Low Tide Productions: Recent Episodes
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This week, we might convince you that the end of Game of Thrones isn’t actually the worst thing ever. Hang in there for all the undeserved praise and you may uncover some treasure nestled among the melted steel beams and charred bodies. Naturally there are SPOILERS for the entirety of Game of Thrones, there are … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 76 – A Blue Herring at the End of Game of Thrones →
The dunces convene once again, for the first time, for the last time(but certainly not the last!), in order to let Matthew rant about how much he hated the end of Harry Potter, after waiting 10 years to finally see it. Also we got scammed! Tune in to find out how! Direct Download (mp3 24.3MB … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 75 – Harry Potter and the Mystery of the Hitachi Magic Wand →
It should go without saying, but this will spoil anything in Game of Thrones up to and including the current episode, (Which would be Season 8, Episode 3, for those reading this in the distant future, as it is inevitably passed down through the generations). For whatever reason, my level of general annoyance and malaise … Continue reading GOTcha (Season 8 Hot Takes: Part 1 of 1,000,000) →
In this long-delayed episode, Matthew and Kknewkles reunite to re-discuss Dark Souls. Perhaps some opinions have changed. We also discuss Undertale, The Witness, Life Productivity, Programming, and probably something else. Direct Download (mp3 53.7MB 1:57:24) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this week, in order of appearance: “Gwynevere, Princess of Sunlight” from the Dark … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 74 – Discussin’ Dark Souls Part Deux →
Get ready to unsubscribe! In an ill-advised move, the dunces are getting all political this week. So strap yourself in for an avalanche of bullshit. Topics covered include: prounouns, “is God really a bearded man in the sky?”, government corruption, why maybe enduring President Trump is better than the realistic alternative, and delicious authentic Belgian … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 73 – The Cold Civil War →
After a refreshing 6 month break, the dunces are back and as bad as ever! In this installment, our intrepid heroes tackle such difficult topics as: nigori sake, A Perfect Circle’s new album, incest, marriage, a spontaneous adventure, and future Twin Peaks concerns. Direct Download (mp3 37.8MB 1:22:41) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 72 – I Swear, This Comes Full Circle Eventually →
I decided to dig into the archives to salvage this short but forgotten episode of the dunceCast. It was recorded several months ago, but was deemed unpublishable at the time without severe editing. We were all very VERY drunk, and the audio quality is pretty sub-par, even for us, so I apologize for any tin … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 71 – Too Dunce to Cast →
In this special podcast, Matthew talks with Kknewkles (from the internet) about how much he (Kknewkles) is enraged by Dark Souls (a game). Is it the most overrated game ever? Is it the most oversold podcast ever? Find out here on this click-baity edition of “dunceCast Presents” If you haven’t played Dark Souls, we do … Continue reading dunceCast Presents: Dissin’ on Dark Souls →
After taking a month-long nap, the dunces are not sure if they’re awake or dreaming. But they still convene to record a new episode of the dunceCast. And Matthew, despite being too drunk to pronounce his own name, leads Jamie through the plot of a Christopher Nolan film called INCEPTION as they discuss the details … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 70 – Dreamception →
The Past Year About a year ago I started working on an adventure puzzle-solving game. Progress was going good on that for four or five months until I hit a major stumbling block with the design. Because of that, I decided to take a break and work on some video essays. Sadly, because of my … Continue reading What Have I Been Working On? →
This week, we discuss some more video games, INSIDE, ABZÜ Direct Download (mp3 26.9MB 58:58) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this week, in order of appearance: “Shockwave” from the INSIDE Soundtrack, by Martin Stig Andersen and SØS Gunver Ryberg “And the Earth Did Not Yet Bear a Name” from the ABZU Soundtrack, by […]
This week, we discuss some more video games, INSIDE, ABZÜ Direct Download (mp3 26.9MB 58:58) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this week, in order of appearance: “Shockwave” from the INSIDE Soundtrack, by Martin Stig Andersen and SØS Gunver Ryberg “And the Earth Did Not Yet Bear a Name” from the ABZU Soundtrack, by […]
This week, we discuss some more video games, INSIDE, ABZÜ Direct Download (mp3 26.9MB 58:58) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this week, in order of appearance: “Shockwave” from the INSIDE Soundtrack, by Martin Stig Andersen and SØS Gunver Ryberg “And the Earth Did Not Yet Bear a Name” from the ABZU Soundtrack, by … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 67 – Inside or Outside, Underwater or Above? →
(Cross-posted from Patreon) Since I’ve been working on this Witness video essay for so long, I figured I should probably give a bit of a status update to all my backers. At the very least so nobody worries that I’m not actually working on this thing. Thus far, the hardest and most time consuming thing … Continue reading Witness Essay Status Update →
This week, in our most devilish episode yet (haha, numerical puns), the VanDevander brothers have a few questions for Jamie after she has spent some time immersed in The Witness.
I’m not sure what to do about Undertale. I have gotten multiple requests to write some kind of piece or video about it. I obviously want to do things that my backers want and request sometimes, but I also am a bit torn about doing in-depth work about games that I don’t particularly like. (Way to not … Continue reading Why not Undertale? →
Final Fantasy XV (not to be confused with Final Fantasy 18+ or Final Fantasy XXX) is “Finally” (get it?) out, and David has the front line report, or should we say, front seat report? Direct Download (mp3 22.8MB 50:01) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this week, in order of appearance: “Noctis” from the … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 65 – Staying Up All Night Playing Final Fantasy XV →
David went to the Biltmore. Matthew is going (has gone now) to HandmadeCon 2016, and Jamie went on a mission trip. Let’s try to talk about it! Direct Download (mp3 18.1MB 39:44) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this week, in order of appearance: “I Took a Pill in Ibiza” by Mike Posner “Nightcall” … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 64 – Show the Guests to our Second Swimming Pool →
This week on the cast, it’s a full house again. David regales us with stories of his custom pen-and-paper role-playing system as well as the fantasy worlds he has shepherded since he was a teenager. Direct Download (mp3 38.7MB 1:24:45) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this week, in order of appearance: “Subterranean Homesick … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 63 – David’s Dungeoneering →
Matthew decides to ask Jamie about some of her formative experiences with interactive entertainment and becomes very confused by red and blue pipes. Direct Download (mp3 21.9MB 47:51) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this week, in order of appearance: “Spy Hunter/Peter Gunn Theme” as covered by Saliva “Game Over Theme from Legend of … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 62 – Formative Video Game Memories →
It was election week last week in the ol United States of Uh-merica, so Jamie and Matthew talk about the election of President Trump and what this means for us all. Direct Download (mp3 30.6MB 1:07:02) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this week, in order of appearance: “Hail to the Chief”, as performed … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 61 – Make America White Again →
On this week’s cast, Jamie has finally seen The Force Awakens and we talk about it. It’s a bit of a double-length podcast, managing to be longer than the film it is about. This however is good because we will be taking the next week off. Savor it, my friends. Direct Download (mp3 62.5MB 2:16:42) … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 60 – Like Listening to Someone Recount The Entire Plot of The Force Awakens →
This week on the podcast, we talk about one of our favorite games series that somehow still hasn’t gotten its own episode, The Elder Scrolls. Obviously Morrowind is the best one, but what do we have to say about some of the lesser entries in the series? Apologies for not discussing Daggerfall or Arena in … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 59 – Only The Eldest of Scrolls Shall Suffice →
After a brief break, the dunces return to talk about…the dunceCast! Sadly this topic did not have a ton of depth to it, so this is a bit of a short one this week. Enjoy! Direct Download (mp3 11.5MB 25:17) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this week, in order of appearance: “Houdini” by … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 58 – Gettin’ Meta →
We’re back this week to talk about superheroes and comic books. What’s up with all these cinematic universes? DC or Marvel? Which is better, the books or the movies? Either way, I’m not sure if I can take anymore. Direct Download (mp3 22.6MB 49:26) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this week, in order … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 57 – Superhero or Superzero? →
I’ve been listening to this lecture series on physics by Richard Feynman lately. The audio quality on the videos is a bit low, so I decided to clean it up a bit and make the entire lecture series available in easy podcast-able audio only form. There are a few diagrams that you will be missing from the … Continue reading Richard Feynman – The Character of Physical Law (audio lectures) →
This week, we’re down a David again. But Jamie and Matthew watch Napoleon Dynamite and talk about it. It’s perhaps a classic movie, but Jamie had never seen it, so it’s a bit of an interesting discussion. Direct Download (mp3 30.0MB 1:05:33) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this week, in order of appearance: … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 56 – Coming of Age →
Last year I recorded an in-depth analysis series on Braid, where I played through the game and talked about anything and everything that came to mind. I am quite proud of the series. It was initially exclusive to my $5+ Patreon backers, but I have decided to make it public. I will be releasing each … Continue reading Braid Analysis Videos →
Get to know Jamie a little better on this episode of the dunceCast. We also talk about D&D briefly. The rest was mostly forgotten in a drunken haze, so prepare for some off the rails rambling. Direct Download (mp3 29.9MB 1:05:25) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this week, in order of appearance: “Fake … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 55 – The Jamiecast →
This episode we talk about some more tv shows. BoJack Horseman and Stranger Things (who isn’t talking about that show…). We also talk a bit about work/life philosophy as we travel into the night. Join us on this sonic journey once more. Direct Download (mp3 43.8MB 1:31:08) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 54 – Ranting about Stranger Things →
This week’s episode of the dunceCast is a special Twin Peaks retrospective. David is absent, but we have a special guest in Jamie Ramirez. We discuss our overall thoughts about the show, go in depth on Fire Walk with Me, and manage to squeeze in some speculation about the upcoming season 3 of the show. … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 53 – SPECIAL – I Know Who Killed Laura Palmer →
Today we discuss some movies. Ones we like, and at least one we don’t. The first half of the podcast is a somewhat in-depth discussion of Mulholland Drive. I recommend only listening if you’ve already seen the film. (The discussion is from 5:55 to 34:20) Direct Download (mp3 28.2MB 1:01:38) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 52 – Nine Out of Ten Movies Agree →
Experimentation reigns supreme on this week’s episode. We decide to engage in a collaborative world building exercise. Things sort of devolve and Matthew gets on a high horse. Hope you can get something out of this. Direct Download (mp3 29.9MB 1:05:21) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this week, in order of appearance: “Queen … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 51 – Building a World Between Us →
Welcome back! This week we talk about the big gaming event (or is it getting smaller?) known as E3. We talk about a few of the interesting games that we saw in our brief perusal. Take a drink when we mention Dark Souls or The Witness. Direct Download (mp3 27.9MB 1:01:02) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 50 – 3 Is Just a Rotated E →
This week we return to last week’s topic of personal strengths and attempt to give it a serious go this time. We also discuss mental illness and ways of coping or attempting to live with it. Direct Download (mp3 27.1MB 59:15) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this week, in order of appearance: “Chasing … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 49 – Trying to Dodge Depression →
Apologies on being late. I came down with the flu and have been mostly in a delirium for a few days. This episode is pretty off the rails, but perhaps you will find it humorous. We discuss important topics such as the lifestyles of the rich and famous robot mexican overlords. Direct Download (mp3 17.0MB … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 48 – Learning to Eat Through a USB Port →
This is a particularly somber dunceCast for no particular reason. We talk about a couple of video games and try to avoid crying. The games are Dark Sadness 3 and Johnsonville’s Sadness Rolls. Direct Download (mp3 29.0MB 1:03:23) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this week, in order of appearance: “Titties and Beer” by … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 47 – Roll up Some Fun! →
Because Matthew has been playing through Banjo-Kazooie again lately (an event you can watch yourself by backing the Patreon at the $5 level), he felt it reasonable to attempt an argument that it is a better game than it’s progenitor, Mario 64. Clearly this is a fool’s errand and must not be allowed to persist … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 46 – BK vs M64. Fight! →
In typical duncery, in trying to solve an episode numbering problem, we make it worse. Still, this episode is the second part to last weeks treatise on travel. We reconvene and discuss the rest of David’s journey to the British Isles. Direct Download (mp3 34.6MB 1:15:37) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this week, … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 45 (Part 2) – Brotherhood of the Traveling Dunce: Revelations →
This week it’s all about the journey, and not so much about the destination. Or maybe it is? We have returned to talk about our travels, and regale you with stories of places far far away. Direct Download (mp3 40.0MB 1:27:26) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this week, in order of appearance: Thnks … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 45 – Brotherhood of the Traveling Dunce (Part 1) →
This week, your intrepid dunces convene to discuss The Lord of the Rings, going into their childhood experiences with the series and when it really clicked with them. Direct Download (mp3 28.0MB 1:01:20) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this week, in order of appearance: The Grace of Undómiel Concerning Hobbits Both from The … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 44 – Concerning Hobbits →
We seem to be on a video game discussion kick here at the duncecast. This week we’re talking about Final Fantasy, the series, the new game, are we going insane? You will find out this, and even more on this episode of the duncecast! Direct Download (mp3 34.6MB 1:15:46) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 43 – No, Seriously, This is the FINAL Fantasy →
This week we continue the Nintendo and Miyamoto game design discussion by delving into the Super Mario series. Which games are our favorites? Our least favorites? Only by listening can you discover these truths and more! Direct Download (mp3 28.5MB 1:02:22) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this week, in order of appearance: Overworld … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 42 – Which Mario Will Reign Supreme →
This week on the podcast, we do a deep dive on The Legend of Zelda, talking about the highs and lows of the series, and attempting to get at the core of what makes a great Zelda game. Direct Download (mp3 37.3MB 1:21:32) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this week, in order of … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 41 – Better Zelda or Bestest Zelda? →
Today on the dunceCast, we are a bit scattershot. We experience terrible puns, as well as the mundanity of everyday routine. Is there more to life that this? Will we ever discover the true identity of Assman? For one of these questions, the answer is no! We’ll let you speculate on which. Direct Download (mp3 … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 40 – Burning Out is Better than Fading Away, but We’re Fading Anyway. →
This week we have a Witness spoilercast. It’s not entirely gloves off, as we haven’t both done everything in the game, but this podcast does contain massive spoilers and is only safe to listen to after fully completing the game. Direct Download (mp3 35.0MB 1:16:34) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this week, in … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 39 – Witness Spoilercast →
Sorry about the delay folks, also sorry about the periodic popping in the audio. I tried to clean it up a bit but there’s not much I can do. Hopefully it is still listenable. This week we are back to discuss the election. (Dear God what were we thinking?) We also talk a bit about … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 38 – Living The Dream →
On this episode, we’ve run out of ideas, but we still manage to play a Pokemon guessing game, talk about good television (Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiam), and not-so-good television (7th Heaven). There’s also a bit of spillover Witness discussion. Spoiler free. 🙂 Enjoy! Direct Download (mp3 28.8MB 1:03:02) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 37 – Is There a Television Pokemon? →
Please note this article could be seen to contain SPOILERS for The Witness. It does not contain specific details of puzzles or their solutions, and is more of a response to the broader conceptual underpinnings of the game. But, if you have not seen the secret ending to the game, you should probably read no … Continue reading Traces to Nowhere →
This week is all about The Witness. About 30 minutes of spoiler-free discussion, but then the gloves are off. Don’t worry, we will warn you before we take those metaphorical gloves off. In fact, there is a specific spoiler warning which recounts some of the areas discussed in a relatively spoiler-free way, so that you … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 36 – Witness Me, Bloodbag! →
This article is a response to the video “Into The Black”, which is in itself an elaboration on some of the thoughts and ideas expressed in these two articles. The video is sort of a treatise on how the intrinsic value of exploring virtual worlds is damaged by the introduction of gameplay, pulling out collectibles as a … Continue reading In Defense of Collectibles →
This week we have arrived just in time to talk about Paw Patrol woes, some of the perks of having a stable D&D group (and our favorite moments), as well as beer and fish and chips. Always a good combination. Enjoy responsibly! Direct Download (mp3 30.2MB 1:06:01) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 35 – D N D →
So, some of you may have heard me talk about this game, The Witness, over the past several years. I have not finished playing it, but I have played enough to say with certainty that it is both better than even I expected (and I considered my expectations unreasonable) and it is the single best … Continue reading Dear friend, please play The Witness →
After a brief hiatus, the brothers Dunce return to jabber your ears off about being more thankful and positive. Oh, and The Witness is out now (seriously go buy it), so we talk a bit about that. Enjoy! 🙂 Direct Download (mp3 32.2MB 1:10:21) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this week, in order … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 34 – Stop Listening and Buy The Witness →
(Posted here for archival purposes) Well, everyone and their mother has done one of these, but considering I’ve just made it through my first run through the whole series of Star Trek: The Next Generation, I felt it was probably useful to some people to know my opinions on the show. It’s definitely one of … Continue reading Star Trek: The Next Generation Watchlist →
This article contains SPOILERS for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. I would never want to be saddled with the task of writing the next Star Wars movie after Return of the Jedi. The odds are stacked against you. The movie has to remain familiar enough to be recognizably “Star Wars”, while simultaneously justifying an entire … Continue reading The Schwartz Awakens →
This past week I participated in a game jam called the Variety MegaJam. The goal of the jam was to create 10 games in 10 days in 10 different genres. I only completed 4 games within the time limit, but I still had a lot of fun and learned a lot. I think the primary … Continue reading Variety MegaJam 2016 →
So we are perhaps a bit late to the party for holiday and end of the year (or Game of the Year) discussions, but that happens today on this very podcast! We talk about the Christmas holiday happenings. A bit of Bloodborne first impressions, as well as musing about Zelda games and their progression through … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 33 – Goats of the Year 2015 →
Well the weather outside is frightful…oh who am I kidding, it’s 70° in December. Anyway, we’re here to discuss Star Wars: The Force Awakens (with SPOILERS). That’s pretty much what we do for about an hour here. Direct Download (mp3 31.9MB 1:09:45) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this week, in order of appearance: … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 32 – The Schwartz Awakeneth →
It’s that time again, my loverly internet friends, dunceCast time! We have arrived this week to talk about travel. Not time travel, just the normal kind. Recently, Matthew went on a trip to Seattle, so the dunces decided to discuss the merits of traveling the world, among other things. Also, the bonus bits are getting … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 31 – Return from Castle HandmadeCon 2015 →
Today on the dunceCast, we get all speculative about the new Star Wars movie, as well as a certain remake of a beloved fantasy JRPG. Direct Download (mp3 31.1MB 1:07:58) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this week, in order of appearance: Binary Sunset by John Williams from the Star Wars: A New Hope … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 30 – Unnecessary Remakes and Sequels →
So, I’ve just got back from one of the craziest trips that I’ve ever taken in my life. I headed out to Seattle last weekend for HandmadeCon, a convention which is centered around a low level game engine programming tutorial series which Casey Muratori broadcasts weeknights live on the Internet. I’m not sure that I … Continue reading HandmadeCon 2015 →
This week, it’s all Fallout 4 baby. We take a deep dive into the systems of the game, but if you’re avoiding story spoilers, don’t worry. It’s SPOILER FREE! Direct Download (mp3 32.1MB 1:10:19) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this week, in order of appearance: Crawl Out Through the Fallout by Sheldon Allman … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 29 – Crallout Through The Fawlout →
This week we read our first ever (real!!!) listener e-mail, and it’s an urgent message which must be responded to…eventually. We also talk a bit about Fallout 4 and Oblivion, saving most of the discussion for next week. Also, seriously, what the fuck is up with Cracker Barrel? Direct Download (mp3 21.2MB 46:25) Subscribe via: … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 28 – Our First Listener E-Mail →
This week we are back to talk about Television (old and new), Modernism versus Post-Modernism, re-spoil Mad Max (from 23:20 to 24:44), also Matthew VanDevander spoils a video game (from 28:35 to 29:06), and the Mystery of the Rancid Meat Faux Pas. Direct Download (mp3 25.8MB 56:31) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 27 – Matthew VanDevander Spoils a Video Game →
Oh hey, I didn’t see you there. Well, we are back again this week to discuss Mad Max: Fury Road in-depth (with SPOILERS), as well as feminism and terrible terrible 50 Shades of Grey. Oh, and the bonus bits this week are extra long, spoiler-free and start at 44:40. 🙂 Direct Download (mp3 27.9MB 1:00:59) … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 26 – Furious Feminism →
This article can in some sense be considered a continuation of my previously shared thoughts about Alien: Isolation and horror simulators, but also should generally stand alone as a review of SOMA. It is also spoiler free. I’ve backed myself into a corner, in a room with just too many windows. The monster growls behind me, … Continue reading Under the Sea →
This week, the dunces find time on a stormy night to eat lasagna, podcast and get meta. Speaking on the changes since the previous season of the podcast. And, woah, video games! Child of Light beef, a bit of Bastion, and SPOILERS for a 20 year old game! Speaking of the SPOILERS, they are for … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 25 – Talking Shop →
Hey everybody. This week we talk about music, man. Pink Floyd is the same as Angels and Airwaves? Do all Double Albums suck? Certainly this podcast does! Also, a secret special taste test. Direct Download (mp3 21.5MB 47:07) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this week, in order of appearance: Run Like Hell by … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 24 – This Podcast is a Double Album →
This week, the dunces are back for a shorter-but-sweeter podcast to talk about the new Star Wars film, the wonders of advertisement, driving stick-shifts and the decline of modern software “engineering”. Direct Download (mp3 19.7MB 43:10) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this week, in order of appearance: Elastic Heart by Sia A Nervous … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 23 – Everything Sucks Today! →
This week’s podcast should have been edited for your protection, but wasn’t. Therefore I will have to request that you never listen to it. In the event that you do choose to violate this request, you will hear about the top 10 hats for men, bad beers, awkward guilt and gratitude, as well as esoteric … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 22 – This Drink Drives Me to Work! →
Bet you didn’t think we would be back again! Well, we are, and unfortunately there’s nothing you can do about it. Today we run a little bit (a lot) longer than we really intended to, but we talk about some of dem dere vidya gaems. Namely, we cover David’s exploits in finally trying Civilization V, … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 21 – Western Civilization V →
Obviously the change of the Patreon from being a “per work” thing to being a monthly thing would be a big change in the relationship between me and the backers so I felt like I would need to think about it a lot. I thought it may also be a good idea as part of … Continue reading Gettin’ Paid →
Woah BRO! The prodigal dunces return for an impromptu podcast! Topics “discussed” include not having any clue what we’re doing, a review of a secret and terrible foodstuff, and getting older. KIDS DEESE DAYS! Direct Download (mp3 17.1MB 37:21) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes The music for this week, in order of appearance: Edge of Seventeen … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 20 – Well, We Lied… →
Somehow or another, I seem to have forgotten to post on the blog about this lecture I gave a short while ago. It is about how to go about designing puzzle games, with a focus on honesty and expression. This video more or less coincides with my starting of a Patreon campaign to support the … Continue reading Some forgotten things… →
A short while ago I made a game called Opposition. It was a short puzzle game designed in an afternoon. I was pretty happy with the design for how much time I had spent on it, but some of the puzzles towards the end of the game felt a bit too fiddly to me. So … Continue reading Opposition Remix →
Just thought it’d be good to post a bit on the status of Duet. After a couple years(!!!) of hiatus, I have started to feel like working on Duet again. I’m still pretty burnt out, because I made the mistake of pushing myself too hard on this project, working 14 hour days even when I … Continue reading Duet, meet Unity. Unity, this is Duet. →
So, there’s this cool little tool called PuzzleScript made by Stephen Lavelle. ( Of English Country Tune, and Stephen’s Sausage Roll fame) Maybe you’ve heard of it, or maybe you have not, but either way it’s an extremely easy to use tool for creating certain types of puzzle games. I’ve played a few games made with … Continue reading Opposition: A Small Puzzle Game →
Yo Dawg, I heard you like Puzzle Games… Sometimes when I’m talking to people about games, I describe myself as someone who likes puzzle games. What I tend to fail to communicate without much further effort is that I dislike almost every puzzle game that I have played. I straight-up loath some of them. If … Continue reading Lost Potential, Talos Principle →
Please note that this guide is intended as a supplement to the main video series for users who would rather use Sublime Text than Emacs, and does not cover all aspects of setting up your development environment. Namely the Visual Studio setup, which is the same regardless of what editor you are using. However, I … Continue reading Using Sublime Text 3 For Handmade Hero →
I am amazed at how difficult it is for me to talk about my thoughts on Alien Isolation without talking about Amnesia: The Dark Descent. Perhaps that reflects negatively on the game since it fails to stand on it’s own, but I don’t really think that’s the case. I think that Alien Isolation is simply … Continue reading Alien Isolation, Ludonarrative Consonance, and Soft Rules →
So, my last post was definitely reactionary. Though at this moment I have not went back to read over it so I’m not entirely sure what my feelings were at the time. But as for now, I have still not cancelled my DK2 preorder, and it is now July, the month when it is supposed … Continue reading Some VR thoughts… →
Facebook, you probably have one, you may even use it every day. You probably kinda hate it too. Don’t feel too bad, you’re just like everyone else on Facebook. Remember when we were excited about social media? Now it has become a basic utility we use to keep in touch with each other. Nobody is … Continue reading Rooting For The Little Guy →
When I wrote my original thoughts about Bioshock Infinite, I was worried that I would be the only dissenting opinion among a sea of praise. A couple of weeks later, turns out my fears were pretty unfounded, and many others have joined in creating a real dialogue about the game. I’m glad to see this … Continue reading Muck-rakers →
This essay is part of a series, you can read the previous part here. Please bear in mind that this is not a review and is criticism based on only having played the first 6 hours of the game. Things may change as I continue though the game, in which case I may write more. … Continue reading Bioshock Infinite and the Great Divide, part 2 →
There is a great division in games, well several actually. There is a division between the press and gamers, between gamers and developers, and between the press and developers. There is a division between how we, as gamers writers and developers, think about games and how we think we think about games. We make and … Continue reading Bioshock Infinite and the Great Divide, part 1 →
This picture shows some of the new artwork that I have been working on. I wanted to do typical Zelda perspective walls earlier but I knew it would take a lot of time to get right. Now I have that time. So, I’ve decided I’m going to keep working on DiveDive for the time being. … Continue reading DiveDive is Alive! →
This has been a great week, but also a rough week. I stayed up 22 hours yesterday, and only slept 3. It’s been exhilarating, but also extremely challenging. It’s been a powerful and emotional moment in my life. I feel like I’ve leveled up as a designer, and I want to keep this momentum going. … Continue reading Pencils Down. DiveDive, my #7DRL is complete! (redux) →
DiveDive will have to be late for 7DRL, I accidentally left a testing hack in there last night in my coding delirium. It’s literally one line of code. Proper build will have to wait till tomorrow though…
So, no new build tonight because I want it to be “complete” before anyone sees the ending. Trust me though, it is amazing. I have never been as productive in my life as I have been this week. I slept 5 hours last night because I couldn’t for the excitement to work. Just wanted everybody … Continue reading Final Hours of DiveDive →
I may or may not keep posting these updated builds daily, but here is a new one for today. Njoy! Click here to download. (It’s 7zipped this time, so you will need 7zip to unzip it, but if you don’t have that. What are you doing?)
So, theres this thing called Seven Day Rogue-like. (or 7DRL for short) It’s a friendly challenge held once a year to produce a game in the genre. I won’t go too much into what a roguelike is, as that can easily be satisfied with a Google search, but I will say that I am working … Continue reading A whole roguelike in only seven days! →
As you may know if you follow me on twitter, I am currently working on a side project. It is still very early on, so I won’t really say much about it yet other than it is a sci-fi game coming out of a love for the pacing of Alien and 2001: A Space Odyssey, … Continue reading An experimental “game” →
Dis weak on de duntscast. We talk about the big PS4 reveal, just like every other video game podcast on the Internet. We also do our typical whatcha been playin/watching/eatin segment, where we discuss Firefly and To The Moon. There is much arguing to be had in this episode. SPECIAL NOTE: This may be the … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 19 – Going Off The Air →
This dunceCast, we learn the secrets of the Diddler in a new episode of Assman and Outhouse Boy. We discuss next gen consoles and speculate about design possibilities and dystopian rumors. We delve into what we’ve been playing with Closure, a bit of Zelda 3, some Earthbound, and a smidgen of Dead Space 2. We … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 18 – The Godfather Part 0 →
This week on the dunceCast, we start off-schedule and stay off schedule. (What? We had a schedule?) We talk about the possibilities for next-gen, discuss the meritocracy of the Zelda series, delve into our dreams and nightmares with Little Nemo and Slenderman. We also discuss Hitman: Absolution and Antichamber before collapsing of exhaustion. Direct Download … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 17 – Next-Gen Nightmares →
Have no fear! The dunceCast is here, bringing with it the next installment in the Assman and Outhouse Boy series, and a special message from Isaac Clark. We discuss what we’ve been playing, including Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Dead Space. That’s about it, but don’t be discouraged, have a listen and use the extra … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 16 – Dear Outhouse Boy… →
Today, on the dunceCast: a new episode of Assman and Outhouse Boy stumbles out the door. A short IMDB rabbit hole. We talk about games we’ve been playing, including Sonic Generations and Far Cry 3. We argue about the merits of sitting around doing nothing all day, and then talk about the best atmospheres and … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 15 – Sense of Place →
This dunceCast, we premiere the first episode of Assman and Outhouse Boy. We share some Fergie Facts, and somehow discover the Seven Degrees of Jeff Goldblum. We compare some entries in the Metroid series. Davie realizes he don’t care it’s good. We tell a tale of two Far Cries, while David gets too drunk to … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 14 – Enter The Assman →
This week the dunceCast is horribly off the rails right from the beginning, but we still find time to talk half-heartedly about CES and the deluge of so-called “consoles” announced there. Don’t despair though, for we have assembled a short list of things to look forward to in 2013. (Or at least what Matthew is … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 13 – If It’s Any Console-ation →
This week’s dunceCast is louder than they have been, so adjust your volume accordingly. We barely planned anything for the show so we discuss what we’ve been playing and watching like one of those Internet radio shows. But we also make some bold predictions for the game industry in 2013! Direct Download (mp3 42.7MB 1:49:31) … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 12 – Unchecked Predictions 2013 →
For this weeks installment of the dunceCast. We bring you a split episode! The first half is the normal dunceCast you know and loathe, but the second half is all about video game music. We highlight some of the best soundtracks of this generation and also recount some of our favorite tunes of all time. … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 11 – GAME MUSIC SPECIAL →
It’s the end of the world as we knew it, but we’re fine. And hopefully so are you! This episode comes late for the apocalypse, but just in time for Christmas. So kick back, drink some hot cocoa or spiked egg nog (listener’s discretion) and listen to our sultry voices serenade you into a pleasure … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 10 – The APOCALYPTICAST →
And the dunces go marching in! dunceCast episode 9 has finally arrived, we hope you didn’t get too hyped up of anything. It’s been in development for a while, yes, but that doesn’t mean it can’t disappoint. Ah, well…what can we say. It’s just a click away to listen to an hour and a half … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 9 – This Podcast is Frog Fractions 2 →
We thought we might just skip this weeks podcast, to see if anyone really missed us. But then we started to feel guilty and so we sat down and did it anyway. We hope you will appreciate our commitment to excellence and also dumb podcasts every week. If we are an apple, you are the … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 8 – Seriously, I Can Explain The Primer Timeline! →
What what? In the butt. The new shit is wrapped and ready for your lips. Oh sorry, podcast yeah. Here it is…uhmm. Listen to it? Direct Download (mp3 21.3MB 1:17:10) Subscribe via: FeedBurner, iTunes Showboat. Show notes. They are show notes and you want them. Yellow snow. Santa Christ. The return of Bacon Facts. Davo’s … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 7 – The Return of Bacon Facts →
Clearly the lack of sleep is showing. First we forget to post the podcast on time, then we forget to rewrite the flavor text when we finally do post the properly edited version. Well, here is the tastier full-flavored version of that unedited garbage you heard yesterday. If you listened early, what were you thinking? … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 6 – Due Date was a Bad Movie →
This week’s dunceCast is coming to you in stereoscopic Three D! Does that give you a headache just thinking about it? Are your eyes bleeding from the mere notion? You feel like you want to vomit? Well, let me tell you something about pain! You don’t know a damned THING about pain! But you will…oh…you … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 5 – Three D DunceCast →
Another week, another dunceCast! We love you more than you love us, but that’s okay. We have come to accept that the world is not a fair place and we will never be truly happy… SPOILER WARNING: SKYFALL, Assassin’s Creed 3, and Halo 4. This week we spoil the shit out of SKYFALL, talk some … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 4 – SKYFALL Spoilercast and Some Spare Change →
Were your ears bleeding from yesterday’s unedited mess of a podcast? M4A? What is that shit? Well, you will be glad to know we pulled a double shift at the dunceCast in order to get you a properly edited version as soon as we possibly could. And here it is! For her pleasure, once again; … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 3 – Six Degrees of Bacon Assassination →
Were you crying out for more dunceCast after last weeks episode? Then your wish is my C:\COMMAND! Didn’t want more dunceCast? Please, make it stop? Well, TOO BAD! For we have returned with a bigger harder podcast this week to once again violate your earholes with. At least try to enjoy it. P.S. Thanks to the technological wonders … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 2 – Electric Boogaloo →
Hello everybody! I know you’re all wanting updates about the development of Duet, and that’s why you follow this blog. But I would like to give everyone a special gift! My brother and I have started recording a podcast, and you can listen to the inaugural episode here! Direct Download (mp3 49.9MB 53:30) Subscribe via: … Continue reading dunceCast Episode 1 – The Beginning of Something Terrible →
Just thought you might like to see what Erik and I have been up to. (Very WIP obviously)
g++ triangle.cpp ... -lglew32 -lopengl32 /tmp/cc2DLE4T.o:triangle.cpp:(.text+0x7): undefined reference to \_\_imp\_\_\_\_glewDeleteProgram' /tmp/cc2DLE4T.o:triangle.cpp:(.text+0x27): undefined reference to__imp____glewUseProgram' /tmp/cc2DLE4T.o:triangle.cpp:(.text+0x69): undefined reference to \_\_imp\_\_\_\_glewEnableVertexAttribArray' /tmp/cc2DLE4T.o:triangle.cpp:(.text+0x90): undefined reference to__imp____glewVertexAttribPointer' /tmp/cc2DLE4T.o:triangle.cpp:(.text+0xc7): undefined reference to \_\_imp\_\_\_\_glewDisableVertexAttribArray' /tmp/cc2DLE4T.o:triangle.cpp:(.text+0xff): undefined reference to__imp____glewCreateShader' /tmp/cc2DLE4T.o:triangle.cpp:(.text+0x11d): undefined reference to \_\_imp\_\_\_\_glewShaderSource' /tmp/cc2DLE4T.o:triangle.cpp:(.text+0x131): undefined reference to__imp____glewCompileShader' /tmp/cc2DLE4T.o:triangle.cpp:(.text+0x143): undefined reference to \_\_imp\_\_\_\_glewGetShaderiv' /tmp/cc2DLE4T.o:triangle.cpp:(.text+0x18b): undefined reference to__imp____glewCreateShader' … Continue reading Adventures in Shader-ville →
I would like to announce that Duet is officially entered into the 2012 IndieCade festival. IndieCade is a great celebration of independently developed games which has been growing in popularity over the past few years. Since they actively encourage work-in-progress submissions. I decided that Duet would be a good fit. Wish us luck, and we … Continue reading Duet is submitted to IndieCade →
So Duet officially has an artist! He is a strapping young lad from a country whose biggest exports include fear, cold air, and video games. Yes, that’s right. I’m talking about the one and only Erik Rönnblom. Keep an eye open at all times so that you might see the juicy and delicious kebab that … Continue reading Light Warriors Unite →
As an independent developer, I tend to pride myself on my ability to remain open about the development of my projects, but sometimes it is hard to admit the truth. Either because I blame myself and feel lazy, or because I just don’t want to disappoint anyone. The realities of game development can be a … Continue reading Honesty →
John Polson of IndieGames.com has an exclusive interview with myself and Richard Boeser, developer of ibb and obb. Read the first part here. And the second part here.
There is now a brief gameplay overview of Duet on YouTube. Check it out! Keep in mind, the footage is from an incomplete prototype version, and has pretty much zero artwork. This essentially a less spoilery version of the pitch I submitted to IndieFund earlier this year. It also should be the first footage that you will have seen … Continue reading Duet Gameplay Overview →
Those who know me, know that I often deride the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare series as a exploitation of veterans. The game seems to offer an unrealisticly positive representation of modern warzones, twisting something terrible into something fun. The game appears as Halo, only skinned to look like real war. Replace the SMG with … Continue reading Absolutely Nothing →
On the last day before the deadline, after a rush to the bank to deposit the 95 dollar entrance fee into a check card ready account and a 40 minute drive back home to get the thumb drive holding the code for the prototype, following a late arrival for work with a sneaky ftp upload … Continue reading Down to the Wire →
Dark Souls is a unique game. Simultaneously planting one foot in the checkered video game past, and the other so far in the future that you will find yourself lost as you try to keep up. There is something truly special at work here. Even if you don’t enjoy the experience, it is impossible to … Continue reading Prepare to Live ( Dark Souls Diary, Part 3 ) →
So I cheap-shotted the Taurus Demon. After grinding for a while, I begin to grow weary of the Undead Burg, so I try to tackle the tough monsters who were holding me back earlier. I gather enough Souls to purchase eighty or so bolts for my light crossbow. The merchant seemed upset when I walked … Continue reading Dark Souls Diary, Day 2 →
I stumble into the house at 1 AM. There is a package on my porch. I think to myself, “That seems to be a rather large box for just a video game.” I bust open the package to reveal a collector’s tin box. Dark Souls. They sure do make this an event. Free upgrade to … Continue reading Dark Souls Diary, Day 1 →
It’s so easy to get attached to a project when you work on it for a long time. I’ve already been looking at Duet for a year. Despite that, for the past six months or so I haven’t made much progress. This is partly due to laziness and working a full time job. Staring closely … Continue reading Laugh a little. Seriously. →
So, are games really art? Roger Ebert has quite famously come out to say that Games cannot be art, or as he calls it “high art.” ( Essentially meaning all forms of art that most people consider when they talk about art. Art as in “artist,” as opposed to “artisan.”) I’m not sure this distinction … Continue reading Games Are Art. →
So, I haven’t been playing games recently. After finishing Catherine, I haven’t really found myself in a financial affordance to purchase anything new, although I’ve been thinking of purchasing something old. Quite old, in fact. The game I’ve been considering is a PC game called Planescape: Torment. Planescape has a reputation for being one of … Continue reading Silence. →
Two cords hang from the ceiling. “Has anyone ever called you stingy?” I put the controller down. I’m not even sure what stingy means, but I’ve never been called it. I get up and walk to the kitchen for a drink of water. What does that even mean? Why does it matter? Suddenly I remember … Continue reading Catherine is all grown up, in a good way. →
Case in point: I find it funny that people can catch flack for actually critically reviewing a game. Readers spout back nonsense like, “This review didn’t tell me if it was a good GAME or not, though.” Worshipping “gameplay” is like looking at the cost of the pigments in a painting to decide if the … Continue reading The importance of critical thought on games… →
I suppose it is unrealistic to suggest that performance is never an issue when creating a video game. Since the better a game performs, the more graphical tricks you can cram up your games proverbial sleeves. But with the speed of modern computers, 2D games tend to not require much optimization. And as they primarily … Continue reading Culling →
Work continues to crawl along on Duet, however I have been banging my head against a few things recently. Notably I have this question of “How do I know if a game is worth a person’s time to play?” I have been reading some literature on the subject of games and puzzles, so I felt … Continue reading Games and Puzzles →
The game that I am making currently is about cooperation. So what exactly does that mean? It means that every mechanic, every puzzle, and even every piece of art must be scrutinized to determine if it is core to this concept. The process by which I create new mechanics for the game goes something like … Continue reading The creative process… →
So, I’ve officially named the game now. It’s called Duet. There’s also a new demo, which you can download here. (Sorry, Demo is no longer available, the game is in full production swing now, so the prototype is pretty much off limits to the general public) Me and my fiancee have been working on some … Continue reading New demo for Duet. →
Well, it’s that time again. The time of the month that I suddenly realize that I haven’t posted anything on this blog in a few weeks. But anyways, I said had news, so I should get on with it. I always feel that it’s best to get the bad news out of the way first, … Continue reading Some good news, and some bad news… →
The 2D platformer genre is one of the most common among indie games. And lo-fi graphics seem to be all the rage these days, So why should you play Jumpman? Because Jumpman brings the platformer back to life in a beautiful way and then hammers a few more nails into the coffin. Despite the familiarity, … Continue reading Jumpman →
So, it’s three months into 2010, and I still haven’t done all of my 2009 movie reviews…So, let’s get on with it. But first, an update on Fij: Work has been stalled a bit recently. But I hope to get back on it soon. The next feature I hope to implement will be a bit … Continue reading I guess I did forget this time… →
Well, I haven’t forgotten, and I will continue immediately with more movie review of 2009! Yeah, that doesn’t sound as cool now that it’s February, but still. It’s a fun exercise for me. Before I start however, I feel the need to give some update about the status of Fij. As is, I’ve been secretive … Continue reading Ah, you thought I’d forgotten… →
As an game designer, I look at games a little bit differently than most people. I try to be critical of video games as a medium, and not just games in particular. I also try to avoid playing games that I think will waste my time. I know that looking at scores for video games … Continue reading Sorry, I just had to… →
Well, in Fij news, I’m still working away on it. I’m about halfway (I mean, how do you make an estimate of these things) done with the editor, and therefore, the underlying structure of the game. I’m in the process of refactoring some things so that I can add more features easily. I’ll leave you … Continue reading Some new swagger… →
Well, sorry I haven’t been updating much recently or anything. I haven’t had much time lately to do really anything of this sort. Also I don’t have internet at home, so it’s a bit hard to just get out and post things on here all the time. But for this post, I’ve got something fairly … Continue reading Prince… →
I don’t know what all the hating is about on the Saw movies. Well, I suppose I do, but I would like more people to like the movies, considering how much I like them. So this of course brings me to my next movie review… Saw V It’s pretty difficult to keep a horror movie … Continue reading Humdiddly Day… →
So, yeah. It’s been a bit of a while since I’ve updated the blog. But that’s nothing unusual for me, I suppose. After I dropped out of college, I moved in with my fiancee, and we don’t have internet except for going downtown and sitting outside next to the courthouse and mooching off of the … Continue reading Once again, my dear Johnny my dear friend. →
For those people who haven’t gone out and bought a 360 just to play this game, (Which I’m guessing most of you haven’t) you can now play Braid on your PC! I mean, seriously, it’s on Steam, if you haven’t played it now, just buy it already. It’s, in my opinion, one of the most … Continue reading Braid’s out for PC →
Not doing much right now, just putting this up from a public computer. About to go to my Old Testament class, which is the most sleep-inducing class of my school week. Unfortunately I’m already tired, so this is not going to be so good. I’m currently mulling over some ideas for my next programming project. … Continue reading Tired →
Another dumb game, but hey, it’s learning experience for me, and at least it’s better than tic-tac-toe: PONG Download: Pong (release).7z (7-zip format) – 1.15MB How to Play: Uhm, seriously… It’s just pong. Try not to miss the ball while also trying make the opponent miss the ball. First player to 10 points wins. There’s … Continue reading Pong →
Yeah, I made this yesterday, so I guess this is my first completed game made in C++: TIC-TAC-TOE You can download it here: Tic Tac Toe (release).7z (7-zip format) – 1.28MB How to play: It’s pretty straightforward, just click on the grid to place X’s and O’s. Sorry, there’s no single player mode, so you’ll … Continue reading Tic Tac Toe →
I figure it’s been too long since I posted something on here, and although this post will not be long, it makes me feel more at ease. I’ve been eating some Warheads candies for the first time in many years. They seem much less sour than I remember, but they still burn my tongue when … Continue reading Random post of dook. →
Sad to say I let the weekend pass by without doing anything very productive. However I do have some good news. I’m learning to program in C++ Maybe this could mean things for Fij, maybe not. I dunno. Just thought you might be interested. On second thought, you’re probably not. sigh anyways…. Here’s something rather…interesting … Continue reading And the weekend comes to a close, uneventfully. →