The Grasscast: Recent Episodes
Grasscast
What's the first game you ever played? What's the best/ worst experience you've had with a game? Do you consider yourself a gamer?
Welcome to the Grasscast! (a mash-up of the words grasshopper and podcast). The grasshopper is our icon, our symbol, and our spirit animal, which represents the ultimate game-player.
Listen to hosts Shawn Daichendt and Kwab Fordjour as they informally interview friends, family, and other cool people, and try to discover what games really are, and how they inform our lives and experiences.
On this episode, Shawn, Kwab, Aman and Kayven (SKAK) talk about...
- Balatro (or Belacho?) https://www.playbalatro.com/
- Global Game Jam 2024: https://globalgamejam.org/jam-sites/2024/windsor-hackforge-ggj-2024
- Our game submission for GGJ 2024: Kisses and Disses: https://globalgamejam.org/games/2024/kisses-and-disses-8
- Print and Play games
- The 3 Body Problem
- Neuralink
On this episode, Shawn and Kwab talk about...
- Monster Hunter NOW
- Meta Quest
- Gorn
- Super Hot
- Asgards Wrath II
- Mixed Reality Piano
- Apple Vision Pro
On this episode, Shawn and Kwab talk about...
- Is AI getting too powerful?
- Can we interview ChatGPT as a guest?
On this episode, Shawn and Kwab talk about...
- Playing with new sound effects
- New Years resolutions vs themes (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVGuFdX5guE )
- The Game Awards (https://thegameawards.com/ )
- Elden Ring
- See (Kwab’s review)
- Streaming services
- Deep Space 9
On this episode, Shawn, Kwab, Aman and Jenn talk about...
- Everything Everywhere All At Once
- The Oscars
- AI Art
- The future of work
On this episode, Shawn and Kwab talk about...
- The hunt for a PS5
- Horizon: Forbidden West
- Elden Ring
- Severance
- The Batman
On this episode, Shawn and Kwab (and friends) talk about...
- The One
- New parent life
- The Microsoft acquisition of Activision-Blizzard
- VR therapy
- Minority Report
- Demolition Man
- What if we wrote Matrix 4?
- Metro
- Was Matrix 4 good/ bad?
- Sense8
- NFTs and digital scarcity
- Red birds?
- NFTs in games
- SoulCoin!
On this episode, we talk to our guest Dale Patrick, artist, comic book enthusiast and friend of the show. We talk about learning to play games with siblings, the evolution of fighting games, VR cardio workout routines, Phasmophobia, the Metaverse, NFTs in gaming, Sekiro, Baldur's Gate LAN parties, TorontoTopTiers, Conan Exiles, point and click games, time loop games, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege, Fortnite, my90stv.com, Deep Rock Galactic and Nemesis Support this podcast
On this episode, Shawn and Kwab (and friends) talk about... - New World - Star Wars Galaxies - See - Star Wars Visions - The War with Grandpa Support this podcast
On this episode, we once again join our agent Ramican Browne (Kwab) while we continue to attempt to play the time-travelling RPG TimeWatch! In the last episode, team had successfully managed to knock out and capture Madame Percival, and had time-travelled with her to Alexandria, 4 days into the future. Meanwhile, Ramican decided to stay behind and impersonate the mad witch, to see what information she could gather to further shed some light on this time mystery... Support this podcast
On this episode, we once again join our agents JonDon (Kayven), Ramican Browne (Kwab) and Ben (Aman) while we continue to attempt to play the time-travelling RPG TimeWatch! We continue our second VR training simulation, "Queen of the Nile", which allows the agents (as well as the person running the game) to learn more about the system, and helps the team better tune their skills for future missions. The team had just encountered Madame Percival, a mysterious figure who so far has been the only lead in this investigation. Madame Percival appears to have a few tricks up her sleeve, but it may not be enough to outsmart this time-travelling trio... Support this podcast
On this episode, Shawn and Kwab (and Aman) talk about... - Loki and its similarities/ differences to TimeWatch - Did Kwab's parents once meet a young Sam Richardson? - Why all time travel agents wear fedoras - Men in Black original trilogy vs reboot - Would you date your alternate self? Support this podcast
On this episode, we once again join our agents JonDon (Kayven), Ramican Browne (Kwab) and Ben (Aman) while we continue to attempt to play the time-travelling RPG TimeWatch! We start our second VR training simulation, "Queen of the Nile", which allows the agents (as well as the person running the game) to learn more about the system, and helps the team better tune their skills for future missions. In the game, the team investigates why the New Testament has been suddenly erased from the timeline. They travel to Bethlehem, 7 BCE, only to find that the entire town has been wiped off the map. When they're approached by a talking cat seeking help and a group of woolly mammoth-riding soldiers equipped with rocket launchers trying to kill them, they realize that solving this mystery won't be a simple walk in the park... Support this podcast
On this episode, we once again join our agents JonDon (Kayven), Ramican Browne (Kwab) and Ben (Aman) while we continue to attempt to play the time-travelling RPG TimeWatch! We start our first VR training simulation, "The Once And Future Photobomber", which allows the agents (as well as the person running the game) to learn more about the system, and helps the team better tune their skills for future missions. In the game, the team attempts to stop a time-travelling art thief. They travel to Maine, 1998, to confront the thief, and antics ensue... Support this podcast
On this episode, we are joined by previous guests Kayven and Aman while we introduce and attempt to play the time-travelling RPG TimeWatch! We learn a little bit about the background and setup of the game and start creating the characters that will soon be the newest agents of TimeWatch... Support this podcast
On this episode, Shawn and Kwab talk about... - Has the Paper Scissor Rock saga come to an end? - Grindstone - Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery - Invincible season finale - Tabletop Simulator - A World of Moving Homes... - Godzilla vs Kong vs Invincible - Don't Starve Together - Learning Guitar with Yousician Support this podcast
On this episode, we talk to our guest Rob Zun, comic book aficionado and friend of the show. We talk about Monopoly, UNO, dominoes, storytelling in video games, the psychology of collectibles, Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?, The Walking Dead, The Three Jokers, Invincible and Spawn. Support this podcast
On this episode, Shawn and Kwab talk about... - The Justice League Snyder Cut - The Falcon & The Winter Soldier - Superpower Hypotheticals - Immortality Hypotheticals Support this podcast
On this episode, we talk to our guest Sue Braiden, adventure diva, solutions journalist and founder of Rock Paper Estrogen. We talk about Dominoes, ColecoVision, Myst, WorldsAway, experiences working with the first ATMs and teleconference software, finding a sense of purpose during a pandemic, the problem addiction loop, understanding solutions journalism, and how learning to play LOTR Online helped to deal with a traumatic event. Support this podcast
On this episode, we talk to our guest Justin Melville, a network surveillance and operations specialist and retired Ingress legend. We talk about Number Munchers, MOBA auto-grouping issues, real estate as a game, Ingress experiences, truck driving experiences, and RPGs Support this podcast
On this episode, Shawn and Kwab talk about... - what they talked about on the last 'Shawn & Kwab Talk About...' - ice skating experiences - http://hideandseek.world - Ori and the Will of the Wisps - what podcasts they're listening to - what movies they're watching Plus some post-credit outtakes for you super-fans! Support this podcast
On this episode, we talk to our guest Zach Showers, friend of the show and software developer. We try using an app called rpsgame.org in hopes of finding an easier way to play Paper, Scissors, Rock on the podcast. We also talk about Tetris, Breath of the Wild, TCGs (Trading Card Games), Seasons, gaming at the workplace, Peloton bikes, favorite Seinfeld characters, the problems with asking a favorite game question, would Tetris be a good game to send into space, and the gamification of the stock market. Support this podcast
On this episode, we talk to our guest Mita Williams, a librarian at the University of Windsor and general gaming enthusiast. We talk about PONG, Buzz Off, Hogwarts Mystery, Kentucky Route Zero, UNO, the value of libraries, Elsinore, Portal, Monikers, and designing educational games. Support this podcast
On this episode, we talk to our guest Sherri Wheeler, a software and game developer who, among other things, owns and operates Silver Key Games. We talk about Commander Keen, The Long Dark, Subnautica, Mice and Mystics, Duke Nukem level design high school projects, Children of Morta, Outward, Pandemic Legacy, Half-Life, developing Roboid.com, easy/ hardcore game modes, and introducing games to kids. Support this podcast
On this episode, we talk to our guest Evan Barnes, our friend and game developer at a local company called Red Piston. We talk about his early game development inspirations, teaching User Experience (UX) design to college students, early memories of Sonic the Hedgehog, DIY Magic The Gathering decks, Arduino programming, using games in parenting, HALO LAN parties, the benefits of campaigns/ tutorials in games, forecasting the future of gaming and voice-controlled games. Support this podcast
On this episode, we talk to our guest Kayven Beemer, unofficial head of the Board Game Group, and possibly Spiderman? We talk about his great-grandfather's gaming experiences, playing Cyberpunk 2077 on an old XBOX, the efficacy of timers in board games, ranking board game websites, origins of the Board Game Group, Avalon and Game of Thrones. Support this podcast
In this episode we are reviewing the Cristopher Nolan time travel movie Tenet. This episode features Kwab, Aman Turdaliev, our past guest, and Kayven Beemer our hopefully future guest. The guys dissect pretty much everything wrong with the movie, and Aman explains the bootstrap paradox which is a really cool concept, and great fun to listen to how it completely melts Kwab’s brain. They also talk about other Cristopher Nolan flicks, and how they stack against it. Support this podcast
On this episode, we review the year 2020, and talk about our pandemic experiences. We also talk about the KFConsole, Cyberpunk 2077, Animal Crossing, Among Us, Next-Gen Consoles and TikTok. Support this podcast
On this episode, we talk to our guest Mike Percy, our musically-talented friend, Risk collector and Ikariam trading expert. We talk about Bart Vs The World, Red Dead Redemption 2, Ikariam, e-feds, Minecraft, early childhood memories of Risk, Walking Dead: Risk, bad memories of Need for Speed: Underground, good memories of Goldeneye, meta-gaming, growing up in the 90s, Command and Conquer and childhood antics Support this podcast
On this episode, we talk to our guest Jon Donais, software developer and X-wing miniature game enthusiast. We talk about working in Detroit as a Canadian, synesthesia, Crystal's Pony Tale, the book 'The Power', Planetary Annihilation, Star Wars Battlefront, Star Wars Galaxy, X-Wing miniatures, the social ethics of gaming, games for health, and we go down a hole of random philosophical topics until our heads explode! Support this podcast
On this episode, we talk to our guest Kimberly Patenaude, our funny French-Canadian friend and X-phile, better known amongst her D&D friends as 'that smart-ass rogue'. We talk about Wonderboy, Cat Cafe, League of Legends, game testing for Activision in Ireland, D&D, Terraria, Viticulture drinking games, Skyrim, Myst, and Zombies Run. Support this podcast
On this episode, we talk to our guest Doug Sartori, Founder of the Windsor Hackforge, panelist of Rose City Politics and Dark Souls guru. We talk about City Connection, childhood experiences with Candyland, abstract games, Onitama, 1754 (the game), the book 'On Numbers and Games', zero-player games, bad experiences with Cards Against Humanity, Smallworld, 4x games, Seven Wonders, what to look for in a gaming group, At the Mountains of Madness, the role of gameplay in politics, Tammany Hall, simulation games, France 1940 (the game), Starfleet Battles/ Command, VR Tetris and Dark Souls. Support this podcast
On this episode, we talk about Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the concept of flow and the 9 states. We also try out some conversational games, including Walrus, Would You Rather? (using http://either.io/ (http://either.io/)) Support this podcast
On this episode, we talk to our guest Jeff Szusz, software developer, RPG enthusiast, and almost co-host of the Grasscast! We talk the about the validity of paper scissors rock as a game, Sorry!, Dungeon Crawl Classics, 'Powered By The Apocalypse' games, Shadowrun, a brief history of RPGs, the role of a GM in RPGs and the concept of ethical standards in RPGs. Support this podcast
On this episode, we talk to our guest Chris Walker, co-host of the Windsor Language Exchange and overall gaming enthusiast. We talk about Payday, fighting fantasy novels, Magic: The Gathering, Heckmeck, Esperanto, and Monopoly rage quits Support this podcast
On this episode, we talk to Bevan Bezaire, our amazing audio engineer who makes this podcast possible! We talk about fatherhood, early childhood memories of Combat Cars and Sewer Shark, City Skyline, baseball, getting old, the gamification of fitness, music, art and Skyrim Support this podcast
On this episode, we talk to our guest Gabriel Watson, virtual tanker and real life min-maxer. We talk about the definition of a gamer, the Spartacus board game, the world of World of Tanks, early childhood memories of the MSX gaming console, and we learn about 'The Brazilian Way' Support this podcast
On this episode, we talk to Jimmy Truong, software developer and entrepreneur. We discuss startup culture and experiences, Duck Duck Goose strategies, Lets Plays, MOBAs and the joy of pwning n00bs Support this podcast
On this episode, we talk to our guest Brett Hayes, friend of the show and software developer (you may also recognize his voice on the introduction of each episode!). We talk about OpenEmu (https://openemu.org/ (https://openemu.org/)), first experiences with Halo, and the wild world of blockchain, cryptocurrencies and SEO. Support this podcast
On this episode, Shawn and Kwab talk about: Disney's Emoji Blitz, and the addictive quality of modern-day match 3 games God of War, and its take on Norse mythology (Note: the book referenced in this discussion was Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman) The World Cup, and the reasons for the widespread popularity of football (soccer) Alternate/ Augmented Reality Games (ARGs) (eg. Pokemon GO, Ingress) Support this podcast
On this episode, we talk to our guest Sarah Morris, producer of Rose City Politics and wearer of many hats! We talk about what our show is all about (we still don't know), we question the whole idea of doing the show, and we get meta about how to make podcasts Support this podcast
Our first real episode! We talk to our guest, Aman Turdaliev, a friend and avid board-gamer, about Ready Player One, Risk Legacy, and much more! Plus, we play our first game of Paper Scissors Rock! Support this podcast
Welcome to the show! Meet your hosts, Shawn Daichendt and Kwab Fordjour, as they discuss the inspiration for the show, future episode plans, and, of course, games! Support this podcast