The Two Vague Podcast

Ben's long time friend Jen joins the podcast this week to talk about her bread making business called Worth Her Salt Sourdough, the challenges of understanding and navigating social media as a Generation X-er, her experiences teaching from primary school to community college, how video game culture has changed in the last 50 years, and the assorted video games her four daughters played in the 90s and 2000s.  *** 00:00:20 - Jen's business, cooking school, pirates, and showing your value… through baking 00:04:39 - Post-layoff experiences, first jobs, the DQ Q, and the Subway vs. Dairy Queen feud  00:07:32 - Pop-up sales and pickups, family help for the farmer's markets, and hobby bakers 00:11:49 - Establishing credibility, TikTok mysteries, doomscrolling, and the cute winter boots 00:16:31 - Social media uses, Ben's uses the wrong word, the definition, and complex origins 00:20:45 - Boy George, the sourdough starter class, and committing bacterial cultural genocide   00:23:48 - Brewing beer, kefir, the puke juice, food fermentation, and atmospheric sensitivity  00:28:48 - Inclusions, flavor and texture, managing the variables, practicing, and bulk baking 00:32:02 - Patience and precision, loaves now and then, focus on one recipe, and repetition 00:34:40 - Maintaining multiple cultures, ancient grains, waking up the starter, and bacteria  00:38:15 - Understanding the science, utilizing teaching experience, and creating the class 00:41:41 - Students sharing results, protecting the workbook, and feeding or teaching people  00:44:14 - Thoughts on doing what you love for a living, and a monetizing hobbies push segue  00:48:47 - That time pinball was illegal in Chicago—where most pinball machines were made  00:50:36 - Leave it to John E. Cassidy, TV theme songs, illegal free games, and back to Neil    00:53:27 - Crystal Lake is partially to blame, arcade player gender divides, and console culture  00:56:26 - The industry becoming more inclusive, not just for nerds anymore, and streamers  00:58:58 - Webkinz, Cooking Mama, Animal Crossing, and the Easy-Bake Kitchen PC Playset 01:03:04 - YOU HAVE DIED OF DYSENTERY, Skylanders, and getting two talkers together  01:05:39 - Final thoughts, exploring the old ways, War lyrics fact check, and be open learning   *** Follow Jen / Worth Her Salt Sourdough on… Her website: https://worthhersaltsourdough.com/ On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worthhersalt_sourdough/ OnFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Worth-Her-Salt-Sourdough-61560240098268/ Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On Substack: https://twovaguepodcast.substack.com/ On Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/twovaguepodcast.com For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com -AND-  …for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC! https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries *** References, Links, and Tags #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #TeePublic #WorthHerSaltSourdough 

Sky, one of the hosts of a men's mental health podcast called Hey Man; It's Ok, joins Ben this week to have a discussion about the word growth. After talking about the games they have been playing recently, they each open up a little bit and share their experiences with managing various mental health challenges and utilizing therapy. Next, they shift their focus to an exploration of how growing is handled in video games. Finally, they wrap it all up with some parting words of advice. Games mentioned by the hosts in the episode include Star Wars: Outlaws, Ghost of Tsushima, Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist, the Assassin's Creed franchise, Baldur's Gate 3, Split Fiction, Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, Katamari Damacy, DORONKO WANKO, and the GROW series of Flash games. *** 00:00:20 - Cheyenne's sibling, electric ukuleles, Hey Man; It's OK guests, and a feline spoiler 00:04:38 - Personality Tests, Ben's personality type, “Sucky Assassin's Creed,” and climbing 00:10:07 - An empty open world, laser-proof animals, and playing Binary Haze's masterpiece  00:13:12 - Sky the multi-tasking gamer, Kessel Sabacc, console exclusives, and more games 00:17:00 - Getting into the definition, Ben's Arnold Schwarzenegger impression, and maturing  00:20:31 - Not the gross one, Sky's connection, navigating the negatives, and processing 00:22:33 - Mostly mental, panic and anxiety, Ben's gaggle of therapists, and new perspectives 00:25:11 - Therapy relationship dynamics, testing the connection, and a seeker of knowledge  00:28:51 - The importance of research, the relationship between Sky and math, and learning  00:30:50 - Ideas, more on personality tests, being a helper, discovering, complexity, and love 00:34:35 - Growth mechanics, Ben's exploration, adding by subtraction, and point reallocation 00:38:01 - The re-spectre, experience points from eating food, video game logic, and the right 00:41:53 - Balls of stuff, making constellations, earworm theme song, and game experiments  00:43:52 - The spirit of clumping, Namco student development, and finding nostalgic novelty  00:45:52 - Literally in the title, Flash games from the past, growing your brain, and final words *** Follow Hey Man; It's Ok on… Their website: https://heymanitsok.com/ And their TREE o' LINKS: https://linktr.ee/heymanitsok Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On Substack: https://twovaguepodcast.substack.com/ On Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/twovaguepodcast.com For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com -AND-  …for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC! https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries *** References, Links, and Tags Check out the The ART of Growth website to learn about Enneagrams… https://www.theartofgrowth.org/ For information on Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist, follow the link below! http://www.endermagnolia.com/en/ Find out about the amazing games from Binary Haze Interactive here… https://bhaze.com/ Check out the GROW series of games on… eyezmaze.com #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #PartlyRobot #PartlyRobotIndustries #TeePublic #HeyManItsOK #TheArtofGrowth BinaryHazeInteractive #EnderMagnolia #EnderMagnoliaBloomintheMist 

VR and tabletop game designer from Small Rice Studios, Doug joins Ben this week to talk about the recently released cozy card game ROAST, which he designed along with his brother Nick (who Ben had the pleasure of meeting at PAX West 2024). Ben had some questions about the design, development, and testing of ROAST—all of which Doug is more than happy to elaborate on and discuss. They also spend some time reminiscing about the board, card, arcade, and video games of their youth. And don't forget to stay tuned after the interview for an outtake followed by Ben's review of Rendering Ranger: R² [Rewind]! *** 00:00:50 - Doug introduces himself and their first published game, and what is coming next 00:02:31 - Collaboration with a sibling, Doug's love of games, and the times before UNO  The UNO was originally developed in 1971 by professional barber Merle Robbins in Reading, Ohio. The Robbins' family raised the money to have 5,000 copies of the game made, which he sold from his barbershop. Merle Robbins later sold the rights to UNO to a group of friends headed by Robert Tezak, a funeral parlor owner in Joliet, Illinois. Tezak formed International Games, Inc., to market Uno until company was purchased by Mattel in 1992. 00:05:04 - The ROAST design idea, living off the grid, connections, and roasting marshmallows 00:06:55 - Testing tabletop games, getting constructive feedback, and finding the best strategy 00:09:50 - Micromanaging your math, opinions of Balatro, and variety is the spice of something 00:12:15 - Remembering Magic the Gathering, from chess to golf, and more about frame-rates 00:18:23 - Pinball machine legality, real-time strategy games, and it's more than a full-time job   00:24:32 - Learning about game players, and the art of community building—online AND offline 00:26:18 - Becoming more comfortable, and donating sales to the National Park Foundation  00:27:55 - Pets doing things with intent, reconnecting with others, and climates are changing  00:32:26 - Being productive and constructive, Ben babbles, and cardboard costumes in SoCal 00:36:03 - Being a card, being odd, Democrats ruined weird, and Doug's parting sales pitch 00:38:30 - Curated social spaces, break out the ban-hammer, THE Dug, and names as verbs  BONUS material 00:41:09 - The Marshall Mathers outtake  00:41:55 - Ben's review of Rendering Ranger: R² [Rewind] Ben's FINAL VERDICT for Rendering Ranger: R² [Rewind] DO BUY if… ...you want a health dose of smoothly animated, SuperNintendo nostalgia ...you want an incredibly challenging experience with excessively long levels DON'T BUY if… you're looking for a casual, arcade style experience *** Follow Small Rice Studios and Doug on… On their website: https://www.roast-game.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallricestudios On Discord: https://discord.com/invite/GSyxdBN2A7 On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DougSmallRay On YouTube: https://youtube.com/@smallricestudios And their TREE o' LINKS: https://linktr.ee/smallricestudios Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On Substack: https://twovaguepodcast.substack.com/ On Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/twovaguepodcast.com For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com -AND-  …for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC! https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries *** References, Links, and Tags For more information about the classic Super Famicom / SNES port of the Manfred Trenz designed game Rendering Ranger: R² [Rewind] from Ziggurat Interactive, follow the link below. https://www.ziggurat.games/game/rendering-ranger-r2 #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #PartlyRobot #PartlyRobotIndustries #TeePublic #SmallRiceStudios #RenderingRangerR2Rewind #ZigguratInteractiveInc #ManfredTrenz

Andrew joins Ben this week for a discussion about a particular mythical beast, cultural symbol, and imaginary icon. One in the POÄNG and one in the pandemic chair—the guys fill us in on what they have been doing lately. Andrew has been thinking about his gardening hobby, researching a method for aging stainless steel, and creating all sorts of artsy things for his Advanced Dungeons Have Dragons pin Crowdfundr campaign. Ben has been pondering what he's going to do for the April Fools' Day episode this year and playing Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist (compliments of Binary Haze Interactive). Once they have concluded with the pleasantries, they enter… THE DRAGON! Together, they offer up a smorgasbord of pop culture ramblings and video game nonsense, including how their AD&D experiences shaped their creative natures. Then they navigate through a movie and music pop-culture-ridden obstacle course until they arrive at their video game destination. Andrew talks about Adventure for the Atari 2600, and Ben talks about one of the first laserdisc arcade games created in part by a former Disney artist and animator.  *** 00:00:20 - A welcoming, the new threats, invest in leach farms, and Behind the Bastards 00:03:13 - Andrew left speechless on sadistics, Senator astronauts, and making it non-binary  00:07:33 - Stickers on Cybertrucks, rusting solutions for planters, and no library garlic this year 00:09:51 - The best kind of orchids, pro tips, the introduction is dragging, and the ADHD pin 00:12:58 - An ADHD Valentines Day, test printing for coffee mugs, and the AD&D pickup line 00:15:20 - Color printing wheels, and Ben has been playing Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist 00:18:02 - Not from Altoona, Mango is a Flerken, attention… dragons, and the ADHD pin origin 00:21:35 - Ben offends bowlers, no calisthenics before bowling, and "Trogdor the Burninator" Strong Bad Email #58 - Dragon - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90X5NJleYJQ 00:23:50 - Another derogatory definition, Blair and the kaiju, and the word use blame game 00:28:07 - Taking back weird, tabletop lore, playing alone, and D&D method acting connections 00:32:29 - AARP Drews, rigorous screening, dragon drawing, and Pete's cost cutting measures 00:35:37 - Ariel is NOT dragon, movie audio n' picture books, H.R. Pufnstuf, and more puppets 00:39:13 - Reign of Fire, the power of friendship, Eric's movie list, and they aren't all Zardoz 00:42:38 - Urge Overkill's “last” album, Andrew takes Ben's word for it, and Dragon & Tennille 00:46:45 - Imagine dragons bowling again, the Hot Hail button, and Andrew's game Adventure 00:50:05 - The 2600 difficulty switch, Double Dragon, and Ben's oblique perspective art lesson 00:52:40 - The laserdisc game Dragon's Lair, Ben's encounters, and bully shutdown techniques 00:56:10 - Brainstorm trivia, cautionary tales, Kai Winn, Don Bluth, and chicken-fried steak *** Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on… His website: https://partlyrobot.com/ On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot On Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/partlyrobot.com On Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/partlyrobot And his TREE o' LINKS: http://linktr.ee/partlyrobot Andrew's latest Crowdfundr campaign has concluded, but please check out his assorted storefronts listed in his LinkTree above and his Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC! https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On Substack: https://substack.com/@twovaguepodcast On Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/twovaguepodcast.com For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com *** References, Links, and Tags For information on Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist, follow the link below! http://www.endermagnolia.com/en/ Find out about the amazing games from Binary Haze Interactive here… https://bhaze.com/ #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #PartlyRobot #PartlyRobotIndustries #ADHD #Autism #AdvancedDungeonsHaveDragons #TeePublic #BinaryHazeInteractive #EnderMagnolia #EnderMagnoliaBloomintheMist #StrongBadEmail #Crowdfundr

It's been a rough couple of weeks for Ben, but processing the death of his 21-year-old feline companion Bash has come with a bit of creative inspiration. He has written a lovely, heartfelt eulogy that he will be reciting for us at the end of the episode, but first he has got two game reviews to share: a cute, Norse mythology-inspired, casual strategy adventure game and a super-creepy, Taiwanese, first-person perspective horror adventure game. *** 00:00:20 - Intro 00:01:57 - MiceGard Review  00:06:32 - The Bridge Curse 2: the Extraction Review 00:12:30 - Eulogy - https://open.substack.com/pub/twovaguepodcast/p/in-memory-of-bash 00:28:40 - Closing  *** Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on… His website: https://partlyrobot.com/ On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot On Substack: https://partlyrobot.substack.com/ On Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/partlyrobot.com On Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/partlyrobot And his TREE o' LINKS: http://linktr.ee/partlyrobot Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On Substack: https://twovaguepodcast.substack.com/ On Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/twovaguepodcast.com For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com -AND-  For PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC! https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries *** References, Links, and Tags For more information on MiceGard… https://store.steampowered.com/app/2430660/MiceGard/ For more information on The Bridge Curse 2: the Extraction… https://store.steampowered.com/app/2331330/The_Bridge_Curse_2_The_Extrication/ #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #PartlyRobot #PartlyRobotIndustries #TeePublic #MiceGard #ValkyrieInitiativeLLP #GameDynasty #Aivictory #ValkyrieInitiative #TheBridgeCurse2theExtraction #PQube #GameraGames #SoftstarEntertainment

Cheyenne joins Ben this week to talk about a word that gets a lot of bad press, but in reality, it is a necessity in most activities involving progress and self-improvement. After conversing about what games they are playing (and discovering Ben's Hogwarts House), they dive right in to deep end and commence with the festivities. Topics explored: the “Epic Fail” meme, Tom Platz, CrossFit acronyms, the invention of Post-It Notes, John Cleese's speeches and educational videos, corporate culture, points of failure in engineering, stories about successes and failures in the academic settings, the roguelike and roguelite labels, and looping game mechanics.  Games discussed this week are as follows—Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Infinity Nikki, Hogwarts Legacy, Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop, Papers Please, Plate Up, Baldur's Gate 3, Hades, Kenshi, Deathloop, Disco Elysium, Indigo Prophecy, Super Meat Boy, and Seaman. Finally, Ben and Cheyenne “tie a bow on it” with some words of wisdom and a couple of Spock references—the Star Trek character, not the pediatrician.  *** 00:00:20 - A city of roses, serving up smiles, parking lot beatdown, Dragon Age: The Veilguard 00:02:35 - Mass Effect opinions, Ben likes the synthesis ending, Liara T'Soni, and Infiniti Nikki 00:06:40 - A cozy fashion battling platformer, getting homework at PAX, and impatient much? 00:08:48 - Thoughts on Hogwarts Legacy, mediocre story, and Cheyenne guesses Ben's house 00:11:11 - The new Indiana Jones game trailer, the nitty and the gritty, and a previous customer 00:13:01 - Ox Ford has a comma, Cheyenne's failure, person versus thing, and positive views 00:15:13 - The Google Ngram Viewer (no exceptions), the EPIC FAIL, and planking nostalgia  00:18:02 - The Tom Platz weightlifting philosophy, muscle building, and success through failure 00:20:53 - A tale of 3M's Post-It Notes, the John Cleese speech, and the Video Arts sales story  00:24:31 - The perception of mistakes in corporate culture, and the measure of an employee  00:28:17 - “In a world…,” Mr. Perfect's Plex, SPOFs and SPORs, and in failures in academia  00:32:20 - A bell curve, thoughts on grading, the architecture shoe, and teams on instruments 00:41:43 - Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop summary, 5 endings (not 4), and “not for all ages” humor  00:47:12 - Ben's least favorite descriptors, the rogue prefix, no barrels, and looping mechanics 00:52:00 - “Leveling” characters, weakness before strength, and broadening your knowledge 00:55:52 - Fireworks tampering, the thematics of failure, and “failure is preferred” scenarios  01:03:11 - Excessively difficult games, back to the rocket shop, wrapping up, and Star Trek   *** Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On Substack: https://twovaguepodcast.substack.com/ On Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/twovaguepodcast.com For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com -AND-  …for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC! https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries *** References, Links, and Tags For more information on Infinity Nikki, check out the official website! https://infinitynikki.infoldgames.com/en For more information about Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop, developer Beard Envy Games, and publisher Kasedo Games… https://www.unclechops.com/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/1849790/Uncle_Chops_Rocket_Shop/ https://www.beardenvy.co.uk/ https://www.kasedogames.com/ #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #PartlyRobot #PartlyRobotIndustries #TeePublic #InfinityNikki #KasedoGames #UncleChopsRocketShop #BeardEnvyGames 

Although it would be more thematically appropriate of us to NOT tell you about this week's episode, we are going to be rebellious and do it anyway—sans mohawk and safety pins.  Andrew joins Ben this week to ruminate over the work punk.  After discussing what they have been up to, debating the importance of a thesis statement (or lack thereof), and sharing their experiences with the game they have both (YES BOTH) been playing, Dungeon Clawler by Stray Fawn Studio, they embark upon a sensory adventure together… in STEREO!  Following the traditional definition festivities, they explore their thoughts and feelings associated with the word.  Finally, Ben talks about Suda51—recognized by many as one of the most “punk rock” game developers out there in addition to being author responsible for a favorite gaming narrative of his.         *** 00:00:00 - Andrew's Crowdfundr ADHD pin promo and the obligatory 2VP theme song Please contribute to Andrew's latest Crowdfundr campaign and buy a swanky “Advanced Dungeons Have Dragons” ADHD enamel pin! https://crowdfundr.com/dragonpin?ref=ab_5eGT0FGiaC55eGT0FGiaC5 00:02:03 - Book progress, a 25 percent different demon, veggies, and many presidents ago 00:04:37 - Ben breaks kayfabe, the Piper Cafe, the Safehouse, price tags, and trading cards 00:06:37 - Verified on Bluesky, Andrew's 2025 call, allies for decades, and Bash the alarm clock 00:09:25 - Thoughts on the thesis, eating children, Substack review handling, and epic poems 00:14:24 - The Hunt for Red October, embargo date debate, and Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop 00:17:23 - Looking at manuals, divergent vs. diverse, symptoms of life, and rewiring the brain 00:21:01 - Autistic trends, a mom's introduction to Rick and Morty, and a claw machine thesis 00:24:22 - Christopher Nolan, Dungeon Clawler impressions, and Andrew describes the game 00:27:45 - Ben wants more stuff, Count Clawcula, thumbs up, and speaking of potato snacks 00:29:35 - In stereo, lining them up in post, the bouquet, the mouth feel, and a mystery flavor 00:31:53 - Aged in wooden tubes, the proof with vinegar, maltodextrin, and the aging problem 00:34:44 - Ben's bourbon belch, she smelled like soup, the comma, and ten points in Scrabble 00:37:40 - The derogatory definition, Ben's Allen Funt impression, and the skipped definition 00:40:01 - Punk sticks, anarchy, being adjacent, punk credit, and getting out what you put in 00:43:03 - The Bumblebee Tuna theme in Ska, the energy, and questionable stuff in Tucson 00:45:00 - Going to the Meet Rack, the condom machine, lubricated regulars, and river rafting 00:47:24 - Not inherently political, Andrew's Portland punk experiences, and The Young Ones  00:50:00 - The Seattle WTO Protests, moving into retail, against the grain, and hybrid formats 00:53:44 - Not Punky Brewster, punk as a suffix, Daft Punk origin, and Max Headroom shows 00:57:02 - The Video Toaster, actor Matt Frewer, platinums, and Ben sells 100 million albums 00:58:40 - Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered, not Sudafed, and the games of Suda51 01:01:23 - Punk Rock sub-genres, Franz Kafka game gets canceled, and Garcia is a Mexi-CAN 01:04:37 - Something that happens, expired donuts, mistook it for a Cybertruck, and food love 01:07:30 - So romantic, Michigan, final thoughts, Joe saved the podcast, and formica dragons  *** Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on… His website: https://partlyrobot.com/ On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot On Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/partlyrobot.com On Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/partlyrobot And his TREE o' LINKS: http://linktr.ee/partlyrobot Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On Substack: https://substack.com/@twovaguepodcast On Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/twovaguepodcast.com For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com -AND-  …for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC! https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries *** References, Links, and Tags For more information about Stray Fawn Studio's game Dungeon Clawler… https://strayfawnstudio.com/ https://dungeonclawler.com/ For more information about Uncle Chops Rocket Shop, developer Beard Envy Games, and publisher Kasedo Games… https://www.unclechops.com/ https://www.beardenvy.co.uk/ https://www.kasedogames.com/ Check out Ben's review of SlavicPunk: Oldtimer on the Two Vague Podcast Substack… https://substack.com/home/post/p-154373300 Check out Red Square Games and SlavicPunk: Oldtimer on Steam… https://store.steampowered.com/curator/44288282-Red-Square-Games/  https://store.steampowered.com/app/1820140/SlavicPunk_Oldtimer/ Check out SUDA51 / Grasshopper Manufacture's games https://www.grasshopper.co.jp/en/ https://www.shadows-of-the-damned-hellaremastered.com/ #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #PartlyRobot #PartlyRobotIndustries #TeePublic #StrayFawnStudio #DungeonClawler #BeardEnvyGames #UncleChopsRocketShop #KasedoGames #GrasshopperManufacture #ShadowsoftheDamnedHellaRemastered #Suda51

Erik from Imaginary Game Studios joins Ben in HIS virtual studio this week to chat about all manner of things—his experiences as a sports writer, his love of literature, his creative process, and of course his philosophy of game design.  After discussing what's "under construction" in the world of Rogue Climber, what games they have been playing, and their odd experiences in Chicago (which in itself is a thematically appropriate path), they dive in to the topic at hand… the word circuitous!  They follow the conversation through the unique topography of books, movies, games, and cultural references to its destination where Ben asks Erik to share his advice on creating, developing, and prototyping a video game concept. *** 00:00:21 - Many spreadsheets, Ed's Excel love, freaks at the coffee shop, and a Magic 8-Ball  00:03:39 - Pro bono, what Christian and Erik learned at PAX, and the Roblox generation 00:05:50 - Rogue Climber ancillary stuff, the correct direction, about seven, and what is janky? 00:08:32 - Eighty or weighty, the Tron level, a cardboard cutout, and Millennial gamers are soft 00:10:57 - Erik platinums Black Myth: Wukong, the Cyberpunk 2077 caveat, and a good segue  00:14:00 - Writing the sports news, Ben's question about quality, and SlavicPunk: Oldtimer 00:16:33 - A film noir soundtrack, amazingly crafted world, and the banal hacking mini game  00:18:45 - Dragonage and Blueski, pocket experiences, broken English, and an annoying boss  00:22:55 - Small font, Red Square Games' next title, bad translations, and finding drug crumbs 00:26:45 - Erik's Chicago story, a dead pigeon, absorbance, and the emcee of the spelling bee 00:33:10 - The nature of the creative process, in inches or graphs, and the perils of efficiency    00:35:48 - Two types of fiction, Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian, and Gene Wolfe books 00:40:22 - John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, “The Hobbit” LP, and a well kept secret about babies 00:43:25 - Rock & Rule, Ralph Bakshi's Wizards, the Washington Bullets, Joust, and Zardoz 00:46:16 - A talking point itinerary for next time, and Ben's favorite commercial fiction authors  00:48:15 - American Psycho, three if you're keeping score, Bono as Satan, and the message 00:50:59 - Swimming up the waterfall, getting it all out of your head, and evaluation at the end 00:53:10 - Being creative for yourself, figuring out where to start, and creating the prototype 00:58:59 - Catch the vibe, the next word, gorilla arms, crushing heads, and strategic saving 01:01:30 - Agreement about NieR: Automata, three times, no connection, and the same river 01:03:06 - Erik's words of wisdom, something unique, planning, and make no assumptions  *** Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On Substack: https://substack.com/@twovaguepodcast On Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/twovaguepodcast.com For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com -AND-  …for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC! https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries References, Links, and Tags Check out SlavicPunk: Oldtimer on Steam… https://store.steampowered.com/app/1820140/SlavicPunk_Oldtimer/ Follow all of the shenanigans going on at Imaginary Game Studios… On their website: https://www.imaginarygamestudios.com/ On their Discord: https://discord.gg/YyDD7ECtdJ On their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@caxtnova Imaginary Game Studios GAMES on Steam:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2673440/Rogue_Climber/  

Aron Koh from JOFSOFT joins Ben this week to talk about the development of their latest game Pizza Bandit AND one of his favorite words—rather appropriately, iteration.  They start out talking about Aron's childhood favorite PC games, how Sierra On-line games inspired him to work in the online gaming industry after he graduated, and his experiences working for the Korean game company Nexon on “games as service” games. Next, Ben and Aron share their thoughts and philosophies about how software is improved through incremental changes.  Finally, Aron expounds upon Pizza Bandit's development timeline and forthcoming genre blending plans while Ben pitches mission and story ideas. *** 00:00:20 - Skewed console game experience, Korean games, and starting a career at Nexon  00:03:30 - Sitting down, breaking windows, opening doors, and “games as service” opinions 00:06:40 - Our favorite Nexon games, many of which are still doing strong business in China  00:08:33 - Start somewhere, how games as service companies improve games, and QuizQuiz 00:11:07 - Moving to the United States, and Korea's big three: Nexon, NCSOFT, and Netmarble   00:13:22 - The definition, the waterfall method, three spectrums, and assorted game engines 00:19:14 - Don't talk about Frostbite, no plans for a 16-bit version, and inspired by Outriders  00:23:06 - Rift Sweepers lessons, gameplay iterations, reusing assets, and finding the balance 00:28:09 - Antiquated hacking with discs, and balancing Pizza Bandit missions from feedback  00:31:55 - A time traveling bounty hunter, "Cowboy Bebop" adjacent, and plan for more cooking 00:34:28 - Keeping the pizza parlor dream alive, pizza purism, and the home of Hawaiian pizza  00:36:34 - Australia's favorite, sweet potato pizza, yam confusion, and other Kimchi variants 00:40:46 - When game development becomes work, prototyping joy, and mundane content  00:43:12 - Frustrations finding balance, making the hard pivot, and the semantics of change 00:47:08 - Taking design risks during development, expectations, and hikers not swimming 00:50:30 - The financial risk, always in debate, knowing your audience, and using feedback  00:54:43 - The Remnant franchise, Western and Eastern gamer differences, and the Alpha test 00:57:16 - Stories from PAX, one chef and three zombie killers, doubling down, and Ben's idea 01:00:16 - Ontario Canada in 1962, it will always be invented, and Hawaiian pizza prevention   *** Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On Substack: https://substack.com/@twovaguepodcast On Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/twovaguepodcast.com For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com -AND-  …for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC! https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries References, Links, and Tags For more information on JOFSOFT's freshman release Pizza Bandit…  https://www.jofsoft.com/ WISHLIST Pizza Bandit on Steam HERE… https://store.steampowered.com/app/2475010/Pizza_Bandit/ #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #PartlyRobot #PartlyRobotIndustries #TeePublic #JOFSOFT #PizzaBandit

Andrew joins Ben this week to talk about something which thanks to pop culture is turtle adjacent and thanks to an obscure martial arts publication is also peach adjacent… weird eh?  They catch up on what has been going on in their lives—lots of writing for each! Andrew has been working on his ADHD focused book, and Ben has been playing Edge of Sanity for game review material on Substack. They explore an assortment of topics before moving to video games including the following: the Insane Clown Posse, the writings of H.P. Lovecraft, household appliances, motorcycles, the movie You Only Live Twice, G.I. Joe toys and comics, the Community episode “G.I. Jeff,” The Tick, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja (Hero) Turtles franchise. In closing, Ben and Andrew talk about some of their favorite ninja themed arcade games and the PC games they would play in their youth. *** 00:00:21 - The intersection of life stuff and writing stuff, lots of stickers, and a fleet of snails 00:03:44 - Andrew's “Attention Dragons” mini-zine, a new Ko-Fi page, and shuttering Patreon 00:06:33 - Taxes, staying out of Etsy jail, a flu fighter, the plural of ninja, and asking a Juggalo  00:09:33 - Learning on a bus, the quintessential alcoholic clown movie, and the 2VP Substack 00:12:05 - H.P. Lovecraft, separating art and artist, the Cthulhu-verse, and “The Cats of Ulthar" 00:16:18 - Ben's preliminary thoughts on Edge of Sanity, the madness meter, and Xenophobe    Check out Ben's full review of Edge of Sanity on Substack! https://substack.com/home/post/p-150996029 Check out Andrew's reference to the song “Night Boat to Cairo” by Madness!  https://youtu.be/lLLL1KxpYMA?si=b5eoHuDOmllJKNeP 00:19:20 - It literally means spy, food processors, motorcycle names, and You Only Live Twice 00:22:46 - From blenders to Snake Eyes, comic loopholes, and “PORKCHOP SANDWICHES!!!” 00:26:50 - Complicated personalities, the government issue Jeff episode, and the original Joes 00:29:12 - A surrounding hedge, straight outta Birnam Wood, ninja parody, and TMNT or TMHT  00:35:41 - Adventures with Chicago weapon vendors, finality of death, and parodying parodies  00:36:57 - Cheap 80s and 90s newsprint, cashing in on trends, arcade remakes, and The Tick 00:39:07 - Bitch or ninja, czars in government, subreddits, Ninja Mind Control, and fruit theft   00:42:52 - Memorable ninja arcade games, 28 quarters, Arcade Archives, and Mystic Warriors 00:45:32 - Telling stories in shortened arcade experiences, and Andrew briefly checks out 00:48:20 - Sinistar's backstory, board games, and Andrew ponders if he likes “story” games 00:50:30 - His name was Richard Garriott, remembering Tabula Rasa, and Ultima with Andrew's 00:53:02 - Games of the college days, Ben remembers Strider, and a Vancouver microbrewery  00:56:00 - Strange beers, brewing, the flavor of the day, juice pouch problems, and apologies 00:58:05 - Andrew remembering the Juggalo lore and Ben remembering a Patton Oswalt bit *** Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on… His website: https://partlyrobot.com/ On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot On Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/partlyrobot And his TREE o' LINKS: http://linktr.ee/partlyrobot Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On Substack: https://substack.com/@twovaguepodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com -AND-  …for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC! https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries *** References, Links, and Tags Episode 122 Show Notes - https://substack.com/home/post/p-151404155 The Edge of Sanity Linktree page - https://linktr.ee/Edge_Of_Sanity Vixa Games - https://vixagames.com/ Daedalic Entertainment - https://www.daedalic.com/ #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersOfThreads #Substack #Gamer #PartlyRobot #PartlyRobotIndustries #TeePublic #EdgeOfSanity #VixaGames #PositiveVibes

Ben is flying solo again this week. After managing technical and medical difficulties, he's champing at the bit and excited to talk about his PAX West 2024 Exhibit Hall experiences! But first, Ben has an abbreviated review of Deathbound; for the full review of this game check out our Substack page! Any feedback would be appreciated! Then Ben dives right in and shares his favorite games and booths at the show this year. If any of these games sound interesting to you, please follow the links in the show notes, like, wishlist, subscribe… do ALL the things! *** 00:00:20 - Intro, explanation, apology, and CHECK OUT OUR SUBSTACK! 00:02:02 - Ben's Deathbound thoughts 00:04:26 - 3 UPs: amazing music, great graphics for an indy, and the unique combat system 00:05:30 - 3 DOWNS: issues with targeting, perspective shift bug, and too few essences at first You can read Ben's full Deathbound review “It's Inspired by… Don't Call it a Soulslike - A Review of Deathbound on PS5” on Substack here… https://substack.com/home/post/p-149861815 00:08:43 - PAX West 2024  Day 1 00:09:05 - Ysbryd Games - https://www.ysbryd.net/ 00:09:24 - Love Eternal - https://loveeternalgame.com/  00:10:33 - Everdeep Aurora - https://www.everdeepaurora.com/  00:11:40 - ENDER MAGNOLIA: Bloom in the Mist - http://www.endermagnolia.com/en/  00:13:39 - Anshar Publishing - https://store.steampowered.com/publisher/AnsharPublishing 00:13:48 - Coridden - https://www.coridden.com/ 00:14:32 - Bytebond - https://store.steampowered.com/app/1952690/Bytebond/ 00:15:49 - Rugrats: Adventure in Gameland - https://store.steampowered.com/app/2633950/Rugrats_Adventures_in_Gameland/ 00:16:33 - Railgun Games - https://www.railgungames.com/ 00:17:01 - Virtual World Centers - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BattleTech_Centers  00:17:32 - Red Planet - Training Video  https://youtu.be/DIPMK4L_Qv4?si=ho3Wj0xcJ2rRt9TF 00:17:51 - Deathland Drifters - https://www.youtube.com/@railgungamesdev 00:18:37 - A Corgi's Cozy Hike - https://scalisco.com/pages/a-corgis-cozy-hike 00:19:09 - Ukiyo Studios - https://www.ukiyostudios.com/ 00:19:12 - Nine Sols - https://store.steampowered.com/app/1809540/Nine_Sols/ 00:19:20 - Infinity Bullets - https://infinitybullets.com/ 00:20:37 - Pacific Drive - https://www.pacificdrivegame.com/ 00:21:20 - Heartworm - https://heartwormgame.com/ 00:22:37 - The Mortuary Assistant - https://store.steampowered.com/app/1295920/The_Mortuary_Assistant/ 00:23:12 - Section 13 - https://oceandrive.studio/blackout-protocol/ 00:24:51 - The Behemoth Games - https://www.thebehemoth.com/ 00:25:51 - Path of Exile 2 - https://pathofexile2.com/ Day 2  00:27:19 - DORONKO WANKO - https://store.steampowered.com/app/2512840/DORONKO_WANKO/   00:29:09 - Pizza Bandit - https://www.jofsoft.com/  00:30:00 - Jay and Silent Bob: Chronic Blunt Punch - https://www.interabangent.com/ 00:31:11 - Optillusion - https://www.optillusion.games/ 00:31:28 - While Waiting - https://store.steampowered.com/app/2449160/While_Waiting/ 00:31:50 - Pick Me, Pick Me - https://www.pickmepickme.ai/ 00:33:08 - PLAYISM - https://playism.com/en/ 00:33:21 - Nitro Express - https://playism.com/en/game/nitro-express/ 00:33:43 - Homura Hime - https://playism.com/en/game/homura-hime/ 00:34:09 - Outrider Mako - https://playism.com/en/game/outrider-mako/ 00:34:26 - Metal Bringer - https://playism.com/en/game/metal-bringer/ 00:34:45 - HARUKA: Beyond the Stars - https://playism.com/en/game/haruka-beyond-the-stars/ 00:35:25 - Million Depth - https://playism.com/en/game/millionｰdepth/ Day 3 00:35:58 - Shroom Siege - https://www.upsidedownbird.com/shroom-siege 00:37:07 - Exercise Your Demons - https://www.vyersoft.com/eyd 00:38:15 - MythWalker - https://mythwalker.com/ 00:43:38 - Highway Police Simulator - https://highwaypolicegame.com/ 00:46:51 - Fish Game - https://www.fish.game/ 00:48:14 - Kriegsfront Tactics - https://www.togeproductions.com/project/kriegsfront-tactics/ 00:49:10 - Alterium Shift - https://alteriumshift.com/ Day 4 00:51:01 - ANTONBLAST - https://store.steampowered.com/app/1887400/ANTONBLAST/ 00:53:09 - Honeycomb: The World Beyond - https://store.steampowered.com/app/1510440/Honeycomb_The_World_Beyond/ 00:54:22 - Winter Burrow - https://www.pinecreekgames.com/ 00:56:27 - Rogue Climber - https://store.steampowered.com/app/2673440/Rogue_Climber/ Other Things 00:58:00 - Bateman Labs - https://batemanlabs.com/ 00:58:28 - Dragon Roast Coffee - https://dragonroast.coffee/ 00:58:58 - Small Rice Studios' new game Roast -  https://www.roast-game.com/ 00:59:53 - PAX West 2025 Plans   *** Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On Substack: https://substack.com/@twovaguepodcast For show appearance and other inquiries email us at twovaguepodcast@gmail.com For all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC! References, Links, and Tags For more information about Deathbound and the developer Trialforge Studio… https://deathbound-game.com http://www.trialforgestudio.com/en/ Check out Small Rice Studios' YouTube page… https://www.youtube.com/@smallricestudios6703/ #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #PartlyRobot #PartlyRobotIndustries #TeePublic #TateMultimedia #Deathbound #TrialforgeStudio #PAXWest_2024 #PAXWest2024

Prepare yourself for the conversational snips of the previous thirty episodes… a potpourri of what may be our final clip show for a while. Over the last 3 years we've obviously refined a few things. Ben is starting to get right into the show when he's in charge of recording; a side effect of this is that warmups are no longer as much of “a thing” for us anymore. Ben has also worked diligently on reducing the necessary recording time for special guests, so these days we are also cutting far fewer segments due to time. However, we reserve the right to revisit the clip show concept in the future, but they will no longer occur on 30 episode intervals as they have in the past. And now… on to the scraps! *** 00:00:21 - Why? 00:01:47 - Ep 92 Logic clip introduction 00:02:23 - Unity fee restructuring, SAG striking, Andrew's support, and supporting indies  00:09:19 - Ep 95 Animate clip introduction  00:10:23 - Martin's opinions about Unity, showing support by being vocal, and StarVaders 00:13:23 - Ben asks Martin about controller support on the Mac and development challenges 00:17:07 - The benefits of being a part of the Unity developer community and 3rd party tools 00:20:33 - Effective game QA testing, using Discord, and how game engines lock down code  00:25:14 - The pros and cons of making your own game engine, and Starbucks' in Sweden   00:26:58 - Ep 96 Robot clip introduction 00:27:38 - Differences in salts, nobody wants goiters, PRINGLES® slogans, and “Hi Julius!” 00:31:38 - Let them breathe, smells like potato water, hearing Idaho, and eating them in stacks 00:34:01 - ASMR, salt favored, the most expensive salt, condiment reminder, and library garlic 00:38:41 - PRINGLES® freshness dates foreign and domestic, ASMR+, and a bathroom break 00:43:51 - Ep 98 Ink clip introduction 00:44:19 - Sensory adventure triggers another sensory adventure, and an animatronic callback 00:48:06 - Ep 100 Review clip introduction 00:48:41 - Drop dead, postmortem, rail sharing, trains falling down, and high altitude littering  00:54:47 - Ep 102 Narative clip introduction 00:55:28 - Andrew loves all things Richard Ayoade, his first, and 0118 999 88199 9119 725... 3 01:00:54 - The “Critical Film Studies” episode of a Community, and it's just a television show 01:03:09 - Ep 103 Rhythm clip introduction 01:04:00 - Some tech talk, definitions of art, “but also that elephant…,” and walking on the flag  01:07:48 - Heather Cassils' performance art, and Star's experience at Purchase College  01:11:01 - Exploring what you want to learn in community college, and don't not be happy 01:13:24 - Decoy show start, a dress rehearsal for a podcast, and short term memory screens 01:16:15 - The WiiU, The Wonderful 101, Veiwtiful Joe, and an extreme button mashing pro tip  01:19:11 - Ep 104 Lukas Eggan Interview clip introduction 01:19:50 - Discussing Alan Wake 2, Quantum Break, and a choice for the current generation 01:22:23 - Bethesda needs a win, collecting priorities, changing it in post, and LAN Parties 01:26:24 - Lukas' noticeable change in sound quality, our cats, and Ben's pre-show coffee 01:28:10 - Ep 106 April Fools / Turbo Tax Game Review clip introduction 01:28:59 - Agendas, sensitivity readings, the moral “high ground,” and conspiracy theories 01:32:16 - Splitting hairs of the definition, trying to explain things, and being empathetic  01:35:49 - Ep 107 Trend clip introduction 01:36:48 - A documentary about coinage, Norah's traffic commentary, and interview feedback 01:39:32 - Actively being a passenger, Norah reveals Alaska plans, and ambient sounds  01:43:17 - Ep 109 Beat clip introduction 01:44:13 - AI responding to AI generated content, where we get our news, and the FTC ruling 01:46:41 - Twenty year old cat FRAPs, old politicians, and refusing to work with people   01:50:33 - Printed infographics, teach yourself with the internet, and positive attitudes 01:53:58 - Ben starts showcasing his writings on Substack, and closing the show   *** Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On Substack: https://substack.com/@twovaguepodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com -AND-  …for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC! https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries References, Links, and Tags #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #PartlyRobot #PartlyRobotIndustries #TeePublic

This week we have an AMAZING episode for you!  We received another PS5 review code compliments of the fabulously kind PR ninja Robert, but before Ben spills the entire cup of tea on his time KIWIWALKS' latest remaster of the original WitchSpring game, he recounts his 7 days of experiences in Seattle when he wasn't busy at PAX West 2024 proper.  After the review, Ben shares his LIVE (at the time) “Podcast in a Bag” interviews from the Arch Building of the Seattle Convention Center.  The first one is with The Behemoth's co-founder, artist and game designer Dan Paladin; he “sits down” with Ben to talk about his game design inspirations and of course, his favorite word.  Next, JOFSOFT's Aron Koh, the Executive Producer of the upcoming genre bending game Pizza Bandit, speaks to Ben about the circuitous route they took in their development of the game, as well as the importance of pivoting and iterating when developing for a general gaming audience.  *** 00:00:21 - On this episode… two interviews, a game review, and Ben's non-PAX Seattle stuff  00:01:41 - In Seattle, corned beef and cabbage, the story turns sour, and a mixed blessing 00:05:27 - The What's Good Games party, Polaroid cameras, and dinner with Christian and Erik 00:07:25 - New friends in your 50s, Ben starts a Seattle walk, and selfie museum shenanigans   00:09:49 - Repopulating the planet, the Space Needle, and thanks to Nancy for the photos 00:11:03 - A fancy sandwich, more waking, a putting the bow on the trip with delicious Thai 00:13:16 - Witch versus evil pope, same story with different perspectives, and Suyoung Jang  00:16:14 - Building at your atelier, managing difficulty, a fat bird, and the experience system 00:19:42 - Increasing your other levels with training mini-games and bonus percentages 00:22:01 - 3 ups: well balanced, superior audiovisuals, and smart map zoom view and usage  00:23:30 - 3 downs: pet capture tutorial, inconsistent mission arrow, and blacksmith mini game  00:25:59 - Ben recommends playing, wants to see more witch stories, and closes the review 00:27:45 - The interviews, a quick disclaimer on the audio quality, crowd noise, and hot mics 00:30:23 - The seldom used a cappella Podcast in a Bag theme song! 00:30:35 - The co-founder of The Behemoth, Dan Paladin; words = ladle and cheeseborough 00:44:42 - The executive producer of JOFSOFT's “Pizza Bandit,” Aron Koh;  00:51:44 - Aron's words are pivot and iterate, the difference between the two, and WISHLIST! 00:53:13 - Ben shares what is in store for you on future episodes of the Two Vague Podcast *** Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com -AND-  ...for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC! https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries References, Links, and Tags For more information on WitchSpring R from KIWIWALKS… https://witchspringr.com/en/ For more information on The Behemoth's amazing games… https://www.thebehemoth.com/ For more information on JOFSOFT's freshman release Pizza Bandit…  https://www.jofsoft.com/ WISHLIST Pizza Bandit on Steam HERE… https://store.steampowered.com/app/2475010/Pizza_Bandit/  #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #witchspring #witchspringr #kiwiwalks #DanPaladin #TheBehemoth #AronKoh #JOVSOFT #PizzaBandit  

In this special pre-PAX West 2024 edition of the Two Vague Podcast… does Ben have a couple of imaginary guests, the titular “Drop Dead Fred” perhaps?  Nope!  He's got something far more engaging than a Phoebe Cates movie up his sleeve.  Christian and Erik from Imaginary Game Studios join Ben to talk about their experiences in the AAA gaming space and their latest project Rogue Climber!  It's an episode that is guaranteed to be more exciting and interesting than driving a desert bus from Las Vegas to Tucson, Arizona. Ben's interview with Christian  00:00:20 - Introducing Imaginary Game Studios founder and Meticulous game creator Christian 00:02:46 - Correction, the game Ben played at the Local H concert was Battle Arena Toshinden  00:04:25 - Finding the fun, exorcising the design demons, mixing inspiration, and rage climbers 00:07:52 - The indie game flavor of the month, Steam genre tag problems, and the Cybertruck 00:11:55 - Ben's arcade memories, Christian's time in Japanese arcades, and a Dreamcast tip 00:14:53 - Getting Over it with Bennett Foddy, Penn & Teller's Desert Bus, and Airplane Mode  00:17:54 - Capsule hotels, themed stuff in Japan, Studio Ghibli stores, and back to Desert Bus 00:21:25 - Cozy rage, Christian's experiences in the AAA space, and speculating on the cause 00:24:40 - Cutting Peter Dinklage's Ghost, and stratification of creatives, leaders, and execs 00:27:27 - The Imaginary Game Studios game jam, YouTube content creation, and the news 00:28:32 - Favorite word - imagination  Ben's interview with Erik 00:30:19 - Introducing 2VP to Erik, focus required, a lifeline for Meticulous, and the first to play 00:33:07 - Meeting Christian at EA, working at Blizzard on Diablo 3, and a heroine killing spoiler 00:36:38 - The perils of stories “under wraps,” crafting meaningful stories, and is it censorship?  00:39:19 - The easiest thing to change, creating a simulacra, incorporating feedback, and DEI 00:42:55 - Everyone is NOT a narrative expert, the creative process, and remembering Anthem 00:45:08 - Getting to the fun questions, Counter-Strike bunnyhopping, and a Venn diagram 00:48:34 - Correction, only review copies of Penn & Teller's Smoke and Mirrors were made 00:51:11 - Favorite word -  a tie between scofflaw and bindlestiff  Erik's interview with Ben 00:52:50 - Where did you come up with the word concept? 00:54:44 - Tell me about your dad, what would his favorite word be, and connecting with Norah 00:57:54 - Ben gets a little personal about his relationship with his father 00:59:42 - What story about your father do you think had the biggest impact on you? 01:00:40 - Erik talks about his experiences writing for a Sports Illustrated subsidiary 01:02:19 - Andrew and Erik are in the same boat, the 23 year gap, and the booth babe sash Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at twovaguepodcast@gmail.com -AND-  …for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC! https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries References, Links, and Tags Follow all the shenanigans Imaginary Game Studios is up to… On their website: https://www.imaginarygamestudios.com/  On their Discord: https://discord.gg/YyDD7ECtdJ  On their YouTube channel - they post all sorts of stuff from gaming news, to gaming podcasts, to game jams, to the occasional cooking video: https://www.youtube.com/@caxtnova Imaginary Game Studios GAMES on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2673440/Rogue_Climber/  

Norah and Ben are excitedly hosting the pod this week.  The topic word is one that most people associate with childhood, but the benefits for adults are well documented by psychologists.  Ben talks about what he is playing (Wife Quest and Stellar Blade) and Norah talks about the weather before they get in to the meat and potatoes of the discussion and start playing with their fictitious food.  Why are adults reluctant to use the word play in their day to day lives?  Are hobbies a form of play?  What was the origin of the Sony PlayStation?  Our hosts explore these questions and more!        00:00:21 - Fan thanks, OnlyFans, Tucson weather, the monsoons, and Norah's hall of records 00:04:15 - Playing baseball, fat bottom games, the nature of addiction, and not Wife Swap 00:06:45 - Norah hates reality… television, Ben explains Wife Quest, and the ABBA connection 00:09:47 - Ben recommends for a dose of nostalgia, chibi-ish style, and on to Stellar Blade 00:13:16 - The “back in my day” card, DOA Xtreme Beach Volleyball, and why robot women? 00:17:06 - Ben likes strange stories, finding your girlfriend in a dumpster, and just Flemming 00:19:29 - Reading all the verbs and nouns, Norah's “hot take,” and mostly recreational  00:23:55 - The origin, leaping for joy, usage in print, and other phrases containing play 00:25:46 - Plays-on-words, Ben doesn't like golf, and burning tangerine segments at the stake  00:30:03 - Imagination, mailing snails, one class short, masters of play, building with LEGOs 00:34:27 - The stigma of playing, Ben challenges, throwing arrows and TikToks, and humor 00:37:26 - Creativity throughout life, playing funky music, and Richard Melville Hall scores 00:40:40 - The story of Play-Doh, coal residue, scent libraries, and the Doctor Drill N Fill toy 00:44:10 - A Hasbro patent, used by Homer Simpson, and the Psychology Today definition 00:47:25 - Two ways of doing puzzles and having fun, maths, and the benefits for adults 00:50:12 - After a quick pee break, a connection to Nintendo, and some CES shenanigans  00:53:31 - Developing hardware out spite, a PlayStation at a concert, and Local H's big song 00:57:08 - You can do that outside, final thoughts, and an association to creating and learning   Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com -AND-  …for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC! https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries   References, Links, and Tags #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #PartlyRobot #PartlyRobotIndustries #TeePublic 

Andrew joins Ben this week to talk about a particular piece of punctuation that isn't a dinkus!  People have strong opinions about when and where the ellipsis should and shouldn't be used, so our hosts decided to investigate… for SCIENCE!  Along the way they discovered a number of new words to share (including dinkus)!  Fortunately there won't be a vocabulary quiz at the end of the show, but there will be an exploration of the use of the ellipsis in the text and dialog of comics, manga, and video games.  Finally, they close the show with a couple of odd questions from Ben and some of their soon to be famous tangential discussion nonsense. 00:00:21 - Unrefrigerated, getting a Whirlpool, Kevin Meaney, and no refrigerator magnets?! 00:02:56 - Ben throws some crazy, cabinet positions, still a general, and getting over… again 00:04:53 - Birthday time travel, trust the process, meeting on Threads, and Judy Blume books 00:08:04 - Best social media wingman, and “The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai…” references 00:10:00 - Ben wants to compare arcade attendant notes with streamer AdventurerJessica  00:11:47 - Visual migraines, multifactorial, “the matchy color fun game,” and accomplishment 00:14:16 - Breaking up chapters, text message teaser, a very wordy hybrid, and linguistics 00:16:45 - Greek origins, graphs, two dollar words in 1800s, and the MLA format for writing 00:20:00 - Andrew thinks it's judgmental, prescriptive versus descriptive grammar, and ain't  00:22:31 - Interesting trends in language development, dialect coaches, and Ohio is derpy  00:24:51 - Generation Alpha's meme inspired phrases, Florida man, and ellipsis use in texting  00:28:03 - Unspoken anger, punctuation usage confusion, the Mongolian ellipsis, and math 00:30:52 - Folding, nobody else cares, picking up styles, and guides for technical writing 00:35:10 - Vocabulary words of the episode: aposiopesis, cæsura, and “elision or deletion” 00:37:40 - Andrew goes off on Shakespeare, the days of Solid Snake, and fancy Breakout  00:39:46 - “Goddess of Victory: Nikke” conversations, and Zero Wing's bad translations 00:42:07 - Pac-Man eating punctuation, more frequent in Japanese media, and pauses 00:44:12 - Widening the gap, interpreting the worst, and problems deciphering body language 00:48:29 - Andrew hopes he's getting paid, the movie rights, and Ben Mezrich's strategy 00:50:32 - Who would play you in a movie about your life, and does the face include ears?  00:52:34 - Tenet, Andrew's nemesis, Inception, and Ben threatens to buy Andrew a BluRay    00:54:10 - Final thoughts, to confuse and annoy, that's it, and a hero named “The Ellipsis”  Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on… His website: https://partlyrobot.com/ On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com -AND-  …for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC! https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries References, Links, and Tags Threads/IG Shout Outs for Liz, Kaja, and Jessica… (please be on the podcast)! https://instagram.com/liz_lapoint AND check out her GenXcellent Substack! https://instagram.com/booksbyblackley https://instagram.com/adventurerjessica  #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #PartlyRobot #PartlyRobotIndustries #TeePublic

Lukas Eggen from gameonmedia.net is back in the virtual studio with Ben to do a proper show on a subject that he, as a seasoned journalist, is incredibly qualified to talk about.  Before getting into “the news,” they talk about a few articles that Lukas has been working on for his new publication "Game On!"  Then they discuss how the journalism landscape has changed with the advent of digital media and what games they have been playing recently.  Following the definition, Ben and Lukas move on to their thoughts on the pitfalls of news delivery, maintaining journalistic integrity, the potential impact of AI in journalism, and navigating “tough” interviews.  Finally, Ben closes the show with his obligatory goofiness and some puppet centric trivia.  00:00:20 - Hot Las Vegas, being thankful for AC, gameonmedia.net, and podcast coaching 00:03:56 - Modules, Jennifer Hale, SkillsHub, the joys of podcasting, and Ben says… 00:06:40 - Breaking news, Lukas' focuses on journalism, and from Evo to AI in gaming 00:09:17 - Old school reporting, how news stories have changed, and digital versus printed 00:12:51 - What Lukas has been playing: Animal Crossing, Child of Light, and Marvel Snap 00:14:46 - Ben has been playing Wife Quest since TEVI, and he is pleasantly surprised 00:17:15 - miHoYo's “Zenless Zone Zero,” “pay to win” popularity, and live service games    00:20:17 - The vision of kids today, wives snapping necks, and the definition and origin 00:23:54 - Editorial, perspective, integrity, things presented as news, and bias game news 00:27:06 - Content creators, “us older people,” the evolution of cable news, and complicity  00:29:57 - IGN buyouts, where the silicon grows, AI in journalism, and the Gannett connection 00:34:30 - Connecting with authors, investing in AI development, and what AI can't do 00:37:35 - Expressions, connecting coincidentally, and the potential for analyzing big data 00:40:05 - Nudity for Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and the optics of interviewing Phil Spencer  00:43:36 - Esports World Cup controversy, asking the tough questions, and getting denied  00:46:51 - Everyone has a price, the word association question, and supporting journalists  00:49:50 - Ben brings the goofy, The Great Space Coaster trivia, and no Gary Gnu news 00:52:01 - Balancing the tone, and Billy Basso draws inspiration from “Indy Game: The Movie” 00:55:23 - Lukas thanks his supporters, there is a me, and closing the show with an invitation  00:57:57 - Open to Threads sponsorship, meeting cool people, and Andrew's TeePublic promo For all things Lukas Eggen check out… https://www.gameonmedia.net/  -AND- https://linktr.ee/LukasEggen Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com -AND-  …for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC! https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries References, Links, and Tags SkillsHub for Actors https://acting.skillshub.life/ Wife Quest by Pippin Games https://www.pippingames.com/wife-quest #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #LukasEggen #GameOnMedia #GameOn #SkillsHubforActors #SkillsHub #JenniferHale #PippinGames #WifeQuest

This week, Ben is joined by long time fan and “aunt of the pod” Norah for a game review episode.  After a BIG thank you to a PR ninja and some miscellaneous chatter about the origin of the “bunny girl” archetype, Ben dives right in to his assessment of the platform / bullet hell shooter mashup, TEVI!  Stay tuned after the show for the latest 2VP tee shirt advertisement, brought to you by Partly Robot Industries. 00:00:21 - Traffic on the 1's and 7's, a year of Norah, Alaska, and a smoked salmon monsoon 00:02:41 - Ben's PAX West 2024 plans, Bust-A-Move, and giving thanks to Robert… a PR Ninja 00:05:21 - PSN certification delays, Norah's thoughts on aesthetics, and video game romances  00:09:26 - Norah is like the squirrel, and developing relationships with fictional characters  00:14:03 - Cutscene spectacles, being desensitized by the media, and a bunny wants to fit in 00:17:50 - “Metroidvania” / “bullet hell” mashup, Rabi-Ribi's story, and the Playboy connection 00:20:19 - Try to be unbiased, reading for the articles, and from the perspective of a Boomer 00:23:04 - The mistreatment of people, power dynamics, and articles by well known authors 00:26:25 - Back to the bunny, Norah learns a new word, and looking for hidden objects 00:28:53 - The would of Az, an interesting use for a belt, and angel and demon shot mechanics 00:31:28 - The anime segments of TEVI, Ben cancels his scoring math, and Norah buying PS5 00:33:06 - Ben starts his 3 ups with a platform genera comparison and ends with cool graphics 00:35:38 - Starting with a mini-down, too many sigils, missing the sweet spot, and a big map 00:39:40 - Norah asks about skipping things, Ben's playing strategy, and linear storylines 00:43:01 - Generational perceptions of game length, and DO check out TEVI for a nostalgic trip 00:46:23 - Another PR ninja shoutout, what Norah is wearing, and Andrew's TeePublic ad Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com -AND-  ...for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC! https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries TEVI Review *** A big thank you to Robert Lashley… PR Ninja from Team Critical Hit for the review key! *** Developed by CreSpirit, GemaYue, Ein Lee Published by CreSpirit, Neverland Entertainment for PC version And PM Studios Inc. for the PS5 and Switch version 3 UPs  - TEVI is a masterfully crafted platform game with a significant number of exploration opportunities and gameplay depth. - Tevi and supporting characters are highly customizable through the use of sigils to match your style of play. - TEVI looks, sounds, and plays like a “best in class” retro 4th (16-bit) or 5th (32-bit) generation console platform game. 3 DOWNs - The voice acting is not in English; however, there are English subtitles. - The pool of sigils which grows throughout the game (up to a grand total of 250 possible) and their varying point values can make it very time consuming when creating your customized character build.   - The map of Az's explorable areas was too far too vast and confusing to figure out where you wanted to go with ease.  This goes for the story as well.  At times I was disoriented or lost within each.    DO BUY and PLAY if…  You love retro style platform games; this game has lots of gameplay depth for a low cost!   References, Links, and Tags For more information on CreSpirit's latest game “TEVI” (now available on : Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X and Series S)… https://www.tevi.games/en #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #TEVI #CreSpirit #PMStudiosInc 

Andrew joins Ben for 2VP's “leather” anniversary and a chat about things AND stuff!  Andrew has been writing, playing with baby CJ, and preparing for a stand-up comedy show.  Ben has been playing games, but instead of following the typical show segment order, he decides to call an audible.  They take the scenic route on their way to talking about the games “Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key” from developer Gust and “Goddess of Victory: Nikke” from developer Shift Up.  Topics discussed include: amateur stand-up comedy writing, the origin of the name of the show, the baby schema theory, Funko collectables, the manga of Osamu Tezuka, and an AI generated art deep dive / debate.   00:00:21 - Mango's cute vocals, 3 years of vague, Andrew's retirement, and LtHTT the musical 00:03:07 - Time traveling, GMT or UTC, timezones in India, and Gandhi's fake quote about hate  00:07:02 - Andrew's joke writing process, spoken word Bohemian Rhapsody, and bring it back 00:09:34 - Star Trek actor rap battle, Ben's laniard check silliness, and developing improv skills 00:13:14 - Tig Notaro's piano bit, the extra sauce, adaptive humor, and Ben's show flipflop    00:16:13 - The definition of that word, vague activities degrees, and staying in the vagus nerve  00:19:53 - Zippy the Pinhead, Chuck Norris' second coming, and the ethologist Konrad Lorenz 00:24:00 - Chibi style and cuteness, Astro Boy, Princess Knight, and the vague duality of Kevin   00:28:19 - Ben's next time at Texas Roadhouse, Andrew's old hustle, and mentioning merch  00:33:22 - Soda ingredients, the Father's Day edition of “The Buzz,” and advertising budgets  00:36:25 - Andrew's description and a AI generated composition, and the giant swan Kaiju  00:40:07 - The changing job landscape for commercial artists and detecting AI generated art   00:43:42 - Give Clippy some work, carbon footprints, being human, and Ben really means food 00:47:14 - Humans learning art, shots fired, Ben likes a Smashmouth song, and photography  00:49:57 - The joys of day jobs, anti-AI scrubbing tactics, resume hacks, and the number three 00:55:01 - Ben's choice, a game about doing chores, and petting all the animals in the JRPG 00:58:13 - Changing the percentage, a strange choice of robot design, and broken arms  Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on… His website: https://partlyrobot.com/ On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com -AND-  …for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC! https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries References, Links, and Tags Time travel to Andrew's comedy set at the Helium Comedy Club  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23IW96eVf0Y The official Atelier Ryza 3 site https://www.koeitecmoamerica.com/ryza3/ For all of your exposed “side-boob” needs, the official “Goddess of Victory: Nikke” site https://nikke-en.com/ #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #KoeiTecmoAmerica #AtelierRyza3 #ShiftUp #GoddessOfVictoryNIKKE

Cheyenne joins Ben in the studio this week for an episode a year in the making!  They start off talking about a big move that Cheyenne is making this year and what games they are playing.  Cheyenne has been playing a couple of Larian Studios game and romancing mostly vampires.  Ben has finished Pacific Drive and is trying to figure out what he's going to play next.  The hosts discuss the definition, share their results from a wikiHow “What is your aesthetic” quiz, and talk about how the definition has changed in recent decades.  They also take a peek at the Aesthetics Wiki and talk about recent TikTok shenanigans before moving on to discussing their favorite video game aesthetics.  Before closing the show, they ponder and explore what censorship in today's gaming environment looks like.   00:00:20 - And Ben will, moving to Portland, explaining the podcast in a bag, and Ben's “mo” 00:02:08 - The Rand McNally store, Cheyenne's “Eras Tour,” and 1200 hours invested in BG3 00:05:05 - Experiencing simulated bears for science, having legs, and Pacific Drive is done 00:10:28 - Romancing things in games, not enough tabletop taglines, and on to the definition 00:14:35 - How generation Z uses the word, the quiz, Y2K and Cottagecore, and the suffix 00:19:08 - Normcore, Dark Academia and E-kids, transcending image, and what is Ben's vibe  00:22:47 - It's giving Beigecore, investigating the Wiki, and pronouncing Sega Uranus properly  00:28:00 - Traditional aesthetics, beauty is subjective, the inspiration of an image, and TikTok 00:32:15 - Filters, the kind of talker, Dada expression, and ByteDance divestiture speculation 00:37:31 - Asking intelligent questions, Congressional Dadcore, and wearing appropriate attire  00:42:04 - The first and last time, in Cheyenne-ese, a black and white realm, and Vanillaware  00:46:51 - Style documents, thoughts on censorship and graphics, and Shift Up's Stellar Blade  00:52:21 - Changing demographics of players, identifying with characters, and connections  00:55:14 - Reflective morons making a difference, voices being acknowledged, and toxicity  00:58:31 - Just a misunderstanding, Cheyenne's vampire hill, and moving towards inclusivity 01:00:35 - Not engaging, opinions about “barrelmancy,” and a Dadcore time out is needed 01:04:54 - Closing thoughts, the importance of aesthetics in games, and we're ALL Beigecore!    Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast For ALL of your Partly Robot Industries and 2VP merchandise NEEDS, check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC! https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com References, Links, and Tags The Aesthetics Wiki  https://aesthetics.fandom.com/wiki/Aesthetics_Wiki #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #GamerThreads #Portland #AestheticsWiki #PartlyRobotIndustries #TeePublic 

Andrew joins Ben this week for a special request word (from a different Ben), but first the gents share what they are up to.  For Andrew it's growing his multimedia empire; for Ben it is playing video games… obviously.  Then on to the word that they will divide, conquer, and put into …containers?  Additional stream of consciousness thoughts and musings include: The Big Lebowski, what is the internet (according to a U.S. Senator), Peter Falk impressions, teaching through examples, science shows for kids in the 1980's, a method for making sourdough bread, and a video game featuring the aliquoting of Budweiser beer!   00:00:20 - Riding Nerf gun, a percentile of Portland's funniest, and Andrew's publishing deal 00:04:04 - ADHD research, back to the Larryverse, writing the journey, and no more rants 00:08:05 - Andrew's new-ish TEEPUBLIC designs, the Aurtistic zine, and bite the students first 00:11:13 - Ben has been playing games, more time traveling, and fixing the personality of cars 00:13:30 - Balatro by LocalThunk, fits of declension, against the blinds, and de-buffed hearts  00:17:24 - Frowned upon in Las Vegas, the card game Flux, and an AI Gore inspired joker  00:23:15 - Sort of playing Mine Sweeper, from another Ben, The Big Lebowski, and it is a sled 00:26:23 - Finding strangers in the Alps, a father quoting/hiking, and aliquot has a definition  00:30:09 - The late great Hannibal Lecter, an era of big chemistry, and a book of science poetry 00:33:55 - Alligator & apricot, Carl Sagan fashion, chemistry equipment, and a series of tubes  00:37:50 - The Rockford Files, Peter Falk quotes from Vibes, the internet, and the concept 00:40:46 - Poisons, explaining aliquoting to a 5 year old, and a two dimensional container  00:43:54 - Science shows for kids, Bill Nye exposure, don't do acid, and a new 2VP slogan 00:45:50 - They don't aliquot pizza in Italy, a tool for baking sourdough bread, and Tapper 00:49:40 - Anheuser-Busch, Marvin Glass and Associates, 70's toys, and Domino Man  00:52:06 - A Budweiser story, better in Europe, a real mustache dude, and the Bally art style 00:55:04 - Not Dig Dug, Q*Bert's speech impediment, and using new words to annoy friends 00:58:12 - Movies based on board games, video games, and 1980's television show properties Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on… His website: https://partlyrobot.com/ On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot -AND-  …for all of your Partly Robot Industries and Two Vague Podcast merch needs, check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC! https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com References, Links, and Tags #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #Neurodiversity #PartlyRobotIndustries #PartlyRobot #TeePublic #ArcadeGames

This week Ben is excited to talk to Andrea about her role as a project manager at Joystick Ventures for the games “Star★Vaders,” “Big Boy Boxing,” and “Chicken Police: Into the Hive!”  But first, Andrea and Ben have each been playing games with an abundance of atmospheric tension, suspense, and dare we say… creepiness.  After sharing these experiences with each other, they dive right in and have a very interesting conversation about the funding, developing, promoting, and marketing of independently made video games! 00:00:20 - Rituals, runes, pools, Pacific Drive, weeping angels, and Andrea's introduction 00:06:18 - A startup background, changes in the games Andrea plays, and still a console girl 00:10:27 - How Joystick Ventures chooses, team diversity, and the “open world” game 00:13:38 - Development, production, and what a project manager at Joystick Ventures does 00:16:48 - Facilitating development, fostering relationships, and balancing a number of projects 00:20:51 - Hungarian game noir, challenges in working globally, and Discord communication 00:25:00 - Summer showcases, Andrea says hello to Norah, and PAX versus other trade shows 00:28:52 - Ben talks about attending PAX as press, networking for the show, and playing games 00:31:34 - Public relations, marketing, activating the pillars, and demographic strategy changes  00:37:05 - Segmenting based on interest instead of demographics, and audience clusters 00:39:26 - New monster, determining appropriate platforms, and Steam infrastructure flexibility 00:42:32 - The growth of Steam, the FTC's noncompete announcement, and speculation  00:46:15 - Movement toward independent games, and closing the show Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com   References, Links, and Tags Joystick Ventures - https://www.joystickventures.com/ Star★Vaders - https://star-vaders.com/ Wishlist Star★Vaders on Steam - https://store.steampowered.com/app/2097570/StarVaders/ Check out the 2VP episode we did with Star★Vaders lead designer Eddie -  https://www.twovaguepodcast.com/e/episode-94-nature/  Big Boy Boxing from Soupmasters -  https://soupmasters.com/ Wishlist Big Boy Boxing on Steam - https://store.steampowered.com/app/1680780/Big_Boy_Boxing/ Check out the 2VP episode we did with Big Boy Boxing lead designer Martin - https://www.twovaguepodcast.com/e/episode-95-animate/ Chicken Police: Into the Hive (the sequel to Chicken Police: Paint hit Red) by The Wild Gentlemen - https://thewildgentlemen.com/ Wishlist CP:ItH on Steam - https://store.steampowered.com/app/2362090/Chicken_Police_Into_the_HIVE/ #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #JoystickVentures #StarVaders #BigBoyBoxing #ChickenPolice #IntoTheHive  

Ben and Star host 2VP this week, so shake off that tired feeling, take a moment to collect yourself, and be cool… daddy-o!  There are lots of definitions to cover before getting in to the conversation.  From music to an artistic subculture movement to one of Ben's favorite BMW “comercials,” there is much to talk about.  Star teaches Ben about Taylor Swift and a couple of Generation Z phrases.  Ben gets really excited about being able to do his oddly specific Bob Dylan impression, and bringing up his favorite movie director.  Games discussed in this episode include “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom,” “Hogwarts Legacy,” “Pacific Drive,” “Ultros,” “Cadence of Hyrule,” “Crypt of the Necrodancer,” “Alice: Madness Returns,” and “Hi-Fi Rush” 00:00:21 - Again with the third person, the unspoken bond, and TLoZ: Tears of the Kingdom 00:03:48 - Andrew's side quest, Star tried unique Japanese Pringles, and too many ducks 00:05:18 - Ben talks about Pacific Drive, Star's PS5 goals, and a playable acid flashback 00:09:43 - Borscht ingredients, Ben's poetry decade, the subjectivity of art, and time signatures 00:12:20 - Buckle your notebook, club or whip, and off brand Duck Hunt, and MatPat's show 00:15:47 - More verbs, birds flying, cooking, sailing, and Star explains “bro boats” to Ben 00:18:47 - On to the nouns, Star doesn't know “cop speak,” a surprise, and back to Beatniks  00:20:59 - “Old timey” phrases, of German origin, word confusion, and our music choice bpm 00:23:51 - The solicitation purr, Ben's cat impression, and the “Intro to Rhythm” class final 00:26:40 - Cowbells at daybreak, even for a Canadian, and an excuse for Swiftie Star 00:29:17 - Taylor Swift's latest album, Patti Smith, “No tea, no shade,” and 100 percent 00:34:37 - Trading friendship bracelets with 12 year olds, and Ben's FAVORITE impression 00:36:03 - Beyoncé and the West drama, “Beat the Devil,” and Star summarizes Alien 00:41:44 - Tony Scott movies, the original “True Romance” ending, and on to video games  00:44:07 - The “Crypt of the Necrodancer” franchise and the connection to Hi-Fi Rush 00:46:45 - On paper, mediocre 2-D platform elements, and Chai's backstory and origin 00:50:25 - Beautiful visuals, no target locking, feels very linear, and uninspired boss fights 00:54:41 - No “real” replay value, great music (but not enough), and angry dance music 00:56:50 - A difference in opinion on Ye, no actual wives were harmed, and keeping time   00:59:18 - Star's better final thought, beating the mulch, and a hitman for slumlord Tom Nook     Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com References, Links, and Tags Ben recommends checking out this awesome game…  “Pacific Drive” developed by Ironwood Studios https://www.pacificdrivegame.com/ #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #IronwoodStudios #KeplerInteractive #Ultros

This week Andrew and Ben have a word inspired by our 2nd (insert air horn sound) review code (and for the PS5 no less)!  But first… a little bit of housekeeping featuring the one and only star of a single “The Three Stooges” episode, the "magic” 8-ball.  As you know, the gentlemen are fond of complicated math, so prepare for that AND a long definition segment.  Other topic diversions include: self help books, Ironwood Studios' first release “Pacific Drive,” beverages, Juice Newton, superhero movies, French food, Ben's review of Juicy Realm,” and 2VP merch ideas. 00:00:21 - Sausage, Tucson's Zine Festival, and Andrew gets help from Asplenia Studios! 00:02:40 - Ben's “almost first kiss,” 2VP merch possibilities, and help from Dr. Faith Harper 00:07:22 - Low budget time travel, a borscht-centric show, and Bethesda games on PS5 00:09:07 - Playing Pacific Drive, the joys of repair putty, and the “Herby-esque” station wagon 00:12:02 - Sort of a college word, and calculating the Magic 8-Ball equivocation percentage 00:17:20 - Magic 8-Ball facts, an obscure “The Three Stooges” episode, and cocktail concepts 00:19:05 - Brendan Fraser, the Orange Julius, in Swedish, and prune juice is helpful sometimes 00:23:10 - Juicing up, too soon, usage over time, cratered in the 1970's, and pulp preferences 00:26:19 - Meat juice, a favorite kindergarten food of Ben, AZ snails, and living in slug country 00:30:05 - A direct to bathtub situation, the Tim Burton Superman movie, and the multiverses 00:33:36 - Superhero popularity waning, favorite food truck movies, and Colm Meaney roles 00:37:27 - The Fall Guy theme, the Beetlejuice window, and one of Ben's favorite Judds  00:39:35 - The origin of a slogan, fruit chews facts, and coastal Oregon's saltwater taffy  00:43:25 - Andrew's Juice Newton memory, Deadpool movies, and the “Queen of Hearts” song 00:47:50 - The theory springs a leak, bringing the horns, and a new tagline for the show  00:49:56 - The story of Juicy Realm, movers and shooters, the gameplay loop, and avocados 00:52:30 - A comic strip style, PS5 is not required, powers and weapons, and saving seeds 00:55:15 - Taking chances with weapons, the four biomes, room types, and less than the cost 00:58:04 - Three ups, two payers, four sticks, no cups, three downs, and Ben recommends 01:01:21 - Fan art creations, a cup of coffee, “comfy” tracksuit merchandise, and final thoughts   A BIG THANK YOU to PM Studios and Team Critical Hit for our PS5 review key for “Juicy Realm!” Ben's Review of Juicy Realm  3 UPs: - 2 player local Co-op  - Amazingly goofy Sunday funny paper cartoon graphics with a wide variety of creative weapons - After clearing the game the first time, difficulty modifiers are added so you can accumulate more seeds when you clear a biome, but it is entirely optional. 3 DOWNs: - No Option for online co-op gameplay - Some minor UI anomalies do exist that make weapon modifier selection difficult at times - Not balanced as much as I would have hoped… there is one character selection that is clearly superior and a number of weapons that are the most effective DO BUY/PLAY… If you want a thrifty purchase with an arcade-like feel, but with the some of the variation, depth, and replay value of a rouge lite!  If you like games similar to Hades and Cult of the Lamb, you may want to check it out.  Even at full price, it's a steal! Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries His website: https://partlyrobot.com/ On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot Follow Two Vague Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com References, Links, and Tags #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #JuicyRealm #TeamCriticalHit #PMStudiosInc #SpaceCan

Ceramicist and former fashion industry designer Jackie joins Ben this week to talk about a topic that impacts our physical AND digital lives.  Jackie has a great deal of experience and interest in design, but now she is shifting her focus to digital.  Ben shares his 90s / early 2000s fashion and Rory Gilmore's boyfriend choices before getting to the definition.  Other topics discussed include: fashion, digital trends, puzzle video games, commerce, the mobile gaming market segment, and video game trend predictions for 2024. 00:00:21 - Voices, a determined Mango, a Masters in a week, and ceramic artist burnout 00:03:13 - Craft vs. fine art mediums, dabbling, designing jewelry, and creativity in commerce 00:06:46 - Emulation, higher education, Ben's harsh sting, and the Pantone color of 2024 00:10:30 - Sharing and kindness, on your bum, and the 2VP sweatpants merchandise plans 00:13:39 - An elder Millennial, Urban Decay, Ben is team Dean, and digital marketing trends 00:17:10 - Jackie's Google UX Design certificate, flavor of the month, and Ben's meal kit idea  00:19:05 - The definition, media toxicity, Jackie is a Google person, and relatively new word  00:23:21 - Inspired by the Narrative episode, popularity, and changes in the fashion industry 00:26:07 - Universally “in,” the speed of digital trends, navigating e-commerce, and hobbies 00:30:37 - Blurring the line, and stories of creatives dealing with the corporate environment  00:33:47 - Questioning what big companies say that gamers want, and the mobile touchpoint 00:36:27 - Trending celebrity names, Jackie's gaming timeline, Purikura, and visiting the coffee 00:40:14 - Jackie realizes her love of puzzle games, subway stories, and Netflix's Knittens  00:44:12 - Weekly cat fashion shows, Juicy Realm's premise, and Ben explains “bullet hell” 00:46:40 - Konami's 1993 Super Famicom game “Pop'n TwinBee” (Jackie CONFIRMED)! 00:49:03 - Digital licenses, subscription models, Bethesda exclusivity, and favorite soups 00:52:28 - Catching Pokémon, getting vaccinated, AR examples, and why is it appealing? 00:56:04 - Expensive VR gear, doing virtual things while walking, and generative AI in games 00:58:34 - Jackie plays devil's advocate, thoughts on AI, self-expression, and AI voices 01:04:11 - Ben's new Google contact, a soul, sampling artistic works, and voice royalties 01:07:13 - Ben is starstruck, the Paula Abdul briefing, and Jackie's closing thoughts      01:10:29 - The cyclic nature of trends, no Cabbage Patch Kids, and adding wrinkles Follow Jackie Her website: https://www.jactse.com/ Her storefront: https://www.madbrooklyn.com/ On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mad_brooklyn Follow Two Vague Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com References, Links, and Tags https://www.urbandecay.com/ https://www.pantone.com/ Ben says, “PAULA ABDUL… please be on the podcast!” https://paulaabdul.com/ #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #PaulaAbdul #PantoneColor2024 #UrbanDecay 

To get you all excited for April 15th, Andrew joins Ben for a game review!  They were under the impression that math was fun… until they tried this game.  From relatively unknown game developer Intuit Inc. comes TurboTax!  Andrew and Ben are playing different versions of the game, so they share their varied experiences with each other and YOU!  Spoiler alert… as a game TurboTax is a dud, but as tax preparation software it's fairly solid.  Ben says, “NEEDS ZOMBIES!” 00:00:20 - The third person, dog of bag poop, and Andrew (the IRS) has set a deadline 00:02:20 - Ben and Andrew are playing different versions, and some facts about Intuit Inc. 00:04:42 - For ages 4+, Ben turns off the noise, weaker vibrations, callouses, and columns 00:06:51 - Canadian versions of TurboTax, Andrew the French spotter, and the circumflex  00:08:54 - The funny thing about French, Funk & Wagnalls, and the first AI Vice President    00:12:06 - The extra stuff and business edition, a serious side-thought, and back to taxes 00:14:41 - Some recent FTC drama, Andrew's example side-hustle, and tick infested scooters 00:16:30 - Starting with the story and narrative, kinda' like Zork, and Ben's story summary 00:18:43 - You can't get all the State DLC, 1099 talk, and don't get Ben started on stamps 00:21:23 - Thoughts on TurboTax's game mechanics, Andrew's solar buff, and the wrinkle 00:24:45 - Andrew's amended tax return side quest, round numbers, and the cost of coffee 00:26:06 - Too many rectangles, it's not a race, no customizable avatars, and the discussion 00:28:01 - FTC callback, micro transactions, currencies, upcoming regulations, and tips 00:32:02 - The passthrough, the Sega Genesis version, and why the previous year? 00:34:08 - Arizona and Oregon DLC, getting “the kicker,” and Ben's 3 ups and 3 downs 00:37:32 - Not compatible with Wave Financial, game saves, season passes, and zombies 00:39:34 - Andrew has stamps, not good for concrete, Ben's true story, and postage due 00:41:34 - Thumbs up or thumbs down, lathe adjacent, and borrowing the Office Assistant The FORMULA… Story and Narrative (SN) + Game Mechanics (GM) + Audiovisuals (AV) = a video game experience SN - Story / Narrative - With a name like TurboTax, you might think this is a racing game… you would be wrong!  In this mostly text based “adventure,” your story can be vastly different from someone else's due to the extensive story branching.  You start out playing the role of someone who has been giving money to a government over the course of a year, and now at the conclusion of the year, you are told you have to do math and fill out forms before April 15th. You are obviously the protagonist, but it's very difficult to determine who the adversary is.  GM - Game Mechanics - For the main part of the game you are either answering questions or if you prefer, filling out the forms directly.  That's really all of the gameplay… YAWN!  Even if you do fill out the forms and submit them to the government in time, you may still have to face a random boss fight in the form of an audit which can extend the playtime extensively.  AV - Audiovisuals - There is no music!  The UI is very simplistic… and not in a compelling way. There is a timer and a checkered flag at the top of the screen, but that's about as exciting as it gets.  Any sound effect in the game is utterly forgettable.  For the current generation of games, the graphics and audio should be much better.  Zombies are needed to add some excitement!   UPs - If you do a speed run you can be done very quickly - You can receive money which makes it seem like you have accomplished something - DLC is available for your State if you want to extend your gameplay DOWNs   - Although story the branching is extensive there are really only 2 endings either you owe or you get a refund and neither of those guarantee a “good ending” - Almost more fun to fill out the forms manually, at least with that you feel some sort of an accomplishment. - Extra data entry is required to actually submit your forms electronically unless you have a printer and stamps, but who other than Andrew has those handy. DO BUY… if you don't want to do your taxes manually DO PLAY… working tax payers have to play in some way  Note: In all seriousness, my REAL TurboTax experience was quick and easy.  I have a very simple return, so if your situation is similar I, would recommend it.  Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on… His website: https://partlyrobot.com/ On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On (ex-)Twitter: https://twitter.com/TwoVaguePodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com References, Links, and Tags https://www.intuit.com/ https://www.ftc.gov/ #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #AprilFools #IntuitInc #TurboTax #TaxDay #NeedsZombies

This week Andrew brings a very interesting word to the show!  Ben is up for the challenge, but first he has a review of Trombone Champ!  Then the hosts dive right into the discussion starting with literature… Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, Macbeth by William Shakespeare, and Star Wars by George Lucas.  Coincidentally, Ben gets to talk about his biggest “Jedi: Fallen Order,” pet peeves, but then they chat briefly about constitutional law. In the “official” video games segment, Ben shares the strange development story of “The Day Before” and the numerous equivocations therein.  In closing, Andrew talks about a cola marketing scam, and Ben unintentionally alienates the 2VP audience and possibly Andrew.  00:00:21 - Video GAMES, a cliffhanger, dream feeding, and the lamest form of time traveling 00:04:55 - Ben's Trombone Champ review start, complicated math, and Dan's trombone idea 00:09:38 - The narrative of Trombone Champ, “Funiculì, Funiculà,” and amazing audiovisuals 00:13:02 - Time to toot, gilding and “turd-ing,” secrets, inner 9 year olds, and a review closing 00:19:19 - Not equivocating, the definition, in Swedish, and affordable furniture solutions 00:21:38 - Spirit of exploration, Oedipus' road rage, and Andrew's Magic 8 Ball equivocation 00:24:49 - Prophecy details, the swollen foot baby, full of irony, and a bit of a cougar 00:29:09 - The Porter, “nose-painting, sleep, and urine,” 3 witches, and Macbeth vs Macduff 00:33:06 - Obi-Wan equivocates about Vader, retroactive continuity, and Luke and Leia kiss 00:36:17 - Ben talks about “Jedi: Fallen Order,” Cal Kestis, and a plethora of ponchos  00:41:48 - Ewan McGregor noises, acting with tennis balls, and a different century's president 00:45:17 - Paying for a wall with hurt feelings, on a spectrum, and Ben's playful equivocation  00:48:41 - The legal profession, for justice or money, and Ben's looking at you Congress! 00:50:30 - Stuart, brief entomology, the Establishment Clause of the 1st, and Pueblo Colorado 00:55:46 - Line crossing, the story of “The Day Before,” and the Steam page is actually gone 01:02:01 - Andrew recounts the “New Coke” marketing scheme and resulting equivocations 01:05:42 - Not the “Classic, Classic Coke,” lawyers and politicians, and equivocating felines Ben's Trombone Champ Review Highlights   Story / Narrative - SN - (8) - You are on a quest to become the Trombone Champ by tooting your trombone, learning about and pledging allegiance to baboons, collecting and trading Trombone Champ cards, meeting strange characters, and laughing a bunch. Audiovisuals - AV - (10) - From the character models, to the song selection, the UI which looks like something you would see on a “Dance, Dance Revolution” arcade machine, to the amazing song recording quality, to the background animations while you are “tooting”, to the satirical poke a EA Sports Games micro-transaction card collection graphics… Trombone Champ is perfectly executed in this area. Game Mechanics - GM - (9) - Nothing new here, BUT the game mechanics are finely tuned and nostalgically fun.  Choose your trombone style, sound scheme, and “tomboner,” your song, and then it's time to TOOT! You play notes by pressing a key on the keyboard, and you use the pad to control the target reticle vertically on a line on the left side of the screen. You follow the note prompts as they scroll in from the right with key presses and mousepad movements and are rated on accuracy with “Perfectos,” “OKs,” “Nices,” “Mehs,” and “Nasties.” As you string your successes together your “CHAMP” meter fills and your multiplier builds. Once you have the meter filled completely, a celebratory airhorn sounds off; the longer you keep the “CHAMP” active, the more points you score for notes and combos. Based on your score at the end of each song, you earn “toot coins” which you can use to buy sacks of 4 cards to gather for your collection. If you have an excess of cards you can exchange them for turds, which you can use to buy the cards you are missing. Collect 10 of single card and you can “engoldenate” it so all future versions of that card you receive from a sack will be the gold version (worth more toot coins and turds). There are hidden secrets to unlock: avatars, trombones, and sound schemes (including a fart one), AND the “true ending…” becoming the fabled Trombone Champ of legend! Ben's FINAL VERDICT (aka the MATH) for Holy Wow Studios' “Trombone Champ!” (10 * .20) + (9 * .35) + (8 * .45) = 8.75 out of 10… things! UP  A near perfect parody AND celebration of rhythm games  Incredibly customizable settings let you play the way you want An amazingly diverse selection of incredibly well done songs DOWN There are a couple annoying mechanics, specifically the 100 clicks later in the game when searching for the “hidden boss.” DO BUY AND PLAY…  If you or your family enjoys rhythm or music games, or if you just want to laugh     Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on… His website: https://partlyrobot.com/ On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On X-Twitter: https://twitter.com/TwoVaguePodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com References and Hashtags: Trombone Champ links -  https://www.vecchitto.design/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/1059990/Trombone_Champ/ https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/trombone-champ-switch/ #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #Kickstarter #Partlyrobot #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #HolyWowStudios #TromboneChamp #TheDeadMilkmen #Stuart

We have a special episode this week hosted by Ben and Norah!  After dispensing with the formalities, Ben has a great interview with journalist Lukas Eggen from the Las Vegas Review-Journal to share.  Lukas has a new Kickstarter project that he is working on that will hopefully reinvigorate games journalism by going back to a traditional investigative reporting philosophy… “Game On!”  Ben's interview style is very conversational, but he does have a couple of thought provoking questions up his sleeve.  Following that, Ben and Norah talk about their experiences with the game Quilts and Cats of Calico from Monster Couch (available now on Steam for the PC and Mac).  Please be patient with Ben as he is still workshopping his “on air” review style. 00:00:02 - Tucson is just okay according to Norah, defending Ben, and on to the interview! 00:02:09 - A warmup conversation with Lukas, and what we are playing or looking forward to 00:06:18 - Lukas' first review code, thoughts on KtJL, and what gamers really want 00:09:23 - Ben's first review code, PopCap beta testing, and Lukas' disappointment sets in  00:12:06 - Lukas' start in journalism, gaming trajectory, and current position at LVR-J 00:17:29 - Journalistic integrity past and present, cable TV, entertainment, and bias in news 00:20:18 - Talking about the “Game On!” mission statement and what it means to Lukas 00:24:00 - Physical vs. online news pipelines, doing the work, and old fashioned news views  00:27:05 - Hat choices, Lukas' beat, game industry focus, and gaming news diversity 00:28:54 - Does Lukas consider himself a member of the video games industry? 00:30:40 - Ben's suggestion to sell magazine subscriptions, and Lukas on meeting Greg Miller 00:33:19 - Go to Kickstarter for more information on Lukas' not so secret project “Game On!” 00:35:01 - Norah's thoughts, interview styles, and Ben thanks David Letterman  00:36:02 - The embargo has lifted, Ben's review formula, and the audiovisuals of QaCoC 00:39:02 - Cat behaviors, taco costume, creating cats, and the Calico game mechanics 00:41:10 - Quilt tessellations, game pieces, gameplay loop, and ways to score points in Calico 00:45:40 - No smallpox, 10-15 minutes per, playing online, and story mode is underwhelming 00:49:41 - QUILT WAR, “Pass and Play,” easy to learn difficult to master, and game complexity 00:52:23 - How life works, text size can't be changed, and Norah asks about the age to play 00:57:32 - Norah's thoughts on the tutorial, thank you to Monster Couch, and closing remarks Check out the “LAN Parties” podcast on your favorite podcast service or listen to it here… https://www.reviewjournal.com/podcasts/lan-parties/ To help Lukas get his “Game On!” magazine fully funded go here... https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2103037101/game-on-2 As of the publishing date of this podcast there are only 26 more days to go, so if you are interested in supporting a fresh perspective in games journalism, please consider supporting Lukas in his endeavor!  For all of Lukas Eggen's social media and journalism stuff…  https://linktr.ee/LukasEggen Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On (ex-)Twitter: https://twitter.com/TwoVaguePodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at... twovaguepodcast@gmail.com   A BIG thank you to Krzysiek for Monster Couch for providing us with our FIRST review code!  Ben's Review of “Quilts and Cats of Calico” The FORMULA… Audiovisuals (AV) + Game Mechanics (GM) + Story and Narrative (SN) = a video game experience Ben's importance percentages = 20% AV + 35% GM + 45% SN AV - Audiovisuals - (8) - The game is very cute and definitely fits into the cosy, country home category of graphic design which absolutely compliments the game perfectly.  Likewise, the top notch quality songs and background music fit the theme and mood, but I would have liked more than 3-4 songs total.  The cats that roam around and fall asleep at the top of the screen, but they will sometimes intersect with decorative items placed around the game board.  It would have been neat if the cats would knock stuff down like “normal” cats do.  You can also create and DRESS UP your own cats which was the FIRST thing I did with my review copy. Mango and/or Bash will join me in game while they are likely napping in real life.  This may sound ridiculous to a non-cat lover, but I wish there were more pattern and body customization options, but it's good enough for government work. GM - Game Mechanics - (9) -  For the details on the game rules and gameplay loop check out the Calico rules which can be found here… https://www.alderac.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Calico-Rules.pdf .  The whole concept of the board game is very well thought out, so the video game adaptation works wonderfully it this area.  Game rounds are about 10 min per human player, which also hits a sweet spot for me.  The scoring system can be a little more advanced in the board game (with achievements), but they keep it simple here.   SN - Story / Narrative - (5) - The story mode is NOT the high point of the game, and the story dialog is barely worth paying attention to.  In addition to playing the game against a single AI opponent, there are also missions that will require you to fill your quilt board with a limited number of tiles, or fulfill certain button or color goals, but there really is nothing very compelling about this mode.  I'm not entirely sure how to make it more essential to the game.  Perhaps if there were avatar or cat customization options given as rewards for completing story missions it might be worth playing. UP PASS AND PLAY - In addition to online play, there is a local “pass and play” option if you wish to select more than one human player for the 4 available players. Calico is one of those amazing “easy to learn, difficult to master” games that is complex enough to hold your attention, but not so much as to alienate players. Simple yet fun gameplay with option to play 3 player games with online matchmaking DOWN There is no setting to change the text size.  I tried to show the game to Norah on my MacBook, but the goal tile description text was too small for her to read. The 3-4 background songs do get repetitive after playing for a while The graphic style of the main game vs the story mode don't compliment each other, and the  story mode is not as robust or necessary to play as I would have hoped. DO BUY… if you want a family friendly strategy game.  Heck buy the physical version too while you are at it!  It would make a wonderful addition to any game night! DO PLAY… if you are a fan of board games; Calico and it's video twin are wonderful, well crafted game experiences. Ben's FINAL VERDICT aka the MATH on Quilts and Cats of Calico!
 (8 * .20) + (9 * .35) + (5 * .45) = 7 out of 10… things.   References, Links, and Tags What's Good Games - https://whatsgoodgames.com/ Kinda Funny - https://linktr.ee/kindafunny Calico Designer Kevin Russ on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kevinruss/ Calico Illustrator Beth Solo on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bethsobel/ Check out the catalogues of boardgames from AEG and Flatout Games… https://www.alderac.com/ AND https://www.flatout.games/ Monster Couch's “Quilts and Cats of Calico” has been released as of March 5th! https://www.monstercouch.com/quilts-and-cats-of-calico/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/1993180/Quilts_and_Cats_of_Calico/ #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #Calico #QuiltsAndCatsOfCalico #MonsterCouch #LukasEggen #LANParties #LasVegasReviewJournal #Kickstarter #GameOn

Dance teacher Star joins Ben this week to discuss rhythm!  After Ben wishes everyone happy VD, Star talks about the festival where she is performing in a few weeks.  This is not a show about laser tag, so after a brief LARP-er diversion, they drop some sick beats and start the definition portion of the program.  Star tells stories about her vast dancing, choreography, teaching, and art school experiences.  Ben references a Star Trek: TNG episode involving tap dancing, makes Star watch a ballet scene from the movie Top Secret, and shares information about one of his favorite musical artist's songs.  Rhythm video games discussed this week include: Rock Band, the Club Penguin disco mini-game, Dance Dance Revolution, Nintendo Power Pad games, Just Dance, Beatmania, Taiko no Tatsujin, Space Channel 5, Samba de Amigo, Frequency, Amplitude, and Trombone Champ.  00:00:21 - Homeschool energy is kinda' like horse girl energy… it's been on Star's mind 00:02:49 - The Jefferson High School Democrats, “ruining the big reveal,” and happy VD! 00:06:15 - Ben just completed Soul Hackers 2, laser tag stress, and it's actually Funtasticks 00:08:55 - LARPers have homeschool energy, RIP Galactic Battlecruiser, and into the rhythm  00:12:29 - The question at hand, syncopation, Star's art of choreography, and dance maps 00:15:36 - Square dancing, Ben is terrible at cursive, and cross it off the bucket list 00:18:49 - Pantomime, dance code, Ben's game idea, and make a collaboration buddy 00:21:00 - Online Warriors shout out, the business of streaming, and an old man and his cats 00:23:36 - Foot problems, ballet shoes are dumb, no tap dancing at a wedding, and sounds 00:26:08 - Playing your feet, dance solos, ballet trauma, and the “Top Secret” codpieces 00:29:19 - Dance stories, joke delay, Peter Gabriel's “The Rhythm of the Heat,” and WOMAD 00:32:35 - Jungian Psychology, the Ghanian War Dance, Miami Vice, and the Dead Milkmen 00:34:48 - Music inspired dance, the original question, and King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard 00:37:28 - Funky again, alt-J, back to the pantomime, sick beats, and Jesse from Cuppocinnos 00:40:04 - Soundcloud rappers, Stanley Tucci, Club Penguin clubbing, dance fingers, and DDR 00:43:53 - The Power Pad, step aerobics, eleven games, Maze Epic Battle, and the Virtual Boy 00:46:34 - F the Manhattan Police clubbers, seal free, and “Come Come Fallen Corpses…” 00:48:39 - Remembering the steps of songs, Dance Dance Revolution masters, and Beatmania 00:50:40 - Just Dance, they tried, the Eye Toy, dancing torsos, Taiko no Tatsujin, and latency  00:53:36 - More competitive than deserved, real life Mario Kart in Tokyo, and bop all the things 00:56:50 - Less feet, really in to patterns, specialized controllers, and music tracks on tracks  00:59:15 - Ben thinks Holy Wow Studios' Trombone Champ is a ridiculously fun “joke game” 01:02:26 - Four trombones play a song badly, up since 5 AM, learning rhythm, and rambling  Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On X-Twitter: https://twitter.com/TwoVaguePodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com References and Hashtags: Soul Hackers 2 links https://soulhackers2.atlus.com/index.html?lang=en https://store.steampowered.com/app/1777620/Soul_Hackers_2/ https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP0177-PPSA03743_00-SOULHACKERS00PS5 Check out friends of the pod… Online Warriors Podcast https://www.onlinewarriorspodcast.com/ Trombone Champ links https://www.vecchitto.design/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/1059990/Trombone_Champ/ https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/trombone-champ-switch/ #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #SoulHackers2 #TromboneChamp #HolyWowStudios #DanVecchitto  

Ever since Ben applied for a job as a Narrative Lead at a game company he's been contemplating the differences between narrative and story, so he's invited his good friend Andrew from partlyrobot.com to help him navigate toward a satisfactory conclusion… and hilarity ensues.  Other topics visited in this episode: Cult of the Lamb's new DLC, crispy Japanese snacks, Instagram trends and scammers, defunct mall stores and search engines, story structures, reality television, the games of Vanillaware Ltd., AI art fails, Atari 2600 games, differences between Marvel and DC comics, and THE Guttenberg! 00:00:21 - Awesome baby, secret mukbang video, fried toothpicks, and school supply mirages 00:03:32 - Ben's been playing “Cult of the Lamb: Sins of the Flesh,” and genre pet peeves   00:06:13 - Happy cults, strategically sacrificing heretics, and back to fried vegetable starch 00:08:25 - Kanda Curry Grand Prix Museum, and revelations of what snack foods can be 00:10:27 - Girl dinner, in the spirit of satire, a proprietary blend, and chicken and waffles flavor 00:13:47 - Ben's critique of Scorchin' Medium BBQ Pringles, and a new Brett Eason Ellis book 00:15:47 - Sharper Image, Spencer's Gifts, the definition of narrative, and conflicting origins   00:20:09 - Ben mishears declension, ask.com actually DOES exist, and Scrabble scores  00:23:12 - Andrew's Instagram scammer saga continues, and a review in the New York Times  00:25:40 - 2/10 net 30, your accounts receivable department, and alternative review channels 00:27:48 - The “story vs. narrative…” narrative, and Lawrence Durrell's Alexandria Quartet  00:31:37 - “A Christmas Story,” the Die Hard, Melina Dillon movies, and ending on a bummer 00:34:42 - Andrew's writing is a process, finding the threads, and a side of the denouement      00:37:37 - An agreement on dialogue, informing the story, and a “no middle” accusation  00:40:00 - Season 3 of “The Real World,” a question of reality TV, and a different episode 00:43:31 - Contest shows, Noel Fielding wranglers, and Ben puts Andrew on the spot  00:50:10 - The narrative design job, about Odin Sphere, and weaving character narratives  00:53:50 - Starting with Gwendolyn, distinct character diversity, and “picking” the ending 00:55:45 - Ben is looking forward to “Unicorn Overlord,” and Andrew gets distracted 00:57:49 - The hugging a unicorn AI art fail, not a good sign, and the “Pitfall!” narrative?  01:00:22 - Activision's 2600 success, the Atari Force comic book, and DC vs Marvel stories 01:02:31 - The Marvel method of storytelling, writer-artists, and Jack Kirby's bone of contention  01:05:50 - Don't belittle the inker, and a creative narrative choice in Batman: Arkham Asylum 01:10:47 - Closing thoughts, Maine, James Joyce, changing perceptions, and trailer mashups 01:15:05 - Ben's editing, changing the podcast name, and get the Guttenberg out of retirement    Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on…  His website: https://partlyrobot.com/ On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On X-Twitter: https://twitter.com/TwoVaguePodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com References and Hashtags: Cult of the Lamb https://www.cultofthelamb.com/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/1313140/Cult_of_the_Lamb/ Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir https://atlus.com/osl/ https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP0177-CUSA05083_00-ODINSPHERELE0000 Unicorn Overlord https://unicornoverlord.atlus.com/index.html?lang=en https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP0177-PPSA09770_00-UNICORNOVERLORD0 Old Wise Man Hugging a Unicorn https://www.linkedin.com/posts/pierre-de-lacaze-b11026b_this-illustrates-why-common-sense-and-activity-7158116939326742528-DgnJ #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #Partlyrobot #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #Vanillaware #OdinSphereLeifthrasir #UnicornOverlord #Pringles #CultoftheLamb #MassiveMonster #DevolverDigital

Ben is flying solo this week, but he still has lots to talk about (and one cat to apologize for).  After letting us know what he's up to, he moves on to his experiences with the “Quilts and Cats of Calico” online multi-player beta test!  A big thank you goes out to Monster Couch for inviting us to beta test!  You had us at cats!    00:00:21 - ”That which does not kill you…” and why is South Korean fried toothpicks trending? 00:02:31 - On a more positive note… Star★Vaders news and Ban's minimalist advertising 00:03:53 - Ben has completed "Soul Hackers 2" and has started a new cult… the Cult of Vague 00:05:45 - Mango shenanigans, Christmas sale purchases, and "Armor Core 6: Fires of Rubicon"  00:08:48 - Monster Couch's “Quilts and Cats of Calico,” had Ben at cats, and Calico history 00:10:43 - Gameplay description, how to score to points, color buttons, and the obligatory cats CORRECTION - After playing a piece, you pick 1 piece from a 3 tile "public" draw pool; then a random tile is removed from the bag to replace the one chosen by the player.  00:14:45 - Ben bought Michaela the board game version based on the strength of the beta  00:15:48 - Ben's unexpected use of his Steam phone app, and waking up and petting cats 00:17:33 - Words coming soon and thank you for listening! Follow Two Vague on… Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On (ex-)Twitter: https://twitter.com/TwoVaguePodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com References, Links, and Tags Follow "Star★Vaders" lead designer Eddie (@AxolotlStar on X) and learn more about the game using the links below https://star-vaders.com/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/2097570/StarVaders/  https://www.twovaguepodcast.com/e/episode-94-nature/ For more information on the board game "Calico" Follow Calico Designer Kevin Russ on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kevinruss/ Follow Calico Illustrator Beth Solo on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bethsobel/ Check out the catalogues of boardgames from AEG and Flatout Games… https://www.alderac.com/ AND https://www.flatout.games/ For release date and development news from Monster Couch on "Quilts and Cats of Calico…" https://www.monstercouch.com/quilts-and-cats-of-calico/ While you're at it, check out their other amazing adaptation of the board game Wingspan! https://www.monstercouch.com/wingspan/   #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow#2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #Calico #QuiltsAndCatsOfCalico #MonsterCouch #StarVaders

This week Ben is dealing with some critic's remorse, but Andrew is here to help him process his thoughts and improve his video game assessment method.  After talking about what's new for each of them, they get right into the definition.  From unwanted Instagram solicitations to well-known Chicagoan movie reviewers… the conversation goes to some strange destinations before settling down upon the task at hand.  Andrew provides his input on Ben's plan of attack, Ben learns a cool new word to add to his vocabulary, and they end the show with some advice and a silly drink name. 00:00:21 - A loaded question, the preferred condiment for pizza, and emulsions o' plenty 00:02:23 - Soul Hackers 2, Kelly LeBrock, the word queer, the Dead Milkmen, and magnets 00:05:46 - You MUST listen to the “Yahoo!” hold music by Snow, and the kids definition  00:07:40 - The Two Vague Revue, missing for a while, Mango misses Dad, and verbs 00:09:05 - Miriam gets overlooked, Aldous Huxley, interesting, Ben sings, and removing letters 00:12:35 - Reading the dictionary, the grammar rabbit hole, Howard the Duck, and the movie 00:14:17 - Performance reviews, when you are wrong, magnetic superfluids, and MRI's work 00:16:22 - IG book review solicitations, the 100th level, make 100, and the joys of PayPal 00:20:46 - Instagram jail, Andrew loves the USPS, Rudy Flores, and Andrew's seminars  00:25:08 - Podcast mission, carrier pigeons, vocalizations at Sam's Club, and loopholes 00:27:23 - Remembering Gene and Roger, a greenroom priming, and can't say that on PBS 00:29:35 - High Noon in space, review the impression, up or down, and Godzilla (1998)   00:34:43 - Andrew's warning about “Poor Things,” a synopsis, and movies on a first date  00:38:03 - The “Speed” tagline, put a shark under it, math, and more acceptable in comedies   00:40:22 - Mixed feelings, how the sausage is made, review philosophies, and troll policing 00:44:02 - The benefits of using rubrics, and “Aesthetics, Mechanics, and Story… oh my!” 00:47:54 - Summarizing the 3 categories, food critics, and Guy Fiery in the mirror universe 00:50:26 - Influencers, formulas, the new segment, 3 ups n' 3 downs, and Andrew's suggestion 00:54:35 - Loose ends in stories, speaking your truth, entertaining reviews, and tax season 00:57:22 - Reviews can be helpful, a Mark Twain quote, learning by doing, and John Deere  00:59:51 - Read reviews objectively, some people are jerk-holes, Die Hard, and sex on a bus Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on… His website: https://partlyrobot.com/ On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot Follow Two Vague on… Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On X-Twitter: https://twitter.com/TwoVaguePodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com   References and Hashtags: - To support Andrew's “make 100” Kickstarter… https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/partlyrobot/make-100-booger-bear-comic-mini-zines - Check out Rudy Flores' art projects and services… http://www.rudyfloresart.com/ AND https://www.hexandhew.com/ - For all your fictitious carrier pigeon deliveries… https://flypigeon.co/ #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #Kickstarter #Make100 #HexandHew #Partlyrobot #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #CarrierPigeons

Ben and Norah are on deck for the first show of 2024!  Ben does something a little different to start out this year… a game review!  The game is… … Outerloop Games' sophomore release “Thirsty Suitors,” and in an effort to quench, Ben has a big bucket of opinions he's going to dump on us.  He starts by explaining his assessment method (which will be discussed in more detail on a forthcoming show) and then gets in the weeds with sharing his critique of TS's aesthetics, game mechanics, and story.  Ben also provides 3 examples of what the game does well and 3 examples of what needs improvement.  Norah unintentionally closes the show with a SICK BURN! 00:00:21 - Norah compliments Andrew, buys new things, and reviews "The Maestro" in brief 00:02:37 - Thirsty, UK slang, based on context, Annapurna, and Outerloop's mission statement  00:05:07 - Falcon Age summary, Thirsty Suitors described, and Norah's impressions of trailer 00:07:51 - Jala's introduction / summary / prologue, and Ben explains his review structure   FORMULA Aesthetics (A) + Game Mechanics (GM) + Story and Narrative (SN) = a video game experience Ben's importance percentages = 20% A + 35% GM + 45% SN Aesthetics (A)  00:10:32 - Ben's audio / video / aesthetics score is 10/10, and Norah's assessment from trailer Game Mechanics (GM)  00:12:21 - First, Thirsty Suitor's skateboarding game mechanics  00:13:16 - Second, a description of QTEs and how cooking works in Thirsty Suitors 00:17:29 - Third, a detailed breakdown of how turn based battles work in Thirsty Suitors  Story and Narrative (SN) 00:23:32 - Finally, the story and narrative in Ben's words followed by Norah's questions  Three Positives 00:27:24 - For the first 6 hours of gameplay the synthesis of the game mechanics, the striking visuals, and the compelling story combine to make a near perfect gaming experience. 00:27:59 - The game has well written dialogue, powerful emotional moments, and contains authentic portrayals of LGBTQ+ and S. Asian experiences.   00:28:22 - The amazing aesthetics and style are a tribute to the love and effort the developers poured into this game. Three Negatives 00:28:35 - Feels unfinished in a number of ways. There are only 5 super moves and only 2 of the 5 are exes. The level meter maxes out at 31 but it continues to appear like it is filling after each subsequent battle has concluded.  There is a beautiful, but unnecessary map screen which gives one the impression that there would be much more to explore.  00:30:23 - The story has an “identity crisis” at the midpoint of the game and doesn't commit to develop any of the storylines as significantly as the first 6 hours did.  Additionally some story details don't make sense logically or are counter to what you would expect that characters would have learned.  00:34:25 - South Asian cultural and historical exploration is not comprehensive as expected from Outerloop based on the statement at their website.  Side note: please include the recipes next time. Wrap-up Discussion 00:35:59 - When A's turn (based on a true story), design creep, skateboarding, and Aggretsuko 00:40:03 - In retrospect not a great look, conflict resolution, Jala's arc, and Rob in High Fidelity 00:43:13 - Meaningful stories, sales techniques, T.S. Eliot quote, and agreeing to a point  00:48:30 - Ben nitpicks the title and tagline, succinct, and Norah's unintentional “sick burn” 00:51:04 - An apology, on a tear, global warming, mayonnaise, and an official close.    Ben's FINAL VERDICT on Thirsty Suitors aka the MATH! (10 * .20) + (6 * .35) + (6 * .45) = 6.8 out of 10… things. DO BUY… if you want to support marginalized voices in game design (and companies like Outerloop and Annapurna). DO PLAY… if you are new to JRPG style games and want an introduction to how those types of game mechanics work. DO PLAY… if you would be satisfied with 5-6 hours (out the 12 hours it took Ben to thoroughly explore and complete the game) of super solid, amazingly crafted gameplay.  Follow Two Vague on… Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On Twitter: https://twitter.com/TwoVaguePodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com References and Hashtags: https://annapurnainteractive.com/en - #annapurnainteractive  https://outerloopgames.com/ - #outerloopgames https://www.thirstysuitors.com/ - #thirstysuitors https://store.steampowered.com/app/1617220/Thirsty_Suitors/ https://www.falconage.com/ - #falconage https://www.polygon.com/23940890/thirsty-suitors-release-date-interview-annapurna - #gamedevinterview #polygon #diversity 

Andrew is in his studio this week… joining Ben via satellite to talk about what is arguably his favorite artistic medium.  But first, some encouraging news about Andrew narrowly avoiding the robot / AI takeover, and how his new daughter is keeping him positively occupied during a period of union drama.  Then Ben shares his experiences with what he has been playing lately: Thirsty Suitors by OuterLoop Games, and Dead Island 2 by Dambuster Studios.  Be warned… there are a few DI2 spoilers in the conversation, so if you want to play this game at some point, you might want to consider skipping to 00:17:00.  Andrew takes yet another sensory adventure trip to Japan before the hosts dive into a discussion about the word ink.  Additional subjects include: independent comics, participating in Inktober, the pros and cons of AI generated art, the origin of Andrew's recurring character Booger Bear, and the seldom seen Mortal Kombat arcade clone from Data East… Tattoo Assassins!    00:00:21 - Sometimes Pringles, sometimes Y, not partially, buying domains, and radicalization  00:03:20 - Picketers borrowing babies, the temperament of custodians, and Skynet is at bay 00:05:13 - Ben started playing Thirsty Suitors, High Fidelity, and correction … 5 not 50 00:09:35 - Los Angeles is not an island, escape from development hell, and zombie cults 00:12:26 - Ben critiques Dead Island 2, zombie types, CHiP bursters, and an artist ruins horses 00:17:00 - Killing another can of Japanese Pringles for Andrew's Sensory Adventure! 00:22:26 - A message to the hot honey flavor designer, and a unique airport Pringles side quest 00:25:53 - Mollusk adjacent words, Admiral Ackbar gets scared, and Andrew discovers comics 00:28:34 - DC and Marvel comic book story differences, and utilizing existing infrastructures 00:31:41 - Art classes, not the shoes, the ink aesthetic, using art software, and a first Inktober 00:36:19 - AI art, outside observer perspectives, the purpose of your art, and deeper meaning 00:41:56 - The definition, the government buys highlighters, and Ben's memories of drafting 00:45:27 - Tattoo designs, the power of creating art, words as structure, and a choir of angles  00:48:03 - The origin of Booger Bear, Andrew's 1st political cartoon, and from a different angel 00:50:39 - Jake Parker, no NaNoWriMo for Andrew, Inktober controversies, and staying current    00:55:01 - Whamageddon, Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, Googling sports things, and “real” 00:57:06 - Ben's hometown arcade "The Machine," and the dumpster fire of a test game  00:59:11 - Bob Gale, didn't make it out of COVID, MAME nostalgia, and not on VHS footage 01:02:53 - Over 2000 finishers… “eat ship and die” and the DeLorean were 100% Bob Gale 01:04:50 - The roster, the backstories, abandoned by the Army, and back to finishing moves 01:09:04 - Farting flamethrower, the Night Trap documentary, and the Hot Honey equivalent 01:11:40 - A cut above, Andrew doesn't have tattoos, help from Harryhausen, and bad tattoos 01:13:56 - Just do Inktober, maybe wait until you are 30, and the calamari episode   Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on… His website: https://partlyrobot.com/ On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot Follow Two Vague on… Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On X-Twitter: https://twitter.com/TwoVaguePodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com References and Hashtags: https://www.thirstysuitors.com/ - #thirstysuitors  https://outerloopgames.com/ - #outerloop #outerloopgames https://deadisland.com/ - #DI2 https://www.dsdambuster.com/ https://www.theonion.com/cia-realizes-its-been-using-black-highlighters-all-thes-1819568147 - #theonion https://inktober.com/ - #inktober #diypodcasting, #applepodcast, #podbean, #podernfamily, #videogames, #diversity, #lgbtqplus, #twovaguepodcast, #comedy #pringles #pringles_japan

Andrew joins Ben to discuss a word that is the sliver of overlap in the Venn diagram of the previous two episodes: animate and robot.  Ben brings up a (very) minor controversy for Geoff Keighley's “The Game Awards” independent game nominees this year involving Mint Rocket's “Dave the Diver.”  Andrew goes on an exotic adventure with a Pringles flavor all the way from Japan!  After a very quick definition segment, Andrew shares a traumatic event from his youth involving an animatronic alien at Universal Studios, and then more 70s and 80s movies are discussed.  Ben drops a quick Hall of Presidents conspiracy theory and some sad Chuck E. Cheese news before he talks about the interesting origin story of Scott Cawthorn's incredibly popular “Five Nights at Freddy's” franchise.  Finally, they come up with an amazing new restaurant idea to close out the show.   00:00:21 - Vacuuming robot revolution crisis possibly averted, pictures with Santa, and work 00:03:35 - Fight Club villain discovery, mental health, and more happy controversial things  00:05:27 - “Dave the Diver” Independent GOTY nomination, and the inventor of the seed drill 00:08:34 - No GOTY love for “RoboCop: Rogue City,” and Ben is just a little disappointed 00:10:15 - How to classify games a independently developed, and a Double Fine edge case 00:12:10 - Andrew's sensory adventure… Addictive Garlic Butter flavored Japanese Pringles! 00:16:45 - The official verdict, the definition, Disney's contributions, Billy Bass, and clockwork  00:22:32 - Scary animatronics, the Neil Diamond antidote, and Andrew's E.T. ride trauma  00:27:00 - Eliot the insurance policy, Stranger Things, and extraterrestrials for the woke agenda  00:29:36 - Blue Thunder, the underrated acting prowess of Roy Scheider, and a JAFO hat 00:31:42 - Bruce the pneumatic shark, cool to creepy, and wanting to take Teddy Ruxpin apart 00:34:29 - At an appropriate distance, David S. Pumpkins, and SNL's the Merryville Brothers 00:36:53 - 45 in the Hall of Presidents… gate - https://www.businessinsider.com/hillary-clinton-donald-trump-animatronic-conspiracy-theory-explained-disney-world-2023-6 00:38:04 - Not realistic enough, points of articulation, computer animation, and young versions 00:41:55 - Chuck E. Cheese's decision is not FNaF related (allegedly), and Willy's Wonderland   00:46:20 - Scott Cawthorn's inspiration for Five Nights at Freddy's, and his game design arc 00:53:01 - Latest FNaF game was at PAX West, the pandemic was hard, and a story summary 00:56:27 - CORRECTION: Night Trap filming was originally funded by Hasbro for their Control-Vision system which was canceled in 1989. 00:57:27 - Having animatronic clowns in the workplace is breaking the Geneva Conventions 00:59:38 - The movie S1m0ne, the SAG strike, a brilliant restaurant idea, and a double dose.  Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on… His website: https://partlyrobot.com/ On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot Follow Two Vague on… Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On X-Twitter: https://twitter.com/TwoVaguePodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com #Pringles #GOTY2023 #TheGameAwards #DIYPodcast #podernfamily #podbeanpodcast #applepodcast #twovaguepodcast #partlyrobot #videogames #trivia #FNAF

Ben is joined by Andrew (insert mechanical transformation sound) to form this week's hosting duo!  What's new with them?  Ben's still playing “Dave the Diver,” but is having trouble getting through the grind.  Andrew is adjusting to a “new baby schedule,” and working toward the completion of his second novel set in the “Larry-verse.”  After the obligatory definition proceedings, Andrew shares the origin of his Partly Robot moniker.  Then they dive in to a conversational exploration of memorable robots in assorted forms of media.  Andrew talks about watching the movie “Robot and Frank,” and then Ben excitedly talks about his experiences with “RoboCop: Rogue City.”  Within the mishmash of it all, they also have a teachable moment… don't smoke at the gas station or else you'll end up like Emil. 00:00:21 - Andrew is a “yo” guy, Andrew's adventures in parenting, and Ed Asner babies 00:03:25 - Too much stuff in “Dave the Diver,” and a rapper wearing a Chicago Balls jersey 00:05:55 - The Premises Premise, “Larry-verse” sharks, and the lamest form of time travel 00:09:03 - Writing chapters out of order, robot ninja monkeys, and contract or barter 00:11:45 - Domo arigato, Styx's 11th studio album, and Kilroy was imprisoned by Dr. Righteous  00:15:20 - According to “Kilroy was Here” cannon, not cool Oxford, and web crawler memories 00:17:42 - Following Nietzsche for the mustache, the Czech word for forced labor, and R.U.R. 00:20:05 - We love Ricky Junior, hazardous bar stools, and being oblivious to the robot revolt   00:22:58 - Andrew's alter ego, being partly robot, empathy, R2D2, and robotic stereotypes  00:25:42 - Scary robots, more problematic acting choices, eating data, and a deep question 00:29:15 - The land of Cartesianism, AI hallucinations, and observing human development 00:33:44 - Isaac Asimov's 3 laws of robotics, logical problems, and “Detroit: Become Human” 00:36:54 - Discovering the universe without senses, and “Foundation” series connections 00:39:48 - Algorithms, psychohistory, not Arthur C Clarke, and the Hugos and the Nebulas    00:42:19 - The butt kissing robot, seeing the train wreck, and emotional robots in literature 00:45:50 - A pop culture pet peeve, Gopher was a member of Congress, and Forbidden Planet 00:50:58 - Futura in Metropolis, upper management, and a summary of “Robot and Frank” 00:52:00 - Ben is excited to talk about RoboCop and playing Teyon's “RoboCop: Rogue City” 00:55:55 - The acting of Peter Weller in the movie, and an explanation of “texture popping”  01:00:05 - Emil M. Antonowsky's lesson, Paul Verhoeven's backstory, and crime evidence 01:03:45 - Concluding the robot trip… WALL-E, 2-XL, Conky, R.O.B., and give robots a chance  Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on… His website: https://partlyrobot.com/ On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot Follow Two Vague on… Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On X-Twitter: https://twitter.com/TwoVaguePodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com #videogames, #robocop, #robocoproguecity, #teyon, #podernfamily, #diypodcast, #podbean, #applepodcasts, #trivia, #autism, #partlyrobot #twovaguepodcast 

Martin from Soupmasters, the lead designer of Big Boy Boxing joins Ben this week to talk about game development as it relates to this week's word!  First the hosts talk about what they are up to.  Martin is moving offices, coding facial expressions, and not playing recently purchased games (but maybe next week).  Ben… he is trying to contain his excitement about his recent pre-order for a game inspired by a Paul Verhoeven cult movie classic!  Then it's on to the definition and coincidentally learning two Swedish words in the process.  Next, Ben has lots of questions for Martin about his cartoon, movie, and video game inspirations.  Finally, they engage in a side conversation about their favorite Christopher Nolan movie Tenet, and leave a mystery unsolved… for now.    00:00:30 - Introducing Martin, moving, and the importance of desk tchotchkes and large TVs 00:02:55 - Adding more character expressions, Super Mario Wonder, and SpiderMan 2 00:05:02 - Ben's favorite Red Dead Redemption bug, and thoughts on RoboCop: Rogue City  00:08:15 - The better RoboCop, throwing away scripts, and Martin is nostalgic about Nintendo 00:10:11 - Franchise exclusives, more of a PC guy, the joys of Minecraft, and meeting Ludvig  00:13:37 - Developing characters, story, and levels using the iconic “Punch-Out!!” formula 00:16:28 - Getting in to the word, thank you Google-machine, and Swedish pronunciations  00:18:40 - The characters of Big Boy Boxing, technical feats on the NES, and animation fluidity 00:20:20 - About the BBB animating process, and working with talented professional artists 00:22:01 - Kineographs, “Captain Underpants” by Dav Pilkey, and bonding over “Hot Fuzz”   00:24:55 - A pun, Cuphead, Pizza Tower, Skullgirls, Indivisible, and Them's Fightin' Herds  00:28:11 - Being juggled, “Super Smash Bros.” annoyances, and characters over balancing 00:29:40 - Inspiration from Disney, “Treasure Island” the Russian 1988 film, and modern shows 00:32:15 - Rick and Morty Season 1, Episode 7 and the numerous Zardoz references therein  00:34:45 - Martin enjoys the “Death Note” animation style, and favorite animated movies 00:37:55 - Nelvana Enterprises' decision to work on “Rock & Rule” instead of “Heavy Metal” 00:42:28 - The works of Don Bluth, Lucas Arts games of the 90s, and Tim Schafer's games 00:44:48 - Psychonauts and Psychonauts 2 development and respective publishing dramas  00:46:21 - “Inception” connections to the Psychonauts games, and the amazing movie Tenet 00:49:45 - Ben's bittersweet memories, and the importance of connecting with the protagonist 00:53:45 - Closing but saving the Minecraft inspired company name origin for the next time    Keep up to date on the progress of Big Boy Boxing development at the Soupmasters website https://soupmasters.com/ !  Be sure to add Big Boy Boxing to your Steam wishlist… and while your at it, download and play the demo!  https://store.steampowered.com/app/1680780/Big_Boy_Boxing/ Follow Two Vague on… Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On X-Twitter: https://twitter.com/TwoVaguePodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com #PAX2023, #soupmasters, #bigboyboxing, #twovaguepodcast, #DIYpodcasting, #podbean, #podernfamily, #videogames

Ben is joined this week by Star★Vaders developer Eddie for their chosen, dare we say, philosophical word!  Ben gets right down to business asking Eddie questions about the recent kerfuffle surrounding the game engine Unity.  After dispensing with that subject, the hosts move on to nature.  Ben talks about an argument (which to a scientist, is actually a question), and Eddie shares some of the their favorite outdoor activities.  On the subject of games, the hosts discuss Geometric Interactive's “Cocoon,” Teyon's “RoboCop: Rogue City,” Maxis' “Spore,” Niantic Inc.'s “Monster Hunter Now,” Mojang Studios' “Minecraft” (hold the suspicious stew), Nintendo's “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom,” and Larian Studios' “Baldur's Gate 3.”   00:00:20 - Introducing Eddie, the lead game designer for Star★Vaders!  00:01:35 - A window into game development cycles, and Ben shares his software experiences 00:04:39 - Using “paper prototypes” in game development and modeling in Tabletop Simulator  00:07:45 - Ben has a loaded question, and Eddie explains the pros of using Unity 00:10:10 - The proposed Unity fee changes from an independent developer's perspective 00:12:25 - An abundance of install counting loopholes points to a lack of understanding! 00:14:35 - Developer Innersloth's install counting concerns, and Unity being “out of touch” 00:16:17 - Shady behavior with the “Terms of Service,” DIY installation counting, and changes 00:21:49 - Ben's story about changing a perception; can Unity build back the trust of devs? 00:23:04 - A developer poking fun at the Unity situation with “Install Fee Tycoon” 00:24:29 - Finally moving on, the axolotl, and the duality and philosophical nature of… nature 00:27:37 - The Nature of the Canadian, generational identities, and according to “Ox Ford”  00:29:58 - Québécois French, don't forget the ducks, and connections in day to day life 00:32:41 - Nature vs nurture, more of a question for Eddie the scientist, and being nuanced  00:35:33 - A true escape for Eddie, communing with nature, and growing orchids in AZ 00:37:30 - An introduction to dragon boating, bubble tea, and investigating other biomes 00:41:03 - The awesome canyon, birds are basically dinosaurs, and Eddie describes “Cocoon”  00:44:24 - How Eddie likes his stories, the “no instructions” trend, and indie games research 00:46:53 - The movie RoboCop, practical (horror) effects in films, and “The Thing” prequel 00:49:41 - “Spore,” too many cooks, the AAA studio octopus analogy, and scope creep  00:52:07 - Games as art… a designer's perspective, and stories we tell through art 00:55:00 - Ben has been hunting and harvesting carcasses in “Monster Hunter Now” 00:57:47 - Minecraft from Mojang Studios DOES hold the record for number of units sold.  00:59:41 - No PvP in Star★Vaders, and a closing question about realistic game ecosystems   Keep up to date on the progress of Star★Vaders development at https://star-vaders.com/ ! Be sure to add it to your Steam wishlist… and while your at it, download and play the demo!  https://store.steampowered.com/app/2097570/StarVaders/ Follow Two Vague on… Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On X-Twitter: https://twitter.com/TwoVaguePodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com

Andrew joins Ben this week for a spork-tacular show (in cover art only); and here is your Halloween surprise… a no candy, prank-less, normally dressed, scare-free episode… that is the PREMISE!  After voicing his focused excitement about a forthcoming child and how it has impacted his short term view of his job, Andrew tries Hot Honey flavored Pringles.  Ben talks about the many games he has been playing as of late, but also drops a few hints about the Pringles roadmap he has devised for Andrew.  Then the hosts move on to the word at hand. Ben has lots of questions about Andrew's comedy writing process before the conversation shifts to ridiculous video game premises, followed by Ben's gameplay experiences with Squanch Games' “High on Life.”  Other tangential digressions visited include: “Kung Fury,” favorite Canadian comedy troupe “Kids in the Hall” skits, 80s and 90s contemporary authors, the creative process, “Rick and Morty” drama,  Nicolas Cage movies, and much more!  Oh yes… and Happy Birthday to our biggest fan NORAH!   00:00:21 - Heavy on the trivia, heavy on the video games, and a sprinkle of Pringles dust. 00:01:28 - No more vacated bowling alley Targets in Portland, too art deco, and ready to bowl 00:04:26 - Baby excitement, appropriate levels of detachment, and paternity leave priorities   00:06:49 - Find a baby, paid leave irony, making it difficult for the employer, and labor unions 00:09:18 - More robust and fleshed out, salmon country, and the Oregonian food handlers card   00:13:35 - “Baywatch Nights,” “Monster Hunter Now,” and “Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart” 00:15:12 - It's oaky to pay for DLC if Idris Elba stars in it, and Pringles Hot Honey high jinks 00:21:12 - Andrew has one at home, an underwhelming experience, and a Madonna lyrics 00:22:55 - The definition(s), Andrew gets too vague, and an unintentional syllogism callback  00:24:49 - An assortment of ethically sourced (?) definitions, regime, regimen, and not… THAT 00:28:02 - David Hasselhoff vehicles, a “Kung Fury” love fest, and describing the premise 00:32:13 - Rotating your owl, bad premises, if you will, and going down to Premise Beach! 00:34:32 - Lorne Michaels impressions, guy has meat hand, and favorite KITH sketches  00:39:46 - Eating tacos made out of coelacanth, and Andrew's process for writing his novel 00:42:17 - Authors developing emotional connections or relationships with their characters 00:45:06 - Trends in 80s contemporary fiction, and Andrew's Michael Crichton movie theory  00:50:26 - “Stranger Than Fiction,” down the Nicholas Coppola rabbit hole, and all roads lead 00:54:20 -  Ridiculous game premises according to Cracked: Mario, Megaman, and Tetris  00:56:31 -  Ben's opinions about a “thoroughly mediocre” game called “High on Life”  00:59:58 - Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon, too much lowbrow humor, and alien bodily fluids 01:02:48 - Looking back on being in middle-school; where does teen humor originate from?  01:04:59 - No knife DLC for Ben, final words, and a book title for Andrew's eventual legal thriller     Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on… His website: https://partlyrobot.com/ On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot Follow Two Vague on… Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On X-Twitter: https://twitter.com/TwoVaguePodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com

This week Ben and Andrew are channeling their inner Vulcans and to a lesser extent androids.  Andrew kicks the show off with a sensory adventure... "French Fries and Ketchup" flavored Pringles!  After the (kids) definition of the word logic, they move on to their very different first thoughts.  For Andrew it's Star Trek, and for Ben it's a joke Norm Macdonald told on Late Night with Conan O'Brien in 1996.  Andrew lists a few of his favorite logical fallacies before Ben talks a little bit about boolean (not bullion) logic.  Most games include some sort of logic, but the hosts brainstorm a bit and come up with some examples of their favorite types.  Finally, Ben has a few movie recommendations for Andrew, and Andrew has some parting advice about cults.  Also… do not taunt Happy Fun Ball! 00:00:20 - Andrew played something literally ridiculous, and the king of shark movies, Jaws 00:03:20 - Waffles, Ben talks about playing Dave the Diver, and the understatement of the year 00:06:42 - ANDREW'S SENSORY ADVENTURE… ASMR… not yet sponsored by #Pringles 00:12:27 - The verdict… how it stacks up (pun intended) to other flavors, and the catsup saver 00:16:15 - Spock's Wikipedia, “kids definition,” adult etymology, the 12th century, and words 00:19:36 - Human nature, foreshadowing fallacies, Paramount Star Trek shows, and Spock 00:22:27 - Pon farr, “to mate or to kill,” the Eugenics Wars, and a glittering generalization  00:27:27 - Data, the Star Trek tie-in that should have been, and medium for a long long time. 00:30:02 - A generalization loophole, and Norm Macdonald's “Professor of Logic” joke  00:34:21 - Denying the antecedent, joke construction, and the illusion of logic in language 00:37:19 - Political discourse, slippery slopes, guns, nudity, and using logical fallacies  00:40:17 - The ad hominem fallacy, insults, the bandwagon appeal, and no true Scotsmen   00:43:06 - The ones that sound the funniest, and Ben misses Andrew's obvious sarcasm  00:45:00 - Lessons Andrew learned about logical fallacies from teaching persuasive essays  00:47:29 - Goalpost moving, picking cherries, gamblers, booleans, and the Autism Quotient 00:52:53 - Moving on to video games… chess, turn based strategy, puzzle, and story games 00:55:16 - The card game Flux, the mysterious kinetic sand, and do not taunt Happy Fun Ball 00:58:55 - Tower defense, Animal Well, the Barbie movie, and Andrew's long standing feud 01:02:22 - Billy's inspiration for getting in to game design and “Indie Game: the Movie” 01:06:00 - Artistic expressions using logic, itchy shirt tags, and “Logical Fallacy Theatre!” 01:08:49 - Analysis paralysis, don't join a cult, Ben talks briefly about “Cult of the Lamb” 01:10:24 - Closing the show with a crisp-centric soundbite from Ben and a little goofiness Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on… His website: https://partlyrobot.com/ On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot Follow Two Vague on… Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On X-Twitter: https://twitter.com/TwoVaguePodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com

Get your snacks and buckle up for a “beefy” program this week; it's time for another show composed of cutting room floor trimmings!  Don't let that keep you away; it's all great conversational content featuring previous cohosts: Amaya, Andrew, Ben, Cheyenne, Madison, Melody, and Norah.  We start with Andrew's Sensory Adventures (not yet sponsored by Pringles), and then dive into the deep end… of CLIPS!  The diverse selection of topics include: Pringles tasting, chess incidents, the “cheekmate” device, commercials, dietary plans, old television shows, parking cars, a silly themed graph, snacks, utilitarian loops, underwater vehicles, parenthood, movies, Ben's new waifu, and many others.    00:00:21 - A brief introduction to 2VP clip shows and then… WE'RE OFF!   00:00:51 - Clip #1 - Cut from the “Episode 89 - Ben at PAX West Day 2” opening monologue  00:02:00 - Ben and Andrew's Philly Cheesesteak Pringles recurring bit nonsense   00:06:24 - Clip #2 - Warmup conversation from “Episode 65 - Intelligence”  00:08:58 - A very dramatic, “chess-centric” stories conversation with Ben and Cheyenne     00:17:36 - Clips #3 and #4 - From “Episode 67 - Economy,” a warmup and a topic diversion  00:18:22 - Meal kit VPN idea, “Confess, Fletch,” Tom Hamm, police shows, and Andy Sipowicz   00:24:54 - Clip #5 - From a conversation with Melody after recording “Episode 71 - Fit” 00:25:24 - Ben's supplemental box of ice cream sandwiches weight loss program   00:28:01 - Clip #6 - A bit from “Episode 76 - Heal” that was cut for… excessive goofiness  00:28:53 - Amaya's parking mishap and Ben's age vs. number of points in a 3 point turn graph    00:30:27 - Clips #7 and #8 - “Episode 77 - Rating” warmup banter and a section cut for time 00:31:12 - Cookies are fruits, the dog's bollocks, spices, sneaking in, and moose lodges    00:39:18 - Clip # 9 - Madison, Ben, and Norah's "Episode 80 - Childhood” pre-show chat 00:40:25 - Birthday twins, by the numbers, healing growth, the youngest, and skateboards    00:53:26 - Clips #10 and #11 - Some recording adjustments from “Episode 81 - Loop” 00:54:04 - Mucous, Beer Nuts, recorded burps, Mango security, hair fasteners, tables, and age    01:00:33 - Clip #12 - “Episode 82 - Airplane!” content that was removed due timing of release  01:01:14 - Gamers save the day, submersibles, James Cameron movies, and tendril aesthetics     01:10:54 - Clip #13 - A conversational warmup from “Episode 84 - Italy (part 1)” 01:11:13 - Sound baffle, Katherine doesn't, geriatric pregnancies, a good one, and “the talk”   01:16:36 - Clip #14 - Ben and Madison before sitting down to record  “Episode 86 - Gratitude” 01:17:07 - SF6's Marisa… designing jewelry, beating down fools, and having multiple partners    01:22:10 - Clip #15 - The “Episode 87 - Control,” a pre-show recording 01:22:38 - Andrew laugh track from the “Slotherhouse” trailer, and some “Knee High Mischief”    01:27:33 - Upcoming words, and closing the third clip show succinctly but unceremoniously    Follow Two Vague on… Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast   For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com

PAX West 2023 part 3 of 3... it is the bow on the present, the cherry on top of the sundae, the other bookend, the roof on the… I digress.  On day 3 Ben met Azusa, Creason, Eddie (Axolotl), Ludvig, Martin, and Bartosz.   Games he played and other video game related items he saw include: “TrinityS,” “Sky the Scraper,” “Never Awake,” “Extremely Powerful Capybaras,” “StarVaders,” “Big Boy Boxing,” “The Gap,” and the Playdate handheld.   Ben's stream of consciousness associations include: the 1980 arcade game “Crazy Climber,” the largest living rodent, the axolotl, Boxing Day, the largest US clothing retailer, and a trip to the first Starbucks.  Ben wraps up the show by discussing his plans for the next PAX he attends.  00:00:20 - PAX 2023 Day 3, the “Podcast in a Bag” theme song, and another minimal breakfast 00:01:30 - Playing the Indie-us Games' “TrinityS” with Phoenixx Inc. Promotions VP Azusa - https://en.indie-us-games.co.jp/trinitys  00:03:59 - Playing the Toydium developed game designed by Ryo Kobuchi, “Sky the Scraper” with Phoenixx Inc. Promotions VP Azusa - https://store.steampowered.com/app/2387430/SKY_THE_SCRAPER/ 00:06:51 - Playing the Neotro Inc.'s “NeverAwake” with Phoenixx Inc. Promotions VP Azusa - https://neverawake.neotro.jp/ 00:10:17 - Ben's memories of the arcade game Crazy Climber 00:11:35 - Playing the Studio Bravarda developed “Extremely Powerful Capybaras” with PM Studios Marketing and Production Coordinator Creason - https://studiobravarda.com/extremely-powerful-capybaras-en 00:14:35 - Background audio guest appearance by Mango  00:15:25 - Capybara facts 00:16:46 - Playing “StarVaders” with StarVaders Studio game designer Axolotl (aka Eddie) - https://star-vaders.com/ 00:22:11 - A critically endangered amphibian… the axolotl 00:23:56 - Talking to Soupmasters game developer Martin about “Big Boy Boxing” - https://soupmasters.com/ 00:28:49 - Just a little bit of trivia about Boxing Day 00:29:31 - Playing the Label This developed game “The Gap” with Crunching Koalas Marketing Chieftain Bartosz - https://thegapgame.com/  00:32:34 - Why they should change the name of the game and all about Gap Inc. 00:33:19 - Playing the somewhat notorious (hipster-ish) handheld console “Playdate” and learning about their SDK 00:36:41 - Cuphead cosplay, dumpling dinner, and stopping by (arguably) the first Starbucks! 00:40:15 - A “postmortem,” lessons learned, and my plans for the next PAX I attend   Follow Two Vague on… Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast For show appearance requests and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com #PAXWest2023 #PAX2023 #PhoenixxInc #TrinityS #SkytheScraper #NeverAwake #PMStudios #StudioBravada #StarVaders #BigBoyBoxing #Soupmasters #JoystickVentures #LableThis #TheGapGame #CrunchingKoalas

This week… no time for pleasantries (Kyle)… Ben gets right into it!  On day two he met Hollie, Johnson, Daniel, Cory, Sawyer, Andrew, Natalie, Chris G., Chris R., and Chris S…. all of whom he hopes will consider being a guest on 2VP in the future.  Games he played, demos he experienced, and other video game related items he saw include: “PixelJunk Eden 2,” “PixelJunk Scrappers Deluxe,” “A Corgi's Cozy Hike,” the VArmchair, “Castle Doombad,” the Pokémon card game, the VR game “Journey to Foundation,” “Animal Well,” and “Roman Sands RE:Build!”  Ben's stream of consciousness associations include: the word pixel, Ikea's  Poäng chair, and D.B. Weiss' novel “Lucky Wander Boy.” 00:00:20 - the “Podcast in a Bag” Seattle theme 00:00:45 - PAX 2023 Day 2 starts with a boring breakfast 00:01:35 - Playing Q-Games Ltd.'s “PixelJunk Eden 2” with Hollie https://www.q-games.com/en/pixeljunk-eden-2-en/ 00:05:41 - Playing Q-Games Ltd.'s “PixelJunk Scrappers Deluxe” show attendees - https://www.q-games.com/en/pixeljunk-scrappers-deluxe/ 00:08:20 - The mysterious origin of the word pixel 00:09:30 - Playing and discussing the inspiration behind Scalisco Games' “A Corgi's Cozy Hike” with Johnson and Daniel - https://scalisco.com/pages/a-corgis-cozy-hike 00:12:51 - Talking to furniture designer, carpenter, and gamer Cory about the VArmchair - https://batemanlabs.com/ 00:16:24 - Ben's favorite chair for podcasting and Poäng trivia 00:17:48 - Playing Grumpyface Studios' “Castle Doombad” with Creative Director Chris - https://www.castledoombad.com/ 00:22:12 - My failed attempt to learn how to play the Pokémon card game. 00:24:21 - Playing Archiact's new VR game “Journey to Foundation” with PR specialist Chris - https://www.journeytofoundation.com/ 00:30:51 - Talking to solo game developer Billy about his first game “Animal Well” - https://www.animalwell.net/ 00:35:35 - Playing Serenity Forge's “Roman Sands RE:Build!” with QA Specialist Chris - https://serenityforge.com/games/roman-sands-re-build  00:39:45 - D.B. Weiss' “Lucky Wander Boy” and an uneventful yet enjoyable dinner 00:42:27 - Almost 3 burgers and a slice of key lime pie to close the show. Follow Two Vague on… Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast For show appearance requests and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com #PAXWest2023 #PAX2023 #QGames #PixelJunk #Salisco #Grumpyface #GrumpyfaceStudios #Archiact #SharedMemory #AnimalWell #VArmchair #BatemanLabs #SerenityForge To help Johnson and Daniel reach their Kickstarter goal go here!  https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/scalisco/a-corgis-cozy-hike

Ben is back from Seattle and incredibly excited to talk about it!  On day one he met Becky, Ty, David, Haylee, Rob, and Brandon… all of whom he hope will consider being a guest on 2VP in the future.  Games he played or saw demos of include: “Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown,” “Wild Country,” “Cuisineer,” “Sail Forth,” “World of Horror,” and “Demonschool.” Of course it wouldn't be Two Vague without diversions.  Ben talks about his college PC, cooking in games, the origin of yacht rock, Junji Ito, and Mortal Kombat's friendliest finishers. 00:00:20 - Intro and a brief history of the Penny Arcade Expo also known as PAX 00:04:16 - Going to PAX West 2023 my plans and expectations as a content creator 00:06:09 - Inspiration from travelogues, MS Excel love, and the next 3 episodes 00:07:43 - The slightly altered “Podcast in a Bag” theme… Seattle edition    00:07:55 - A sustainably sourced breakfast at Homegrown - https://eathomegrown.com/ 00:08:32 - Playing UbiSoft's “Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown” demo - https://www.ubisoft.com/en-us/game/prince-of-persia/the-lost-crown 00:11:35 - The original Prince of Persia games and memories of my 486DX 00:12:46 - The “Wild Country” demo with Becky from Lost Native - https://www.lostnative.co/wild-country 00:16:31 - Playing BattleBrew Production's “Cuisineer” - https://www.cuisineerthegame.com/ 00:18:58 - Remembering episode 63 on the word cook and the game BattleChef Brigade   00:20:35 - Playing Quantum Astrophysics Guild's “Sail Forth” with publisher Ty and game designer David - https://www.qag.io/sail-forth.html 00:25:33 - The “yacht rock” interlude with Christopher Cross' hit song Sailing (NOT literally) 00:26:32 - Playing “World of Horror” with Rob from Ysbryd - https://www.wohgame.com/ 00:30:39 - Manga horror writer Junji Ito, and Ben is most interest in the one with the cats 00:33:41 - Playing Necrosoft's “Demonschool” with game designer Brandon - https://necrosoftgames.com/demonschool/ 00:39:43 - Mortal Kombat friendships, Jax playing jazz saxophone, and congressional hearings 00:41:30 - Dinner at Dough Zone - https://www.doughzonedumplinghouse.com/seattlepine Follow Two Vague on… Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast For show appearance requests and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com #PAXWest2023 #PAX2023 #LostNative #UbiSoft, #QAG, #Ysbryd, #Necrosoft #ReedPop

It may not seem like it at first, but Andrew and Ben are absolutely in this week's word.  They start out with what Andrew has been doing, and then Ben is a voyeur on Andrew's flavored crisps adventure.  First thoughts on the word include a life lesson, a pop singer's breakout album, a trilogy of books by Jeff VanderMeer, and controlling the weather.  On the subject of video games, the hosts discuss Starcraft, tower defense games, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, the Atari 2600 joystick, and 3 games by Remedy entertainment.    00:00:21 - Andrew's geographical clues, Ghostbuster Afterlife, and back to school 00:03:30 - Commissioning a Christopher Walken sketch from “Bottle Rocket” era Owen Wilson 00:06:45 - Andrew's Sensory Adventures with Suspicious Stew, Pizza, and Loaded Nachos! 00:10:34 - Satisfying Andrew's expectation for Flame Medium, and no control group Pringles 00:13:30 - A modest proposal, a Twitter analogue, TikTok exists, blue skies, and Ben's criticism  00:19:38 - Long list of definitions, old timey subtweets, and Ben repeats himself to feel better  00:23:24 - The limits of control, Janet Jackson (the youngest of 10), and the album Control 00:27:13 - Our utopia, Ben should call Janet Jackson, and you don't have to eat them all now. 00:29:30 - The Souther Reach trilogy, Get Smart, current weather in Arizona, and cloud seeding 00:37:00 - Table salt, chaotic systems, weather, The (real) Avengers, and James Bond's wife. 00:39:44 - Shade balls, no concrete evidence, AI hands, knuckles, and a giant space umbrella  00:43:51 - The Central Arizona Project, lessons not learned, Flint, and the butterfly effect 00:47:13 - Unknowns, recharge basins, the 2008 Summer Olympics, and smog elimination  00:50:01 - Andrew prefers turn-based game mechanics, and Vanillaware's 13 Sentinels 00:54:47 - The lack of resilience in controllers, a linear progression, and winning the PEABODY! 00:57:58 - The game Control… Jesse is promoted to director of the FBC by the janitor 01:02:22 - Alan Wake 2 and Control share the same universe, and a hypothetical question  01:05:23 - Final thoughts on the word control, and Andrew will email his Buckaroo Banzai DVD 01:08:08 - Watch out for “Don't Be Terrible” coming soon on ETC or Big Cartel, and potatoes    Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on… His website: https://partlyrobot.com/ On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot   Follow Two Vague on… Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast   For show appearance requests and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com

Madison and Ben are excited to get philosophical with this week's word which has a simple definition but a uniquely nuanced meaning, but first… what's new with the hosts?  Madison is reading American Dirt and Ben is playing Tango Gameworks' “Ghostwire: Tokyo.”  They take turns reflecting on what they are grateful for: experiences, trips, connections, books, and more.  Before closing out the show, Madison teaches Ben about the “five love languages.”    00:00:21 - Tattoos, leg sleeves, cummerbunds, and Madison does not support the torso-pants 00:03:27 - Ben's sphere, playing “Ghostwire: Tokyo,” and it's actually called etherial weaving 00:05:10 - Lithuanian hosts, folklore, American Dirt by Jeanine Cumminsand, and arithmetic  00:08:29 - The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen, weird noises, and Ben's dating fail at Fermilab 00:11:21 - Words in gratitude, number of boobs, the straightforward definition, and usage  00:14:05 - A continuation of childhood, abundance, being thankful, and being supportive 00:17:00 - Growing up in Big Bear, reflecting on experiences, Arizona storms, and PUDDLES! 00:20:48 - No public puddles, video game friendships, unexpected learnings, and thankfulness 00:25:15 - Being a drone, respect, word trees, White out, and a coworker filled support system 00:29:06 - The merits of Facebook, handfuls of coinage, not a stalker, and Sarah get married 00:31:36 - A “stretch” moment, meeting friends in New Zealand, and sharing wisdom 00:34:33 - Remembering photographs, scrapbooks, blackmail material, and dreaming of Japan  00:37:35 - Phalanges, gravitas, not wrong, universal thankfulness, and picking favorites  00:40:41 - Gratitude journals, food for your food, showing gratitude, and Ben is not familiar  00:43:43 - Exploring the definitions of the love languages: touch, time, words, gifts, and service  00:47:55 - Reading your partner's love language, and Ben starts to understand the concept  00:50:18 - Religious twang, felines told the Egyptians to build, connections, and Westworld 00:53:57 - Peter Henry Fonda (not Henry), Andrea's Westworld event experience, and cravings   00:57:29 - Ben has never been pregnant, the “no” jynx, and wrapping it up with final thoughts 01:00:04 - Madison recommends journaling via the “BRAIN DUMP” method.   Follow Two Vague on… Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com

Continuing the conversation about Italy… sort of… Andrew and Ben discuss Pringles flavors from around the world .  Ben adds a little bit of trivia about their brand mascot before the conversation switches to video games.  Street Fighter 6 has introduced a new character from Italy named Marisa (secretly Ben's new waifu)!   As promised in the airplane episode, Ben reluctantly played Assassin's Creed 2 which he describes as a “game out of time,” and he shares his thoughts from his first 10 (and only) hours of play.  To close out the show… Andrew's recommendation and irony.      00:00:21 - The Pringles display at the Schiphol Amsterdam Airport… and flame medium 00:02:58 - Ketchup flavored Pringles in Italy, and Andrew didn't go to Europe to buy Pringles 00:04:17 - Explosive chili, an age related medical procedure, and TikTok friendly proctologists 00:06:10 - Culinary fouls of the Pringles variety, and Minecraft suspicious stew description  00:08:58 - How Mr. P got his first name, herbs, and the Screaming Dill Pickle show! 00:11:56 - Descending further down the flavor rabbit hole, and refreshing sassiness  00:14:01 - Andrew is still playing Civilization, and Marisa the master of Pankration and jewelry 00:17:00 - Marrow bones, fine arts, and Ben's least favorite franchises Assassin's Creed 00:19:10 - Meeting Leonardo DeVinci, blood oath humor, and Ben's favorite line in the game 00:21:28 - Ezio's backstory, learning stealth from sex workers, and being casual on the roof 00:24:50 - Plague doctors, secondhand leaches, creepy masks, and the third SNL reference 00:26:50 - The Hunt for Red October, stereotypical accents, and vaginas aren't enough 00:30:45 - Hangover movies, playing chess, and getting liquored up… on a plane 00:33:48 - Sleeping on airplanes, our least favorite airlines don't believe in legroom 00:36:02 - Go to Italy, finding history, no turtle shells or banana peels, and licensing Mario 00:39:36 - An “espresso with panna” callback, social media trepidation, and a sense of irony     Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on… His website: https://partlyrobot.com/ On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot Follow Two Vague on… Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com

Andrew from Partly Robot Industries ( https://partlyrobot.com/ ) joins Ben this week to share his vacationing experiences with his family in Italy!   After Ben delivers the obligatory definition along with a side of geographic facts, they dive right in to the storytelling festivities.  Andrew talks about the interesting history of Vatican City, his experience driving a Fiat 500L, staying at a farmhouse in Tuscany, a feast catered by a gaggle of nonne, and literally being “star crossed” the morning of a music festival in the Italian city of Lucca.   00:00:21 - Ben's dad humor… with panna, and Andrew's relaxing and exhausting vacation 00:02:21 - Geographic features of Italy, Vatican City, art history, Google Maps, and the pope 00:04:51 - Important Jesus days, and Protestants think you should take Jesus stuff seriously 00:07:50 - How Vatican City became a micro-state; Mussolini's and the pope's deal  00:09:47 - The most embassies, architecture, medical professionals with leeches, and tourists 00:12:59 - English speakers, a working farmhouse in Tuscany, Florence, and no choice in rental 00:15:40 - A sea of Fiats, the “big” Fiat 500 L, the wrong car, and manual vs muscle memory 00:19:30 - Mad Max driving in Disneyland, toll booths, and culture of driving on the Autostrada   00:23:10 - Roundabouts, driving on narrow roads, and Ben likes saying the word Chunnel  00:26:06 - “Sort of” rear ended,  a love tap, get the insurance, Fiat SpA, and some history 00:30:12 - A tiny garbage truck from Florence, Japanese Engineering, and Mexican knowhow  00:32:22 - A family vineyard, purple feet, wine peer pressure, and something unexpected 00:34:48 - Lucca not Luka, star forts, Napoleon Plaza, and Paul Stanley drinking espresso 00:38:36 - Summer Festival 2023, the Italian division of the KISS Army, and bastion forts  00:41:21 - “Iron, physics, and heavy stuff,” family home chapels, and more Jesus stuff 00:44:42 - A dinner catered by Italian grandmothers who are particular about pronunciation 00:47:55 - Andrew is pro-nap, getting tickets, a QR code mirage, and not hirable in Florida 00:51:43 - Nudity for statues only, no bare shoulders, the shawl stall, and do your research 00:54:39 - A second SNL skit reference, and the “so tell me about the Pringles” cliffhanger! TO BE CONTINUED in Episode 85 - Italy (part 2)   Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on… His website: https://partlyrobot.com/ On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot Follow Two Vague on… Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com  

This week Ben and Norah contemplate the questions “are you… or have you ever been…,”  but first they talk about what they have been up to.  Surprising nobody, Norah has been watching plays and Ben has been (GASP!) playing his PS5.  After the definition ceremonies they discover that they each have very different first thoughts, but they both agree that experience can be vastly different for an individual.  They take a detour through the philosophical before moving on to games.  Finally, Ben talks about the origin of experience points in games, how video games utilize XP, and a few terms for Norah to add to her gamer glossary. 00:00:20 - 1 word, 2 hosts, stories, trivia, mumbo-jumbo, beige, and Futurama 00:02:20 - The Stratford Shakespeare Festival, sacking creative directors, and critiques 00:05:01 - Taking pills, Little Women, Little Richard the Second, and a Wrinkle in Time  00:07:30 - American Players Theater in Spring Green Wisconsin, and Frank Lloyd Wright 00:09:02 - Ben finished Deathloop and started on Ghostwire Tokyo and Ridiculous Fishing EX 00:11:52 - Presenting the definition and origin: Norah takes the noun and Ben takes the verb 00:15:02 - Jimi Hendrix and generational perspectives on playing the Star Spangled Banner 00:18:38 - The Isley Brothers, and what does the song “Are you experienced” mean?  00:21:37 - One of Ben's favorite movies “Brainstorm,” and a spoiler alert for a 40 year old film  00:25:15 - Recording brainwaves, drawing parallels to VR, and Norah is older than Ben 00:28:39 - Pinecones, too many variables, comprehensive Wikipedia articles, and webs 00:31:18 - “If there was a way you could experience something in a virtual environment…” 00:35:27 - Adrenalin, internalizing, a trip to Lithuania, food based profiling, and phrases  00:40:20 - A philosophical question, the senses, acquiring experience in games, and XP 00:43:04 - A “Dungeons & Dragons” origin, and experience points in roleplaying games 00:45:17 - Gaining experience points in “Ghostwire: Tokyo,” and Norah grasps the concept 00:48:00 - Types of XP growth progressions, eating, grinding, power-leveling, and a respec   00:53:42 - Do we want games to present realistic ways of gaining experience? 00:57:22 - Expectations, perceptions, perspectives on video games experience, and balance 01:01:35 - Vaguely putting a bow on the experience show… sort of!  Follow Two Vague on… Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On Twitter: https://twitter.com/TwoVaguePodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com

This week Ben is joined by Andrew from Partly Robot Industries for an appropriately timely conversation about a vehicular method for domestic and international travel… with OR without the exclamation point!  Andrew's going to Italy (and on a side quest or two), so Ben wants to assist in his mental preparation and support him in any way he can.  What's the best way to prepare for the perils of air travel… is the answer watch airplane themed movies?  Who's to say?  The hosts discuss the movies they watched to get themselves in the flight headspace, so to speak: Snakes on a Plane, Airplane II: the Sequel, Soul Plane, Mad Max Beyond Thuderdome, and Zero Hour!  In the video games section, Ben and Andrew talk about River Raid, After Burner, 1942, Microsoft's Flight Simulator franchise, and Airplane Mode.  To close the show the hosts each share an air travel story from their past.   00:00:21 - A shepherd of wayward wizards, up the hat game, sacking Rome, and Scott Bakula 00:05:00 - The current state of downtown Portland, to Croatia by paddle boat, and Ben's news 00:08:19 - Special preparations, a masseuse theory, cheesy moons, and astronaut ice cream   00:10:40 - Some time in the 1920s, flying buttresses, dirigibles, and the Pima Air Museum 00:13:07 - Ben watched “Zero Hour!” the movie that made the PG rated movie “Airplane!”  00:19:12 - The lasagna, see it if you're a fan, and Ben recommends watching “Police Squad!” 00:21:22 - Andrew watched “Airplane II: The Sequel” and “Soul Plane” to prepare for the show 00:26:14 - A critics' summary of “Soul Plane,” a different take, and a great idea… lockers! 00:29:52 - A movie featuring ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales.   00:33:24 - A horrible plan, a warm baby in snake vision, and what boa constrictor snacks on 00:36:40 - An excellent theme for a child's birthday, and platypuses on a hovercraft  00:39:20 - Airplane action, opposite of “Lord of the Flies,” and the George Miller movie timeline 00:42:31 - The Kevin Bacon game, Ben's got a lay-Bacon number of two, and Colm Meaney 00:45:35 - Activision game patches, River Raid, Space Shuttle, and two possible outcomes  00:48:09 - After Burner, something that 8th graders tell 7th graders, and boot discs  00:50:16 - Capcom's 194X series, shoot em' ups, bullet hell, and game or joke 00:52:26 - AMC Games' “Airplane Mode,” meal includes fish option, and Ben's promise 00:56:00 - Ben will play Assassin's Creed 2 while Andrew is in Italy, and airplane stories 00:57:23 - Ben's Story: Cleveland, Grandma, flooded Cadillac, hot towels, and cold feet 01:00:20 - Andrew's Story: Computers, lessons learned, mood slime, and being late  01:05:17 - Nearly universal, angel and devil on shoulders, and the waiter from The Buena Vista  01:08:24 - In closing… Ben's airplane quote from a movie about submarines  For more information on what Andrew is up to, check out https://partlyrobot.com and https://partlyrobot.com/link-in-bio/ for his social media links! Follow Two Vague on… Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On Twitter: https://twitter.com/TwoVaguePodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com

Norah joins Ben this week for a discussion about recursion, and speaking of… Happy Second Anniversary to us!  Norah has just seen another loud musical, and Ben is champing at the bit to talk about the game he's been playing lately.  They start their circuitous loop with some Canadian music industry trivia, a correction for the dystopia episode, the definition, and unintentionally making fun of the Scottish.  More loop centric topics include… making jewelry, an area of downtown Chicago, digital music, computer programming languages, rollercoasters, mathematics, Norah's Summer job in college, and “time loop” movies.  On the topic of video games, Ben explains the importance of engaging gameplay loops, his stance on game reviews, and his experiences with the game Deathloop by Arkane Studios.   00:00:21 - Ben's recursion joke fail, and Norah sees the “updated” musical Tommy  00:02:42 - Other musicals… American Idiot and Jagged Little Pill, and “also known as music” 00:04:27 - Interesting Canadian music idiosyncrasies, and a dystopia episode correction 00:07:02 - 2nd Anniversary, weird duck callback, and a heartfelt THANK YOU to listeners! 00:09:30 - The definition according to Web and Ox, and Ben adds back some superfluous stuff 00:12:17 - “So I Married an Axe Murderer,” vegetarian haggis, loopholes, jewelry, and the loupe  00:15:05 - Jump rings, perspectives of helixes, the Chicago Loop, and US state opinions 00:18:57 - Ben is mistaken, what is in “the Loop,” the Chicago fireworks, and M3Ps? 00:21:17 - Audio formats, songs on a loop, “My Weekly Mixtape” shoutout, and recursion  00:23:30 - Norah is above BASIC, FORTRAN 77, and other loops in computer programming 00:25:08 - Marry the FORTRAN teacher, middle school is NOT grade school, and classrooms 00:27:45 - Mental math, Adderall, first looping rollercoaster “Flip Flap Railway,” and clothoids 00:32:26 - “Shuttle Loop” rollercoasters, strange loops, the Möbius strip, and Socrates 00:35:10 - A child's perspective on math, the Museum of Science and Industry, and the U-505 00:37:07 - Submarines are cramped, the coal mine, model trains, and going in to video games 00:39:30 - Ben explains gameplay loops, a rare dad joke from Norah, and Donut County 00:43:25 - Match 3 game loops, Norah understands, and Ben mentions Deathloop 00:45:19 - A discussion about movies, television, and books using the “time loop” concept 00:48:07 - Celebrating “Groundhog's Day,” and “The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle”  00:49:34 - Ben undersells the movie Looper, and other “living the same day” movies 00:51:35 - The premise (relatively spoiler free) and game mechanics of the game “Deathloop” 00:54:03 - Discrepancies in user and news outlet reviews, and the start of Ben's critique 00:57:33 - “Redfall,” how skill trees work, a disclaimer, and the importance of intelligent AI  01:01:00 - Seven, Norah comes clean on playtime, some balancing is needed, and a bug 01:03:17 - Ben nitpicking about reviews, know your reviewer, and closing the show!   Follow Two Vague on… Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com  On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On Twitter: https://twitter.com/TwoVaguePodcast For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com   FUN FACT - The Great Train Story is a 3,500-square-foot HO scale model railroad display located in the Transportation Zone of Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry!