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Dungeons & Grandmas

Dungeons & Grandmas

ROLL TO SAVE: Now that Andrew has finally seen it, our hosts dive into the surprise hit of the year, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves and look at how it honors (and deviates from) the game it’s based upon.

RELEVANT EPISODES:

  • The Black Arts of Algorithms” (5 August 2016): Where our hosts discuss the disparity of interpretation of box office numbers with regard to Ghostbusters: Answer the Call and the first Suicide Squad.
  • Open Awesome License” (13 January 2023): Where Andrew discusses the Open Game License controversy D&D publisher, Wizards of the Coast, got into.
  • Madmacguffin” (20 January 2023): Where our hosts share their thoughts about the first (and only?) season of the Disney+ show, Willow.

INFO:

FEATURED MUSIC:

Madmacguffin

Madmacguffin

OUT OF THE WAY, PECK: After 34 years, Disney decided to create a sequel series to the Lucasfilm cult classic fantasy film, Willow, exclusively for Disney+. D. Bethel is a devout fan of that original film; Andrew couldn’t care less. So, they’re going into this series from two very different contexts, but come to very similar conclusions: it’s okay.

RELEVANT EPISODES:

  • A Week for Days” (23 September 2022): Where our hosts discuss the first trailer for the Disney+ Willow series.
  • Tweets to Toots” (9 December 2022): Where our hosts discuss the first two episodes of the Disney+ Willow series.
  • Open Awesome License” (13 January 2023): Where Andrew broke down the controversy around the possible new Open Game License that Wizards of the Coast is working on.

RELEVANT LINKS:

INFO:

FEATURED MUSIC:

  • “Money For Nothing” by Dire Straits excerpted
Open Awesome License

Open Awesome License

TOUCHING MANY BUCKETS: Dungeons & Dragons is making waves with the announcement––and subsequent leak––of the update to its Open Game License, a system that is meant to lay out the relationship between Dungeons & Dragons and the content people create based on its game system. Based on the leaked information…it’s not going well. Thankfully, we have our nerd lawyer to walk us through the ins and outs of what is known so far.

RELEVANT LINKS:

RELEVANT EPISODES:

  • Kamen Themes” (30 December 2022): Where our hosts last discussed this controversy…only two weeks ago.

INFO:

FEATURED MUSIC:

  • “Nerd Law” by D. Bethel
Moving Furniture

Moving Furniture

A MARVELOUS DEBUT: Our hosts briefly talk about the incredible first impression that the MCU Disney+ show, Ms. Marvel, makes.

FALL OF THE PHOENIX: The tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) world was rocked this last week as more and more people came out on Twitter to discuss the abusive work habits of TTRPG celebrities, Satine Phoenix and Jamison Stone. Our hosts cover the accusations and discuss how this applies to the TTRPG community as a whole.

(00:00) Intro – Ms. Marvel discussion

RELEVANT LINKS:

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Ding Dong Bowser

Ding Dong Bowser

NEWS CRUISE: This week, our hosts dive into a variety of news of the shocking, weird, and downright questionable.

CHAPTERS:

  • (00:00) Intro – Old Man Talk: Allergies
  • (02:43) News Cruise: Monte Cook Games’ Announcement
  • (10:50) Nintendo uses sentencing of a hacker to make a statement.
  • (16:33) Upcoming Predator prequel, Prey, will be available with a Comanche language audio track.
  • (22:12) Confusion and deception (maybe?) from Blue Box Game Studios
  • (31:06) Outro – Netflix’s Sandman and the danger of trailers.
  • (33:14) Outtakes

RELEVANT LINKS:

  • Andrew’s short series of tweets about the Monte Cook Games announcement:
  • The teaser trailer for the Predator prequel, Prey (the full trailer has since been released and made the connection much more explicit):

RELEVANT EPISODES:

  • In a World” (20 March 2015): Where Andrew discusses a bit about Open Game Licenses.
  • Drive Your Gorilla” (25 June 2021): Where our hosts first talk about controversy––or at least the mystery––surrounding Blue Box Game Studios.

INFO:

FEATURED MUSIC:

Shadow Johnson

Shadow Johnson

PIXEL REMASTER REMARKS: The release of Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster is finally upon us and Andrew has a few––very short––thoughts about it.

DOCTOR WHAT?: It was announced that––despite an existing tabletop role-playing game existing––there would be a new Doctor Who roleplaying game based on the fifth edition (5E) of Dungeons and Dragons. And people have opinions.

RELEVANT LINKS:

RELEVANT EPISODES:

  • Aural Improvisation” (6 February 2015): Where Andrew first discussed Cubicle 7’s “bespoke” original tabletop RPG based on Doctor Who.
  • The Badger Abides” (7 February 2020): Where Andrew talks about the work of Evil Hat Games and their tabletop RPGs.
  • Exposure Creates Tolerance” (17 September 2021): Where Andrew talks about the first four games in the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series.

INFO:

FEATURED MUSIC:

Smell the Duke

Smell the Duke

SHIFTING SANDS: For a short bit, our hosts discuss The New York Times paying a large amount for the popular website-based word game, Wordle, as well as the announcement that Sony intends to buy the former Microsoft-owned studio, Bungie.

WEEK IN GEEK: This week, Andrew peruses the rule book for Renegade Game Studios’ new licensed tabletop RPG, Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, while D. Bethel is intrigued and impressed by the newest release from Klei Studios, Griftlands.

RELEVANT EPISODES:

  • The Space Dog and Bacchus Show.” (21 August 2014): Where Andrew interviews game designer, Kai Cambra.
  • Applejacks. Hot Dogs. Thursday. Fire Truck.” (13 May 2016): Where Andrew talks about playing Klei’s Invisible, Inc.
  • States of Play” (30 August 2019): Where Andrew develops an obsession with Klei’s Oxygen Not Included.
  • Reliable Virtual Helmets” (27 September 2019): Where D. Bethel discusses his time with a real deckbuilding mobile game, Slothworks’ Meteorfall: Journey.
  • Makes a Taste” (13 March 2020): Where Andrew discusses playing the tabletop superhero RPG, The Spectaculars.
  • Films in Quarries” (18 June 2021): Where Andrew first discusses his current obsession with sentai shows.

RELEVANT LINKS:

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Halloween Still

Halloween Still

RTD2: With the next series of Doctor Who wrapping up the tenures of both the star, Jodie Whittaker, and its showrunner, Chris Chibnall, it was announced that the 2023 series will herald the return of the showrunner who brought the show back from the wilderness in 2005, Russell T Davies. Our hosts discuss the possibilities––and drawbacks––of this announcement.

RELEVANT LINKS:

RELEVANT EPISODES:

  • Teasing the Difference” (05 June 2015): Where D. Bethel discusses playing The Last of Us, the game that came with his purchase of this Playstation 4.

INFO:

FEATURED MUSIC:

Books For Days

Books For Days

CAP PUNCHED FIRST: Another day, another attack on fictional characters as a cable news segment pilloried Marvel Comics for making Captain America “woke” in a recent issue, seemingly forgetting that Cap has been punching literal Nazis in his comics since his first issue. Andrew and D. Bethel explore this while also examining the variety of ways texts (movies, comics, books, music, tv shows, etc.) can be read.

PRINT ON DEMAND: After buying some RPG books through DriveThruRPG, Andrew becomes fascinated by the idea––and future applicability––of print on demand services, where a book isn’t printed until a customer orders it. D. Bethel brings his creator experience with POD services to the conversation as well.

RELEVANT EPISODES:

  • Slapcast” (02 July 2021): Where Andrew gave us the run down of the strange TSR Twitter fight.

RELEVANT LINKS:

  • The video Dan referred to with Stan Lee talking about the creation of the X-Men, though it’s one of many similar and slightly different creation stories he has told over the years:

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U3DS

U3DS

WEEK IN GEEK: This week, Andrew enthusiastically plays the 2nd edition of Pathfinder, despite not fully enjoying the first edition, while D. Bethel gets really excited to play an adventure game based on one of his favorite comics, Blacksad, but gets horribly disappointed by Blacksad: Under the Skin.

RELEVANT EPISODES:

  • The Volumometer Incident” (10 July 2014): Where Andrew shares his experience playing the Pathfinder card game.
  • Starting By Starting” (03 January 2020): Where D. Bethel discusses the noir adventure game inspired by H. P. Lovecraft, Frogwares’ The Sinking City.
  • Nature’s Velcro” (03 July 2020): Where Andrew plays the computer RPG, Pathfinder: Kingmaker.

RELEVANT LINKS:

  • Here’s D. Bethel’s fan art of Blacksad.

INFO:

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