:40 - Metacritic, Rotten Tomatoes, on a scale of 1 to boring, and Norah’s tiny rebellion
00:46:30 - Ben’s impression… video games are not always completed before they are reviewed
00:49:29 - The Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) and their classifications
00:51:14 - Atari 2600 pornographic games, cartoon violence, and congressional hearings
00:53:21 - Ben explains the convoluted narrative and simple gameplay of Night Trap
00:58:43 - The United States 103rd Congress intervenes, and the creation of Night Trap
01:02:28 - Ninja burglars, Vampires, non-reproducible violence, and the 25th Anniversary
01:05:17 - One of the worst ranking systems is one that doesn’t take history in to account
01:09:05 - Final thoughts… subjectivity, parents, tools, subtle neglect, and individuality
01:12:21 - Ben agrees with Norah, a VERY late tangent, and goodbye
Amaya is in the “studio” this week with Ben and the pod-cats. Amaya and Ben are eager to talk about the topic word and their individual healing journeys, but first, Amaya sets a challenge for herself (for the record the tally was “one hundred percent”=1 and “totally”=4, so only 5 punches were required). It should go without saying, but as always with these two, there will be a wide assortment of tangents explored including: Michel Gondry movies, medical symbols, bandaids, recreational drug experience stories, and the joys of being single. To wrap it up, the hosts talk about the unique storytelling in Witch Beam’s 2021 game “Unpacking,” their favorite “comfort food” games, and FLOOR CHICKEN?
00:00:21 - Amaya says we’re on a healing journey, and the “hot girl walk”
00:02:00 - Hold Amaya accountable by punching yourself, and the definitions of the word heal
00:04:20 - Origin of the world heal, Ben ponders, and the first thing Amaya thinks of
00:06:41 - Part of the healing arc is finding the new normal, and the origin of the podcast
00:09:15 - The ways we manage our stress, the importance of feeling okay, and journaling
00:12:21 - Ben’s sage-like advice about forgiveness, and Amaya doesn’t have a time machine
00:14:42 - “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” and the concept of erasing memories
00:16:50 - Ben takes Amaya down the Michel Gondry rabbit hole
*** Ben would like to apologize to Michel Gondry for calling him Michael; he sincerely apologizes for any undue harm that has befallen Michel’s family as a result of his ignorance.
00:19:10 - Ben talks about the curious case of the Caduceus and the Rod of Asclepius
00:21:33 - Different rods… Caduceus, Asclepius, and… OF DEATH!
00:23:34 - Using bandaids for attention, imagining getting shot, and the healers of the world
00:26:22 - Amaya talks about “The Body Keeps the Score…” by Bessel van der Kolk
00:28:31 - Different types of healing, being labeled as an introvert, and conversational burnout
00:31:55 - Knowing yourself, being single, social norms, and finding your own stability
00:35:54 - Finding comfort in spirituality and hope, and medicinal healing with mushrooms
00:38:13 - LSD brain, Timothy Leary, and learning from other people’s drug experiences
00:41:29 - Knowing people struggling with addiction, “Beautiful Boy,” and comedy
00:43:27 - Talking about the wonder game “Unpacking” and it’s “narrative” about healing
00:46:29 - The awards won by Unpacking, and how Wren Brier came up with the concept
00:49:26 - Minecraft, The Sims, Animal Crossing, and The Last of 1 and 2
00:52:50 - Amaya’s Rock Band drumming and the healing power of music
00:54:01 - Upcoming guest Brian Colburn and his new show My Weekly Mixtape
*** Check out Brian’s show on you favorite podcast services or from the website at https://myweeklymixtape.com/
00:58:18 - What the heck is “floor chicken?”
01:00:12 - Final thoughts on the word heal
This special episode represents a new direction that we are going in the future (since our “Only Fans” page didn’t take off like we expected). Since the pandemic reaction videos have been all the rage, and we’re feeling a little left out, so we are announcing our switch to Two Vague Reactions: audio only reactions to video content! You can follow along or just listen to us react to stuff!
Amaya joins Ben this week to react to the Death Stranding Director’s Cut trailer. There’s something for everyone in this video… tar-like goop, packages, Norman Reedus, rain that accelerates time, the song Goliath by Woodkid (which we can’t include in the recording due to copyright), and premature babies in jars! Following the “whatever is applicable”-along, the hosts will discuss there thoughts and feelings about the video and the game if they have played it. FUN!
00:00:42 - Prepare for your boat to be rocked!
00:02:12 - START the trailer here
00:06:57 - trailer END… let’s talk about it!
00:07:14 - Hideo Kojima’s legacy and what did Amaya think of the trailer?
00:09:01 - BBs, BTs, and an acid trip that lasts upwards of 50 hours
00:10:15 - The cut scenes explain the story, but they are far too long
00:12:00 - Games as art and complaining about the audience
00:13:38 - Cetacean stranding and director’s cuts
00:16:27 - A difference of opinion about the movies Tenet and Inception
00:19:00 - Ben’s Edward Cullen story, and the final opinion!
This week Ben takes Norah on an adventure with a word she has no interest in, but first Norah talks about three games she tried playing while she was visiting her nephew. After the pleasantries, Norah fastens her seatbelt and prepares to be bombarded with Ben’s research. Subjects and diversions include: memories of historical news moments, “The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension,” the found footage movie genre, the first found footage film, and the video game designs of Sam Barlow.
00:00:21 - Norah is back from Arizona, and Ben decides that Norah needs a manservant.
00:02:42 - Games Ben and Norah played: “Dragon’s Crown,” “Katamari Damacy,” and…
00:05:22 - “It Takes Two!” What does Norah think of when she thinks of video games?
00:07:52 - Ben is proud, Norah swears like a sailor, and THE Sacagawea
00:09:21 - Norah’s foot age is 76, Ben thinks he has tiny feet, and “are you nuts?”
00:11:13 - The origin of the term footage, movies, sizes, and watching the news
00:13:44 - The Space Shuttle Challenger, Apollo 11, actually awesome, and advertising
00:17:22 - Memorable news and the declining value of footage and video
00:21:38 - Thought experiments and the found footage movie genre
00:24:21 - Concert footage, The Beatles, Peter Jackson, Yoko Ono, and “Cannibal Holocaust”
00:27:32 - A movie summary, Italian exploitation cinema, and Red Brigades terrorism
00:31:17 - Ben shows his gullible side, DVD and Blu-Ray extras, and the watermelon
00:38:18 - British video game designer Sam Barlow and the unique storytelling in “Aisle”
00:43:18 - Ben’s thoughts on the 2015 game “Her Story,” written and directed by Sam Barlow
00:45:11 - Ben played “Telling Lies,” but he wasn’t impressed and has feedback
00:47:56 - “Immortality” from 2022 is Ben’s favorite Sam Barlow / Half Mermaid game
00:56:09 - Norah’s final thoughts equals zero, and Ben says check out “Immortality”
00:58:45 - Ben gets distracted with talk of pinball machines and dispenses some trivia
Ben is joined by Norah this week, and cooperatively they investigate this week’s word. Things out a little slow conversationally, but then their on-brand rampant digression kicks in with topics such as television procedurals, the “cozy” genre of mysteries, the movie adaptation of Japanese author Kōtarō Isaka’s black humour thriller novel “Maria Beetle,” Ben’s favorite Chris Columbus movie script, and Scandinavian Noir. To close out the show, Norah listens intently while Ben talks about some of his favorite mystery themed point and click adventure games and Nintendo DS games from Capcom’s Shu Takumi. In the final words, Norah includes a book series recommendation (Jutta Profijt’s “Morgue Drawer”), and Ben casually endorses the television series “iZombie.”
00:00:21 - Surf’s up in Chicago, 8AM installations, and what Norah is watching00:04:27 - State of mind, predictability, life things, mysteries of the sexes, and pod people00:07:21 - From digressions to definitions, the death of Raquel Welch, and Ox N. Ford 00:11:00 - Origins of mystery, mysticism, Ben’s personal definition, and the denouement 00:13:40 - Guitars, books, television, movies, and the genre of the Cozy Mystery00:18:18 - Egg preparations, the golden age of detective fiction, and “Abracadaver!”00:21:35 - Movie mystery preferences, cycling streaming services, and greed00:23:57 - Ben talks “Bullet Train” directed by a Brad Pitt / Jean-Claude Van Damme facsimile 00:29:00 - Storytelling preferences for mystery movies, and Norah’s cozy mystery trajectory 00:31:41 - The procedural mystery, character development in television, and realism 00:34:44 - Scandinavian Nior, IKEA, Encyclopedia Brown, Nancy Drew, and the Hardy Boys00:38:35 - Enola Holmes, messing with Sherlock Holmes cannon, and Chris Columbus movies00:42:22 - Norah adds one more before moving on to mystery games… questionable meat!
00:43:39 - Correction: “Grim Fandango” was Tim Schaffer’s second game as a project leader
00:46:45 - “Sam & Max Hit the Road,” the largest ball of twine, and other roadside attractions00:49:19 - “Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney,” “The Thing” in Arizona, and to-do lists00:52:10 - Ben explains Shu Takumi’s “Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective” to Norah00:55:13 - An interesting Nintendo direct remaster announcement, more trivia, and a step00:57:57 - Starting the wrap-up, a couple of recommendations, and ending mystery
This week, Norah joins Ben to talk about a subjective… subject. The word is art, so prepare yourself for a more philosophical episode than you're used to. The hosts share their love of observing, appreciating, making, and talking about art. Ben tells a few stories, Norah brings her research, and they both drop many artist and architect names. For details about the episode’s "video game bookends," see below!
Video games mentioned or discussed (albeit briefly) in this episode include:
- Mahjong Dimensions - by Arkadium
- Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On! - GAME FREAK
- The Grand Theft Auto franchise - Rockstar Games
- World of Demons - PlatinumGames
- Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, and Dragon’s Crown - Vanillaware
- Jet Set Radio - Smilebit and Sega
- The Borderlands franchise - Gearbox Software
00:00:21 - Chicago snowstorms, gauntlets, removable hands, and one big wind tunnel
00:02:30 - What we are playing these days: Mahjong Dimensions and Pocket Card Jockey
00:05:27 - An impromptu endorsement of Apple services and products
00:06:40 - Art according to Oxford Languages, the 13 Bhutanese Arts, and the Art of War
00:10:30 - Subjectivity, relativity, no abbreviations, “art thou,” and ars
00:12:20 - Personal meanings of the word, Ben’s arts of podcasting, and NFT-like episode titles
00:15:30 - Ben asks, “when you follow a pattern, are you creating art?”
00:17:42 - Norah’s “not normal people” when drawing and painting, and Ben’s modern art
00:20:46 - Paint by numbers is so much easier with iPads, and representative art philosophy
00:26:28 - Impressionism, art as form, Norah loves Frank Gehry, and noisy mimes
00:33:32 - Architecture of Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
00:35:47 - Ben’s Mister 20 / POÄNG chair diversion, and an architect’s furniture designs
00:38:51 - HEY GRAHAM! Do you know what would make this podcast better?
00:40:42 - Norah’s experiences at this year’s International Puppet Festival in Chicago
00:43:19 - Bad puppet show criteria, Tony Scott, and thinking about what isn’t art
00:45:51 - Paul’s impressive latte art, art student Dread Scott, and the movie “So Fine”
00:50:38 - The use photorealism and other stylistic choices in video games
00:54:09 - Ben loves Vanillaware Ltd. games, and talks about the company’s history
00:57:25 - Ben tries to explain hand painted images, RTS games, and pointless teasers
01:00:01 - “Better Off Ted,” Jabberwocky, and Ben loses his train of thought
01:02:20 - Norah impressed by the art style of “World of Demons”
01:04:28 - The cel shading game art style, ne’er-do-wells, graffiti art, and Jean-Michel Basquiat
01:08:40 - Perceptions of art, closing thoughts, the art of shame
If episode graphics are not displayed or supported by your preferred podcast app, you can check them out at www.twovaguepodcast.com .
Joining Ben in the studio this week is Melody… a retired Marine, a student at the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management, and an amateur bodybuilder in the Women’s Figure Division working toward getting her pro card! She’s a very busy person, but she was able to make some time to talk to us about this week’s word fit and to educate us about the often misunderstood sport of bodybuilding. Ben asks some questions that maybe you were afraid to, and he tells an embarrassing first date story. Melody shares stories about how she and her husband met, how she became interested in the sport through her husband’s preparation to compete in men’s bodybuilding, the importance of finding the right coach, and maybe a little bit about video games at the end.
00:00:21 - Introducing Melody and talking about what she is doing these days00:02:41 - Fusing spines, mental health, quality of life improvements, and the definition of fit00:04:45 - How the hosts think about fit, and maybe Ben should review the definitions00:06:46 - A skein, a case of mistaken ethnicity, and how Melody met her husband
FUN FACT: a skein is yarn wound into an oblong bundle ready to be used to knit or crochet
00:08:31 - How Melody became interested in bodybuilding, and balancing work/sport/family00:12:04 - Ben’s interest in bodybuilding, differences between NPC and IFBB, and pro cards00:14:40 - Qualifications for “The Olympia” past and present, competition days, and small legs00:18:05 - Ben admits to being a dating moron in his 20s, Diva the gladiator, and confidence00:21:21 - How Melody deals with misconceptions about the sport and body dysmorphia00:24:10 - Bodybuilding in the age of social media, and dealing with bullies as Generation X00:27:33 - Generational perceptions, the importance of a solid coach, and self-coaching00:32:48 - The Women’s Figure Division, differences between divisions, and the X shape00:37:34 - Using Olympia winners as a target, a shoutout to Cyd Gillon, and what is “grainy”00:40:23 - Melody’s future in the Figure Division and her coach’s thoughts on a division change00:43:10 - Ben has questions about performance enhancing drugs in bodybuilding00:47:35 - Bodybuilding choices, myths, addiction, and getting ready for a competition00:50:24 - Ben asks, “do we want to talk about plastic surgery” before talking about it anyway00:52:00 - The benefits of implants during contest preparation, covering muscles, and balance00:55:45 - Five minutes about video games, and Melody’s closing thoughts on the word fit
Paul is back in the studio with Ben this week to talk about his passion for the Moops, which is NOT the sound produced by a cow after making a mistake! We’re joking, but if you know “the Moops” reference is from the 47th episode of Seinfeld, “The Bubble Boy,” then you are probably very familiar with this week’s word… and a standout at most parties. To Paul’s delight, the show is liberally peppered with bits of trivia, and there’s a lot to talk about. Along with the aforementioned “knowledge nuggets,” topics discussed include: the board game Trivial Pursuit, the “Jeopardy!” game show and it’s current host drama, dictionary facts and differences, bar and handheld device trivia games, and a brief history of (and a sincere outpouring of love for) Jackbox Games!
00:00:21 - Ben calls it THE Trivial Pursuit, and Paul addresses Ben’s misconception
00:03:08 - Gameshow aspirations, the computer that could play Jeopardy, and other oddities
00:06:47 - Memorizing things, they don’t support the program, and entomology
00:08:57 - Distracted by kitty love, three roads meeting, the value of trivia, and one more thing
00:11:05 - Dictionary differences, the word literally, the OED, and why buy the cow…
00:13:32 - Ben splits hairs, audience dependence, and little known facts are cool
00:16:35 - Paul’s passion for trivia, generating interest in topics, and trivia is for everybody
00:20:02 - Trivial Pursuit… trivia, born of Scrabble, a trivia putdown, and troglodytes
00:23:00 - Ben’s story of gaining respect through trivia, Waiting for Godot, and Ken Jennings
00:27:51 - Cutting out the talking nonsense, and does Ben sound like Ray Romano?
00:29:43 - The host drama, Ken’s friendship with Alex, and be careful what you say
00:33:48 - Sharing the “Jeopardy!” host role, Ken’s podcast “Omnibus,” and NTN trivia
00:36:08 - Ben’s Onyx song reference, automated bar trivia, and Splam11’s trivia nemesis
00:39:41 - Paul’s sports trivia niche, learning facts on Jeopardy, and Jackbox at game nights
00:43:05 - Fortune cookies, Paul’s issue with Trivia Crack, online trivia leagues, and the JCU
00:45:45 - Ben with the trivia league assist, say no to trivia drugs, and Gottleib pinball
00:47:49 - A brief history of (and some trivia about) Jellyvision and Jackbox Games
00:52:05 - Paul’s recent experience with “Trivia Murder Party,” and Jackbox game diversity
00:54:40 - Fibbage, and a remarkably common yet revolutionary user interface
00:57:36 - Ben’s experience with the game Tee KO in a What’s Good Games livestream
00:59:47 - Paul’s recent interest in art, “Complete the List” podcast, and closing thoughts
Arden is back in the “studio” along with Ben and his lovable pod-cats to discuss the word chaos… a concept that Mango personifies. Predictably the conversation starts with Bash causing an avalanche in the Himalayas and then gains entropic momentum. Ben shares information on his favorite movie True Romance, chaos theory models, the band Luscious Jackson, the Kids in the Hall skit “Jazz Schmazz,” a Flash Gordon “deep cut,” and his work experience with software development. Arden talks about chaos as it relates to his time playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Elden Ring, the band Mr. Bungle, the “hell in space” movie Event Horizon, and the Risk of Rain game franchise.
00:00:20 - Arden is crushing noobs and finding rings; Ben rolled credits on Cult of the Lamb
00:02:35 - Causing avalanches, comprehending the universe, and sharks in Lake Michigan
00:06:00 - Shark tornado, Summer snowstorms in Ohio, and how can chaos be plural?
00:08:35 - The fake mom, Arden shares the etymology of chaos, and hot hail
00:11:00 - The impactful nature of chaos, making life interesting, and a suitcase full of cocaine
00:14:15 - From Dusk Till Dawn, no lap time for Mango, and does chaos make movies better?
00:16:50 - Christopher Nolan movies, and Ben tries to convince Arden to see Tenet
00:20:50 - “Hell in space” movies and games, Ben in a nutshell, and Contra on a quarter
00:25:30 - Looking like a pelvis, Edward Lorenz’s deterministic chaos, and basic science
00:29:05 - The Butterfly Effect, probability warping superpowers, luck, and determining odds
00:33:34 - Models illustrating chaos, Ben doesn’t like Muppets, and Daughters of the Kaos
00:36:40 - Luscious Jackson, Mr Bungle, and Ben reads a bit from Jazz Schmazz
00:42:07 - Arden’s experiences with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
00:45:20 - Proximity chat and Reddit user Crescendummain starts an in game taxi service
00:48:23 - Arden talks about his issues with COD:MW2 and “out of touch” game companies
00:52:55 - Ben’s software development experiences and thoughts on “crunch culture”
00:55:10 - Hate speech in COD:Modern Warfare 2, gender bias today, and GamerGate
00:58:25 - “Actual entropy” and the results of aligning with the Three Fingers in Elden Ring
01:00:50 - A discussion about procedurally and/or randomly generated game content
01:05:00 - Randomization in Risk of Rain, closing wisdom on chaos, and ladder not latter
For the last episode before the first full week of 2023 Ben is sans co-pilot, but he still has a lot to share. He talks about Boxing Day and memories of his Canada pants before playing a clip of the warmup portion for a forthcoming show featuring returning cohost Paul. Norah joins their conversation while they discuss trivial facts, and midway she (correctly) points out that they are acting like 6th graders. Finally, to wrap it all up Ben talks about rogue-like games, bullet hell shooters, and his current game addiction which is Vampire Survivors.
00:00:21 - Ben buys a gift for himself, Boxing Day, and Ben’s Canada Pants00:03:46 - Facts about Boxing Day and Saint Stephen’s Day, and how people celebrate them00:06:30 - An introduction to a meandering Paul, Norah, and Ben conversational warmup
CLIP starts:00:07:01 - The Zardoz reference in the Rick and Morty episode “Raising Gazorpazorp”
00:10:00 - CORRECTION - Zardoz was directed by John (NOT Richard) Boorman
00:10:58 - Barbarella, Paul’s mom’s favorite band, Huey Lewis, and Ben’s first concert 00:12:51 - Calling Norah, filling the brain, Paton Oswalt, and Blade Runner related trivia 00:16:11 - Blade Runner memories, and Norah’s mother takes Ben to see Return of the Jedi00:18:40 - Ben talks about Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s movies Orgazmo and BASEketball 00:21:27 - Apple’s “1984” commercial trivia, and acting like kids in 8th grade 00:24:25 - The bureaucracy in teaching in Indiana, and surveys about providing services00:27:18 - Paul’s “take your kids to work” story and Norah leaves the conversation00:29:31 - Bathroom break, waiting for Paul, DIY shops, and nobody wants your dumb bear00:31:51 - The Hasbro Pulse “Selfie Series” action figures, and being historically accurate
00:36:21 - History of the rogue-like and Rogue: Exploring the Dungeons of Doom00:39:08 - Distinct characteristic: permanent death and procedurally generated environments00:41:55 - “Bullet curtain” games, Recca or Batsugun, and Ben loves “Muchi Muchi Pork!” 00:45:48 - Ben loves Luca Galante’s Vampire Survivors, and some trivia about said game00:49:39 - What words 2VP has in store for Q1 of 2023: Chaos, Trivia, Fit, Art, and Mystery00:51:00 - From the Two Vague Podcast… have a safe and wonderful new year!
After a refreshing holiday respite, Ben is back with his amazing autistic friend Andrew to talk about his latest creative endeavor. Andrew shares the deets on the contents of and inspiration behind his latest zine, “An Actually Autistic Window on Economics.” After the definition formalities have concluded, the masters of “stream of consciousness” type conversation, Ben and Andrew, talk about EVs, the perils of Twitter, the building blocks of accounting, child labor, instant coffee, TicketMaster, Lucas Pope’s game “Papers Please,” and and the John Hughes classic “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” They close the show by discussing weather or not the video games industry is recession-proof.
00:00:21 - Chairs, Stools, and the Poang twins start the show!00:03:03 - Pandemic globalization stories and which word is scarier, economy or economics?00:06:40 - The definition of this week’s word, and marketing brushless power master cars00:10:00 - Etymology, ecology, economics, exactly the same amount of cool, and autism 00:12:52 - The economics of social media, billionaires making trouble, and Weird Al00:16:15 - Reddit for people with short attention spans, and Andrew’s inspiration for the zine00:19:09 - The discipline of accounting, recognizing your own value, and Scrooge McDuck
FUN FACT: Allen F. Morgenstern coined the phrase “work smarter not harder” in the 1930s.
00:23:11 - Newsies, holding stuff, intangible assets, good will, and humanity00:28:04 - How things move and flow, emotional racketeering, girl scouts, and mayonnaise.00:31:04 - Andrew thinks Folgers bought Seattle’s Best, and Ben’s question about the zine00:34:41 - According to the accounting equation you can have positive equity or Kanye West00:39:02 - Twitter celebrity stories, the good part of social media, and prayers to the algorithm 00:42:25 - Taylor Swift tickets, owning the “mechanicals,” leverage, and Bob Dylan00:45:26 - Southwest Airlines, efficiency, and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off - CME scene @39:2300:47:24 - The Chicago Mercantile Exchange, and timing the path of the movie00:50:14 - A judgement on Daffy Duck’s personality and back to “the Merc”00:53:26 - Pork-bellies, soy, Andrew’s new sticker idea, and Ferris Bueller’s wisdom
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off - Ferris’ Beatles monologue @05:2100:55:47 - Favorite -isms, Andrew’s communism example, and missing supplies00:59:51 - Large scale corruption, the trouble with consolidated dictatorships, and FIFA01:03:49 - Ben explains the game Papers, Please (created by Lucas Pope) to Andrew
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off - Ben Stein’s second scene @10:4401:06:35 - Ben Stein’s (not Jimmy Kimmel’s) money and accrual basis accounting01:10:01 - Andrew has a message for the listeners, and remembering John Hughes movies01:12:49 - Prepare yourself for Ben’s dramatic reading, too much live, and the deadest pan
01:14:57 - Andrew’s suggestion, and Ben asks, “are video games recession-proof?”01:18:29 - Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon versus Jon Bauman, and closing the show
To keep up with Andrew’s creative pursuits, check out his website!https://partlyrobot.com/
To buy all of the amazing goodies available at the Partly Robot Industries store, use one of these... https://partlyrobotindustries.bigcartel.com/
bit.ly/economyrobot
Carl, the coordinator for the Games and Online Harassment Hotline and all-around good guy, joins Ben this week to discuss a word introduced in print by psychologist Edward Tichener in 1909! They talk about their personal stories of processing their emotions, what harassment looks like in the digital age, toxic masculinity, the power video games, and what the hotline is doing to make the online landscape more hospitable for everyone. They close out the show talking about what games Carl has been playing recently.
00:00:50 - Hotline Coordinator Carl (he/him/his) introduces himself and what he does 00:02:40 - Feminist Frequency, shoutout to WGG and Jae, 2 men talking, and definitions 00:04:45 - Nearly 3 centuries between sympathy and empathy, and Ben’s story about his father 00:07:36 - Feelings, empathy can take work and imagination, and connecting with people 00:10:19 - Carl’s story about his first experience, and the pros and cons of using labels 00:13:43 - Ben’s empathy, sympathy, and compassion Venn diagram 00:16:00 - The internet has turned the bullying volume up to 15, and dispelling notions 00:17:47 - Using games as an outlet for processing feelings, and Carl’s behavior in cars 00:20:15 - “Game type” statistics, and dispelling false assumptions about online harassment 00:23:36 - Continuous training for agents relating gaming news and impactful events 00:26:17 - Understanding oppression dynamics, and accountability conversations in support 00:28:31 - A tricky navigation, fostering a positive online community, and creating resources 00:31:14 - The targets of hate raids helped to create a resource for marginalized streamers 00:34:53 - Hate raid mitigation, Carl and Ben don’t Twitch, and supporting content creators 00:37:54 - What Carl is playing these days…Apex Legends, Grounded, and Overwatch 2 00:40:30 - Gamers feeling entitled can lead to harassment of players and developers 00:43:55 - Acknowledging the potential for empathy, and redefining gender norms 00:46:10 - Feelings and expectations about making connections in the gaming industry 00:48:00 - The future of gameshotline.org , donate, spread the word, and/or volunteer
About the Games and Online Harassment Hotline (taken from their webpage): “The Games and Online Harassment Hotline is a free, text message-based, confidential emotional support hotline. We created the Hotline specifically for the gaming community. Whether you’re a player, a developer, a streamer, a competitor — any part of this community —we’re here for you, whether that means offering emotional support or finding the referrals and resources that you need.”
Keep up to date with what’s going on at the Games and Online Harassment Hotline by visiting: https://gameshotline.org
PS PLEASE… somebody play Grounded with Carl; you might just make a friend for life!
Cheyenne joins Ben in the studio this week to discuss intelligence… human, biological, artificial, or otherwise. To get the conversational juices flowing (eew!), they talk about the games they are currently playing: Project Zomboid and Cult of the Lamb. Upon becoming adequately lubricated (again… eew!), they talk about the definition of the word intelligence and the “types” of intelligences. Along with the excessive use of the word dry, other topics of conversation this week include: IQ tests, Mensa meetings, college culture, robot baristas, AI artists, goldfish driving cars, grown brain cells playing Pong, and the game Spore by Maxis.
00:00:21 - “We are your hosts for the Two Vague Podcast this week,” and Cheyenne’s absence
00:01:45 - Project Zomboid by The Indie Stone, a post-apocalyptic SIMS 2, and your COD
00:05:50 - Cult of the Lamb by Massive Monster, and 9 out of 10 doctors recommend…
00:11:28 - A nebulous topic, the definition, a gum condition, and a little dip in the 1900s
00:13:58 - The 9 types of intelligence, our fathers, drinking bleach, and walking into walls
00:17:40 - Intelligence Quotient, Mensa meetings, memory, and knowledge retention
00:22:48 - Changing the (college) academic culture, staying in school, and new experiences
00:25:50 - Splitting hairs, Cheyenne crystalizes, Ben’s attorney, and college degrees
00:28:18 - Artificial intelligence, building robots, computers with feelings, and sentience
00:31:25 - The hypothetical barista, sex robots, and AI communication methods
00:35:20 - Training robot baristas, the moisture content of cappuccinos, and probing questions
00:40:02 - 77 Snickers bars, an AI designing its own body, and fears about automation
00:42:59 - An AI winning an art contest, Ben’s fair pun, and programs being “creative”
00:46:21 - Rules for casual art contests, abstract concepts, and DALL-E’s diversity problems
00:49:05 - Cheyenne’s “Non-binary person in cornfield” as “imagined” by WOMBO’s dream AI
00:51:22 - Teaching goldfish how to drive, and Ben’s imagined future of taxicabs
00:53:50 - Teaching grown mouse and human brain cells how to play Pong (badly)
00:57:26 - Biological computers, augmenting the human brain, and remembering stuff
01:02:25 - Rotting brains, developing skills, dopamine, and games that teach
01:06:21 - Cheyenne explains the game Spore developed by Maxis and released in 2008
01:10:15 - Ben and Cheyenne have different opinions about messing around with asteroids
01:12:59 - Closing thoughts on the word intelligence
Note: The “Non-binary person in cornfield” image from the episode artwork was created (by Cheyenne) using WOMBO’s dream AI. For more information on this AI artist, go to https://www.wombo.art/
Journalism major Amaya joins Ben this week to discuss our habits… good, bad, and otherwise. While enduring an impromptu cat cuddling session, Amaya shares her struggles with ADHD, her recently discovered haircare regimen, how she expresses herself with social media, her knowledge of astrology, and an interesting tattoo idea. Ben has a few “dad humor” moments, but he also talks about how he approaches changing his own habits, his walking apples, what he learned about the word habit, and his early 20s one time experience with a “gateway drug.” Video Games discussed include: It Takes Two, Moving Out, Overcooked, Knights and Bikes, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Bugsnax, and The Sims.
00:00:25 - Amaya is covered in cats and talking about journalism 00:04:00 - Self-expression in the age of social media, delivery via snail, and newspapers 00:09:03 - Amaya gets accustomed to being called a zoomer in under a minute, and news 00:12:02 - ADHD, depression, anxiety, psychiatry, therapy, and medication 00:18:02 - The dictionary definition of the word habit, religious garments, and clothing 00:22:12 - Haircare, journaling, tetrahydrocannabinol, pens, and Ben’s one experience 00:27:07 - Transitioning habits from bad to good, Ben’s “hot girl walking,” and apples 00:29:37 - The importance of releasing emotions, communication, and self-expression 00:33:02 - Connecting with partners and developing relationships through playing games 00:35:48 - Fun Co-op games: It Takes Two, Overcooked, Moving Out, and Knight and Bikes 00:41:22 - Collecting bells in Animal Crossing, and Tom Nook represents “nice capitalism” 00:44:49 - A digression in to astrology, Ben learns the word stellium, and deep dish pizza 00:49:31 - Ben’s “cat dad” joke, being reincarnated as a cat, and the octopus 00:51:46 - Game habits, cleanup before stopping, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 00:54:23 - Ben gives “What’s Good Games” a shoutout, Pokemon, and again with the Bugsnax 00:57:05 - A brief summary of Amaya’s video game past, and doing horrible things to Sims 01:00:11 - Creating your partner in the Sims, lock up the cats, and closing thoughts
Norah joins Ben this week to talk about ancient art of food assembly. We do it for fun. We do it to impress. We do it when we are hungry… sometimes. The hosts share their fond memories of family cooking for Christmas gatherings, the cooking shows they watch, the memorable dishes they have prepared, and an assortment of cooking techniques. For the games portion of the show, Norah talks about her experiences with her very first idle game, Hidea and Neowiz’s “Cats & Soup.” Ben talks about a handful of cooking games he has been playing recently: Battle Chef Brigade, “Cook, Serve, Delicious” (2 and 3), Overcooked 2, and Cooking Mama: Cuisine!
00:03:55 - From sitcoms with the most spinoffs to spun foods… Ben’s ill-advised segue 00:06:20 - The unsung hero of the kitchen, and Gordon Ramsey’s demeanor with children 00:08:53 - Ben’s remembers Norah’s Christmas Eve dinners, and working in restaurants 00:10:52 - Norah cooks hasenpfeffer, and remembering “Spinach Stuff” and “Cheap Meat” 00:16:15 - Describing dinner, a single person’s best friend, and number of steps 00:21:03 - Ben learns the cooking terms chiffonade and macerate 00:25:00 - The meal kit trend, and learning about cooking techniques 00:27:37 - Norah talks about playing Cats & Soup, and Ben explains what an idle game is 00:30:20 - “Less than zen,” in game advertisements, cold soups, and Ben’s favorite soup 00:33:26 - The “Food Wars!” manga and anime, and Ben explains Shonen Jump anime 00:36:12 - “Foodgasms,” being naked-ish, not a food prude, and the show premise 00:41:10 - Iron Chef, cook on cook sabotaging, drama, and Ready… Set… Cook! 00:45:22 - Ben talks about his time with the game Battle Chef Brigade 00:50:39 - Ben said manure, but meant to say fertilizer 00:51:17 - Are cooks, served… delicious too? Are time management games fun? 00:56:30 - Overcooked and Overcooked 2… testing the stability of friendships since 2016 01:01:25 - The Cooking Mama franchise and the failed Gardening Mama games 01:07:00 - Closing words of wisdom on the word cook.
Brittney (Mom / barista / photographer) joins Ben this week to talk about a word that brings her much joy. The two hosts discuss photography past, present, and future. Subjects include: the art of photography, personal connections to photos, baby books, camera technology, Purikura (photo booths), and how we will “record” our memories in the future. Then it’s on to video games. Brittney talks about the ailment that caused her to lose her horses in Minecraft. Ben talks about the games Pokemon Snap, Beyond Good and Evil, Dead Rising, The Bradwell Conspiracy, and NUTS. If you live in Tucson and need a photographer, take a peek at a sampling of Brittney’s (@bjunephotography) portfolio on Instagram!
00:00:51 - An I or a Y? 00:04:10 - Use of the word photograph in print, and Brittney’s preliminary thoughts on photos 00:06:45 - Storytelling with images, the band Def Leppard, and cassette tapes 00:11:40 - The ease of taking pictures today, and the tactile nature of photographs 00:15:20 - Using “baby books” for extortion, and being creative with photos 00:18:25 - The advantages of using cameras instead of phones, and Ban has lots of nickels 00:22:10 - Has Brittney ever wanted to be a photojournalist? 00:25:01 - Photographs in black and white, post production editing, and disposable cameras 00:28:19 - Ben remembers the Fotomat and waiting weeks for developed photos 00:31:45 - Mall photo franchises, photo booths, and Brittney thinks Ben is speaking in tongues 00:36:05 - The Purikura phenomenon in Japan, 3D printed images, and Mentos 00:41:48 - Pictures and videos in augmented reality, and walking “into” photos 00:46:00 - Brittney’s video game experiences past and present, and the silent killer… of horses 00:51:16 - Pokemon Snap, the “rail shooter,” Beyond Good & Evil, and zombies in a mall 00:54:46 - Photojournalist Frank West and the Dead Rising franchise 00:59:07 - Pronouncing “Willamette,” Resident Evil, and zombie speed preferences 01:02:27 - Ben talks about his experiences with “a sucky version of Control” 01:06:16 - Catching and photographing squirrels on a closed circuit monitor IS the game NUTS 01:10:53 - Brittney’s thoughts on photography in video games, and developing photographs 01:13:45 - Closing thoughts on the word photo, check out Brittney’s work on Insta!
This week Ben and Norah are discussing the food we consume to tide us over to our next full meal. Yummy SNACKS! Sprinkled throughout the episode are salty stories and discussions about electric boats, happy hours, ice cream bar diets, snakes, potato salad, and “sleepy chicken.” After Norah reveals her cookie addiction, Ben reveals his Bacon number! Finally, the proverbial cherry(s) on top for a touch of sweetness are conversations about Norah playing Ben Esposito’s Donut County and Ben playing Young Horses’ Bugsnax.
00:00:35 - Norah’s boat trip on the Chicago River, and knocking out the arthritis 00:03:37 - River-faring to snack food segue, word of the day calendar, and eating casually 00:06:27 - No “walking apples” for Ben in Japan, and sexually attractive people 00:09:23 - “Go to” snacks, baby carrots… aren’t, and Norah almost spews 00:12:46 - Vegetable trays, Ben’s ice cream bar diet story, and being an ectomorph 00:15:45 - Trigger warning: skinny guy complains about the monetary cost of being skinny 00:16:49 - Norah’s post-boating experience at the “Adult Snack Machine” 00:19:50 - Ben asks what the food items in afternoon tea or high tea are called 00:22:25 - Drinks as snacks, in my freezer, served in a paper cup, and portion control 00:25:05 - Salty-sweet snacks, and Paula Poundstone’s eating a box of Pop-Tarts bit 00:29:24 - Ben’s “Weird-ass Cheese (and Spinach) Quesadilla,” and Telly Savalas 00:32:04 - Norah and Ben talk about playing Donut County 00:35:55 - Annapurna Interactive, Ben is too excited about his Bacon number, and snakes 00:39:24 - Independent game studio Young Horses, and taking photos 00:42:10 - Talkin’ bout’ Bugsnax, and opinions on what makes a “kids games” 00:45:12 - Eating insects, and Ben explains some Bugsnax game mechanics to Norah 00:48:00 - The truth about Bambi… which was based on a book by an Austrian author 00:51:59 - Capturing the cheese puff butterfly, and a brief history on game FAQs and guides 00:55:55 - Zach "Danger" Brown’s fifty-five thousand dollar potato salad 00:57:33 - Memes vs. political cartoons, and the “sleepy chicken” TikTok trend 01:00:40.- FDA warnings, the nature of social media communications, and locked goods 01:04:20 - Norah and Ben’s parting snack wisdom
We’ve hit another 30-ish episode milestone, so it’s time for another “cutting room floor” show! This never before heard material is a potpourri of trivia, news discussions, personal stories, and it all starts with a joke from my Aunt! We hope you enjoy the smorgasbord of clips from episodes 33, 35, 43, 48, 50, 53, 54, and 55.
00:00:21 - Starting the clip show with what Ben has been noodling with lately 00:03:09 - WHY DO I KEEP CALLING IT DONUT COUNTRY… IT’s DONUT COUNTY!
CLIP #1 - Norah’s joke 00:04:10 - Intro 00:05:25 - Green tea lemonade and lemon loaf after a “stick in the nose test” 00:08:01 - Norah asks Ben if he’s figured out disco yet, and then she tells her joke 00:10:20 - Prepare yourself for Ben’s brand of humor, and who should tell specific jokes
CLIP #2 - Bash interrupts 00:11:47 - Intro 00:14:06 - Various states of undress
CLIPS #3 and #4 - Action hero, character quotes, romantic comedies, and American Psycho 00:14:45 - Intro 00:17:32 - Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? Is James Bond a hero? 00:20:59 - Daniel Craig is now Ben’s favorite James Bond 00:23:53 - An actual speed round! 00:25:56 - Cheyenne and Ben get sidetracked by their favorite romantic comedies. 00:29:29 - Back to quotes, Ben’s Phillip Seymour Hoffman callback, and American Psycho 00:32:50 - Differences between the book and the movie, and Bono as Satan
CLIP #5 - Basketball coach phrases 00:35:18 - Intro 00:35:50 - Norah’s brain, and the grade school Bobby Knight equivalent
CLIP #6 - Acting stories and meeting famous people 00:38:36 - Intro 00:39:59 - Norah is alive and well in them’s mean streets of Chicago 00:44:01 - Plays vs films, Ryan knows how to duck, and “hey kids… don’t smoke!” 00:47:05 - Exploring the human condition, and Ryan’s tip on memorizing lines 00:50:45 - Hanging out on the set of Glee, and working at THE coffee shop 00:52:39 - Patti LeBelle is not Darla, and Ben gets confused about the reference
CLIPS #7, 8, and 9 - Chatbots, velcro, plasters, and research 00:54:11 - Intro 00:55:33 - Chatbots, artificial friends, and becoming human 01:00:03 - What if it was a joke? Was it a coverup? Was it a subconscious effort? 01:02:10 - The program was Just Shoot Me, and the episode was “The Assistant” 01:04:20 - The hook and loop fastener, and the stuff of Paris 01:06:20 - Look it up, and do your homework
CLIP #10 - More Warframe, more Valorant, and the importance of story in games. 01:08:43 - Intro 01:11:00 - Customization of weapons in Warframe, and the Outer Worlds 01:13:53 - How different generation’s approach consecutive play 01:16:30 - The Warframe in-game economy, and making platinum instead of buying it 01:19:45 - John’s PC discipline at college, and is anyone excited about “Skyrim in space?”
CLIP #11 - A case of mistaken identity 01:21:55 - Final clip intro and closing the show 01:24:09 - That one time Ben attended one of Tracy’s Halloween parties
Norah’s been watching Cuphead on Netflix and Ben has been playing a number of toon-centric games, so it seems to be fitting that the word is flyswatter. Not really… it’s cartoon! The hosts reminisce about the theater and television cartoons of their youth before moving on to video games. Cartoon oriented video games mentioned include: the Kingdom Hearths franchise, Mane 6’s “Them’s Fightin’ Herds,” and Cuphead.
00:01:00 - This week’s word is one vowel drop away from being a carton 00:02:44 - Bell and Howell was a motion picture machinery company based in Wheeling, IL 00:04:30 - Norah runs off again, Ben misquotes Porky Pig, and Cuphead 00:07:55 - Gin tries to poop, complaining about movie trailers, and possible trailer alternatives 00:12:20 - Movie ratings, the funny papers, Walt Kelly’s Pogo Possum, and Mad TV 00:16:56 - Terry Gilliams’s shorts, the placement of screens, and political cartoons 00:20:07 - The definition segment is delayed by Ben’s National Lampoon’s Vacation reference 00:24:53 - The Family Circus was never funny, and the “make Peanuts funny” game 00:26:06 - The first animated cartoons from the 1900s 00:30:10 - Remembering the flying toaster screensaver, Hardware Wars, and Fantasia 00:34:21 - Disney makes back it’s budget and other facts about the 1969 release of Fantasia 00:39:01 - Ben summarizes the concept behind the Kingdom Hearts franchise for Norah 00:41:51 - Library, Blockbuster, or GameStop? 00:44:07 - Norah starts the great “all games have cartoons in them” debate 00:47:01 - The ungulates fighting game inspired by My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic 00:51:30 - A “band of bronies” receives Hasbro’s cease and desist notification 00:54:23 - MLP FIM creator Lauren Faust helps Mane6 with character designs and story 00:59:34 - The arcade feel of Cuphead, the Moldenhauer brothers, and the Netflix series 01:06:01 - What’s next for Studio MDHR, Sophomore jinxes, and the boss battle world record 01:08:20 - Norah’s crowd funded potato salad story 01:10:22 - Ben talks about donating to charities with Humble Bundle 01:13:00 - “Don’t eat all of your money and cartoons!”
Norah and Ben recommend that you prepare yourself mentally and physically for this week’s topic… adventure! Ben has lots of questions for Norah about her adventures overseas. They discuss a possible forthcoming adventure for each of them… running a bookstore in Scotland! They briefly touch on the meaning of adventure in visual media before moving on to video games. Norah talks about enjoying her time with Broken Age, and Ben explains the origin of the adventure game and how the term Easter egg was coined in video games.
00:00:40 - Caught in Ann’s FOMO undertow, and Netflix’s “The Way of the Househusband” 00:05:04 - Cuphead is on Norah’s to watch list, bungie jumping Jesus, and acrophobia 00:08:27 - Normal rollercoasters, zip-lining, adventurous eating trends, and snails 00:11:57 - Ben thinks if you throw enough butter and garlic on something, it’s delicious 00:14:01 - Casu martzu (maggot cheese), and Norah’s falconry experience in Wales 00:17:02 - Norah’s Scottland bus tour, NOT kayaking in Wales, and hanging out in Italy 00:21:58 - Lasting impressions, and Ben want’s to run a bookstore in Wigtown 00:26:08 - Taking the podcast to Scotland, understanding accents, and the human brain 00:29:23 - Traveling alone vs traveling with a group, would Norah go on a safari? 00:32:52 - Australian animals want to kill you, and going camping 00:35:01 - Vacations as adventures, and definitions of adventure 00:40:28 - A discussion about “adventure” movies, and adventures without action 00:45:06 - Alex Vo’s list of essential adventure movies on Rotten Tomatoes 00:47:46 - Norah’s first experience with the point and click adventure game Broken Age 00:50:37 - Ben’s video game plan for Norah, and confusion about Whispering Rock camp 00:53:14 - Duck dragons, and a brief history of the Atari 2600 game Adventure 00:55:32 - Atari game programmers, the origins of Activision, and the term Easter egg 01:00:17 - Don’t accidentally shoot the invisible swordsman, and other adventures
ASAP, AFK and sonar walk in to a bar. The bartender says, “As Soon As Possible… Away From Keyboard… who’s your friend?” If you don’t understand this “joke,” don’t worry; you will before the end of the show. This week Ben and Norah discuss the difference between acronyms, anacronyms, and initialisms. Other topics include: a recent TikTok trend, commonly used acronyms, a comedy bit by Gary Gulman, a chat room party game, and commonly used video game abbreviations.
00:00:21 - Norah and Ben open the show by talking about the weather 00:02:50 - Ben drops a “Pop Song 89” reference, and Norah picks it up 00:03:53 - Distracted by Truth or Consequences and Elephant Butte New Mexico 00:06:54 - Discussing the TikTok trend of “Quiet Quitting,” and working from home 00:12:27 - Teen employment through the generations… more research required 00:14:14 - Cozy mysteries on BritBox, and “How to Build a Sex Room” on Netflix 00:16:00 - Norah explains a little bit about acronyms and initialisms 00:19:40 - Anacronyms, an acronym, and usage statistics in the Google Ngram Viewer 00:24:30 - Types of abbreviations, and having fun at work with backronyms 00:26:29 - Be careful when choosing your acronyms, and watchdogs vs. proofreaders 00:29:06 - Norah puts on her anti-embarrassment scarf for Ben’s explanation 00:32:15 - FUBAR actually means f-ed up beyond all repair, and OJCBRBPA 00:34:53 - “FOMO is too much like MOFO,” HDM1 cables, and when the world ends 00:38:03 - “Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart” 00:40:23 - A plan for zone improvement, and saving the ship 00:42:30 - The “state abbreviation documentary” bit, and a scene from the movie Kiss of Death 00:45:45 - Ben reminisces about playing “Acrophobia: Fear of Acronyms” in the late 90s 00:48:47 - Norah learns video game related acronyms starting with: RPG, MMO, and WoW 00:50:08 - MOBA, FPS, RTS, PVP, PVE, and SIM 00:52:07 - Ben tries to lead Norah to DLC in the style of “The $100,000 Pyramid” gameshow 00:54:42 - NPC, HUD, XP, QWERTY, and Ben forgets to talk about WASD controls 00:58:07 - MK, NFS, FF, SF, ESRB ratings, AOE, DOT, and “AFK, BIO” 01:01:03 - LFG, LFP, OMW, “M as in Mancy,” TLDR, AP, and HP 01:04:06 - “Point and click adventure” games, “best briends forever,” and shmups 01:06:32 - Ben closes the show with the Konami code and that is TMI for Norah
Norah leads the conversation about the word generation while Ben sits comfortably in the cohost chair. Norah shares her research on the meaning of the word, provides a breakdown of the social generations, and explains the personality tendencies of Boomers, X-ers, Millennials, and Zoomers. Ben contributes a summary of console generations, some marketing statistics about gamers from the social generations, and his sparkling wit as rare as hen’s teeth.
00:00:20 - TWO different segments, and Ben’s “watch along with Norah” idea 00:02:30 - Norah recalls what generation meant in the “old days,” and describes “to beget” 00:04:30 - From Ben’s energy and excitement, to Norah’s list of social generations 00:07:12 - The Lost, Greatest, and Silent Generations aka “Traditionalists” 00:10:07 - “Baby Boomers” and “Baby Busters,” and their experiences with computers 00:19:16 - “Millennials,” “Zoomers,” and Generation Alpha 00:26:37 - Other names for generations, and opinions about social classifications 00:33:50 - “Horoscopes based on truth,” and confusion about immigrants 00:40:05 - Kelly Ripa’s new gameshow, “My Generation” by The Who, and stuttering 00:45:44 - Norah loves PONG, Ben explains console generation overlap, and 8-bit chips. 00:50:59 - Ben talks about some of the systems he owned in the 3rd and 4th generations 00:54:59 - The filing cabinet, the first major console that had connectivity, and BORT! 00:57:10 - Ben explains the exit of Sega from the hardware biz and Nintendo’s big failure 01:00:14 - Ben picks a lane, the 9th generation console are PCs, and the rise of digital media 01:03:46 - A discussion about video game demographics and trends in the social generations 01:06:05 - My stepmother doesn’t know it yet, but she IS a gamer now 01:09:04 - To close the show… the harsh sting of reality
Tracy joins Ben this week to converse about the word role! From jobs, to theatre, to games, the word role plays important… um… role in our day to day lives. However, these two love games, so this conversation revolves mostly around tabletop games and RPGs. Discussion topics include: acting, the now defunct Pathfinder Adventure Card Game (by Paizo), Betrayal at House on the Hill (2004 Avalon Hill / 2010 Hasbro), Among Us, going to conventions, the new game Stray, and Disco Elysium.
00:02:20 - The word is role (not roll), NQ, and “what’s the deal with all the hats?” 00:06:22 - Tracy’s acting experiences, and Ben’s missed extra opportunity 00:10:31 - We know no French, the origin of role, and manual vs computer assisted games 00:13:07 - Tracy’s experiences playing the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game remotely 00:18:29 - How much actual playing a role is involved in Pathfinder? 00:21:15 - The battle axe, the inclusive nature of some games, and rescuing Kevin 00:25:59 - What is the “replay value” of the Pathfinder ACG? 00:29:22 - “Closing the Wound of the World,” and how much strategy is involved 00:33:02 - The board game Betrayal at House on the Hill and its similarities to Among Us 00:37:41 - Finding new board games on Boing Boing, and Ben’s memories of Games magazine 00:39:44 - The Penny Arcade Expo, conventions, and gaming in a “post-pandemic” world 00:45:50 - Ben’s playing the role of a cat helping a robot, and Tracy says, “SIGN ME UP!” 00:49:29 - Tracy talks enthusiastically about her Disco Elysium play through 00:55:16 - Why is Ben having trouble immersing himself in the world of Disco Elysium? 00:57:32 - Tracy has an excellent suggestion… focus on the “redemption arc” 01:02:29 - Tracy’s final thoughts on the word role, and Ben has one last question for her 01:05:21 - Tracy’s answer reminds Ben of some interesting Disco Elysium history 01:09:18 - Mapping the old fashioned way, and closing with Ben’s old D&D pickup line
This week John joins Ben to talk about the importance of the word cooperation in two of his hobbies. John talks about his college experience so far, playing lacrosse, and precision first-person shooters. For once Ben tries to keep up, asking John questions about a sport (lacrosse) and a game (Riot Games’ Valorant) he’s not very familiar with.
00:00:40 - Thoughts on cooperation, and learning “the power of friendship” 00:03:20 - Group projects, John’s humble brag, and Ben’s college experience 00:08:35 - Going to High School and College during a pandemic 00:11:04 - Ben’s work environment email pro tip… READ RECEIPTS! 00:13:25 - “Many hands make light work,” and John explains the intricacies of lacrosse 00:18:44 - John’s relation to Casey Powell ( caseypowell.com ) 00:20:50 - Ben has more questions for John about cooperation in team sports 00:24:17 - Differences between Club and NCAA Division teams in college 00:28:35 - John’s previous and current PC game obsessions, CSGO and Valorant 00:33:21 - Player rankings in CSGO, the Elo rating system in Valorant, and blunders 00:39:10 - How Elo ratings in Valorant promote teamwork, and SOCCER CARS! 00:42:32 - Exploring why John prefers team based FPSs to “Battle Royale” games 00:44:50 - How Riot Games maintains a healthy gameplay environment… bans! 00:47:05 - PVE vs PVP games, Competitive mode, and Valorant agent roles 00:54:18 - Discussing effective Valorant agent power combinations 00:56:10 - Duelist Raze’s floating knives, and buying guns each round 01:02:15 - Spray patterns and how they behave in CSGO vs Valorant 01:07:07 - John clears up Ben’s misconception about gaming rigs 01:09:25 - Wise parting words about cooperation
Norah joins Ben this week to talk about the bodily fluid responsible for oxygen transport to and from the heart. They each have research to present on the components that make up blood, blood pressure, blood sugar, and blood types. After those “lectures,” Ben talks about blood type bias in Japan and why blood types appear in old arcade game character bios. He then moves on to describing the game Code Vein which turns in to a very bold statement about why Elden Ring should not win GOTY 2022.
00:00:53 - “Not much to do in Tucson…” and “blood, let’s get into it!” 00:03:00 - Some common phrases involving the word blood 00:04:01 - “Blood from a stone” vs. “Blood from a turnip” 00:05:40 - Ben’s tepid take on puns, and other “bad humor” 00:07:21 - Caviar, another pun, and Norah and Ben haven’t heard of “blood and thunder” 00:09:49 - “Blood brother” rituals aren’t sanitary, and facts about fainting at the sight of blood 00:12:39 - Donating blood to the American Red Cross (listed as Vampires in Ben’s phone) 00:15:00 - Bone marrow; Norah explains blood pressure (measured in millimeters of mercury) 00:20:26 - Salt vs. sugar, and the components of blood
00:21:31 - Plasma is a heterogeneous mixture; a colloid is a homogeneous noncrystalline substance consisting of large molecules of one substance dispersed through another.
00:23:20 - The negative logarithm of the molar concentration of Hydrogen ions in a solution 00:24:32 - Erythrocytes, leukocytes, and thrombocytes… “oh my!” 00:27:29 - Norah announces her lipid panel, and then moves on to explaining blood sugar 00:31:33 - An aside about frozen deserts
00:34:15 - A simple sugar may be a mono- or disaccharide. Monosaccharides are the simplest carbs; the body cannot break them down further. Disaccharides consist of two sugar molecules (two monosaccharides) bonded together. The body must break the bond apart (in to two monosaccharides) before they can be absorbed.
00:42:32 - Ben explains the ABO and the Rh blood group systems 00:46:25 - Ben talks a little about Type O Negative and the origin of their band name 00:49:05 - Why is blood type included in the character bios of old arcade games? 00:52:58 - Using the website Tofugu for learning Japanese language and culture. 00:55:49 - What are Norah and Ben’s personalities based solely on their blood type? 00:59:07 - The blood type “descriptive words” are too vague for Two Vague 01:01:21 - Kitty White’s blood type, and Hello Kitty blood type identification straps 01:03:48 - Vampires, and Ben explains the story of the game Code Vein 01:07:30 - Ben tries to explain From Software’s “souls-like” games to Norah 01:10:54 - Code Vein has been described as “souls-like,” but Ben doesn’t find it too difficult 01:13:45 - Ben’s Elden Ring 2022 GOTY hot take 01:16:21 - Ben thinks Eric won’t sick him, and Norah thinks it was a “bloody good” show
Norah joins Ben this week to talk about the word pin! It’s a fastener! It’s a connector! It’s a target! It holds things in place! Is there anything “pin” can’t do? Topics include: chess, pin phrases, bowling, punk rock, pin collections, pinball, laserdisc games, and the TWEWY franchise
00:01:06 - Seasonal fruits, fascinating cloth, plugs, and sockets 00:04:39 - The word pin in chess, Adam the chess oracle, and playing games with the family 00:08:45 - Ben wins toilet paper at church, a Venn diagram, and a paper of pins 00:11:45 - Personal Identification Numbers, pin cushions, and Montague Redgrave 00:14:43 - Norah explains what is a pin table is, and discussing tactile interactions in games 00:17:03 - Ben almost gets a 300 in bowling club, and grandma beats Tom and Norah 00:19:50 - The bowling congress, don’t stab your baby, and the safety pin 00:22:43 - Ben talks about punk rock, the song “Needles and Pins,” and “slacktivism” 00:26:40 - Holding hats and hair with pins, and getting pinned by your partner in college 00:29:37 - Collecting pins at PAX, the value of Disney pins, and pinup girls 00:33:50 - The social media pinning mistake, and why are they called rolling pins? 00:36:40 - Quiet enough to hear a (rolling) pin drop, pinstriped things, and pinwheels 00:38:45 - Pin the tail on the donkey, and the pinhole camera 00:42:10 - Why it’s called pinball, and playing pinball video games for nostalgic purposes 00:48:08 - A video game stretch from Norah, and Ben’s PopCap beta testing experiences 00:50:37 - The Lupin the 3rd connection to the laserdisc game Cliffhanger 00:55:20 - The World Ends With You, the Nintendo DS, NEO: TWEWY, and “80s pins” 01:00:40 - Neku learns the power of friendship, and Sho Minamimoto uses many math quotes 01:04:47 - Not a breakfast from Denny’s, the noise, TGI Fridays, and Tower Records 01:08:59 - Closing the show with an uncomfortable phrase from Norah
This week hosts Ben and Norah are talking about the word roll. As a verb and as a noun it conjures up a wide variety of phrases and concepts. Along with the conversational riffing, additional topics include: ball bearings, inline skates, some mild Physics, RollerGames, and the 1975 movie Rollerball. Then it’s on to video games! Ben talks about Roller Champions, Mega Man, Katamari Damacy, and Bouldy from Hades.
00:00:21 - A belated Happy Birthday to the 2VP, and Ben and Norah get the show rollin’ 00:02:23 - The Ann Sather incident of every time Norah goes, and cinnamon rolls 00:04:19 - Number 2 on the “Norah roll list…” rock n’ roll! 00:06:07 - “I guess it depends on the baby,” and Ben thinks about “rolling” baby Hitler 00:08:34 - A lost opportunity to start the show with the Rawhide theme song 00:10:45 - MythBusters tests the saying “a rolling stone gathers no moss” 00:13:05 - “Honor roll” vs. “on a roll,” rollover investments, roll over Beethoven, etc. 00:15:47 - The key part of the “muffin top,” rolls of food, and almonds? 00:18:29 - The “Rolling with the punches” philosophy of life, and more food. 00:20:56 - Roller skates, inline skates, skateboards, and ball bearings 00:22:53 - The coefficients of sliding, static friction (angle of repose) and more on ball bearings 00:26:48 - Ben’s inline skates, age appropriate exercise, and watching roller derby 00:29:45 - Ben remembers the only season of RollerGames, and licensed arcade machines 00:33:31 - Learning about the 1975 movie Rollerball, and “…don’t watch the 2002 version!” 00:39:38 - Ben talks about the new Roller Champions game from Ubisoft 00:43:34 - Explaining “soccer cars” to Norah 00:45:59 - The first Mega Man (Rockman) game, and Ben actually knows it’s Wily not Willy 00:51:23 - Ben talks about Katamari Damacy, one of his favorite games 00:58:20 - It’s actually Sisyphean, but Ben and Norah like “Sisyphus-ian” more 01:01:08 - Closing the show… “STEAMROLLER!”
It wasn’t the original plan, but Ben convinced the infamous Aunt Norah to co-host with him this week! One could say it was “in the stars” so to speak. In the Venn diagram of the universe stars are celestial bodies and our word is a celestial body, but our word is not a star. Ben and Norah delve in to all of the things they can think of that relate to the word moon: common sayings, urban legends, movies, music, comic books, NASA, and video games.
00:02:05 - Starting the moon conversation with some measurements 00:05:35 - Unbeknownst to her, Norah is actually thinking of Whoopie Pies not Moon Pies 00:08:13 - “We don’t keep score here at the Two Vague Podcast,” and moon the verb 00:11:00 - Is “moon face” insulting and what is anchor spleen? 00:13:00 - The moon movies “A Trip to the Moon” and “Outland” 00:17:30 - Did Norah watch the moon landing on television? 00:19:50 - Watching the Wizard of Oz while listening to Dark Side of the Moon 00:22:54 - Alan Parson’s complete load of eye wash, and the Eye in the Sky album 00:26:15 - Jamiroquai, Titan AE, and Everybody’s Going to the Moon 00:30:30 - The word honeymoon, and this month’s Strawberry Supermoon 00:36:50 - The Artemis program, and Space Force on Netflix 00:41:10 - Ben talks about the Disney + series Moon Knight, and Dissociative Identity Disorder 00:48:05 - The arcade game Moon Patrol was the first game to use parallax scrolling 00:50:25 - Facts about Ben’s favorite “angel killing witch wearing a suit of her own hair” game 00:55:20 - Ben loves Grasshopper Manufacture and Suda51 games 00:59:46 - Killer is Dead, malice, soft boiled eggs, and the Bryan Execution Firm 01:04:10 - Final thoughts on the moon, and “if the moon were made of cheese?
This week Ben talks about his vehicular troubles, supplemental show ideas, the Paramount+ shows he’s been watching, and his preliminary experiences with Far Cry 6. He also does a “dramatic” reading of the iconic Star Trek opening monologue.
00:00:30 - Not an apology and Ben’s vehicle issues 00:03:00 - The soliloquy experiment, getting Paramount +, CSI, and Star Trek 00:09:10 - Ben takes a crack at the Star Trek opening monologue, and Far Cry 6 00:12:03 - Boars, dingos, eagles, rhinos, and mongooses… ATTACK! 00:14:41 - Closing the show with a thank you.
Aspiring actor (and top notch barista) Ryan joins Ben to talk about the word comic. Ben is going super-old school with his trivia and references, and Ryan tries to keep up. They discuss their favorite stand-up comedians, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness ( mild spoilers 16:02 - 39:02 ), their favorite comic themed video games, and what comic book characters they would make a game about if they could.
00:00:45 - “Is it safe,” Ryan doesn’t like the word soccer, and the origin of the word comic 00:03:27 - Norm Macdonald, “not a sponsor,” 180 people, and comedians in cars 00:08:03 - Jerry Seinfeld, Bill Burr’s blood pressure, and does Ben sound like Ray Romano? 00:10:08 - Ryan reveals what he enjoyed about hosting a comedy show 00:16:02 - Ben’s favorite stand-up comedians starting with Jake Johannsen 00:19:45 - Taylor Tomlinson’s comedy special focusing on her mental health 00:21:39 - A spoiler-ish discussion about Doctor Strange 2, comics, and the MCU 00:25:59 - Universe 199,999, the Illuminati sequence, and Ben’s plot hole questions 00:30:35 - Ben’s concerns about Brian Michael Bendis’ impact on the future of the MCU 00:33:30 - Will the multiverse in the MCU result in more lazy script writing? 00:39:02 - A brief history of the Unknown Comic 00:42:42 - Ryan still loves the Batman: Arkham and the Marvel Ultimate Alliance franchises 00:46:23 - Accolade’s Comics on the C64 and Comix Zone on the Sega Genesis 00:49:15 - Sam & Max Hit the Road by Lucasarts and Cadillacs & Dinosaurs by Capcom 00:51:00 - Ryan asks, “If you could make a video game from a comic, what would it be?” 00:53:08 - Thoughts on the cel shading art style in video games. 00:55:03 - Ben is playing NEO:TWEWY, Ryan’s Superman game story, and closing the show
It’s Mental Health Awareness Month and Rusty (perhaps the most positive person on planet Earth) joins Ben on the podcast to discuss a word that he feels is important to develop in life… resilience. Ben has conducted extensive research on the psychology of being resilient, the Google Ngram Viewer, and a mobile game designer who created an application to help her “slay her concussion.” Meanwhile, Rusty shares his secrets to a positive attitude and his enjoyment of the Horizon franchise.
00:00:54 - Why did Rusty pick the word resilience? 00:03:40 - Be the captain of your own ship, maintain your morale, and try not to get distracted 00:07:03 - Ben tries to imagine “angry Rusty,” and then to explain Google’s Ngram viewer 00:10:15 - Increased usage of the word resilience, and back to a glossary of n-gram terms 00:14:03 - Rusty responds to Ron Breazeale’s “11 skills/attitudes that can increase resilience" 00:22:34 - Video game characters finding their own resiliences, and Horizon’s Aloy 00:27:03 - Venting about the loss of a special character in Forbidden West 00:29:01 - Guerrilla Games is likely a Twizzlers family 00:33:10 - The water levels in Horizon: Forbidden West 00:36:51 - The “stealth kelp” plot hole, and forcing the player to hide in the water 00:39:02 - A bug is preventing Rusty from getting platinum, and blaming Aquaman 00:40:15 - Jane McGonigal’s books, games, and her story of resilience 00:43:10 - The game SuperBetter and how it can be used to improve resilience 00:46:45 - Ben’s “back in my day moment,” and a “shout out” for Ann 00:48:03 - Rusty and Ben’s closing thoughts on resilience!
Dr. Tahnee is back in studio to provide her expert opinions on the subject of translation! Ben may not be a “Spoony Bard” but all of his base do belong to them… as they discuss the intricacies of communicating source language content successfully in a target language. What does translation success mean or even look like? Listen in to their discussions and find out!
00:00:20 - This week Ben and Tahnee are talking about the word translation! 00:01:00 - “The Alchemist” is better translated to English than in the original Portuguese? 00:04:10 - Tahnee’s thoughts on two books she read that were translated from Japanese 00:07:05 - Ben thinks “District B-13” and “Shaolin Soccer” didn’t need language translations 00:09:10 - How do you translate facial expressions? 00:12:50 - Interpreting gestures and body language 00:15:00 - Tahnee’s Pro Tip: DON’T DO THE OK SIGN IN BRAZIL! 00:16:55 - Movie titles can be more descriptive in other languages 00:20:15 - American movie titles in Portuguese, and Ben’s favorite, “Eleven Men and a Secret” 00:22:50 - “Translator traitor,” “correct” translations, and ways to translate fiction 00:26:20 - Songs in other languages, and Tahnee asks “Are translators artists?” 00:30:25 - Food for though on “eating word” translations 00:32:35 - Ben thinks about math when he hears the word translation? 00:35:20 - Tahnee has questions about video game translations and localizations 00:37:40 - Ben’s opinion on if translators for games need to have video game experience 00:43:10 - All about the Twilight Zone episode “To Server Man” 00:46:30 - Spoiler alert… “IT’S A COOKBOOK!” 00:51:25 - Tahnee shares her video game research with Ben 00:54:01 - Censorship, profanity, a bit from Netflix’s “The Pentaverate,” and the “Spoony Bard” 00:57:00 - Ben explains to Tahnee how video games teach you how to play 01:00:15 - Tahnee’s thoughts on the importance of translating documents 01:05:10 - Game translation errors, and Tahnee’s expert assessment on “what went wrong” 01:12:00 - The story or the “I AM ERROR” meme from “The Legend of Zelda 2” 01:14:40 - Mango gets vocal to end the show
This week Dr. Tahnee is back to discuss the word translation, but first we call up Aunt Norah! She has 3 questions that are perfect for our guest’s chosen profession / field of expertise. Discussion topics include: gender pronouns, learning languages, discriminatory tendencies in AI, and linguist centric humor
00:00:22 - Many hellos to / from Norah, and Ben’s “hot take” on media reviewers today 00:02:07 - How are gender non-specific concepts being handled in gendered languages? 00:07:23 - What happens in the brain when a child learns 2 languages simultaneously? 00:09:15 - When does it become more difficult to learn new languages? 00:11:39 - Ben has no book bag, Norah isn’t feeling well … both in German! 00:13:25 - When translating a book, who is best suited to “accurately” translate it? 00:16:15 - Global awareness, translations, time, and changing customs 00:19:23 - The word translation, and the different meanings in different cultures 00:22:26 - The work of linguists: haves, has, peruse, Peru, and Peru 00:24:43 - A discussion about how translation will work in the metaverse 00:26:57 - The open AI artist DALL-E 2 is currently showing racial and gender biased output 00:32:37 - The Twitter bot Tay and how she became EVIL! 00:38:14 - Thinking about computational linguistics, artificial intelligence, and morphology 00:43:21 - Norah tell a linguist joke, and we say goodbye
The one and only Aunt Norah is in town this week to see her favorite (?) nephew Ben, or perhaps it’s just to record a show about the word metaverse? Who’s to say? They do have differing views on what it is and what it could be; however, it’s a very interesting discussion from a generation X-er and a Baby Boomer just trying to make sense of it all.
00:00:21 - It’s a dry heat, and starting off the show with TWO questions from my Aunt! 00:01:30 - “What makes NFTs bad for the environment?” 00:04:05 - “What is augmented reality, and how is different from virtual reality?” 00:06:30 - Norah starts the metaverse conversation 00:08:30 - What does a successful metaverse look like? 00:11:15 - Origin of the Snow Crash book title 00:13:35 - Was Norah listening? You decide! 00:15:25 - E-Bay experiences, Beanie Babies, and Norah says, “on point!” 00:19:00 - Auction houses for real art in the metaverse 00:21:05 - Embedding chips in humans, DNA, and disengaging from VR 00:27:00 - “Kids, don’t bring your guns to amusement parks,” the word meta, and Don Quixote 00:31:00 - In Hebrew meta means dead, and Ben says “the dog’s bollocks” 00:33:30 - Second Life, and facial expressions, emotes, and “don’t F with me…” 00:37:35 - Leveraging data mining in the metaverse, and Ben definitely wants those cat ears 00:40:05 - Unwieldy hardware, and is a conflict-free metaverse possible? 00:43:00 - Concerns about the development of the metaverse, and the evolution of bullying 00:47:55 - Will the development of the metaverse make humanity exponentially worse? 00:50:40 - Will the metaverse ever become the “real” world? 00:53:20 - The “Benaverse,” game evolution, and will Norah try VR? 00:57:10 - Ben’s concerns about crime, and Norah thinks the metaverse will alway be pretend 01:00:00 - “AI means artificial intelligence,” be careful, and favorite nephew… question mark?
This week Paul joins Ben to discuss the word virtual. Topics covered include: virtual experiences present and future, programming languages, virtual software environments, pioneers of the home computing industry, pondering the uses of virtual reality in the future, and envisioning improvements to VR hardware.
00:00:30 - “Jinx, you owe me a coke” 00:03:01 - “Does technology make us more or less virtuous?” 00:05:55 - The game Ben can’t remember is Kung Fu Rider 00:07:50 - Paul describes some programming languages and concepts for Ben 00:12:40 - Ben has questions about object oriented programming for Paul 00:16:01 - Representing everyday objects as code, databases, and going wireless 00:19:01 - The effects of VR on the body and brain 00:24:05 - Ben’s experience with Mass VR in Chicago 00:29:03 - Semantics of live simulations and virtual ones 00:32:35 - What can virtual reality contribute to experiences other than games 00:37:03 - Experiencing television programs and movies in virtual reality… present and future 00:41:23 - Thinking about non-entertainment uses for VR 00:43:07 - Bill Gates’ and Steve Jobs’ visions of the future of computers 00:46:18 - Watch the “Fantastic Voyage” trailer, and what experiences do consumers want 00:48:28 - Envisioning educational uses for virtual reality 00:53:01 - Adding other senses to virtual reality, and Ben talks about the movie Brainstorm 00:56:46 - Stinky Weasel 2812 and Butt Tickler 87 00:57:31 - Paul and Ben’s thoughts on what the future holds for virtual experiences 01:01:25 - “An amplified version of the things that are wrong with us”
Andrew is back in Tucson with Ben this week, and it’s about time… figuratively AND literally! Andrew shares stories about teaching, inspirations for his novel, his favorite authors, riding the light rail in Portland, and dreaming about acronyms. Ben talks about Choose Your Own Adventure books, a mildly disappointing reality show, a favorite time loop movie filmed near his home town, and the arcade game “Time Killers.”
00:00:21 - Ben and Andrew (and maybe Bash and Mango) are this week’s hosts. 00:03:00 - Time gets funny for Andrew, the perception of time, and Andrew’s new novel 00:06:40 - What inspired Andrew to write about the horrible time travelers 00:13:50 - “The Beast Beyond Time,” and writing around the pandemic 00:15:45 - The second coming of Frank Zappa, and public stock manipulation 00:20:00 - Not familiar with the band, another recess story, and more perception 00:23:46 - The origin of “Choose Your Own Adventure” books, remembering InfoCom games 00:27:40 - Don’t say “fanny pack” in AU, Andrew’s light rail story, and Prius stigma 00:34:20 - Andrew’s spacetime explanation, and not enough hallucinogens 00:37:20 - A teachable moment for Norah, acronyms, and “Kiss of Death” 00:40:37 - Lego Masters and… Domino Masters? 00:43:07 - Ben’s reality show idea, and a cool short story Andrew read 00:46:50 - Many spider mans, the Marvel Multiverse, and other time travel movies 00:50:04 - Andrew has issues with Christopher Nolan 00:54:01 - Groundhog Day movie trivia 00:58:10 - One time travel themed fighting arcade game history segment 01:00:47 - TV series Russian Doll, and a discussion on “straight to streaming” projects 01:04:30 - Time travel in Star Trek, and Andrew’s favorite time travel movie 01:07:52 - Shut… it… down… and goodbye.
Philosophy student Jenna and Generation X-er Ben are talking about the word morality this week, but before they get started on this thought provoking topic… they have a “warmup chat” with Norah. After the official show introduction Ben and Jenna dive in to the discussion… and it goes to some unexpected places. Video games mentioned include the GTA franchise, Call of Duty, Dante’s Inferno, the Mass Effect franchise, Fallout 3, and Detroit: Become Human.
00:00:21 - The Ben, Jenna, and Norah with the (depressing?) morality warmup 00:01:40 - Alan Turing, Oscar Wilde, ferries, and Staten Island 00:06:00 - Morality threshold, scorecards, a literal “Hail Mary”, and moral friction 00:09:23 - Morels, the Dead Milkmen, and Jenna is bringing the theory 00:12:03 - The official start of the show, “only hot girls get IBS,” and Jenna’s college courses 00:16:10 - The other side of coin, and looking at things from the marginalized viewpoint 00:19:05 - People’s ignorance about feminism, and the shared human experience 00:22:23 - Truth, emotions, and being open to different perspectives 00:24:45 - Religion’s impact on morality, “grey areas,” and s’mores 00:28:35 - A disagreement about chocolate, marshmallows, and crispy rice treats 00:31:00 - Jenna does not like Abraham Lincoln in copper form, and Ben’s strip club story 00:34:20 - The “nudie bucket,” and the morality of the sex / service industry 00:37:01 - The difference between ethics and morals, and further discussion about sex work 00:42:00 - Nel Noddings and the ethics of care, unconscious bias, and the Bechdel test 00:48:15 - Ben’s oil scenario, and the “fluidity” of people’s morals 00:51:36 - Jenna wants to play Dungeons and Dragons, and Ben explains some D&D nuances 00:55:02 - Alignment and the “black and white” nature of morality mechanics in games 01:02:29 - Jenna reflects on law, chaos, and being a member of the LBGTQ+ community 01:05:00 - Ben’s Fallout 3 scenario, game narrative, choice, and Detroit: Become Human 01:12:11 - Jenna is a s’mores advocate and has hope for the future 01:13:42 - Ben closes the show with a Blue Thunder quote
Ben is excited to tell you about Two Vague’s work on their “Only Fans” page! Additional topics include a brief summary of the OnlyFans platform, some interesting facts about fans, (maybe fictional) details about 2VPs “Only Fans” page, one of Ben’s favorite commercials, his time with a sequel in the Horizon franchise, and some trivia about… “April Fools Day!”
00:00:40 - Some information about OnlyFans, and our announcement 00:02:00 - A brief history of fans, our new fan-centric content, and protect your oscillating fan 00:04:10 - Ben talks about his experience with Horizon: Forbidden West 00:06:45 - New mission types in Forbidden West 00:08:46 - Aloy’s story arc, and an impactful death on the horizon (pun intended) 00:10:39 - Morality, time, and metaverse are upcoming words 00:11:25 - April Fools’ Day history, and derrière based humor 00:13:15 - Media based pranks, and the moon is made of cheese 00:15:20 - Thank you for your support!
For this week’s discussion, Ben (and an incredibly vocal Mango who presumably was confused with Ben appearing like he was talking to himself for an hour and a half) is joined by Aunt Norah for a somewhat unfamiliar word to both of them, but it’s nothing that can’t be cured by some research and questioning of Chicago restaurant waitstaff. Topics of discussion include Lunchables, Economics, “The Problem with Jon Stewart”, cryptocurrencies, NFTs, a Michael Jordan story, and in-game collections.
00:01:05 - “When was the first time you heard the word fungible?” 00:04:10 - A brief history of Lunchables, and Norah’s advertising experience 00:08:50 - Charcuter-Easy … (soon to be trademarked?) 00:11:10 - The lunchmeat exchange rate, cryptocurrency, fiat money, and Norah is not new 00:14:50 - Grandpa preferred paying with a physical thing 00:18:05 - Ben thinks Jon Stewart needs to invest in a comma 00:22:35 - Is a stock market a mechanism for gambling? 00:28:45 - The 2 items in Norah’s top 3 things she learned in economics class 00:30:45 - Ben’s cryptocurrency research and glossary of terms 00:36:50 - Ben’s NFT research and glossary of terms 00:42:15 - OpenSea is the largest NFT marketplace, pizza, and pizza NFTs 00:45:45 - Norah asks, “Is this a new form or art?” 00:49:00 - Ben’s Non-Fungible Tolkien creation example, and Norah gets the reference 00:52:50 - The inter-Met(-ropolitan Museum of Art), and the high-class version of the pet rock 00:57:20 - Ben’s Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan slam dunk story 00:59:20 - LimeWire... is it music, malware, or hardcore porn? 01:01:15 - Taxes, NFTs, and the first time Ben has uttered a particular sentence 01:06:05 - Thoughts on digital collections in games, loot crates, and the value of cosmetics 01:08:30 - Again with the GameStop desperation tactics, and the Warframe in-game economy 01:12:12 - Norah’s cat suit, and the evils of micro-transactions 01:13:30 - Closing the show with Norah’s unintentional AOL style goodbye.
Paul joins Ben this week to discuss the word drive. The conversation focuses mostly on professional racing due to Paul’s enthusiasm about the topic, but Ben has a few trick questions, some trivia, and maybe a golf club up his sleeve. Paul shares his knowledge of Formula 1 and NASCAR racing with Ben, and they both reflect upon their favorite console driving games.
00:00:35 - Paul gets right to the point… “speed run” and F1 00:05:27 - Ben talks about the BMW commercial series “The Hire” 00:07:45 - Vehicle movies: Fast and the Furious, Drive, and “Die Hard on a Bus” a.k.a. Speed 00:11:00 - Ben’s rankings website idea, and he explains the original Speed Racer cartoon 00:15:38 - The extent of Ben’s knowledge on golf, and Paul talks about playing it in VR 00:18:34 - About Apple Arcade, “Platinum Games,” and then Ben has a minor senior moment 00:23:30 - Road trips, piloting, and Paul talks about his love of F1 racing 00:29:17 - The Halo system and safety standards in Formula 1 racing 00:33:34 - How frequent are fatal accidents in F1 and NASCAR? 00:38:45 - Car designs, challenging technical innovations, and is Lewis Hamilton retiring soon? 00:42:25 - When Paul realized professional driving was a sport 00:45:46 - Paul’s PC racing rig and experiences with iRacing 00:50:07 - Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen participates in iRacing events?! 00:54:24 - Overcoming hardware failures in F1 races, and the shortcomings of race simulations 01:00:48 - Racing games: Gran Turismo, Need for Speed, Midnight Club, and Burnout 01:04:20 - “Getting mad that Taco Bell isn’t like Mexican food” 01:06:03 - Playing arcade racing games on the Sega Dreamcast 01:08:45 - Kart racing in Tokyo, Japan… and in Arizona 01:13:35 - Paul shoots down Ben’s AR karting hybrid idea, and their closing thoughts.
This week Emelie joins Ben to discuss the word travel. First they talk about the interesting places they have each been for work and pleasure. Driving, flying and riding the train are just a few of the modes of transportation discussed before Ben talks about two ridiculous travel themed “games.” To close out the show Emelie and Ben share their international and domestic dream vacations: Tokyo, Stockholm, the Grand Tetons, and a specific Disney destination.
00:00:56 - “Ask Cheyenne about her unicycle experience” 00:02:43 - Emelie’s one free day in Kauai, and Ben’s childhood fascination with surfing 00:05:42 - Emelie has been playing lots of Beat Saber on the Oculus Quest 00:08:40 - Remembering our favorite rhythm games… DDR, Beatmania, and Rock Band 00:13:20 - The first rhythm game, and Ben has a question for Emelie about VR for travel 00:18:00 - Back to Emelie in Hawaii and future vacation plans there 00:21:30 - Ben talks about skiing, Emelie asks if “pizza” works, and the “Canada pants” 00:27:40 - Emelie’s trips to Mille Lacs Lake, Rocky Point, Pagosa Springs, and So Cal 00:32:00 - As a child, Ben was afraid of getting stuck in Canada at Niagara Falls 00:34:25 - AMC’s “Airplane Mode” and “Penn & Teller’s Smoke and Mirrors” 00:40:15 - Trips on trains 00:45:07 - Emelie wants to visit Stockholm, and Ben mentions “Welcome to Sweden” 00:51:20 - Travel preferences… solo vs. family, and Australia 00:55:51 - Ben wants to sleep at a capsule hotel in Tokyo 00:59:20 - "First Cabin" themed hotel, staying at a ryokan, bath houses, and hot springs 01:02:28 - Getting a driving permit for a Go-Kart tour, and visiting Super Potato 01:06:21 - Themed cafes, vending machines, Gashapon, and fishing for you supper 01:09:50 - Maid and butler cafes, and a prison hospital themed bar. 01:11:40 - Grand Tetons for Emelie, and Galactic Starcruiser for Ben 01:15:20 - Saying, not singing “Just the Two of Us,” and vacation advice to close the show.
Spring Break season is upon us, and you know what that means… it’s time for a philosophical debate? Sure, let’s go with that. Norah had a question about “Episode 34 - Space” for my guest Paul, so we called her up and recorded her for the program. We ended up talking about the vastness of space, Ben’s lack of knowledge when it comes to automobiles, and the “Metaverse”.
00:00:52 - “It’s an uncle-free zone here at the Two Vague Podcast.” 00:02:24 - Norah’s 3 hour waitress job and remembering Aunt Pat 00:04:15 - Ben knows nothing about automobile manufacturers 00:06:04 - Norah’s question about the universe, and Ben needs mushrooms 00:08:55 - Ben’s power move suggestion... Marcus 00:11:10 - Norah’s universe in a shoebox, and Ben asks Paul for “space evidence” 00:14:50 - The most mass in a galaxy, and Dads 00:16:18 - Norah has been contemplating the “Metaverse” 00:19:18 - Paul talks about the book Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson 00:21:00 - Ben and Paul try to explain “Second Life” by Linden Lab to Norah 00:23:50 - “Smells of the Metaverse,” and closing the call
For this week’s episode (nearly lost to the evils of SD card data corruption), Cheyenne is running the show! Cheyenne and Ben talk about Fight Club, their favorite John Hughes films, their favorite characters from pop culture (too numerous to mention individually), and their favorite video games for character customizations.
00:00:30 - Role reversal, consolation prizes, and character 00:03:30 - Meatloaf dead on a table and a Fight Club discussion 00:08:20 - Ben and Cheyenne are both characters 00:14:00 - Ben thinks you should watch the movie Weird Science 00:16:20 - Music vs. Dad humor 00:18:00 - Ben’s answers for Cheyenne’s character “speed round” 00:22:15 - Favorite movie characters: Jurassic Park, Alien, Leon, and Grosse Pointe Blank 00:34:26 - Favorite TV characters: New Girl, The Tick and Breaking Bad 00:45:50 - Favorite book characters: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Fight Club 00:50:30 - Favorite video game characters: “Horizon: Zero Dawn” and the Mass Effect trilogy 00:56:49 - Favorite villains: True Romance, Die Hard and Breaking Bad 01:03:22 - How actors play villains and Method acting 01:06:56 - Cheyenne is impressed with character creation in Dragon’s Dogma 01:08:55 - Genitalia options in Cyberpunk 2077… what’s the point? 01:10:58 - Cheyenne was disappointed with character creation in Skyrim, KoTOR and Fallout 01:13:17 - Ben’s character creation preferences and how it relates to the story in the game 01:15:26 - Ben describes the character customizations in City of Heroes and City of Villains 01:20:30 - Ben plays the role of a little girl to close the show
Paul joins Ben this week to talk about a very expansive word… assorted nerd-geekery ensues on the subjects of telescopes, aliens, Star Wars, Dune, and other memorable science fiction media. They only scratch the surface of science fiction space games, but their favorites include a list of recognizable properties (to non-Norah’s) and one forthcoming new Bethesda project that Paul hasn’t heard of.
00:01:55 - Ben and Paul talk about painting… “does anybody know the difference?” 00:05:27 - What fascinates Paul about space? 00:08:37 - “Do you believe in aliens?” 00:11:13 - James E. Webb vs Edwin Hubble, and too many Hubbles 00:15:32 - Telescopes on the horizon, and planetariums 00:19:37 - Paul and Ben’s thoughts on Astrology, “The Onion,” pizza, and Pluto 00:26:03 - Back to aliens, “storming” Area 51, and fueling creativity 00:29:00 - Paul punts E.T., thoughts on science fiction, and “Only a Sith deals in absolutes” 00:33:10 - Ben has questions for Paul about the Dune universe 00:38:16 - Ben talks about the movie Outland, and Paul talks about “2001: a Space Odyssey” 00:42:30 - Ben’s Ridley Scott trivia, STNG, “The Expanse,” and science fiction books 00:45:55 - Paul talks about “The Three-Body Problem” by Liu Cixin 00:47:50 - “The Legacy of Heorot” by Jerry Pournelle, Larry Niven, and Steven Barnes 00:49:47 - Ben recommends “Jodorowsky's Dune” and “The Orville” 00:54:22 - “Star Wars: Squadrons,” “No Man’s Sky,” “Destiny,” and “Anthem” 00:58:48 - Thoughts on development hype, game development today, and “Cyberpunk 2077” 01:04:37 - Ship combat vs exploration games, and Elite Dangerous 01:07:08 - The “Skyrim” in space game Paul hasn’t heard about 01:09:30 - How console exclusives impact players and advancements in cross-play 01:12:21 - Reminiscing about video games, NASA tragedies, and landing the Space Shuttle 01:17:15 - Ben’s Ferris Bueller's Day Off / Space Shuttle fun fact and “torso pants”
Ben and Cheyenne are incredibly excited to talk today, but it could just be the word… HYPE (insert airhorn noise here)! Ben educates Cheyenne on “hype men” in the music of his youth, Public Enemy’s song/video “By the Time I get to Arizona,” the air horn, Beanie Babies, and assorted documentaries. When the conversation turns to video games, they discuss Cyberpunk 2077, how to promote games successfully with an appropriate level of hype, The Witcher 3, Dragon’s Dogma, and Warframe.
00:01:00 - Pre-calculus, snapping necks, cashing checks, and the etymology of hype 00:03:35 - The dog’s bollocks, word associations, and hip hop music 00:07:15 - Ben’s Weezer hot take and some history on Madison, WI alternative 90’s music 00:09:45 - Backwards masking to avoid copyright infringements, and then back to hype 00:11:55 - The hype man dancer to singer in the musical group The Prodigy 00:17:35 - Cheyenne talks about Eminem and Ben talks about Public Enemy 00:20:04 - The origin of Flavor Flav’s clock, and the bathroom clock 00:23:05 - Public Enemy’s “By the Time I Get to Arizona” rap and music video 00:27:20 - Artistic expression, politics, dick measuring, and do your work 00:32:58 - “…and then the air horn,” and origins in Reggae and Dancehall music 00:35:05 -The Hulu show “Dead Asleep,” fidget spinners, Beanie Babies, and Funko Pop! 00:42:10 - Cheyenne and Ben talk about Steve Carell 00:46:33 - Ben remembers Outlaw Golf for the original X-Box, hype means exposure 00:48:11 - Ben and Cheyenne’s "jinx you owe me a Coke" moment 00:52:18 - Can hype be tempered or controlled? 00:56:32 - Companies "making it right" for consumers of video games, and Dragon’s Dogma 01:01:18 - Cooperative multiplayer and Ben’s Warframe story 01:05:57 - To close out the show… Cheyenne does her impression of an air horn!
Ben is joined this week by Judy, a rugby player for the Colorado Grey Wolves in the WPL (http://wplrugby.org). They talk about Judy’s “origin story” and the ins and outs of the game of rugby. It’s a subject that Ben has very little knowledge of, but his eagerness to learn inspires Judy to teach him the basics. In the last portion of the show, Ben shares his passion for video games with Judy by showing her trailers for a number of sports games and asking her for feedback. Is there a console and game purchase in Judy’s future?
00:00:20 - Ben is compelled to introduce this week’s word with “Dad humor” 00:02:00 - “The home of Cheap Trick,” Rugby 7s, and “rugby people are crazy” 00:05:00 - Judy tries to announce her early retirement from rugby 00:08:50 - Convincing Judy to come back for a second year, and Ben’s bruises 00:12:30 - Mascots, Ben’s talks about peccaries, and things change for Judy in the 3rd season 00:16:20 - Judy makes the Allstar team, and she takes a chance because of the pandemic 00:20:40 - Training, team "return to play" protocols, and practicing with elite rugby players 00:26:15 - Awesome benefits, cranking the siren, and taxing the cleats 00:29:30 - Olympic dreams and the Argentina National Team 00:33:01- Ben loves Venn diagrams and reciting facts 00:37:05 - How to initiate a scrum, the knock-on and kickoff 00:41:10 - Scrum caps to prevent face burns, firecrackers, and the number 8. 00:45:30 - The types of backs, feeding the scrum, and the ways to score in rugby 00:53:10 - The World Rugby Certification Exam, tackling in rugby, rucking, and mauling 00:56:20 - Is Ben ready to play rugby? 00:58:15 - Ben shows Judy rugby video games and gets her feedback 01:02:10 - How valuable is a simulator/video game in sports training 01:06:10 - Captain Tsubasa, should there be a rugby equivalent? 01:08:57 - Judy and Ben share their closing thoughts
Ben shares never before heard clips from a few previous shows. Subjects include social media trends, sex toys, old game shows, movie aliens, stop motion animation, and nostalgic games.
00:00:20 - Ben’s introduction of the “Clip Show” and the first two clips 00:01:45 - Evan tries to explain ASMR, POV experiences, and Mukbangs 00:04:45 - Rachel doesn’t like ASMR and Ben talks about a Mukbang dating show. 00:07:35 - Ben introduces clips from Marily’s Agriculture episode 00:09:00 - Sex toys, “The Great Game of the Goose”, 15 minutes and corn 00:18:20 - Introducing the clip from Cheyenne’s Context episode 00:20:30 - Skulls and lawsuits 00:24:23 - The Language episode clip and Tahnee has many questions 00:28:50 - Ben introduces a long segment removed from Arden’s Tool episode 00:30:35 - A brief history of stop motion animation 00:34:15 - A brief history of Phil Tippett 00:40:00 - Arden and Ben discuss CGI and “The Thing” movies 00:43:40 - Ben’s “Heroes” literature class story and Arden talks about nostalgia 00:47:30 - Arden and Ben discuss remastered games 00:56:30 - Closing the show with a blooper from Phoenix and Jenna’s Religion show
Emelie and Ben discuss what the word resolution means to them. Emelie reflects upon her 2022 resolution, a past relationship, the game “It Takes Two,” and watching Star Wars with her big brother. Ben talks about vector graphics, Aggretsuko, mental health, and early games developed to be played on an oscilloscope.
00:00:20 - Introducing Ben, Emelie, and word resolution 00:04:03 - If there’s a party, Ben’s not going to turn it down 00:06:03 - Ben’s resolution joke doesn’t land with Emelie, and she shares her 2022 resolution 00:09:00 - Emelie is working on herself, and Ben remembers a previous relationship lesson 00:13:45 - “A little bit of both,” solo experiences in the 20s, and remembering resolutions 00:17:35 - Ben suggested “It Takes Two” for Emelie and her gamer boyfriend 00:20:10 - Killing the elephant with teamwork 00:25:49 - The Ben shows the “Knights and Bikes” trailer to Emelie (10 sec fade transition) 00:27:55 - Karaoke crushes Emelie’s dreams, and Ben explains the show Aggretsuko 00:31:15 - Forgetting to blink, parched eyes, and the resolution of vectors 00:34:20 - Ben talks vector graphics, and Emelie’s mom is a math teacher 00:38:10 - A teacher’s schedule, and Emelie has public health sector aspirations 00:45:55 - “Space War!” and the snail-mail equivalent of social media 00:48:50 - Star Wars memories 00:53:10 - Closing thoughts, and we want Emelie back because she sounds good
For the word zodiac, Ben talks about his hesitations when it comes to astrology, sitting in the broadcasting booth at the Oprah Winfrey show, Starscrolls, the game Hades, and the Rogue-like game genre. Phoenix shares her thoughts on daily horoscopes, chart reading, the differences between Greek and Roman mythology, looking for purpose in life, her fascination with serial killers, fashion marketing, sharing feelings, people watching, and video games she used to play.
00:00:20 - Phoenix and Ben are hosting this week 00:03:55 - “… such a Gemini thing to do,” “we are not a sponsor of AstroFuture,” and irony 00:08:45 - Ben successfully fights the urge to sing the lyrics to a Shocking Blue song 00:13:40 - Is astrology a religion or a tool? 00:18:10 - People being interested in serial killers 00:23:09 - “Which is… strange to say,” profiling, the Baby Gap, and a small market segment 00:27:05 - Phoenix reads Ben’s chart and talks about Geminis 00:31:15 - Hawaiian pizza is the devil’s pizza and 3 strikes again 00:35:20 - Gemini sun, Gemini moon, Pisces rising, and Phoenix is not a star racist 00:42:00 - Is Pluto a planet? 00:45:50 - Ben’s still loves listening to Phoenix explain mythology 00:51:20 - Hades spoilers and “Persephone and Nyx have beef” 00:56:10 - Phoenix and Ben’s closing thoughts on the word zodiac and astrology
Tarot is the word for Jenna and Ben this week. Jenna talks about her Catholic upbringing, spiritual experiences, and reflecting on the meanings of tarot cards. Ben asks (MANY) questions about religious beliefs and rituals, but he has a couple of stories. They also discuss using tarot as a guide, GTA, FIFA, and navigating life.
00:00:20 - Jenna is pretty good, Ben is fine, and the word is tarot 00:01:53 - The swords, the pentacles, the cups… and the other thing 00:04:04 - Jenna talks about High School and the “mini morning mass” 00:07:41 - Jenna was in the newspaper for her religious participation 00:09:26 - Guy preaching at the bar in Yuma, and misconceptions about choice 00:13:14 - The self centric nature of religion, and Ben’s King James Bible story 00:17:46 - Are mental illnesses caused by demonic possession? 00:20:20 - The three of nuns, Jenna considers being a nun, and a priest’s good advice 00:23:21 - Similarities between being a nun and being a therapist 00:26:16 - Jenna explains transubstantiation and the sacristan to Ben 00:29:30 - Ben asks about exorcisms, and Jenna talks about the exorcism priest 00:34:28 - The “pick a side” pandemic and using tarot as a guide 00:37:59 - Ace of swords, Jenna’s reflections, and self expression through tarot 00:41:21 - Ben thinks it means Jenna needs to go to Las Vegas 00:46:23 - LBGTQ acceptance in the church, and what repenting is 00:48:52 - “Level 2 sins,” tarot as a changing story, and Ben calls it “throwing down” 00:52:50 - Reading reversed vs. not reading reversed, and Jenna played GTA on her phone 00:55:26 - After leaving a religion, is there a recovery period? 00:57:43 - Jenna explains the Rapture to Ben and contemplates the universe 01:00:45 - Jenna played FIFA and Ben talks about “Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions” 01:02:54 - The sports Jenna played in school, and reading as a hobby 01:05:43 - Ben thinks it’s too early to tell, Jenna loves philosophy, and closing the show
Closing out 2021, Ben is joined by Arden to discuss the word tool. Ben talks about Alfred Nobel, remembering his father’s neatly organized tool areas, Eric Sloane books, the “infamous staircase of family legend”, fishing at Lake Julian in Cary, IL (which still operates today), and the band Genesis. While Arden talks about his favorite tools, builders in the 1100s, thinking that fishing was scary and gross at a young age, his “jack-est” (soon to be a thing), and his enjoyment of the band Tool. On the subject of video games, they explore the use of tools in “Souls-like” games, Death Stranding, Fallout, Far Cry, Mass Effect, Dig Dug, Dead Rising, and Beyond Good and Evil.
00:00:20 - Your hosts this week are Arden and Ben! 00:01:51 - A good tool for crowing or barring, and Arden’s problem with the word gif 00:04:20 - Drinking hot coffee out of your hands, buckets of iced tea, and soap 00:07:10 - Arden’s favorite tool is his self build PC, and Ben talk about the Nobel Peace Prize 00:10:45 - Writing and acting tools, believable dialogue, and acting aspiration stories 00:17:15 - Ben reflects on Ed’s tools and explains old label technology to Arden 00:20:55 - “Pillars of the Earth,” “A Reverence for Wood,” and the “Frank Lloyd Wright stairs” 00:26:20 - Arden’s father introduces him to fishing, and “the dream of fishing” 00:30:22 - Ben and Arden talk about the band “Tool” 00:33:42 - If H.R. Giger discovered a color wheel, and the original lineup of the band 00:37:22 - Ben is a “Genesis” guy more than a “Rush” guy, and the theatrical nature of music 00:42:42 - Arden talks about loving Bloodborne and the use tools in the game 00:47:21 - The tools in "Death Stranding," and game design creativity for it’s own sake 00:52:08 - Lindsay Wagner’s role in Hideo Kojima’s “Death Stranding” 00:59:01 - Don’t tell people about the animatronics, and ladders 01:03:07 - Grappling hooks, elephants, and getting attacked by eagles or bobcats 01:08:08 - The iconic tool in Mass Effect, and Ben talks about his favorite remastered game 01:11:28 - Bicycle pumps, shovels, farming tools, and cameras 01:17:33 - The Nintendo DS “job game” trend, trying to cure guilt, and cooking games 01:22:34 - “In that instance the couch is a tool,” and a show closer from Arden
Just in time for Christmas, Ben puts on his producer hat and hands the keys to the proverbial kingdom over to this week’s hosts Jenna and Phoenix who are excited to talk about the word religion. No video game conversations this week, but there will be plenty of time for that when they each appear with Ben in January.
00:00:20 - Your hosts this week are Phoenix and Jenna 00:02:15 - Question 1: “There are numerous instances of violence and wars occurring in the name of religious beliefs, but what are the benefits of organized religion?" 00:07:36 - Mistranslations in the First Epistle to the Corinthians and the Book of Leviticus 00:11:45 - Jenna and the double edged sword of her previous religious community 00:16:14 - Discrediting modern science, and is religion more harmful than helpful? 00:18:29 - Question 2: “Discuss things in life you have experienced that can not be explained by science. Would you consider these religious events? Why or why not?” 00:20:30 - Phoenix and Jenna reference the words they discussed with Ben for upcoming shows 00:23:32 - Don’t feed the crocodile, and Jenna communicates with a deceased relative 00:31:44 - Guidance is guidance, Jenna is really in to rocks, and Phoenix is a raccoon? 00:35:03 - Phoenix says, “Pluto is emo Hades” 00:37:28 - Question 3: “Rituals are a major part of religious practices. Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of using rituals in religion. Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of using rituals in day to day life.” 00:39:31 - Jenna defines the word sacristan 00:46:01 - Bash speaks up when he hears to word “cat” and “The Power of Myth” by Joseph Campbell 00:50:25 - When is something a ritual, and “is a cup of coffee in the morning a ritual?” 00:55:59 - A shout-out to Mason, and Phoenix explains Scientology to Jenna 00:58:16 - The fake book, and Phoenix’s Latter Day Saints story 01:00:30 - Ben thinks the world needs more of Phoenix’s renditions of Greek Myths 01:03:31 - Phoenix and Jenna close the show like pros!
This week, Ben is joined by Dr. Tahnee, a teacher of ESL, to discuss the word language. Tahnee talks about teaching English and her love of languages. Ben talks about the origins of the Sims game franchise and tries to answer Tahnee’s questions about the development of the Simlish language.
00:00:20 - Ben and Tahnee introduce themselves 00:01:00 - Tahnee talks about where her interest in language started 00:03:31 - The Mango and Bash love Tahnee mic sounds, and the school system in Brazil 00:07:34 - How cats communicate with humans, and “The Secret Life of Cats” documentary 00:09:04 - Creativity, sentences, syntax, and context 00:11:05 - “…different parts of your brain” and differences in learning 1st and 2nd languages 00:13:43 - Ben hears it but can’t roll it, and Tahnee talks about differences in written and verbal learning 00:17:59 - Learning styles and discussing Japanese 00:19:57 - Say no to banning cursive writing! 00:24:03 - Not all language courses are the same, and structuring coursework to standards 00:28:20 - The subject, the predicate, how to make sense, and “a lot more 20 letter words.” 00:31:22 - The profound end of the pool 00:34:21 - A pitfall of learning a second language 00:36:29 - Ben’s hot take on people correcting grammar 00:39:20 - Tahnee is more objective in English, and she talks about conceptual metaphors 00:42:22 - Syntax, nuance, and using the passive voice 00:45:57 - Tahnee anticipates her student’s needs based on their native language 00:48:04 - Research on interactive video games as a language learning aid 00:52:21 - Ben explains “The Sims” franchise development and history 00:55:34 - Ant not aunt simulator, and William’s tragedy inspires him 00:59:40 - Tahnee has lots of questions and thoughts about Simlish 01:02:42 - Originally, Simlish was entirely improvised 01:05:12 - Tahnee’s professor brain has questions, "The Jabberwocky," and the word baby in Simlish 01:11:16 - Applying nonsense in a systematic way 01:14:59 - Katy Perry songs in Simlish, and Ben’s misunderstanding 01:17:46 - Tahnee’s brain starts looking for patterns… and so do players 01:20:11 - The constraints of languages, and consonant clusters 01:22:50 - Phonetics, Phonology, and baby talk (in all languages) 01:26:56 - Ben’s Sims story, have a wonderful life, and go learn a second language!
This week Cheyenne joins Ben to talk about the word platform. Diving, water pipes, taking risks, platform shoes, cosplay, Booster Gold, and the movie “The Platform” are just a few of the subjects they discuss on their circuitous route to video games. Then Ben and Cheyenne talk about their most memorable game consoles and platform games to close out the show.
00:00:20 - Introducing Cheyenne, Ben, and the word platform 00:02:45 - Saying episode words makes Ben feels dirty, and then he talks about diving 00:05:14 - “… discontinued in 1937” and the origin fancy diving 00:08:12 - “… a bunch of people on a couch” and “water pipes” 00:10:17 - Cheyenne proposes doing some research 00:12:20 - Ben explains diving competitions for Cheyenne… the tetherball queen! 00:15:49 - Ben (mis-)pronounces “de natation” as “de nation” 00:17:05 - Cheyenne’s cliff diving experience, and Ben sounds like a diving nerd 00:20:36 - The Norm MacDonald joke about cliff diving 00:21:57 - Ben and Cheyenne talk a little bit about Generation Z and taking risks 00:23:15 - “… that don’t involve Tide Pods,” and a friendly PSA 00:25:30 - Cheyenne’s challenge for Ben and the DC comics hero Booster Gold 00:30:17 - Capes… Cheyenne has experiences with them 00:33:40 - Ben’s brief Jet Set Radio interlude followed by “the hole” 00:37:27 - Discussing the premise of the movie, “The Platform” 00:39:15 - Shoes and stilts 00:42:10 - Cheyenne’s first console and the PC game “Chip’s Challenge” 00:46:44 - Ben’s memorable console stories 00:51:30 - Cheyenne loves Nintendo and Ben brings up the gaming stigma 00:56:45 - The definition of a platform game is a loose one 01:00:15 - "Guys, it's okay! He just wanted his machete back!” 01:01:46 - Cheyenne’s favorite platform games 01:06:58 - The first platform arcade game and others 01:09:41 - Gryzor sounds like Broforce to Cheyenne 01:12:05 - A couple of Ben’s favorite platform games 01:15:05 - Ben’s favorite platform game and what he thinks a remaster should be
Prepare yourself for a debate! Ben and Eric have their own perspectives on what makes a great game, but first Ben tries to throw Eric off his rhythm by explaining perspective drawing. They have similar views on what makes great movies, but when it comes to enjoying games… well that’s a different story. Does Ben’s ploy work? You’ll have to listen to find out!
00:00:20 - In the beige corner… Ben & in the green corner… Eric… always special 00:01:25 - Ghost Obi-Wan Kenobi’s truth… from a certain point of view 00:04:00 - Reflections on the Star Wars franchise / universe and Eric talks Tolkien 00:08:40 - Old movies, practical effects, computer graphics and filming techniques 00:11:10 - Ben’s counterpoint; fantasy universes vs “real” universes 00:15:45 - Ben’s perspective in art and drafting “tutorial” 00:19:10 - Examples of video games that represent various visual perspectives 00:22:50 - “… not the muscle group” 00:25:50 - Ben’s favorite class in High School 00:28:20 - Eric explains his struggles with drawing 00:31:00 - The Lord of the Rings trilogy and the use of forced perspective 00:34:40 - Eric apologizes for you thinking Episode 2 is a good movie 00:38:45 - The Star Wars “de-specialized” editions and Lucas snubs the National Archives 00:42:30 - Ben thinks that editors are the unsung heroes of Hollywood 00:47:10 - Starting the video game debate… 00:49:01 - Eric talks about why he enjoys Diablo 3, Skyrim and Fallout 00:52:25 - Ben generally likes story more than game mechanics 00:55:05 - “Don’t force story on me” and “selling that replay value” 00:59:40 - Ben loves Warframe because it is “free to play”-ish and highly customizable 01:03:10 - Ben thinks that City of Heroes “died” too soon and Eric likes the “Battle Pass” 01:06:50 - Season passes past and present 01:11:10 - The game remaster discussion 01:14:13 - “Do you play ‘Soccer Cars’?” 01:16:10 - Improvising Pac-Man’s backstory and talking about “point and click” adventures 01:19:20 - Myst is dumb, and Eric and Ben agree on the Portal games 01:23:20 - Trophy hunting, bookends, and Eric’s perspective has changed 01:26:05 - Wrapping up the show with a summary of their perspectives on games
This week Ben is joined by Marily for a special episode for the holiday season; it’s all about family (or familia en Español). Instead of focusing on the negative histories of the holidays they choose discuss the food, traditions and personal stories associated with family get-togethers. Marily shares her thoughts on family gatherings, making tamales, Mario Kart, and the Christmas gift she wants this year. Ben talks about the biological classification of organisms, the Pointer Sisters, stand-up comedians, his first console, and cross-play functionality in games.
00:00:20 - Introducing hosts Ben and Marily 00:01:47 - Ring Tailed Lemur yoga in Florida 00:03:10 - Gender of nouns and societal norms 00:05:50 - Celebrating Marily’s heritage and family in multiple countries 00:09:20 - Changing personal perspectives on the questionable origins of holidays 00:10:49 - Michelle Wolf’s joke about smallpox and people being offended 00:13:00 - Technology, communication and being human 00:17:45 - Having a conversation with someone in a sea of millions of possible participants 00:20:03 - Ben’s ‘Cool Hand Luke’ interlude and… balls 00:22:18 - CFO or CEO? 00:25:45 - Unconditional love, family, mental health, boundaries, and nuance 00:30:00 - A field of big juicy melons and the biological classification of organisms 00:33:33 - Dogs, legumes, cats, and the book ‘Systema Naturæ’ 00:35:46 - The Pointer Sisters and Beverly Hills Cop 00:37:35 - Stand-up comedy: dirty or clean? 00:40:56 - Ben’s Scooby Doo impression, and “why are there so many masks?” 00:42:51 - Marily’s family food tradition… Birria and Chicharrón tamales! 00:48:34 - Fun fact: Hawaiian pizza was invented in… 00:49:13 - More tamale talk 00:53:43 - Ben’s holiday food favorites, and signature family dish favorites 01:00:30 - Potato salad, Paul’s sausage stuffing, Ben’s weird quesadillas, and tuna salad 01:05:50 - Ben and Adam’s Atari 2600 plan… SUCCESS! 01:08:57 - Families of game consoles 01:10:40 - Marily’s childhood game console memories and the joys of Mario Kart 01:13:51 - Marily wants a Nintendo Switch for Christmas 01:16:01 - Talking a little bit about cross-play making console families larger 01:18:15 - Marily provides the “correct response,” and closing the show
Due to Ben’s aging issues, there was a “pain delay” on the week’s episode, but to make up for that, it’s a jumbo sized one that goes many interesting places. Cheyenne joins Ben this week to do some critical thinking and to talk about the word context. Before digging in to this very dense subject, we address a pressing question from Norah about current gaming platforms. Then after discussing social media applications, they talk about a very interesting college course Cheyenne is taking. Ben and Cheyenne’s conversation then turns to the news… quite literally, when they critique a newspaper article on Internet Gaming Disorder. Finally, they close the show with the topics of Dungeons and Dragons, tabletop games, LARP-ing, collectibles, and context aware gaming.
00:00:20 - Cheyenne bought a vacuum 00:03:34 - A lengthy discussion about a game system recommendation as a “starter” for Norah 00:15:20 - Cheyenne’s thoughts on Xbox Game Pass and developer 00:17:55 - With or without the comma, “I hope that helped Norah” and on to context 00:20:10 - Cheyenne talks about the “big picture” and zooming out 00:23:00 - A side conversation about social media applications past and present 00:27:25 - The internet “mob mentality” and ethical concerns of misinformation 00:31:20 - The breeding ground of trolls 00:33:45 - “… comedy, discomfort or misunderstandings” 00:38:55 - Blue’s Clues’ cousin and Cheyenne’s Engineering course 00:42:45 - Context and software development 00:45:50 - Bad journalism and decision quality information 00:48:40 - The impact of Mr. Thiel’s Journalism class on Ben’s critical thinking skills 00:52:03 - 1 in 20 College Students has Internet Gaming Disorder, Research Reveals 00:55:39 - What is Internet Gaming Disorder? 00:58:46 - False correlations, singling out gaming and not citing your sources 01:01:37 - 3000 students were interviewed for 75 minutes, now that is depressing 01:10:17 - How do you prefer to play video games? 01:11:45 - Ben’s D&D pickup line 01:13:47 - Cheyenne also likes playing tabletop games 01:16:55 - Cheyenne explains PvP and PvE to Norah 01:17:57 - LARP-ing and Evermore Park 01:21:40 - Amibos, Skylanders Figures and the Square Enix Lord of Vermillion arcade game 01:24:25 - Context aware, virtual reality and augmented reality games 01:28:10 - Signing off
On this supplemental episode 20 plus your favorite fraction less than 1, Ben soliloquizes about Ghostbusters, comedian Jake Johannsen, getting older, the psoas muscle, yoga, Goat Simulator, Guardians of the Galaxy, Psychonauts 2 and what words are coming in future episodes.
00:00:45 - Gozer worshipers and a slow moving Torb 00:02:35 - Ben’s “athletic type injury” 00:04:00 - The Suez Canal and cat yoga by proxy 00:06:25 - Odd animal yoga and Goat Simulator 00:09:00 - GOTY games for 2021- Guardians of the Galaxy or Psychonauts 2? 00:13:10 - Coming soon to the Two Vague Podcast… 00:16:05 - Thank you for hanging in there!
Ben is excited about Marily’s first appearance on the show; she wants to talk about about the word agriculture! This is a sprawling episode. Topics include: the life of a field worker, childhood stories, the 4H Club, meat sciences, experimental cornfields, pinball, and “Farming Simulator 22.” As luck would have it, Ben just started playing “Sakuna: of Rice and Ruin” and wants to share his thoughts on it.
00:00:20 - Introducing this week’s hosts Ben and Marily 00:01:05 - Marily reminisces about her family and field workers 00:03:14 - “The Rural Juror” and the life of a field worker 00:08:10 - Ben spends time at the farm as a youngster with Derek 00:10:19 - It works that way everywhere… on the planet 00:12:00 - Marily remembers driving to and from California 00:14:43 - Who likes lengua? 00:16:35 - Town oder and train stories 00:19:55 - Feline alarm clocks 00:21:45 - César Chávez and Dolores Huerta 00:26:26 - The crops of Arizona and California, and the 4H Club 00:29:00 - Ben’s college stories and Meat Sciences 00:31:58 - The experimental cornfield and… the name 00:34:30 - A quick discussion about GMOs and “terminator seeds” 00:37:02 - Marily considered pursuing a degree in an agriculture related field 00:39:27 - Mango opens a squeaky window (seriously) and conspiracy 00:40:48 - Ben’s Mulligan Stew confusion and some 4H trivia 00:45:08 - Not a gamer and talking about farming simulations 00:48:37 - The tractors says hello to Ben and Farming Simulator has ethical concerns 00:51:16 - Farming supply companies were confused about Farming Simulator 00:54:30 - Marily bonds with clients as a caregiver 00:56:13 - Marily says the magic word and Ben talks about it 00:59:23 - An agriculture themed pinball machine 01:01:07 - The incredible detail of Farming Simulator 22 01:03:08 - The interest-free loan from slumlord Tom Nook 01:05:45 - Paul’s Christmas present? 01:07:29 - Ben loves “Sakuna: of Rice and Ruin” 01:12:24 - Closing the show with garlic memories
It’s a special midnight release of our Halloween episode! The amazing Techtic (tinkerer extraordinaire) from the Online Warriors Podcast joins Ben this week to discuss horror! Creepy… maybe, but certainly an appropriate theme for this time of year. We wish Norah a Happy Birthday by starting with “Questions from my Aunt!” Techtic gets freaked out by the concept of abduction but will always protect his dog! The conversation then moves on to their favorite horror movies. Then they “wrap up” the show talking about horror in video games and virtual reality.
00:00:20 - Techtic and Ben are the horrific hosts... spooky! 00:02:00 - “An army of grandmas.” What is a FPS? What is an “open world” game? 00:05:45 - Techtic’s examples of how not to be reckless in open world games. 00:07:55 - Aliens and Slenderman! 00:10:40 - Techtic is a dog parent… number one! 00:15:15 - Abduction and then… Fangoria magazine! 00:19:40 - Favorite horror movies: “Pet Cemetery” and “The Serpent and the Rainbow” 00:24:10 - Techtic thinks he needs a “NOPE!” track. 00:28:40 - Techtic’s snack strategy for long movies 00:31:10 - “Hallucinations can be anything," and the power of the human brain! 00:34:20 - How many jump scares do you need? 00:38:10 - Scary monsters in video games, the Dead Space franchise, and Techtic’s callback 00:40:20 - Perspiration and evaporative cooling 00:43:50 - “This is going to require some explanation.” 00:45:20 - Horror in VR! 00:48:45 - When you don’t their name… 00:50:40 - Techtic’s parting words of wisdom and have a Happy Halloween!
Just in time for the Halloween season, Nerdbomber from the Online Warriors Podcast joins Ben this week to discuss the word superstition. There will be no future ghost hunting experiences for Nerdbomber. Both hosts are amazed with Stevie Wonder’s musical output. Nerdbomber is fascinated by the Wendigo. Next, a video game and sports ritual discussion. To wrap up the show, the hosts talk about the use of tarot card game mechanics, and Ben shares a story about the time he met Queen Latifah.
00:00:20 - Introducing Nerdbomber from www.onlinewarriorspodcast.com 00:00:50 - Superstitions and Halloween stuff 00:02:45 - Norah’s question about haptics and the PS5 00:06:45 - Nerdbomber holds her breath and doesn’t believe in ghosts 00:10:10 - Ben’s old brain, the “Foam Mountains,” and Stevie Wonder 00:16:55 - “When you believe in things you don’t understand, then you suffer…” 00:18:35 - Nerdbomber, the Wendigo, and the Chinese lantern 00:23:10 - Ouija boards and scary movies 00:26:25 - “Everybody has a camera now” 00:29:20 - Blowing in the cartridges and good luck 00:32:25 - Hockey and sports in video games 00:42:32 - Ben buys tarot cards for the artwork or maybe to impress girls 00:46:50 - Sayonara Wild Hearts and that time Ben met Dana Owens 00:50:05 - Rhythm games and DDR 00:52:55 - Games that take 100 hours or more to complete 00:55:55 - Shin Megami Tensei and Luigi’s Mansion 00:58:45 - “The World Ends With You” and “The World Ends With You Neo” 01:02:02 - Nerdbomber + 2 drinks and her parting words of wisdom
Sammi joins Ben this week to get nostalgic about miscellaneous pop culture. This is a heavy storytelling episode, but they eventually get to video games. Sammie doesn’t like zip-lines or pinball machines. Thoughts on remastered games from Sammi and Ben.
00:00:20 - Sammi and Ben start getting nostalgic 00:01:00 - The rain, the 80s, GTA, and Genesis 00:03:16 - Nostalgia… “it’s all Greek to me” 00:05:50 - Ben forgets to mention the song Summertime 00:08:10 - “Not the watermelon dude” and the 7 words 00:11:20 - The amygdala and the country’s best yoghurt 00:13:54 - Berlin and Sammi gets in to Napster 00:17:10 - 80s music videos 00:20:14 - Ben forgets which pill to take 00:23:20 - Sammi and Ben talk about toys and movies 00:31:51 - Sammi suggests removing the stairs and says nope to zip-lines 00:39:40 - Nostalgic movies 00:43:26 - “Some other bitch” and N64 00:48:41 - Tommy scarred Sammi with “abuse and beans” 00:53:01 - Game remasters 00:55:23 - Ben gushes about Psychonauts 2 00:59:51 - Crazy Taxi and putting on the bow
Former teacher turned custom jewelry maker Rachel, joins Ben for a discussion about creativity. In addition to her thoughts on the subject, Rachel shares how she discovered her creative niche through experimentation with different mediums and how a particular TikTok video she made went viral and jump started her business. Ben talks about Sigmund Freud, lightbulbs, and games that make him think of creativity.
00:20 - Rachel reveals the topic with such gusto! 00:50 - Rachel passes on the first question and then pleads the fifth 03:00 - “Body by Frost” started with a viral TikTok video 06:00 - They are called “jib-bits” (and they are trademarked) 07:00 - Creative vs. artistic 10:00 - Rachel’s mom is the Helen Young Frost, renown quilter 14:30 - A lesson in American Sign Language and signing songs 17:19 - “Deaf” or “hard of hearing” is not offensive 20:42 - Fallacies and Freud 23:42 - The interesting Astrology book title 25:53 - Rachel’s need and opportunity struggle with creativity 29:10 - Tom the trickster 34:08 - Two stories about boxes of stinky garbage 35:47 - “What’s the deal with lightbulbs?” 38:42 - “No, she’s a lawyer”, back to lightbulbs and it’s not Benjamin Franklin 41:23 - Innovation versus creativity 43:30 - Creative writing and “The Vagina Monologues” 46:11 - The hookers and the honor system 47:20 - Rachel cheats in the Sims in the name of creativity 50:37 - Ben’s story about his friend Michaela and the Sims 52:38 - “Brain Age” and typing games 54:50 - The cake and the companion cube 56:30 - A brief history of rhythm games 59:26 - Ben loves Katamari Damacy! 01:02:26 - Rachel’s video game conversations with her students 01:07:28 - “Boring but nice,” and the last question 01:12:20 - Closing thoughts on creativity
After some pre-show lunch, Ben and Sammi talk about the what the word substance means to them. Ben goes to the UK, buys New Order albums and acts like an ignorant American at the amusement park. Sammi talks about the substance of people and things. Then she shares her struggles and triumphs dealing with substance addiction. The conversation then moves to video games and haptics. It gets a little naughty at the end, but Sammi insists that you Google it.
00:20 - Sammi and Ben and the vegan Sonoran Hot Dogs 02:22 - Substance, but “…next time, the word ranch” 05:10 - Ben’s “ignorant American kids” amusement park story 06:40 - Talking about 80s new wave music 10:25 - The Depeche Mode concert story and Sammi talks about the substance of a person 13:35 - Mercury not coffee and has Sammi ever done Tai Chi 15:05 - Folding space 17:00 - Sammi talks about “Squid Game,” and Ben talks about “Only Murders in the Building” 26:46 - Sammi shares her drug and alcohol abuse stories 31:30 - Celebrating sobriety and no raves 34:45 - A solid support system is essential, and music helps 37:04 - ICD 6C51.0 and 6C51.1; a discussion about video game addiction, abuse and disease 41:45 - Babies operating iPads and online social interactions 45:15 - Sammi loves Skyrim, COD WW2 and narative 47:08 - The Assassin’s Creed franchise 49:11 - Ben hates walking on ice in games 51:05 - “Open world games have more substance than FPSs” 53:40 - Ben talks Horizon: Zero Dawn 54:35 - Haptic feedback rumblings in arcades and at home 01:00:15 - A discussion about vibrators and sex robots 01:01:35 - The future of haptics in video games, VR, and real life applications 01:05:59 - Sammi’s final thoughts on the word 01:07:00 - Closing the show… “GOOGLE IT!”
Cheyenne joins Ben this week to talk about the word Achievement. Ben shares facts on scouting, movies and how he amassed his sewing kit fortune. Cheyenne asks about knots and wants a badge for building traps. They both share stories about how uncomfortable it was going door to door in their youth. A discussion on dumb and satisfactory game achievements ensues. Ben thinks he knows what the first video game achievement was. Cheyenne shares her definition of time traveling and opinions on why she doesn’t use exploits.
00:20 - Ben and Cheyenne: “Achievement Unlocked!” 01:55 - “… in Sans Serif font,” and Ben’s hot take on the US educational system 03:35 - Tiny house talk and Earthships 06:30 - Cheyenne is not a knot person but wants to build traps 09:34 - The Big Lebowski; the Dude is a real person 12:24 - Nathan Arizona or Jim Click? 13:18 - Philip Seymour Hoffman and Natalie Wood 17:45 - Exploring the definition of the word achievement 19:29 - Cheyenne plays devil’s advocate and has a pose picked out for graduation 23:36 - “What is the escape velocity of the graduation cap?” 24:37 - Ben amasses his sewing kit fortune 27:25 - Going door to door is uncomfortable as a tweenager 29:37 - Ben’s paper route, and Cheyenne says “do people read papers?!” 32:04 - Reward yourself and Ben’s a Double Fine fanboy 34:54 - Sixteen years later… 36:16 - Pointless achievements and dumb trophies 41:42 - Ben is mixed on his opinion of trophies and achievements 43:38 - Cheyenne and Stardew Valley 45:28 - Ben and Cheyenne ponder; “What makes a good achievement in video games?” 47:23 - Ben’s achievement origin hypothesis… Atari 2600 and Activision PATCHES! 49:20 - A short PSA about gamertags. 51:43 - Cheyene’s sewing kit callback and thoughts on Gamerscore 55:31 - Cheyene’s thoughts on speed runs and using game exploits 59:15 - A definition of “time traveling” for Norah 01:03:01 - Cheyenne’s parting thoughts on achievements and trophies
Fan of the show, Eric is in the “studio” this week with Ben and the “pod-cats”. They are champing at the bit to talk about the word “adaptation” (even the cats), but first they answer a question about “Easter eggs”. The conversation goes to some interesting places before getting to video games and what is recognized as the worst movie to video game adaptation so far. Ben comes up with Norah’s PERFECT gamertag and Eric talks about his “Middle Earth” obsession.
00:20 - Ben and Eric introduce this week’s word… “adaptation” 00:33 - Clapping for syllables and “What is an Easter egg?” 04:30 - Nerd credit and sports nerds 07:20 - Eric’s thoughts on his meaning of the word adaptation 12:10 - Eric and his father’s fascination with mountain climbers 17:15 - Ben’s first remote control story and a weird question about biological adaptation 22:40 - Ben opens up about his social anxiety in very large groups and his strategy 24:00 - The movie Adaptation is old enough to drink so… spoilers or whatever 29:44 - The definition of the word pastiche and Ben knows two types of orchids 33:00 - Police Squad 34:40 - Movies that were made in to video games; Eric loved Activision’s Spiderman 2 39:25 - “Proto Incredible Spider Hulk Type” and the Punisher game 42:25 - The Red Dead Redemption “boomerang bug” 45:00 - Spiderman, Batman Arkham Asylum and Insomniac’s games 47:00 - Eric absolutely loves Tolkien’s Middle Earth universe and games 51:00 - The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay 52:40 - Eric mentions the ET Atari 2600 game and Ben can’t pronounce Alamogordo 58:50 - Norah’s gamertag 01:01:50 - Lucky Wander Boy by D.B.Weiss 01:03:40 - Ben compares video game adaptations to cover songs 01:10:20 - Ben blames George R R Martin 01:10:50 - Video game adaptations coming to Netflix 01:12:20 - Eric and Ben’s thoughts on remastered games 01:13:50 - Arcade Games made from movie properties 01:15:54 - Ben and Eric signing off
Evan joins Ben this week to discuss maps. Ben recites his map related research findings and tells a cool Google Maps story. Evan confesses that she is bad at directions. At one point the conversation moves to pizza for some reason. Evan and Ben both love Namco’s Mappy! What are “trap streets”? What makes a great video game map? Tune in and find out!
00:20 - Introducing your hosts Ben and Evan 00:38 - “Two words that don’t rhyme” and Dora 03:00 - Has Evan ever used a paper map? …Google Maps? 07:28 - Ben’s cool Google Maps story 09:45 - Snapchat improvements in relation to Geography and being social 12:30 - Cooking with Paris on Netflix (and her age is revealed) 15:22 - Origami with maps, more about paper maps, and giving directions 20:00 - Taco Bell and cultural appropriation opinions 21:20 - The start of a VERY long conversation about condiments and then pizza 28:55 - “Let’s get back to maps” and Evan gives directions 30:00 - Trap streets 35:40 - Yikes! “It only takes one murderer…” 37:05 - The sport of Orienteering, the Amazing Race and escape rooms 40:55 - The arcade game Mappy and what the translation means in Japanese 43:55 - Games where maps are very important; Evan educates Ben in the ways of Minecraft 47:50 - “A good legend” and notable map experiences in games 50:20 - Q*Bert and convincing Evan that she has to play Horizon: Zero Dawn 51:55 - Evan can’t do Star Wars; Ben sees Star Wars in the 70s 55:22 - Evan talks about playing “Alien: Isolation” 56:45 - What makes an effective map in a game? 1:00:04 - Closing thoughts on maps
Cheyenne talks about the important choices in her life and Ben talks about meat, instant coffee, and Consumer Reports. Cheyenne loves choice based games almost as much as Ben loves podcasting, but they both love BioWare games. And don’t forget the closing words of wisdom!
00:20 - Ben and Cheyenne are you hosts/contestants this week 00:55 - “Questions from my aunt” about re-specification 04:10 - The word choice 06:18 - Cheyenne’s dream job 07:42 - Kicking puppies for science 09:55 - Beef and instant coffee 13:28 - Norah’s buying patterns and rapid fire choice questions 16:00 - Cheyenne’s upbringing, Biology class, and life choices 22:05 - Fatboy Slim’s “Weapon of Choice” video and Consumer Reports 26:33 - Baby socks and a blowtorch 27:33 - Cheyenne loves Black Mirror 30:38 - Black Mirror: Bandersnatch spoiler alert (up to 31:15) 34:46 - Cheyenne enjoys science fiction and the Mass Effect franchise 37:00 - Mass Effect 3 ending discussion - you can’t satisfy everyone 42:47 - The Life is Strange franchise and similarities to Detroit: Become Human 44;27 - BioWare game nerd fest 2021 50:58 - Ben goes “super retro” - old school arcade game choices 53:31 - Character creation choices and creating the narrative 58:32 - Too many choices in games 01:00:30 - Mom’s child raising advice and Cheyenne’s management style 01:03:18 - “Karma is a bitch”
First, Evan and Ben get in to an emotional discussion about navigating the changes in their lives. Then Ben forces Evan to watch a SNL skit, and they talk about reality TV. Rounding out the episode is a conversation about what games they are currently playing and how they would change them if they could.
00:20 - Ben introducing his cohost this week, Evan 00:36 - “We’re not talking about coinage”… yet 03:10 - The delta 04:37 - To Evan, change is adrenaline 06:51 - Evan shares how the death of her mother affected her growth 12:38 - Ben shares how the death of his father ultimately led to inspiration 17:08 - “Time may change me, but I can’t trace time.” ~ David Bowie 18:58 - “You’re entering a new phase of your life.” ~ Ed Cheknis 20:41 - More to come 21:14 - Panic, anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts and change 25:27 - Happy Birthday Evan! 28:01 - Flux is life 28:53 - The coin shortage well theory 30:36 - A definition of “change” 31:22 - “First CityWide Change Bank 1” SNL skit and bathroom interlude 33:13 - From Craig Ferguson to “changing your clothes” to reality television 38:53 - Candid Camera? 41:12 - Arcades and ZOMBIES! 44:43 - Evan gushes over the “Last of Us” franchise (some spoilers) 50:57 - Ben drank Cordyceps tea once and has a RPG pet peeve 53:58 - Evan is playing Assassin’s Creed and has some suggestions 56:40 - If you could change anything about the game you are currently playing… 01:07:12 - How do you purchase your games? 01:09:17 - Evan’s parting words of wisdom
Episode 9 - Magnetism
Ben is in Chicago with his podcast in a bag! Aunt Norah explains magnetism and why our family is weird; Ben teaches Norah about video games.
00:10 - Your hosts the week are Ben and (Aunt) Norah 01:30 - Magnetic personality 03:47 - Norah reiterates that she taught 6th Grade 04:25 - Bret Easton Ellis, refrigerator magnets and Grandma 09:40 - Mango needs magnetic childproof cabinet locks 11:25 - “Was it about magnets?” 14:00 - Stay away from electrons at parties 18:09 - Lightning and golf 20:56 - The Boomers got the first Wooly Willie’s 22:51 - Is weirdness genetic? 25:47 - Twilight Zone pinball and the Magna-save 28:45 - Degaussing at the arcade 33:33 - “Knock on Wood” 36:45 - Pinball was illegal in Chicago until 1976 39:09 - Ben explains the game Portal to Norah 41:05 - Magrunner: Dark Pulse 43:26 - Super Magnetic Neo on the Sega Dreamcast 45:05 - H.P. Lovecraft with magnets 47:36 - Norah is interested in playing Hitman 50:01 - Violence in… 52:03 - “May I call you Chris?” 53:13 - “We’ll see you next time when we’re going to be talking about…”
Ben and Chris talk about the word vision this week. You’re assignment before listening to the episode is to look up the Foreigner - “Head Games” album cover to provide context to Chris’ reaction. Chris “makes it weird,” freaks out, and then gushes about the FPS Alien versus Predator franchise. Coincidentally, Ben tells his Weird Al story again and then explains why he enjoys the overall experience in a specific Far Cry 3 mission.
Episode correction: - The song “Double Vision” was on the ‘Double Vision’ album, not the ‘4’ album.
00:20 - Your hosts this week are Ben and Chris talking about the word “vision” 00:32 - Chris sings David Bowie then says, “too soon” 00:58 - Chris announces the arrival of Norah’s bag 02:22 - What is the game “Seaman?” 06:28 - “Her name is Dave” 07:58 - Vernacular at the bait shop 10:50 - The astral plane 13:39 - Regular 2VP listeners are hearing it again, but Chris is hearing it for the first time 16:23 - “What is it like to be a session player as an accordionist?” 20:29 - The ‘Head Games’ album cover and Lisanne Falk 23:39 - Wearing glasses and Chris’ radial keratotomy experience 28:19 - The best pun of the episode 32:16 - The Tick! 39:58 - Ewok knife fight and Data East’s “Captain America and The Avengers” 44:08 - “Detective Vision” 49:30 - “In space, no one can hear you polka” 52:59 - Obscured vision in games is mostly annoying and some crime folks 56:45 - A vision, a scope, and a plan 59:52 - Ben’s confusion; Outer Worlds and No Man’s Sky 01:03:10 - FIN
2VP - Episode 7 - Evolution
For the word “evolution,” Ben and Andrew take a circuitous route on their way to talking about video games, but as a special treat, there IS Andrew’s nigh famous catchphrase at the end!
0:20 - Ben and Andrew are your hosts! 0:33 - Evolution, Neanderthals, and tapas 2:18 - Teaching actual science in schools 6:07 - Carl Sagan’s Cosmos 7:44 - Velcro 10:18 - Colossal Cave Adventure 11:48 - Definitely not Ghostbusters 16:10 - Devo and Ben’s American Bandstand memory 18:44 - Do attitudes evolve? 20:22 - Andrew’s Two Vague Show callback - Bruce Willis 24:18 - Trying to remember the current host of the Tonight Show 26:12 - “… and in 30 years I’ll grow a beard” 28:58 - Poorly designed hamster balls 30:05 - Andromeda Strain with… dinosaurs, spaceships, or gorillas 32:10 - Why talk about video games when you can talk about Goldblum? 36:45 - A brief history of Ben’s video game consoles 40:09 - “You could type at people!” 41:23 - Andrew and Ben reminisce about music for nearly 10 minutes 51:09 - “Maybe we should get back to evolution…” 53:20 - Ben confuses “Ghost Dog” with “The Ghost and Mr. Chicken” 55:23 - Andrew’s Ralph Furley reprise 57:23 - The baby, a beer, and catching a baseball 01:01:55 - Is the evolution of video games going toward VR? 01:06:33 - Andrew minored in Simlish and making time for gaming 01:12:30 - Andrew gives Detective Pikachu a waxing gibbous 01:13:04 - Andrew’s closing catchphrase
2VP - Episode 6 - Hair
This week, Ben and Chris are first answering a question about the Spy episodes, followed by telling their stories related to hair and making things weird. Be prepared for tangents and tangles galore on the way to the video games(-ish) discussion.
0:20 - Your hosts this week, Ben and Chris 0:40 - The subject is hair 1:50 - Questions from my aunt and the archivists 4:33 - Why no “Bond girl” discussion? 7:08 - Bond’s children and Taran Killam’s comic “The Illegitimates” 11:50 - Chris doesn’t listen to the show, followed by stalling 14:10 - Chris doesn’t like hair, but the beard is okay 16:30 - Chris doesn’t know what a compliment is on Ben’s planet 19:54 - Hairdressers and Oil City, PA 24:48 - The diversion 28:08 - “Bad Hair” and Chris’ confusion 30:18 - Why is hair so badly done in video games? 32:18 - A simple solution… full motion video 36:08 - John Rhys-Davies impressions 38:05 - Guilty Gear and Nintendo baseball 43:14 - “… the very last city” 45:46 - Chris’ PSA 48:00 - Bridges?
2VP - Episode 5 - Ability
Ben is joined by guest co-host Andrew this week to talk about the word ability, navigating life as an autistic person, and Andrew’s fleeting obsession with Rise of Empires. For more information about Andrew’s assorted shenanigans, check out www.partlyrobot.com, @partlyrobot on Instagram, and @PartlyRobot on Twitter.
0:20 - Introducing your hosts Ben and Andrew 0:38 - Ability 7:30 - Andrew’s realizations in the late 80s 9:46 - “Around 1992 in the world of psychology…” 14:18 - Substitute teaching in special education programs 25:41 - Oh, how the English love Andrew 30:43 - “Are you taller?” 33:22 - Gold 37:18 - Autism and overlap with gender identity 41:55 - Alfa, Uniform “… give me back my gold watch!” 42:49 - A non-gendered pilot of a gendered meat robot 47:32 - AOL and chat 50:18 - Ability vs. aptitude 56:25 - Make babies and sell them rock n’ roll records 1:00:23 - Game name removed until they send Ben a check 1:04:35 - Nationally profiling 1:08:44 - Ben’s out of touch parent moment 1:14:04 - “I recognize those Spanish cuss words…” 1:17:07 - Getting that message out there 1:20:43 - Can / should games be made to be “autism accessible?” 1:22:51 - How to feel old 1:24:40 - Andrew’s wise words of wisdom to end the show
2VP - Episode 4 - Spy part 2
0:20 - Restarting the conversation - OSS117 9:10 - Two dudes and aunt - recapping the favorite Bond actors 11:55 - Bond movie theme songs - the Thunderball submission from Johnny Cash 14:05 - Chris’ baccarat and martini experiences in Las Vegas 17:55 - Back to Bond theme songs 19:55 - “You Only Move Twice” and Ben forgets Albert Brooks’ name 22:00 - IOI’s Project 007 and the Hitman franchise 28:15 - Chris’ wish list… for the Bond game 36:21 - Ben’s list - putting on the gloves of wish list excavation 37:10 - Jetpacks are dumb! 43:52 - Gadgets or question marks? 49:02 - Original theme and opening sequence 51:09 - Bundle up and be your own “Bond” 53:50 - Romance? 57:01 - Is SPECTRE necessary in the game? 1:01:59 - Closing thoughts
Episode corrections:
- After Jean Bruce’s death in 1963, his wife (not his daughter) Josette Bruce continued to write 143 OSS 117 novels until retiring in 1985. Their daughter Martine and her husband continued the series starting in 1987 and wrote an additional 23 books about OSS 117.
- The Simpsons Episode “You Only Move Twice” is the second of Season 8.
2VP - Episode 3 - "Spy" part 1 of Chris’ 2 part SPOOKTACULAR!
Disclaimer: We have the boom situation corrected for part 2 (pro tip - missing sock collection makes excellent sound baffle. Crinkle sounds, compliments of Mango the podcat. Thank you for your continued patience while I work on improving the audio quality.
0:00 - The 2VP theme song 0:20 - Introducing the hosts Ben and Chris 0:34 - The word… spy 3:10 - MI6 has some budget oversight issues 5:00 - Top Secret RPG 8:20 - RPG hot take (from a middle aged white dude) 10:10 - Disco Elysium is a weird game 15:50 - Elliot Gould interlude 19:00 - Goofus and Gallant 22:00 - SpyTV shows and movies and a shout out to the “For Your Reference” podcast 30:10 - Impressions 31:40 - Ian Fleming and Bond; incredibly racist and sexist 36:00 - Bond actor rankings 43:38 - Chris’ son introduction of the Golden Eye remaster 44:40 - A series of awful sounding closers
2VP Episode 2 - Inclusion
Thank you Kenny for joining me as my first guest host of the Two Vague Podcast!
0:00 - Two Vague Podcast theme song 0:20 - Today’s hosts… Ben and Kenny 0:31 - In honor of Pride month, the word is “inclusion” 1:40 - Ice cream and chili 3:25 - Gender identity and inclusion 8:52 - Kenny shaved their head last year 17:18 - Ben is stopping at the Q 21:08 - NEWS FLASH: Arizona is hot 22:40 - Art talk 27:52 - Learning and gender identity 30:52 - Video games - the Sims 35:19 - Cyberpunk 2077 and their “misses and hits” in regard to gender 40:54 - The sandbox game and why it is enjoyable to some 44:13 - Dontnod Entertainment’s “Tell Me Why” - the first trans male protagonist 49:57 - Krem, Bloodhound, Fl4k and buy Kenny an Xbox One 62:28 - Kenny thanks me for including them and we “sign off”
Episode 1 - friendship
Disclaimer: This was the first time using our new boom microphones, so you will hear occasional USCSS Nostromo / “One ping only” sounds. In future episodes you should hear less of those noises as the springs have now been baffled adequately. Thank you for your patience and enjoy the show!
Hype Songs:
Ben: “So Excited” - Ranking Roger
Chris: “X Gon’ Give It to Ya” - DMX
0:00 - Two Vague Podcast theme song
0:20 - Today’s hosts… Ben and Chris
0:54 - Housekeeping on Episode 1?
1:27 - Questions from… again with the water levels
3:26 - The word is friendship
6:34 - Our friendship
14:56 - ASMR warning
17:18 - Vaguely Spader-esque
20:08 - Alpha Flight spoilers and Ben’s view on spoilers
26:26 - “Think of the listeners Ben.”
32:20 - Ben’s impressions kill comedy
36:56 - The turnip and no sandbox games for Chris
41.53 - The 100 baby challenge
44:17 - Chris recalls touching moments of friendship in video game narratives
48:32 - “Kaidan is a walking yawn!”
50:17 - Mortal Kombat
55:10 - M.Bison, Balrog, Vega and Chris’ disbelief
58:04 - “Now you're just saying words.”
Two Vague Podcast - Episode 0 - Musical
Disclaimer: Chris and I sat down to test the equipment and record a promo, but it turned into a mini episode about the word musical. On “normal” episodes there will be a discussion about what the word means for each participant (1UP and 2UP), followed by a video game centric discussion. Instead of throwing the footage in a vault somewhere, we decided to release it just ahead of the full episode drop date of 6/23/21 to give you a general idea of what to expect from our show. We hope you enjoy Episode 0 of the Two Vague Podcast!
0:00 - Two Vague Podcast theme song
0:18 - Brief introduction of your hosts Ben and Chris
0:39 - The word musical / Ben sings horribly
1:27 - Starlight Express
4:03 - Switching gears / video games in the style of a musical
6:37 - “Way better than Mannheim Steamroller?”
8:55 - Water levels
10:28 - “Speaking of water…”
12:12 - Weights and measures conversions
12:49 - The missus calls
13:10 - Better or worse?
14:18 - The Mannheim Steamroller PC game
15:34 - “… an example of our show”