I don’t know how the mailbag got so out of control, but Paul and I did our best to put a dent in it. Here we answer 10 questions in one show.
Show notes: Continue reading ⟩⟩ “Diecast #270: The Great Mailbag Deluge”
Continue reading ⟩⟩ “#50: Ramgar Returns!”
I had titled these posts “Baldur’s Gate III: Subtitle,” but their primary subject is the original Baldur’s Gate right now, so I’ve changed the title.
Achilles: It’s time to set off on our grand adventure. One day, you’ll look back on this and say “I knew Top Hat Guy back when he was just level one, nothing but a quarterstaff to his name.”
The Grognard: Speaking of which, you should probably buy some new gear. The inn behind you is a good place to start.
Achilles: It seems a little strange for an innkeep to have such a wide selection of weapons. Is there something about this “Winthrop” I should know about? I guess it’s fine, this is an RPG’s tutorial area after all. But I don’t notice any wakizashis for sale.
The Grognard: Fortunately, you can buy a scimitar, which uses the same proficiency.
Achilles: It’s good to know all that wakizashi practice won’t go to waste. This Candlekeep joint is supposed to be a library, a center of learning, isn’t it? It seems to be where they teach NPCs how to break the fourth wall. All these robed guys are telling me how to use the UI.
The Grognard: Tutorials in games are rarely graceful things, but they’re necessary. You don’t want to just throw new players into the deep end. Plus, it’s good to get a sense of place from Candlekeep. This is where you grew up. It should feel peaceful, tranquil.
Continue reading ⟩⟩ “Achilles and the Grognard: Flight from Candlekeep”
Continue reading ⟩⟩ “#49 Melodrama, Part 2”
Spider-Man brings the Devil’s Breath antiserum back to FEAST. The scientist tells him that they need the entire sample to synthesize it in bulk for widespread distribution. On the other hand, Aunt May is on death’s door.
Now he has a choice: Use the cure to save Aunt May, or let the doctor have it to save New York. We know he’s going to do the right thing, but we can see how bitter this moment is for him. He has the power to save May, and he has to let her go for the greater good.
Continue reading ⟩⟩ “Spider-Man Part 25: Webbing Up Loose Ends”
A few weeks ago on the podcast, I mentioned that I’m a sucker for abstract shapes, neon lights, and electronic music. I have a large collection of 2D platformers that contain these elements. I don’t really care for 2D platformers and I’m actually terrible at them, but I keep buying them anyway because I like the music and visuals.
It’s entirely possible that I have a problem.
In the comments, someone suggested that I give FRACT OSC a look. I tried to buy it on Steam, but discovered that I already owned it. No doubt it fell into my cart during a Steam sale of years past and I never got around to playing it. According to my email archives, I bought this thing back in November of 2014.
Five years later, I’m finally getting around to playing it. I’ve spent about two hours with Fract OSC so far, and I have to say this is a very strange title.
I promise we’re going to finally get to actual programming in this post, but first a huge aside.
When I started this project, it was 2010, and my wife had just purchased me the Star Trek Enterprise D blueprints. I was inspired. But it was an odd kind of inspiration. The kind that starts building connections into other parts of your life and making you think strange thoughts.
It began innocently enough. I noted, as I was pouring over the plans, a certain similarity to the masonry script I had written a few years prior. I was feeling the need to get back into coding, and this seemed the perfect opportunity! Just re-purpose the old code to make starship floorplans! How hard could it be?
A look back at Star Trek, from the Original Series to the Abrams Reboot.
A wild game filled with wild ideas that features fun puzzles and mind-blowing environments. It has a great atmosphere, and one REALLY annoying flaw with its gameplay.
It's not a good movie, but it was made with good intentions and if you look closely you can find a few interesting ideas.
A horrible, railroading, stupid, contrived, and painfully ill-conceived roleplaying campaign. All in good fun.
Deus Ex Mankind Divided was a clumsy, tone-deaf allegory that thought it was clever, and it managed to annoy people of all political stripes.
Valve still hasn't admitted it, but the Half-Life franchise is dead. So what made these games so popular anyway?
Some advice to game developers on how to stop ruining good stories with bad cutscenes.
My picks for what was important, awesome, or worth talking about in 2017.
The Thieves Guild quest in Skyrim is a vortex of disjointed plot-holes, contrivances, and nonsense.
A video discussing Megatexture technology. Why we needed it, what it was supposed to do, and why it maybe didn't totally work.
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