Happy Hour from the Tower: A Destiny Podcast: Recent Episodes
Tee Morris
We recorded this episode the first week after the Season of the Lost (and that was when the technical difficulties hit), and the Fireteam is here to give you all first impressions of what will be a VERY long season.Continue readingEpisode 71: The Fireteam Returns with Season of the Lost
To say, it’s been a while would be an understatement. (I looked at the title of our last show and thought “Ouch!”) With technical difficulties overcome, a new job incorporated into the mix, and hopefully a look ahead as to what we are going to talk about, the Fireteam finally return to say “O hai, Guardian! I can haz crozzplay?”
The Fireteam is ready to rock and roll today:
We recorded this episode the first week after the Season of the Lost (and that was when the technical difficulty hit), and the Fireteam is here to give you all first impressions of what will be a VERY long season. We also give you our look at The Witch Queen, along with this bonus episode:
We recorded this “Lost Sector” back in May with Bungie’s Voice Director and friend-of-the-stream, Kevin McMullen. This was the Fireteam’s first attempt to get back into the swing of a schedule; but dramatic changes swung into effect for all of us. So as a way to say “Thank you, Guardians…” for being patient and sticking around with us. here’s a bonus episode where Kevin comes in and shares a look at a creative’s life in lockdown. Thank you, Kevin, for coming into the stream. We hope to have you back again.
What do you think of The Season of the Lost so far? And what are you excited for with The Witch Queen? And how has crossplay changed Destiny for you? Share with us your thoughts at 703.791.1701, at podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com, or in the Comments below.
00:00 — Episode #071: Welcome to Season of the Lost
-
The Fireteam is back!
- Tee
- Nick
- Brandon
- Steve
-
Steve’s Race for the Descendant
- Big props to TheBigMarvinski
- One more triumph…
- What about these challenges?
- 3rd Encounter Challenge: Of All Trades
- 1st Encounter Challenger: Red Rover
- Stories from the Deep Stone Crypt
- How this Race began
- Brandon takes a breath from Destiny after picking up the Splicer seal
- Nick pulls off a first in getting the Splicer seal all on his own!
- Titan loves Overrides
- An unexpected hiatus
- Returning to the mics because…last week!
- Want a 4K background of Sava-THICC?
- Looking back on the Season of the Splicer
- A perspective on last season’s storytelling
- First impressions of Season of the Lost
- “Be careful what you wish for, Parker.”
- Pacing yourself in the new season (because it’s gonna be a long season)
- So much to cover, but let’s take a break!
27:31 — Gnarly Nerd Clothing (Use “HHFTT10” and receive 10% off your order.)
28:50 — Looking Ahead to The Witch Queen
-
DrLupo and Intel Gaming: DSC with Orchestral Accompaniment
- This is the way I want to game from here on. LOL
- Brandon’s musician perspective
- Nick will always love this score
- Steve was the most meta of the Fireteam…
- Man, spacewalking with an orchestra. Not easy…but Lupo could do it.
- A moment of Lupo Love
-
Marching Band Right!!!
- It was a good week for Bungie on Steam last week…
- Returning to Season of the Lost
- Mara Sov returns
- Osiris-sus Revealed
- Tee’s got a theory…but is shot down mercilessly.
- But that’s okay…Tee’s got ANOTHER theory.
- Diving into Gameplay
- How about that infinite ammo? And as Steve is a combat-bow-kind-of-guy…
- Tee, for one, welcomes the Season of the Fusion
- It’s finally here: CROSSPLAY!!!
- This Fireteam, on Night One of crossplay, ran the full court press and it was smooth
- The Fireteam’s choice for comms: Discord
- Bungie’s 30th Anniversary, heralding the Gallahorn’s return and a new dungeon
- Thank you, NERF!
- Where do we begin with The Witch Queen?
- Find out more about weapons crafting with this TWAB
- Thoughts invoked from the Glaive
- The Wolftone Draw Lore, read by Steve Saylor
Destiny 2_20190110051034 Where can you find the Fireteam?
- Drop the Tower a line at…
- VOICEMAIL: 703.791.1701
- EMAIL: podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com
- LIVE: https://twitch.tv/theteemonster
- Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
- Steve — BlindGamerSteve
Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on
iTunes/Apple Podcasts,
Stitcher, Google Play,
and Spotify!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening.
It's been a bit of time since we got behind the mics, but we are back for new content and new adventures!Continue readingEpisode #70: Welcome to Season of the Chosen
It has been a while since our last podcast. Between holidays, elections, attempted insurrections, inaugurations, and trying to figure out when to schedule a Faucci Ouchie, the Fireteam has been grinding through to reach the Season of the Chosen.
Today, that is what we are here to talk about:
At the time of this recording, the Fireteam has gone through the first week of the Chosen, as well as a Clan Night run in the Deep Stone Crypt. We are, of course talking only the day before Bungie dropped the Dead Man’s Tale quest which Forbes‘ Paul Tassi calls “Bungie at its Best” which, yes, the Fireteam concurs. We will circle around to that and more in our next show.
What do you think of The Season of the Chosen so far? Share with us your thoughts at 703.791.1701, at podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com, or in the Comments below.
00:00 — Episode #070: Welcome to Season of the Chosen
- We’ve got a few things to talk about on this episode, so buckle in.
- PART 1: CLAN NIGHT IN THE DEEP STONE CRYPT
- Brandon looks back on Clan Night
- If you don’t know what the Deep Stone Crypt is, check out our last show with The Big Marvinski.
- Best run to date.
- Bungie has set up challenges for the raid, and this one Brandon and Tee faced was Red Rover.
- Myth Confirmed: Chaos Mode for the Descent encounter is WAY TOO DAMN FUN!
- The Challenges cleared with Current Meta this weekend
- Clan Night
- Devoid of the Rest (where everyone runs Void)
- Red Rover
Take a look at the “Best Of” Moments from Clan Night in the DSC here! * Why are we clocking in the time with the Deep Stone Crypt? + Running for the Descendant Seal & Title + Tee’s run for this would mark his first-ever raid seal. A set of firsts concerning Tee and raids. * Shout out to the members of Current Meta who ran with us… + Beardo (who, recently, suffered a loss in his family. Our Ghosts shine a little brighter for you, Guardian.) + Danfinity, a last-minute substitution + Jenn + MisterDunes + Swing by Current Meta and see what we are up to! * And a quick shout-out to GuardiansMH, in case you are having a rough go in this weird time we are in. * PART 2: SEASON OF THE CHOSEN * Nick steps in with his copious notes on the new, fresh content from Bungie. + We’re going Cabals-deep, once again. + Caitl and Zavala face off, and she is showing off her tusks. (Cheeky lass.) + Bad things happen when you bend the knee…
- Let’s talk about Battlegrounds!
- In the story, it is a ceremony who are looking to ascend to the War Council and Guardians are looking to gum up the works.
- Two Battlegrounds introduced:
- Behemoth (Nessus)
- Hailstone (Europa)
- … and coming soon at the time of recording: The Cleansing (now active in the EDZ)
- Remember to look BEHIND the loot chest for the bonus chests.
- Tee has been super happy with Battlegrounds.
- Brandon admits the even gets tough if you’re not mowing down those adds.
- This grind feels better than the Wrathborn Hunts. (Both are still better than those stupid towers…)
- A few tips on leveling your character
- Run for Powerfuls
- Run for Pinnacles
- Don’t forget: With Battlegrounds, you can potentially farm them for three Powerfuls.
-
Huge props to the direction for Crow
- From Uldren to Crow to Crow 2.0
- …and this is Brandon’s next cosplay!
-
We’re no longer Guardians but Agents of H.E.L.M.
- It’s all in the details: Bungie makes some Quality of Life changes throughout the game that feel just right.
- A deeper look between Wrathborn Hunts and Battlegrounds
- The return of the Devil’s Lair
- A callback to the earlier show note about the potential three Powerfuls you can get from Battlegrounds.
*32:12 — Gnarly Nerd Clothing*(Use the code “hhftt10” at checkout to get 10% off your order and to support Happy Hour from the Tower)**
33:30 — Episode #070: Welcome to Season of the Chosen (Part II)
- A few notes on Bottom Dollar, the new Gambit Hand Cannon
- Consider having a Reloader mod for it
- Shoots slow, hits HARD
- A question from Sophie in Chat: What is your favorite loadout or weapon of choice in Destiny 2?
- FOR NICK: Lead with a hand cannon and either a bow and sword/rocket launcher (unless he leads with shotgun, and then his energy is a hand cannon)
- Nick, taking Marv to task…
- FOR BRANDON: The Extraordinary Rendition, finding a place in his primary; hand cannon in energy, and either for Power a Fallen Guillotine or Eyes of Tomorrow. (Tee hates B now.)
- FOR TEE: I have a security blanket in Primary for either Outbreak Perfected or the Monte Carlo, but now the Extraordinary Rendition is a welcome addition. For Energy, Posterity (Hand Cannon), Gnawing Hunger (Auto Rifle), and the Trustee (Scout Rifle). For fun, I use Trinity Ghoul or [REDACTED] (Exotic Bows). In Power, Commemoration (Machine Gun) and Anarchy (Grenade Launcher).
- SQUAD GOALS: Get Steve “The Blind Gamer” Saylor the Chosen title and seal.
-
Ticcu’s Divination: The Solar Trinity Ghoul…and it’s delightful!
-
The Perspectus Armor set
- See above. Nick hates it, but Brandon loves it.
- The idea of making armor designs based on history
- There’s nothing wrong with trying something new, something different
- Brandon confirms new Stasis Aspects and Fragments. Get to grinding for those!
- What we want to accomplish in this new season
- Along with the Descendant title, Tee wants to make a push for the Conquerer seal
- Where does my joy in the game reside: PvE or PvP?
- Nick — Doesn’t care for PvP
- Brandon — A PvE/PvP Flex
- Tee — loves PvE, but appreciates PvP
- Thoughts on the new interface with Quests
- Hi, Emma!
- Bungie decides NOT to expand Cosmodrome. The Fireteam chimes in on that change in direction and the direction we’re heading presently.
- Closing thoughts on Nick’s notes, including a shout-out to the Equal Justice Initiative who are the recipient of funds raised with the Be Heard pin at the Bungie Store.
Where can you find the Fireteam?
- Drop the Tower a line at…
- VOICEMAIL: 703.791.1701
- EMAIL: podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com
- LIVE: https://twitch.tv/theteemonster
- Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on
iTunes/Apple Podcasts,
Stitcher, Google Play,
and Spotify!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening.
With the great Raid Sherpa ThBigMarvinski in the Fireteam, it's a look at the new content, the new grind, and the raid on today's HHFTT.Continue readingEpisode #69 (Dudes!): Season of the Hunt and the Deep Stone Crypt (with Raid Maestro, TheBigMarvinski)
Tee, TheBigMarvinski, Brandon, and Nick at GuardianCon 2018 What a week your Fireteam has enjoyed, one of many reasons our usual bi-weekly schedule hit a bump. The Season of the Hunt is upon us along with the launch of the long-awaited new raid, the Deep Stone Crypt. And congratulations to those folks from clan Luminous:
- Aoterra
- Claw
- Flux
- Schendzie
- SiegeDancers
- Sotosolice
…completing this incredible journey of challenges and lore in 5:29:10! Let’s go!!!
And when it comes to raids, TheBigMarvinski is no stranger to the experience, which is why the Fireteam invited him for this episode. If you frequent Tee’s stream, you know Marv has helped Tee become a better Guardian, and now runs with Tee and Brandon in the Deep Stone Crypt. These three in the first week of the raid’s availability have run Europa’s latest challenge several times, and we feature our own perspectives here!
Have you run Deep Stone Crypt? What do you think of it? Enjoying the Wrathborn Hunts? Share with us your thoughts at 703.791.1701, at podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com, or in the Comments below.
00:00 — Episode #069 (Dudes!): Season of the Hunt and Deep Stone Crypt (with special guest, TheBig Marvinski!)
- Welcome back, Marv!
- Who is TheBigMarvinski?
- Three-year streamer
- Long-time gamer with a penchant for Destiny
- Effs up your world when taking on the role of a goose
- Jumping in straight away with Marv.
- Europa as a sandbox continues to deliver.
- Marv thinks the core activities need attention
- What is “The Loop” when it comes to Destiny 2
- Obtain Pinnacles…
- …then go for Powerfuls…
- …all while charging the Lure.
- Brandon ranks Beyond Light compared to previous DLCs
- The New Light Quest: Brandon’s ran it, and he respects it.
- Tee derails with politics and hydration.
- Enjoying the ride across Europa
- Nick chimes in on the resolution of a long-dangling plotline.
- Our local loremaster looks at the evolution of Uldren Sov from concept to the Wrathborn Hunts.
- We’ve had the Crow on this show, and we have now come full circle.
- Tee still has a deep love for Europa
- Europa is what Titan should have been.
- The deeper we descend into this Jovian moon, the more discoveries we make…
- …and the more twisted the mystery becomes.
- Tee agrees with Marv on the strange place Crow’s bounties fit into the Daily Grind.
- A deeper dive into The Loop
- If you’re new, just play the game.
- If you’re trying to get Endgame Content ready (i.e. the Deep Stone Crypt), the Loop flows differently.
- Play the game, finish the main campaign.
- Grind to 1200-1210
- Run for Pinnacles
- Run for Powerfuls
- Marv’s mistake: Going on Weapon Quest too soon.
-
Brandon’s perspective on the Exotic Quests
- Tee, do you need a nap? (We had raided earlier in the morning.)
- Behind the scenes with Nolan North who is too good at his job…
-
An improvement in exotic quests: An appeal to the casual player.
-
A missed detail: The lore behind the weapons, the activities, and everything in the game.
- This is the Birth of the Exos
- READ. THE. LORE.
- Pip and I are overdue for one of these…
-
So much good lore…
- The Deactivated Exo Quest
- Elsie’s Lost Logs in the Deep Stone Crypt
- On behalf of Nick, we will state this again: READ. THE. LORE.
- Get ready — we’re heading into the Deep Stone Crypt!
*23:24 — Ritual Motion
(Use this link to support Happy Hour from the Tower)*
24:28 — Episode #069 (Dudes!): Season of the Hunt and Deep Stone Crypt (with special guest, TheBig Marvinski!) (Part II)
- Taking a thought from External Memory and his data dump in Chat
- Tee still needs a nap.
- Are you wanting to be a part of the show? Join us when we record at https://twitch.tv/theteemonster
- An odd segue into the Exo Challenges which is an even odder segue into…
- THE DEEP STONE CRYPT
- Big Thanks to…
- Meatball Mafia Gaming
- The Moose Troop
- The Big Marvinski
Tee and Brandon, set on their first DSC clear * The Big Marvinski on the Second Encounter of the Deep Stone Crypt + And now you know why we love running with Marv! + A problematic Second Encounter + Nick reflects on the Raid Ring push - Brandon Kelly, the Voice of Reason - Tee’s Raid Wingman and Ultimate BAE + Concerning Team Comms and their importance in Raids * The Fireteam on Deep Stone Crypt + While it may be considered easy by some, it isn’t if your Team Comms are not clear, concise, and focused. + Tee offers a look at running Scanner that first time + Tee’s Pro Tip: Know the difference between LEFT and MARCHING BAND LEFT. + Brandon sings the praises for Deep Stone Crypt. + Nick argues, based the numbers, that maybe this Raid is not as tough as others; but that’s a good thing. * Why Tee is so giddy over Deep Stone Crypt:
- A few things to know about the run for Cloudstrike…
- More things about the Deep Stone Crypt that Tee loves
- Pushing out of the comfort zone to take on a role
- Tee’s new favorite map: The Spacewalk
- Tee’s new favorite score selection: Deep Stone Lullaby
- Final thoughts on where Destiny 2: Beyond Light is currently sitting and where we are going…
Where can you find the Fireteam?
- Drop the Tower a line at…
- VOICEMAIL: 703.791.1701
- EMAIL: podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com
- LIVE: https://twitch.tv/theteemonster
- Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
- OUTTAKE REEL: Concerning Saint-14
Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on
iTunes/Apple Podcasts,
Stitcher, Google Play,
and Spotify!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening.
IT’S FINALLY HERE! Destiny 2: Beyond Light dropped a week ago today, and the Fireteam has come together to sound off on what they think of it. Tee, Nick, Brandon, and special guest Steve Saylor (who felt that it was only just he return to talk about Beyond Light since he was there on Launch Day) deep dive into this latest expansion.
Instead of struggling with DMCA, we went with the raw start. No music. Just us. In case you missed the 411 on Steve, he’s a voice for accessibility in gaming, sure, and loves Destiny as you experience in Blind Leads the Blind, a special run in the Solar System alongside Tee (and others) that happens on Tee’s stream Thursday nights starting at 7pm ET.
So what do you think of Beyond Light? Share with us your thoughts at 703.791.1701, at podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com, or in the Comments below; and feel free to leave Steve a message. He’s sultry, you know?
00:00 — Episode #068: Blinded Beyond the Light with Steve “The Blind Gamer” Saylor
- Russians want to make Tee famous! Hot damn!
- I wonder if Dreamy Matt Mercer has a nickname for him…and if he doesn’t, we have made one for him!
- So, Steve, WHAT’S HAPPENING IN YOUR LIFE?!
- One week into Beyond Light…
- Steve feels like he’s playing an all-new Destiny while still remaining in the continuing saga of the Destiny Universe.
- Brandon feels the push forward from all the previous storytelling and loves this big step Bungie is taking with Destiny.
- “We should do more live events.” — Brandon
- Tee may have found the expansion that tops Rise of Iron. Europa is a stunning masterpiece of game design, both above and below ground.
- Tee’s modest tip: Don’t miss out on the content of Beyond Light while doing the seasonal challenges.
- But, Tee, how do you really feel about Stasis?
When @A_dmg04 asks “Hey, Guardians, how are you doing?”
Me: pic.twitter.com/1F2U7TyGzQ
— Tee Morris (@TeeMonster) November 15, 2020
- Nick takes the mic concerning Beyond Light…
- While many of the recent expansions feels formulaic, this one does not, beginning with removing half the map.
- A deeper look at Eramis who is turning on machine, turning on the Traveler; and there is a twinge of sympathy for the devil.
- The murky lore surrounding the Traveler
- Does the Traveler believe in us, or is this entity more about self-preservation?
- The Darkness is a very different super from what we are used to, and there are consequences we have not grappled with yet.
- A first impression of Stasis
- Brandon is enjoying the new subclass, but feels the Hunter version of Stasis is not roaming as the other classes in their control.
- Nick is having a good time with the Titan Stasis…provided he knows how to aim himself.
- The desire to return to the Light? That’s going to be a character-driven thing.
- Steve echoes what Nick and Brandon think — more practice is needed.
- A huge selling point for Stasis: making platforms with grenades.
- And there’s Nick, looking to start up trouble…
*35:18 — Gnarly Nerd Clothing*(Use the code “hhftt10” at checkout to get 10% off your order and to support Happy Hour from the Tower)
36:38 — *Episode #068: Blinded Beyond the Light* with Steve “The Blind Gamer” Saylor** (Part II)
- We love Steve Saylor. That is all.
- When you see Osiris in the Bazaar, say “Hey!”
- Wanna be part of the show? Hey, we stream this puppy at https://twitch.tv/theteemonster
- Responding to ResonantMoon in Chat, there is no better time to jump into Destiny 2 than now with Beyond Light.
- Brandon raves about the new tutorial with Beyond Light.
- Getting to know Shaw Han is more than a Destiny tutorial, but a quest in itself.
- There is still a good reason to go back and perform previous expansions like Forsaken and Shadowkeep.
- We (the original Fireteam) have been playing this game for a long time.
- Destiny can make a real impression on you, especially when running with friends.
- Even Bungie now calls this game an MMO, and you feel that even more with Beyond Light.
- Shout-out to TheBigMarvinski, one of the stand-out’s in the Destiny Community
- Do you need to get caught up in the backstory of Destiny?
- Destinypedia
- The Ishtar Collective
- Myelin Games
-
…and here’s an epic approach from Byf:
-
What do we think of the new weapons in Beyond Light, so far?
- No Time to Explain (complete with Time Warp Buddy)
- Duality (Exotic Shotgun)
- Bonechiller (Legendary Shotgun)
- Subzero Salvo (Legendary Rocket Launcher)
- Steve is still not letting go of his Trinity Ghoul, though.
- Pour one out for the Hammerhead and the 21% Delirium.
- Brandon chimes in on Adored and Salvation’s Grip, which offers a ridiculously fun course.
- Paul Tassi brought to the Fireteam’s attention a build where the Necrotic Grips which apparently works with the Thorn. We thought it was a bug. Nope. It’s a feature!
- It’s kind of nice facing challenge on challenge, even with those Lost Sectors!
- What are we looking forward to?
- Looking to the return of characters from the past
- Weekly resets where we get new opportunities to unlock new features
- Wait, did Tee just have a “Wash dies!” moment for Destiny?
- No love for the Seraph Towers with this Fireteam.
- New Lore! (Mad props for the new UI for lore in game.)
- Mad props to ObiOrion for the short fiction posted at Bungie
- Immolant, Part 1
- Immolant, Part 2
- And there’s more coming, so hang on, Guardian.
Where can you find the Fireteam?
- Drop the Tower a line at…
- VOICEMAIL: 703.791.1701
- EMAIL: podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com
- TEE LIVE: http://twitch.tv/theteemonster
- BRANDON LIVE: http://twitch.tv/Thermalwolff42
- Where to find us online…
- YouTube
-
And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
-
Where to find Steve Saylor
- Steve “The Blind Gamer” Saylor on Twitter
- Steve “The Blind Gamer” Saylor on YouTube
- Steve “The Blind Gamer” Saylor on Twitch
- And remember to join Tee & Steve for Blind Leads the Blind every Thursday night at 7pm ET.
Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on
iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play,
and Spotify!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening.
IT'S FINALLY HERE! Destiny 2: Beyond Light dropped a week ago today. Tee, Nick, Brandon, and special guest Steve Saylor deep dive into this latest expansion from Bungie.Continue readingEpisode #68: Blinded Beyond the Light
Woah-woah-WOAH! This episode is MASSIVE...but that's because we got a LOT to say about Beyond Light! Prop your feet up and have a listen as the Fireteam revel in the hype.Continue readingEpisode #67: Looking Ahead to Beyond Light
With the Festival of the Lost winding down and anticipation building, Destiny 2: Beyond Light is drawing closer and closer. The Fireteam has watched the trailers, enjoyed the various teasers, and even considered some of the speculations online; but today, Tee, Nick, Brandon, and special guest Steve Saylor (who really wanted to come back and actually talk about Beyond Light)
We keep things tight for Episode #67…
but the after-show stream focuses on another big event in November.
NerdsVote.com if you need additional details on what’s at stake.
You all know Steve as a voice for accessibility in gaming, sure, but Steve is also passionate about Destiny as you see in Blind Leads the Blind, a special run in the Solar System alongside Tee (and others) that happens on Tee’s stream Thursday nights starting at 7pm ET. In this episode, we share our hopes, expectations, and Nick’s copious notes on what is coming in November. Be brave, Guardians. Beyond Light is coming.
Share with us your thoughts at 703.791.1701, at podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com, or in the Comments below; and feel free to leave Steve a message. He’ll be back, for sure.
00:00 — Episode #067: Looking Ahead to Beyond Light with Steve “The Blind Gamer” Saylor
- Weren’t we going to talk about Beyond Light in the last episode?
-
And here’s Pip who really popped in on stream to say “hi” to her new wingman from Ghost of Tsushima: Legends…
-
Nice to be able to know the adults can sometimes wear out the teenagers. Let’s goooooooo!!!
- Expect TWO highlight reels this week, everyone.
- A look back on the week…
- Steve is still doing Canadian Black Ops via video games.
- Nick is trying to grasp that there is less than a week until Halloween.
- Both Nick and Brandon are rocking fine Destiny fashions. Watch the raw stream footage above, or go shopping here.
- Tee’s still making progress on Luna’s Howl and enjoying the Haunted Forest (still) while job hunting.
- And yes, Tee’s still working through the exhausting (but brilliant) The Last of Us: Part 2.
- On the subject of traumatic moments of video games… (Ghost of Tsushima spoiler here.)
- On this show, we are going to stay on track…
- ….but Brandon knocks us off-topic with a spotlight on our guy, Steve Saylor; and Watchdogs: Legion.
- Wait…Nick is getting us back on topic?
- First Question to the Fireteam: What are we looking forward to?
- Steve: New Revelations, New Locations, and New Supers
- Brandon: Silence & Squall (Revenant Weapons), and the new direction of the Bungie Universe
- Tee: Entering the Deep Stone Crypt
- The Secret of Becoming a Sherpa: Making Mistakes and Dtying a Lot
- Nick: Diving into the Lore of Europa
- Thank you, Deej.
- The new Tutorial character, and ideas for the Destiny soap opera…
- 21 November 2020 — a new Raid is coming…
- Nick will actually be in town when the new content drops!
-
Thoughts on Beyond Light‘s latest trailer…
-
How Beyond Light is a new “even ground” for all Guardians.
- Beyond Light would actually have been Destiny 3 if Activision was still involved. This is Bungie on its own.
- Great stuff is coming, delays considered. Better to be “a little late” and “right” than flawed on release.
- Will Guardians be stepping in the middle of a Fallen Civil War?
- The Guardians will not be the only ones with access to the Darkness
- Will giving supers to the Fallen (and possibly other hostile races) make Destiny 2: Beyond Light a tougher game?
- Brandon: “I hope Bungie gets mean for this DLC.”
39:44 — Ritual Motion
(Use this link to support Happy Hour from the Tower)
40:50 — *Episode #067: Looking Ahead to Beyond Light* with Steve “The Blind Gamer” Saylor** (Part II)
- We love Steve Saylor. That is all.
- Steve’s a favorite. Make no mistake.
- Another look at Nick’s recent titles of Chronicler and Cursebreaker, and a shout-out to Brandon.
- Our new goal for Blind Leads the Blind
- The Guardian speaks in the trailer. Well, okay…
- The Great Nerfing
- Not losing sleep over the Mountaintop
- Tee should get the Jotunn…but that means returning to the Black Armory. Ugh.
- Words you never thought you’d hear from Tee: “I’m enjoying Comp.”
-
Concerning Hand Cannons, old favorites, old habits, and branching out.
-
We take a lot of comments from TheBigMarvinski as he rocks it in chat with the questions and comments. (And we love that!)
- Tee’s Go To Hand Cannons
- Trust
- The Old Fashioned
- Service Revolver
- Ace of Spades (Exotic)
-
Nerfing the Fallen Guillotine…and yeah, we totally get it.
-
Returning to Beyond Light…
- New characters and old, bringing out the speculation in us all
- New Fallen enemies — who are they and how tough will they be?
- The return of The Stranger
- What is the connection between Eris Morn and The Drifter?
- Remember the Allegiance Quest? Is Beyond Light the endgame for this?
- Will the Allegiance Quest be a balanced choice?
- There needs to be consequences between pledging to the Darkness and pledging to the Light.
- Will there be exclusive weapons by your choice? Or perhaps catalysts?
- What Destiny can learn from the design and development of The Last of Us, Part II
- Lightning Round from Nick Kelly
- What’s the next step in the Allegiance Quest?
- Where are the Nine?
- Will we see Savathun, Mara Sov, or both in Beyond Light?
- Will we see Uldren Sov in Beyond Light?
- What is the meaning of the Drifter’s coin?
- Why does Eris smile at the end of Shadowkeep?
- Will SIVA return between now and the next big DLC?
- Will Ana Bray be the Hunter Vanguard?
- From Steve…will there be another Speaker in Beyond Light? (And will the Darkness have a Speaker, as well?)
- Will Factions ever matter again?
- When will Sparrow Racing League (SRL) return?
- And in closing — vote!
- Tee’s already voted!
- Want to find out more about where to vote in your area? Then go visit NerdsVote.com!
Where can you find the Fireteam?
- Drop the Tower a line at…
- VOICEMAIL: 703.791.1701
- EMAIL: podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com
- TEE LIVE: http://twitch.tv/theteemonster
- BRANDON LIVE: http://twitch.tv/Thermalwolff42
- Where to find us online…
- YouTube
-
And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
-
Where to find Steve Saylor
- Steve “The Blind Gamer” Saylor on Twitter
- Steve “The Blind Gamer” Saylor on YouTube
- Steve “The Blind Gamer” Saylor on Twitch
- And remember to join Tee & Steve for Blind Leads the Blind every Thursday night at 7pm ET.
Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on
iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play,
and Spotify!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening.
It's been a while since a new episode has dropped; and after a few technical difficulties, we are back! And we're here with Steve Saylor!Continue readingEpisode #66: A Different Look at Dungeons with Steve “The Blind Gamer” Saylor
The Blind Gamer, one of those gamers who has two seats in his studio… We took something of an unintentional break (because, you know, technical difficulties and book deadlines happen…) but once again, we are back to talk about dungeons. Specifically, we’re here to talk about dungeons and their accessibility as we welcome Steve” The Blind Gamer” Saylor back to the podcast, fresh off his September push run in the run for a Moments of Triumph tee-shirt.
This is our second take at Episode #66.
We feel good about this one.
Steve is a known and respected voice in accessibility, and with all three dungeons in his rear view, we invited him on the show to talk a bit about the challenges of a dungeon. With Steve’s blindness adding to the challenge of the endgame content, we wanted to know how accessible these three events are.
We then planned to talk about Beyond Light. But…
Share with us your thoughts at 703.791.1701, at podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com, or in the Comments below; and feel free to leave Steve a message. He’ll be back, for sure.
00:00 — Episode #066: A Different Look at Dungeons with Steve “The Blind Gamer” Saylor
- Strap in, Brandon, we’re going to have some fun today.
- Is Steve Saylor really a “Special Guest” at this point? He’s a regular fixture on the stream at the very least!
-
Tee’s branching out and trying new games…
-
Join Tee and Phil Rossi (along with Brandon Kelly) on Thursday nights (10 PM ET) for the Phasmophobia Scream Stream.
- No really, this IS a Destiny podcast.
- Some things you should know about this Prophecy run:
- Steve had his eyes on the prize. (No, really, he did.)
- The base power level to run Prophecy is 1050, according to Bungie, although players suggest 1060.
- Steve’s power level when he ran it was…wait, what?
- If you want to see why Steve has two seats in his office, check out his Only Fans.
- The definition of a close shave:
In today’s #Prophecy run with @thebigmarvinski and @stevesaylor, @TeeMonster knew he cut it close near the end of this final fight.
He didn’t know it was this close. pic.twitter.com/2VN6foCoKv
— HHFTT Podcast (@HHFTTPodcast) September 5, 2020
- Brandon, the Great Enabler
- And yes, Steve got his Moments of Triumph shirt, thanks to Danfinity.
- Brandon sets it up: What are dungeons?
- Dungeons can be best described as “half-Raids” for the uninitiated.
- Shattered Throne, located in the Ascendant Plane the Dreaming City
- The Pit of Heresy, located on the Moon
- Prophecy, located in Infinite Space
- Steve’s Favorite: The Pit of Heresy (which is Brandon’s, as well)
- Prophecy has a lot of multi-tasking in comparison to Pit of Heresy
- However, Pit of Heresy has a focus as well as a challenge.
-
Let’s do a breakdown of Steve’s dungeon experience.
- Congratulations, Nick, on Chronicler.
- Sparing a little more love for Pit of Heresy
- Tee’s suggested soundtrack to the Rainbow Bridge!
-
Nick’s perspective on The Shattered Throne: The Ogre Challenge — not cool. Not at all.
- A common thread in dungeons: Clear comms are essential.
- A look at dungeons from the accessibility point-of-view
- There’s no “one size fits all” when it comes to accessibility, but from Steve’s, it’s about sight.
- Shattered Throne is tougher as there is the monocrome setting.
- Prophecy’s multitasking demands makes it least accessible of the three.
- The Pit of Heresy, while still a challenge, tends to make itself more accessible.
- TheBigMarvinski put to Steve that some games are just meant to be hard, and shouldn’t be made accessible. Here’s Steve’s response.
- Brandon admits that dungeons are hard. While they are built to be a challenge, though, there should be accessibility considered.
- Destiny has pitfalls for gamers facing accessibility issues, but it was made at a time when accessibility was not considered.
- The connection between Raids, Dungeons, and accessibility
- There are a lot that raids and dungeons have in common.
- From Steve: “You should always have a good Fireteam to make it happen.”
- Again, keep the game comms to the essentials. (Again, kudos to Danfinity for leading that Eater of Worlds.)
- Eater of Worlds: another quick victory lap for Steve Saylor
- And now, everything’s gravy. (And if Steve needs a glo-stick for a Whisper run, Brandon’s at the ready!)
39:29 — Gnarly Nerd Clothing
(Use the code “hhftt10” at checkout to get 10% off your order and to support Happy Hour from the Tower)
40:49 — *Episode #066: A Different Look at Dungeons with Steve “The Blind Gamer” Saylor* (Part II)
- The hype IS REAL…
- We’re going to talk about Beyond Light, but here’s a lowdown on some things that Nick wants to thank…
- Nick thanks everyone for his recent titles of Chronicler and Cursebreaker. (And Tee has not only landed Chronicler since this recording, but he also secured Forerunner. Thanks, everyone!)
- Wishing Destiny a happy birthday.
- Sharing memories of Archon’s Forge and late night/early morning Destiny runs.
- And here’s another plug for Steve’s Only Fans.
- Returning to the original Destiny with my daughter and Brandon…
- Unpopular opinion: The Fireteam thinks Destiny 2 is a better game than Destiny.
-
And now turning to the copious notes concerning Beyond Light…
-
…but we then talk a bit — okay, more like a deep dive — about Destiny and their DLC versus seasonal content.
- And this is what happens when you have too much time in between episodes: You have a LOT on your mind!
-
You think being a dev in the video game industry is cool. It can be, but it’s also demanding. On a lot of levels.
-
Especially in the COVID-19 world, content creation has a lot of demands on it. It’s essential to talk about this and look at what demands we’re putting on creatives.
- And this is what happens when you have too much time in between episodes: You have a LOT on your mind!
- Remember when we were going to talk about Beyond Light? Yeah, not happening on this episode.
- Honestly, I tried to keep us on target…
- This. Episode. Will. Not. End. (Thanks, Nick!)
- Wrapping up (finally)
- Steve “The Blind Gamer” Saylor on Twitter
- Steve “The Blind Gamer” Saylor on YouTube
- Steve “The Blind Gamer” Saylor on Twitch
- And remember to join Tee & Steve for Blind Leads the Blind every Thursday night at 7pm ET.
Where can you find the Fireteam?
- Drop the Tower a line at…
- VOICEMAIL: 703.791.1701
- EMAIL: podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com
- TEE LIVE: http://twitch.tv/theteemonster
- BRANDON LIVE: http://twitch.tv/Thermalwolff42
- Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on
iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play,
and Spotify!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening.
Five raids in five days, along with two dungeons between recordings. The Fireteam assembles with a look at the raids and dungeons of Destiny 2.Continue readingEpisode #65: A Look at Raids and Dungeons from D2
Brandon’s is en route. Finally. It was five raids in five days for Tee and Brandon, along with two dungeons between recordings. That’s why the Fireteam assembles this week with a look at the various raids and dungeons offered up by Team Bungie since the dropping of Destiny 2 in 2017.
EDITOR’S NOTE: You might notice the first fifteen minutes of the stream is silent. As penance for playing electronica at the beginning of our stream, Twitch silenced the beginning of Episode 65. An intro was put together from the opening of two previous shows.
Audio skills, baby… Nick is not one for the manic energy of the raid, but Tee and Brandon cannot get enough of the endgame event; and this is why it’s something they love to run and they genuinely enjoy doing. Even with the massive push of getting the “No Power in the Verse Can Stop Me” emblem (We see what you did there, Bungie.), Tee and Brandon are ready to go again.
What do you think of Raids and Dungeons? Do you go for the challenges, the lore, or the social aspect of it? Share with us your thoughts at 703.791.1701, at podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com, or in the Comments below.
00:00 — Episode #065: A Look at Raids and Dungeons from D2
- Before Tee can get in a word about the plan for today’s show, Nick comes in with the derail…
- HAPPY BIRTHDAY, COURTENAY TAYLOR!!!
- Our girl Amanda levels up!
- Vin Diesel and Grant Bowler, also with the Level Up! Happy birthday, guys!
- Brandon launches us into the show with defining what a Raid is.
- A Dungeon is like a Raid, but only half in length of what a Raid is. Particularly in Fireteam size.
- Shout-out to the design of the Prophecy.
- Raids are a Fireteam of 6. Dungeons are three Guardians.
- Tee’s biggest challenge with a Raid: organizing a Fireteam of six.
- A look between Destiny and Destiny 2
- Tee has been raiding since Destiny, but was not comfortable with them until Eater of Worlds in Destiny 2.
- Raids in D1 could be soloed, not that they were designed to do so.
- Raid Lairs are a more compact version of a Raid, and (maybe) easier to get a team together.
-
A minor gripe: The Leviathan was cool…the first go-round.
-
The Raids of Destiny
- The Vault of Glass (Brandon’s Favorite)
- King’s Fall
- Crota’s End
- Wrath of the Machine (Tee’s Favorite)
- The Raids of Destiny 2
- The Leviathan
- Eater of Worlds
- Spire of Stars
- The Last Wish
- Scourge of the Past
- Crown of Sorrow
- Garden of Salvation
- Did Marv want to get a team together to return to Wrath?
- The anticipation for the VoG return and the creeping burnout around the Garden
- Visit iLulu for open slots in her continuing raid schedules
- Brandon is not keen on “Vex Gambit” but DAT ARMOR…
- Favorite Boss and Favorite Mechanic in the Raids?
- Tee’s Favorite Mechanic: The Witch’s Blessing
- Crown of Sorrow is intimidating for Tee, but if he can run it with ThermalWolff, he’s in.
- Why you want Brandon as your wingman
- Brandon’s favorite boss: Galron (also from Crown of Sorrows)
- Brandon’s Favorite Mechanic: The Final Boss Fight in Spire of Stars
- Tee’s Favorite Boss: Riven from The Last Wish (his favorite raid)
-
Quick shout-out to ResonantMoon and their take on Destiny 2:
-
What’s the appeal of a raid? Is it the story being told, or the encounter?
- For epic encounters, there’s Eater of Worlds.
- A minor gripe: the “Big Reveal” of Leviathan
- Delving into the storytelling of Destiny
- Who is the Guardian that holds an influence over you in raiding?
- Brandon: (And color your podcast host surprised.)
- Tee: His first sherpa, ZGphoto.
-
As for that Miami Vice reference, take a look here…
-
When good raids go bad: The “Don’t Shoot Into My Tether” Raid v Tee’s First-Ever Vault of Glass run.
- It started with Danfinity taking the clan into Eater of Worlds
- The importance of quality comms and what NOT to do.
- The fallout was epic…but Tee got a lot of love afterward.
- Lessons learned from the misadventures in Raids
- How ZG got me back into a raid, and taught me why I love these activities so much.
44:15 — Ritual Motion
(Use the above link to support Happy Hour from the Tower)
45:20 — Episode #065: A Look at Raids and Dungeons from D2 (Part II)
-
Let’s talk about Dungeons….but FIRST….
- What’s the priority put on Exotic Quests?
- Tee loves the Whisper and Zero Hour missions…
- …but he hates the countdown clocks.
- Why not an explore mode for these maps?
-
Let’s see if we can pull this together…
- The Dungeons of Destiny 2
- The Shattered Throne (The Ascendant Plane of the Dreaming City)
- The Pit of Heresy (The Scarlet Keep on the Moon)
- Prophecy (The Realm of the Nine)
- Tee’s little hang-up in the Cube Room…but his wingman’s got him.
- For Brandon, it’s the pace and the feel of dungeon that keeps him coming back.
- Tee loves the dungeon runs, but it can be hard to find people to run the whole dungeon.
- There two types of players in Destiny 2
- The players who want the experience
- The players who want the gear and the bling ASAP
- There’s a difference between using a checkpoint to help other people get gear versus using the checkpoint to pick up gear for themselves and for bragging rights.
- come join Tee and Brandon on Saturdays around 11 a.m. on the PC side of things as they make a push for the Prophecy armor set.
Where can you find the Fireteam?
- Drop the Tower a line at…
- VOICEMAIL: 703.791.1701
- EMAIL: podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com
- TEE LIVE: http://twitch.tv/theteemonster
- BRANDON LIVE: http://twitch.tv/Thermalwolff42
- Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on
iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play,
and Spotify!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening.
No breaks. One shot. Speaking from a place of raw honesty. After an unexpected one-hour rant on Tee’s stream, Tee reached out to the fireteam…Continue readingEpisode #64: Hard Talk from the Tower
Be brave, Guardians. We believe you. No breaks.
One shot.
Speaking from a place of raw honesty.
After an unexpected one-hour rant on Tee’s stream, Tee reached out to the fireteam and set up this recording that is both on topic (sadly) about current events in the Destiny community.
Share with us your thoughts at 703.791.1701, at podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com, or in the Comments below.
00:00 — Episode #064: Hard Talk from the Tower
- It’s starting off like any other Happy Hour, but give us a few minutes…
- A quick look at the Season of Arrivals
- Brandon is extremely happy with the new content. It’s a step in the right direction.
- Nick was not ready for this conversation, but we should talk a bit about Destiny.
- Tee’s thoughts on the new Prophecy dungeon
- Two weeks of tumultuous events in the Destiny community
- DISCLAIMER: We are three straight white guys talking about sexual harassment. Yes, we know this.
- That being said, we’re going to talk about this subject matter because we have to.
- A few thoughts before we move forward on this…
- No victim blaming or shaming. We believe you.
- We’re flawed.
- Brandon brings a unique perspective on this discussion.
- This is not your normal Happy Hour from the Tower episode.
Brandon and Tee at GuardianCon 2018 * It begins with a Medium post from SheSnaps. * From here, voices began to speak up. * Tee had set himself up on The Last of Us, Part II on Father’s Day…but spent some time talking about this on his own.
Tee’s Last of Us stream starts off with a hard talk from Twitch Dad * It’s been a pretty intense month, let’s be honest. + Pride Month + Black Lives Matter + …and then all this happens in the Destiny community. * Nick emphasizes the importance of communication and overcoming the fear of what victims are feeling. * Brandon offers a younger perspective to what has been unfolding within the gaming community. * Tee’s trigger: Notoriety Management + Tee recalls his time as an actor… + …and how it segues into his experience as a podcaster, back in 2006-2008. + The ease of buying into your own hype * A response to the streamer that sounds like “Reams Hard” — Last time I checked, it’s my responsibility not to force myself into a woman’s personal space. * If you need help, check out the Discord server run by Guardians MH. * Nick recalls his own struggle with notoriety during his hard rocker days…
Nick’s still got it…but it’s got a lot more self-control. * When Tee noticed the patterns… + Tee has some fun at Renaissance fairs…and that was a problem. + True confessions from the science fiction convention circuit + Slowing the rock and roll, and steering clear of the Old School * Nick echoes the change in his own approach to the world when ascending to parenthood. * How do you learn better behavior and avoiding your own hype? * Wishing some serious love towards Reams Hard. * The Importance of Owning It + Phrase we need to stop saying: “But you have to understand” + You are truly sorry if you work to make sure it doesn’t happen again + Brandon on breaking your own programming. + Tee’s story from JMU Marching Royal Dukes days and another phrase we need to stop saying: “Boys will be boys.” * Freedom of Speech is NOT Freedom of Accountability or Responsibility * If anyone has a “responsibility” it is us as an audience as we are enabling and empowering dangerous individuals. * Recognizing bad situations, and how “phoning a friend” (even the ones in New Zealand) can save you. * Wise words from the Doctor of Twitch. * The responsibility of possessing a viable platform * Why not be like Markiplier? Why not be more like Steve Saylor? Is it harder to do? Yes, but the end result is worth it all. * Action items: What we can do to be better Guardians? * Being better is not easy but it’s going to be worth it. * Be Brave, Guardians.
Where can you find the Fireteam?
- Drop the Tower a line at…
- VOICEMAIL: 703.791.1701
- EMAIL: podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com
- LIVE: http://twitch.tv/theteemonster
- Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on
iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play,
and Spotify!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening.
Your Fireteam assembles with a lot to talk about (well over an hour’s worth!) with what can only be described as an incredible week from…Continue readingEpisode #63: A Week of Awesome from Bungie (with special guest, The Big Marvinski!)
Tee, TheBigMarvinski, Brandon, and Nick at GuardianCon 2018 Your Fireteam assembles with a lot to talk about (well over an hour’s worth!) with what can only be described as an incredible week from Bungie. There was the reveal of what’s to come followed by the first week of the Season of Arrivals. There was so much to talk about, we brought in a special guest long overdue for a visit to the Tower…
There’s Social Distancing and then there’s Social Distancing: Grandmaster Level. That’s TheBigMarvinski. If you frequent Tee’s stream, you know Marv. He pulls no punches, he calls it like he sees it, and he knows destiny inside and out. Hailing from the UK, Marv has taken Tee under his mighty wing and helped Tee overcome challenge he thought out of reach. Watch the stream above for the fully-unedited recording session, a good time to be sure.
What do you think of what’s coming ahead? Share with us your thoughts at 703.791.1701, at podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com, or in the Comments below.
00:00 — Episode #063: A Week of Awesome from Bungie (with special guest, TheBig Marvinski!)
- When it comes to social distancing, no one beats TheBigMarvinski.
- Who is TheBigMarvinski?
- Coming up on third anniversary as a streamer
- Long-time gamer with a penchant for Destiny
- Effs up your world when taking on the role of a goose
- Checking in with the Kellys
- Brandon gives a perspective on missing school because yeah, the youths are missing school.
- A Brit’s perspective on how COVID-19 management is being handled in the United Kingdom (SPOILER: It’s not going well.)
-
Looking at the Bungie Reveal and The Season of Arrivals today, so strap in and hold on!
-
Welcome to Bungie’s Big Reveal
- The Fireteam’s reactions to Bungie’s incredible George Floyd tribute.
- Shoutout to Red Queen and her real-time interactions with Chat
- From the Kellys: a PERFECT statement
- BLACK LIVES MATTER!
- Nick gives a look at Cisco’s reaction to an “All Lives Matter” approach to what’s happening in the world.
- Marv has undertaken a charity for the month of June to bring attention to Black Lives Matter. If you can donate, do so. If you can’t, circulate this link.
- The impact of Bungie’s tribute on Tee
- A quick shout to friend of the stream and the podcast, Steve Saylor, and his own honest tribute to Naughty Dog…
I've been reluctant to post this.
I recorded my reaction when I saw the #accessibility settings in #TheLastofUsPartII for the first time thinking it would be a fun video for posterity. I…did not expect this.
This is why we do what we do. ?
Thank you @Naughty_Dog. pic.twitter.com/D5Or2B9Tfw
— Steve Saylor – Canadian Game Award Nominee (@stevesaylor) June 12, 2020
- How deep the reaction to Bungie’s tribute reaches.
- “We need to be better.”
- Other studios are stepping up to echo “Black Lives Matter.”
- God Bless K-Pop
- Could this be the best reveal ever from Bungie?
- Marv: “Finally, we’re seeing cohesion in the storytelling.”
- Brandon: “Three years of direction? Yes, please!”
- Nick: “#MyPeople.”
- We love the new “trash can” feature from The Drifter.
- What are you more excited about? The return of The Stranger, or the return of The Cosmodrome?!?
- Variks impersonations all around!
- New Guardians (post-D2) finally experience the Cosmodrome as a map.
-
All this talk of original Destiny reminds Tee of his new stream content: Fireside Lore.
-
The upcoming chapters of Destiny…
- Beyond Light — Fall 2020
- The Witch Queen — 2021
- Lightfall — Fall 2022
- We love Eris on this podcast.
- We haven’t even touched on the LIVE EVENT, but we will cover that in the second half of the show. (SPOILER: We forgot to do that.)
- Talking about Vaulted Content
- Nick: “Destiny’s getting a little…bloated.”
- Vaulting content makes a lot of sense.
- Marv: “It’s a return of D1’s Moments of Triumph.”
- Brandon: “Take me back!”
- We’re looking forward to what’s coming…
40:24 — Gnarly Nerd Clothing
(10% off your order with the code “hhftt10” at Checkout)
41:43 — Episode #063: A Week of Awesome from Bungie (Part II)
- Marv nails the rejoiner. FIRST TRY!!!
- How cool would it be if you had Marv narrating your meetings
- First Impressions of the Season of Arrivals
- Yes, Tee’s adding in a “the” but Brandon will correct him. Later.
- Brandon on the difference between the Contact Event and the Seraph Towers
- Talkin’ bout swords old and new
- Nick add thoughts on the Contact Events, Umbral Engrams, and solid storytelling
- Marv sees lessons learned from the Seraph Tower event. Overall, the first week offered a solid first impression.
- Marv’s Beef: While sunsetting weapons isn’t an issue, curated weapons you already have will not go forward. So, start that grind again.
- Witherhoard…Witherhole…WHATEVER….
- A few thoughts on Trinity Ghoul, exotics for sale, and that “curated rolls” matter…
- …and back to Trinity Ghoul.
- A spoiler-free look at the new Prophecy dungeon from Marv
- Dungeons vs. Raids — what do you prefer?
- Marv’s tip on soloing the Pit of Heresy (particularly at the Ritual)
- Tee’s loves the Raid, but there’s something about those Dungeons.
- Tee’s favorite memories from the Shattered Throne
- We’ve been at this for five years! (We love this game, safe to say.)
-
What we’re looking forward to in the Season of Arrivals
- Marv: The Flawless seal
- A quick divergence to talk about this…
-
Concerning cheaters in Trials
- Marv: “I’d rather go with a DDoS than cheaters in the final round.”
- From Deep_Fish in Chat: “What can Bungie do to protect players from cheaters?”
- Returning to Marv: “The hackers are two steps ahead.”
- Our resident cybersecurity expert, Nick, chimes in.
- Taking development (of any kind) to remote locations. It can’t be easy.
- Returning to the discussion of “What we are looking forward to…”
- Brandon: “Better storytelling.”
- Nick expresses his love for Titan and the Contact event there.
- Where to find Marv and CHECK OUT THAT CHARITY STREAM!
Where can you find the Fireteam?
- Drop the Tower a line at…
- VOICEMAIL: 703.791.1701
- EMAIL: podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com
- LIVE: http://twitch.tv/theteemonster
- Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on
iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play,
and Spotify!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening.
We have a Fireteam of four this go-round as we gather on Discord to talk Destiny, mainly about the end of Season of the Worthy…and…Continue readingEpisode #62: Tales from the Deep Stone Crypt
We have a Fireteam of four this go-round as we gather on Discord to talk Destiny, mainly about the end of Season of the Worthy…and a quick nod to a new game on the scene.
In what is becoming known as the COVID-19 edition of the podcast, Happy Hour from the Tower is back on stream and on pod as Tee, Nick, Brandon, and Obi team up to look back on the Season of the Worthy, now currently winding down in game. It was a season of up’s, down’s, grand slams, and swings-and-misses, so
What do you think? Share with us your thoughts at 703.791.1701, at podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com, or in the Comments below.
00:00 — Episode #062: Tales from the Deep Stone Crypt
- The COVID-19 approach is taking hold with the Fireteam, and Obi is kicking off this podcast with a proper start. Nick approves.
- What’s been going on?
- Tee and Pip have wrapped their Friday games,
- Pip completely takes an unexpected turn in what she wanted to game.
- Tee is taking advantage of the Return to Arkham bundle on PSN.
- As for Pip….welcome to Manhunter.
- Ki-wi-SHARK-do-dooo-de-do-do….
- A quick review of Maneater — WOW! What a blast!**
- What is happening TONIGHT…
- The Season of the Worthy from the Fireteam’s perspective…
- Obi was not impressed with the pre-existing issues that remained unresolved.
- Brandon found the activities repetitive and the storytelling uneven.
- Nick makes the correlation between Destiny and the band GWAR.
- For a deeper dive into all this, look at Episode #61 of the podcast.
- Obi re-discovers a joy in Destiny with a flawless Seraph run, but he feels like Bungie is making Guardians helping out one another a tougher task.
-
As voiced in the previous episode, Bungie invested in to one event for Triumphs and Titles…
-
TheBigMarvinski asks of the pinnacle events in the season — pursuing the Almighty title, Trials, and Grandmaster Nightfalls — what did we do?
- How do you bridge the gap between the casual and the hardcore player?
- A decision between running the GMN and a Raid.
- Brandon believes in Matchmaking, and Obi agrees.
- Before we get to talking about next season, Tee wants to discuss a tweet from Gladd…
Y’all staying in shape out there?? ??? pic.twitter.com/w2ShHQ43Pe
— Gladd (@Gladd) May 27, 2020
No, not THIS tweet…
Honestly, recovs are ruining Destiny right now.
These accounts are being taken out of PvE and it’s lowering the population that’s doing regular public events and strikes.
How am I supposed to heroic a PE or finish off a strike boss when all these recov accounts are wiping kids?
— Gladd (@Gladd) May 27, 2020
THIS tweet. * Recovery Accounts (or Recovs) defined, and what damage is done by these accounts. * The Fireteam chimes in on Account Recovs + Brandon is not a fan of the Account Recovery, specifically “Why would you do this?” + Nick weighs in on this from a cybersecurity perspective, and “like father, like son” he asks… + ONE REASON: It’s big money to run recovs. + An aside (or two) about the joy of earning something on your own. + From Drafty: What if you’re doing a friend a favor? And Tee fields it from both sides of the argument. + Obi doesn’t see what the impact recovs have on PVE, but PVP? That’s very different. * Now it is time to look ahead to the season ahead…
29:30 — Gnarly Nerd Clothing
(10% off your order with the code “hhftt10” at Checkout)
30:49 — Tales from the Deep Stone Crypt (Part II)
- A hiccup in Bungie’s network dropped a tease a bit too soon.
- Paul Tassi had thoughts on where we are headed…
-
…but Byf talked about this two years ago!
-
Okay, is opening up a brand new story thread really a good idea right now? We have a LOT of open threads right now.
- A new map? New adventures? Exo lore? SURE!!! But……
- So what’s taking priority here? The Almighty or the Darkness? We want to trust Bungie, but there are a lot of moving parts at present.
- So let’s speculate what could be coming…
- Did anyone else take a pause when it came out that Rasputin used Guardians AS BAIT! Why is no one talking about this?!
- And here’s Obi, always trying to find a bright side to people….and A.I.
- This is the point of the podcast where Brandon ignores Tee…
- …until we get back on point, and Brandon offer a counterpoint to the Deep Stone Crypt.
- A debate on Titan’s fate. And eff Mercury.
- Welcome to the Season of Speculation, everybody.
Where can you find the Fireteam?
- Drop the Tower a line at…
- VOICEMAIL: 703.791.1701
- EMAIL: podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com
- LIVE: http://twitch.tv/theteemonster
- Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
- Obi — ObiOrion
Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play,
and Spotify!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening.
Welcome to the stream and to the show. The Fireteam returns to give a few thoughts on their minds about recent events in Destiny 2.…Continue readingEpisode#61: The Three Towers
Welcome to the stream and to the show. The Fireteam returns to give a few thoughts on their minds about recent events in Destiny 2. Some of it good, but other parts of it…
It has been two weeks of Guardian Games dominated by the much-aligned Titans, and Warlocks and Hunters have dined on Crow pie as the “Crayon Eaters” swept through the first-ever Destiny Olympics. The innagural Guardian Games were met with both jubilation and criticism, but much like the storytelling of the Games in the midst of a Cabal “Hail, Mary!” and the approaching Darkness, the return of “The Usual Grind” has been somewhat clumsy. While the Fireteam usually stand up for Bungie, there are some course corrections that need to be addressed.
What do you think? Share with us your thoughts at 703.791.1701, at podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com, or in the Comments below.
Episode #061: The Three Towers
- The COVID-19 approach is taking hold with the Fireteam. We do miss being in studio though,
- What’s been going on?
- Nick loving the time with B and Tee alongside Steve Saylor.
- Brandon Rocks out with Warframe and Apex in-between times in Destiny.
- And there’s Tee, doing his best to GIT TO DA COPPAH!!!
- Arnold returns to old Hunting Grounds as Dutch in recently announced DLC for Predator: Hunting Grounds
- What is happening TONIGHT…
Powered by LogitechG * Steve Saylor and I are taking BLIND LEADS THE BLIND to LogitechG’s Twitch channel 7PM ET ON MAY 21 to celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day!!! (Use #GAAD2020 or #GAAD in social media!) * Nick Kelly takes a Victory Lap following this year’s Guardian Games * The Guardian Games are fun and all, but Tee’s not getting this storytelling narrative, as mentioned here…
- Yes, Brandon, you know video games; but Tee’s the Carl Sagan of this Fireteam.
- There’s a weird timing for Destiny content around Spring, the Fireteam finds.
-
Let’s talk about the Seraph Towers, shall we? Tee is just going to say this…
-
Turns out a few Guardians really don’t care for the Towers either.
- Then someone did the math, and it would take months apart from a days.
- Bungie does a course correction that gave a few whiplash…
- …and even that course correction drew fire.
SMH this is why we can't have anything challenging in the game. https://t.co/6MD857IWZM
— GSXRCLYDE (@GSXRCLYDE) May 13, 2020
- Tee says it again: He HATES the Seraph Towers. And here’s why… [RANT INCOMING!]
- Brandon also has a frustration to voice when it comes to Triumphs.
- For the record, this happened yesterday…
A BIG thank you to TheBigMarvinski for helping me out with this! * What was different between the other two Community Events, and this one: VARIETY
24:54 — Gnarly Nerd Clothing
(10% off your order with the code “hhftt10” at Checkout)
26:21 — Episode #061: The Three Towers
- Nick gives a little fanboi love through The Expanse and ties it into Destiny.
- Nick asks “Was the bar from the Seraph Towers set where it initially was on account of the Mars event?”
- Tee has a revelation about Bungie’s reaction to GLADD (and other elite streamers) and the reaction to the Seraph Challenge…
Mythic Quest nails it, once again! * Are we developing games by committee now? * Why not let the Community fail? Perhaps we should so we can see what the fallout will be. * #NotAllRandos but consider those loose cannons in the community, and who is really designing the game? * What about dealing with consequences? Like in the BioShock series? * Brandon has never gone into Trials…even though he is a beast in the Crucible. * The Fireteam loves Community Events. Just not this one.
Where can you find the Fireteam?
- Drop the Tower a line at…
- VOICEMAIL: 703.791.1701
- EMAIL: podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com
- LIVE: http://twitch.tv/theteemonster
- Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play,
and Spotify!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening.
Tee is taking the hit on this one. He has been working hard on a lot of various projects as you’ll hear in the show…Continue readingEpisode #60: Catching up with the Fireteam on the Guardian Games, the State of Content, and Cheating in Trials
Tee is taking the hit on this one. He has been working hard on a lot of various projects as you’ll hear in the show intro, but yes, the Fireteam is back, and we are here to talk about…
THE GUARDIAN GAMES
Welcome back from what was an unintentional break. We did try out a show very no frills, very barebones, and it went well, but then demands reached a peak with Tee…and the episode was lost.
Oooops.
So the Fireteam assembled on Sunday, and we did this bare-bones approach, and this time, Tee set aside the time for edit and review. He also made sure the show got exported to the Fireteam’s YouTube channel…
On account of Tee’s current schedule, Happy Hour from the Tower is going with a simplified approach to show notes. We’re going to showcase the raw shows along with any YouTube features and URLs referenced throughout the show, but for now, some things need to get off Tee’s editorial desk.
So without any more set up, here’s a quick look at Episode #60…
Episode #060: Catching up with the Fireteam on the Guardian Games, the State of Content, and Cheating in Trials
- Catching up with the Fireteam and how they are working through the shelter in place orders with COVID-19
- The Guardian Games
- Tee’s loving it.
- Brandon speaks for Hunters
- Nick still has issues with Christmas lights
- Thoughts from Forbes’ Paul Tassi on the sudden domination from Titans
This was what I dreamt about… ..but here’s the reality! * How the Guardian games feel a little out of place because the ALMIGHTY IS ON A COLLISION COURSE WITH EARTH! * A discussion on the demand for content — is is beginning to hurt the progress of Destiny’s storyline, and the gaming industry on a whole? * Speculation on how Guardian Games will end, and what Bungie is planning. Are we going to be seeing massive change in the world again on Forsaken level?
The Dangers of the Grind * Wait — we were talking about Guardian Games, and now we are talking about a sustainable market? What?! * Where is that happy medium?
43:21 — Gnarly Nerd Clothing
(10% off your order with the code “hhftt10” at Checkout)
- So let’s talk about Trials and the changes coming there.
- The recent TWAB touches on a discussion happening presently in the Destiny community…
The video that started the buzz… * Tee was kinda triggered by the episode above…but there was a fascinating angle to this discussion. * Turning to our resident Titan who is also a cybersecurity authority on whether or not hackers/cheaters can really be stopped, if not slowed down. * A little more about Trials
+ Tee wants to try it again, but with a team he feels more in sync with
+ Brandon has never gone into Trials…even though he is a *beast* in the Crucible.
- Ending the podcast on a positive note…
No Kid Hungry, Share Our Strength Logo. (PRNewsFoto/Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign) May 2, 2020 —10 a.m. ET * Tee is going to sherpa Will Remik from No Kid Hungry with his boss, Carla Warner, in Chat! * This is the finale of the #LunchtimeForKids charity stream Tee started at the end of March. You can donate off-stream if you can’t make the stream, but if you can, Saturday morning is going to be fun! * QUICK ASIDE: Nick got his Chaperone! * And a special THANK YOU!!! to Bungie for keeping Destiny online during a pandemic. * Turning to Nick on an IT perspective on how Bungie has been handling this incredible game through COVID-19. * Bungie — the real Gold Medalists of the Guardian Games
Where can you find the Fireteam?
- Drop the Tower a line at…
- VOICEMAIL: 703.791.1701
- EMAIL: podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com
- LIVE: http://twitch.tv/theteemonster
- Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play,
and Spotify!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening.
Are you ready for a 24-hour run on Twitch? ZGphoto is going to make this happen on January 18! Join this power streamer as he makes a run for St Jude!Continue readingEpisode #59: ZGphoto, St Jude, and a Day to Remember
You all remember ZGphoto, right? He’s a long-time friend of the show, a full-time pro streamer, and a solid guardian. ZG has also become a regular mention on Tee’s stream and on the podcast when it comes to good memories with Destiny.
Z’s back on Happy Hour from the Tower and if you’re wondering “Why watch the stream?” you actually get two shows in one. Take a look at the unedited podcast and bonus content here:
January 18, 2020 ZGphoto is hosting a 24-hour stream for dee keedz, with all the proceeds going to St Jude Childrens Hospital. What happens at St Jude is nothing short of spectacular, working to help kids (and families) fight cancer and other life-threatening diseases. ZG is looking to raise in 24 hours a grand total of $3000…
…but Tee has an offer to Z that Z might not be able to refuse. Listen to the podcast and find out! And we hope to see you, January 18, for ZGphoto’s marathon stream!
Our own discussion covers fundraisers, Destiny 2, Sea of Thieves, and streaming on a whole. did you have something you wanted to ask Zac or the Fireteam? Give us a call at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com to send your feedback and talk to the crew!
Episode #059: ZGphoto, St Jude, and a Day to Remember
- The return of ZGphoto
- Who is ZGphoto and what is he all about?
- This is not ZG’s first 24-hour stream.
- The value of paying it forward
- This one time…at GuardianCon…..
- ZG’s goal for his 24-hour stream: $3000
- First year: $2300
- In 2019: $2700
- Tee wants to help Z raise some money, so….
- Pip will understand. Right?
30:36 — Gnarly Nerd Clothing
(10% off your order with the code “hhftt10” at Checkout)
- Looks like ZG is having technical difficulties as well.
- Time to get swifty, Brandon.
- ZG’s take on the odd twists and turns with Destiny 2
- Perhaps THIS is the curse of Osiris?
- There’s a lot more to tell of Saint-14, so why are we not getting that story?
- Is Bungie overcompensating?
- Or did Bungie plan too much on the holidays?
- The appeal of Sea of Thieves — what is it?
- Yo ho yo ho, a pirate’s life for Z!
- The Zen of Tucking
- ZG’s lifelong pursuit of Pokemon
- Vintage console love
- Detective Pickachu — The Who Framed Roger Rabbit? of a new generation
- Pokemon Karma
- Content Creation — don’t let anyone tell you different: It’s hard.
- You have the date. You’ve heard the podcast. You’ve watched the stream. LET’S DO THIS!!!
Where can you find the Fireteam?
- Drop the Tower a line at…
- VOICEMAIL: 703.791.1701
- EMAIL: podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com
- LIVE: http://twitch.tv/theteemonster
- Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play,
and Spotify!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening.
Lighting up the Titan’s Sentinel Shield When the Titan Sentinel Shield first appeared at Gamestop stores, many of us were excited. McFarlane toys has been…Continue readingBring on the Void
Lighting up the Titan’s Sentinel Shield
When the Titan Sentinel Shield first appeared at Gamestop stores, many of us were excited. McFarlane toys has been putting out creative collectibles for decades, and this was one dedicated to my favorite class of Guardian. Over time, the price wound up coming down from over $100 all the way to a clearance price of $24.97. I was lucky enough to get one at that price.
Probably the biggest oversight of the shield is the fact that it doesn’t light up. This is a void weapon after all, so we would expect some funky purple lights. Fortunately, I’m here to tell you that I found a way to get this thing lit up and it’s actually not that difficult or expensive.
What You’ll Need A strip of LED lighting is going to work best. I found a brand called FlexGlo, which offers a 6’ string of lighting for just $15. The fun thing is that it comes with 16 different color options and a remote control. That means you can have your off-color Titan shield if you want to break from the norms (you know, like a non-traditional light saber color.) If you want to just stay purple, that’s as simple as a literal push of a button.
This LED strip has an adhesive backing, but I found that it wore out over time and I added a separate piece of two-sided tape. This strip isn’t battery powered. It needs a USB based power source. Fortunately, there are tons of USB power banks available at many retail stores. (You may also find them as giveaways at vendor fairs.) A portable power bank can be placed on the inside of the shield. For this, I chose to use Velcro instead of double-sided tape, so the power pack can be removed and added back after it’s removed for charging.
How to Construct It FlexPro allows the strip to be cut to fit. In this example, I didn’t cut it. I used the whole six feet. First, I just mapped where the strip would fit. The end with the USB cable needs to be inside where the power pack will be placed. You can see in the diagram that I started there. Then, wrap the strip where it will be placed (but don’t do it with the adhesive yet.)
Check how the lighting looks before committing to the adhesive. Make sure you’re satisfied with the look. (Test some of the other lighting choices, too. Explore the options.) Once you’re satisfied with the way the lights will look, go ahead and use the adhesive. To do this with the native adhesive, simply peel off the backing. (Be careful not to pull off the adhesive when peeling the backing.)
If you want to add the two-sided tape, cut it and apply in intervals between the strip and the shield. Putting the tape on the back of the strip will not block out the lighting. If you want to add the USB power pack, you can add the Velcro to the inside of the shield where it will be hidden. Also, wrapping the USB cable around the shield’s inside handle will keep it in place and prevent the power adapter from coming apart.
Next Steps Next on my list is the addition of a strap so I can easily take the shield on and off. The strap included with the shield is pretty tight. That can also be extended with the addition of some Velcro. The goal is to be able to pull it off my back for photo ops at cons.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this little bit of DIY. Everyone I know really wanted this shiedl to glow. Glad I could figure it out. Hope you get to enjoy it, too.
We are back for more fun in 2020!
After something of a break in 2019 with the holidays (and getting up and pulling down Christmas lights), Tee, Nick, and Brandon are back to talk about the Season of Dawn.
You can enjoy the unedited show and extra content here:
There has been a lot to do with the Season of Dawn, and the guys have been carving out time between holidays and personal schedules to play Destiny 2: Shadowkeep and Bungie’s latest season. We’re spending the show both looking at the Season of Dawn and our year on the podcast.
So what did you think of the Season of Dawn so far? Do you have a favorite memory from Happy Hour from the Tower in 2019? Share with the Fireteam at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com and we will share your thoughts on the podcast!
Episode #058: A Look Ahead at the Season of Dawn
- Wake up Brandon!
- It’s weird not being at MAGFest…
- …and here’s why Tee is NOT attending MAGFest.
- …and here’s why the Kellys aren’t attending MAGFest.
- Nick can be a bad, bad man….
- One more tangent on The Witcher, Henry Cavill, and the brilliant cameramen of film and television…
- The Season of Dawn so far…
- The new season from our Titan’s perspective
- The Grind of Osiris
- Brandon identifies the glitch concerning the EDZ Obelisk
- Brandon’s favorite missions of all time in Destiny: the Saint-14’s missions
- “Everything’s ridiculous about Titans.”
- Still no word from Fenchurch.
- Nick shares a “behind the scenes” on Saint-14’s dialogue tree.
- Bungie and their sense of humor
- From Tee’s POV, the Sundial is like the Strikes Playlist — always more fun with friends.
- Big question about Saint-14: Isn’t this screwing with the space-time continuum?
- AT THE BREAK: This Kaiju Life
- Nick wants to spend a little time about timegating in Destiny.
- “Trust in Bundy.” — Tee (Oh, dear God…)
- Looking back on 2019
- The “Back” Armory
- Nick and Brandon meet Courtenay Taylor
- A bit of a talk on the Black Armory and what we think about it
- TheBigMarvinski‘s New Light School: SIGN UP HERE!
-
Looking back on 2019 (again!)
- Joker’s Wild (Season of the Drifter)
- Interviews with Brandon O’Neill and The Vintage Moon
- The Season of Opulence
- The Martian Community Challenge
- Shadowkeep…
-
…and thoughts on Forsaken in comparison to Forsaken.
- One last push with 2019
- Season of the Undying
- ….and closing thoughts on this incredible game.
Where can you find the Fireteam?
- Drop the Tower a line at…
- VOICEMAIL: 703.791.1701
- EMAIL: podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com
- LIVE: http://twitch.tv/theteemonster
- Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play,
and Spotify!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening.
Looking back on the start of Season of Dawn, and the year that was 2019.Continue readingEpisode #58: Looking Back on 2019
Happy Reset Day! It's time to celebrate the Season of Dawn. What are you excited about? Share us your thoughts at 703.791.1701!Continue readingEpisode #57: Looking Ahead to Season of Dawn
So…what happened?
SHADOWKEEP ARRIVED…
…and then October happened. Immediately followed by November.
We did record a show about Shadowkeep, and Tee was in the middle of editing it; but life got in the way. Go on and revisit that lost show with the full Fireteam here:
Tee wishes he could say “It’s okay, I’ve got this…” but he doesn’t. There has been massive changes and shenanigans at his place of work. This means making time for this podcast amongst other things. The plan, until further notice, is to simplify the copious show notes Happy Hour from the Tower is known for. That way, we can keep up with what’s happening in Destiny and keep you all entertained on a regular schedule. Thanks for being so patient, Guardians.
And so you know — the raw video below is Episode 57 and we are talking about the Season of Dawn!
So what did you think of the Season of Dawn so far? We have got many ways for you to share your own opinions on the latest storytelling from Bungie. Drop us a line at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com and we will share your thoughts on the podcast!
Episode #057: A Look Ahead at the Season of Dawn
- Welcoming Guardians MH to the Fireteam!
- Shoutouts
- Destiny Unfiltered
- Karalee on Mixer
- Steve Saylor on Mixer
- GuardiansMH on Twitch
- Brandon’s condescending tone is honestly coming from a place of love when it comes to Tee and Trials.
- A discussion about the reaction to the Bungie teaser and the cycle of criticism
- AT THE BREAK: The Steamrollers’ Adventure Podcast
- Fun with accents
- “Bring me the WEX!!!”
- Tee’s Dream Job: Writing lore for Bungie
- A deep dive into the recent trailer and release notes…
Where can you find the Fireteam?
- Drop the Tower a line at…
- VOICEMAIL: 703.791.1701
- EMAIL: podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com
- LIVE: http://twitch.tv/theteemonster
- Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening.
Eyes up, Guardians! We have an urgent transmission for you, coming through on all channels! Failsafe herself, Joy Osmanski (Santa Clarita Diet, Stargirl) needs your…Continue readingOperation: Failsafe
Eyes up, Guardians!
We have an urgent transmission for you, coming through on all channels! Failsafe herself, Joy Osmanski (Santa Clarita Diet, Stargirl) needs your help. From now until the October 1st launch of the Shadowkeep expansion, Joy has joined forces with the Happy Hour from the Tower fireteam for a contest.
One lucky winner will get a special collector’s edition Destiny 2 Playstation 4. Joy will not only autograph it, but she will sign it with your favorite Failsafe quote. That’s right, your very own one-of-a-kind PS4 straight from Nessus.
Entry into the contest is simple. Make a donation to www.hopeforthewarriors.org of any amount. Then send your confirmation number (not your credit card or even dollar amount) to podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com. One lucky Guardian will be named on Tuesday, October 1.
The collector’s bundle includes the following:
- Destiny 2 base game
- Destiny 2 Expansion Pass: Get access to both Expansion I and Expansion II, offering brand new story missions, cooperative activities, competitive multiplayer, and a wealth of new weapons, armor, and gear.
- Premium digital content:
- Legendary Sword
- Legendary Player Emote
- Cabal Empire Themed Emblem
- Destiny 2 – Frontier Bag
- Customizable bag that can be worn as a backpack or messenger bag
- 15” Laptop/Tablet Sleeve with protective pocket slip
- Frontier Kit, featuring:
- Solar panel USB charger with built-in light
- Paracord
- Solar blanket
- Limited Edition Steelbook® Case
- Cabal-themed Collector’s Box, containing;
- Booklet with secrets into the Cabal Empire
- Cabal Schematic
- Collectible Postcard Images
- Cabal Military Pawns
Boost the signal and spread the word, Guardians! We have a great cause to help and a fun contest through which to do it. Let’s show the world what Guardians can do to help out our warriors.
Eyes up, Guardians! We’ll see you starside.
— The HHFTT Fire Team & Joy Osmanski
No, you’re not seeing things! It’s a bonus episode!!! The Fireteam returns with Part Two of our countdown to Shadowkeep!
In our previous show, we touched base on a few things like Cross Save and changes to armor, all part of the countdown to Shadowkeep…
…and with other things revealed over Director’s Cuts and TWABs, the Fireteam have a LOT to talk about with this expansion. Again. So if you missed Part I or missed the live recording of the podcast…
…we are back during our week off to cover more about this highly anticipated DLC from Bungie. How about you? We would love to get your thoughts on Cross Save and what you are looking forward to on Shadowkeep. Drop us a line at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com.
00:00 — Episode #056: Counting Down to Shadowkeep (Part Two)
- Thanks for the intro, Uldren Sov!
- It’s such a crazy ride when we record.
- No need to catch up as this is the second hour of a recording session about Shadowkeep. Let’s get to it…
- Tee needs an education on Armor Elements. Whether it is External Memory in Chat or Brandon that will educate him, that remains to be seen.
- Nick has been promoted to Fireteam Leader, so follow him to glory…
- Another shout out to our new favorite development team, Team Velveeta!
- The biggest takeway from what’s being tested at Bungie: There are a lot of things being worked on to make an even playing field for everyone.
- Brandon’s still in a mood.
- Shout-out to Joy Ozmanski!
- Looking ahead to the Seasons, and not seeing something you like? That’s okay — buy seasons when you want them.
- So why pick up a season?
- Well, can you wait for some of these new, powerful weapons?
- Seasonal Artifacts
- Season Pass Ranks — Free or Premium? There are pros and cons for both.
- A few thoughts on the Solstice Armor
- Brandon and Nick are excited about Finishers. Tee? Not so sure. He needs some schooling, so…
- First lesson: What does a Finisher really cost you?
- Second Lesson: Perks with Exotics and Finishers
- Third Lesson: Come on, Tee, they look COOL.
- Happy Hour from the Tower launches their first ever poll. Here are the results:
Which Hive Wizard is the most annoying?
— HHFTT Podcast (@HHFTTPodcast) September 2, 2019
26:19 — The Shared Desk
27:18 — Episode #56: Counting Down to Shadowkeep (Part Two)
- We’re back to talk about Shadowkeep…and bitching about Mercury.
- Let’s see this year’s Festival of the Lost on the Moon. Please.
- How much of all this change is Bungie being on its own?
- Speculation about the Season of Dawn…and it’s Brandon who pulls us back on point.
- New Light — what is it?
- Coming October 1, our past comes back to literally haunt us.
- New Light is an invitation for new players to join all of us Guardians. And it’s free.
- It’s a return to the original mission, unlocking all the previous content and the opening mission of Shadowkeep.
- And your tutorial is the very first mission from Destiny.
- Did you know, on October 1, Moon’s haunted?
- What we have to look forward to when the DLC launches…
- A departure on bows, and how much Tee loves bows.
- Hey —a new, exotic…Hand Cannon. Yay.
- Teasing us with Vex
- Premium tracks include ornament sets, finishers, and the Nightmare Hunt.
- A new dungeon is coming. And Tee is counting down…
- We’re all okay with waiting until October 1.
- And since the guys are talking about D1, it’s time to haze Tee over his potato aim…
- Nick Kelly is a Note Talking Machine!!!
- Brandon shares a bit of news from PAX West about the Widow’s Court promo…
- Weapons that are coming back…and some new ones that we are looking forward to.
50:44 — Wrapping Up
- Brandon’s hitting a wall, apparently; but Nick wants to play.
- Tee looks into the future while Brandon upholds a family tradition.
- Where to talk to the Fireteam
- VOICEMAIL: 703.791.1701
- EMAIL: podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com
- LIVE: http://twitch.tv/theteemonster
- Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening.
No, you're not seeing things! It's a bonus episode!!! The Fireteam returns with Part Two of our countdown to Shadowkeep! We are back during our week off to cover more about this highly anticipated DLC from Bungie, so have a listen.Continue readingEpisode #56: Counting Down to Shadowkeep (Part Two)
Since our last show, we have enjoyed a few fun streams, but time for the Fireteam to sit down and edit episodes has been proving something of a challenge.
Now, after a rather hectic summer, the Fireteam returns with two shows this week on what Bungie has coming next month…
Welcome to Cross Save! Have you been enjoying it so far? The ushering in of this new approach to playing Destiny is all part of the countdown to Shadowkeep…
…and with other things revealed over Director’s Cuts and TWABs, the Fireteam have a LOT to talk about with this expansion. Again.
Change is coming yet again, and two words continue to bounce across all comm channels: Cross Save. How about you? We would love to get your thoughts on Cross Save and what you are looking forward to on Shadowkeep. Drop us a line at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com.
00:00 — Episode #055: Counting Down to Shadowkeep (Part One)
- The Iron Banner is having its way with Tee as it evident by his Aggretsuko drop-in…
- Thank you, Gnarly Nerd Clothing, for completing the trifecta for Tee!
- You like what we are wearing? Use the code “happyhour” at checkout, and knock off 10% from your order.
- People are digging the Gnarly Nerd gear.
- What have we been up to for the past two months?
- Brandon: Solstice Gear acquired, Wayfarer title acquired, and Cross Save enabled.
- Nick: Returning to Destiny on the date of a release! Solstice Gear acquired (despite some IT issues), Bad Juju acquired,
- Brandon’s in a mood.
- Tee: MMXIX seal acquired after a weekend of raiding, Solstice Gear acquired, Mara Sov visited (but no lore?), and Cross Save enabled.
- Tee and Steve “The Blind Gamer” Saylor are celebrating the one-year anniversary of Blind Leading the Blind with the release of Shadowkeep.
- Welcome to the Age of Cross Save
- Tee now runs with Rei Sommerset alongside his daughter.
- Brandon is playing with his original characters with PC friends now.
- So why play on console now?
- What happens to Clan numbers?
- The up’s and down’s and pro’s and con’s of Cross Save
- And Tee thought he hated the Black Armory on the PS4…
- Brandon is not of fan of Crucible on PC.
- What we are helping Blind Gamer Steve (with the help of Chavez) work for in Blind Leads the Blind: A Moments of Triumph tee-shirt.
- Okay, everyone, let’s unpack all the news that we’ve been given by Bungie…
-
Community Challenge: Mars
- Defeat 175,000 Escalation Protocol Wave 7 Bosses
- Defeat 300 Million Hive on Mars
- Defeat Xol 100,000 times.
- Defeat Nokris 100,000 times.
- Use 300,000 Override Frequencies
- Spoiler Alert: On September 7…
-
Nick is convinced this challenge is for the month of September…little does he know….
- We still hate Strange Terrain.
- Okay, myth confirmed: we’re spending a week on Mars!
- Concerning Luke Smith’s Director’s Cuts
- Yep, this game is an MMO, not a FPS 9but it is…you know what I mean…oh, just shut up and play!)
- A quick aside on developers, Patriot Act with Hasan Minaj, video editing, and respect for the makers behind video games — we love you guys and gals. Please. Take a moment, and thank you!
- Making a choice between Gambit and Gambit Prime
- We haven’t even scratched the surface, so let’s take a break and work on getting through these copious notes of Nick’s.
30:58 — Gnarly Nerd Clothing
32:14 — Episode #55: Counting Down to Shadowkeep (Part One)
- Picking up the Gambit v Gambit Prime discussion again…
- Keep your developers happy!
-
Other things we will see coming to Shadowkeep
- Interface changes, particularly for PC players
- Take care, Tess. We will miss you…
- Concerning Silver and how we’re handling the in-game currency
- Summing up Nick with an Aggretsuko drop-in
- How ornaments and other Silver purchases pay for expansions
- Some more love for the Bungie developers
- Let’s talk about the hiccup that was the Black Armory. Great weapons, bitchen armor, buuuuuuut…..
- Praise Team Velveeta!
- Talking about the Menagerie
- Wait a minute, Tee is a sherpa for ZGphoto?
- Nick was introduced to Menagerie when Blackout was the mod.
- Armor 2.0: What we’re looking forward to in Shadowkeep
- Oh yes, we are bleeding over to a second show.
- What else is changing?
- Power Cap is changing and we are going to be all at 750 Power when Shadowkeep drops
- Enemies are now vulnerable. Period.
- Two Destiny maps will be returning: Twilight Gap and Widow’s Court
- As we have been talking about updates ad big reveals…
50:12 — Comms from the Tower
- How about that throwback to Dinklebot?
- Remember friend of the show, TD0013?
- In that interview, he was working on a cosplay of Titan armor from Iron Banner: Year One.
- Well, Guardians, here’s Version 1…
Special thanks to LowBattery for the photos!
- Remember all the detailing we featured in the interview? It really works in the final cosplay.
- Awesome work, TD0013! You nailed it!
- Thrall fight dirty.
54:45 — Wrapping Up
- Looking forward to this week on Mars!
- Stay tuned for Part Two of this topic later this week!
- Where to talk to the Fireteam
- VOICEMAIL: 703.791.1701
- EMAIL: podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com
- LIVE: http://twitch.tv/theteemonster
- Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening.
After two months of quiet comms, the Fireteam returns with a two-part show this week all about Shadowkeep! Eyes up and enjoy the ride!Continue readingEpisode #55: Counting Down to Shadowkeep (Part One)
A re-record from the last time we talked about ShadowkeepContinue readingEpisode #54: S is for Shadowkeep, September, and Seventeenth!
With the Season of Opulence in full swing thanks to Heroic Menagerie and the Lumina quest, you would think Guardians have nothing to talk about.
But then Bungie comes along and says “Hold my beer…”
The countdown to Shadowkeep is first and foremost on everyone’s mind (except, of course, GuardianCon which is also in full swing at the time of this show going live…) and we have a LOT to talk about with this expansion.
Change is coming yet again, and two words continue to bounce across all comm channels: Cross Save. How about you? We would love to get your thoughts on what you are looking forward to on Shadowkeep. Drop us a line at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com.
00:00 — Episode #054: S is for Shadowkeep, September, and Seventeenth! (Part One)
- A collection of greatest hits from the game…
- Brandon had forgotten that moment.
- Somewhere over at ADHDD&D is a drop-in called “Angry Tee.”
- The Fireteam is down a man.
- Nick is still not letting go of Christmas lights being out…
- Why are we re-recording this episode…
- Life
- Technical Difficulties
- Nick and Brandon experience their first Shattered Throne. Alongside this, here’s what’s happening in-game…
- Brandon is now Dredgen.
- Nick is inching closer and closer to Chronicler, and we are pulling for him.
- Tee also scored Dredgen (much to Brandon’s chagrin) and nabbed the following day, Hush. And now
- No, Tee is not going for all the titles. Shut your mouths!
- Big shout-out to iLulu, friend of the show
- Tee is picking up the title of Chronicler…but not the pin.
- Sharing stories about completing Shattered Thrones and Nick discovering new things about his Titan…
- …and a huge shout-out to Notoes!
- Stupid Runes.
- And Tee reveals something to make Brandon’s and Vintage Moon‘s day. (A huge shout-out to P.C. Haring, the Great Enabler.)
-
Some love for the Season of Opulence…except from Coach for whom Brandon is (apparently) now speaking for.
-
Treasure maps are making Tee and Brandon re-discover nooks and crannies of the Sol System.
- Oh, Lumina, how we await your arrival…
- Brandon shares his concerns about the Lumina Quest after his experience with the Truth Quest. (He’s pretty worked up about this, everyone.)
- Where are the randos when you need them?
25:58 — Gnarly Nerd Clothing
27:15 — Episode #054: S is for Shadowkeep, September, and Seventeenth! (Part Two)
- Brandon is not Ron.
- Nick wants an “On Air” sign, apparently.
- There’s a whole new world revealed to Nick this week, as well.
- Concerning the future of Destiny…
- With the new release schedule, will be a “true” Destiny 3?
- And as an MMO, self-identified by Bungie, how will the “new” Destiny change?
- Woah…was that Tee’s outside voice concerning Anthem?
- When demand outweighs quality — where’s the line drawn?
- From Twitch Chat, Adam Teece offers a new brand name: Destiny Beyond. You got to admit — kind of catchy. (Got an idea for a new brand name? Share it with us!)
- There is such a thing about making content for content’s sake versus content with focus.
- Let’s talk about Shadowkeep!
- We return to the Moon…which is haunted, regardless of what NASA says.
- Two words: CROSS SAVE.
- The curiosity over Google Stadia
- Welcome to New Light, the gateway for new Guardians.
- Discussions on the changes in weapons and Finishing Moves. Seriously, what’s the big deal?
- Fan theories behind what is really on the Moon
- Tee is really starting to dig Destiny Beyond.
- A quick note on GuardianCon and their recent fund raiser for St Jude’s Childrens Hospital — GGs, everyone!
- What is going on currently at Bungie.net for dee keedz!
- What are we looking forward to in Shadowkeep?
- Did we mention the Moon’s haunted?
- Let’s put some faith into what Bungie has in store.
-
A little more love for Gnarly Nerd Clothing
-
Where to talk to the Fireteam
- VOICEMAIL: 703.791.1701
- EMAIL: podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com
- LIVE: http://twitch.tv/theteemonster
- Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening.
Two weeks ago, This Week at Bungie (or TWAB, if you didn’t know but you should be reading it) had the Destiny community in an uproar. Today, the community is gearing up for the Season of Opulence, and our fireteam is ready to talk about it!
In this episode, the Fireteam gathers round respective mics and looks back on the Season of the Drifter. While Gambit-centric (as the name leads on), there were some memorable moments to reflect over. The crew then look ahead to what drops today: The Season of Opulence.
Change is coming, and the Guardians are ready for it. How about you? We would love to get your thoughts on the road ahead, so drop us a line at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com.
00:00 — Episode #053: Farewell, Drifter! Yea, Opulence! (Part One)
- On our last show, we were kind of fired up.
- Guardians can be fickle.
- PRO TIP: Always know what you wear when on panels at Balticon.
- What are we working on, goal-wise…
- Ron is working on Reckoner.
- Brandon is multitasking on both Dredgen and Wayfarer.
- Nick is making progress with Chronicler.
- Tee is counting down to this week’s Shattered Throne, optimistic about the last item needed on Cursebreaker. (Nick makes a call to ADHDDnD.
- AGAIN…what is Nick on about with the Christmas lights?
-
Come to the live recording? We got prizes!
-
Before we get to the Season of Opulence, let’s talk about Season of the Drifter.
- Obi does love his Jotunn.
-
However, Coach doesn’t want to talk about this…
-
Brandon’s wondering what we should call it now that it’s all over…
- Shout out for Spare Rations
- Shout out for Doomsday
- Overall, Brandon discovered incentive, something needed for Gambit.
- DAT ARMOR
- Jumping back to Obi on his opinions between Gambit, Prime, and Reckoning.
- How about that Invitation of the Nine?
- Yo, Nick — Tee’s got drop-in’s!
- This podcast is a a well-oiled machine, let me tell you!
- Tee had a blast in Season of the Drifter
- Love DAT Reaper Armor!
- Which armor would you want your character sculpted in? (Brandon offers a wild card thought.)
- Other things we’re up to in Destiny… (Shout-out to Maxie!)
- 21% Delirium, Tee’s new favorite toy
- The side quests are awesome…
- …but not as much as he’s digging dungeons with the Shattered Throne runs.
- Nick is running solo so he only touched on a few bases in Season of the Drifter.
- Brandon confesses his reasons why he doesn’t run with Coach.
- Nick, check your PSN!
- Overcoming being shy in reaching out to online Clanmates and Guardian-buds…
- The Destiny Community on a whole (and yeah, the Stream’s Community) are great people! PERIOD!
- If you see friends online, reach out!
- Why does Tee get invited to Fireteams? He’s the Team’s Jester. Just ask Danfinity.)
- Tee’s gittin’ gud, scrub!
- Holy cow, we’re up on thirty minutes!
28:57 — Hangry Gamer Gear
29:43 — Episode #053: Farewell, Drifter! Yea, Opulence! (Part Two)
- That bit of a pause…that’s on Tee.
- Chavalaar offers up great nameplates for the live stream!
- Nick presents his copious notes for the Season of Opulence
- Power Level increase to 750. (Let’s rock!)
- Changes at the Eververse. Moving on……
- Season of Opulence…of Osiris — THIS IS THE LAST STRETCH FOR DESTINY 2!
- Well oiled machine, Chat.
- Back to copious notes…
- Obi is hot-and-cold about the Iron Banner.
- Solstice of Heroes is coming, and we will be ready! (All, but Obi.)
- Looking back on the Revelry…kind of not good.
- The Menagerie — you have our attention, Bungie…
- A deep dive discussion about the Chalice of Opulence, both good and bad…
- Can randos be fickle. Yeah, just a bit…
- Well. Oiled. Machine.
- And we return to copious notes…
- Crown of Sorrows is coming. Oh yes, it is coming……
- Well, huh…the plans of this “Day One” raid Tee signed on for seem a bit confusing.
- 46:21 — Tee loses it.
-
Back to the discussion…please…….
- Returning to the Ascendant Realm. So, who’s there?
- It would be cool if we got another dungeon.
- Heading into the unknown with the Crown of Sorrow
- New Pinnacle Weapons, Armor, and Element Challenges
- June 11 — Exotic Quest: The Truth (and Obi is not pleased)
- First Trivia Question for Chat! (And Nova is in the running for a signed book!)
- Nick is suddenly feeling some karma from 46:21. Just saying.
- Speculation over the Lumina
- Deep dive into some Destiny Lore, and a shout-out to My Name Is Byf
-
Second Trivia Question for Chat! (And Chav is in the running for a signed book!)
- Quick thoughts on Swords and Strum & Drang
- Wrapping up…
- Shout out to a Titan at Escape Velocity
- Shout out to The Vintage Moon
- What is the Fireteam looking forward to in the new season?
- And here’s the drawing for the signed copy of Twitch for Dummies…
-
June 6th — Bungie’s Next Twitch Reveal!
-
Where to talk to the Fireteam
- VOICEMAIL: 703.791.1701
- EMAIL: podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com
- LIVE: http://twitch.tv/theteemonster
- Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening.
Last show, we raged over the TWAB. this show? We're ready for the new season! Let's go, Guardians!!!Continue readingEpisode #53: Farewell, Drifter! Yea, Opulence!
So, did you read last week's TWAB? We did. And here's what we think...Continue readingEpisode #52: About that TWAB…
Yeah, there was a lot of chin-wagging about this particular This Week at Bungie (or TWAB, if you didn’t know but you should be reading it) where changes were announced…and completely turned the community on its ear.
So, naturally, the Fireteam assembled (like The Avengers, only without the budget for kickass special effects) and got on mic to talk about it.
Yeah, maybe a lot of other Guardians, streamers, and other podcasts talked about this already, but Episode #52 is a much-needed talk — light on the rant, heavy on the analysis, and a little longer than usual in the running time — of what Bungie is doing and how we don’t care for it. The reasons we give on what we don’t like about these changes might surprise you, or reaffirm your disappointment. We would love to hear from you on the topic so share your thoughts with us at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com.
Make no mistake, Guardians — we’re still going to play. It’s just an unexpected change to the sandbox, with that feeling of sand being kicked in our faces. Thanks for joining us, and we will see you starside.
00:00 — Episode #052: About that TWAB… (Part One)
- Okay, intros are out. Let’s jump right into the discussion.
- Special thanks to TD0013 for the inspiration behind the new drop-in.
- The May 16th edition of This Week at Bungie dropped…along with everyone’s jaws playing Destiny 2.
- What the hell is Nick on about with the Christmas lights?
Coming soon to the Season of Opulence… * So we are clear, we’re not planning a rant. Gladd already did that. * Nick is pretty chill about this, but this is how you are when you only have one of the exotics nerfed. * We begin with the weapons mentioned in TWAB + Ace of Spaces (which is more about the One-Eyed Mask, we admit) + Lord of Wolves + Sleeper Simulant + …and saving the best for last — The Whisper of the Worm * In this episode, we are including more of the interaction with the Channel Chat, as this is a topic that people have a lot of opinions on. * Brandon on nerfing Ace of Spades (No!), Sleeper Simulant (oh, okay, he can see that…), and Lord of Wolves (No!) * Obi now chimes in with a few points in how this nerfing is unfair. * Tee just asks “If this is to make the Season of Opulence more of a challenge, why not make the Season of Opulence harder?” * Going back to Brandon on Whisper * Let’s talk about Armor…and how things just aren’t that super anymore. * Tee laments over the Skull of Dire Ahamkara. * How teamwork happens with exotic armor * Brandon backs up Tee’s opinion on the armor nerfs * Checking in with Chat on what Brandon and Tee are talking about * The challenges of game development * So who is to blame for all this stress? Well, Bungie is. They made some exotics too good. * Maybe not the smoothest transition, but we are all kinds of wound up.
25:36 — Hangry Gamer Gear
26:22 — Episode #052: About that TWAB… (Part Two)
- Hey, Coach, who’s watching a bootlegged Game of Thrones at your house, man?
- And the inappropriate jokes start to fly….
- Nick proposes a few hypotheticals to the Fireteam
- How do you solve a problem between the hardcore players and the casual players if one gun is unstoppable in game?
- Tee gives an opinion about the varying levels of players, and how Bungie is trying to equal the casual player’s experience to the regular player’s.
- If you have two Guardians of equal gameplay, is there one weapon that gives others an unfair advantage?
- Shouting out to The Big Marvinski, Jen Haring, and TeeBot
- How game design & development by committee is not really a good thing.
- Nick continues with other hypotheticals…
- How should you as a game developer respond to those players who can solo “hard” missions?
- Obi goes into how hardcore players “crack the codes” of games, while Tee gives a little rant about “Pay to Play” and honors won but not earned.
- Please, Bungie, make Crown of Sorrows a challenge!
- Calling “shenanigans” on those who claim a challenge is too easy…
- And a shout out to iLulu for earning all the seals, but being okay to ask for help when she needed it.
- Does this nerfing feel different from the way Destiny 2 started?
- Obi and Tee agree on how this is not the same thing.
- All these quests have a purpose. Why is Bungie now saying “You’re too good now…” and nerfing these exotics.
- Is Bungie nerfing the armor and weapons in order to usher in new armor and weapons?
-
For Brandon, this is an echo of frustrations from the original Destiny.
-
We are happy that Bungie is listening, but they can’t develop this game by committee.
- We are still going to play the game, make no mistake…
- Obi is triggered by nostalgia, apparently.
-
Wrapping up…
-
Where to talk to the Fireteam
- VOICEMAIL: 703.791.1701
- EMAIL: podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com
- LIVE: http://twitch.tv/theteemonster
- Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening.
We wanted to get this interview up sooner, but Tee was knocked out from a bad case of con crud. Don’t worry, though. This interview? It is so worth the wait…
Want to hear the show in the raw? Here’s the LIVE feed! Beginning the second half of a journey to Episode #100, Episode #51 is a sit-down with the voice behind the man who killed Cayde-6. Actor and mo-cap artist Brandon O’Neill joins us in the Tower to talk about the character he’s played for a decade. We go deep into the motivation and evolution of Uldren Sov, and we get to know the artist behind the Prince of the Reef. Come on and join us for the fun when we record, and share your thoughts with us at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
Thanks for listening, Guardians! We will see you starside.
00:00 — Introduction
- Did you know we are now recording LIVE ON TWITCH? Because yeah, we are.
- It’s a Fireteam of three because a special guest is here…
- …and when we say “special” we are not kidding around, he’s royalty!
01:27 — Episode #051: An Interview with Brandon O’Neill (Part One)
- Welcome to to the show Bungie’s favorite troll! It’s the voice of the Prince of the Reef himself — actor Brandon O’Neill!
- The question on everyone’s mind…
- Well done, Nick!
- How does the man who brings Uldren Sov to life describes the evolution of the man who killed Cayde-6?
- A mini-Game of Thrones moment for you all
- If you haven’t seen Brandon O’Neill’s Twitter stream, you really, really should.
- Tee just gets freaked out in how easily O’Neill taps into Uldren.
- What’s Brandon all about outside of Destiny?
- Brandon’s humble beginnings
- How music led to theatre
- A full-time performing artist — pretty badass, man!
- Tee’s got his jelly on.
- The road for Brandon in becoming the guy you love to hate in Destiny has been long, but worth the ride.
- Our Brandon asks Brandon O’Neill about the return of the Prince of the Reef and a new road of redemption.
- We’re loving this interview. Just saying.
- Did Brandon O’Neill ever make it to where jazz clubs cater to Broadway casts on dark days?
- Nick wants more stuff on Brandon’s YouTube page.
- The challenges in jumping from a Vanguard to the Godfather of the Reef
- A little shout-out to Lance Reddick
- A little aside on actors who are heavies but run with comedy. (Tee’s theatre jockness is showing…)
- Going in to the science of a mo-cap behind an another actor’s voice track
- “On your left.” Not for Brandon when he is mo-capping Zavala.
- Going deep into acting nerdom, talking about character arc and where to go with Uldren Sov.
25:43 — Hangry Gamer Gear
26:29 — Episode #051: An Interview with Brandon O’Neill (Part Two)
- How’s that for a rejoiner?!
- Our Brandon regales Brandon O’Neill with his own grind for the Ace of the Spades
- Brandon O’Neill and #AllTheThings — what keeps him busy?
- Talking about the dedication to stage movement and combat? (Tee’s theatre nerd is in studio now…)
- This guy knows his stage combat.
- Tee and Brandon swap stage combat war stories. (Bear with Tee, Guardians. He’s in his element.)
- Tee loves this guy!!!
- Brandon O’Neill shares some love for Seattle’s Fifth Avenue Theatre and his connection to Meat Loaf.
- Auditioning — how to make them work for you…and how to survive them.
- A dream role for Brandon O’Neill?
The original Broadway Cast of Sweeney Todd * Nick offers up for Brandon’s thoughts on playing Jack Talon in Ghost Patrol.
- Concerning the Supernatural. Brandon says, “Come at me, Ghosts!”
- Urine Town: The Musical and Brandon’s current project (Extended run, too, so if you are in Seattle…)
- Ending on a positive note: How a video game is going to help save Notre Dame…
- Where can you find Brandon O’Neill online?
- His official website
- YouTube
-
Wrapping up…
-
Where to talk to the Fireteam
- VOICEMAIL: 703.791.1701
- EMAIL: podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com
- LIVE: http://twitch.tv/theteemonster
- Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening.
Episode #51 is a sit-down with the voice behind the man who killed Cayde-6. Actor and mo-cap artist Brandon O'Neill joins us!Continue readingEpisode #51: An Interview with Brandon O’Neill
We are back for another episodes, this time with a full Fireteam. Good thing this worked out, too, as we are both talking about Season of the Drifter alongside our favorite moments over these past two years. Yes, we have been at this for two years and on this anniversary, we have set a new milestone with EPISODE #50, not counting special shows and little bonuses we have released in these two years.
Want to hear the show in the raw? Here’s the LIVE feed! Interviews, videos, fan fiction, we have covered a lot of ground, almost as much ground as the Fireteam has covered in The Reckoning, something we plan to talk about in this fiftieth episode. Come on and join us for the fun, and share your favorite show memory with us at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
And hey — thanks for listening, Guardian!
00:00 — Introduction
- Did you know we are now recording LIVE ON TWITCH? Because yeah, we are.
- What do you know — the whole Fireteam is present!
- Checking in with everyone on how they have been…
- Obi is living good in the Carolinas.
- Brandon recovers from a field trip.
- Nick shares concern about the show bell.
- Okay, let’s dive in…
02:46 — Episode #050: Banking Motes and Memories (Part One — Gambit Prime and the Reckoning)
- Welcome to Episode #50!
- So, Brandon, what’s it like to be 15?
- Geez, Tee, seriously?
- Nick is rambling. Sort of.
- Saying “hello” to those folks in Chat!
- Brandon does NOT want to mod Chat. (Well, okay, my Chat.)
- The breakdown of this show…
- What’s going on with Destiny?
- What’s going on with us?
- Our Fireteam in Destiny
- Brandon joins the 700 Club and continues the Dredgen grind.
- Nick talks a bit about his Christmas lights, his status in Destiny, and his love for RNGesus.
- And this is when the slaphappiness begins.
- Assuring Nick that his quest for Wish-Ender is not the Whisper quest.
- Obi is 700 with two full sets of Gambit Prime gear — Sentry and Reaper.
- Tee is at 700 for the Warlock, 680 for my Titan. (We’re not talking about the Hunter.) Tee’s also got the Reaper set.
- Big shout-out to Jen Haring!
- Need help with the Reckoning? Obi and I are on call now!
- Is Tier III actually easier than Tier II in the Reckoning? Well, Tee and Brandon have opinions.
- The key word with the Reckoning: Timing.
- Now that we’ve been playing Season of the Drifter, what do we think about it?
- The Reckoning and Blind Well have a lot of similarities and differences.
- The Reckoning sometimes brings out the worst in Guardians, sadly.
- There’s plenty of other stuff to do in Destiny.
- Why is Nick so far behind in things?
- Nick’s first impression of the Volundr Forge
- Some new activities for the solo Guardians. (We’re a little off topic here…)
- No, seriously, time does fly on this podcast.
23:16 — Headshots
24:52 — Episode #050: Banking Motes and Memories (Part Two — A Look Back on Fifty Shows)
- Shout-out to Phil Rossi!
- Where it all began…
- What stands out over the span of our run…
- For Obi, it was Nick and Brandon’s first gift-giving.
- Another one from Obi — when Courtenay Taylor reached out to us (when we were interviewing ZGphoto, no less!)
- For Brandon, it’s all about the journey. That, and the inside jokes.
- For Tee, it’s been watching Brandon grow braver AND BOLDER on the show.
- For Nick, his stand-out moments include Joy Osmanski’s rejoiner and the SLAMANDA episode.
- Something about this podcast push us out of comfort zones.
- Let’s talk a bit about Steve Saylor and why we love running with him.
- Amazing that we have been podcasting about this game — this “dead” game — for two years. (Suck it, haters.)
- And when did Tee decide to launch this podcast? During the writing of Podcasting for Dummies, the Third Edition.
-
Happy Hour from the Tower on the road
- So You Want to Podcast? — Friday, 4/26, 5:30pm in Room 154 at AwesomeCon
- So You Want to Stream Content? — Saturday, 4/27, 2:30pm in Room 149 at AwesomeCon
- Take a look at some of the interviews of this run, and what we are planning for Tuesday night, 7pm, at http://twitch.tv/theteemonster
- What. A. Ride.
- So, completely stepping away from what we’ve been talking about…
- We do love Hangry Gamer Gear…
- …but how much money are we giving up to the Bungie Store?
- Why did the guys suddenly go all Schwartzenagger? Watch the unedited video above!
- Nick, FFS!!!!
- You all ordering ordering any of this stuff? Let us know!
- Will some of these Rewards be worth the wait? We will see.
- The problem with having cats in the family…
- Wrapping up.
- Nick keeps it simple.
-
Where to talk to the Fireteam
- VOICEMAIL: 703.791.1701
- EMAIL: podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com
- LIVE: http://twitch.tv/theteemonster
- Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening.
We are back for another episodes, this time with a full Fireteam. Good thing this worked out, too, as we are both talking about Season…Continue readingEpisode #50: Banking Motes and Memories
It’s been a while, but we are finally back into the studio. Yes, summer is starting early for us a conventions are finalizing schedules and…Continue readingEpisode #49: An Interview with The Vintage Moon
It’s been a while, but we are finally back into the studio. Yes, summer is starting early for us a conventions are finalizing schedules and we are looking ahead to where to go. Not only are we looking at con schedules but so are cosplayers. This episode, we are talking to one such cosplayer — The Vintage Moon. TVM (Stephanie) brings her love of Destiny to cosplay. Take a look at some of the amazing work she’s created.
We have more interviews and more Destiny chat planned for the summer, but we want to hear from you! What’s the title you are running for in Destiny 2? Got a topic you want us to cover? Drop us a line at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — Introduction
- Did you know we are now recording LIVE ON TWITCH? Because yeah, we are.
- Tee has been waiting for SO LONG to get this cosplayer on the show!
- The Fireteam thought Nick would be crazy for her Holliday, but how about that Hammer?
- Necessity is the Mother of Awesome!
03:30 — Episode #049: An Interview with The Vintage Moon (Part One)
- How a cosplayer is made
- “Well, you know, Borderlands is an old game. No one will really recognize me.” So, Stephanie, about that…
- The timelessness of some video games
- The same – three – cosplays you see women do…
- We know Stephanie plays Destiny, so we want to know…
- What does she main?
- What drew you to Destiny?
- And Tee may be offering Stephanie a spot on the Fireteam.
- To Stephanie’s cousin: “Thank you!”
- Sadly, Stephanie, is a Guardian in search of a Clan. (Yo, Danfinity…)
- Why the design of Destiny 2 draws Stephanie, but Destiny 1 has its gems.
- Brandon is really fighting the urge to go down the Borderlands rabbit hole…
- Cosplaying is an investment in all sorts of ways.
- What Fillion and Nick have in common?
- Stephanie is some sort of Brady Bunch unlucky tiki when it comes to meeting celebrities…
- And now, Nick is going to monopolize the conversation…
- Shout-out to Courtenay Taylor
- Why Amanda Holliday?
- Nick’s little rant about the fate of Amanda
- Sure, Stephanie does costumes. But how are her skills with props?
- Who put Nick in charge?!
- What would Stephanie like to take on as her next BIG Destiny project?
- Shout outs to Stephanie’s partners-in-cosplay
- Raw Sugar Cosplay
- Air Bubbles Cosplay
- A little side-tangent on favorite weapons from Destiny and Destiny 2
- And there’s Brandon turning on the charm…LADIES….
- Some of Stephanie’s other cosplays include…
- Borderlands
- Red Dead Redemption
- God of War
- Time to catch a breath, and get ready for Brandon to monopolize the interview.
27:47 — Hangry Gamer Gear
28:33 — Episode #049: An Interview with The Vintage Moon (Part Two)
- It’s like she fits right in here…
- We need to talk about Stephanie’s Petra Venj…
- What you should know about this cosplay
- Stephanie is blind as a bat in this costume.
- There is a fine line between the Awoken and the Smurfs.
- And here we go…the Brandon and Stephanie Show featuring Borderlands
- YES, WE ARE FINALLY TALKING ABOUT BORDERLANDS.
- How tough is the makeup for that cosplay?
- Makeup tips and tricks for Borderlands cosplayers
- Making a costume appear “animated”
- On Gauge and Deathtrap
- And now Brandon and Stephanie are BFFs.
- The inspiration behind Christmas Gauge
- Challenges of Lilith, starting with the tattoos…
- Sending a lot of love to those people with Cosplay Triage at their events…
- And a shout out to Fenix Fatalist!
- The Borderlands Love-In sees no end.
- How about God of War or as Pip and I call it — God of Are We There Yet?
- BOY…
- Have you joined us yet for Philippa’s Phreaky Friday?
- It’s pronounced “Kray-tos” so you know.
- How about this axe?
- Why planning out your project when working with LEDs is IMPORTANT
- Ingenuity in Cosplay — things we have seen in our travels and what Stephanie is the proudest to talk about.
- Stephanie’s White Whale of Cosplay: The Valkerie from God of War
- Yet another shout-out to Knit Freak Cosplay
- The up’s and down’s on accepting commissions
- What is Stephanie’s next big project and where you can find her…
-
Worth the wait, this interview!
-
Where to talk to the Fireteam
- VOICEMAIL: 703.791.1701
- EMAIL: podcast@happyhourfromthetower.com
- LIVE: http://twitch.tv/theteemonster
- Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening.
Tee, Nick, and Brandon assemble and put together copious notes on Season of the Drifter. This was recorded the Sunday before the game dropped, so…Continue readingEpisode 48: It’s the Season of the Drifter
Tee, Nick, and Brandon assemble and put together copious notes on Season of the Drifter. This was recorded the Sunday before the game dropped, so here we talk about what we are looking forward to and what we are hoping for from this new DLC.
https://youtu.be/E3fU2ENudWs Watch the unedited, LIVE podcast from Twitch here!
Now with a few days of Gambit Prime and The Reckoning, we want to know what you think! Are you enjoying Gambit Prime? What’s the role working for you? Drop us a line at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — Introduction
- Did you know we are now recording LIVE ON TWITCH? Because yeah, we are.
- The Fireteam is ready to go!
- RNJesus does not love Brandon on Strange Terrain.
- Let’s talk about what we have been up to in-game…
-
- Nick — Power Level is at 639 and he is working through his Forge Weapons on Mercury.
-
- Wait — Tee is coaching Brandon?
-
- Brandon’s on Bell Duty. This scares Tee.
-
- Brandon — Power Level is at 643 and Strange Terrain is his grind.
-
- Tee — Power Level is at 650 and his Warlock skills are beginning to slip out into the Real World.
-
- Maybe there is such a thing as too much Destiny.
-
- Marvel’s new property: Doctor Strange Terrain.
-
- A tiny tangent on Polar.
-
- Tee’s got some new weapons, so a bit closer to Wayfarer. (UPDATE: His RNG is done on Mars. It’s time to go on Heroic Adventures now!)
- Coffee Talk
- The Big Marvinski went from being in Chat to being on pod. Thanks, man!
- So, what happened at the Kelly’s while we were recording the next episode? (Wait, what?!)
- The interview is coming, Marv. I promise.
11:00 — Episode #048: It’s the Season of the Drifter (Part One)
- Welcome to the Season of the Drifter!
-
- Don’t abuse the bell, Brandon!
-
- Nick’s not the only one who takes copious notes here.
-
- How Titans take notes.
- The ViDoc in question…
- There were a LOT of undertones in this particular ViDoc…
- Okay, let’s break down the first thing you know about Gambit Prime…
-
- Low in Power Levels? Welcome to Gambit Power Surge Bounties…
-
- So, Bungie, can I jump right into this content?
-
- Thoughts on the Black Armory hiccups
-
- Brandon’s Exotic Blues
- The return of armor perks
- “If Gambit is training for a heist, Gambit Prime is the heist.” – Jonathan To, Writer
- Anything we are looking for
-
- For Tee…the return of Armor Chroma
-
- For Brandon…new Drifter animations
- New Roles in Gambit Prime
-
- Reaper
-
- Collector
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- Sentry
-
- Invader
-
- ALL WITH SIGNATURE ARMOR
- Ideas to troll the other team in Gambit with new armor
-
- Lamenting over The Black Armor….except for Coach.
-
- Lamenting over Archon’s Forge. Yeah, we have Blind Well, but…..
-
- But it’s more like Escalation Protocol.
-
- Brandon speculates what he thinks The Reckoning will be. (Keep in mind, at this recording, we haven’t played it yet.)So where do you go after Gambit Prime? The Reckoning, of course.
- Looks like all our chat about Destiny is rubbing off on our audience…
23:52 — Hangry Gamer Gear
24:38 — Episode #048: It’s the Season of the Drifter (Part Two)
- If you don’t like Gambit, then you may not enjoy The Season of the Drifter.
- A discussion about whether or not Gambit has gone stale
-
- Recent changes in Gambit against the brand new Gambit Prime
-
- After the Dregen title, what now?
-
- Tee’s burned out on Mars with the Wayferer grind, but EPs? Tee kind of digs those.
-
- Nick and Brother Vance’s dark relationship
-
- Tee still enjoys his Gambit highs.
-
- Could Gambit be the solution in fixing the NBA?
-
- Gambit on Ice
- Other little changes in Destiny…
-
- Xur’s now offering Invitations of the Nine
-
- Goodbye, Prismatic Matrix.
-
- Tee’s spending bright dust?
-
- A quick tangent on emotes
- Mad Conjecture — The Return of Sparrow Racing League
- Welcome the Elephants in the room…
-
- The Thorn returns.
-
-
- Tee is finally watching this epic video…
-
-
-
- This time, read the comments with this YouTube video!
-
-
-
- Brandon brings Tee up to speed on The Thorn.
-
-
-
- Lamenting over the Necrochasm
-
-
- At 7:30 in the ViDoc…Bungie does a victory dance about leaving ActiVision.
-
-
- Working a little hard to bring this home?
-
-
-
-
- The fickle of the gaming community
-
-
-
-
-
- Destiny: Forsaken is True Detective: Season 3
-
-
-
- The Allegiance Quest
-
-
- You are going to want to read this. And this. And this.
-
-
-
- Which side are you on?
-
-
-
- The consequences of decision making in video games Welcome the Elephants in the Room
-
- Hey, ActiVision, stop being dicks.
- Another page of Brandon O’Neill
- Wrapping up
- Thank you, Bungie, for making an incredible ViDoc…
-
- Rob Adams, Art Director
-
- Jonathan Sova, Senior Designer
-
- Lars Bakkon, Creative Lead
-
- Blake Battle, Production Lead
-
- Del Chaffe III, Creative Director
-
- Ryan Paradis, Design Lead
-
- Mallory Schleif, Staff Writer
-
- Jonathan To, Writer
-
- Lisa Brown, Senior Designer
-
- Robbie Stevens, Senior Designer
-
- Baldur Tangvald, Senior Designer
-
- Victor Anderson, Associate Designer
-
- Elliot Grey, Senior Visual Designer
-
- Luke Smith, Game Director
-
Nick’s little rant to the Destiny haters…and people who leave Christmas lights up after January.
-
Where to find us online…
-
-
-
-
- YouTube
-
- …and Twitch.
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
-
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
-
- Orion — Obi-Orion
-
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
-
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening.
EDITOR’S NOTE: During the playback of the episode, we have noticed some problems with “crackling” in the audio. Turns out a cable (we’re just not…Continue readingEpisode #47: Active Quests & The Black Armory
EDITOR’S NOTE: During the playback of the episode, we have noticed some problems with “crackling” in the audio. Turns out a cable (we’re just not sure which one) is giving up the Ghost, so our next batch of recordings should sound a bit better.
The Fireteam is ready for a trip into the Crucible as we are a full-on crew. Coach is back!!! We are settling in to talk about The Black Armory and current quests that are active in-game. We also celebrate a little victory on Tee’s end of his Malfeasence Quest.
Remember, Guardians, you can call into the show and give us your thoughts. Go on and reach out to us at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — Introduction
- Did you know we are now recording LIVE ON TWITCH? Because yeah, we are.
- We are teasing a-plenty in this introduction.
- Hey now — welcome back, Coach!
- Explaining to your parents how there are chairs, and then there are chairs.
- Have you visited Hangry Gamer Gear? Check them out!
2:06 — Episode #047: Active Quests & The Black Armory (Part One)
- How has the weekend been for the Fireteam?
- Brandon’s got a root canal…at 14.
- Nick’s got a new book out — Catwalk: Hypnotic— and you can find out more about the Catwalk series here!
- Obi is as chill as winter.
- Tee, on the other hand? No chill whatsoever… (Video NSFW)
- Shout out to The Big Marvinski for being a part of this!
- So, Tee, did you get it?
- Okay, let’s break it down…
- Little victories. Take them when they come.
- Coach Obi — 650 across all classes
- Brandon — 627 for Hunter
- Nick — 615 on his Titan
- Tee — 645-650 on Warlock, 650 on his Titan
- …and Tee’s got a Sidearm he loves.
- Ice T — 650. (Yes, THAT Ice T!)
- Brandon was really tasting the salt…
- …but he and Ron go back and forth about the best approach to this quest.
- Deep diving into the up’s and down’s about that one particular quest step for The Last Word.
- Big love for Byf!
- The real question: How bad do you want this hand cannon?
27:15 — Hangry Gamer Gear
28:00 — Episode #047: Active Quests & The Black Armory (Part Two)
- Junior Turtle answers the lore question thrown out by Nick…
- Diving a little deeper into The Black Armory
- Let’s talk about favorite weapons from the Black Armory…
- …and in particular, Obi’s love for the Jotunn.
- Tee’s digging the Hammerhead.
- Nick and Brandon, father and son defined.
- Coach’s GoFannon Forge Strategy — yes, it works!
- Coach’s opinion on the pacing of The Black Armory
- Not all cloaks are styling like Cayde’s.
- Nick’s a little salty about that Telesto.
- The Supers are feeling super again. It’s feeling good, and a LOT of fun.
- Aaaaaaand cue the ball busting from Coach….
- Hey, Brandon — who are you running with in Destiny? YOUR MOM! (No, seriously…)
- Oh Brandon… RNG never seems to smile on him.
-
So…about Mara Sov… eh, let’s save that for another show, shall we?
-
Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- …and Twitch.
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening.
After another round of setbacks in January, we’re back and kicking off 2019 with a video episode. This gameplay breakdown features Destiny 2: Forsaken‘s popular…Continue readingEpisode#46: Gambit Review with Tee Morris
After another round of setbacks in January, we’re back and kicking off 2019 with a video episode. This gameplay breakdown features Destiny 2: Forsaken‘s popular PVE/PVP option, Gambit.
Tee has been itching to create a breakdown of Gambit gameplay, the popular hybrid mode of Player v Everything (PvE) and Player v Player (PvP) where two teams battle against enemies while avoiding setbacks from invading Guardians. In this first round against Cabal, Tee catches some heat from The Big Marvinski on his invasion style, and Tee takes his playful critique to heart and tries to improve his approach in a later bout against the Fallen.
Special shout out to Gambit Etiquette that inspired parts of this video.
Want to see more gameplay from us? Let us know what you think at 703.791.1701 (reachable through WhatsApp) or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
- Want to know where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
- Where to find us online…
- Pinterest (No, really, Pinterest!)
- Twitch
- And now, YouTube!
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show
on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and review.
Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening.
Eyes Up, Guardians! We don’t recap every This Week at Bungie that the gaming company posts, but we felt this one might be pretty important.…Continue readingTWAB/XUR – January 18, 2019
Eyes Up, Guardians! We don’t recap every This Week at Bungie that the gaming company posts, but we felt this one might be pretty important. Yesterday, Bungie posted the first update since announcing the split from Activision. We expected the usual update on game mechanics and weapon balancing, but this one definitely addressed more of the strategic identity of the Destiny franchise.
A Word on the Future Destiny Franchise Director Luke Smith opened by thanking Activision, along with High Moon Studios and Vicarious Visions who have both partnered with Bungie on pieces of the Destiny Franchise. He admitted that the bar (or the level in this case) was set too high with the Black Armory Forges and that the team will look into rebalancing future events.
Smith continued with assurance that the studio is committed to Destiny and will develop content for the annual pass, along with long-term visions that ensure Guardians will have Destiny gaming time for the foreseeable future and maybe beyond.
Damage Updates Bungie’s last update detailed changes coming to balance Super abilities. Designer Victor Anderson wrote in this TWAB about balancing weapons. The promise was to buff weapons that were too weak, while bringing “hot button” weapons like the Telesto back into a fair level of power.
In addition, there are a number of changes coming to forged weapons, including Ballistic Logs and Modulus Reports. (I haven’t gotten that far, so I don’t know what any of that means. – nK)
Forum Changes In an effort to keep the forums focused on a positive community experience, there will be some changes to the forums on Bungie.Net. Most of these revolve around the Code of Conduct and capabilities held by the moderators.
The update concludes with notes from support on fixes, and the weekly award for community original content. Definitely worth a laugh this week. Check out the full TWAB over at Bungie.net.
Go get ’em, Guardians! The first round is on us!
-HHFTT
Bonus: Where’s Xur? This week the Agent of the Nine is on Io. Guardians can find him in a cave north of Giant’s Scar. Here is his inventory this weekend:
- Vigilance Wing, exotic pulse rifle: 29 Legendary Shards
- Orpheus Rig, Hunter legs: 23 Legendary Shards
- Hallowfire Heart, Titan chest: 23 Legendary Shards
- Verity’s Brow, Warlock helmet: 23 Legendary Shards
- Isochronal Engram: 97 Legendary Shards
EDITOR’S NOTE: During the live stream and podcast recording, there were audio issues encountered unbeknownst to the Fireteam. Please note that we are aware of…Continue readingEpisode #45: Catching Up
EDITOR’S NOTE: During the live stream and podcast recording, there were audio issues encountered unbeknownst to the Fireteam. Please note that we are aware of echo and less-than-clean audio. We will be looking into this and taking steps to remedy this before the next podcast.
The Fireteam returns with an all-new show where we attempt to catch up with the insane amount of content that Bungie has delivered since the dropping of Forsaken. We touch on highlights of the Festival of the Lost and celebrate the Dawning, and look ahead to what’s coming next.
Remember, Guardians, you can call into the show and give us your thoughts. Go on and reach out to us at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — Introduction
- Well, it sounded good when we went live…
- Brandon is here. We swear he is!
- How a joke triggers Tee into talking about his introduction to Destiny.
- Explaining to your parents how there are chairs, and then there are chairs.
- Happy Boxing Day!
- Who ordered the echo? ( You’ll be getting that throughout the podcast everybody, so Happy Dawning to you.)
3:56 — Episode #045: Catching Up (Part One)
- So where do we begin?
- Do we talk about Festival of the Lost, or just hit The Dawning straight away?
- Just because we haven’t been talking about the game doesn’t mean we’ve been slacking.
- Dammit, Tess…
- Random Echo
- Brandon is still bitter about exotic issues.
- If you are new to the game (because of Christmas), welcome to Destiny 2!
- Random Echo
- Lamenting O.P. snowballs
- Nick has issues with Brother Vance…still…….
-
Ridiculous Fun in The Dawning
- Eva’s Easy Bake Masterwork Oven
- A quick tangent about Santa Plisken from The Christmas Chronicles
- The Dawning Cheer
- Random Echo
- Group Emotes (So. Much. Fun.)
- Tee wants Bungie to commission a haka for Destiny.
- If you don’t know what a haka is…
- Random Ec—you get the idea.
- So, let’s talk about The Blind Leading the Blind and how all this happened.
- Going back a ways with Steve Saylor
- And now, our White Shadow tangent.
- Tee Morris, The Great Enabler
- And Steve took this idea and ran with it…
- What is it about Destiny 2 that brings Steve back every Tuesday?
- Nick goes there with the Class War in Destiny…
- Why did Steve go with the Warlock?
- Turns out the jump work better for Steve!
- Tee is triggered.
- And we fall apart from here…
- “Yo, Warlock, throw a rift!!!” // “Say please.“
- What’s appealing to Steve in Destiny’s storytelling?
- Going back through the opening of Destiny 2…
Munch is in Chat. LET’S GOOOOOOOO!
- And there goes Tee, showing off his Christmas gift…
- Talking about Dedication.
- Brandon, triggered.
- So, Ada-1…named after this legend of computation?
- The backlash over the Forge
- Hard work, but the payoff is worth it.
27:25 — Geek Wolfpack Podcast
28:18 — Episode #045: Catching Up (Part Two)
- Some #Charity love from Drafty!
- Nick…is struggling to figure out his own notes.
- Brandon has finally ran the Leviathan, and we could not be happier!
- Brandon, however, is happy that he no longer needs to do this raid. (He’s not a fan.)
- Tee’s most terrifying challenge of The Last Wish? Those damn skinny bridges.
- Love for the Dreaming City
- Yeah, Curse of Osiris……oh, Brother Vance…….
- Returning to The Last Wish for a moment…while going off on wild tangents.
- And yeah, Tee loves raids.
- And GuardianCon.
- So…about Uldren Sov…
- SPOILER ALERT — if you are avoiding spoilers from this latest DLC, jump ahead to 48:05 in the show! DO THIS NOW!!!
- We want to make sure you are not going to be spoiled.
- Didn’t see that coming, did you?
- “This is an Ex-AWOKEN!”
- Now would be a good time to read “The Man Called Cayde” Lore.
- A delightful Ghost named Pulled Pork…and a search coming to an end.
- Aaaaaand Plot Twist. Discuss.
- Wasn’t it nice returning to the Cosmodrome? (Tee has questions.)
- Turning our attention to the Tangled Shore
- Inspirations behind Spider
- Who doesn’t love Spider?
- We would love Bungie developers to come on the show…but we’re having better luck with voice talent…which isn’t a bad thing.
- Time to wrap up the show…
-
And hey, you know about Hangry Gamer Gear? Check them out!
-
Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- …and Twitch.
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
- 35:10 — Blooper Reel with Richard Sloniker
Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening.
When you swing by Tee’s stream on Tuesday nights, you may notice there’s some serious shenanigans afoot. You would be more correct on that as…Continue readingEpisode #44: An Interview with Steve the Blind Gamer
When you swing by Tee’s stream on Tuesday nights, you may notice there’s some serious shenanigans afoot. You would be more correct on that as we are hosting as special series called The Blind Leading the Blind featuring Steve Saylor. As Tee likes to say “Steve and I are putting the BLIND into Blind Playthrough.”
If you are curious as to where we are going with this, yes, Steve Saylor is legally blind…
…and he plays video games.
Strap in and find out how Steve is pulling off this Christmas Miracle as we welcome this knucklehead to the show. What started off as a wild idea has now evolved into a highly-anticipated event on Tee’s and Steve’s streams. Find out more in this episode from your Fireteam.
Remember, Guardians, you can call into the show and give us your thoughts. Go on and reach out to us at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — Introduction
- Experiencing technical difficulties. Please stand by.
- Okay, how did we do this again?
- Brandon likes where he is sitting now.
- Let’s see if we remember how to do this…
2:51 — Episode #044: An Interview with Steve the Blind Gamer (Part One)
- Welcome to the podcast, Steve Saylor!
- No, it’s not Tuesday.
- And you can see the unedited LIVE stream here!
- Who exactly is The Blind Gamer?
- The details on his blindness.
- Where his shenanigans take him?
- So, what can you find on Steve’s YouTube?
- How does a blind guy actually play video games?
- IT’S NOT ABOUT SIZE…
- …or aim.
- The genesis of the “Blind Gamer” persona.
- Being blind, do video games bring on fatigue?
- The Doctor isn’t always right, you know?
- So, let’s talk about The Blind Leading the Blind and how all this happened.
- Going back a ways with Steve Saylor
- And now, our White Shadow tangent.
- Tee Morris, The Great Enabler
- And Steve took this idea and ran with it…
- What is it about Destiny 2 that brings Steve back every Tuesday?
- Nick goes there with the Class War in Destiny…
- Why did Steve go with the Warlock?
- Turns out the jump work better for Steve!
- Tee is triggered.
- And we fall apart from here…
- “Yo, Warlock, throw a rift!!!” // “Say please.“
- What’s appealing to Steve in Destiny’s storytelling?
- Going back through the opening of Destiny 2…
30:10 — Hangry Gamer Gear
30:55 — Episode #044: An Interview with Steve the Blind Gamer (Part Two)
- Thank goodness Tee is wearing his cup.
- Nick loves to talk about Voice Talent. What does Steve think?
- Shout out to Kevin
- Shout out to Joy
- Planning ahead upcoming Blind Leading the Blind episodes
- What is Steve looking forward to in Forsaken?
- The saga of one teenager’s search for vengeance
- Let’s talk about Gambit, and the entertainment value of The Big Marvinski’s stream.
- Steve and Brandon geek out over Assassin’s Creed like the unabashed AC nerds that they are.
- The best moment of the Video Game Awards…
- Continuing on the video game geek-out, some real talk about what happened with the Video Game Awards 2018
- Ranking Assassins Creed games
- Grading Destiny’s accessibility
- Steve’s recent experience with Ubisoft
- Wrapping up…with a surprise reveal for MAGFest on January 3-6, 2019.
- You need to go and see his YouTube Channel.
- Steve Saylor on Twitter
- Steve Saylor on Instagram
- Steve Saylor on Twitch
- Remember, this podcast is brought to you by Hangry Gamer Gear!
- They got cool, original Destiny gear. And other games!
- Now they are sponsoring us!
- And when you check out, use “HAPPYHOUR” at checkout, and receive 15% off your order!
- Where you can reach out to us!
- Voicemail/WhatsApp — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Or leave us a comment on the blog!
-
Some last minute thoughts…
- Tee, set Gambit aside to finish the story!
- Saturdays on stream — join us for the #CrucibleClinic!
- Angela’s GoFundMe and TD0013’s Etsy Store — check them out!
- You remember TeeDee, of course…
-
Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- …and Twitch.
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
35:10 — Blooper Reel with Richard Sloniker
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
With the holiday season upon us, Happy hour from the Tower returns to Fiction Friday. For our new listeners who may have missed this from…Continue readingFiction Friday: Omens, Parts 1 & 2
With the holiday season upon us, Happy hour from the Tower returns to Fiction Friday. For our new listeners who may have missed this from last year, the Fireteam is presenting over the next consecutive Fridays a repeat performance of this novella from Tee Morris, set in the Destiny Universe. This is an original story set around Tee’s Warlock and Hunter, serialized in podcast form and offered to you in the spirit of Christmas.
Rei Sommerset is tumbling through memories of her past. When she finally wakes up from what she believes to be a dream, she finds herself in a strange place with no memory of how she got there, completely and utterly alone.
Well, not entirely alone…
Let Tee know what you think of this adventure into his vivid imagination at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. The Tower would love to hear from you this holiday season!
00:00 — Introduction & Disclaimer
03:33 — Omens: Part One
18:59 — Promo: Hangry Gamer Gear
19:50 — Omens: Part Two
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
I have lost count how many times I’ve been taken out on account of misadventures. It could be a rocket launch a little too close…Continue readingWhat do you think? New Emblem?
I have lost count how many times I’ve been taken out on account of misadventures. It could be a rocket launch a little too close to the intended target. It could be a jump that is just shy of my range. And last night, in the Crucible, I was taken out by — one again — the Misadventure.
So I made for myself an emblem…
What do you think, Bungie? I think a Misadventure/Killed by the Architects tracker is needed.
The Black Armory starts today, and the Fireteam are diving headlong into it in order to talk about it with you all. Until that time, enjoy this interview with Richard Sloniker. He’s an actor, a teacher, a theatre manager, but you all in the Tower know him as Cayde-6. “Wait a minute,” you say, “isn’t Cayde-6 played by Captain Tightpants himself, Nathan Fillion?” You would be correct on that, but Richard is the body behind the dearly-departed Vanguard. Once again, we go behind-the-scenes(recorded just before Forsaken was to go live) and talk with Richard about the incredible acting challenge behind motion capture.
Remember, Guardians, you can call into the show and give us your thoughts. Go on and reach out to us at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — Introduction
- Hey, everybody, Brandon’s back.
- Our favorite Vanguard might be dead, but he’s still giving good drop-in!
- And we’ve got a special guest on Skype, just for you, Guardians…
1:07 — Episode #043: An Interview with Mo-Cap Actor Richard Sloniker (Part One)
- Who is Richard Nguyen Sloniker, you ask?
- Take a look at Richard in action…
- Brandon O’Neill…the most wanted man in Destiny.
- Looking at how an actor approaches mo-cap versus working with stage work.
- From one actor to another…
- Where motion capture and stage combat intersect
- You might think setting up for mo-cap is pain-staking, but this isn’t Bungie’s first rodeo.
- What comes first: the dialogue or the mo-cap?
- There is no time to cross paths with the voice talents which is kind of a bummer.
- Ladies and gentlemen, Richard Sloniker, gaming nerd.
- Looking back on Richard’s appearance on Z Nation…
- …and The Gamers, where it’s a real delight to make entertainment happen!
- Returning to Destiny 2, talking about the death of Cayde-6….
17:55 — Hangry Gamer Gear
18:39 — An Interview with Mo-Cap Actor Richard Sloniker (Part Two)
- Richard on the emotional attachment to Cayde-6 (and how much fun it is to play him)
- So, about Brandon O’Neill…
- Switching gears (as we do), we go into Seattle theatre. Specifically Azeotrope, presented by Richard Sloniker
- What inspired this movement?
- Azeotrope’s mission: Offering the spotlight to marginalized groups
- And this guy got his degree in Science! (Wait…what?)
- And now the Fireteam looks back on this beloved interview.
- Working as an actor in today’s society
- Attempting to serve several artistic muses…
- Richard Sloniker, Warlock (GOOD MAN!!!)
- What’s his jam in Destiny 2?
- Gambit, the game mode that brings families together.
- What’s Richard’s favorite Destiny mode?
- An invitation for Richard Sloniker to join the Fireteam in Tee’s Crucible Clinic.
- Dang, Richard is playing his PS4 like a boss!
- So where can people find me Richard Sloniker online?
- Ball Of Mochi (the epic tale of a man and his dog)
- Twitter (where sometimes, Mochi comes in to play)
- ….and his website (which, sadly, is Mochi-free)
- Nick’s shout-outs
- Blue Stali
- Omar Zaki
- Remember, this podcast is brought to you by Hangry Gamer Gear!
- They got cool, original Destiny gear. And other games!
- Now they are sponsoring us!
- And when you check out, use “HAPPYHOUR” at checkout, and receive 15% off your order!
- Where you can reach out to us!
- Voicemail/WhatsApp — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Or leave us a comment on the blog!
-
Some last minute thoughts…
- Tee, set Gambit aside to finish the story!
- Saturdays on stream — join us for the #CrucibleClinic!
- Angela’s GoFundMe and TD0013’s Etsy Store — check them out!
- You remember TeeDee, of course…
-
Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- …and Twitch.
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
35:10 — Blooper Reel with Richard Sloniker
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
The Black Armory starts today, and the Fireteam are diving headlong into it in order to talk about it with you all. Until that time,…Continue readingEpisode #43: An Interview with Mo-Cap Actor Richard Sloniker
We have been away for far too long, but as Tee explains, we have not been far from the maddening crowd. Still streaming, still playing,…Continue readingEpisode #42: An Interview with Voice Director Kevin McMullan
We have been away for far too long, but as Tee explains, we have not been far from the maddening crowd. Still streaming, still playing, and we are getting the podcast back on track this Black Friday. Let’s kick off the comeback with a really fun interview with Kevin McMullan, Voiceover Director for Destiny 2: Forsaken. Along with his experience into tapping into that which tugs on the heartstrings, Kevin also shares some wonderful stories from behind the scenes.
Remember, Guardians, you can call into the show and give us your thoughts. Go on and reach out to us at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — Introduction
- A quick word from Tee Morris
- This podcast is now brought to you by Hangry Gamer Gear. Check out their site and use “HAPPYHOUR” at checkout to receive a 15% discount off your order!
- What’s with the radio voice, Tee?
- Welcome to the show the creative force behind the vocal talent…
- The Fireteam is down to two today, but we will be back in full swing, soon.
2:27 — Episode #042: An Interview with Voice Director Kevin McMullan (Part One)
- Meet Kevin McMullan, Voiceover Director and Developer with Bungie
- Directing voice talent since the Rise of Iron days
- His clientele is wide and varied, but his heart belongs to the mothership in Seattle.
- His audio background goes back to classics like Age of Empires and Halo Wars.
- And yes, Kevin plays.
- It’s been a month (at the time of this recording) since Forsaken has been out.
- Shout out to Brandon O’Neill, a guy who takes his role as Uldren Sov seriously.
- Another shout out to Richard Sloniker, coming soon to this podcast!
- On this show, we jump from topic to topic like a Warlock on Red Bull.
- The process of planning a production, audition and casting, and character performance
- Nick, based on a panel at MAGFest, asks about Kevin’s involvement in the convention scene and how much improv is involved.
- Now, we want a Gary Busey Ghost….and a McConaughey Ghost….and a Walken Ghost…and………
- On the level of talent involved in Destiny 2: Forsaken and how they become more engaging with the game and its players
- Forsaken overhauls more than just the weapons slots.
- The real joy of Forsaken: So much to do, and you decide what direction you want to take.
- Looking over the journey we have taken from Destiny 2, to Curse of Osiris, to Warmind, to this week.
23:27 — Hangry Gamer Gear
24:11 — Episode #042: An Interview with Voice Director Kevin McMullan (Part Two)
- Kevin fits right in here at the Tower.
-
Frank Langella Fanboy Time
- From Dracula to Dawg to Iago
- The difference between “invested” and “attitude” in the arts
- Professional actors show up to kick ass. Period.
- Let’s talk about another debut voice talent from Destiny 2…
- And how about these two lovely ladies?
- How many microphones has Lennie James blown out in a studio?
- This interview has been a blast!
- What has been Kevin’s takeaway in working with Destiny?
- It has all led to Forsaken.
- Something about Forsaken made an impact on everyone involved.
- Behind-the-Scenes…something you need to know about this scene…
- No matter you know it’s coming, no matter how many times you see it…
- Tee’s Audio Nerd Rant
- Talking about risks, and how Bungie went all in and won.
- From the Voice Director, a few thoughts on the Guardian talking in-game
- Goodbyes are always tough.
- Tee gives a final pitch for his voice talents…but he discovers that everyone’s got a Walken!
- Welcome to the Tower Hangry Gamer Gear!
- They got cool, original Destiny gear. And other games!
- Now they are sponsoring us!
- And when you check out, use “HAPPYHOUR” at checkout, and receive 15% off your order!
- Where you can reach out to us!
- Voicemail/WhatsApp — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Or leave us a comment on the blog!
- Some last minute thoughts…
- Tee, set Gambit aside to finish the story!
- Saturdays on stream — join us for the #CrucibleClinic!
- Angela’s GoFundMe and TD0013’s Etsy Store — check them out!
- You remember TeeDee, of course…
-
Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- …and Twitch.
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
All Praise to Osiris! We’re going back to Mercury! Season 4 is winding down, giving Guardians limited opportunities to complete some of their quests, collections,…Continue readingNovember 20th Reset
All Praise to Osiris! We’re going back to Mercury!
Season 4 is winding down, giving Guardians limited opportunities to complete some of their quests, collections, and triumphs. The Iron Banner has wrapped up and we won’t see Lord Saladin again until after the Black Armory launches. We’ll enter the Season of the Forge in early December, bringing plenty of new content. Rumors are swirling around another level of power for weaponry and recent posts confirmed additional content.
The Season of the Forge will bring access to the Black Armory, which adds a new raid, exotic weapons, quests, triumphs and collections. Also included is the new activity titled The Lost Forges. We at The Tower hope that this is something akin to Escalation Protocol, the Blind Well, and our nostalgia for the Archon’s Forge. There is no definite news if the raid is a full raid or another raid lair, and Guardians certainly know there are plenty of unopened doors in the Last Wish raid map.
Nightfall Strike The Nightfall Strike options are pretty Osirian. The Tree of Probabilities and A Garden World are on the strike list. The guided game of the week is Will of the Thousands, which was originally a PlayStation4 exclusive. The Nightfall challenges are Extinguish (yikes) and Equipment Locked. Here are the rewards for completing the Nightfall Strikes:
Lake of Shadows – The Militia’s Birthright grenade launcher
A Garden World – Universal Wavefunction ship
Tree of Possibilities – D.F.A. Hand Cannon
Flashpoint The Flashpoint location is Mercury, completing the hat trick for things related to Osiris and Brother Vance. Complete the progression this week on Mercury by completing Heroic Adventures, clearing out the enemies in Lost Sectors, and contributing in the Public Event. (There is still only one public event on Mercury.) For those who have Forsaken, make sure you grab Wanted bounties from Spider, as some of these are the bosses in Lost Sectors.
Crucible, Strikes and EP The task this week is to complete 5 total Crucible matches. They must be public matches to count. The weekly Crucible playlist is Breakthrough. This week’s Escalation Protocol boss is Naksud, the famine. Completing EP may drop the IKELOS sniper rifle, shotgun or submachine gun. The Vanguard Strike modifier for the week is Solar Singe.
The Festival of the Lost has come and gone. Our Guardians had varying experiences. Tee and Nick loved the Haunted Forest, while Ron just couldn’t get into it. Brandon enjoyed his time in game, but the Fallout 76 beta stole him from the Fire Team for most of the last week. We gathered masks, guns, and glory, but now it’s time to see what follows.
Bungie Technical Updates Interesting note from engineer Ben Thompson. It sounds like there are issues with load times, both initial loading of the game and in activities in game. I’ve felt like the initial load times were a little long, and I’m glad to see Bungie has noticed also. Season 5 should deliver faster load times. The example is from orbit to EDZ, where the promised time is reduced from 2 minutes to under a minute.
Bungie is also looking into adding reset functionality to checkpoints, similar to that feature in the Last Wish raid.
Tuning of Supers Spectral Blades is getting some reliability upgrades. These include increased melee lunge range and reducing the cost of light for melee. There will also be an increase to the number of consecutive hits required to increase attack rate, and decrease to the base attack speed for better accuracy on intended targets. There are also improvements to damage resistance and drain time when in stealth mode.
PC and Gambit Destiny 2 was made free for all players on PC through November 18. In conjunction with that, there will be a Gambit Free Trial weekend Nov 9-11. Forsaken owners will have the option for Double Infamy on the playlist. Note, it is full curse week, so there may be meatballs.
Change of Seasons Season 4 ends on November 27. Here’s a short checklist of what to accomplish before the change of seasons.
- Iron Banner: Nov 13-20
- Seasonal Vanguard Rank
- Seasonal Crucible Ranks in Valor and Glory
- Crucible Ranks reset at the end of the season, so quest steps for Not Forgotten and Luna’s Howl will reset
There are also notes on technical support changes and bug fixes. You can read the entire This Week at Bungie HERE.
The Festival of the Lost has come and gone. Our Guardians had varying experiences. Tee and Nick loved the Haunted Forest, while Ron just couldn’t…Continue readingTWAB Nov 8: Farewell, Festival
Refer-a-Friend, Enhancement Cores, a Costume Contest and more! October 30th brings the weekly Tuesday reset to Destiny 2 and with it the 2.0.5 version of…Continue readingOctober 30 Reset
Refer-a-Friend, Enhancement Cores, a Costume Contest and more!
October 30th brings the weekly Tuesday reset to Destiny 2 and with it the 2.0.5 version of the game. As noted in earlier posts this month, these updates bring bug fixes and weapon balancing. These fixes aren’t always the sexiest thing about the game. There is one change to the economy that bears review, so we’ll start there.
Welcome, Enhancement Cores One of the most challenging aspects of the economy introduced with the Forsaken release was the rarity of Masterwork Cores. The issue was that infusing most weapons and armor with higher power level required a handful of these cores. These would only drop if a player dismantled a masterwork piece of armor or a weapon (or by trades with Spider in the Tangled Shore.) Many players burned through their stash of cores or hadn’t amassed that many to begin with.
Masterwork cores have been renamed to Enhancement cores and they are easier to find. Some scrapper bounties will now drop these cores, along with Spider’s 6 weekly bounties. If players have put an older piece of gear in the vault until they can improve it, that time may be here soon.
Costume Contest The Festival of the Lost is still going strong. Players can gather Fragmented Souls by completing bounties for our favorite shipwright, Amanda Holliday, or by completing waves in the Haunted Forest. These get traded in for a variety of masks plus Tess Everis has plenty of themed items earned through engrams. Bungie has shown an expanded effort to connect in-game and out-of-game popularity with Destiny. They’re hosting a costume contest online for Guardians to share their spirit.
Beginning with the 2.0.5 update and going through 6 PM PDT on October 31, players can use shaders, masks and armor to create a costume. Sharing pictures online with the #FestivalofCostumes hashtag on the Community Creations page, Twitter, or Instagram makes players eligible to win. Ten winners will be celebrated via @Bungie on Halloween and gifted an unique emblem.
“Group shots are welcome. Humor encouraged. Put on a mask, and go show the bad guys they can’t keep us down.” Refer-a-Friend The other noteworthy addition is the new refer-a-friend program. Bringing new players to Destiny 2 will reward veteran players with emblems, sparrows, weapons, ornaments and more. Both players will earn additional experience points while under the maximum level cap. There are a few requirements like linking Bungie accounts to console accounts (necessary for the Bungie Reward program anyway) and date of purchase. Read all about that program HERE. This is the perfect time for new recruits as Bungie recently included both the Curse of Osiris and Warmind expansions with the purchase of Forsaken. Read all of the release notes on Bungie.net. See you in the Haunted Forest. Eyes up, Guardian!
As promised, the Festival of the Lost has arrived in style. The tower is full of engram lamps. Guardians are wearing ridiculous masks. The Infinite…Continue readingTWAB October 18
As promised, the Festival of the Lost has arrived in style. The tower is full of engram lamps. Guardians are wearing ridiculous masks. The Infinite Forest is haunted! With so many events and cosmetic changes going on, it’s easy to overlook some of the changes made to the game with the 2.0.4 release. Let’s take a look.
The Rockstar Energy Riots In-Game Competition Players can compete through November 7th in weekly challenges to earn real-world prizes. The challenges occur in the Crucible, Gambit and strikes. Points are earned through match completion, precision kills and defeating Guardians. (This is separate from the Bungie Bounties which are still ongoing.) The top four players from the qualifying round will square off at Bungie. Prizes include Bungie store cards, gaming chairs, headsets and some sweet Destiny 2 apparel. The grand prize is a Forsaken themed Slingshot. Sign up at destiny2.rockstarenergy.com.
Notable In-Game Changes We detailed most of the Festival events in last week’s post (Read it HERE). There were a couple things we left out. First, everyone gets a Master Rahool mask for the Festival. Second, it’s absolutely hideous. Third, there is a change to Clan Bounties. Completing a bounty for Hawthorne now earns the player 1000 xp to their weekly clan goal. The big takeaway is that players will only need to complete five bounties per week instead of the previous requirement of seven.
If you don’t know where to start to join the festivities, stop by the universe’s sexiest shipwright, Amanda Holliday to get started.
Notable Out-of-Game Gifts Bungie has provided some paper mask templates if anyone wants to build the real-world equivalent to the in-game masks. They come in a three-pack bundle which includes the Scorn, Lord Shaxx, and Prince Uldren masks. There is also a template for the chicken mask which is free. If you prefer the Pumpkin Spice approach, stencils are available to carve jack o’ lanterns with 14 different Destiny themed art, including class logos, the Crucible, Gambit, Ghost and more.
There were other updates including bug fixes. The full This Week at Bungie is available HERE.
Are you enjoying the Festival? Share some of your stories and pics with us!
Eyes up, Guardians,
TTHFTT
It’s spoopy time, Guardians! Once again, the players of Destiny 2 will head into a Halloween (ish) event, but this time, there’s more to do…Continue readingFestival of the Lost Announced
It’s spoopy time, Guardians! Once again, the players of Destiny 2 will head into a Halloween (ish) event, but this time, there’s more to do than ever in the Festival of the Lost. Just ask the Shipwright herself:
“I’ll be damned if we’re gonna sit around and mope all day—Cayde woulda hated that. So let’s have some fun, huh? Put on this mask, and go show the bad guys they can’t keep us down.” —Amanda Holliday
Amanda Holliday voice actress Courtenay Taylor Beginning with the reset on Tuesday, October 16th, players will see a transformation to the Tower. Holliday has taken it on herself to raise the spirits of the Guardians following a pretty dark time in our history. The merriment will provide players with new Shipwright bounties that award Fragmented Souls. Rewards include Festival of the Lost masks and provide the path to the new Horror Story Legendary auto rifle.
Naturally, it can’t all be sparkles and engrams. This is Destiny. Hell, this is Forsaken! We can’t just shrug off the darkness. To that end, players will be introduced to a new area called The Haunted Forest. Players will be on a 15 minute timer with the challenge of diving as deep as possible in this new map. The warning provided by Bungie is simply “the deeper you go, the more difficult your job will become.”
The Haunted Forest can be played solo or with a fire team. Matchmaking is also available if it’s a challenge and you need some backup. The event takes place in the Infinite Forest, which was first introduced in the Curse of Osiris expansion pack. Note, that DLC is not required to participate in the Haunted Forest. The location will be accessible directly from the navigation menu and will not require the Mercury destination in order to access it.
Players will also get a new quest. The Guardians are tasked with avenging the death of Master Ives. (Ives was the cryptarch manning the Vestian Outpost in the Reef way back in the House of Wolves expansion.) The murder mystery hunt for his killers begins on Tuesday, October 30.
Guardians will also earn a new type of engram. Every time a player completes tasks and fills her xp bar, she will receive an Ephemeral Engram (once they’re at max character level.) This is in addition to the Steadfast Engram. Ephemeral Engrams are also available for purchase from Tess Everis in the Tower.
The festivities begin on October 16, the same date as the 2.0.4 update.
The Festival will continue through November 6.
It’s that time again. The good folks at Bungie have relayed their reactions to the community and game play experience. For many of us, it’s going to bring relief to one particularly frustrating aspect of PvP. That’s not the only change, of course. We have economy updates, and explanation of the Dreaming City corruption cycle, and more. Read on, Guardians!
One of the most frequent opinions we’ve heard is that Forsaken is not just a large expansion, but one in which players feel there is an overwhelming number of tasks, actions, and experiences available. Whether they are chasing power level, looking for god rolls on gear, filling up the lore book, or preparing/finishing the raid, there is simply no shortage of activities. As we like to say, The Grind Is Real!
Some of these activities take a lot of precious time for gamers. Those gamers sometimes feel that they haven’t been properly rewarded. As Bungie says in this week’s “This Week at Bungie”, they have heard the community, and thanks to sandbox tuning, and bringing some welcome changes.
Changes to Gambit The Malfeasance is one bad ass hand cannon, but in order to get it, players have to engage in the game mode, Gambit. Not only do they have to play the cool mode that mixes Player vs Environment and Player vs Player, but they can only get that particular gun if a random boss enemy shows up and their team wins that round. Fortunately, the space meatball, aka Ascendant Primeval Servitor, will be spawning more often after the next game update.
Continuing with Gambit, Bungie is reinstating quitter penalties for those who bail on their team during matches. There will be an adjustment to the number of times a player can quit mid-match before they are placed on a restricted list. (The balance here is in penalizing those who rage quit while not penalizing players whose Internet connection decides to take a quick nap.)
One of the most welcome changes (to us) is the change to ammo drops in Gambit. The Sleeper Simulant ammo drop will only have two shots (down from the four it gets now). The Simulant has quickly developed a reputation as being wildly overpowered, and with this change, an invading player will have a harder time wiping out the opposing team. (The size of the Sleeper’s kill box is also under review.) Also, Sword ammo drops will now have 12 charges instead of 6. Scout rifle damage has been increased against non-player enemies both in Gambit and in other destinations.
Changes to Menu Navigation Forsaken brought some interesting changes and expansion to the Navigator, character, and in-world menus. These changes continue. Here are a few interesting additions/modifications.
Players will be able to track 3 pursuits. Hovering over a cleared Lost Sector reveals the sector name (useful when you have a bounty that includes clearing all the sectors on a destination.) Transmat effects have been moved to the flair section.
Brandon’s Hoarding Takes a Big Hit Our co-host Brandon Kelly has been pretty vocal about his almost unnatural ability to collect the Edge Transit grenade launcher. He isn’t the only one. The drop rate is a known issue in the community. Destiny is fixing this by adding Through Fire and Flood, Zenobia D, and Crooked Fang-4fr to the world Legendary pool. The kid is going to have to work 5x as hard to continue adding to his collection of the grenade launcher (that he never uses.)
Changes to Drop Rates and Damage Swords and fusion rifles are going to get a damage buff. The Titan’s shield is getting a little more opaque for better visibility. Players will spend less time dismantling the pesky shaders that they don’t want or need. One of the biggest changes to the economy comes in the form of Masterwork Cores.
Currently, Masterwork Cores are the difficult part of the economy. These are needed to infuse a weapon into another to raise the power level (along with legendary marks, glimmer and planetary resources.) The Cores are the rarest of these resources. Starting with the 10/30 update, there will be bounties that provide Cores as a reward. This is very welcome for everyone trying to increase their power level or to improve a piece of armor or weapon that they simply won’t give up.
Other News of Note October 16th will bring this year’s Festival of the Lost. Bungie has simply described this as a costume party. We can speculate but that’s all the info we have so far. Commander Zavala now has Nightfall Ranks in addition to his Vanguard Ranks. Also, the Flashpoint is on Mercury this week. (This includes the Heroic Adventure. Players must complete the adventure on normal level if they can’t access it when set to heroic instead.)
That’s it from us. Feel free to chime in with your thoughts. Defend the Sleeper or Edge Transit if you’d like. Tell us where you found Xur. (Did you catch Cayde’s cape in the Tower? Tweet us a pic at @HHFTTpodcast.)
Be on the lookout for a new podcast episode coming soon with a very special guest. Until then…Eyes up, Guardian! The first round’s on us.
It’s that time again. The good folks at Bungie have relayed their reactions to the community and game play experience. For many of us, it’s…Continue readingTWAB: Take That, Sleeper Simulant!
Bungie promised to pack a lot into the Forsaken slow burn and the studio has come through big time. The story is the best that Destiny 2 players have experienced. The new Gambit play mode provides an exciting new challenge. Cayde’s death has many people emotionally invested in ways they’ve never felt before. This week, as promised, Destiny 2 has its longest and most demanding raid ever.
The Last Wish Raid The goal with the Forsaken raid was to do something the studio has never done in the past. Bungie already revealed that events in the raid would change the world outside of it. This appears to be the case. A new story quest is available from Petra Venj following the completion of the raid by the World’s First team by Team Redeem.
Completing the raid was no small feat. The clan’s strike team, known for being the first to complete multiple Destiny raids, spent a grueling 19 hours to finish the task. The raid includes multiple bosses and a puzzle to unlock a vault, along with wave after wave of alien enemies. Victory brings great rewards and the world’s first team will receive unique emblems, the One Thousand Voices exotic, and the first ever WWE-style title belt.
If you have your eyes on completing the Last Wish, don’t despair. The prizes are still plentiful. Bungie has confirmed that the third Seed of Light (for the new subclasses) is a guaranteed drop when defeating the raid’s first boss. (No word yet if there are other ways to earn the seed.) Players who defeat the raid’s final boss by Tuesday, September 18th will qualify for a sweet bomber jacket. Go get ’em, Goose!
Bungie Bounties In addition to last week’s announcement surrounding Bungie Rewards, the game designers are again tying together in-game events and real world prizes. This week brings Bungie Bounties. Players will have a chance to compete in game with a notable member of the community or a Bungie employee to earn rewards. Defeating the bounty will earn the Sign of Mutual Combat emblem. The first week’s schedule is up with notable names like streamers Dr. Lupo and WELOVEGAMES and DJ Steve Aoki.
Changes to Iron Banner September 18th brings a new week of the Iron Banner. This mode is Control and there are now advantages to the players’ power level. Power is a determining factor in PvP. Welcome to the arms race. Lord Saladin is also getting in on the fun of offering bounties. He will have 7 available for the week, with 2 of them linked to powerful rewards. The Iron Banner weapons and armor can be earned by completing the associated requirements or through direct purchase from the original Iron Lord himself.
Bonus: Where’s Xur? Xur is hanging out on Earth this week in the EDZ. He’s in the Winding Cove next to a fallen Ketch. His wares for sale include the Sunshot hand cannon, Eye of Another World Hunter Helmet, Graviton Forfeit Titan Helmet and the Wormgod Caress Warlock Gauntlets.
PS: If you haven’t read This Week at Bungie, check out the post. There is some absolutely stunning concept art included that really shows the incredible time and effort so many folks put into this game.
Bungie promised to pack a lot into the Forsaken slow burn and the studio has come through big time. The story is the best that…Continue readingTWAB – The Last Wish Raid and So Much More
It has arrived.
After all the trailers, after all the hype, after all the anticipation, Destiny 2 introduces Forsaken and the fall of a beloved hero. We are on Twitch and behind the mics to share with you our thoughts. What do you think of the latest DLC from Bungie ? Give us a call at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — Introduction
- Welcome to words Tee can’t say.
- So Nick and Brandon seem to be enjoying an inside joke…
- Did you know we are live on Twitch? Because yeah, we are!
- The magic of Twitch − we have visuals now. God help us all.
3:05 — Episode #041: Welcome to Forsaken (Part One)
- Forsaken is here, and we are all processing it.
- For Ron, this is the Destiny we have been waiting for since the original.
- Brandon and Nick are now joined by Stacia so the whole family is on board!
- On the return of a Guardian’s voice…
- Nick Kelly’s opinion in one word: Lore.
- So. Much. Stuff. To do!!!
- Tee would have finished the story by now, but dammit, Gambit!
- Where Tee is at the story…
- Brandon was focused in getting payback.
- In Memorium…
- The hidden gem of Forsaken: Spider
- Ron, once again, stuck it out all Tuesday for Big Cat Rescue.
- Brandon faces Principal Spider.
- Forsaken overhauls more than just the weapons slots.
- The real joy of Forsaken: So much to do, and you decide what direction you want to take.
- Looking over the journey we have taken from Destiny 2, to Curse of Osiris, to Warmind, to this week.
21:12 — Headshots
24:31 — Episode #041: Welcome to Forsaken (Part Two)
- And now, suddenly, technical difficulties…
- Exotic Quests — brace yourselves.
- Nick lays down some serious math on the Coach. The Grind is real!
- The HHFTT crew imagine what the developmental meetings went for Forsaken.
- The exotics feel exotic again.
- If you think that that’s a Loot Cave you’ve found, think again.
- Oh, Gambit…why can’t we quit you?
- Take a look at this sound advice from TheTrueVanguard
- Tee thought things feel slow now, but honestly, it was the adrenaline.
- Special Shoutout to these guys — MikeTheIron and Averagewhiteguy2 — for being such a great Fireteam!
- Yes, Gambit is worth all the hype, all the wait. And Tee is fired up.
- The Phalanx are pains-in-the-ass!
- And here’s Drafty with the Play of the Game!
- Triumphs…what do we think?
- What the score tells us
- Quick shout-out’s to the Chat
- Bungie Rewards
- Welcome to the Tower Hangry Gamer Gear!
- They got cool, original Destiny gear. And other games!
- Now they are sponsoring us!
- And when you check out, use “HAPPYHOUR” at checkout, and receive 15% off your order!
- Where you can reach out to us!
- Voicemail/WhatsApp — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Or leave us a comment on the blog!
-
Some last minute thoughts…
- Tee, set Gambit aside to finish the story!
- Saturdays on stream — join us for the #CrucibleClinic!
- Angela’s GoFundMe and TD0013’s Etsy Store — check them out!
- You remember TeeDee, of course…
-
Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- …and Twitch.
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
It has arrived. After all the trailers, after all the hype, after all the anticipation, Destiny 2 introduces Forsaken and the fall of a beloved…Continue readingEpisode #41: Welcome to Forsaken!
August has come and gone, and with it the final This Week at Bungie (TWAB) before we all embark on the Forsaken expansion. We’ve been treated to trailer after trailer, a Vidoc and beginning September 1, we even get a chance to all play the player vs environment vs player game mode, Gambit. If you want zero spoilers, stop reading, boot up your console, and download the extensive DLC that is available in preparation for Forsaken. If you’re not the 1% swearing off new information about what’s coming in D2, read on!
The Gambit Reveal Bungie hasn’t been shy about sharing the groundbreaking Gambit game mode. The crew brought test gear to E3 in May. Then they brought it to Guardiancon in July (and our crew got to play it!) It’s appearing at PAX West right now, but Destiny players can experience it a couple different ways. All players have access to the game mode on September 1st, starting at 10am PST.
For those of you who follow some of the best known streamers out there, Bungie showcased several players on Friday, August 31st. Players included Professor Broman, Zach Lavine, True Vanguard, and Schviftyfive. Some Bungie staff members were also in the mix. Gameplay is available on Bungie’s twitch stream.
The Massive Game that is Forsaken Gambit is just a portion of what hits the game with the Forsaken release. The most dramatic story point (possibly ever) has many fans up in arms. Cayde-6, the smart-mouthed Hunter Vanguard, is dead. The trailers revealed exactly how things went down, but it didn’t hit all of us until this week’s reset. Cayde’s usual spot in the tower is vacant. It’s a confirmation that our favorite director of sarcasm is gone, and gone for good.
There are tons of changes coming to gameplay. The vault is expanded. Changes to weapon slots make ammo decisions important. The PvP dynamic is completely different. A huge slew of exotic weapons and armor are either coming brand new or returning from D1. Mod slots are new. Weapon randomization makes the grind less predictable. Forsaken will bring a new story mode, map, areas to explore and some familiar faces from the Reef.
It’s Not Just Forsaken Yeah, about that. Bungie has given us a framework for months and months of updates. For those who felt that the studio was flying by the seat of its pants last year, rest assured, they are now a full 18-24 months ahead of what we’re seeing in the game. Here’s a bit of proof:
We have teasers of what’s coming several seasons out. Bungie has implemented changes and re-introduced aspects of the game that we missed from D1 and D1 both. Here at the Tower, we’re excited about what’s coming, especially some of the mystery around that curious NPC named The Drifter…
What do you think about Forsaken? Are you ready?
Eyes Up, Guardian.
ForCayde
August has come and gone, and with it the final This Week at Bungie (TWAB) before we all embark on the Forsaken expansion. We’ve been…Continue readingTWAB Review: Before-Saken
Well, we finally did it. We caved to Tee’s burning desire to record an episode live on Twitch. Join Tee, Nick, Brandon and Ron as…Continue readingHHFTT Live on Twitch
Well, we finally did it. We caved to Tee’s burning desire to record an episode live on Twitch. Join Tee, Nick, Brandon and Ron as we discuss Forsaken, game changes, strategies and yes, BULK SHADER DELETION! Then, slide on over to Tee’s Twitch stream to see some gameplay videos, raids, PvP, other games (like Fortnite), and even some updates on Twitch for Dummies!
As always, share your thoughts in the comments or on our voicemail line (and we always appreciate reviews).
Eyes up, Guardian!
HHFTT Crew
Watch [Destiny 2] Podcasting with TheTeeMonster | #SundaySpecial | !charity !podcast !shenanigans from TheTeeMonster on www.twitch.tv
Yes, it has been a bumpy summer between Man Flu, Day Job demands, and overall Life getting in the way; but WE ARE BACK!!! You can expect us to talk a bit about the Solstice of Heroes event happening right now on Destiny 2, but we need to tell you about something we just experienced in Tampa, Florida…
Oh yeah, baby, we went to GuardianCon 2018 and what an experience. We finally got around the mics to talk about how much fun we had and what we learned from the weekend in Tampa amongst Guardians, streamers, and gamers of all kinds. Were you there? What did you think? Give us a call at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — Introduction
- No, really, this was the first thing ZG Photo said to Tee
- Get your groove on, Nick!
- And here it is — the new HHFTT Crucible Battle Cry!
- So…what happened to the HHFTT crew in June and July?
- Tee gets the Man Flu, and passes it on to his Day Job.
- Another setback: A special project that we are waiting to hear from, but for now, just know that we are waiting along with you…
- There is a Forsaken show…that might be re-recorded now, but shortly after all this, there came this little event in Tampa, Florida.
3:50 — Episode #040: The (Long Overdue) GuardianCon 2018 Review
- Let’s talk about this amazing experience called GuardianCon 2018!!!
- A reference to Black Jeopardy. Thanks, Nick.
- Nick laments over the not-so-favorite-family game, Flight Gate Bingo
- Tee shares NO LOVE for Ground Crews at United.
- Once we all got airborne, we were fine.
-
Thursday in Florida
- The Kellys enjoy the Tampa Bay Aquarium
- And look at that — they found a Danfinity!
- Tee took an Uber out to Clearwater for a meeting of epic proportions…
Click to view slideshow. + Nick drops some knowledge on everyone here. * The weird thing about GuardianCon. Something weird but so very, very real. And we loved it! * Brandon was a little disappointed in how these folks are not good at getting pumped. * Nick’s Theory on the GC 2018 Audience * The Power of Ninja and Lupo * Quick Shout-Out to HHFTT’s Favorite Voice Actor — HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! * Friday at GuardianCon + As we are walking on the convention floor… + How badly did people want to play Gambit? + Was this new game mode worth the wait? Well, here we go with our review of Forsaken’s new game mode, Gambit. + Special Shoutout to these guys — MikeTheIron and Averagewhiteguy2 — for being such a great Fireteam! + A spirit of friendship in playing this game. * All roads lead back to The Division on this show. * KMagic has other ideas on ways to fix Destiny.
23:39 — The Geek Wolfpack Podcast
24:31 — Episode #040: The (Long Overdue) GuardianCon 2018 Review(Part 2)
- A bit of a stumble in getting back into it!
- Let’s talk a bit more about the new supers from Gambit…
- Sadly, Mr. Fruit was struggling with the new Titan super.
- And The True Vanguard brought the pain with a sniper!
- There were a few people at GuardianCon, if you must know…
- Brandon fell in love with the new super for Hunters.
- More Forsaken hype!
- Let’s talk about Kings Coast Coffee, a favorite over at Code.gov
- Diverting a bit to talk a bit about Realm Royale, or Fortnite Goes to the Renn Faire.
- Warframe was at GuardianCon, as well.
- And here’s where we just get goofy!
- Some love for TheBigMarvinski
- Can we stop talking about Tee putting sunscreen on ZG?
- Does GuardianCon need a third day?
- QUICK TANGENT: KMagic101 is a big dude…and he’s intimidating AF!
- So…is it July 2019 yet?
38:18 — Listener Feedback
- Before we jump into the Feedback, well done streamers for the St Jude’s Charity Push
- Voicemail from TD0013 — What happens when you become an affiliate?
- Before we go into the other voicemail, let’s talk about our SWAG: Wanted posters.
- And the SWAG worked!
- A voicemail only Brandon can explain…
- …and a voicemail from Tom that makes Tee’s day.
- Tee agrees to disagree.
- Debating on Destiny’s storytelling
- A lament over Nathan Fillion
- Should Cayde come back or not? (Want to chime in? You know you can…)
51:30 — Wrapping Up
- Thanks for joining us from GuardianCon 2018!
- Where you can reach out to us!
- Voicemail/WhatsApp — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Or leave us a comment on the blog!
- Some last minute thoughts…
- Angela’s GoFundMe and TD0013’s Etsy Store — check them out!
- You remember TeeDee, of course…
- Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- …and Twitch.
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
- Closing Thoughts: Lightning Round!
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Yes, it has been a bumpy summer between Man Flu, Day Job demands, and overall Life getting in the way; but WE ARE BACK!!! You…Continue readingEpisode 40: The (Long Overdue) GuardianCon 2018 Review
Gotta give it up to the fuchsia lovers (and our own Tee Morris), the Twilight Sparkle War Cult came through with the 2nd Faction Rally.…Continue readingThis Week at Bungie July 5
Gotta give it up to the fuchsia lovers (and our own Tee Morris), the Twilight Sparkle War Cult came through with the 2nd Faction Rally. The Future War Cult earned 42% of all the faction ranks in this round. Dead Orbit was within reach, pulling in 37%. New Monarchy came in last with 21%.
In our last post, we showed the detailed roadmap from Bungie. All three factions get one more shot this season the week of July 17th. That means the following week is the victory lap for the final Faction Rally of the season, which will lead directly into the Solstice of Heroes event.
We are now just one week away from Guardiancon and we are super excited to be meeting some of our favorite content creators, clan members and the Destiny community as a whole. Be sure to stop Tee (normal hair), Brandon (vampire red hair) or me (cobalt blue hair). We hope to have some very special giveaways for everyone we meet in person.
Bungie will have members attending from leadership, technology, Gambit experts, the Community team and the Bungie Store. The Gambit game mode from the upcoming Forsaken release is available to play at the event. Friday night at 6pm will feature a Gambit Exhibition Tournament on the main stage. (For those not attending, the event will be streamed.)
Gamestop fans also get a special treat. The August edition of Game Informer includes a huge amount of Destiny 2 content, including updates on all NINE new supers. This means Brandon gets to backstab people and his mom, Stacia, gets to be a healer. That’s in line with our Geek Wolfpack Podcast segment, ADHD D&D. The folks over at GameRant.com have a fantastic write-up. WARNING: If you don’t want to read spoilers, do not click the link!
The new prestige raid lairs get released the week of July 17 and they will be staggered. Senior Designer Joe Blackburn explained that these were staggered to ensure no one is robbed of the chance to finish the raid lairs first.
Guardians will not have to wait for GuardianCon or Forsaken to celebrate and to be rewarded. Starting Friday, July 6, and lasting through the weekly reset, players may earn 3x Valor Rank gains in all Valor-supported playlists! Make Shaxx proud, Guardians!
You can read the entire TWAB HERE.
Eyes up, Guardian!
Thursday, June 28th brought us the most recent “This Week at Bungie” (TWAB) from the creators of Destiny. Nothing can hit the player community as…Continue readingPondering the TWAB – June 28
Thursday, June 28th brought us the most recent “This Week at Bungie” (TWAB) from the creators of Destiny. Nothing can hit the player community as hard as the reveal from E3, but this update had plenty to discuss. We’re counting down the days until Forsaken (more on that later) but Bungie gave us a whole schedule of updates for the summer. Let’s take a look at what’s on tap.
Bungie provides a full visual map of July’s updates Faction Rallies We head into July with the second round of Faction Rallies. Dead Orbit won the first round and it looks like a lot of Guardians are jumping to a different faction for Round 2 to get the rewards. (“Turn in your Space Goth cards at the Tower, you miscreants!” -nK) July 3rd will bring the victory lap for round 2. On July 17, players will get a chance for the third and final round of Faction Rallies for this season.
GuardianCon July 13-14 brings GuardianCon to Tampa, FL. (“Go Bolts!” – nK) Attendees will have a chance to play the Gambit game mode that was revealed at E3. Early reports have praised the game mode as an innovative combination of PvP and PvE. Some of us who never enjoyed PvP may find a role in this unique gameplay experience.
Tee, Nick and Brandon will all be in attendance at GuardianCon. Please stop us and chat with us and let us know how you feel about the podcast, Destiny 2, or your general love of gaming. We are excited to meet many of you in person for the first time!
Crucible Changes The Crucible playlist will rotate from Mayhem to Iron Banana to Supremacy and then Doubles. Some additional changes are coming to the Crucible dynamics with the July 17 update. These include changes to the Valor rank. Players will earn Valor from competitive, Crucible Labs, Iron Banner, and Trials of the Nine. Rumble will become a full-time playlist. Supremacy will be added to the weekly featured playlist, updated to 6v6, and have a win score of 150.
Quickplay is now 6v6. Clash win score goes up to 100. Control win score goes up to 150 and Control Zones all begin neutral.
Prestige Modes Update 1.2.3 will bring Prestige modes for Eater of Worlds and Spire of Stars. 400 level power armor will only be available before Forsaken in the form of the Solstice of Heroes event, but completing Prestige Raids and Raid Lairs will bring 400 level weapons. Ornaments and Catalysts will be unique to the Prestige level Raids and Raid Lairs.
The TWAB also includes updates on the Collections feature and the costs to reacquire dismantled gear. There are also the regularly scheduled updates from support on known issues.
TGIF! Happy Weekend to all you Guardians!
Xur is back with his catalog of exotic weapons. We’ll give you the details on where to find the Agent of the Nine and what he’s got to offer this weekend. On a side note, it’s just two weeks until GuardianCon and your podcast hosts will be in attendance in beautiful Tampa, Florida. Please stop us for a chat if you see us. We’d love to connect with you!
Xur is hanging out this weekend in his treehouse on Nessus. He’s just northwest of the Watcher’s Grave landing zone. Be sure to scan the deceased Vex in the tree with him for a teaser about how things are going between the Vex and the Cabal.
Xur’s inventory this week:
- The Wardcliff Coil, exotic rocket launcher: 29 legendary shards
- Lucky Raspberry, Hunter chest: 23 legendary shards
- An Insurmountable Skullfort, Titan helmet: 23 legendary shards
- Ophidian Aspect, Warlock gloves: 23 legendary shards
- Fated Engram: 97 legendary shards
- Three of Coins: 31 legendary shards
- Five of Swords: free
The Wardcliff Coil can be fun because its Mad Scientist perk fires a volley of rockets. That makes for some good chaos in a PvP session. The Ophidian Aspect gauntlets have the Cobra Totemic perk which adds melee range and improves weapon load and reload time. Punchy Titans may like the perk of the Insurmountable Skullfort which restores health with melee kills. (It will be interesting to see if this perk gets expanded from kills to melee hits, as is the plan for the Feedback Fence in an upcoming release.)
Sound off, Guardians! What’s Xur got that appeals to you this weekend?
Happy Hunting!
-HHFTT
TGIF! Happy Weekend to all you Guardians! Xur is back with his catalog of exotic weapons. We’ll give you the details on where to find…Continue readingXur Location for June 29-July 2
Hold on to your Saint-14 helms, Guardians. KMagic 101 is baaaaaaaack! Once again, as if the first time wasn’t enough fun for us, the multi-talented,…Continue readingEpisode #39: GuardianCon HYPE with KMagic 101!!!
Hold on to your Saint-14 helms, Guardians. KMagic 101 is baaaaaaaack!
Once again, as if the first time wasn’t enough fun for us, the multi-talented, multi-faceted gamer, KMagic101, has come back to the Tower to talk about a lot of stuff, but namely a little event he’s involved with called GuardianCon. Enjoy the listen and the laughs as we enjoy with Kevin a look ahead at what is coming to Tampa this July!
Got questions for the KMagic or the Guardians? Send in your feedback at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — Introduction
- Tee lives to make TheBigMarvinski laugh.
- You what, Nick?
- Brandon is never good with rules, or competition for in-game girlfriends.
- King’s Coast Coffee. The official coffee that wakes Tee up in the mornings!
1:28 — Episode #039: GuardianCon HYPE with KMagic 101!!!
- Cutting to the chase! Let’s talk about GuardianCon 2018!!!
- Listen to the end for the blooper…
- Tee evokes Hockey Protocol, and enjoy some Sportsball banter with the guys over the upcoming Stanley Cup playoffs. (SPOILERS: Caps win it!)
- What we can all expect with this incoming event that celebrates Destiny, video games, Twitch, and community.
- A new charity events: Charity Blitzes!
- Brandon, LOOK AT THE LIST!!!!
- How KMagic handled the controversy of saying that Destiny was not going to be featured on the Mainstage. Read the fine print, Guardians.
- The story behind getting Gambit — and Bungie — back to GuardianCon.
- If you missed the first visit from KMagic, hear how an event like GuardianCon came to fruition.
- What was it about Warmind that brought Kevin and other streamers back to Destiny 2?
- For the Guardians in the Tower, Go Fast was a step in the right direction. And now there is Forsaken.
- All roads lead back to The Division on this show.
- KMagic has other ideas on ways to fix Destiny.
17:28 — The Shared Desk
18:28 — Episode #039: GuardianCon HYPE with KMagic 101!!!(Part 2)
- Leave it to Nick to use an Infinity War quote to describe GuardianCon.
- What is KMagic’s favorite part of GuardianCon?
- Who knew Braveheart was such a trigger for Kevin?!
- UNITE THE CLANS!!!
- It’s a positive experience.
- Nick and Brandon are looking forward to the Super Smash Brothers programming, thanks to this event!
- KMagic made the move from Twitch to Mixer. Here’s the road taken by Kevin to get to where he is now.
- Drawing a line between real life and video games…
- How Tee loves Kings Coast Coffee. Let’s talk about Dr. Lupo’s Lifeline and this amazing hit in the morning!
- Where can you find KMagic101 on Mixer?
- A quick chat about Detroit: Become Human
- Looking forward to GuardianCon, Kevin! See you there!
34:55 — Wrapping Up
- Where you can reach out to us!
- Voicemail/WhatsApp — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Or leave us a comment on the blog!
- Some last minute thoughts…
- Angela’s GoFundMe and TD0013’s Etsy Store — check them out!
- You remember TeeDee, of course…
- Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- …and Twitch.
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
36:03 — Blooper Reel
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Return to Warmind! You heard us rave about Warmind two weeks ago, and here we are a month later, and we just can’t get enough!…Continue readingEpisode #38: A Warmind Review — Part II
Return to Warmind!
You heard us rave about Warmind two weeks ago, and here we are a month later, and we just can’t get enough! Once again, the Guardians gather on mic to talk about their experiences in the Crucible, and talk a bit about how the lore is everywhere…including the Real World. Enjoy Part Two of our review of the Warmind DLC.
Want to send some feedback to the Tower on this new DLC? Talk to us at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com.
00:00 — Introduction
- Timeshifting. It’s what’s for dinner
- Our little B10hazardBabe is all grown up now.
- So hold on, if we’re timeshifting, does that mean…?
- Coach gets coached.
- Swing by the YouTube Feed for a look at some of these drop-in inspiring moments.
1:38 — Episode #038: A Warmind Review — Part II (Part One)
- We’re back, still talking about Warmind. Here we go…
- Let’s talk about weapons and armor.
- Nick and Coach try to cheat the game, but the Bungie boys are on it.
- Nick will not surrender his A/O Feedbacks.
- Coach has come back to the Sunshot. It’s a favorite.
- How about a share of trash talk?
- Tee’s feeling the love for sniper rifles (and some of the original D2 exotics) again, in particular the Borealis.
- Ana’s weapons are kickass. Nuff said.
- The guys…sans Tee…have achieved the Word-Line Zero. Tee’s got to get back into the grind…or the hunt.
- “A man’s got to know his limitations.”
- Ron’s Quest for Music Boxes…or Sleeper Nodes!
- How are we feeling about the PVP changes?
- The biggest change for us on the show? Jenny.
- Serious love for TheBigMarvinski!
- The Nightfall served as a fun romp for Tee, Marv, and Munch.
- Ooops — need to break!
18:09 — Geek Radio Daily
19:09 — Episode #038: A Warmind Review — Part II (Part Two)
- What is Brandon doing with Tee’s printer?
- Time for a little lore…
- First bit of lore to know about — who is Willa Bray?
- Wouldn’t a bound volume of Grimlore be nice? Or just make it easily accessible.
- So many awesome emotes.
- A little tangent on Zavala as Warmind is his story.
- Something about Xur’s treehouse on Nessus in that first week of Warmind.
- How many of these little Easter Eggs did you find in your first week with the DLC?
- Some lore on Ana’s sister Elsa…and who she has become.
- And if that wasn’t enough to blow your mind, the game crosses into reality.
- What about the ship that is buried in the Lost Sector of Mars? Did you scan it?
- Another catch in the end cut scene of Destiny 2
- Tee is excited about what is being hinted at, but he wants to go explore more of the Warmind.
- There has to be more to Rasputin. That’s a BIG facility.
- Curse of Osiris versus Warmind from a storyteller’s perspective
- Closing thoughts on the Warmind DLC
39:18 — Selfie of the Show
- Selfie Remix by Evan_RX
- Yes. Tee FINALLY got the Selfie emote!
- A few thoughts on the Emote Wheel…
- Two selfies from Saturday Morning Cartoons… Me & TheBigMarvinski at the Warmind! Come on, Munch! Selfie Time!
- Got a Selfie you want us to feature?
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Tag us in the Selfie on Twitter at @HHFTTPodcast
- …or just talk about great in-game Selfie stories on our Voicemail/WhatsApp — 703.791.1701
- And review the podcast! We love reviews!
41:46 — Wrapping Up
- We’re losing Ron.
- Last thoughts on Warmind?
- Brandon’s lost in sword-love.
- Coach praises Warmind, but there is still a caveat.
- Nick is very happy with the windfall of lore!
- Tee is enjoying the dive into the DLC!
- Enjoy the stream, and the suspense of #ThrillerThursday
- Where you can reach out to us!
- Voicemail/WhatsApp — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Or leave us a comment on the blog!
- And review the podcast! We love reviews!
- Brandon was fired up to do the exit…but then…..
-
Some last minute thoughts…
- Angela’s GoFundMe and TD0013’s Etsy Store — check them out!
- You remember TeeDee, of course…
-
Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- …and Twitch.
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening. —
Warmind has arrived! Well, yeah, it’s been out for almost two weeks now; but we wanted to spend some time playing it. After doing so,…Continue readingEpisode #037: A Warmind Review — Part I
Warmind has arrived!
Well, yeah, it’s been out for almost two weeks now; but we wanted to spend some time playing it. After doing so, the entire Tower crew assembles and gets on mic to talk about their experiences. Here we go with Part One of our review of the Warmind DLC.
Want to send some feedback to the Tower on this new DLC? Talk to us at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com.
00:00 — Introduction
- Timeshifting from Mother’s Day…
- Taken out of context, TheBigMarvinski is even funnier.
- This is fine. This is perfectly fine…
- The Hunters are never good at rules are they?
- Salty much there, Coach?
- You want to run with TheTeeMonster on Saturdays? Adjust your teenager schedules.
2:21 — Episode #037: A Warmind Review — Part I
- Good times with Current Meta’s Danfinity
- Quick Rundown on Warmind
- Nick enjoyed going fast!
- Brandon loved the Lore Dive.
- Ron had fun.
- For Tee, the Storyline was almost as much fun as the Private Matches.
- Everything fells goooooooood.
- This is a big step forward for Bungie.
- Spoilers are coming, so you are warned!
- Bad news about Brother Vance, so no more B.V. jokes here.
- Let’s talk about the new features of this DLC
- It’s so nice to have Private Matches back!
- Time to give the new guns a run, as well as a few old favorites.
- Tee’s got a crush on this girl now…
- Voice confirmed: Stephen Fry
- Welcome back to Mars, everybody!
- Thoughts on Ana Bray
- How Warmind plays us all
- This is how you get your own Rasputin!
- Brandon likes making Hive shatter.
- What could be coming soon on Mars
- Major Props to Vicarious Visions
- So, Nick is caffeinated. Hang on to something.
- This is going to be a two-part show, promise.
- Memory Fragments and Borealis FTW!
- Breathe, Nick, for the love of God, breathe!!!
19:06 — Headshots
20:42 — Episode #037: A Warmind Review — Part I (Part Two)
- Nice to have the gang back, isn’t it?
- Thoughts on Xol
- Killed too soon, wanted to know a bit more
- Time to go back to D1
- Snipers are good to have on hand.
- Let’s talk about that Valkyrie!
- If we go any lower in boss voices, we may need clean underwear on hand.
- Public Events a-plenty!
- How Coach builds a party of nine for the Escalation Protocol
- Changes in the Nightfall and the Heroic Strikes — Brace Yourself!
- Welcome to Coach’s Criticisms — a new segment of the show…
- What we would like to see, moving forward with this DLC
- A few comments on the new Spire of the Stars Raid Lair
- What do you mean “DESTINY 2 IS NOW TOO HARD!” you ninny!!!
- This DLC offers something for everyone.
- Using McFarlane Toys as Reference Materials
- Quick nod to Danfinity!
- Be careful what you wish for, Guardians…
- How Brandon feels compelled to play Destiny 2 once more.
- Tee did save his tokens. Just the wrong ones…
- There feels like so much more to do now. Thanks, Bungie!
- What is it about dismantling shaders?
- Yep. This show is definitely a two-parter!
36:39 — Listener Feedback
- We got some feedback on Twitter!
- Who chimed in on Warmind?
- JohnVanalions
- JuniorTurtle75
- Tee…yes, he comments to his own podcast.
- TD0013
- Josué Cardona from Headshots
- Drop us a tweet anytime!
- Where you can reach out to us!
- Voicemail/WhatsApp — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Or leave us a comment on the blog!
- And review the podcast! We love reviews!
- Pardon Tee’s derpiness!
-
Some last minute thoughts…
- Angela’s GoFundMe and TD0013’s Etsy Store — check them out!
- You remember TeeDee, of course…
-
Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- …and Twitch.
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
TODAY, the new Warmind expansion drops on May 8, and not only are we excited about it, so is our fearless leader of Current Meta: Danfinity.…Continue readingEpisode #036: All About Clans (with Special Guest, Danfinity!)
TODAY, the new Warmind expansion drops on May 8, and not only are we excited about it, so is our fearless leader of Current Meta: Danfinity.
Who is Danfinity, you ask?
Well, we are going to answer that question with this one-on-two chat (Yes, “two” as Nick is on a business trip at the time of this recording, so it’s just me and Brandon.) as we talk all about Clans and why they matter. We end with some hard talk about the Warmind which, at the time of the recording, was days away…
Now, it is a matter of hours.
Want to send some feedback to Danfinity or give us your thoughts on the Warmind DLC? Talk to us at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com.
00:00 — Introduction
- Sensing a theme again…
- Man, B, that’s a serious resume you got there.
- No, Nick, but check it out, Danfinity is on the line!
- Danfinity also goes by the nickname, The Collector. Here’s why…
2:52 — Episode #036: All About Clans (with Special Guest, Danfinity!)
- Let’s get to know Dan and discover his journey…
- Professor Broman served as Dan’s gateway.
- Dan truly was tumbling through the void with Twitch.
- Wait…what did he call this weapon?!
- TeeMonster Rant INCOMING!!!!
- And now, back to the interview…
- When The Taken King and sword quests became available, Dan reached out to a random member of “Dads of Destiny” for help.
- How a connection really happens
- When Destiny 2 arrived, Dan had become an admin and a Raid sherpa. He was also ready to break out on his own.
- Thus Current Meta was born.
- In September 2016, Dan began to stream as an alternative to smoking.
- Danfinity gives good interview!
- What’s Dan’s Destiny Jam: THE RAIDS.
- Why Tee can sometimes be a pain in the ass on Raids…
- Current Meta is Danfinity’s Clan, but it is no longer his Clan.
- Clan Engrams. Okay, here we go…
- Tee HATES Clan Engrams.
- And it turns out that Dan’s thoughts are very close to Tee’s own.
- Dan reflects on his time with his time on the Destiny Tracker Podcast.
- What could make Clan Engrams more unique? We got ideas.
- Shout out to Vault of Sass!
- Enthusiasm is contagious.
- KILLER FIRST HALF…and we got more to come!
19:54 — Washington Metropolitan Gamer Symphony Orchestra
20:35 — Episode #036: All About Clans (with Special Guest, Danfinity! — Part Two)
- Putting Dan under the interrogation lamp…
- Wacky Clan Names FTW!
- What makes Current Meta’s reputation what it is.
- Current Meta was all the talk on 3vil_Aura’s stream.
- Tee, Brandon, it’s not always about you.
- How Gaming Nerds became Legend? A lot of hard work.
- So you want to join Current Meta? Here’s what you do…
- Play D2.
- Get on Discord.
- “Discord is Facebook for Streamers.” — Danfinity
- Some other ways to check on players’ activity
- Destiny Clan Warfare
- D2 Checklist
- A shout out to Bibbletron!
- Another secret in creating a successful Clan: Maintenance.
- A big factor in making Clans work: Positive attitudes.
- Why podcasters make great guests on other podcasts
- Tee is still noodling through Dan’s earlier quote about Discord.
- Right, so we’ve covered Clans. What else is Dan up to?
- Sidequest Sunday
- It was originally focused on content creators in the Destiny community, but Dan is now reaching out to people outside of the Cosmodrome.
- Dan gives his listeners a sampler of what creative people can offer.
- How easy was it to go from streaming to podcasting?
- It was all baby steps, starting with a Playstation camera.
- Slowly, Dan started to build, until he was actually BUILDING. A COMPUTER.
- It was RocCityRoller who got him building his own Dream Stream Machine.
- And then after getting his stream up and running, he focused on Sidequest Sunday.
-
Switching gears again…let’s talk about the Warmind DLC.
- Brandon calls out the typo in Tee’s email.
- Making expectations realistic…or absolutely NO expectations.
- How Private Matches are going to affect the Clan
- Looking forward to the Lore Dive
- Let’s nerd out over comic books!
- Have you seen the Warmind comic from Bungie?
- So who is Mark Wade? Well now, Dan will tell you…
- Nick is kicking himself right now.
- Watching people return to Destiny 2…kinda nice.
- Where to find Dan…
- Danfinitwitch on Twitter
- Danfinitwitch on Instagram
- Twitch, of course.
- Sidequest Sunday on Twitter
- Sidequest Sunday on Instagram
- Sidequest Sunday, the website (with Contact Info)
- Where you can reach out to us!
- Voicemail/WhatsApp — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Or leave us a comment on the blog!
- Some last minute thoughts…
- We have got to hit the new Raid Lair
- TONIGHT — Tee returns to Twitch!
- Angela’s GoFundMe and TD0013’s Etsy Store — check them out!
- You remember TeeDee, of course…
-
Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- …and Twitch.
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
(So you know, this is a very long, very personal blogpost. But I needed to share. — Tee) Back on March 13th, I posted thisContinue readingThe Lesson of the Vanguard: Be Brave, Guardians.
(So you know, this is a very long, very personal blogpost. But I needed to share. — Tee)
Back on March 13th, I posted this in a Facebook community dedicated to Destiny…
So…track with me, Guardians. I’m having a day.
I’ve been on the job hunt, a pretty aggressive one. My boss, because he likes me, gave me a heads up I was being outsourced. So I’m on borrowed time. In just over a month, I’ve sent out 170 resumes. No offers yet, but interviews are happening. Today, my wife almost broke me when she said “I know this is hard on you.”
I felt a little jolt like I was going to lose it…but I thought “No. Be a Titan. Dig deep and push forward.”
Destiny is not a perfect game, but its characters and its classes can be a source of inspiration. Yes, this has been really hard, but then I dig deep. When I don’t think I can dig any more, I play; and when I do, I think “It’s okay. I got this.” Maybe I don’t always, but I know I can rise up, and be brave.
Whatever life throws at you unexpectedly, be a Zavala. Be a Titan. Keep going. Keep at it. And if something gets in your way…go through it.
We’re going to be okay.
Be brave, Guardians.
We hear it in the game now and then: Be brave, Guardians. We’re told to stay the course whether facing off with Crota or Aksis in D1 or facing Leviathan challenges of D2. The Vex, the Hive, and the Fallen hit hard when they want to, but every time we return to our feet and push forward.
Then you have Real Life, and it can hit you much harder than any boss in the Solar System or in any video game out there.
Be a Titan Within a week of posting my thoughts in that Destiny community about my unexpected job hunt, I had two of my websites — TeeMorris.com and this one — blacklisted for malware. I immediately took my sites to Dreamhost who proceeded to tell me their “support policies” had changed. It was now my responsibility to get these sites back online. They would figure out what I needed to do, and they would tell me, but they wouldn’t do it. This is, apparently, their new approach to tech support. While I know how to podcast, how to blog, and how to HTML and RSS, I know nothing about how to “clean” a site with malware. When I told them this, Dreamhost’s solution was simple: Turn it over to your IT department.
I’m a sole proprietor, but Dreamhost thinks I’ve got an IT department.
While you know this site is the host of our podcast, TeeMorris.com is the main destination I give people to know what I’m working on and what books are available. This website is key to my marketing as a writer, and now I had two sites down. I was reaching my fill of bad news.
Three days later, during a stream, I got a phone call from my mother. At six in the morning. If your mom is calling you at six in the morning, it can’t be good.
My father had suffered a stroke. A massive one.
At best, if he had opened his eyes, he would have been on a respirator, a feeding tube, and kept in a “facility” where he would be bedridden. If you knew my father, you would know that was not how he would want to live. Honoring his wishes, we said goodbye to him that weekend.
A favorite memory of my dad. 2005, and that’s my father with my daughter in the Outer Banks. The closing week of March was hard. My dad was gone, my sites were down, and I had sent out my 200th resume. Adding to all of this, I had made it to the final interview for a job I really wanted. It would be an opportunity that could serve as a huge step forward for me on a lot of levels. Things looked good as the week of the final interview, I was contacted by the contractor involved and was assured “I would hear from them by Wednesday.” Wednesday came and went, and I was then emailed by the contractor “I would hear from them by Wednesday.” Again, Wednesday came and went. No acceptance letter. No rejection letter. Nothing.
It is now April…and I’m given my last day at my job: Friday the 13th. So on April 8, I say goodbye to my father at a memorial service, and then five days later, I lose my job. When I got home that night, I felt empty. I talked to a few friends, but not for long. I found myself second guessing my final interview for that job opportunity I wanted. I found it even harder to look at my family. I felt as if I had failed them, and I had nothing left.
The next morning, though, I was done. I had cried, I had beaten myself up, and I wanted so badly to talk to my dad again. I was empty. But I had said to my fellow Guardians back in March “Be a Titan. Keep going. Keep at it. And if something gets in your way…go through it.” That was exactly what I was going to do. I logged into Destiny for #TitanTuesday and worked through some anger, some bitterness, some sadness. I had to take control for my wife, for my daughter, and for myself. The more I played, the better I felt. Now that I’ve hit bottom, I could stand tall and find my footing.
It was time to push forward.
Be a Hunter While I was playing, I was coming up with a plan to handle this job opportunity that kept me in the lurch. I wanted an answer. That’s it. I just wanted to know if I had landed this position or should move on to another opportunity. The Titan in me was ready to take the offensive and call the contractor. I had their number, and an open invitation to call in case I needed anything. Turns out I did need something: an answer.
One of my friends and gaming companions from the UK, Munch as he is known by in Twitch circles, recommended that the approach of a Titan might not be the best approach. I needed to adopt a Hunter’s strategy. Something more cunning, more clever. WWC6D — what would Cayde-6 do? Munch suggested I tell the people offering the job that the follow-up was “…also as a courtesy to them. I really did enjoy the interviews and wanted very much to sign with them, but now other offers were on the table. I was calling to see if I should wait a bit longer, or move on with my sincerest thanks for your time.”
“But Munch,” I said, “there are no other offers on the table.”
“They don’t know that.”
No, Munch. They certainly do not.
So, at the start of the day (after my morning stream) I called the opportunity, and told them I was still interested in the position but now other offers were coming in. If they wanted me, I would need a decision from them. The wait during the day was a long one, and still no reply came. I figured “Well, that’s that…” and then a text message arrived. “Out of the office all day on account of being sick. I’ll be in touch tomorrow.” Not “yes” but not “no” either. The following day, I waited as I had for the days before, only this time resolved that if I heard nothing by End of Business—5:00pm—that this opportunity would be done.
The call came at 3:00pm promptly. At 3:05pm, an offer was made.
Cayde would have been proud. So would have my dad.
Be a Warlock The week of my father’s service was still a hard one, but now instead of leaving with uncertainty ahead, I had a more-than-concrete destination. I would be assuming the role of Communications Chief of Code.gov. This was a position much higher up the chain of command that I’ve ever held in previous jobs. This was “the chance” I had been waiting for, at least on the Day Job level.
The Titan had given me the strength to push forward. The Hunter, cunning to make decisions happen a little faster. Now, I needed the Warlock to prepare.
Warlocks are often given a lot of grief for their passion for study; but I would argue that from study, Warlocks learn from the great of the past, not only their victories but their failures as well. (Feel free to insert jokes about “getting carried” here.) Failures are anything but if lessons are learned, and I would learn from my own here. I knew plenty about writing blogposts, working social media, and handling communications of varying media (print, audio, video, digital) but when it came to Open Source Software I knew WordPress and Audacity…and that was it.
Time to hit the books.
The last time I purchased books like this, I was in college. Over twenty-five years later, and I was back into books on theory, philosophy, and opinions. I wanted to make sure I understood this particular battlefield. An impromptu visit to the office earned me another suggestion for reading material, which I jumped on. This was the time for my Warlock to study, to dive deep into the culture behind Open Source. It was my intent to be ready for my first week in the office.
Titans and Hunters can scoff at the Warlock’s scholarly discipline all they like. This is me, on Day Four as Communications Chief of Code.gov…
Yes, this is me, presenting at an event, on behalf of Code.gov, my Warlock’s discipline preparing me for what was to come that afternoon. I’m nearing the end of my second week with this initiative, and I am continuing to learn. I come home drained, I won’t exaggerate. I’ve slept better in the past two weeks than I have in all of February and March. The preparation was worth it. I am stronger. I am faster. And I am still learning.
That’s what Warlocks do.
Be Brave, Guardians I’ve taken you there, and back again as it were; and maybe I got you wondering why. I’m here to tell you that no matter how dark, no matter how rough, no matter how hopeless your situation may appear, things will get better. I not only have Zavala, Cayde, and Ikora to thank for that, but I’ve also got the friends I’ve made in playing this game to thank as well. Call it the Lesson of the Vanguard, but I drew strength from my time playing this game. Sure, it is easy to just say “Tee, this is just a video game…” but I think of the people this video game introduced me, too. Some of them I knew before ever creating that first character, others I have met after giving Twitch a try. Each and every one of them, both consciously and unconsciously, played a part in getting me through what has been the roughest of patches in my life. For that, I am eternally grateful, and I want to pay it forward in appreciation of that. Life doesn’t really take a break. We all have good stretches and bad, and it is easier to take the downward spiral when the bad gets particularly powerful. I’m just here to remind you, Guardian, you’re not alone in this fight.
For my birthday last year, I got the Bungie bike jersey which I use to run in. On the back, just under the collar, it says “Be Brave.” It is a sentiment repeated often in Destiny and Destiny 2, but it should also serve as a mantra for us all. No, it is not always easy to be brave, but standing in the face of challenges and obstacles? The rewards are worth it. Things will get better, and you’ll be stronger on account of your efforts.
Eyes up, Guardian. Be brave.
Next week, the new Warmind expansion drops on May 8, and we are so excited about it…that this show is horrendously late.
Don’t worry, Guardians. We’re going to make it up to you.
We are talking about the Warmind Preview and share our hopes for what’s coming next week. And hey, after listening to our anticipation, why not share with us your anticipation at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com.
00:00 — Introduction
- Hi, Joy!
- Guess what we just saw?
- What we share in common with Avengers: Infinity War
- We have missed you guys!
- Brandon is NOT digging Pip’s new chair for the studio.
- Tee’s leave of absence on Twitch
- Apparently, he is missed.
- Tee reenacts his meltdown on beating Tomb Raider.
- Nick can relate.
- Why the break from Twitch? Tee’s got a new gig, but he’s back at night.
- Geek Wolfpack Podcast — where you can pick up ADHDD&D before Tee streams it…
- Saturday Morning Cartoons, coming to Tee’s Twitch
- Showing mad love for the late, great Ted Knight.
7:49 — Episode #035: The Warmind Preview
- Yes, the preview is last week, but we’ve been busy.
- Maybe we were torturing Brandon.
- Better pack your snowboots, Guardian!
- Turning to our show historian…
- Nick gives us a rundown of who Clovis-Bray is…or was, in our current timeline.
- Dr. Ana Bay tried to warn her superiors at Clovis-Bray about the Warmind. It’s in her journal.
- You know how to get to Ana’s journal, right?
-
WeLoveYouPeterParker
- Some more Ana Bray lore.
- “Dear, Bungie…”
- Brandon’s expectations after seeing the Twitch stream
- DAT SHOTTIE and DAT SMG…
- Citing Gamespot’s own write-up on the Warmind reveal
- Is Warmind sizing up to be a reaction to the community’s ire with Destiny 2?
- A sidebar about American Express because this is us.
- The preview promises a better direction for the game.
- Will hardcore gamers come back to it? Depends on the game du jour…
- Remember when Sea of Thieves was the game to play?
- Is Fortnite no longer the new shiny?
- Nick is still not going into the Crucible.
24:40 — Nutty Bites
25:19 —Episode #035: The Warmind Preview (Part Two)
- How many beers are you drinking, Tee?
- Welcome to Nick’s jam in Destiny!
- Let’s talk about the Escalation Protocol.
- This is a Guardian-controlled Public Event. (Like Archon’s Forge…but different.)
- Anyone can join the EP Event…but if you have not finished the story, it’s gonna get nasty.
- New week, new Boss.
- The Valkyrie…Brandon want.
- Expectations for the Protocol
- There were some sweet looking weapons—old and new—coming our way!
- As if the Hard Light wasn’t nasty enough.
- The Tractor Cannon — it is TROLLTASTIC!
- Suddenly, the Strum/Drang combination matters.
- And, DAT SHOTGUN…
- What to look forward to with the return of Private Matches. Quality Time with Friends…
- More Crucible changes
- Rankings in Glory and Valor
- A unique weapon for ranking in the Crucible
- New maps, good fun
- The Competitive Mode
- The challenge of Competitive Mode, especially with randos
- Tee takes on Trials…and he likes it! A lot!
- Enjoying Iron Banner this week?
- Tee learns something new.
- Maybe we should do another show like this one?
- Looking forward to Warmind? What has you excited about this new DLC?
- Voicemail/WhatsApp — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Or leave us a comment on the blog!
42:34 — Listener Feedback
- Hey, guys, we got new reviews on iTunes!!!
- ThePhilly1971
- DCDenney
- Love the show? Drop us a review at iTunes and we will read it on a future episode!
- Making plans for future shows so stick with us, Guardians!
44:15 — Wrapping Up
- Closing thoughts on Warmind from the Guardians.
- Did you know we had a whole show on Gamer Speak, Tee?
- Stay frosty.
- Special shout outs…
- Lulu and other participants of the Bungie Summit
- Trust in Bungie. They sound like they are working hard to “fix” everything.
- Angela’s GoFundMe and TD0013’s Etsy Store — check them out!
- You remember TeeDee, of course…
- Where to find us online…
- YouTube
- …and Twitch.
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Next week, the new Warmind expansion drops on May 8, and we are so excited about it…that this show is horrendously late. Don’t worry, Guardians. We’re…Continue readingEpisode #035: The Warmind Preview Show
The anticipation is building for the new Warmind expansion coming this May 8 from Bungie, so what do we at the Tower do to pass…Continue readingShow #034: Yeah, We Play Games…
The anticipation is building for the new Warmind expansion coming this May 8 from Bungie, so what do we at the Tower do to pass the time? Well, we get together and play some Destiny 2, of course…
…and yeah, we play other games as well.
Shocked, are you? You shouldn’t be. We love Destiny, as you know; but we play other games as well. Today on Happy Hour from the Tower, Tee, Nick and Brandon kick back and talk about other games they play outside the confines of the Cosmodrome. Doesn’t mean we think Destiny is no longer worthwhile. Variety, after all, is the spice of life.
What about you? What games do you play between Ion Banners? Do you play with your Fireteam, or with completely different people? Let’s hear your thoughts or feedback at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — Introduction
- Wouldn’t it be cool if Failsafe was on the show?
- Still no love for that Brother from another mother on Mercury…
- Wouldn’t it be cool if Sloan was on the show?
- These jokes is still not old to us.
1:12 — Episode #034: Yeah, We Play Games…
- Changing gears here at the Tower to talk about gaming from a perspective outside of Destiny.
- We saw what you did there, Brandon.
- So, you might have noticed that some people aren’t playing Destiny 2. So what are they playing?
- Did you know Nick has a Nintendo Switch?
- He didn’t but it for Zelda…
- …nor did he buy it for the plumber.
- Xenoblade Chronicles 2 — Nick’s Nintendo Obsession
- Well, it would be an obsession…if he played it.
- What keeps bringing Nick back to Xenoblade…
- Shout-out to Video Game Heaven in Virginia Beach.
- In between trying to find time for Xenoblade 2, Nick’s passion for movie reviews is back.
- Now Brandon is never short on video game reviews on the Geek Wolfpack Podcast, and it’s because he’s playing…
- Both Friday the 13th: The Game and Dead by Daylight
- A little detour to talk about Until Dawn…
- …and some shout-out’s to Twitch streamers ZG Photo and SinCity. (That’s SinCityBossRox, Tee.)
- Brandon has returned to The Division. Here’s why.
- Evolve takes a backseat to Overwatch and…The Sims? Really?
20:05 — This Kaiju Life
20:34 — Episode #034: Yeah, We Play Games… (Part Two)
- Twitch streamers are returning to Destiny, but not the current release…
- Looking back on Destiny and the slippery slope we’re trying to avoid.
- So, Tee, what are you playing on your stream?
- Mondays belong to Munch and a little sensation called Fortnite.
- Tee is not into the “Battle Royale” games, but he is loving Fortnite.
- EDITOR’S NOTE: We recorded this show before Brandon won his first victory. Since then, he’s into it.
- Tee’s got a morning crew for Fortnite.
- Munch
- Chavalaar
- Michi
- …and now, Trushuks!
- On Thursday, Tee hosts #ThrillerThursday
- His first game for this event? The Tomb Raider reboot.
- Nice lead up to the Tomb Raider movie with Alicia Vikander. (EDITOR’S NOTE: Watched it! LOVED it!)
- Tee wants to stream Bioshock, but there’s a problem…
- What are we looking ahead to play?
- Tee’s looking ahead to the steampunk adventure, The Order 1886.
- Nick wants to play Fallout 4 on account of a friend of the show…
- Brandon — and a lot of other people — are waiting for Cyberpunk 2077.
- And there’s the speculation around Anthem.
- Brandon is also looking forward to…
- Detroit Become Human
- State of Decay 2
- Hunt Showdown
- Last of Us, Part 2 (a favorite of The Expanse’s Cas Anvar)
- What are you playing outside of Destiny? Share your favorite distraction with us!
- Voicemail/WhatsApp — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Or how about leaving us a comment right here on the blog?
35:48 — Listener Feedback
- Feedback can happen anywhere — even in a Twitch stream!
- Grundlesnork is hooked — HOOKED, I say — on this podcast.
- Love the show? Send us a note, or drop us a review at iTunes.
37:02 — Wrapping Up
- Nice work, Brandon!
- Where to find us online…
- Pinterest (No, really, Pinterest!)
- YouTube
- …and Twitch.
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Hard to believe we have been at this for over a year, but what a year it has been! And to commemorate one year of…Continue readingPromo #3: Happy Hour from the Tower, One Year Later…
Hard to believe we have been at this for over a year, but what a year it has been!
And to commemorate one year of columns, news, interviews, video, and random goofiness from a Fireteam of Guardians that loves this game for all its faults, here’s our latest promo.
Remember, Guardians, to leave us your feedback and thoughts on a year’s worth of content at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
Hold on to your helmets, Guardians, as we are about to go fast. Go REALLY fast! Remember, Guardians, to leave us your feedback and thoughts…Continue readingShow #033: The “Go Fast” Update Show
Hold on to your helmets, Guardians, as we are about to go fast. Go REALLY fast!
Remember, Guardians, to leave us your feedback and thoughts on Update 1.1.4 at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — Show ID
00:09 — Introduction
- Picking up a theme in the introduction drop-in’s?
- You got to admit — that was a good compilation intro!
- Hold on, we’re having this debate now?!
- Brandon is kind of young for Tee’s drop-in…
- This had got to be the fastest we’ve hopped off the rails.
2:11 — Episode #033: The “Go Fast” Update
- Seriously, Tee, how appropriate is that drop-in?
- What we know about the “Go Fast” update?
- Full details on Update 1.1.4 can be found here.
- Nick is still not a fan of speed…nor Brother Vance.
- A conversation between Nick and Dan.
- Nick does love his Feedback Fence.
- If you were thinking that TheTeeMonster was unstoppable on Sunday, here is the truth….
- This update is Brandon-approved! Here’s why.
- Reflections on Mayhem.
- A few details on the Sandbox changes to Guardians’ supers
- The difference between movement in D1 and D2
- Thanks a lot, Nick.
- Silicon Neuroma. Named like a Jaeger, sounds like a perfume.
- Let’s talk about Brandon on an Arcstrider.
- Nick’s reason for the podcast is way more paranoid.
- Tee was a little surprised by how fast he was as a Titan.
- The warm-up made him dizzy.
- Tee’s the monkey wrench in the raid lair.
- Got more to talk about, as we usually do…
15:53 — The Shared Desk
16:53 — Episode #033: The “Go Fast” Update (Part Two)
- Okay, Tee is going to mix it up with the “speed” drop-in’s…
- …but Tee wants to give Ezra Miller props.
- And as we are talking about the Crucible and Destiny, Nick talks about hockey.
- The Las Vegas Golden Knights did something incredibly cool…
- Did you want to hear more hockey news? Swing by the sister-podcast, the Geek Wolfpack Podcast.
- What you can now expect from the Dawnblade
- Stepping into Rumble…
- Thoughts on the Nightfall after the “Go Fast” update
- Blink, and you will miss iLulu running the Pyramidion.
- Running for the Silicon Neuroma.
- Be careful what you wish for, Guardians.
- At the Nightfall… “We hate you, Travis.”
- At the Raid… “We hate you, Tee.”
- Breaking on a Clan Talk tangent…
- …to go on another tangent about the last Faction Rally.
- For Tee: The Grind. In particular — Archon’s Forge.
- What we can get away with because Stacia Kelly doesn’t listen to the podcast.
- Talking about the Grind…
- Anyone else miss Archon’s Forge from Destiny?
- Why a “Battle Royale” in Destiny 2 would be a bad idea?
- A little bit of Fortnite talk. (Yes, this is a Destiny podcast, we know…)
- Bring us back to Destiny 2, Nick!
- Returning to 6v6 in the Crucible
- Quitter Penalties — thoughts?
- The truth about 1.1.4
- Shout-outs to 3vil_Aura and ZGPhoto, and their opinions of the update
- When it comes to NPC’s we really don’t like, this guy is our BIG WEINER…
- Quick shout-out’s to Winged Dynamite and SubiFan05 for stellar Destiny cosplays at AwesomeCon this past weekend!
- Do you have a favorite show from Year One? Share that moment with us!
- Voicemail/WhatsApp — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Or how about leaving us a comment right here on the blog?
- Where to find us online…
- Pinterest (No, really, Pinterest!)
- YouTube
- …and Twitch, featuring Tee and Brandon
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Hard to believe, but we have been at this for one year.
One year of columns, news, interviews, video, and random goofiness from a Fireteam of Guardians that loves this game for all its faults. Enjoy this super-sized episode where we look back on a year with Destiny and Destiny 2.
Remember, Guardians, to leave us your feedback and thoughts on a year’s worth of content at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — New Promo: The One-Year Anniversary
01:15 — Introduction
- We hit the ONE YEAR mark!!!
- Brandon drop those sick beats on a whim!
- The band is back together so hold on to something.
- The previous episode…silly fun, right?
- Brandon is now fourteen, and single….ladies….
3:33 — Episode #032: A Podcast Turns One Year Old (Part One)
- So after one year, should we just repeat ourselves like Bungie has been doing with Destiny 2?
- We have This Week at Bungie or “TWAB” so if we called this podcast This Week at the Tower….
- Our first “official” episode covered the Age of Triumph!
- We had an issue with re-recording episodes, and Nick took offense…
- Tee’s got a few “Lost Sectors” in the buffer, donchaknow?
- Aaaaaaaand we’re off the rails…
- We did a few shows, the three of us, but Coach made his first appearance on the Reveal of Destiny 2.
- How the Happy Hour happened…
- This was a podcast that made us fall in love with Destiny all over again.
- Nick’s reason for the podcast is way more paranoid.
- It started on a dungeon crawl.
- Nick was hooked by the name.
- Nick silently implies a lot on mic, so you can imagine what we are implying here.
- What we have done in a year?
- 31 official shows, including weekly shows between the Beta and Destiny 2
- The Dog Days of Advent
-
FictionFriday
- Video segments
- Special columns on the blog…
- …and then Brandon slams the brakes on this show!
- And the interviews!
- Proudest Moment on the Podcast for the hosts
- For Ron: When we got real about Bungie
- For Nick: The Voice Actor Interviews
- For Brandon: Being a part of the podcast
- For Tee: Watching Brandon come out of his podcasting shell…
23:07 — Geektitude
23:39 — Episode #032: A Podcast Turns One Year Old (Part Two)
- Remembering Joy-O.
- Nick is taking the command of this Fireteam. Here we go…
- A look back on Episode #6: Baby’s First Raid
- The numbering of the episodes are a little off. So. Much. CONTENT.
- And that episode brings up Brandon’s sore point about the Leviathan.
- A change in clans offers options.
- And a tangent on Raids late is revealed.
- Nick’s hatred of Brother Vance knows no depths.
- What do we miss from Destiny 2 that we would like to come back.
- For Ron: The disconnect between the Raid and the Endgame
- For Tee: The Grind. In particular — Archon’s Forge.
- The beauty of “one more game” during Forge Weapons…
- What we would like to see coming in the future for Destiny 2…
- For Brandon: A new Vex Raid on remastered planets from Destiny.
- For Ron: An improvement in social interactions on the individual platform.
- For Tee: New missions on new planets
- And Ron drops an amazing creative bomb to ponder for a future DLC or Destiny 3…
- A few true confessions from Coach to end the show on.
- Do you have a favorite show from Year One? Share that moment with us!
- Voicemail/WhatsApp — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Where to find us online…
- Pinterest (No, really, Pinterest!)
- YouTube
- …and Twitch, featuring Tee and Brandon
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Hard to believe, but we have been at this for one year. One year of columns, news, interviews, video, and random goofiness from a Fireteam…Continue readingEpisode #032: A Podcast Turns One Year Old!
This is probably one of the goofiest shows we have ever recorded. This means you should kick back and enjoy the listen. We’re just having a good time with this show topic.
On Happy Hour from the Tower, we’re going bi-lingual with vocabulary common for gamers but maybe not-so-common outside of the console. Tee presents in a game show format what Guardians are speaking on Twitch and in Fireteam Chat, and Nick & Brandon try to figure out what these terms mean.
Remember, Guardians, to leave us your feedback at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — Introduction
- Damn, Tee. Sick burn.
- The guys…are not impressed.
- Jumping into the show topic, completely kicking back, propping out feet up, and learning a new language.
1:10 — Episode #031: The Language of Destiny (Part One)
- Ever wonder what people are talking about when on Destiny? Well, here we go…
- Brandon? Yeah, he plays games!
- B has returned to The Division! MY GOD, THE APOCALYPSE IS NIGH!!!!
- Thank you, Predator.
- Know your Arnie flicks!
- TRIVIA: Do you know who was to originally play the Predator?
- Titanfall 2 and Overwatch are also in rotation. So is Rock Band 4. (Kickin’ it OLD SKOOL!)
- “Hey, you, dumbass. You in the tank…” and other Walking Dead references.
- Gamer Speak #1: POTATO
- Nick comes up with a clever definition…
- …but as Brandon explains, it is wrong.
- Gamer Speak #2: O.P.
- Tee takes a moment to brag about the boss chair of his.
- Brandon throws his dad a clue…
- …but the guys kinda dig Nick’s Titan-centric definition.
- There is a second definition for this one, too.
- Shout-out to Prometheus Lens and Snowballs!
- Gamer Speak #3: THE WAMBO COMBO
- No, Nick, it’s not a brand of Tequila.
- Brandon doesn’t know it either?! What?! This is a Hunter term, B!
- And yes, this is a fun strat!
- Gamer Speak #4: STRAT
- Well, come on, dumbass, you know this! You’re a musician…
- Brandon nails it.
- Gamer Speak #5: GALLY
- Nick nails it on the first try!
- Reminiscing on D1 joy
- Gamer Speak #6: R.I.P.
- Nick takes a header.
- Brandon’s got it though.
- Gamer Speak #7: GG / GFG / G-effin’-G
- Nick knows this one.
- ….and he takes a higher road on explaining the variant definitions of this term
12:52 — The Steam Rollers Adventure Podcast
14:03 — Episode #031: The Language of Destiny (Part Two)
- Nick is caffeinated, everyone!
- A quick moment in Sportsball…
- Gamer Speak #8: #SLAMANDA
- Want to know more? Listen to this!
- Hey now, I’m ready for the #SLAMANDA show! How about you?
- Gamer Speak #9: JUICEBOX
- GG’s, Nick!
- Presently, Nick’s record is better than both the Browns and the Lions combined!
- Gamer Speak #10: CRISPY
- Nick guesses the terms is related to another gamer term — SALTY — but he falls short.
- Brandon, while he is familiar the term, doesn’t feel that he knows it.
- Gamer Speak #11: SAVAGE
- Another win for Nick!
- Brandon’s not keen on the term on account of burnout at school.
- Sharing a little love for Key & Peele.
- Gamer Speak #12: VOOPING
- Shout-out to 3vil_Aura for this gem!
- Nick gives it a go…
- …but Brandon uses the term as a platform.
- Swing by our YouTube channel for some vooping fun, like this…
- Gamer Speak #13: LOADOUT
- Nothing but net for Nick on this one!
- Yes, Nick is now digging the life of a sword wielder!
- What are your loadouts?
- Gamer Speak #14: ADDS & BOSSES
- And he sticks the landing with three in a row!!!
- Okay, the Game of Death reference is pretty ballin’ when you think about it.
- Gamer Speak #15: REKT / REK’D
- Not to be confused with RETCON from comic books.
- Brandon’s got it.
- Gamer Speak #16: POLEDANCER
- This one’s for B.
- No Hunter love today.
- Taking a break from the quiz show to talk about game time with friends…
- ….and we stumble into rapid-fire movie quotes.
- Gamer Speak #17: SWEATY
- Nick may not know it, but he nails it!
- Brandon with that crispy definition…
- Gamer Speak #18: NADES
- Nick knows more than he leads on…
- ….and we immediately go to the next one….
- Gamer Speak #19: SHOTTIE
- Now our resident Titan is on a roll!
- Let’s stick with this theme…
- Gamer Speak #20: D.P.S.
- And the streak comes to a close.
- Brandon is very familiar with this term.
- A brief aside on Overwatch and Brandon’s strats within it.
- Gamer Speak #21: KINDERGUARDIAN
- Another win in Nick’s column which doubles as an endorsement for our earlier episodes.
- The caffeine is kicking in hard for Nick.
- Gamer Speak #22: BLUEBERRIES
- We kick off with Brandon on this round, and that is fun in itself.
- Wait — he gets it wrong?!
- A variant of RANDOS only with one major difference.
- Gamer Speak #23: MODS
- Kind of like the pizza chain, but different.
- This is a term covering a lot of the games we play.
- Gamer Speak #24: SPAMMING
- Can be applied to chat messaging…and email…but…….
- Brandon gets specific with Destiny, and that leads into……
- Gamer Speak #25: SALTY
- All of us know this one.
- Want to know what brings out the salt in a game? See the next term…
- Gamer Speak #26: CAMPING / CAMPER
- Nick knows this behavior from another game…
- Nice to be able to take your fun remotely.
- Gamer Speak #27: AGRO
- Why does Nick think he doesn’t know this stuff?
- When a game slips into overkill for B…
- Gamer Speak #28: BUNGO
- Nick ends with a win!
- And we shamelessly plug Starla Huchton. So there.
- So what other games are we playing?
- Tee’s playing Fortnite.
- Brandon is getting deeper and deeper into Friday the 13th: The Game.
- Tee has Alien: Isolation…and he is terrified of it. This game scared Phil Rossi!
- Tee wants to do Horizon Zero Dawn but Warframe was free.
- Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is on Nick’s Switch, and he is happy about that.
- What a note to end on…
- What’s you favorite gaming term? Share with the class!
- Voicemail/WhatsApp — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Where to find us online…
- Pinterest (No, really, Pinterest!)
- YouTube
- …and Twitch, featuring Tee and Brandon
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
This is probably one of the goofiest shows we have ever recorded. This means you should kick back and enjoy the listen. We’re just having…Continue readingEpisode #031: Gamer Speak — The Language of Destiny…and other games.
When I was growing up, we had a popular saying. Quick. Cheap. Good. You can have two out of the three, but not all three.…Continue readingOur Take on TWAB – Roadmap Updates
When I was growing up, we had a popular saying. Quick. Cheap. Good. You can have two out of the three, but not all three. In other words, you can have something quick and cheap but it will be low quality (like train station sushi). You can have something quick and high quality, but it will be expensive (last minute airline tickets). You can have something cheap and good, but it will take time. Which brings us to the latest This Week at Bungie.
The Feb 22nd TWAB brings the news that now everything originally announced is going to make it into the originally proposed dates. Some items have been pushed back to ensure that they meet quality standards. In the software world, that means they work as intended with minimal bugs and cheats.
Roadmap Updates Here is a quick recap of the roadmap changes. The 1.1.4 release is slated for March 27. The 1.2 release is slated for May. Moved to 1.1.4: Exotic repetition reduction and Nightfall Strike unique rewards. Moved to 1.2: Exotic weapon and armor sandbox changes. Below is the revised roadmap.
The February release still contains a ton of new features. Auras are getting collapsed into the emblem system, so arming an emblem will give the corresponding aura to a character. The emblems will show statistics, including Crucible kills, both total and by guardian type. These will have different logos, unlocked after completing various feats (i.e. kill 1000 warlocks). Similar scoring systems are in place for the Nightfall and the Leviathan.
Some additional new features have been named for “Spring 2018” but have not been given hard dates, like Vault expansion and Tee’s favorite, multiple emotes.
Where’s Xur? Xur is in the Tower, hanging out with my people, the Space Goths. Follow the icon to Dead Orbit and go up the stairs. (For a laugh at Dead Orbit’s expense, have your ghost scan the terminal there.) Here is his inventory this week:
- Crimson, Exotic hand cannon: 29 Legendary Shards
- Graviton Forfeit, Hunter helmet: 23 Legendary Shards
- Helm of Saint-14, Titan helmet: 23 Legendary Shards
- Vesper of Radius, Warlock chest: 23 Legendary Shards
- Fated Engram: 97 Legendary Shards
- Three of Coins: 31 Legendary Shards
The Crimson is pretty cool. It fires three-round bursts, so you can shoot an enemy in the groin and chest and finish with a head shot. The Silver Bullet ornament makes it look spectacular.
An Olympic Note Finally, as the resident sports ball member of the cast, let me just say Happy Anniversary. February 22nd marks the 38th anniversary of the Miracle on Ice, where a group of amateur players, coached by Herb Brooks, defeated the dominant team from the Soviet Union. That team kept the Soviets from a record fifth straight gold medal. This year, the United States women’s hockey team won gold, preventing the Canadians from achieving that record fifth straight gold.
It’s been a while since we have offered up a video episode, and finally we were able to sit down and edit this footage of…Continue readingEpisode #030: Video Interview with Streamer & Cosplayer TD0013
It’s been a while since we have offered up a video episode, and finally we were able to sit down and edit this footage of a cosplayer in action! Guardians, give a special #TitanTuesday greeting to Kevin G. O’Connor, also known as “TD0013” on Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms. Kevin spent some on-camera time with Tee to give a behind the scenes look at his cosplay project: the Titan’s Iron Regalia armor.
TD0013 can be found on Twitch not only playing Destiny on XBox, but doing what you see here — cosplay and crafting. Go find him on Twitch and follow him on all the social media platforms. As Kevin likes to say, he puts the “F.U.” in FUN. Enjoy the ride, and thanks for watching!
Want to see more video episodes from us? What about that idea from ZG Photo? Should we start thinking about live recording sessions from the Tower? Let us know what you think at 703.791.1701 (reachable through WhatsApp) or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
- Want to know where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
- Where to find us online…
- Pinterest (No, really, Pinterest!)
- Twitch
- And now, YouTube!
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.We’ll talk about it!
*And remember, you can find the show
on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!*
Subscribe, listen, and review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
When the guys at the Tower wrapped their interview with the voices behind Amanda Holliday and Field Commander Sloan, they figure it would be a…Continue readingEpisode #029: An Interview with Joy Osmanski (Failsafe)
When the guys at the Tower wrapped their interview with the voices behind Amanda Holliday and Field Commander Sloan, they figure it would be a stretch before they got the opportunity to interview any more of the talented voice cast behind Destiny 2.
Then Nick started sending out emails, and someone replied “Sure!”
Guardians, you are going to want to sit down for this one. Check out who’s paying a visit to the Tower…
Tee, nick, and Brandon open up the mics for one of the newest voices in the Destiny-verse as well as someone brand new to video game voice acting. It’s the multi-talented Joy Osmanski (Failsafe), making herself right at home in a community that welcomed the dual-personality A.I. with open arms and rave reviews. Joy gave a voice and a personality to the wise-cracking computer that, the guys argue, walked away with some of the funnier lines in the game; and now, the actress known for appearances on Grey’s Anatomy, Castle, and Santa Clarita Diet, finds herself much like Failsafe: in alien territory.
Remember, Guardians, to leave us (and Joy) your feedback at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you! So would Failsafe. And Failsafe, as well.
00:00 — Introduction
-
TitanTuesday on Tee’s morning Twitch broadcasts (archived here on YouTube) are opening his eyes at the appeal of the class.
- The guys giggle at new drop-in’s Tee picked for the show.
- Picking up a theme in the drop-in’s.
- No time for the pre-show shenanigans as we have a special guest on the mic…
1:43 — Episode #029: An Interview with Joy Osmanski (Failsafe)
- HOLY HANNAH IN A HANDBASKET THE SEQUEL, FAILSAFE IS ON THE SHOW!!!
- Hold on. Joy is nervous about being on this show?
- So, first question about Joy’s experience with video game voiceovers…
- Wait — this is Joy’s first go-round in video game voice acting?!
- Mad props to Destiny 2 Voice Director Kevin McMullan.
- So, it wasn’t how she prepped for this, so much as she just took a leap of faith.
- The Guardians offer their services for Joy as sherpas.
- Nathan Fillion was the comic relief…until you reach Nessus. What is the inspiration behind the performance in Failsafe?
- The line between Joy and Failsafe is a thin one.
- The solitude of voice acting (Come on, cons — get Joy out to some of these conventions!)
- For a computer, Joy brings a lot of emotion to your performance, especially the “O Captain” quest. (SPOILER ALERT!) As an actor, how does Joy bring emotion to a character that is a computer?
- More mad props to Kevin.
- Failsafe joins an exclusive club of A.I. Illuminaries…
- Other jobs that Failsafe could do between her Destiny 2 and DLC gigs.
- Joy’s reaction to the end result, but hey — she still has not seen the whole plotline. Might we suggest on YouTube…
- The Guardians are determined to help this self-proclaimed luddite deeper into this world.
- When running with the guys in D2, remember this rule: NO TALKING WHEN FAILSAFE TALKS.
15:35 — Headshots
17:11 —Episode#029: An Interview with Joy Osmanski (continued)
- What a rejoiner!
- And Tee calls out Courtnay and Cissy. So it begins.
- More on Joy Osmanski and her acting chops
- This podcast is now officially one degree from Kevin Bacon.
- How do you get a career like Joy’s? Two words come to mind…
- There’s a LOT to Joy Osmanski.
- Where Joy finds her passion as an actor…
- Nerding out over the Stage Theatre lifestyle
- So let’s talk about Cayde…
- Is Nathan Fillion professionally stalking Joy?
- Joy may not be a Guardian..but she is a Browncoat!
- When an actress’ talents are challenged
- Will Failsafe be hitting the tour circuit anytime soon? (She’s ready!)
- Big shout-out to Courtnay and Cissy who would make great con sherpas for Joy.
- What other projects are coming up for Joy?
- Santa Clarita Diet
- The Fosters
- Showing the love for Netflix…
- …and for The Fosters.
- And she’s not slowing down anytime soon.
- Where you can find Joy online?
- Website
- How about your thoughts on this sit down with Joy? Don’t be shy…
- Voicemail/WhatsApp — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Where to find us online…
- Pinterest (No, really, Pinterest!)
- YouTube
- …and Twitch, featuring Tee and Brandon
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
No edits.
No promos.
No language filters.
No time limits.
This is your Fireteam — Tee, Nick, Brandon, and Ron — firing up their respective microphones and talking honestly about the state of their beloved game, Destiny. It started with a query from XBox Guardian, occasional Twitch streamer, and D1 veteran Kevin O’Connor. It became a conversation that needed to happen here at Happy Hour from the Tower. There is some rough-around-the-edges talk here (especially from Tee) so this particular episode is not safe for work or for consumption around younger listeners.
The Guardians will still patrol the EDZ, the Rig, and the Hallows…but they just have to unpack their thoughts.
No edits. No promos. No language filters. No time limits. This is your Fireteam — Tee, Nick, Brandon, and Ron — firing up their respective…Continue readingSPECIAL EPISODE: Some Hard Talk on Destiny 2, Bungie, and What Comes Next
Listen to Parts 1 & 2 of Omens here!
Listen to Parts 3 & 4 of Omens here!
Listen to Part 5 of Omens here!
Welcome to the conclusion of Tee’s original short story of one Guardian’s journey into a past she cannot completely recall and a future the Traveler wants to see realized. Welcome to the conclusion of Omens.
Rei Sommerset, on the orders of the Traveler, has been brought back from the dead in order to complete Operation: Snowblind, a recon mission that had gone horribly wrong. Her Strike team of three includes Manu Faunumia, a Hunter, and Alysan Osa, her mentor and friend from the order of Warlocks. On reaching Las Vegas, Rei and Manu proceed with the op even though a malfunctioning transmat landed Alysan on the other side of Sin City. They find themselves under fire, one bullet knocking Manu on his back. Alone, Rei faces this mysterious enemy; and in this moment, she is returned to that fateful mission where her world came to an end.
This is is: the finale. With everything I mentioned in the Introduction, I failed to mention the nod to Verena Vorsatz, our cover model for the last two books in The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series. Her work is pretty solid so swing by her Facebook Page. My wife, Pip, and I loved having her around so much, I wrote her into the story. She got a good death scene.
You are invited to share with Tee know what you think of his adventure at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. I would love to hear from you and feature your feedback on the show!
00:00 — Introduction & Musical Acknowledgments
04:50 — Omens, Part Six
24:29 — End Credits
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Listen to Parts 1 & 2 of Omens here! Listen to Parts 3 & 4 of Omens here! Listen to Part 5 of Omens here!…Continue readingFiction Friday: Omens, Part Six
The Guardians hop in their jumpships and return to the Cosmodrome as Nick, Brandon, and Tee enjoy a sit-down with Ukrainian cosplayer, Fenix Fatalist (Mariya) of FD Studios! Who is Fenix Fatalist, you ask?
Well, this is Fenix Fatalist…
Wait, no, hold on….this is Fenix Fatalist…
Um, no…this is Fenix Fatalist cosplay!
Holy Hanna in a Handbasket, who is Fenix Fatalist?!
Actually, her name is Mariya, and she’s spending some time with us today to talk about cosplay, photography, and creative endeavors of all kind. Have a listen to this talented maker’s creative dynasty! Got questions for this cosplayer from Kiev? Share with us your thoughts at 703-791-1701 or drop the Guardians a line at podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com!
00:00 — Introduction
- Brother Vance Shares some love on Nick.
- Cayde is impressed with Brandon’s antics…which do not include making boneheaded dismantlements late at night.
- Wait a minute…Lance Reddick is a voice (and a mo-cap character) in Horizon Zero Dawn?!
1:48 — Episode #028: An Interview with Fenix Fatalist & FD Studios
- Welcome to the Tower, Fenix Fatalist!
- She’s a cosplayer.
- She’s a photographer.
- She’s a singer-songwriter.
- We didn’t mention she’s a lawyer, as well.
- But what happens at FD Studios?
- Mariya has been cosplaying for ten years…so she’s got game!
- Geekery is international.
- Check out her website! It is amazing!
- And FD Studios is taking her love of cosplay and turning it into a clothing line! Look at this…
Click to view slideshow. * A little bit of Overwatch cosplay was how Tee found Fenix Fatalist. It all started with this image… * …then Tee followed links back to her website. Mind. Blown. * But it was on Facebook, he found out about this photoshoot.
Click to view slideshow. * So how does a photoshoot like this happen? What is the story behind this incredible build? * What is the time investment into building a Destiny armor set? (Here’s a Pro Tip: Work with a team.) * Why doesn’t Mariya play Destiny? Well, that answer is obvious! * What captures the imagination of FD Studios, whether to create for commission or just creating for fun? + Mariya hears the Guardian’s Call… + Tee and Nick want Destiny-inspired Hockey Jerseys. The “Cosmodrome Warlocks“ and the “Solarium Titans” have good rings to them. + When Mariya wants to learn more about Destiny hardcore strategies…well, this might not be the podcast of choice, but we are having fun here! * If Destiny photoshoots were easy, we’d see a lot more of them. + First challenge: How do you set your camera? + Second challenge: Where do you shoot it? + Shout-out to photographer JR Blackwell and her photoshoot at Eastern State Penitentiary.
17:13 — *Washington Metropolitan Gamers’ Symphony Orchestra on Twitch*
17:55 — Episode #028: An Interview with Fenix Fatalist & FD Studios (Part Two)
-
Now that we’ve talked about FD Studios, let’s talk about Fenix Fatalist.
- Where does Mariya feel most “at home” with her cosplay? Film? Games? Or anime?
- If you’re talking about anime…Mariya, meet Colby. (And a shout-out to BlerDCon!)
- Mariya talks about the challenge of make-up when doing film cosplay, but looking at this Fantastic Beasts cosplay, it looks like she’s doing fine.
That’s her husband, BTW. And he’s working the books for FD Studios in between cosplays… * Mariya’s most difficult cosplay: Triss Merigold from The Witcher series… * And here’s Tee’s fanboy moment… * …but Mariya confirms it for him: she is Aloy from Horizon Zero Dawn. * Some other favorites of the Guardians from Fenix Fatalist’s potfolio
Click to view slideshow. * How do you decide what to wear at cons, because people were showing a LOT of skin in LOW temperatures at MAGFest. + A touch of insanity helps with cosplay. + The only good thing about the Assassin’s Creed movie + Back to the question… * The value of teamwork in cosplay. (Brace yourself — Mariya is passionate about this subject.) * Need models for your future Destiny cosplay, Mariya? We’re available! * Where to find Fenix Fatalist and FD Studios? + Instagram — http://instagram.com/fdcosplaystudio + Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/fenixfatalistcosplay/ + Storefront — http://fdunited.com + Signed Cosplay Photos and Photobooks — http://fenixfatalist.bigcartel.com/
- Want to send in your thoughts on the show?
- Voicemail/WhatsApp — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Where to find us online…
- Pinterest (No, really, Pinterest!)
- YouTube
- …and Twitch, featuring Tee and Brandon
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
The Guardians hop in their jumpships and return to the Cosmodrome as Nick, Brandon, and Tee enjoy a sit-down with Ukrainian cosplayer, Fenix Fatalist (Mariya)…Continue readingEpisode #028: An Interview with Fenix Fatalist & FD Studios
When I last left you in the tale of Rei Sommerset, the newly-resurrected Warlock discovered not only the growing suspicious of a spy in their…Continue readingFiction Friday: Omens, Part Five
When I last left you in the tale of Rei Sommerset, the newly-resurrected Warlock discovered not only the growing suspicious of a spy in their midst, but that the Traveler insisted that she be revived in order to complete Operation: Snowblind alongside fellow Guardians Manu Faunumia and Alysan Osa.
Sorry for the late delivery, but after a few creative and tech delays, here we go with Episode 3, Part 5 of Omens. Part 6, the Conclusion, should be dropping next Friday. For now, return with Rei to Vegas.
You are invited to share with Tee know what you think of his adventure at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you and feature your feedback on the show!
Listen to Parts 1 & 2 of Omens here!
Listen to Parts 3 & 4 of Omens here!
00:00 — Introduction
05:27 — Omens, Part Five
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
When I last left you in the tale of Rei Sommerset, the newly-resurrected Warlock discovered not only the growing suspicious of a spy in their…Continue readingFiction Friday: How I Spent My Red Legion Invasion by Nobilis Reed
When I last left you in the tale of Rei Sommerset, the newly-resurrected Warlock discovered not only the growing suspicious of a spy in their midst, but that the Traveler insisted that she be revived in order to complete Operation: Snowblind alongside fellow Guardians Manu Faunumia and Alysan Osa. You were expecting that story, I’m sure…
…but you’re going to have to wait a week longer.
I am still working on the story, having discovered a few neat pieces of lore and working through changes from the original draft. Next week, you can expect the conclusion; but I still wanted to offer up some Friday Fiction to celebrate the last week of The Dawning. Fortunately, Guardian Nobilis Reed recorded and produced a terrific piece of flash fiction for us. Be careful — this story just might make you smile.
You are invited to share with Tee know what you think of his adventure or Nobilis’ offering at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you and feature your feedback on the show!
Listen to Parts 1 & 2 of Omens here!
Listen to Parts 3 & 4 of Omens here!
00:00 — Promo: This Kaiju Life
00:30 — Introduction
01:51 — How I Spent My Red Legion Invasion by Nobilis Reed
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Welcome to the New Year, Guardians, and December has been quite an end to an amazing year with Bungie! First, on December 5th, Bungie released…Continue readingEpisode #027: A Review of Curse of Osiris and The Dawning
Welcome to the New Year, Guardians, and December has been quite an end to an amazing year with Bungie!
- First, on December 5th, Bungie released Destiny 2’s first DLC, The Curse of Osiris.
- Then, on December 19th, The Dawning began!
- Meanwhile Tee launched the Dog Days of Advent here on the podcast feed…
- …along with his original novella, Omens, as part of a Fiction Friday special!
So, yeah, December belonged to Destiny.
On today’s episode, the Guardians take a look at Curse of Osiris and The Dawning. What did they like? What did they think could have gone better? What are they looking forward to in 2018? Share with us your thoughts at 703-791-1701 or drop them a line at podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com!
00:00 — Introduction
- Happy New Year, Guardians!!!
- Wouldn’t it be great if we got Courtenay Taylor andCissy Jones on the show? One day…
- Michi gives great drop-in!
2:04 — Episode #027: A Review of Curse of Osiris and The Dawning
- We’re looking back at the fun that some of us are having in Curse of Osiris and The Dawning
- Wait, Brandon is playing other games?
- Who let Tommy Weiseau
- Amanda Is actually a backseat driver.
- And Tee dates himself.
- A look at the Curse of Osiris
- Brandon finished the storyline in a day.
- The Infinite Forest? Not his thing.
- Nick loves watching Nerd Tennis. (WAY MORE than Brother Vance!)
- Past, Present, or Future Vex — What’s your jam?
- Have you read Fall of Osiris yet? Sadly, Nick has been reading other comics…
- Showing some serious voice talent love!
- Morena Baccarin (Firefly, Deadpool)
- Oded Fehr (The Mummy and Resident Evil films)
- Wouldn’t it be great if we got Courtenay Taylor on the show? #SLAMANDA
- Favorite moments of Curse of Osiris
- The ending. Just wonderful.
- Nick and Brandon loved the Osiris “Echoes” guiding you through the DLC.
- Major props to the score. (When’s that coming out?)
- Feathers are all the rage in armor!
- The epic Public Event of Mercury…featuring #twotokensandablue.
- Forge Weapons — the offerings from Brother Vance
- Tee loves the look of the Forge Weapons, but their performance needs work.
- Brandon would debate Tee on the point, but…
- Shameless plug for the podcast’s Twitch stream!
- Nick and Tee are digging the Crimson. (Not a Forge weapon, we know…)
- On Exotic Emotes…dammit, Tee still hasn’t got the Selfie emote!!!
16:16 — Game Stop at Innovation Center (Manassas, VA)
16:56 — Episode #027: A Review of Curse of Osiris and The Dawning (Part Two)
- Tee does love the new seat from OP Seat.
- Nick has the Selfie emote. Dammit.
- Big thank you to special guests for the Dog Days of Advent, from the creators of the Dog Days of Podcasting.
- The Dawning 2017
- Brandon is very happy with the new exchange rate for armor pieces.
- What do you mean there is nothing to do in Destiny?
- Serious snowball love!
- The Genesis Mind cannot handle the snowball.
- On account of The Dawning’s Gift Exchange, Nick is now using as his Power weapon a sword. (Wait. What?)
- Masterwork Upgrades
- A few basics
- The benefits of re-rolling Masterwork weapons
- Brandon goes into more details on the reasons behind rerolling Masterworks and Hunter strategies.
- The Dawning has been a blast!
- Xur’s upgrade — what do we know about it?
- Tee prefers the “Boons” over the new and improved Three of Coins.
30:36 — Selfie of the Show
- It’s December 23rd. Tee’s on Titan, running his Hunter…when another Hunter spawns next to him…
- He poses for a selfie…
- …and a few seconds later, Tee receives this: Destiny 2_20171223012752
- VONKLINGADING — you are HHFTT’s Selfie of the Show!
- Have you got a selfie with your Fireteam or a rando Guardian? Send it in to us! We will feature it as our “Selfie of the Show” and give you a shout-out on the show!
- Wrapping up the show as we have a lot to do on Mercury now…
- Hope you all are digging Fiction Friday — there’s more to come!!!
- Want to send in your thoughts on the show?
- Voicemail/WhatsApp — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Where to find us online…
- Pinterest (No, really, Pinterest!)
- YouTube
- …and Twitch, featuring Tee and Brandon
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
With a brief break on account of the Christmas weekend and finishing a new book, Fiction Friday has returned! This is Episode 2 (Parts 3…Continue readingFiction Friday: Omens, Parts 3 & 4
With a brief break on account of the Christmas weekend and finishing a new book, Fiction Friday has returned! This is Episode 2 (Parts 3 & 4) of a novella from Tee Morris set in the Destiny Universe around Tee’s own Warlock and Hunter. Serialized in podcasts and given to you as a gift celebrating Christmas, The Dawning, and the New Year, Omens is set just before the Red War. Let’s find out what lies in store for newly-revived Warlock, Rei Sommerset, as she heads to the Tower to find out more about Operation: Snowblind.
Share with Tee know what you think of this adventure into his vivid imagination at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. He’d love to hear from you!
Listen to Parts 1 & 2 here!
00:00 — Introduction & Disclaimer
04:02 — Omens: Part Three
13:55 — Promo: The Geek Wolfpack Podcast
14:57 — Omens: Part Four
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.
We’ve made it to this, the final day of the Dog Days of Advent challenge, and the last word from AdventWord.org is a good one for the victory lap: Celebrate.
First, Merry Christmas, Guardians! Or should Tee say Happy Dawning? In Destiny, The Dawning is a celebration of many past traditions of Earth, but for those of us who play, The Dawning is our celebration of the game itself, what with snowball fights, Mayhem, and gift exchanges with the NPC’s. We also find ways to celebrate Destiny every time we log on, stream, or podcast. With a special dedication to Tessachka, the Guardians of Happy Hour from the Tower welcome you to this podcast challenge finale and wish you a very Merry Christmas!
Some places and people to visit on Twitch:
- LuluSoccer
- ZG Photo
- 3vil_aura
- ME!
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701,or here at the blog.
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo. We’ve made it to this, the final day of the Dog Days of Advent challenge, and the last…Continue readingThe Dog Days of Advent: “Celebrate”
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo. It’s Christmas Eve, and the Dog Days of Advent challenge has only two episodes remaining. Today’s meditation word,…Continue readingThe Dog Days of Advent: “Believe”
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.
It’s Christmas Eve, and the Dog Days of Advent challenge has only two episodes remaining. Today’s meditation word, courtesy of AdventWord.org, reminds Tee of a core value in the Destiny franchise: “Believe”
Why is the need to believe in something so important in the video game?
Destiny threw us into a world where we needed to blindly invest our belief into the Vanguard. Destiny 2, however, gave us a good reason to believe in Cayde, Ikora, and Zavala. It really is astounding to look at how emotionally invested we become during game play on account of great storytelling, and we discover in this sequel that belief truly is a two-way street.
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701,or here at the blog.
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo. We’re in the final weekend of the Dog Days of Advent challenge, and this episode goes into some…Continue readingThe Dog Days of Advent: “Child”
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.
We’re in the final weekend of the Dog Days of Advent challenge, and this episode goes into some lore behind Destiny 2. Today’s offering from AdventWord.org is “Child” so how about we discuss the most dangerous child in Destiny 2: Dominus Ghaul.
The self-proclaimed ruler of the Cabal Empire, destroyer of the Tower and ruler of the Last City during the Red War, Dominus Ghaul was a force to be reckoned with in the Destiny universe. While Crota was set on revenge, Dominus Ghaul’s drive for conquest reaches far deeper into his past. Let’s go a little deeper into Ghaul’s past, shall we?
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701,or here at the blog.
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo. It is another special guest segment on today’s Dog Days of Advent episode, going live a little later…Continue readingThe Dog Days of Advent: “Greeting” (with Special Guest Ron Dauphin)
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.
It is another special guest segment on today’s Dog Days of Advent episode, going live a little later than usual. Of course, the guest on mic today is no stranger to the Tower. You know him as “Coach” on the podcast, or as ObiOrion on XBox and Playstation, but our co-host Ron Dauphin brings his own take on today’s AdventWord.org entry: Greeting.
Greeting one another once you get in-game can be something simple like “Hey there!” or “S’up?” but can we do better? A greeting can be so much more than a basic welcome. Greeting another Guardian in Destiny is a special moment in our journey through this game as we open the door and invite new people in our lives. Are you ready?
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701,or here at the blog.
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.
After today, we have only five shows remaining in the Dog Days of Advent challenge. Whether it has been something new in lore, a tip in playing Destiny, or if it’s just been something to make you smile, we hope you’ve been enjoying this special presentation.
Today’s word from AdventWord.org may sound more like a word better suited for Logan’s Run than for Destiny, but it has a definite connection with us Guardians: Renew. When it comes to the renew, Tee usually thinks about the mistakes he makes in Strikes or in missions throughout the system; but not to worry — the Light brings him back. But when a Guardian comes back from the dead, what should he do with this power? Make the same mistake again? What have you learned from the past — a new strategy, or another chance to make the same mistake again?
Make sure to have a listen to our #SLAMANDA episode, along with our recent special feature — Fiction Friday — where Tee is revealing an original story set in the world of Destiny. It’s all part of our Christmas celebrations here at the Tower!
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701,or here at the blog.
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo. After today, we have only five shows remaining in the Dog Days of Advent challenge.…Continue readingThe Dog Days of Advent: “Renew”
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.
Quick shout-out for #SLAMANDA, our most recent episode of Happy Hour from the Tower. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did in sitting down with those two talented ladies. Good times!
Okay, this AdventWord.org offering was hard. There’s no other way to describe it. Seriously. Whether Tee wanted to focus on Destiny lore or the community on a whole, this was not an easy challenge for the Dog Days of Advent. Still, he stepped up, sans coffee, and thought about it: Embrace. What do you “embrace” in Destiny?
Your character’s class — Hunter, Titan, or Warlock — possesses a lot of skills. Many of these skills are multi-tiered. How well do you know them? Do you know when to reach into those skills and employ them? Tee takes a closer look at two of these “skills within skills” that, once you embrace them and get to know them, grant your Guardian one more advantage over your opponent.
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701,or here at the blog.
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo. Quick shout-out for #SLAMANDA, our most recent episode of Happy Hour from the Tower. We…Continue readingThe Dog Days of Advent: “Embrace”
It all started with a voice crush…that led to a tweet…that led to voicemail…
…that led to this show, featuring not one but two voice talents from the Destiny universe.
And all Tee, Nick, and Brandon can do is hang on for dear life!
The Guardians welcome to the show Courtenay Taylor (Amanda Holliday) and Cissy Jones (Sloane). While it was expected that Courtenay was on the show, Courtenay arranged a little gift to celebrate The Dawning by inviting Cissy to join in the fun. The next forty minutes is a wild ride the likes of which no Guardian could prepare for. Enjoy this sit-down with Blonde Solo and the Titan on Titan, and leave us your feedback at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — Introduction
- Why does Tee sound completely unhinged?
- We don’t have one guest from the cast of Destiny. The Guardians got TWO in the Tower!
- Courtenay Taylor plays Tower Shipwright Amanda Holliday in Destiny and Destiny 2
- Cissy Jones plays Deputy Commander Sloane
- Pull it together, Tee.
2:17 — Episode #026: An Interview with Courtenay Taylor (Amanda Holliday) and Cissy Jones (Sloane)
- How this whole thing happened, and HOLY HANNAH IN A HANDBASKET, WE GOT BLONDE SOLO AND SLOANE ON THE SHOW!!!
- Do these actors game? Well…
- Sloane is an “old school” gamer. Who knew?
- Amanda Is actually a backseat driver.
- And Tee dates himself.
- A nerd-out over vintage video gaming (Thanks, Stranger Things 2!)
- The Guardians introduce Courtenay and Cissy to MAGFest
- Do we even bother with our interview questions? Wait…are we introducing alcohol now?!
- Wait, Courtenay was the voice of Hex in Skylanders? Cool! So how does Courtenay compare her work in video games to her new venture, O.K., K.O. Let’s Be Heroes?
- Does Cissy find a deep attachment to the characters she plays?
- Taking a stand for Villager #5
- Is Method Voiceacting a thing? (God, we hope not.)
- When details are provided for actors by the game developers, actors grow closer to the characters.
- Sharing buttheat with a legend
- Where were Courtenay and Cissy proudest with their work in Destiny?
- Did Brandon just steal his dad’s thunder?
- Cissy discovers through cut scenes that she was a bit of an ass-kicker!
- Next time, Tee — trust Nick!
20:24 — Geek Wolfpack Podcast
21:17 —Episode #026: An Interview with Courtenay Taylor and Cissy Jones (continued)
- Nick casts Courtenay and Cissy in an intergalactic Thelma & Louise…
- Let’s talk booze.
- This sounds like a hell of a road trip!
- And now, Courtenay and Cissy host the Matt Mercer (McCree in Overwatch) Roast.
Guess we won’t we having Matt on the show any time soon… * Experience with Motion Capture — is Mo-Cap a regular thing in video game work? * The career of a working class actor + Oh yeah, Tee forgot. He does have an IMDb page! + Mastering a Jack-of-All-Trades work ethic + Awkward moments in voiceover careers * What’s in-demand at conventions when Courtenay and Cissy attend? * The GuardianCon Initiative + The Guardians are undertaking a massive challenge… + Okay, when did Tee loose control? Go to 00:00 and hit PLAY. + #SLAMANDA — let’s get it trending!!! + “These are the voyages of the starship SLAMANDA…” * Where to find Courtenay online + Twitter + Instagram + Facebook + Upcoming projects… * Where to find Cissy online + Twitter + Instagram + Facebook + …and MORE upcoming projects! * Alongside Fiction Friday and The Dog Days of Advent, we’re giving out all kinds of goodies this Christmas! * How about your thoughts on this sit down with Courtenay and Cissy? Don’t be shy… + Voicemail/WhatsApp — 703.791.1701 (Courtenay knows that number!) + Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com * Where to find us online… + Facebook + Twitter + Pinterest (No, really, Pinterest!) + YouTube + …and Twitch, featuring Tee and Brandon * And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network… + Tee — TheTeeMonster + Orion — Obi-Orion + Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff + Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
It all started with a voice crush…that led to a tweet…that led to voicemail… …that led to this show, featuring not one but two voice…Continue readingEpisode #026: An Interview with Courtenay Taylor (Amanda Holliday) and Cissy Jones (Sloane)
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.
It’s a double-shot of audio today as we have an AMAZING INTERVIEW dropping later on the feed, but we kick off this Reset Tuesday — The First Day of The Dawning — with today’s Advent word from AdventWord.org: Open.
We’re talking about strategy this morning in Destiny’s new downloadable content (DLC), The Curse of Osiris. As you might know, the Vex are a race of time-traveling A.I., and in the Curse of Osiris, we are time traveling with them. In the Infinite Forest, we face wave upon wave of Vex, Cabal, and Fallen, all these races attempting to keep us from the connection to Mercury’s Past, Present, and Future. All we have to do is to open a few doors. Here are a few pointers in how to do it.
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701,or here at the blog.
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo. It’s a double-shot of audio today as we have an AMAZING INTERVIEW dropping later on the…Continue readingThe Dog Days of Advent: “Open”
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo. Once again, Tee surrenders the microphone to a very special guest on today’s Dog Days of Advent episode;…Continue readingThe Dog Days of Advent: “Dazzle” (with Special Guest, Nick Kelly)
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.
Once again, Tee surrenders the microphone to a very special guest on today’s Dog Days of Advent episode; and this special guest you know from the Tower. It’s our own favorite Titan, Nick A. Kelly, and he has taken on what looked like a really tough word from AdventWord.org: Dazzle.
What does it mean to dazzle someone in Destiny? Well, let’s just address this at the very beginning. “Dazzle” in Destiny is not this…
…and it may not be what you think. Nick bring his own perspective (which includes a shout-out to Delilah S. Dawson’s Phasma, now out on bookshelves) on what it means to dazzle in a game that is one visual delight after another.
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701,or here at the blog.
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo. Today’s Advent word from AdventWord.org takes us deep into Destiny lore as it is an important presence in…Continue readingThe Dog Days of Advent: “Light”
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.
Today’s Advent word from AdventWord.org takes us deep into Destiny lore as it is an important presence in the game and in the world created by Bungie. Our Advent word for today’s installment of The Dog Days of Advent is Light.
Arguably, this is what makes Guardians unique, but what exactly is Light and what can it do? Is it all that makes us Guardians, or are Guardians more than what this power brings to us? Is there anything that opposes Light, and what power does it possess? We explore the history of Light and speculate about what is to come in future today, and we hope to hear what you think of the Light’s influence in Destiny.
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701,or here at the blog.
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.
Good morning, and welcome to the Dog Days of Advent. Today, I’m hanging out with author and Happy Hour co-host Nick Kelly at Jirani Coffeehouse in Manassas, Virginia, so If you are in the area and you want to come out and talk about Destiny, or podcasting, or just geek out, come on by and say “Hi!” and pick up a copy of our books. As for The Dog Days of Advent, we feature from AdventWord.org this offering: Among.
When you think of the word “Among” what do you think of? I usually think of who I am sharing time and space with; and we not only spend a lot of time with the characters of Destiny, but we also spend a lot of time with each other. After all, isn’t that what Destiny is all about?
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701,or here at the blog.
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo. Good morning, and welcome to the Dog Days of Advent. Today, I’m hanging out with author and…Continue readingThe Dog Days of Advent: “Among”
Welcome to something new for the holidays — Fiction Friday! We’re presenting over the next consecutive Fridays this novella from Tee Morris, set in the…Continue readingFiction Friday: Omens, Parts 1 & 2
Welcome to something new for the holidays — Fiction Friday! We’re presenting over the next consecutive Fridays this novella from Tee Morris, set in the Destiny Universe. This is an original story set around Tee’s Guardians, serialized in podcast form and given to you as a gift celebrating Christmas, The Dawning (beginning December 19), and the New Year. Let Tee know what you think of this adventure into his vivid imagination at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. He’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — Introduction & Disclaimer
03:33 — Omens: Part One
18:59 — Promo: The Shared Desk
20:03 — Omens: Part Two
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo. Welcome to today’s Dog Days of Advent episode, featuring the Advent word of the day from AdventWord.org: Trust. This is,…Continue readingThe Dog Days of Advent: “Trust”
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.
Welcome to today’s Dog Days of Advent episode, featuring the Advent word of the day from AdventWord.org: Trust.
This is, perhaps, one of the toughest things you can do in this game. It’s hard because you have to know when you do this, when you offer up an observation, when you know the shot is right, when you believe this tactic is the one that will get you to the end goal. It is a trait and an ability that all Guardians should strive for. Trust. Trust your Fireteam Commanders. Trust your Fireteam.
And yes, trust yourself.
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701,or here at the blog.
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.
We bring you a very special guest on today’s Dog Days of Advent episode. Putting the “f.u.” in fun and once served as the “middle finger of Vader’s Fist” is Kevin O’Connor or TD0013. Kevin is a friend of the show but he is also a good friend of Tee’s, having blazed trails back in the early days of podcasting with A Different Point of View (A Stormtrooper’s Take on the Star Wars Universe) and voice acting gigs in many podcast audio dramas. He is also a Destiny fan (maining the Titan class, no surprises there), and today his Advent word of the day from AdventWord.org is Wilderness.
Get ready to go hiking. TD is taking you through the dark wilderness of the European Dead Zone. The EDZ holds many mysteries, and Kevin has a few ideas of where those mysteries lead. Today, Kevin is your sherpa. Follow him into the Darkness of the EDZ, in search of the Light. (Don’t worry — that TD0013 has got your back with a super at the ready.)
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701,or here at the blog.
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo. We bring you a very special guest on today’s Dog Days of Advent episode. Putting the “f.u.” in…Continue readingThe Dog Days of Advent: “Wilderness” (with Special Guest TD0013)
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo. Welcome to today’s Dog Days of Advent episode, featuring the Advent word of the day from AdventWord.org: Voice. It is…Continue readingThe Dog Days of Advent: “Voice”
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.
Welcome to today’s Dog Days of Advent episode, featuring the Advent word of the day from AdventWord.org: Voice.
It is easy to get swept up in the actions of a game, find yourself calling out “audibles” when it looks like your Fireteam needs some help. Thing is, that may not be your job when you are on a Nightfall or a Raid Layer. The responsibility to call out plays, assign positions, and offer up strategies and tactics that will get both you and your team to the end of the final fight is one voice. That voice is your Strike or Raid Commander.
Some people to visit on Twitch:
- LuluSoccer
- ZG Photo
- JamesWerk
- Tessachka
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701,or here at the blog.
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.
Good morning, Guardians. For today’s Dog Days of Advent, we get a word from AdventWord.org that could have many applications to Destiny: Watch. We have a lot of people watching over us. Our Ghosts. Our Vanguard. Our Fireteams.
But sometimes, it can help you out to understand a game by truly watching others master it.
Tee shares his early Twitch experience with Twitch streamer OneActual, and talks about the lessons he has learned about Destiny as well as about the community built around it. Sometimes, there is a lot of value found in being a spectator, so long as that isn’t all you do.
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701,or here at the blog.
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo. Good morning, Guardians. For today’s Dog Days of Advent, we get a word from AdventWord.org that could have many…Continue readingThe Dog Days of Advent: “Watch”
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.
Hope you are in the mood for some Destiny lore as today’s Dog Days of Advent offers up some history on an iconic cast member of the game. Today’s Advent word from AdventWord.org: Messenger.
Messages can come from anywhere, and it is always a good idea who know from where they are coming from. What happens, though, when you are receiving a gift from a benefactor you know nothing about, be it their past, their origins, or its intentions?
Well, that is exactly what Earth is doing when it comes to The Traveler. And we all wonder: what is the Traveler trying to tell us?
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701,or here at the blog.
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo. Hope you are in the mood for some Destiny lore as today’s Dog Days of Advent offers up…Continue readingThe Dog Days of Advent: “Messenger”
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.
Today’s Dog Days of Advent is a little late, but it is happening. Our word from AdventWord.org for this Sunday is a good one for Destiny: Prepare.
Destiny offers up a lot of surprises and unexpected twists in their Story, but how do you prepare for something that you don’t know is coming. And what about PvP? You have no idea what you opponent will do. How do you make yourself ready for that.
Consider this, Guardians…
Some places and people to visit on Twitch:
- LuluSoccer
- ZG Photo
- 3vil_Aura
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701,or here at the blog.
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo. Today’s Dog Days of Advent is a little late, but it is happening. Our word from AdventWord.org for this Sunday…Continue readingThe Dog Days of Advent: “Prepare”
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo. We’ve made it for a whole week in the Dog Days of Advent challenge, and our seventh show…Continue readingThe Dog Days of Advent: “Focus”
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.
We’ve made it for a whole week in the Dog Days of Advent challenge, and our seventh show is a bit longer than usual. Thing is, this word from AdventWord.org tends to be synonymous with Destiny: Focus.
I’m the first one to admit that I am still working on my Focus. Even with streaming in the morning, I know I’ve got a lot to work on when it comes to focusing. In the time I’ve been playing in Destiny 2, though, I am finding a groove that helps me with my focus. Above all, I have to ask myself one question: Am I having fun?
Some places and people to visit on Twitch:
- LuluSoccer
- ZG Photo
- ME!
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701,or here at the blog.
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.
So, yesterday I was all about Warlocks for the Dog Days of Advent as the word was “Heal” but today’s word from AdventWord.org comes close to inspiring a repeat: Mend. The word for today is Mend.
I had to really think about this one.
This episode may seem a bit deep, perhaps questioning the intentions of the game designers and game developers of Destiny, but the ability to mend — and the need to do so throughout the game — is prevalent throughout Destiny 2. Get ready to go deep into your Guardian’s intentions in this Dog Days of Advent episode.
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701,or here at the blog.
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo. So, yesterday I was all about Warlocks for the Dog Days of Advent as the word was “Heal” but today’s…Continue readingThe Dog Days of Advent: “Mend”
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.
This Dog Days of Advent entry based on today’s word from AdventWord.org might be a no-brainer: Heal.
Let’s talk about Warlocks.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you hear all the jokes about Warlocks. “Why do Warlock boots always look so good? It’s from all the times they’ve been carried.” Hardy-har-har. Cool story, bruh. Thing is, Warlocks are badasses. If you are on an Adventure, a Strike, or a Raid, it might be a good idea to have some Space Magic on call. Find out why in this Dog Days of Advent installment.
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701,or here at the blog.
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo. This Dog Days of Advent entry based on today’s word from AdventWord.org might be a no-brainer: Heal. Let’s talk about Warlocks.…Continue readingThe Dog Days of Advent: “Heal”
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.
Welcome to another Dog Days of Advent, and today’s word from AdventWord.org is Simplify.
If you are on an Adventure, a Strike, or a Raid, let’s be honest: a LOT is happening. I remember describing a Nightfall Strike as “if the world itself was coming to an end” because I had no clue where to look. Fortunately, I was running with a good team (led by ZG Photo), and one of the takeaways I had from that run was to keep things simple. How do you do that in a Raid or a Strike? There are a few things you can do to accomplish more in Destiny 2. The trick is to simplify.
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701,or here at the blog.
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo. Welcome to another Dog Days of Advent, and today’s word from AdventWord.org is Simplify. If you are on an Adventure,…Continue readingThe Dog Days of Advent: “Simplify”
Two weeks ago, we were saying “What. A. Week.” in response to an amazing first look at the upcoming Curse of Osiris expansion, going live today at approximately 1 p.m. EST.
That was before the #TwoTokensAndABlue hiccup on Twitch…
Watch the entire Curse of Osiris Reveal #2 from November 21st from Bungie on www.twitch.tv
…and before the XP debacle discovered by Destiny players and reported on Reddit.
“What. A. Week.” indeed.
The Guardians gather round the mics to discuss the trip-up’s and unexpected revelations befalling Bungie, their blogpost, their podcast, and their new direction. And we invite you to chime in. Send in your feedback at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — Introduction
- We got the band back together!
- Brandon, speak into the microphone.
- Oh, if you could have heard the shenanigans before we went hot…
- We got a lot to talk about, so let’s dive in.
1:19 — Episode #025: Bungie’s Recovery (Part One: What the F@&k Happened?!)
- What a week for Destiny
- They were coming off a really good high with their first Curse of Osiris reveal.
- We’re hiding our disappointment with snark.
- …but then, #TwoTokensAndABlue happened. (Hit “Play” in the clip above.)
- And then, a few days later, Destiny 2 players revealed on Reddit a kerfuffle with XP Gains, something Bungie failed to mention in previous hot fixes.
- Ron states what hardcore gamers have been dreading: Destiny 2 is no longer geared for them.
- Brandon, you’re featured IN Podcasting for Dummies. Speak INTO the microphone!
- Nick asks “Who is the intended audience for Destiny 2?”
- But was this XP problem really hidden? Ron doesn’t think so.
- The XP requirement was a bit much.
- Was Bungie trying to be deceptive about their changes in Destiny 2? As Tee has said in his stream, Bungie means well but they are trying to make everyone happy. Can they?
- Direct your ire away from Deej. This isn’t his fault. Think of him as The Speaker.
- The bigger question: Didn’t anyone at Bungie think how this would go over?
16:49 — TGGeeks
17:25 — Episode #025: Bungie’s Recovery (Part Two: Bungie Responds to the Critics and Criticisms)
- Bungie’s bad week went addressed in both a blogpost and a podcast.
- Tee takes issue…with the podcast. Not with what was said in the podcast. No, the podcast itself.
- Nick with the recovery.
- Bungie appearing deceptive could not have happened at a worse time…
- Lumping Bungie and EA Games in the same category is unfair to Bungie.
- Bungie: “Great. We’ve just pissed off our loyal fanbase in the worst possible way. We can’t picture any other game developer screwing up this badly.”
EA Games: “Hold my beer.” * Ron is concerned that Tee’s ire over the Destiny podcast prevented him from hitting the plug bell. (Not to worry. Tee was on it.) * Could fatherhood have played a factor into last week? (Congrats, Cosmo!) * Are the changes promised in upcoming Hot Fixes for Destiny 2 truly steps forward, or steps backward? + How much of what is “broken” is the fault of the vocal minority? + Again, we ask if Bungie can please everyone? + ONE UNIVERSAL TRUTH: Destiny 2 is not for the solo player. + Thoughts on Clarion’s Call * Bungie takes a stand: Game Development is hard. + Is Bungie making themselves out to being the victim? + Watch the closing credits, and then make the claim “This is an easy fix.” + The sympathy falls short in the song-and-dance at the beginning of the podcast. + When a single fusion rifle shot yields better rewards than a full-on Public Event * Bungie does admit in the latter-half of the podcast they should have handled the XP issue better. * Lot of promises for December — can Bungie deliver? * Concerning Ranked Crucible + Being the hardcore gamer, the Guardians turn to Brandon for opinions. + Brandon talks Overwatch and the competitive angle there. + Tee rallies for his fellow Guardian. + Ron is concerned about people bailing from Matchmaking which segues into a discussion over the new Quitter Penalties being proposed. + Delving into the Competitive Mind * If you don’t have fun playing Destiny 2, here’s a thought: play something else! * Hey, Deej: Thank you. * Will Bungie deliver on their promises? * Okay, so, what is up with this Dog Days of Advent? + Tee’s doing a podcast within the podcast. + The themes talked about are coming from Adventword.org + And we might even have a special guest or two joining us… * How about your thoughts on what we’ve covered in today’s episode? Don’t be shy… + Voicemail/WhatsApp — 703.791.1701 + Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com * Where to find us online… + Facebook + Twitter + Pinterest (No, really, Pinterest!) + And now, YouTube! * And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network… + Tee — TheTeeMonster + Orion — Obi-Orion + Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff + Nick — Rev3Dood
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Two weeks ago, we were saying “What. A. Week.” in response to an amazing first look at the upcoming Curse of Osiris expansion, going live…Continue readingEpisode #025: Bungie’s Recovery
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.
The Dog Days of Advent rolls on, and on the day of the Curse of Osiris’ release, AdventWord.org offers up for today’s word Gather.
Ever wonder why, in the middle of adventures and quests, you suddenly see members of your Fireteam stop and look at something off the path. What is going on? Tee offers up a quick breakdown of Planetary Materials found across the Solar System, and why these resources may be important to you in-game.
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701,or here at the blog.
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo. The Dog Days of Advent rolls on, and on the day of the Curse of Osiris’ release, AdventWord.org offers up…Continue readingThe Dog Days of Advent: “Gather”
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo. The Dog Days of Advent, a new challenge issued to the creators of the Dog Days of…Continue readingThe Dog Days of Advent: “Journey”
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.
The Dog Days of Advent, a new challenge issued to the creators of the Dog Days of Podcasting, has a new word for today, courtesy of AdventWord.org: Journey. Tee looks at the different places you can visit in the game, and also touches on the ways you can access your various destinations and missions. Tee also talks about the journey you take not just as a Guardian but also as a gamer. It’s been a fun ride, and well worth the time.
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo.
Welcome, Guardians, to the Dog Days of Advent, a new challenge issued to the creators of the Dog Days of Podcasting. Between now and Christmas, Tee will be checking AdventWord.org (another fun holiday challenge) and dropping into the feed a quick podcast that covers a tip or a segment of lore from Destiny related to the Advent Word of the Day. Enjoy this bit of holiday audio fun as Tee (and special guests) record their own entries for the first-ever Dog Days of Advent Challenge!
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Special thanks to Corbin J Drake for the photo. Welcome, Guardians, to the Dog Days of Advent, a new challenge issued to the creators of the…Continue readingThe Dog Days of Advent: “Awaken”
In light of a cancelled stream heralding the release of Curse of Osiris, speculation has been rocking the Destiny community on exactly what is going…Continue readingIntercepted Transmission: The Bungie Podcast, November 2017
In light of a cancelled stream heralding the release of Curse of Osiris, speculation has been rocking the Destiny community on exactly what is going on at Bungie. With Destiny 2’s first DLC so close to its launch, exactly why cancel the feed?
The Guardians at Happy Hour from the Tower will be talking further about this in their next show, but between #TwoTokensAndABlue and an XP debacle all happening in a week’s time, Bungie needed a moment to reassess. They took it.
Here are the results of that reassessment…
…quickly followed by this podcast (that you can subscribe to at iTunes) featuring Bungie’s Game Director Luke Smith, Project Lead Mark Noseworthy, and Marketing Director Eric Osborne.
Eyes up, Guardians. The Vanguard have taken the comms.
Now and then, the Tower may share a podcast that also shares a love for Destiny, and how the game remains a stand-out against all other games in the market. In this episode of Headshots, host Josué Cardona interviews his friend Jonathan, a disabled veteran, about his experience across both Destiny and Destiny 2. Jonathan also goes deep into how video games and streaming communities helped him through a dark period of his life. Destiny, it turned out, would be more than a distraction. It would be a lifesaver.
Content Warning: This episode feature discussion of suicide and depression.
Headshots is part of GeekTherapy.com. This network, under tagline “How Geek Culture is Saving the World”, serves as a hub for news on the positive effects of video games, comic books, pop culture, and new tech. Josué hosts the Geek Therapy Podcast and frequently lectures at pop culture conventions and professional conferences. He’s currently on a mission to disrupt the mental health space with educational technology and things that haven’t been invented yet.
Now and then, the Tower may share a podcast that also shares a love for Destiny, and how the game remains a stand-out against all…Continue readingIntercepted Transmission: Headshots, Episode 32
What. A. Week.
Yeah, the Guardians know it’s been two weeks since we last fired up the mics; but here we are after a jam-packed week of announcements from Bungie, a day of Nightfalls, and some early morning fun with TheTeeMonster. And with Coach on the line, the Guardians are back. Shenanigans are inevitable.
Got questions for the Guardians? Send in your feedback at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — Introduction
- Welcome to the Thanksgiving Show! So let’s talk turkey about Destiny 2!
- Hey, Coach is on the show today!
- With all the Guardians in studio, it’s already promising to be a wild ride…
1:43 — Episode #024: A Big Week of Destiny (Part One: Savathûn’s Song & The Crucible’s Supremacy)
- What a week in Destiny for Tee! What happened? Well…
- Tee teamed up with ZG Photo and ran the week’s Nightfall: Savathûn’s Song, earning him the Rat King.
- Then, after taking a break, ZG led the fireteam back in for a Prestige Nightfall.
- Tee has also added a camera to his Twitch stream. So now there’s a face with the voice.
- Brandon and Ron felt very uneasy about the whole “Flashpoint BAE” concept.
- Coach accomplishes a flawless game in the Crucible…in the game that he hates the most.
- If you want to catch Tee’s stream, better set an alarm clock…
- He’s got to keep a schedule though, lest he falls to the Curse of Pip.
- So, turns out Tee is not the only Guardian from the show to paddle down the Twitch stream.
- Much like KMagic101, Brandon is having a difficult time going back to PSN after a taste of Destiny 2 on the PC.
- The difference between the PC community, the PSN community, and the XBox community.
- Brandon’s mission: Playing the Iron Banner on the PC exclusively
- Congratulations, New Monchichi, for winning the second Faction Rally. #notbitter #totallybitter
- Chatting a bit about swordplay between D1 and D2
- Nick’s schedule has not been conducive to Destiny.
- Now, we’re tagging everything with “of Osiris” from here on…
- Quick shout-out for Nick’s First Love: Xenoblade Chronicles
16:46 — Geek Radio Daily
17:45 —Episode #024: A Big Week of Destiny (Part Two: Curse of Osiris)
- Coach hasn’t lost a beat…
- Quick little moment of glory from the Prestige Nightfall
- So, let’s talk about Curse of Osiris…
- Who is Osiris?
- And did anyone notice that Osiris did the Guardian Slide?
- New Destination: MERCURY
- New Characters, New Lost Sectors (that are harder to find now), and…
- Inappropriate joke in 3…2…….
- And finally, ZG Photo checks in.
- You want to run this podcast? Well…you can’t!
- Some thoughts on the Raid Layer, being introduced in this expansion.
- Returning to the discussion about the Casual Gamer and Destiny 2
- Quick shout out to #BlondeSolo
- Returning to the Leviathan: Shortcut or New Stories in the Environment?
- Brandon and Ron pull rank on Tee…and this is when the podcast starts hopping off the rails.
- Have you heard the Geek Wolfpack Podcast?
- The Weapon Forge…of Osiris.
- Why all the hate on the Vigilance Wing?
- A quick shout-out to the new voice talent showing up…
- Morena Baccarin
- Oded Fehr
- Want to see how harder we can hop off the rails?
- What we are looking forward to with Curse of Osiris
- How about your thoughts on what we’ve covered in today’s episode? Don’t be shy…
- Voicemail/WhatsApp — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Where to find us online…
- Pinterest (No, really, Pinterest!)
- And now, YouTube!
- And here’s where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
- See you in December, Guardians!
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
What. A. Week. Yeah, the Guardians know it’s been two weeks since we last fired up the mics; but here we are after a jam-packed…Continue readingEpisode #024: A Big Week with Destiny
First off, if anyone was curious as to whether or not Tee has cancelled his early-morning Twitch stream, he has not. He has been on-the-go…Continue readingEpisode #023: An Interview with KMagic101
First off, if anyone was curious as to whether or not Tee has cancelled his early-morning Twitch stream, he has not. He has been on-the-go since returning from the P.I.Y. 2017 Event and should be back to his usual gaming schedule soon!
Second, we got a new episode and we are featuring the multi-talented, multi-faceted gamer, KMagic101, who has a lot to talk about with Destiny, with Twitch, with content creation, and — when Nick steps in — with sports. Enjoy the listen and the laughs we enjoy with Kevin as we spend some quality time with this exceptional streamer.
Got questions for the Guardians? Send in your feedback at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
0:00 — Introduction
- Why is Cayde worried about us recording something? We’re podcasters. We always record stuff!
- If this is a Destiny podcast, why is our guest’s drop-in from Call of Duty?
- We’re not creepy. Honest.
3:13 — Episode #023: An Interview with KMagic101
- How the KMagic101 channel evolved into a channel that approaches games in a certain way.
- Tee Morris is the gateway drug to podcasting, and he’s okay with plugging his own book during someone else’s interview.
- Kevin is also a podcaster, but the podcast and the Twitch stream work together to equate success for him.
- Podcasting: The Crack of Social Media. Betcha just can’t host for one!
- And Brandon brings the snark in early.
- Kevin was lucky enough to play the Destiny Alpha…and he hated it.
- Then the Destiny Beta came out, and the Rabbit Hole opened wide for Kevin.
- How many games have you ever heard were referred to as “life changing” for players, but Destiny is that kind of game.
- Concerning Destiny 2, casual gamers verses hardcore gamers, and the business of video games
- It’s a hard return to PlayStation after the PC version.
- Tee’s got some serious nerd lingo to look up during the break…
16 :55 — The TGGeeks
17:31 — Episode #023: An Interview with KMagic101(Part 2)
- How an event like SweatFest evolved into a massive yearly event called GuardianCon
- Quick shout-out for the Tampa Bay Alehouse who were the original hosts
- On account of expectations, they are moving to the Tampa Bay Convention Center
- Prepare for hugs
- GuardianCon, St Jude’s Children’s Hospital, and Play Live: Using gaming powers for good!
- Where to find GuardianCon on Twitch
- How you can host your own charity stream? GuardianCon has made it easy for you!
- You want to know how tough it is to find a deodorant sponsor for a convention?
- The most rewarding aspect of putting on an event like GuardianCon…
- Nick takes a moment to talk about Football, but both of them go wide. Tee and Brandon just hold on and watch the two sports nerds nerd out even harder.
29:48 — Destiny in the News
-
- Tee is struggling to get the episode back on track…
- FIRST NEWS ITEM: Friend of the show, ZGPhoto, has made “Partner” on Twitch! FINALLY!!!
- SECOND NEWS ITEM: We would have loved to celebrate with Zack, but there was problem yesterday at Comcast…
- THIRD NEWS ITEM: Hey, PC Users, Patch 1.0.6.2 needs to be downloaded. (And we wonder how long Brandon was sitting on that pun.)
- FOURTH NEWS ITEM:
-
FIFTH NEWS ITEM: Deaf Fireteam completes the Leviathan Raid
- Where can people find Kevin online:
- Twitch
- …and he’s got an Instagram, but he knows not the ways of the ‘Gram.
- Wrapping up the interview. See you in a few weeks!
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
What a day on Happy Hour from the Tower! First, it’s Reset Tuesday so it is time for new Flashpoints, new challenges, a new Call to Arms, a new Nightfall, and new starting points in Raids.
Know what else is new? PC Users are now online with Destiny 2!
Welcome aboard, PC Gamers! We’re thrilled to welcome you to the Tower, and we hope it’ll be worth the wait!
Now there have been a lot of questions flying back and forth on Twitch about whether or not Destiny 2 is a worthwhile game. We think it is, and this is the show that’s going to tell you why. Whether you are a new PC Gamer jumping in Cabals deep, or a console player curious about the hype, the Guardians are here to tell you why they keep coming back to Destiny 2.
Got questions for the Guardians? Send in your feedback at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
0:00 — Introduction
- There’s always room for Charlie Brown in Destiny.
- Some love for Lance Reddick. You remember him from our Voice Talent episode…
2:04 — Episode #022: Destiny 101 (Welcome PC Gamers!)
- Destiny has been out for a month (and some change…), and maybe you are wondering “What’s It All About?” So, from the top…
- What you need to know from Destiny the First…
- Nothing really. You can start Destiny 2 cold.
- For veteran players, there are moments of reflections from previous accomplishments.
- Nick does have a bit of concern about the tone “Homecoming” sets. No, it does lighten up.
- Who are the Traveler and the Speaker in Destiny?
- What’s the Tower, and who are the Vanguard?
- First mention of Stacia Kelly, the #OnlyDelightfulWarlock (That’s a dig on Tee and Ron…)
- What’s out there waiting for us Guardians?
- The Fallen
- The Cabal
- The Hive
- The Taken
- The PVP of Destiny 2: The Crucible
- What’s with this whole “Light” thing from the Traveler? Why is it so important?
- Hold on — Guardians have special powers?
- Some are powers that help you, but there are others that help your team.
- Brandon insists on splitting hairs at this point.
- The Red Legion Invasion is only the start…
- Get your Light back
- Get the band back together
- Brandon doesn’t get Trolly McTroll, but they are out there.
- Fortunately, trolls are in the minority in the Destiny community
18:09 — The P.I.Y. Workshop 2017, presented by Tee Morris & Chuck Tomasi of Podcasting for Dummies, 3rd Edition
19:16 —Episode #022: Destiny 101(Part 2)
- Let’s talk about our individual approaches to Destiny 2.
- Quick Sidenote: How does Brandon think that Destiny 2 performs on the PC?
- He plays on the PSN for the social aspect of it. (He really does love us.)
- Brandon’s admitting to the learning curve on the keyboard, but he could make the jump.
- Lot of details are popping in this game, especially in the visuals.
- Tee is approaching the Storyline along with the Adventures, and he found himself leveling up quickly.
- Ron was doing a casual tour of Destiny 2 until he discovered that Tee was way ahead of him…
- Tee’s budgeting time in the morning for the game. (Something Tee never did in the D1 years.) Join him in his Early Morning Twitch Stream where he’s still getting things done.
- Nick is enjoying the D2 experience strictly for the social experience!
- TITAN’S GONNA TITAN!!!
- The best advice for Destiny 2: Take your time.
- Shout out to Big Show, avid Destiny player!
- Know what else is cool? New Destiny Swag!
- Check out the Bungie store!
- Destiny Stress Balls…that are engrams!
- And Funko Pop is bringing their A-Game!
- Closing thoughts on Destiny 2
- Switch up those weapons. Have favorites, but switch ‘em up!
- Nick recommends having a fully charged controller in the wings.
- Brandon shows bias.
- And Brandon gives the Creative Commons tag another try…
37:47 — From the Blooper Reel
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
What a day on Happy Hour from the Tower! First, it’s Reset Tuesday so it is time for new Flashpoints, new challenges, a new Call to Arms,…Continue readingEpisode #022: Destiny 101 (Welcome PC Gamers!)
We may be going long on this episode of Happy Hour from the Tower because last week, our own TeeMonster headed into the belly of the beast with Lulusoccer and pulled off a raid.
Yes, Tee successfully survived the Leviathan!
While Nick has questions and Brandon tries on various shades of green, the guys shadow-step with Tee through the first raid of Destiny 2. In the second half of the show, we also look at a conversation floating through the Destiny community about the state of the game after its first month. Does it have staying power? Hear what the guys have to say on that.
Got questions for the Guardians? Send in your feedback at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
0:00 — Introduction
- Showing a little love for Failsafe, our new favorite NPC.
- Tee admits how Peter Dinklage would not work as the voice of your Ghost in Destiny 2.
- Congratulations, Dead Orbit…you freakin’ Space Goths.
3:14 — Episode #021: A Leviathan Raid Review
- Congratulations all around.
- Wait, did Brandon do something that is more on par with Tee’s approach to Destiny?
- Tee’s adventure alongside LuluSoccer in the Leviathan Raid
- You can see the Raid as Lulu saw it (start at 18:40) or from Tee’s perspective (start at 2:23:00, if YouTube doesn’t take you there first)
- And Undead Phoenix asks the question Tee’s running mates have asked often…
- A humbling factor: The Twitch Community, both with Lulu and ZGPhoto
- Tee’s Early Morning Twitch Stream — it’s a thing now!
- So let’s talk about that Leviathan Raid…
- Tee felt pretty good about the Raid. The follow up was when he freaked out.
- Running time for the Leviathan? Somewhere in the two-three hour window.
- The Baths: One minor hiccup reminiscent of Monty Python, but then Tee was solid.
- The Gauntlet: Wait, you want me to do what?!
- Run, Barry. Run!
- And Tee’s heart rate was up going into the Boss Battle.
- The Thorne Room: Tee’s Chariots of Fire Moment
- The Grinder: This was Tee’s traumatic moment…and the Raid was already done!
- Why Tee was completely blown away by the Leviathan
- The team dynamic
- The fault in Bungie’s Guided Games
- Brandon doesn’t get Trolly McTroll, but they are out there.
- Fortunately, trolls are in the minority in the Destiny community
18:03 — The P.I.Y. Workshop 2017, presented by Tee Morris & Chuck Tomasi of Podcasting for Dummies, 3rd Edition
18:43 — Episode #021: A Leviathan Raid Review(Part 2)
- Seriously? Tee was the first in the Clan to do it?
- If you are looking for Raid tips and more, check out…
- LuluSoccer
- ZGPhoto
- …and other great Twitch streamers, many of which will be at GuardianCon 2018!
- The Throne Room Battle
- SPOILER ALERT!!! (Fast forward to 21:35 to avoid any spoilers from the Raid’s finale.)
- Who is Emperor Calus?
- How do you start the boss fight? It’s pretty cool.
- A very clever touch of storytelling. Well done, Bungie.
- Nick Kelly, everyone. Don’t forget to tip your servers…
- The Leviathan in a Nutshell: The mechanics of King’s Fall with the pace of Wrath of the Machine
22:48 — Guardian Feedback
- Quick aside, check out Nick’s new threads from Bungie…
- Tee came across a comment from the Bungie’s Destiny 2: The Community Group on Facebook
- A “casual gamer” cries “Foul!” on the more difficult challenges of Destiny 2
- Destiny Power Player Datto shares his own thoughts.
- New hashtag: #LootPinata
- So here are a few thoughts from us…
- The new mechanics do make things easier for a casual audience because this is a business.
- This is reminiscent of SMOFs whining about new fans at conventions.
- “Casual Gamers” are not always a bad thing.
- 3vil_Aura has voiced concern about the game already being over and done, but is that fair considering the level of gamer that he is?
- The disconnect with Tee and Brandon: In Destiny 2, there is always something to do! The grind is in the design, and it is fun!
- We have all played Destiny 2 in this first month of the game as opposed to the last six months with Destiny for various reasons.
- Tee and nick are not cool with the new “participation trophies” in Destiny 2, as Datto commented on.
- Hey, Michi — we need to pair up Turtle Jr. with Thermal…
- There is just as much to do for casual gamers as there is for the higher level players.
- Nick’s biggest aggravation: Asher Mir. (He’s a jerk.)
- Hey — we got our first review on iTunes!!!
- And here’s your dose of Guardian Goofiness until the next show…
- Holy Hannah in a Hovercraft, that was fun! What did you think?
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Voicemail — 703.791.1701
- Brandon is counting down to Destiny 2’s Iron Banner! DAT ARMOR, DOH…
- See you in two weeks!
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
We may be going long on this episode of Happy Hour from the Tower because last week, our own TeeMonster headed into the belly of the beast…Continue readingEpisode #021: A Leviathan Raid Review
Destiny 2 brought plenty of new functionality and in-game challenges. On September 26, the game launched a competition called Faction Rallies. Players could join any of the three factions: Future War Cult, Dead Orbit, or New Monarchy. During a rally, players completed various activities and earned points for their chosen faction. At the end of the week, the faction whose members generated the most tokens win a prize (more on that in a moment.) The winner of the first ever faction rally is…Dead Orbit!
Hey all, Nick here. I get to write this one because I chose Dead Orbit as my faction. The choice was largely based on the faction-specific armor and how it resembles Marvel’s famous vigilante, The Punisher. That is NOT the prize for the faction rally, however. The prize is a scout rifle called Haunted Earth.
Others can get the rifle, but members of Dead Orbit can purchase the legendary rifle for just 1,000 glimmer instead of 50,000. Simply go to The Traveler and chat with the faction leader, Arach Jalaal. This should be familiar, because he’s the guy who takes the faction tokens.
Jalaal provides a celebratory message when you first speak with him. This is the first ever Faction Rally. Congratulations to the Dead Orbit members for winning this one. Now, to go on an undefeated streak. For fun, here’s a pic of my Titan with the Haunted Earth.
October 3 also brings a code update which fixes/patches some issues.For the full patch notes, read Bungie’s post.
http://www.happyhourfromthetower.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/DeadOrbit-1.mp4
Destiny 2 brought plenty of new functionality and in-game challenges. On September 26, the game launched a competition called Faction Rallies. Players could join any…Continue readingThe First Faction Rally Winner Is…
Welcome to the twentieth episode of Happy Hour from the Tower, and have we got a show for you! It’s always nice when you have a guest on who takes advantage of when hosts say “We usually go for half an hour, but if we go long, we go long…” because Destiny power player LuluSoccer did just that!
Welcome to this super-sized episode a life-long gamer whose charm, wit, and grace are impossible to deny. It’s LuluSoccer on Happy Hour from the Tower!
Got some questions for Lulu or the Guardians? Send in your feedback at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — Introduction
- With all of Tee’s prep for this episode, he forgot to ask one thing…
- The Guardians know about Lulusoccer, but Tee is kind of a fanboi.
- What would happen if Tee had completely flubbed this intro? (HINT: Do over!!!)
2:04 — Episode #020: An Interview with LuluSoccer
- A quick history of Lulu’s Legendaries and what you can find on her Twitch stream.
- Watching Lulu play, you learn one simple rule: LULU IS SAVAGE!
- Tee’s story on how he found out about Lulu’s prowess behind a controller…
- Lulu has been gaming for a LONG time.
- Her first gaming system: A Nintendo NES
- RESPECT THE CLASSICS!
- And there is the competitive streak amongst siblings.
- Apart from Destiny, some other games you might see on Lulu’s feed…
- Uncharted
- Tomb Raider
- Horizon Zero Dawn
- Bloodborne…and we spend some time talking about that experience.
- Hellblade…and we talk a bit about that experience and how Headshots approached it.
- Nick is still struggling with Twitch and its chat window feature. He was scarred after his introduction through Bungie.
- So what brought Lulu to Destiny?
- It all started on a little game called Halo…
- Destiny served as Lulu’s gateway into online gameplay.
- Nick is slaying Tee in studio…
- How Lulu ranks Raids, PVP, and story campaigns
- What is this “Drunken Raid” you speak of?
- Still working through the new PvP dynamic
- It’s nice to have stuff to do in Destiny 2 where you can chill out…
- Brandon, Y U TALK OVR BUMPR?!?!?
15:25 — The P.I.Y. Workshop 2017, presented by Tee Morris & Chuck Tomasi of Podcasting for Dummies, 3rd Edition
16:05 — Episode #020: An Interview with LuluSoccer(Part 2)
- Lulu’s got the gist of the show!
- Female gamers—especially ones as good as Lulu—are targets for toxic players who are feeling brave behind a keyboard.
- How does Lulu manage the trolls?
- Many of them work through Whispers (DMs) on Twitch.
- Lulu and her mods work together to keep the stream positive.
- Even the Destiny community nurses its fair share of jerks, but on a whole? Good people make the best Guardians.
- Nick and Tee share their own stories about their significant others and games.
- Quick shout-out to Raza that led to this interview.
- Much like with Zack, there are challenges in hosting raids, especially with people that you have never run with before that moment.
- Breaking down the strengths of each Guardians on the show…
- What makes Destiny 2 so much fun for Lulu?
- The Leviathan Raid which offers a sense of wonder…
- …and now a sense of economy as Lulu devours the Leviathan Raid.
- The Pleasure Gardens was a challenge though.
- Cracking the mechanics of a raid also unlocks the fun of a raid.
- We should be wrapping up the show…but this is too much fun!
31:03 — Headshots
32:29 — Episode #020: An Interview with LuluSoccer(Part 3)
- Nick trips up on his rejoiner. He blames football.
- Wait a minute — back to Lulu…
- No, we’re not talking about rugby or football. We’re talking about GuardianCon!
- So what is it again?
- We are going to name-drop HARD to get into it!
- And Lulu recommends it! She knows cons as she’s a veteran of TwitchCon.
- There’s a lot of hugging, and — according to Tiddlywinks — lots of butt-grabbing…
- Lulu is not only saving lives in the Last City, she’s saving lives in the real world!
- Lulu’s road to becoming a nurse.
- Bringing the best of both worlds together as Lulu’s wing offer video games to their patients.
- Lulu also applies those leadership skills from Destiny to her nurses.
- Games for Change should be talking to Lulu, we think…
- Lulu’s advice or strategy for anyone new to Destiny
- Play the story mission first.
- Get to know your fellow Guardians.
42:14 — Destiny in the News & Closing Thoughts
- Turns out that Tee and Lulu share a love for the Dinklage, and not just in Destiny…
- …and somehow the Guardians go on a Defenders tangent. Wait, what?
- News Item One: The Faction Rally Has Begun!
- What the Faction Rally is, and why you want to be involved.
- Who will the Guardians swear allegiance?
- Lulu: Dead Orbit (although the New Monarchy armor is looking regal AF)
- Brandon: Dead Orbit (without hesitation)
- If you are curious about the voices behind the Factions, and why Tee gets weak in the knees over the Future War Cult…
- Tee: Future War Cult (Yes, not Dead Orbit…)
- It’s all about the bling, baby!
- News Item Two: Pittsburgh Steelers’ Antonio Brown turns Destiny 2 emote into a touchdown dance
- Lulu’s favorite emote? The one she doesn’t have…
- Brandon’s a little salty.
- News Item Three: Tee had a tough call to make with Funko Pops, and he chose his Vanguard, Ikora. Well, Nick and Brandon surprise Tee with…
- Tee shares his own gateway to Destiny story.
- Where to find LuluSoccer
- Twitch
- Discord
- Holy Hannah in a Hovercraft, that was fun! What did you think?
- Voicemail — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Make sure to leave us a review on iTunes! Let people know about this podcast.
- And Brandon gives the Creative Commons tag another go…and he sticks the landing!
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Welcome to the twentieth episode of Happy Hour from the Tower, and have we got a show for you! It’s always nice when you have a…Continue readingEpisode #020: An Interview with LuluSoccer
If you’re a giant Destiny fan, and you wouldn’t be here if you weren’t, Guardian, then we have something fun for you. YouTuber ZaziNombies has…Continue readingDestiny 2’s Exotic Weapons in LEGO Form
If you’re a giant Destiny fan, and you wouldn’t be here if you weren’t, Guardian, then we have something fun for you. YouTuber ZaziNombies has built a replica of the Exotic hand cannon, Sunshot, completely out of LEGOs!
The gun is composed of roughly 550 bricks, including light bricks to provide the LED effect. It’s a replica of the weapon you receive in Destiny 2 by completing the Sacrilege campaign mission, and then speaking with NPC Asher Mir on IO.
ZaziNombies has over 1.2 million followers, largely due to his (unhealthy?) obsession with building LEGO versions of items from video games. Some examples include the rocket launcher from Team Fortress 2, Overwatch health packs, and many constructions from Minecraft. Check out his channel HERE.
He’s not alone. Check out this video from the Brickpodcast.com team chatting with Alex Niedra about some of his LEGO creations from Halo and Destiny. This conversation is from Brickworld Chicago 2015.
The LEGO version is obviously not available for sale, though LEGO competitor Mega Blocks has many Destiny offerings. We were fortunate enough to grab the San Diego Comic Con exclusive Ghost, complete with Lord Saladin mini-figure.
Do you own any of the Mega Blocks sets? Have you made your own Destiny items out of LEGOs or anything else? Share with us!
You know know we Guardians love to learn a good raid, but before sitting at the feet of Raid masters like ZG Photo or LuluSoccer, you have to remember that they all start from somewhere. That first step. that incredibly humbling moment where the Raid Team Leader and their crew have no idea what is coming next.
Yesterday, a fireteam named The Legend Himself stepped forward to face the challenge of Destiny 2’s first raid, Leviathan. They completed it in six hours.
From Koatu.com:
Destiny 2’s first raid, Leviathan, went live at 10am pacific today. Immediately, hardcore clans got to work. Hours later, a team of players cracked it. The Legend Himself had the honor of being the first team ever to beat a raid in Destiny 2. You can see the spoilerific final moments below. Chat, as you might expect, goes wild.
See the whole story, complete with spoiler video of Leviathan’s finale, here.
The Legend Himself, led by ScaRdrow, has an incredible history with Destiny Raids as he and his team accomplished not only the Rise of Iron Raid Wrath of the Machine (a personal favorite of Tee’s) in record time, but accomplished what many considered the impossible and unimaginable: a solo face-off with Aksis. Challenges are nothing new to this team, and what a feat to pull off in the first week of Destiny 2.
At the time of posting this, ZG Photo (friend of the podcast) is entering his ninth hour with a skilled Raid team; but Raids are not meant to be easy. They are meant to be a challenge, and we Guardians salute not only The Legend Himself, but ZG, Lulu, OneActual, 3vil_Aura, and others taking on what can only be described as an incredible task.
Well done, Guardians. Well done.
You know know we Guardians love to learn a good raid, but before sitting at the feet of Raid masters like ZG Photo or LuluSoccer,…Continue readingThe Leviathan Raid: Beaten in Six Hours
New game. New show art. New promo. Remember to leave us a comment or questions for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog. We’ll…Continue readingA new promo for Happy Hour from the Tower!
New game.
New show art.
New promo.
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
It’s finally here!
Destiny 2 has arrived for PS4 and XBox (hang tight, PC players — it will be worth the wait!) and the Guardians from Happy Hour from the Tower: A Destiny Podcast are bringing you their spoiler-free review of the game that has been receiving stellar reviews across the board.
After a week (give or take a day) of gameplay, here’s what the Guardians think!
What are your thoughts on Destiny 2? Give us your own review (spoiler-free, please) at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — Introduction
- Nick is turned into a drop-in!
- Brandon really should not have made that crack about Tee on the Geek Wolfpack Podcast.
- Coach has returned!
- And wow, did he ever pick a terrible time to move south!
2:00 — Episode #019: A Review of Destiny 2
- Destiny 2 is here! Whoo-hoo!!!
- Not many spoilers in this episode, we promise!
- Where we are in both character development and progress in the storyline.
- Overall thoughts from the Guardians on Destiny 2
- Shout-out to our last episode and our discussion with ZGPhoto on Destiny as a Beta.
- Brandon doubles down and states Destiny on its weakest day was not The Division.
- Nick does the same, only with Iron Fist.
- A lot more to do this go-around, not just with story but with the world on a whole.
- There’s a show in the hopper that we may have to try and drop into the feed.
- Even the villain is more active in this sequel.
- And we creep up the precipice of spoilers, but manage to pull it back…
- …but Tee steals a bit of Nick’s thunder totally by accident. (Did you know the Consul was this actor?)
- The game’s most terrifying moment.
- From Nick Kelly: Destiny 1 is Alien. Destiny 2 is Aliens.
- Ron’s disappointment: Your Silent Character with a Ghost Interpreter
- A subject also covered on Return to Orbit.
- For Tee, it’s no big deal. For Cayde-6, it’s an Easter Egg.
- Other little nods and touches throughout the new world.
17:22 — The P.I.Y. Workshop 2017, presented by Tee Morris & Chuck Tomasi of Podcasting for Dummies, 3rd Edition
18:28 — Episode #019: A Review of Destiny 2 (Part 2)
- Still got it, even across the distance.
- Tee goes nuts over the score of Destiny 2.
- Let’s talk about voice talent…
- Frank Langella as Consul
- Sumalee Montano as Hawthorne
- Joy Osmanski as Failsafe
- Cissy Jones as Slone
- Neil Kaplan as Ghaul
- Gideon Emery as Devrim Kay
- …and somewhere in the game is this guy!
- Mechanical Improvements in Destiny 2
- Fast Travel — Brandon loves that!
- A tiny touch in the Map that the Guardians are appreciating hard
- Nice nod to Donkey Kong
- Nick doesn’t have a problem with overkill from time to time.
- A drop-in that we will no longer be playing on our show…
- Improved Foley
- Improved Public Events, and the benefits of Heroic Public Events
- Some love for the Adventures
- What a ride! Worth the Wait!
29:20 — Destiny in the News & Closing Thoughts
- The Family that raids together stays together! Check out Michi Gopp and his family!
- Michi’s got advice for running into Germans in the Crucible…
- News Item One: Curse of Osiris DLC leaks, Bungie Confirms It’s Legit
- News Item Two: Here’s What’s Coming Up THIS MONTH in Destiny 2. (Just. This. Month.)
- What are we looking forward to in Destiny 2?
- THE BIG QUESTION: What Destiny 2 worth the wait?
- Hope you have enjoyed the podcasting rally to launch week!
- And Brandon gives the Creative Commons tag a try. Not as easy as he thought it would be…
- Let us know what you think of the Destiny experience and how Destiny 2 is treating you!
- Voicemail — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- And make sure to leave us a review on iTunes! Let people know about this podcast.
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
It’s finally here! Destiny 2 has arrived for PS4 and XBox (hang tight, PC players — it will be worth the wait!) and the Guardians…Continue readingEpisode #019: A Review of Destiny 2
So…Twitch streamer ZGPhoto… Can’t get rid of the guy… …and that’s fine by us! Happy Hour from the Tower: A Destiny Podcast brings you right up…Continue readingEpisode #018: Destiny 1 As Beta (with special guest, ZG Photo!)
So…Twitch streamer ZGPhoto…
Can’t get rid of the guy…
…and that’s fine by us!
Happy Hour from the Tower: A Destiny Podcast brings you right up to the eve of Destiny 2 with a look back on Destiny, featuring ZGPhoto. Now you remember Zack? We apparently didn’t scare or piss off the seasoned Guardian after his interview as he elected to stick around for another show…and we’re more than okay with our guest Guardian chiming in on the idea of Destiny being a giant Beta for the game about to drop within 24 hours!
Truth be told, we had a grand time with Zack back in Episode #17, and it is a little unsettling how well he fits in with us at the Tower. Who knows? I think a live podcast from GuardianCon may be in order!
Got a question for Zack or the Guardians at the Tower? Give us feedback at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — Introduction
- ZG fits so well into the HHFTT crew, we already have a drop-in set aside, just for him!
- Even with Vegas crud, Nick cannot duplicate Coach’s homage to Ghaul.
- Nick and Brandon are not making recording in their studio any easier.
- Long distance does nothing to dampen Zack’s comic timing.
2:07 — Episode #018: Destiny 1 As Beta (with special guest, ZGPhoto)
- Great minds think alike.
- Wow. Tee talks like he shoots: sloppily and all over the target.
- From Zack’s perspective, the early days of Destiny felt like a test. A long test, one grind at a time.
- Nick may not be the PvP or Raid Aficionado, but when it comes to Lore…
- A distinct improvement between Destiny 2 Beta and Destiny 1: the storytelling.
- And what a shame with the wasted voice talent behind The Stranger. (See our voice talent episode for more on that.)
- Returning to the debate of Dinklebot vs Nolanbot
- Noted even in this article from Paste Magazine by Holly Green
- Tee digs his heels in over Dinklebot.
- The show’s hardcore gamer, Brandon, chimes in with his own thoughts on Destiny 2 and how the Destiny 1 journey unfolds.
- Of course Destiny 2 looks like Destiny 1. It’s a sequel, after all.
- Tee lets his Warlock Elitism show. Again.
- Haters: Complaining just to complain.
- We want the same thing as before…but bigger and better.
14:09— GameStop of Innovation Center (Manassas, Virginia)
14:45 — Destiny in the News and Wrapping Up (with special guest, ZGPhoto)
- Tee didn’t even have to drop the prompt. Zack’s got this!
- Jumping back to focus on ZGPhoto and his Twitch stream (which you should be watching…)
-
Destiny in the News
- Tee digs his his heels in even deeper…
- …but Zack endears himself with the rest of the Tower’s crew.
- News Item One: Remember that PC Beta that ended last week? You can pre-load it now. (Wait. What?!)
- News Item Two: Why the Farm was open longer at the end of the Console Beta?
- News Item Three: New York Yankees Aaron Judge Applies Serious Destiny Chroma to His Uniform
- News Item Four: Brandon’s got a surprise for Tee…
In the words of Cas Anvar’s Alex Kamal: Good God Damn!!! * Oh, wait a minute, one more question for Zack… + The origin story of the Photobombers + When finding a niche, find something that flows. * Some side-love for MAGFest as we talk about #DestinyGoals and GuardianCon 2018 * What about the Raid Clinic Zack and James Werk host? Will that be returning for Destiny 2? + And why Zack is trying to avoid any of the spoilery Destiny 2 rumors and news pre-release. + Plans are in play for the next incarnation of Zack’s and James’ Raid Clinics * Considering “Public Clans” and “Guided Games” options coming with Destiny 2 * Hard lessons learned from Destiny * Let us know what you think of the Destiny experience and how Destiny 2 is treating you! + Voicemail — 703.791.1701 + Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com + And make sure to leave us a review on iTunes! Let people know about this podcast. * Where to find ZG… + On Twitch + On Twitter * Having Twitch streamers in studio is good fun. Cool stuff happens.
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and drop us a review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
We had so much fun hosting Twitch streamer 3vil_Aura on Happy Hour from the Tower: A Destiny Podcast that we decided to do it again!
Welcome to the podcast Zack or ZG Photo of The Photobombers. With years of streaming and a good amount of gaming under the belt, Zack pays a visit to the Tower to talk about his experiences with Destiny, his love for the raids (including King’s Fall!), and his thoughts on the recent Destiny 2 Beta…and hockey.
Yes. Hockey.
Got a question for Zack or the Guardians at the Tower? Give us feedback at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — Introduction
- Trying a new recording location. Tee’s still figuring out where everything is.
- SWEET — ZGPhoto is on the line!
- Zack is quite the hugger, especially at events like GuardianCon.
- By the sound of Nick’s voice, what happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas.
- A little bit of a GuardianCon tease before jumping in with both feet…
2:42 — Episode #017: An Interview with ZG Photo!
- You met ZGPhoto in our first video episode. Now, get to know him and what his channel is all about.
- Zack loves some Destiny, but PUB-G is an experience!
- What made Raids Zack’s thing on Destiny & Coffee
- A bit of love for Logan Scott
- For any KinderGuardians, what is the difference between a Strike, a Nightfall, and a Raid.
- How does ZG Photo call the shots with players he has never ran with. (Sometimes, it is not as easy as one would think.)
- Brandon put ZG Photo on the spot
- Zack’s Favorite Raid: Vault of Glass and Wrath of the Machine
- Nick draws first blood…and Tee goes on the defensive.
- The show’s favorite drop-in, an encore play
- Why King’s Fall is not Zack’s favorite raid.
17:29 — Podcast It Yourself Workshop 2017
18:10 —Episode #017: An Interview with ZG Photo! (Part Two)
- Zack’s fitting in just fine, isn’t he?
- Zack’s Favorite Raid Visually: King’s Fall (Yes, King’s Fall!)
- On Wrath of the Machine, Tee was not the only one sight-seeing in Aksis’ Server Room…
- ZG Photo chimes in on the Destiny 2 Beta
- It was a “safe” Beta.
- There needed to be more, on both PvE and PvP.
- Quick shout-out to Orion who’s in step with Zack.
- Why are our Destiny 2 characters looking like…cartoons?
- PvP felt smarter.
- Thoughts on The Crucible
- Matches felt slower.
- 4v4 was a lot of fun in Countdown
- Brandon’s Joy: Hunters will have knives in their melee
- Returning to GuardianCon 2017 and Zack’s one-day experience
- Some quick-love to Molly…and her non-gaming talents.
- Changing gears in the show…
- Dirtiest team in the National Hockey League
- Nick and Zack settle in for some hard hockey talk…and it is so much fun to listen to them go!
- And the Red Wings are getting a new stadium!
- Serious love for Detroit. (Tee was just there last month!)
34:47 — Feedback & Wrapping Up
- And Zac gets to join us for a Feedback segment! How cool is that?
- Wait a sec… who called our show?!
- YES, #BlondeSolo HERSELF CALLED OUR SHOW!!!
- Oh, Zachary, you do not know who Courtenay Taylor is? You need to listen to this show.
- That voicemail has aged like a fine scotch, it has. No, seriously…
- Welcome to Happy Hour from the Tower, the most adorable Destiny podcast in the podosphere!
- And Zack was worried about following 3vil_Aura’s interview. Holy Hannah!
- So we’ve heard from #BlondeSolo. NOW IT’S YOUR TURN!
- Voicemail — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- And make sure to leave us a review on iTunes! Let people know about this podcast.
- Where to find ZG…
- On Twitch
- On Twitter
- Having Twitch streamers in studio is good fun. Cool stuff happens.
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
We had so much fun hosting Twitch streamer 3vil_Aura on Happy Hour from the Tower: A Destiny Podcast that we decided to do it again! Welcome to…Continue readingEpisode #017: An Interview with ZG Photo!
Let’s just call this “Video Week” for Happy Hour from the Tower as we have the new trailer, a new video podcast, and now this:…Continue readingA Preview of the European Dead Zone
Let’s just call this “Video Week” for Happy Hour from the Tower as we have the new trailer, a new video podcast, and now this:
We meet a new NPC — EDZ Scout Devrim Kay — appearing to send Guardians out to discover lore, explore lost sectors, and head out on a variety of Earthbound quests. Watch this preview for an extended look at what was once a map in the Crucible, now revealing its mysteries beyond PvP.
Watch this preview and share your own thoughts and breakdowns in the Comments thread!
Is it September 6 yet?!
We’re continuing our celebration of the Destiny 2 Beta and the upcoming release of Destiny 2 on September 6 with another video episode featuring gameplay…Continue readingEpisode #016: Gameplay Review with Tee Morris
We’re continuing our celebration of the Destiny 2 Beta and the upcoming release of Destiny 2 on September 6 with another video episode featuring gameplay breakdown.
This time, Tee takes you into the Crucible’s Control, a mode of Player v Player (PvP) where two teams battle for control of three designated zones on a map. This breakdown also doubles as side-by-side comparison between Destiny and the upcoming Destiny 2.
Want to see more gameplay from us? Let us know what you think at 703.791.1701 (reachable through WhatsApp) or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
- Want to know where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
- Where to find us online…
- Pinterest (No, really, Pinterest!)
- And now, YouTube!
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.We’ll talk about it!
*And remember, you can find the show
on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!*
Subscribe, listen, and review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
As we watched our light disappear today…
…Bungie release this:
Well played, Bungie. Well played.
Is it September 6 yet?!
As we watched our light disappear today… …Bungie release this: Well played, Bungie. Well played. Is it September 6 yet?!
With the time closing in on the release of Destiny 2, the Guardians have decided since we’re on a roll with the weekly shows, we…Continue readingEpisode #015: An Interview with 3vil_Aura!
With the time closing in on the release of Destiny 2, the Guardians have decided since we’re on a roll with the weekly shows, we will continue this special once-a-week drop right up to Release Date. Then, once Destiny 2 is up and running, we’ll switch back to the fortnightly schedule.
The ramp-up to the new game and release date will include not only a video episode with Brandon and Tee, but interviews with other Guardians we like. And here’s one such Guardian, 3vil_Aura. Streaming from the Philadelphia area, Aura can be found on Twitch, tearing up the Crucible and entertaining viewers from all around the world.
If you got questions for Aura about Twitch, Destiny, Destiny 2, or pitbulls, reach out to him through us to us at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — Episode #015: An Interview with 3vil_Aura!
- Welcome to the show their very first interview!
- When you say “I’ve been watching you on Twitch…” there’s no real un-creepy way to say that.
- How do you make an interview happen? Well…
- Welcome to Aura’s Twitch stream, The Pit, where the music mix is a lot of things, but “safe” isn’t one of them.
- Find Aura on Discord, and offer up your music suggestions…
- …but don’t expect Aura to get to that suggestion straight away.
- Along with Destiny and seriously kick-ass music, what else can you expect to see on The Pit?
- Overwatch
- Different flavors of Call of Duty
- Destiny 2 (coming soon)
- …and, of course, Layla. Who is Layla, you ask?
- And, six minutes in, we hop off the rails…
- NO SOUP FOR YOU!
- What brought Aura to Destiny?
- It all started with Area 51.
- Then came Titanfall.
- Brandon, are you a little nervous? Hang in there, bro!
- What are classes best suited to the Crucible?
- How do you engage in The Crucible?
- How combat style matters in class and subclass
- Why Aura focuses his Destiny stream on PvP and the Crucible, primarily
- Time constraints
- The “replay-bility” of a Crucible match compared to Strikes and Story missions
- The entertainment factor
- How you get to run with Aura on The Crucible?
- Aura’s thoughts on what Bungie has in store for us in Destiny 2
- A deep-dive into Game Mode Specific Maps
- Aura stuck with PvP exclusively during the Beta. Here’s why.
- The value of Supers in Destiny
- Wait, it’s already been fifteen minutes?!
13:34 — This Kaiju Life
14:04 — Episode #015: An Interview with 3vil_Aura! (Part Two)
- Trying to get Nick and Brandon to behave in-studio? A lot harder than you think.
- More on Destiny 2…
- No, Tee didn’t know that Nick wanted to ask about the 4v4 dynamic because he kept his questions all to himself. THAT’S WHY WE HAVE SHOW PREP, KELLY!!!
- From Aura, in a nutshell: “I never had to struggle to find a gunfight.”
- The difference between engagement in Control and engagement in Countdown
- The new RADAR needs work.
- Stepping away from Destiny…
- Sitting back and letting the bassists rap a bit.
- Nick does not Twitch. Here’s why.
- Twitch Chat Management 101
- Aura’s Passion Project: Villa Lobos Rescue Center
- Yes, the same Villa Lobos from Pitbulls & Parolees
- How Aura uses Twitch to sponsor and raise money for Villa Lobos
- Other charity events Aura has participated in, including GuardianCon.
- Aura’s GuardianCon 2017 report
- We don’t really want this to end, but…
- Where to find Aura…
- Tee’s new at-work catch phrase, inspired by Aura
- Where to send your feedback
- Voicemail/WhatsApp — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Remember to leave us a review on iTunes!
- Where to find us online…
- Pinterest (No, really, Pinterest!)
- And now, YouTube!
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
With thirty days to go before the release of the final game, here you go, Guardians — the third and final installment of Happy Hour from the Tower’s in-depth look at the Destiny 2 Beta! We may be a little slaphappy at this point (when are we not?) but we do manage to stay on topic, and that point is the Inverted Spire Strike. Maybe not a full-on strike as we are used to, but definitely a preview of what is to come.
But now it’s your turn, Guardians! What are your thoughts on Destiny 2? What do you think needs work? Talk to us at 703.791.1701 (reachable through WhatsApp now) or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — Introduction
- Tee’s new favorite drop-in…
- Ghaul accomplishes more in one quote than all of the Decepticons of Michael Bay’s Transformers films.
- The Destiny/WWE Connection
- We gave you the link in the last show, but here’s the interview…
- Yes, Pro Wrestling is hard. Raids are harder.
03:25 — Episode #014: All About the Beta! (Part Three — The Inverted Spire and Closing Thoughts)
- Talking about the Strike
- Except for Nick who’s learning all about Twitter on account of his new twitter pal, #BlondeSolo…
- Hey, wait — we mentioned Nathan Fillion! Hashtag it!
- Say “Hi!” to the Vex.
- If you’re new to Vex, you will not like them.
- The Pacing of Inverted Spire: Pretty Quick…until the Boss Fight.
- Ron found the Raid fast paced, but not necessarily difficult.
- No checkpoints during the Boss Fight.
- Where’s the Power Ammo?!
- An added complication: The Boss is not the only issue in the Inverted Spire…
- And Nick makes a correlation between Destiny and Strip Clubs. No, we didn’t see this coming.
12:01 — GameStop of Innovation Center (Manassas, Virginia)
12:42 —Episode #014: All About the Beta! (Part Three — The Inverted Spire and Closing Thoughts)
- What a ride with this Beta!
- Did you know there was a rocket launcher under a waterfall?
- Ron’s wish for Destiny 2 and those ammo drops.
- Anyone pay a visit to the Farm?
- Ron and Tee enjoy a go with Nick on the Titan’s new sitting animation.
- Tee’s thoughts on the Farm: Eh.
- Speculation, speculation, speculation…
- …especially the creepy, old basement.
- Tee’s concern about the Farm: Walkers.
- Nick did some research on the Beta’s Easter Eggs. How many did you see?
- The Lost Sector connected to the Vault of Glass
- Paul McCartney’s song is playing ominously in the background
-
BlondeSolo left behind her stash of hooch for you.
- Did you revive Zavala?
- A computer monitor, covered in Post-It Notes
- One weapons rack is nothing but Khvostovs (your first weapon in Destiny)
- Shaxx is wielding the Raze Lighter.
- A glimpse of Shaxx’s trophy room
- This ominous moment…
- RIP the Energy Ball!
- Did you catch any we miss?
- Now that we are done with the Beta, now what?
- The Farm and other odd glitches throughout…
- Are we going back to the original Destiny? Well, duh!
- Any reason you would want to go back to Destiny after Destiny 2 launches?
- Brandon’s wish for Destiny 2: Relivable Ghost Memories
- Guardians, what did you think of Destiny 2?
- Voicemail/WhatsApp — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Remember to leave us a review on iTunes!
- Where to find us online…
- Pinterest (No, really, Pinterest!)
- And now, YouTube!
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
With thirty days to go before the release of the final game, here you go, Guardians — the third and final installment of Happy Hour…Continue readingEpisode #014 — All About the Beta! (Part Three: The Inverted Spire and Closing Thoughts)
Shackleshotgun is not your average cosplayer. In fact, she considers herself more of a make-up artist, and if you see her feed on Twitch (coming…Continue readingEris Morn Lives
Shackleshotgun is not your average cosplayer. In fact, she considers herself more of a make-up artist, and if you see her feed on Twitch (coming in all the way from Finland) you’ll see why. She’s got a signature look when it comes to make-up, and it’s a real art.
But on this cosplay, the Finnish streamer knocks it out of the park…
Shackleshotgun took on an undertaking with a make-up design/cosplay of Eris Morn. It was a little shocking to see the overturned urn in the “Homecoming” mission…
…but here we have proof that Eris Morn did, in fact, survive the Red Legion attack on Earth.
Okay, maybe not that, but we do have this INCREDIBLE cosplay from Shackle. Perhaps the neatest trivia about this project was that she needed only three LEDs to create the haunting thee-eyed look of Eris Morn. However, Shackle misread the Amazon quantity order. She now has sixty of these lights.
So, what’s next? The glowing armor you wear in Horizon Zero Dawn? We can only hope.
To see more of Shackle’s work and to watch her kill it in Destiny, hop on to Twitch at 4PM EST-USA every day (except Sundays) where she streams Destiny, Starbound, Mass Effect, and other games set in far-off future worlds. And hosts a cosplay stream every 100 followers, so go on and give her channel some love.
Well done, Shackleshotgun, and thanks for sharing this incredible project!
Welcome – welcome – welcome to Part 2 of our special in-depth look at the Destiny 2 Beta which concluded just last week! Hard to…Continue readingEpisode #013 — All About the Beta! (Part Two: The Crucible)
Welcome – welcome – welcome to Part 2 of our special in-depth look at the Destiny 2 Beta which concluded just last week! Hard to believe, but yep, a week ago we were getting a look at what’s coming in September. So to celebrate, we are changing up our show schedule for the time being and going weekly with a special deep dive into the Beta.
This week, your Guardians (except for Nick who is preoccupied with Twitter now) are talking about what they liked — and what they didn’t like — in The Crucible. We’re taking about the new 4v4 approach as well as the new “Countdown” Elimination game.
Sound off, Guardians! What are your thoughts on the new Crucible? What do you think needs work? Talk to us at 703.791.1701 (reachable through WhatsApp now) or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — Introduction
- We’re back for more!
- Tee throws Nova Bombs when he gets grumpy.
- Nick, dammit, would you put down your Twitter?
- Coach V. Ghaul: Who would walk away?
- Coach says go here to see how multi-lingual Ghaul is!
- What happens when the Kellys and Tee get slap-happy in Destiny.
02:51 — Episode #013: All About the Beta! (Part Two — The Crucible)
- We’re switching gears from the first show to focus on The Crucible.
- Nick’s out. Busy on Twitter.
- Now Brandon no longer has to sing a drop-in.
- Inappropriate movie quoting at work with Nick Kelly
- Two Flavors of The Crucible
- Control
- Countdown (Competitive)
- The discussion over the controversial 4 v 4 Crucible
- Ron’s got strong opposition to it.
- Parallels with Destiny 2’s new Crucible and the H1Z1 eSports Competition Tee watched.
- Aaaaaand Tee goes off and says something WAY OUT OF BOUNDS….
- Okay, we’ve jumped the rails here…
- Quick shout-out from Spartan Jenzii about Destiny 2
- Is there really a problem with team shooting in The Crucible?
- Brandon’s review of Countdown
- But Tee is digging the new approach. It should be about team play, right?
- What happens when Hunters gather together in Control…
- Compelling people to play as a team. A good thing? Or no?
- There is irony in that the Endless Vale is actually quite tiny.
- Will there be a place for the solo player in PvP?
- And the Nick/Courtenay/#BlondeSolo sage continues…
11:58 — GameStop of Innovation Center (Manassas, Virginia)
12:38 —Episode #013: All About the Beta! (Part Two — The Crucible)
- So Nick is done with The Crucible…but not with Twitter…
- Thank you, Coach, for getting us back on track!
- Yes, Tee knows it isn’t called “Fist of Panic” and that’s because he’s taking a cue from The Big Show.
- Power Ammo drops — happening a little differently
- Silence does not work well in podcasting, guys!
- Changes in what is considered “Power” weapons
- Protect Your Cleric!
- Elitism? We have it here, sure…
- The style of Power Ammo drops Tee digs that in the new “Countdown” game.
- How we review Countdown
- There are pluses…and minuses.
- Similarities and differences between Countdown and Trials.
- A detour on Ghost Hunting and Age of Triumph challenges…
- The different approach to Countdown as opposed to Control
- Guardians that care only about K/D and how that comes into play with 4v4 PvP
- Guardians, what do you think of the new rules of The Crucible?
- Voicemail/WhatsApp — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Remember to leave us a review on iTunes!
- Where to find us online…
- Pinterest (No, really, Pinterest!)
- And now, YouTube!
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Wasn’t that Destiny 2 Beta awesome?!
Okay, okay, okay, maybe not all Guardians would agree that the Beta was perfect, and even Nick, Brandon, Tee, and Ron would admit there were flaws.
It is a Beta, though.
Fresh from the experience, your Guardians are talking about what they liked — and what they didn’t like — in this week of awesome from Bungie. Instead of dropping all our thoughts in one massive show, we’ve got word from the Vanguards to run on a weekly schedule in order to take our time and enjoy our look at this incredible sneak peek at what’s coming on September 6th!
Sound off, Guardians! What were your favorite parts of the Destiny 2 Beta? What do you think needs work? Talk to us at 703.791.1701 (reachable through WhatsApp now) or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — Introduction
- Right — Let’s get some serious SEO accomplished here…
- No, Coach. Don’t spoil the Punch Line!
- The fans love Nathan Fillion!
- Welcome to the Nathan Fillion Is Awesome! podcast. And did we mention that we love Nathan Fillion? We sure do!!!
- Ron, you want to drive?
- Tee Morris: Rant the First
- We go hot with the mics…and NOW Nick wants to re-decorate!
- Tee Morris: Rant the Second
02:45 — Episode #12: All About the Beta (Part One — “Homecoming”)
- Tee can’t quite get the reveal of the Farm as a great way to end a Beta
- There were some issues reminiscent of Destiny: Year One
- Not this again? (No, thankfully…)
- Problems logging on…
- …for everyone except, Tee. Tee was patient. (For once.)
- “Hey, Twitch Guy…I gotta go play! Thanks!”
- Yeah, Tee took a whole day off from work for this. No regrets.
- Nick, on the other hand, had bigger issues.
- Tee streamed his experience! Take a look here at archived Twitch streams.
- Brandon is our resident Beta expert, so we want to know how the Destiny 2 Beta compared to other Betas he played.
- Nick doubles down over Ghaul: Ghaul’s a jackass!
- Some other problems in the Beta
- Cooldown times were ridiculous…but not if you ask Coach who has a different perspective on this.
- The new abilities are very cool, provided you remember you have them.
- Like it or not, this is part of “starting over” in Destiny 2.
- Transitioning with the mechanics is a little tricky.
- All weapons felt nerfed. Especially when Nick compares ballistic damage to punching aliens in the face.
- Sadly though, Tee is still shooting like a stormtrooper.
- Now that we’ve seen her fly, Nick has a new nickname for Amanda Holliday: #BlondeSolo
15:21 — GameStop of Innovation Center (Manassas, Virginia)
16:03 —Episode #12: All About the Beta (Part One — “Homecoming”)
- How could I have startled Coach when he speaks to me this way in the Crucible?!
- And Nick watches us nerd out…
- So who else had all the Feelz when you reached out for your Ghost?
- Let’s talk about “Homecoming”…
Not this one…although it is a REALLY good movie! * The opening mission is extremely well-directed + Beautiful cinematography + More storytelling in this mission than in all in Year One of Destiny + DAT SCORE!!! * Dr. Stacia Kelly has a tough time walking through the Tower now * Tee has a theory about Sweeperbot. * Security Sentries seen everywhere in “Homecoming” and at The Farm. * So much to see walking through what remains of the Tower… + The tipped-over urn of Eris Morn + Did you see Shaxx’s Trophy Room? + The only banners still flying in the hangar: The Future War Cult * There’s too much for one show, so expect more installments just about the Beta experience. * Okay, let’s talk about Gary… + Nick still thinks he’s a jackass. + When Ghaul makes an entrance, nothing else matters. It’s a terrific villain for a terrific game. + Ghaul returns fear to the game.
25:05 — Guardian Feedback
- All the way from the Great White north, Steve Saylor a/k/a The Blind Gamer, taking his first crack at Destiny with the Destiny 2 Beta!
- Oh, Steve…what’s waiting for you…
- Totally new to Destiny? Start with Destiny 2, or go back to the original?
- Another voicemail, this one from Jonathan Jett-Parmer, going deep into the mechanics. AND SOME SERIOUS “COUNTDOWN” LOVE!
- What is it with the hate for the Arcstrider? (I love it.)
- Tee and Brandon go back and forth about the Sentinel’s super…
- …and we discuss more mechanics that we should have a place to practice, but we didn’t have it.
- Destiny 2 Beta. Not really for the lone wolf?
- The purpose of a Beta: A Bug Hunt
- Twitter feedback from Episode #011
- A simple message…
- …from an unexpected listener: #BlondeSolo herself, Courtenay Taylor
- This is what happens when no one else but Tee checks the podcast’s Twitter account!
- Nick may need a moment…
- An appeal to #BlondeSolo to come on the show.
- Why didn’t Shohreh Aghdashloo tweet Tee? Nick knows.
- What did you think of the Beta? Let us know at…
- Voicemail/WhatsApp — 703.791.1701 (And Brandon’s rolling his eyes about the “WhatsApp” connection. Whatev’s.)
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Where to find us online…
- Pinterest (No, really, Pinterest!)
- And now, YouTube!
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Wasn’t that Destiny 2 Beta awesome?! Okay, okay, okay, maybe not all Guardians would agree that the Beta was perfect, and even Nick, Brandon, Tee,…Continue readingEpisode #012: All About the Beta! (Part One — “Homecoming”)
You getting ready for the Destiny 2 Beta to drop? Well, while you wait, how about enjoying this latest episode with all the Guardians…Continue readingEpisode #011: Who’s Who Behind The Cast of Destiny
You getting ready for the Destiny 2 Beta to drop? Well, while you wait, how about enjoying this latest episode with all the Guardians — Nick, Brandon, Tee, and Ron — in the studio, talking about the incredible voice talent that is featured in this game. You may think you know Destiny, but do you know who voices your favorite characters? We do. (Thanks, IMDb!)
Sound off, Guardians! Who’s your favorite voice actor in Destiny and why? Talk to us at 703.791.1701 (reachable through WhatsApp now) or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — Episode #11: Who’s Who Behind the Cast of Destiny
- Let’s talk about the amazing voice talent…
- In this podcast? Why not!
- No-no-no, in Destiny. Oh. okay, sure…
- Jumpin’ right in…
- Voicing the Vanguard
- Nathan Fillion as Cayde-6
- Gina Torres as Ikora
- A discussion about recording in studio and the art behind it
- Lance Reddick as Zavala
- Lord Shaxx we know from The Crucible, but in Lennie James’ spare time…
- Debating over The Ghost
- Peter Dinklage
- Nolan North
- Taking a break on account of the perkiness…
14:36 — Monster Kid Radio
15:38 —Episode #11: Who’s Who Behind the Cast of Destiny (Part Two)
- Maybe you don’t Know James Remar by name, but listen to the voice of Executor Hideo of the Ne wMonarchy and you might recognize him from…
- Dexter
- The Legend of Korra
- Sex and the City
- …and all the way back to 48 Hours and The Warriors.
- This guy’s got the chops!
- Also with the impressive resume — Bill Nighy. You know him as The Speaker, but you might also know him from…
- The Underworld Series
- The Pirates of the Caribbean series
- Shaun of the Dead
- The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
- Tee discovers Claudia Black was in the cast, and he didn’t know that!
- More Walking Dead alumni in Destiny as well…
- And now…our Voice Crushes in Destiny.
- Orion — Eris Morn, played by Morla Gorrondona
- Brandon — Cayde-6. (It’s so bromantic…)
- Nick — Amanda “Little Mandy” Holliday, played by Courtenay Taylor
- Tee — Lakshmi-2 of the Future War Cult, played by Shohreh Aghdashloo
- Nick offers up a chance for the Guardians to hold a Dream Casting in Destiny 2…
- Kevin Spacey
- T.J. Storm
- Leonard Nimoy (posthumously)
- T.J Miller
- Stephen Amell
- Who would you like to hear contributing their voice to the Destinyverse? Let us know at…
- Voicemail/WhatsApp — 703.791.1701 (And Brandon’s rolling his eyes about the “WhatsApp” connection. Whatev’s.)
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Where to find us online…
- Pinterest (No, really, Pinterest!)
- And now, YouTube!
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
It’s the weekend, and Xur is back! I don’t know how you say “Happy Hour” in Agent of the Nine-ese, but we approve! Here’s what…Continue readingXur Location for July 7
It’s the weekend, and Xur is back! I don’t know how you say “Happy Hour” in Agent of the Nine-ese, but we approve! Here’s what Xur has for sale this weekend, one of the few before the Destiny 2 beta drops in under 2 weeks.
Legacy engram [Helmet] – 29 Strange Coins
Eternal Warrior [Exotic Titan helmet] – 13 Strange Coins
Young Ahamkara’s Spine [Exotic Hunter gauntlets] – 13 Strange Coins
Ophidian Aspect [Exotic Warlock gauntlets] – 13 Strange Coins
Hawkmoon [Exotic hand cannon] – 23 Strange Coins
Three of Coins – 7 Strange Coins
Monte Carlo and Superspy [weapon bundle] – 30 Strange Coins, 25 Silver Dust
Zhalo Supercell and No Toy [weapon bundle] – 30 Strange Coins, 25 Silver Dust
Happy Independence Day, America! Happy Tuesday to the rest of the planet, and Happy Reset Day to Guardians everywhere! It’s Tuesday during the Age of Triumph, which means we have new raids, nightfall strikes and more. Here’s all you need to know this Stars and Stripes day!
Weekly Nightfall
The Weekly Nightfall strike is The Nexus. Modifiers include Specialist, Juggler, Chaff, Ironclad.
- Specialist increases special weapon damage.
- Juggler means no ammo drops for your equipped weapon.
- Chaff disables the radar.
- Ironclad increases the overall number of shielded enemies.
Heroic playlist modifiers
- Juggler means no ammo drops for your equipped weapon.
- Airborne – you do more damage while in the air.
- Catapult – grenade cool down takes longer
Crucible playlists
Mayhem Rumble. Nuff said.
Challenge of Elders
Chaff, Trickle, Grenade Kill Bonus.
- Round 1: Noru’usk, Servant of Oryx (Cabal)
- Round 2: Overmind Minotaur (Vex)
- Round 3: Wretched Knight (Hive)
Weekly featured raid
King’s Fall is this week’s featured raid. Good luck taking out Oryx once again!
Happy Independence Day, America! Happy Tuesday to the rest of the planet, and Happy Reset Day to Guardians everywhere! It’s Tuesday during the Age of…Continue readingWeekly Reset – July 4th
We’ve broken into double digits with this episode, and we wanted to do something different. So Tee is putting himself out there with his own…Continue readingEpisode #010: Gameplay Review with Tee Morris
We’ve broken into double digits with this episode, and we wanted to do something different. So Tee is putting himself out there with his own gameplay, breaking down what went right and what wrong during his first crack at Wrath of the Machine.
What did you think of this, Guardians? Want to see more gameplay from us? Let us know what you think at 703.791.1701 (reachable through WhatsApp) or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
- Want to know where to find us on PlayStation Network…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
- Special thanks to ZG Photo and the Photobombers for the opportunity to run WOTM with them!
- Share with us your stories on how you decide to start over…
- Voicemail — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Where to find us online…
- Pinterest (No, really, Pinterest!)
- And now, YouTube!
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.We’ll talk about it!
*And remember, you can find the show
on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!*
Subscribe, listen, and review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Xur is finished his normal 9-5 job and has now shown up to work weekends selling Exotics. This time around, he’s chumming in the Reef. If you want to find him, do what religious folks recommend, Turn Right and Go Straight. (He’s down the stairs.)
Xur’s items for the week:
- The Glasshouse (Titan Helmet) – 13 Strange Coins
- Young Ahamkara’s Spine (Hunter Gauntlets) -13 Strange Coins
- Starfire Protocol (Warlock Chest Armour) -13 Strange Coins
- Hawkmoon (Hand Cannon) – 23 Strange Coins
- Legacy Engram (Leg Armour Engram) – 29 Strange Coins
- MIDA Multi-Tool and Special Ops bundle – 30 Strange Coins & 25 Silver Dust
- Truth and Heart of Gold bundle – 30 Strange Coins & 25 Silver Dust
Xur is finished his normal 9-5 job and has now shown up to work weekends selling Exotics. This time around, he’s chumming in the Reef.…Continue readingXur Location for June 30
GuardianCon 2017 is coming to Tampa, Florida, running from June 30-July 1, but things have already kicked off with a special charity drive, happening right now on Twitch.tv.
The goal is to raise $1,000,000 for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and we want to do our part. Go to http://bit.ly/HHFTT-GC2017 and make your donation today. Every little bit — one dollar, five dollars, or digging deeper for more — will make a difference.
And for Happy hour from the Tower listeners, go on and make a donation. In the “Comments” field, write “From the listeners of Happy Hour from the Tower, for the Little Lights” and then send us a screen shot. We will enter your name in a drawing for something from our Vault of Geeky Goodies.
Make your donation before June 29 as that is when this GuardianCon fund raiser comes to a close. So eyes up, Guardians. Time to give for the Little Lights out there. Give to GuardianCon today.
GuardianCon 2017 is coming to Tampa, Florida, running from June 30-July 1, but things have already kicked off with a special charity drive, happening right…Continue readingFor the Little Lights…
Happy Xur Solstice!
Okay, I know it’s Summer Solstice and that joke didn’t even make sense, but when you get to chasing the Agent of the Nine every week, you get a little loopy. So, here we are with some summertime iced tea and chasing Exotics. Let’s see what Xur has for us this week!
This weekend, Xur is hanging out in the Tower, with his buddy, the Speaker (presumably for one of the last times ever). Here’s what he has available to Guardians.
- Peregrine Greaves (Titan legs) – 13 Strange Coins
- Celestial Nighthawk (Hunter helmet) – 13 Strange Coins
- Heart of the Praxic Fire (Warlock chest) – 13 Strange Coins
- Monte Carlo (Auto rifle) – 23 Strange Coins
- Legacy Engram (Body armour) – 29 Strange Coins
He also has these weapon bundles:
- Monte Carlo and Royal Flush – 30 Strange Coins, 25 Silver Dust
- Red Death and Steel Witch – 30 Strange Coins, 25 Silver Dust
Monte Carlo originated as a Playstation exclusive, and its featured power is that it grants quicker melee cool down. From what we’ve been reading, auto rifles may not be the #1 choice of all Guardians. Also, apparently, no one but me runs around punching everything. (After a long travel week, you can bet I’ll be doing that tonight!)
Thanks to the folks across the pond at The Sun for this week’s information.
Happy Xur Solstice! Okay, I know it’s Summer Solstice and that joke didn’t even make sense, but when you get to chasing the Agent of…Continue readingXur Location for June 23-25
It’s Taco…I mean Reset Tuesday! What are the new challenges for the Guardians during this week’s Age of Triumph activities?
There are updates to the Challenge of Elders, new enemies in the Prison of Elders, an updated Nightfall strike, new raid of the week, and more. Let’s discuss!
Weekly Nightfall This week’s strike is the Blighted Chalice. Head to the Moon to face the Pride of Oryx. Be prepared to deal with Void Burn. Modifiers include Brawler, Fresh Troops, Airborne, and Daybreak.
- Brawler increases melee damage.
- Fresh Troops increases the number of enemies in squads.
- Airborne (aka the Thermal Wolf special) increases the damage you deal while in the air.
- Daybreak greatly increases ability recharge rate.
Heroic playlist modifiers Solar Burn, Specialist, Juggler.
Crucible playlists Mayhem Clash.
Challenge of Elders Guardians will be dealing with Berserk, Small Arms, Melee Kill Bonus.
Round 1: Seditious Mind (Vex)
Round 2: Keksis the Betrayed (Fallen)
Round 3: Val Aru’un (Cabal)
Weekly featured raid Crota’s End is this week’s featured raid.
Don’t forget to give Episode 009 a listen for some of my starting over from the beginning, plus an amazing cosplayer from Awesomecon!
It’s Taco…I mean Reset Tuesday! What are the new challenges for the Guardians during this week’s Age of Triumph activities? There are updates to the…Continue readingReset Tuesday: Info for June 20
Our episode begins with the presentation of a PS4 to Nick Kelly, He’s now able to play alongside Brandon, Tee, and Ron…but not before he gets his numbers up to snuff.
So…Nick’s got a blank canvas in front of him. What now?
Sound off, Guardians! Do you spark it in Destiny or do you troll? Talk to us at 703.791.1701 (reachable through WhatsApp) or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — Introduction
- Tee is getting his Heath Ledger on…
- Ron reminds Nick of Shepherd Book from Firefly…and you know, he’s got a point.
- When Ron gives advice in game, it’s tough love.
- Shout out to +2 Charisma who made us these wicked-cool glasses for our podcast!
- And suddenly we get plug heavy…
- Fanboy Glass
- Geek Wolfpack Podcast
- Loot Crate
- GameStop
- Anyone else? No?
3:52 — Nick’s Master Plan
- If you ever wondered what makes for bad audio…
- Tee presents Nick with a non-gift because, well, Nick’s purchased Tee’s old PS4.
- Does anyone need a LAN Cable? How about a toe?
- Nick’s beginning a band new adventure on his household’s second PS4.
- Now, a breakdown on where to find us all…
- Tee — TheTeeMonster
- Orion — Obi-Orion
- Brandon — Th3rmalw0lff
- Nick — Rev3Dood
- Ron puts down an ultimatum about The Crucible.
- Music tangent, featuring composer Blake Neely on Twitter
- The question to Nick: Are you going to spark it, or are you going to troll it?
- One advantage of trolling to 40: Experiencing the Cinematics. Again.
- Making a connection that takes Tee completely off-guard…
13:43 — Headshots
15:19 — Nick’s Master Plan (Part Two)
- Coach makes everybody happy.
- Ron’s definition of trolling in Destiny…and it’s eeeeeevil.
- Other oddities of Destiny…
- Anyone need a LAN cable?
- Another way Nick can organically troll: His Grimoire.
- And there goes Tee, breaking the Fourth Wall.
- Advantages of working through levels, and what Nick can’t do presently (a/k/a pining for Archon’s Forge).
- Waxing nostalgic. It’s what you do…
- Quick shout out to Subifan05 who represented Guardians with respect at AwesomeCon!
- Share with us your stories on how you decide to start over…
- Voicemail — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Where to find us online…
- Pinterest (No, really, Pinterest!)
Remember to leave us a comment or questionsfor the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Our episode begins with the presentation of a PS4 to Nick Kelly, He’s now able to play alongside Brandon, Tee, and Ron…but not before…Continue readingEpisode #009: Nick’s Master Plan
E3 is in full swing in Los Angeles, with plenty of news regarding Destiny 2. Meanwhile, it’s Tuesday, and that means another Age of Triumph reset. What’s new for Nightfall Strikes, the Crucible, the featured raid and beyond? Let’s take a look!
Weekly Nightfall
The Undying Mind is this week’s Nightfall. Modifiers include Epic, Specialist, Juggler, Grounded, and Chaff.
- Epic means an increase in heavily shielded enemies
- Specialist provides an edge to special weapon damage
- Juggler prevents any ammo drops for your equipped weapon
- Grounded increases damage taken by Guardians while in the air
- Chaff disables players’ radar
Heroic playlist modifiers
Heroic, Arc Burn, Brawler, & Ironclad.
Crucible playlists
Zone Control.
Challenge of Elders
Berserk, Catapult, Precision Kill Bonus.
Enemies:
Round 1: Keksis the Betrayed (Fallen)
Round 2: Seditious Mind (Vex)
Round 3: Noru’usk, Servant of Oryx (Cabal)
Weekly featured raid
Wrath of the Machine is this week’s raid. Go get that slick armor!!!
E3 is in full swing in Los Angeles, with plenty of news regarding Destiny 2. Meanwhile, it’s Tuesday, and that means another Age of Triumph…Continue readingWeekly Reset for June 13
As the guardians have seen, the Age of Triumph once again brings the Weekly Reset. What’s new for Nightfall Strikes, the Crucible, the featured raid…Continue readingWeekly Reset for June 6, 2017
As the guardians have seen, the Age of Triumph once again brings the Weekly Reset. What’s new for Nightfall Strikes, the Crucible, the featured raid and beyond? Let’s take a look!
It’s the Iron Banner! According to Bungie, Supremacy is this week’s challenge type. Victory rewards include the Iron Saga Mark (Titan Mark), Iron Saga Helmet, The Branded Lord (Fusion Rifle), and The Distant Star (Scout Rifle).
Weekly Nightfall It’s everyone’s favorite eyeball, as the Weekly Nightfall brings back Sepiks Perfected, with Arc Burn. Modifiers include Ironclad, Catapult, and Exposure.
- Ironclad increases the number of enemies with shields.
- Catapult up the grenade recharge rate.
- Exposure increases shields, but they do not replenish.
Heroic playlist modifiers Void Burn, Berserk, Brawler.
Crucible playlists Combined Arms.
Challenge of Elders Airborne, Trickle, Super Kill Bonus.
Round 1: Wretched Knight (Hive)
Round 2: Keksis the Betrayed (Fallen)
Round 3: Overmind Minotaur (Vex)
Weekly featured raid King’s Fall is this week’s featured raid. Good luck against Oryx.
It’s been a challenge recording this episode, but third time’s the charm! Ron had so much fun in studio with us that he decided to come back for more, but in this episode we talk about playing efficiently. What exactly does that entail, and when is it a good time to stay away from your comfort zones?
Sound off, Guardians! How do you play Destiny and where do your preferences lie? Auto? Pulse? Scout? Talk to us at 703.791.1701 (reachable through WhatsApp) or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — Introduction
- Man, Chief Wigam 49 and Halo Is My Bitch 12 are throwing serious gremlins in the mix!
- Ron decides to pick apart a line from The Empire Strikes Back…
- …and the show is already off the rails.
- Brandon’s take on Friday the 13th: The Game.
- Worth the wait!
- Disturbing chats in hardware stores after playing Jason Voorhees…
- Wait, this is not the podcast for that game. This is!
- Destiny accomplishments for the week
- Some of us got together with Michi. Some of us…
- Damn social life.
- Takeaways from the week’s Nightfall Strike
- No, Tee…that’s not a Troll. That’s…oh, never mind…
7:09 — Play Smart. Play Efficiently
- Brandon brings up a painful memory on why Tee wasn’t even able to play Destiny inefficiently on Day One…
- A Titan’s mantra
- Tee is convinced that certain weapons go with classes. Tee’s delusional.
-
FloofingOff
- However, some classes and races “fit” better together.
- Ron’s Kryptonite: Sniper Rifles.
- Lessons learned in the Challenge of Elders
- Tee surprises himself with headshots.
- Brandon wants a better indication of a precision kill…and we are back in Jason territory…
-
Not aStormtrooper
12:47 — The Nerd Out App
13:58 — Play Smart. Play Efficiently. (Part Two)
- Bless you, Brandon.
- Ron dealt Tee during a loot review a Boot to the Head.
- And Ron and Nick rub salt into Tee’s 400 Light wound.
- A look into a new perspective on how to level up.
- Pew-pew-pew-pew-pew…
- Ron’s Tough Love. We all feel it when we run with him.
- No, Tee…Ether Seeds, not Exot—oh, never mind.
- The Plight of a “Part Time” Player…
- Tee breaks the Fourth Wall, derails the episode, and turns it into a segue.
21:11 — Guardian Transmissions
- Tee started up a chat with Spartan Jenzii after seeing a work-in-progress of hers appear on the Destiny Facebook Community.
- Jenzii’s jam is EPIC cosplay builds.
- Her current work: Aksis from Tee’s favorite raid, Wrath of the Machine!
- Spartan Jenzii shares her story of her Aksis, Archon Prime build on the HHFTT Blog…
- Sharing some Cosplay Melee love.
- Wrapping-up and winding-down the episode…
- AwesomeCon
- Escape Velocity 2017
- BlerDCon
- We can take our act on the road, so if you want HHFTT at your event, reach out to us!
- Voicemail — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Where to find us online…
- All these different locations…some of which ask for reviews, and we would appreciate that.
- Pinterest (No, really, Pinterest!)
- Ron, you want to take that call?
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
It’s been a challenge recording this episode, but third time’s the charm! Ron had so much fun in studio with us that he decided to…Continue readingEpisode #008: Play Smart. Play Efficiently.
Everybody’s workin’ for the weekend! (Quick, somebody photoshop me a bandana on the Agent of the Nine.) It’s Friday, and that means it’s TGIX: Thankful…Continue readingXur Location for June 2
Everybody’s workin’ for the weekend! (Quick, somebody photoshop me a bandana on the Agent of the Nine.) It’s Friday, and that means it’s TGIX: Thankful Guardians Interview Xur.
That’s not a thing. Scrub your eyeballs.
On with the show…Xur is back and here’s his location and what he’s hocking out of the back of his panel van this week. (That’s also not a thing). This week, the Agent of the Nine is in the Tower nightclub. So, belly up to the bar, pop some glimmer in the juke box, and enjoy Happy Hour (from the Tower).
Here are the Exotic Armors available this weekend (13 Strange Coins each):
- Crest of Alpha Lupi chest piece for Titans
- Mask of the Third Man helmet for Hunters
- Skull of Dire Ahamkara helmet for Warlocks.
The Exotic Weapon is Hard Light, a fast-firing auto rifle whose bullets ricochet off of hard surfaces. (23 Strange Coins)
The Weapon Bundles are Monte Carlo auto rifle with the Superspy ornament, and the Red Death pulse rifle with the Steel Witch ornament.
Not a lot of love for this week’s inventory. Maybe Xur will have some better items for next week’s “School’s out for Summer” edition.
Special thanks to the continued great work by the folks over at GameRant.com. Kyle Sledge posted this article earlier this week featuring a middle school…Continue readingSchool Bands Getting in on Destiny
Special thanks to the continued great work by the folks over at GameRant.com. Kyle Sledge posted this article earlier this week featuring a middle school orchestra doing their rendition of the Cabal Stomp.
Game Rant’s article on the Cabal Stomp orchestra HERE.
As Kyle points out, this was originally posted by a Reddit user named “rediamnot” on Bungie’s official Destiny subreddit. It’s always amazing to see just how widespread the game’s popularity is, across generations and countries throughout the globe.
The article continues, pointing back to a 2-year old post from Game Rant contributor Sarah Fields. This post features an 8-minute video of the Guyer High School Wildcat Marching Band doing a full performance to music from Destiny. This isn’t new territory for the Wildcats, who, in 2012, performed an entire set to video game music. Songs included medleys from Tetris, Pokemon, and Halo.
The Wildcat Destiny Musical Article from Game Rant here.
Music has always played a big role in Destiny, with a wonderful soundtrack supporting the game play. Back in 2014, Sir Paul McCartney even released an accompanying song, titled “Hope for the Future.” It marked the first time that the former Beatle had composed for a video game. To celebrate the song’s release, McCartney even created his own Guardian for the game.
Sir Paul McCartney’s Guardian
As you may have heard on our last podcast, I am absolutely enamored if not slightly obsessed with the last of the raids from Destiny: Wrath of the Machine. The Rise of Iron expansion ramped up everything in this far-off future of our world, and its accompanying raid does not disappoint. Throughout the epic cyberpunk event is Aksis, the Big Boss behind the Devil Splicers. This transformed Fallen can be best described in its own words…
“We are they who created themselves out of themselves and died in the creation. No longer merely the god in the machine, but the machine in the god. ~consume enhance replicate~ Here we rise, made equal at last to that which we worship. ~consume enhance replicate~” When it comes to monsters, Archon Prime ranks alongside the Alien Queen as one of the most terrifying from science fiction. It would take a Guardian without fear to face such a boss, let alone try to cosplay it. http://www.happyhourfromthetower.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/IMG_3048.mp4 Meet Spartan Jenzii, a Guardian and cosplayer without fear. With her experience in creating the fantastic, Spartan Jenzii (Jennifer) knew the supreme leader of the Splicers would be an incredible undertaking. She brings her story behind the cosplay to HHFTT… “Aksis has to be one of my favorite characters in Destiny, the very first time I encountered him was love at first sight and that moment I knew that was going to be my next cosplay. I’ve been playing Destiny since Beta and I can’t wait for Destiny 2.“
“Aksis took me around 5 months to build. It was the most challenging cosplay I’ve ever encountered, especially when considering the size of the build, my height (5’2″), and how it will be put together. My only references were taking screenshots while playing the raid (which was difficult since I had to keep moving!) and art from the Grimoire and fans. My Aksis, Archon Prime Build, is made out of mainly EVA foam, Modelling Foam, fabrics, PVC, all painted with spray paints and primers. I use Revit to draw the templates and patterns to my size. Aksis had so much detail but I was to find I could scale it to my height.”
“My biggest challenges were the legs and tail, as they were the biggest part of the costume. I had to figure out a way to balance the legs without collapsing or falling, so I used little wheels and placed metal rods in between to separate them so they wouldn’t fall. The tail was really heavy, so I used metal profiles and brackets to prevent it from falling. It does move but it will prevent it from falling. Overall I am so excited that I took on Aksis. The costume is done, all made by me including some of the lights in Aksis’ head and legs.”
If you find yourself in Australia, Spartan Jenzii will be presenting her Aksis, Archon Prime at Supanova this June! Take pictures, and tell Jenzii the HHFTT crew said “G’day, Guardian!”
Congratulations, Jennifer. This is cosplay on an epic scale!
As you may have heard on our last podcast, I am absolutely enamored if not slightly obsessed with the last of the raids from Destiny:…Continue readingWrath of the Cosplayer: Spartan Jenzii Creates Aksis
It’s Taco Tuesday, which in the Age of Triumph, means we have need weekly nightfall strikes, raids and more to accomplish. It’s an oldie but…Continue readingWeekly Reset for May 30
It’s Taco Tuesday, which in the Age of Triumph, means we have need weekly nightfall strikes, raids and more to accomplish. It’s an oldie but a goodie this week, and a favorite of our very own Brandon “Headshot” Kelly. Check below for details. Eyes up, Guardian!
Featured Raid: Yup, It’s Vault of Glass Ok, Headshot, time to hit the Vault of Glass on Venus for a chance to earn some exclusive 390 raid gear and weapons.
The VoG has challenges for both the Templar and Atheon. Here are the requirements to pass them both:
- Templar Challenge – The fireteam must prevent the Templar from teleporting once during combat.
- Atheon Challenge – Each member of the fireteam must kill the Oracle once during every teleport phase of this fight.
Weekly Vanguard Nightfall The weekly nightfall is the Dust Palace. (Quick piece of trivia: This strike was originally exclusive to the PS4, but opened up to all players in 2015.)
The active modifiers on this strike are:
- Epic adds heavily shielded enemies that are more aggressive and appear in greater numbers.
- Match Game makes enemy shields immune to damage that doesn’t match its element type.
- Small Arms increases primary weapon damage while slightly decreasing special and heavy weapon damage.
- Chaff removes player radar.
- Berserk prevents enemies from flinching even after taking massive damage.
SIVA Crisis Heroic Strike Playlist Someone, Strongbad is happy, because this strike includes a burn modifier. “TROGDOR!!!!” Break out the Sunsinger, Sunbreaker or Gunslinger and “Set Fire to the Sun!” Rewards include 30 Legendary Marks and a Treasure of Ages loot box. Lucky players will also potentially land a Skeleton Key.
The active modifiers on this strike are:
- Heroic buffs enemies, making them more aggressive and in greater numbers than normal.
- Brawler increases Guardian melee damage.
- Berserk prevents enemies from flinching even after taking massive damage.
- Solar Burn increases all solar based damage from any source.
Weekly Story Playlist Revisit past missions, although with a new flavor, with the Weekly Story Playlist. This brings back old missions with new challenge modifiers, and rewards players with a Treasure of Ages box and Legendary Marks. This week’s story modes stick with the Iron Lords.
The active modifiers this week are:
- Heroic buffs enemies, making them more aggressive and in greater numbers than normal.
- Void Burn greatly increases all void based damage from any source.
- Small Arms increases primary weapon damage while slightly decreasing special and heavy weapon damage.
Weekly Crucible Playlist It’s Mayhem.
The modes this week are:
- Clash
- Rift
- Elimination
- Skirmish
- Rumble Supremacy
Thanks, once again, to Derek Nichols of Gamerant.com for this information.
Xur, the Agent of the Nine, aka Squidward, aka Acne-pus (an octopus with bad acne issues) is back for the weekend. He’s making use of…Continue readingXur Location and Exotics – May 28
Xur, the Agent of the Nine, aka Squidward, aka Acne-pus (an octopus with bad acne issues) is back for the weekend. He’s making use of the Tower, while we still have one, hanging out with the Speaker, while we still have one, to sell you exotics. Here’s a breakdown of this week’s items.
The items that Xur are selling this week are as follows:
- Helm of Saint-14 (Titan Helmet) – 13 Strange Coins
- ATS/8 ARACHNID (Hunter Helmet) – 13 Strange Coins
- The Ram (Warlock Helmet) – 13 Strange Coins
- Hearafter (Sniper Rifle) – 23 Strange Coins
- Legacy Heavy Weapon Engram – 31 Strange Coins
- Monte Carlo and Superspy – 30 Strange Coins, 25 Silver Dust
- Truth and Prototype – 30 Strange Coins, 25 Silver Dust
Thanks to Matthew Reynolds at Eurogamer.net for this week’s update.
There’s an old saying about art imitating life. When it comes to Destiny, though, it’s a little creepy to think that’s true as we’re playing in…Continue readingWelcome to the Cosmodrome.
There’s an old saying about art imitating life. When it comes to Destiny, though, it’s a little creepy to think that’s true as we’re playing in a post-apocalyptic world.
But WIRED Magazine has the evidence: The Cosmodrome is real.
Photographer Danila Tkachenko created Restricted Areas, a visual essay of “secret” cities that hosted the former Soviet Union’s most sensitive military and scientific programs. Many of these monuments to an age gone by are now abandoned and falling into ruin.
Read the article here, and take a tour of our present-day Cosmodrome. Keep an eye out for Fallen, Guardian.
We’re all super stoked for Destiny 2, with the Gameplay trailer and announcement landing last week. (Check out episode 007 of the podcast for our reactions!) In the meantime, we want to keep everyone posted on the weekly resets for strikes, raids and playlists.
For the Week of May 23, here are the updates:
Weekly Nightfall
The Nightfall this week is The Wretched Eye with Arc Burn, and modifiers Small Arms, Juggler, Airborne, and Daybreak.
- Small Arms increases primary weapon damage.
- Juggler prevents ammo drops for your equipped weapon.
- Airborne increases the damage you deal while in the air.
- Daybreak greatly increases ability recharge rate.
Heroic playlist modifiers
Void Burn, Brawler, Ironclad.
Crucible playlists
Doubles.
Challenge of Elders
Specialist, Trickle, Super Kill Bonus.
- Round 1: Seditious Mind (Vex)
- Round 2: Noru’usk, Servant of Oryx (Cabal)
- Round 3: Sylok, the Defiled (Hive)
Weekly featured raid
Crota’s End is this week’s featured raid.
Thanks again to Sherif Saed of VG 24/7 for this update.
We’re all super stoked for Destiny 2, with the Gameplay trailer and announcement landing last week. (Check out episode 007 of the podcast for our…Continue readingWeekly Reset for May 23rd
You may not have known this about Tee, but he’s got a thing about Funko Pops. However, he assures everyone that he can stop… …at…Continue readingFunko Pops FINALLY Launch a Destiny Line!
You may not have known this about Tee, but he’s got a thing about Funko Pops. However, he assures everyone that he can stop…
…at any time.
But that time will not be in August when Funko releases their new Destiny Pop!s Collection.
From the Funko blog:
You can now add your favorite Guardians Cayde-6,
Ikora and Zavala to your Pop! vinyl collection.
In addition, the antagonist Oryx.
Collect them all this Summer!
Oh, Tee will. Tee most assuredly will…
Brace yourselves! This episode of Happy Hour from the Tower: A Destiny Podcast is YOUGE! BIGLY! SUPER-SIZED FOR YOUR PLEASURE! Let’s just be honest here: We…Continue readingEpisode #007: The Reveal of Destiny 2 and Tee’s Raid Revelations
Brace yourselves! This episode of Happy Hour from the Tower: A Destiny Podcast is YOUGE! BIGLY! SUPER-SIZED FOR YOUR PLEASURE!
Let’s just be honest here: We had a lot to say about that Twitch stream from Bungie!
We’re breaking down the big reveal from May 18 with Special Guardian Guest Ron Dauphin jumping in on the conversation.
And…wait…Tee’s got a reveal of his own? And it’s got something to do with the Listener Feedback? What’s he revealing to his fellow Fireteam mates?
Enjoy this double-sized engram, encoded with all sorts of thoughts, opinions, and feedback from Bungie’s big day! Share with us your own thoughts on the big changes, new storylines, and incredible surprises from Destiny 2 at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!
00:00 — Introduction
- Big nod to the Red Legion!
- Nick sharing his love for Amanda while Brandon gives his most serious of faces.
- Check it out — ObiOrion is in studio!
- Let’s talk about May 18, 2017…IT WAS NICK’S BIRTHDAY!!!
- But we think something else was going on that day…
1:52 — The Reveal of Destiny 2 (Part One)
- Bungie unveiled Destiny 2 on Twitch…and Guardians were pretty happy about it.
- Piper watched me watch the gameplay…and she loved it.
- How many times did you watch the gameplay?
- Do you feel the tension between the classes?
- Reactions to “Homecoming” from the collected crew…
- Sweeperbot FTW!!!
- These Guardians were taking notes!
- Celebrating the Best of Cayde-6
- New Special Abilities: The Sentinel, the Dawnblade, and the Arcstrider
- More news from Mr Fruit’s Gaming Channel on surviving subclasses.
- Representation matters, especially in Destiny!
- What we’re digging from the opening cinematics…
- What we want to see more of in Destiny 2…
- What’s with the salt on Forums and Facebook Discussion Boards?
- Tee gives good Lance Reddrick.
14:20 — Washington Metropolitan Gamers’s Symphony Orchestra on Twitch
15:01 — The Reveal of Destiny 2 (Part Two)
- You were expecting this show to be a half an hour? This is the Destiny 2 reveal, thank you VERY much!
- More about the Red Legion and their leader, Gary…
- And ObiOrion brings the gravitas to Happy Hour from the Tower.
- Where’s Eris Morn?
- Speculating on what happens after the “Homecoming” mission…
- If Orion had that armor, he would be wearing the new armor.
- Does your power come from Experience or Light?
- Tee needs to practice a bit at the jumping for Destiny 2…
- Nick features the new maps coming in September
- On Earth, we rendezvous at the European Dead Zone
- On Nessus (Cayde-6’s hideout)
- Saturn’s moon, Titan (Zavala’s hideout)
- Jupiter’s Io (Ikora’s hideout)
- …and getting from place to place has gotten a touch easier.
- Destiny 2 introduces sidequests into the mix.
- Tee’s theory as to why Guardians never had a map in Destiny 1.
- Tee owns his inability to navigate current maps in game.
- Changes in The Crucible
- All matches are 4v4
- Ron’s take on it: Destiny now compels players to work harder.
- Coordination will be key
- The H.U.D. is even more effective and dangerous…
- We’re not going to let Nick slink away from the Crucible this go-round…
- Nick covers changes in Social Matchmaking.
- Bungie wants people to play in Fireteams.
- And the Beta is coming….when?
- Another break…but Nick gets in the last word.
31:14 — The Phil Rossi Experience
32:24 — The Reveal of Destiny 2 (Part Three)
- Nope…we’re not done. We’re NOT — DONE.
- The new subclasses have some great abilities that encourage cooperative play.
- Some Warlock love featured in the new Strike! (Love your Warlocks!)
- Can we just take some time and enjoy the world designed for us?
- Reflections on the Vault of Glass…
- The debate between Dedicated and Peer-to-Peer Servers
- No love for Division on this podcast, apparently…
- Connections are a bit of a dice roll with Peer-to-Peer connections
- Why would Bungie fix something that isn’t broken…for them?
- Nick continues his descent into Destiny’s Grimlore
- The backstory of SIVA
- A Hardcore Destiny Guardian has collected all the cards and created bound volumes.
- What happens when you go exploring in the Plaguelands…
- Tee’s #DestinyGoals: Writing a tie-in novel.
- Shout-out the THIS GUY in the audience…
You, sir, are Legend! * Closing thoughts. Finally… + Tee draws a line in the sand. Truly, he does. + Some thoughts on the Defender subclass + Zavala’s moment in the opening cinematic + No, seriously, Ron wants to know where is Eris Morn? * One more segment to go…
46:48 — The Shared Desk
47:48 — Feedback & Tee’s Raid Revelations
- Yikes! We’re still going!!!
- #IMissMyDinklebot
- Listener Email from TurtleSnake75…in Germany!
- Listener Voicemail from our Fireteam’s own WikiReedia! (The one and only, Nobilis Reed.)
- And now comes to the reveal as to how all this ties in with Tee’s surprise…but Nick steals the thunder momentarily with some lovely art for the studio!”
- Tee’s big reveal: He got busy last week.
- Mad love to ZGPhoto (Zac) and the Photobombers on Twitch!
- Are you curious as to what Tee got up to? Well, guess what — this adventure was broadcast on Twitch for all to see.
- Tee waited for the call from Team Leader ZG of “A good effort, but you’re done…” but nevertheless, the Photobombers persisted.
- When Tee found his groove, he found it in Wrath of the Machine…but when he didn’t…
- Then there were the directional challenges.
- And in the end, we made it the final phase only to be outdone by Bungie.
- Tee’s Revelations
- Destiny’s Community rocks my world hard.
- Zac and the Photobombers were patient, kind, and good guys—all of them.
- Tee’s been playing Destiny all wrong.
- He needs to master jumping.
- “Wrong Way” needs to end. Now.
- He’s got two months…and a standing invitation to return to the Wrath of the Machine Raid with ZGPhoto.
- Another Takeaway: Watching the Raid is not the same as running the Raid.
- Practice, practice, practice…
- Thanks again, Zac.
- Now it’s time to get practicing.
- Remember, we want to hear from you…
- Voicemail — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- We need to have Ron on more often…
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
TGIX! Thank God it’s Xur? Doesn’t really have that sing-a-long ring to it, huh? Well, it’s Friday, and that means the Agent of the Nine is back with a new catalog of “what’s it gonna take for me to get you into this Exotic today?”
Specifically, Xur (who I believe matches the original concept art for Squidward on Spongebob Squarepants) is in the Tower. This time, he’s hanging with the Speaker, instead of downing a pint of … uh … you got me in a box, here. I have no idea what that dude would order.
Here’s the breakdown on the items available from Xur this weekend:
- Legacy engram [Body armour] – 29SC
- Eternal Warrior [Exotic Titan helmet] – 13SC
- Skyburners Annex [Exotic Hunter helmet] – 13SC
- Heart of the Praxic Fire [Exotic Warlock chest armour] – 13SC
- Bad Juju [Exotic pulse rifle] – 23SC
- Three of Coins – 7SC
- MIDA Multi-Tool and Arctic Survivalist [weapon bundle] – 30SC, 25 Silver Dust
- Red Death and White Witch [weapon bundle] – 30SC, 25 Silver Dust
Thanks again to Sharif Saed at VG 24/7 for this info.
TGIX! Thank God it’s Xur? Doesn’t really have that sing-a-long ring to it, huh? Well, it’s Friday, and that means the Agent of the Nine…Continue readingXur Location and Items for May 19
It’s Tuesday, and that means Bungie once again resets the weekly Nightfall, Challenges, and Playlists. Here’s the breakdown for this week, including…wait for it…Wrath of the Machine!
Weekly Nightfall
Winter’s Run is the Nightfall this week with modifiers Specialist, Chaff, Ironclad, and Exposure.
- Specialist increases special weapon damage.
- Chaff disables your radar.
- Ironclad increases the number of enemies with shields.
- Exposure increases your shields but they do not replenish.
Heroic playlist modifiers
Solar Burn, Specialist, Fresh Troops.
Crucible playlists
Mayhem Clash.
Challenge of Elders
Catapult, Small Arms, Melee Kill Bonus.
- Round 1: Noru’usk, Servant of Oryx (Cabal)
- Round 2: Overmind Minotaur (Vex)
- Round 3: Seditious Mind (Vex)
Weekly featured raid
Wrath of the Machine is this week’s featured raid. This means all three challenge modes will be active, which means you’re going to need to make sure you don’t mess up the attempt. Reading the full guide at the link is a good way to start. – Special thanks to Sherif Saed of VG 24/7 for this week’s info.
It’s Tuesday, and that means Bungie once again resets the weekly Nightfall, Challenges, and Playlists. Here’s the breakdown for this week, including…wait for it…Wrath of…Continue readingWeekly Reset for May 16: Nightfall, Playlists & Challenges
Everybody’s workin’ for the weekend. Why? Because the Agent of the Nine is back and he has some super sweet gear as usual. Where’s Xur? Let’s find out…
The squid-faced one is hanging out in the lounge/bar at the Tower (we approve, of course.) The big question is…what in the name of Osiris would this guy drink? And how?
What’s he Got?
The Legacy Engram (for just 29 Strange Coins) is leg armor.
13 Strange Coins will get you one of the following pieces of armor:
Immolation Fists (Exotic Titan gauntlets)
Khepri’s Sting (Exotic Hunter gauntlet)
Ophidian Aspect (Exotic Warlock gauntlet)
23 Strange Coins will get you the Zhalo Supercell (Exotic Auto Rifle).
7 Strange Coins get you the Three of Coins.
The following bundles are also available:
Zhalo Supercell and Not a Toy (weapon bundle) – 30SC, 25 Silver Dust
Hawkmoon and Carrion (weapon bundle) – 30SC, 25 Silver Dust
(Thanks again to the good folks at VG24/7 for the information on Xur this week.)
Everybody’s workin’ for the weekend. Why? Because the Agent of the Nine is back and he has some super sweet gear as usual. Where’s Xur?…Continue readingXur Location and Items for May 12
So this week the Iron Banner is back in action, and the gamemode is Mayhem Clash. So that’s fun! Here’s some rules and things I’ve…Continue readingIron Banner
So this week the Iron Banner is back in action, and the gamemode is Mayhem Clash. So that’s fun! Here’s some rules and things I’ve learned from playing the Iron Banner Mayhem Clash.
Rule #1
Fighting a Stormcaller is pretty difficult when you’re a Stormcaller yourself.
Rule #2
If you hear a Hammer of Sol, run for your life.
Rule #3
Grenade… Melee…. Grenade…. Super…. Grenade…. Melee…
Rule #4
Grab as much Heavy ammo as possible… It can save you.
Rule #5
Grab those Banner bounties, they’re worth it.
Rule #6
It’s not a bad idea to stick with your teammates. Unless they’re all Sunsingers
May 9th brought us a new reset for the weekly activities during Age of Triumph. Here’s a quick update, credit goes to Sherif Syed over at VG 24/7:
Cerberus Vae 3 is the weekly strike. The modifiers are Berserk, Fresh Troops, Airborne, and Catapult.
Berserk prevents enemies from flinching, even after massive damage. Fresh Troops increases the number of enemies in some squads. Airborne increases the damage you deal while in the air. Catapult increase the recharge rate of your grenades.
Heroic playlist modifiers
Void Burn, Brawler, Chaff.
Crucible playlists
Zone Control.
Challenge of Elders
Airborne, Fresh Troops, Grenade Kill Bonus.
Round 1: Sylok, the Defiled (Hive)
Round 2: Pilot Servitor (Fallen)
Round 3: Seditious Mind (Vex)
Weekly featured raid
The featured raid this week is King’s Fall. Outside of the encounters you remember, all three challenges are active. Brush up on what you should do with this quick guide.
The guide also shows off the new loot you’ll be earning so you know what you’re working towards.
Get all of the information on this week’s raids, strikes, dailies and more HERE.
May 9th brought us a new reset for the weekly activities during Age of Triumph. Here’s a quick update, credit goes to Sherif Syed over at…Continue readingWeekly Reset Details for May 9
If you’ve been tracking with us on Happy Hour from the Tower: A Destiny Podcast then you know that Brandon, Nick, and Tee have never been on…Continue readingEpisode #006: Baby’s First (Successful) Raid
If you’ve been tracking with us on Happy Hour from the Tower: A Destiny Podcast then you know that Brandon, Nick, and Tee have never been on a Raid.
Check that — never been on a successful Raid.
When Bungie revealed their new armor for the Age of Triumph, the guys knew they had to up their game, one Raid at a time; and recently, Tee and Brandon got a fireteam together and headed into the original (vanilla) edition of Vault of Glass.
Here’s how things went…
Share with us your own favorite (or least favorite) Raids at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to share them with the Guardians on the show!
00:00 — Introduction
- Nick has his own soundtrack. Did you know that?
- Brandon kills Demigods for the fun of it.
- If Orion is the foundation, then Brandon is the gravel.
-
TankLife
-
DieOmnigoulDie
3:15 — Baby’s First (Successful) Raid
- Holy Cow — we completed a Raid! And yet Brandon’s salty about it…
- Nick did not join Tee and Brandon on this Raid. Our team included…
- WikiReedia (never completed a Raid)
- TheTeeMonster (never completed a Raid)
- Th3rmalw0lff (never completed a Raid)
- Nitrolad (Veteran of Raids)
- ObiOrion (Veteran of Raids)
- ZoneMudKip (Veteran of Raids)
- Heading into the Vault of Glass, we — looked — great!
- The Vault of Glass with Nick Kelly as EmCee
- Digging into the Grimlore about the Vault via the Destiny app…
- Six Guardians total
- Brandon’s first Raid, depicted with drop-in’s
- Subclass Breakdown
- Nobilis’ strategy, similar to OneActual’s on Twitch: Have a Defender on call.
- A few words on Sherpas
- What makes a bad Sherpa
- What makes a good Sherpa
- Shameless plug for Rev3
- ObiOrion, ZoneMudkip, and Miss Anubis — ideal Sherpas
- Brandon is jonesing for that AoT Vault of glass armour.
- Tee faces a nasty jumping puzzle that eats away at his final nerve….
- Why did we go with Vault of Glass?
- For Brandon, it would be a taste of what was to come for his #AoTGoals.
- Lowest level of the vanilla raids
- VoG Unfinished Business for some of us.
15:27 — Nutty Bites
16:07 — Baby’s First (Successful) Raid: Part Two
- Why did we go with Vault of Glass? (continued)
- Nick will get to do a Raid…eventually.
- Could we do this again at 390?
- Well, maybe?
- Tee wants a Light buffer before giving it a shot.
- If Orion had that armor, he would be wearing the new armor.
- So, how did we get along?
- Remember The Rage Tee owned in the last episode?
- What was pushing me to the edge…even beyond the Jump Puzzle…
- ObiOrion, the Calm of the Storm
- What would be nice before the Boss Battle: A Rundown of What I Need to Do?
- The Key to Raid Success: Communication and Coordination
- Tee learned a lot when watching an H1Z1 Event.
- On OneActual’s feed, one person is making the call.
- Another #DestinyGoal: A chain of command.
- Vault of Glass’ Boss Battle: Atheon
- Just let Brandon do his thing…
- Was the Raid worth it?
- Did WikiReedia have somewhere else to be?
- Enjoy the scenery…
- Anyone else think the Vault looks like this?
- The adrenaline crash is nuts!
- What’s next?
- Please avoid “easy” when describing these Raids…
- Leaning towards Crota’s End…
- What is your favorite Raid? LET US KNOW!
- Voicemail — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Brandon sounds so sad. Cheer him up, will you?
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
What do you get when you cross Waldo with a Mind Flayer and cast him in Weekend at Bernie’s? You guessed it. You get Xur!
The mysterious Agent of the Nine is back this weekend and he has a cache of Exotic Items available for purchase. Check out this article from the folks at Game Rant for details.
Eyes up, Guardian!
What do you get when you cross Waldo with a Mind Flayer and cast him in Weekend at Bernie’s? You guessed it. You get Xur!…Continue readingXur Location and Items – April 28
The Age of Triumph continues to bring new challenges to Destiny. Guardians, here is the information for this week’s Featured Raid, SIVA Crisis Heroic Strike, Weekly Vanguard Nightfall, Weekly Story Playlist, Weekly Crucible Playlist, modifiers and more!
Click on the link to get your info. Eyes up, Guardian!
The Age of Triumph continues to bring new challenges to Destiny. Guardians, here is the information for this week’s Featured Raid, SIVA Crisis Heroic Strike,…Continue readingApril 25 – This Week’s Raids, Strikes and More
It’s that kind of Tuesday where Happy Hour from the Tower: A Destiny Podcast is live! Brandon, Nick, and Tee are talking this episode about how we play…Continue readingEpisode #005: How Do You Play Destiny?
It’s that kind of Tuesday where Happy Hour from the Tower: A Destiny Podcast is live! Brandon, Nick, and Tee are talking this episode about how we play Destiny. There are different approaches to the game, and everyone has a favorite way to play. In the second half of the show, they discuss ways they can improve their game.
Have a listen and feel free to share with us your own approaches to the Cosmodrome, the Dreadnaught, or the Plaguelands at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com.
00:00 — Introduction
- Tee is trying hard to make everybody feel good about the show in its infancy…
- Carving out time for Destiny sucks when you adult on a regular basis.
- Brandon inches closer and closer to 400 Light. (UPDATE: He made it Monday night.)
- Who’s coming out on top? Cayde-6 or this guy?
3:30 — How Do You Play Destiny?
- Nick sums up his style-of-play with the Titan succinctly. (#TankLife)
- There are other classes out there for the Kellys, and their KinderGuardian is a Warlock
- Nick’s Advice: Don’t play a Hunter like a Titan.
- A quick visit from the Studio Cat. (One of them anyway…)
- Where to find us on the PSN…
- Nick Kelly — TBA
- Brandon Kelly — Th3rmalw0lff
- Tee Morris — TheTeeMonster
- Nick and Tee are making Brandon squirm…
- How does Brandon play?
- One word — He’s a Baller.
- Crucible Doubles is Brandon’s jam.
- Nick likes to farm the Forge.
- “Titan no jump good.”
- Why Brandon prefers Nightstalker over Gunslinger
- Tee’s approach to Destiny
- Thanks to Nick, Tee’s working up the Defender with his Kinderguardian Titan.
- Tee’s more confident with the Hunter in the Crucible, but he’s got mad-love for his Warlock.
- Brandon hates the Warlock melee…especially when he’s on the other side of it.
- Before anyone says it, yes, Tee knows the Telesto is a FUSION Rifle. He was buzzing hard off the Rev3.
- Thanks, Clark Gregg.
15:07 — The Phil Rossi Experience
16:20 — How Can We Be Better Guardians?
- We love this game…but what can we do better?
- Tee volunteers as Tribute
- When the E becomes a P, Tee’s aim makes him ready for the Imperial Armed Forces.
- And here comes the hump-busting…
- Tee’s other problem: He missed his calling and should have played hockey..like Nick.
- The Rage isn’t directed at other players. It’s all on me.
- Sebastian (the Cat) returns, and loves on the plug bell.
- Tee got an awakening about “aggressive styles” of playing when watching the H1Z1 Event.
- What makes Tee unravel: The voices in his head(set).
- Brandon’s Room for Improvement
- Channeling an Inner Leroy…
- Brandon hates Pulse Rifles and Shotguns.
- SIDENOTE: Tee’s a sword guy.
- Nick looks at where he can improve.
- “Titan no jump good.”
- Patience is a virtue….and a measure for how much Heavy Ammo synthesis you have.
- Can Nick get over those jump puzzles? He’s confident.
- #DestinyGoals
- How do you play Destiny?
- Voicemail — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Funny thing, though. I think I’m coming down with something…
Cough. Cough.
Sniffle. Sniffle.
Funny thing, though. I think I’m coming down with something… Cough. Cough. Sniffle. Sniffle.
Episode #004 of Happy Hour from the Tower: A Destiny Podcast is sticking on the every-other-week schedule, so to do that we’re dropping this episode like…Continue readingEpisode #004: The Destiny App
Episode #004 of Happy Hour from the Tower: A Destiny Podcast is sticking on the every-other-week schedule, so to do that we’re dropping this episode like it’s hot. We’re spending some time talking about the Destiny app. Yeah, when it comes to managing your KDR and trying to figure out what steps you have left on your quests from The Speaker, did you know there’s an app for that?
Yessir, there is an app for all that and more!
00:00 — Introduction
- Anyone else ever flashback to Firefly when Cayde-6 brings the snark?
- A desperate call for Nathan Fillion—you never know, he might be listening!
- Jumping right into the shop topic….
1:24 — Play Destiny? There’s an app for that. (Part One)
- The Destiny App
- A hidden gem with this game
- Dropping a few nods to The Old Towne Man Cave, Fanboy Glass, and Copper Fox Distillery
- This is how Tee games.
- It’s amazing how many people don’t know about this app!
- What do you love about this app?
- Jumping into the stats
- Tee’s KDR stats are all over the place.
- Brandon’s are at a nice, high plateau. (I hate him.—Tee)
- Do you play the Iron Banana?
- Nick’s clocked in a lot of time with his Titan…but not in the Crucible.
- So where do you find all these stats? Follow along with us…
- A nice charm of the app: Breaking down what kind of player you are.
- Brandon and Nick enjoy a true Father-Son moment.
12:20 — Washington Metropolitan Gamers’s Symphony Orchestra on Twitch
13:02 —Play Destiny? There’s an app for that. (Part Two)
- Nick and Brandon….still working through competitive issues.
- Nick walks through Quests and Missions, and you want to track and what you don’t.
- The app is also great for people who are on Twitch.
- Does your Warlock need something your hunter has? Quick—to the app!
- Tee and Brandon compare sizes…
- The reason Tee picks on the teenager: Because he started it!
- Want to know how you performed in the Crucible? Follow Tee’s follow through…
- The app is also a walking library of the lore behind Destiny
- What do you know? We have a board! (And Brandon is sending us Instant Messages through our Clan.)
- The Destiny app has been rock solid on mobile devices.
- It’s nice to have access like this, not only to Destiny but to Bungie, as well.
- English hard. Titan no jump good.
- How is the Destiny app working for you?
- Voicemail — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Got a little tongue-tied…
- Brandon’s feeling a little bummed out by Tee’s badgering. Let’s take it to the Crucible!
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Episode #003 of Happy Hour from the Tower: A Destiny Podcast was not supposed to happen for another week but let’s be honest— Bungie had a pretty jam packed week last week and we needed to get back to the Tower and talk about it.
What a week, indeed!
00:00 — Introduction
- How about those new drop-in’s?
- This is so NOT a weekly podcast…
- …but HOLY HANNAH IN A HELICOPTER, Bungie is keeping us busy!
2:05 — The Age of Triumph: Week One
- So what do we think?
- Nick’s got some catching up to do…
- What is up with that “From the Beginning” accomplishment?!
- Tee sums up the Age of Triumph.
- Brandon is closing in to the coveted 400 Light Level with his Huntress after five days. Five. Days.
- Shout out to Obi Orion!
- Inching closer to our own six-person fireteam…
- Tee hopped on to Twitch to celebrate AoT…
- Whatever Tee is drinking, he’s having a wild ride with this episode.
- With the Husk of the Pit, Tee was making poor Destiny choices.
- Brandon is a man of few words…
- Nick’s First Impression: Don’t leave the house without your Sunbreaker!
- Brandon was getting a lot of Ogre Love.
- Where was Vin Diesel on today’s strike?
- Tee learns something new about rocket launchers from OneActual on Twitch
- Age of Triumph, baby — it’s on!
13:25 — The Steamrollers Adventure Podcast
14:36 — Destiny 2: Electric Boogalloo
- On the FIRST TAKE…
- Summing up Tee’s misadventures today…
- When you need to mine for loot…
- Tee and Nick prefer Archon’s Forge.
- Brandon is all about the Crucible.
- Quick Tip for the Crucible: How’s your Three of Coins stash?
- So you think people are digging Cayde-6?
- Who doesn’t love the SweeperBot?
- Thoughts on the teaser trailer and then the trailer for Destiny 2
- How can you purchase Destiny 2?
- Major announcement coming on May 18
- There are many different versions of Destiny 2 packages
- Tee is coveting the Destiny 2 Collector’s Edition
- Have you picked up a Cayde-6 from GameStop yet?
- What we know about Destiny 2?
- The Tower has fallen.
- When heading into the hot zones, get ready to go Cabals-deep!
- Bungie’s word on the importing of characters.
- Destiny 1 is not going anywhere soon, but no new content after AoT.
- A few other upgrades to the game itself.
- PC Gamers are jumping into the Cosmodrome on Day One.
- Remember— April 1: Don’t believe anything you read on the Internet.
- The Internet has got this. Seriously.
- Want to share your thoughts with the Tower?
- Voicemail — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
- Shout out to the Headshots podcast!
- What we know about Destiny 2?
Signing off from the Tower…
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Episode #003 of Happy Hour from the Tower: A Destiny Podcast was not supposed to happen for another week but let’s be honest— Bungie had a…Continue readingEpisode #003: The First Week of Age of Triumph and Destiny 2
Episode #002 of Happy Hour from the Tower: A Destiny Podcast is going “Cabals Deep” into what Bungie is calling their “Victory Lap” prior to the release…Continue readingEpisode #002: Welcome to the Age of Triumph!
Episode #002 of Happy Hour from the Tower: A Destiny Podcast is going “Cabals Deep” into what Bungie is calling their “Victory Lap” prior to the release of Destiny 2. Age of Triumph is a new record book—the biggest Bungie has ever released—and Tee, Nick, and Brandon are nostalgically looking ahead to what’s in store.
00:00 — Introduction
- Once again? But this is our second episode.
- Age of Triumph in one Twitch stream? Don’t be ridiculous…
1:32 — Welcome to the Age of Triumph
- This is the celebration from Bungie for Destiny.
- Why Twitch is called Twitch, according to Nick…
- A bit of the community is upset about all this new gear coming.
- Let’s enjoy the Farewell Tour
- Stream One: Let’s talk about RAIDS
- Deej (David Dague), Community Manager
- Ryan Paradis, Lead Designer
- Joe Blackburn, Senior Raid Designer
- All of Destiny’s raids are back…but there is a catch.
- For any new Destiny players, what is a Raid?
- Brandon discovers the hard way how matchmaking works: It doesn’t.
- Horror Stories of Failed Raids
- There is more to Age of Triumph other than Raids. Let’s talk about Strikes.
- Smoked Meat analogies work for this game.
- Stream Two: All About STRIKES and QUESTS
- Deej (again)
- Tim Williams, Story Developer from Rise of Iron
- Joe Sifferman, Strike Developer
- New weekly Quest Playlists
- 12 steps to new treasures and cool stuff
- Where is your Record Book? (Just in case you don’t know.)
- This is a 12-Step Program that is no help whatsoever.
- Treasures of the Ages: available at EverVerse or playing the AoT challenges.
- A few notes on finding Silver Dust
- Feeling the pain of the grind…
- New Weekly Offerings
- Challenge of Elders (Level 42 Arena)
- Nightfall Strike (Level 42/380 Light)
- Some Daybreak Modifier Love
- Can you smell the nostalgia? We can.
- Daybreak Modifier drops on Day 1…and we are counting down…
- Nick’s Lament…
13:10 — Geek Radio Daily
14:11 — The Age of Triumph (Part Two)
- When does this Age of Triumph madness begin today? Wait…TODAY?!
- So how close are we to that coveted 390 Light Level? Yeah, about that…
- Stream Three: All the GOODIES
- Deej (as always)
- Ian Macintosh, Artist
- Josh Hammrick, Senior Designer.
- Apparently, Deej is your huckleberry.
- We do love MAGFest on this podcast.
- The armor of the Age of Triumph is insane…
- The Vault of Glass armor
Brandon covets it, but Tee’s got issues. * Verizon will not be sponsoring this podcast anytime soon. * We also love Rev3 on this podcast. * The Crota’s End armor * And you know what’s another great analogy that works for Destiny? * The Wrath of the Machine: Age of Triumph Armor…
Tee wants this. BAD. * Tee is continuing baby steps with his KinderGuardian… * The Moment of Triumph armor…sexay! * So how did Bungie pull this off without putting on additional demands on the consoles? * And then you have the Exotic weapons… + It’s great listening to Nick and Brandon covet gear. + Foreshadowing to Episode #3 * Nick goes there…
23:06 — Guardian Feedback
- Comments from the Cosmodrome already?!
- A question from Steve Saylor, The Blind Gamer — Where to start on Destiny?
- A comment from author P.C. Haring — Why do you play Destiny?
- What happens when Guardians tie the knot? You get epic photos like this! (Props to Sandy Pataray/illbeyourpal on Xbox)
- Want to share your thoughts with the Tower?
- Voicemail — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
Signing off from the Tower…
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Welcome to Episode #001 of Happy Hour from the Tower: A Destiny Podcast. This is the first episode of a passion podcast featuring Titans, Hunters, and Warlocks. It’s three guys who just love the game and ant to share that with you. This is the “Meet the Guardians” episode where Tee, Nick, and Brandon give you a lowdown on who they are, how they play, and what they are looking to accomplish with this brand new podcast.
00:00 — Introduction
- Once again? But this is our debut episode.
- Happy (Belated) Birthday, Brandon Kelly!
- Commit now, retcon later.
2:00 — What am I listening to?
- It’s all Tee’s fault, starting with bad assumptions…
- If you’re looking for an in-depth, hardcore, all-about-getting-to-the-Lighthouse Destiny podcast, we got bad news for you…
- Who are we?
- Tee Morris — author, podcaster, Reluctant Gamer, and lover of MAGFest thanks to Nick
- Nick Kelly — author, cybersecurity specialist, podcast, and a gamer of all kinds
- Brandon Kelly — resident teenager and digital native
- A few thoughts on games Brandon is crushing…
- Dead by Daylight
- Assassin’s Creed
- Sniper Elite 4
- Ghost Recon: Wildlands
10:49 — The Melting Podcast
11:43 — Now that you know us, what is this podcast all about?
- This is more than an excuse for the grown-up’s to drink…
- When you need a pick-me-up… #Crucible
- For Nick Kelly, this podcast is a celebration of Destiny.
13:30 — First Steps into Destiny
- Brandon is the seasoned veteran of the three of us.
- Nick purchased a PS4 for Christmas (You know — THAT Christmas) with good intentions…
- Riding the Skylanders wave to Disney Infiniti (which, yes, Tee still misses…)
- Tee’s entrance into Destiny. A bit of a bumpy one for a reluctant gamer…
17:27 — Why do we still play in the Cosmodrome?
- The storytelling continues to get better and better.
- The Splicers from Rise of Iron — scarier than the Borg?
- As Brandon is the gamer, what brings him back to the game outside of others?
- Nick does not care for PvP. Here’s why…
- Quick plug for Rev3, the drink that powers us through the Crucible.
22:06 — We want to hear what you think!
- Voicemail — 703.791.1701
- Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
Signing off from the Tower…
Remember to leave us a comment *or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.*
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes or Stitcher!
Subscribe, listen, and review.
*Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.*
Thanks for listening.
Welcome to Episode #001 of Happy Hour from the Tower: A Destiny Podcast. This is the first episode of a passion podcast featuring Titans, Hunters,…Continue readingEpisode #001: Meet the Guardians!
If you’re looking for a podcast that will take you all the way to the Lighthouse…
…this isn’t it.
Here we go…
If you’re looking for a podcast that will take you all the way to the Lighthouse… …this isn’t it. Here we go…