Podcasts about Dark Souls

Welcome to Dev Game Club, where this week we begin a series on 1985's Ultima IV. After talking about the recent Defeating Games for Charity, we set the game in its time, talk about our encounters in the past with the series, and then dive into the manuals and the start of the game. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: The first couple of hours and the manuals  Issues covered: Defeating Games for Charity, the first pancake, our experiences with this series, an opaque franchise, mainlining a game, opacity being part of the point, performance characteristics of the PCs of the time, the importance of the manuals, entering the world as yourself, using the manual to reinforce the role-play, not requiring graphics, priming the player, describing the geography of different areas, imposing importance on a handful of pixels, the quest of the game, sublimating the quest of the game, a less traditional RPG experience, after reading the manual, the deep questions/dilemmas, tournament structure, choosing your most important virtue, getting the bard, series characters who can join your party, reflecting your beliefs, getting different dilemmas, the Venn diagram of virtues, the Tinker profession, symmetry in design, Buddhism and the Eightfold Path, countering the cultural zeitgeist, the Avatar and Hinduism, a deity's manifestation on Earth, finding your way into swamps, both hosts being poisoned and dying, death and rebirth, being unable to recruit early. Games, people, and influences mentioned or discussed: Dwarf Fortress, BioStats, KyleAndError13, Silksong, GreyFiery, Hollow Knight, Untitled Goose Game, Kaeon, Hitman, N0isses, Hades, Phil Salvador, MYST, RobotSpacer, Shadowgate, Unpacking, Kendrama, CalamityNolan, Splatoon 2, Typing of the Dead, Dark Souls 2, Nitro, Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil, LostLake, Minecraft, Super Mario Bros Shuffler, Devil May Cry, MegaMan X, Belmont, NES, Atari 2600, Ultima Underworld, A Bard's Tale, Eye of the Beholder, Magic: The Gathering, LucasArts, Super Mario 64, Space Harrier, Gauntlet, Ghosts n' Goblins, Gradius, Super Mario Bros, Tetris, Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego, Spy vs Spy (series), Oregon Trail, King's Quest II, The Goonies, Gremlins, A View to a Kill, Rambo, Temple of Doom, The Empire Strikes Back, SEGA Master System, Sonic (series), Wizardry, Apple ][, Commodore 64, Civilization III, The Sims, Bill Roper, Warcraft, The Elder Scrolls: Morrowind, Reed Knight, Pool of Radiance, Dungeons & Dragons, Warren Spector, Ultima Adventures, Outcast, Fallout, Wasteland, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, Harley Baldwin, Richard Garriott, the Ramayana, Ed Fries, Benimanjaro, Kirk Hamilton, Aaron Evers, Mark Garcia.  Note: Because Ultima IV has very little music to speak of, I will be substituting music from later in the series in the openings to these episodes TTDS: 06:25 Next time: More Ultima IV Twitch: timlongojr and twinsunscorp YouTube Discord DevGameClub@gmail.com

Want more Dark Souls 2 podcasts? Support my work on Patreon- https://patreon.com/realdavejackson Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server- https://discord.gg/kAqSBb6jH2 Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi- https://ko-fi.com/realdavejackson Every beloved series has its black sheep- Mario has Sunshine, Zelda has the DS games, and Dark Souls has Dark Souls 2. But to me, the things that make Dark Souls 2 divisive are the things that make it interesting. Not every new decision is a home run, but they're all ripe for discussion. And hey, good thing we have this podcast! And it's episode 200! Guest info: Ryan Batie (they/them) Check out the Pitch Drop Network https://pitchdrop.net/ Get bonus Pitch Drop shows via their Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/pitchdrop TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Title Card 0:15 Introductions 7:18 Our Histories with Dark Souls 11:19 Opening Thoughts about Dark Souls 2 18:51 Story and Themes Setup- Memory, Hollowing, World Design 30:26 More Theme Setup 35:51 Vibes, Atmosphere and Music 43:37 Examining Gameplay Changes 1:22:18 DLCs, Multiplayer and Comedy 1:31:42 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations 1:34:25 Lightning Strikes Thrice Podcast & Pitch Drop Network 1:39:33 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous 1:41:18 Spoiler Section- Trouble Areas 1:52:00 Spoiler Section- Vendrick's Story and Connections to Dark Souls 2:11:59 Spoiler Section- Aldia and The First Sin 2:21:56 Lucatiel and the Giants Music used in the episode is credited to Motoi Sakuraba, unless otherwise noted. Tracks used: Main Menu, Majula, Ruins Sentinel (Yuka Kitamura), Milfanito, Fire Keepers, Fume Knight, Remains Social Media: BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/ Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

Featuring: Michael "Boston" Hannon, Paul "Moonpir" Smith, and Alexander "TheNimp" Jolly Running Time: 2:15:52 Music by MusiM: Homepage | Bandcamp Livestream Archive: YouTube This week on That Video Game Podcast (TVGP) we chat about One Button Games 5-in-1 Vol. 1, Scratch: The Painter Cat, RV There Yet?, Arc Raiders, Parasite Mutant, Legend of Heroes: Daybreak 2, Dark Souls 2, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Darkest Dungeon 2, Abyssus. Ubisoft announces a company reset Become a patron of TVGP for just a few dollars a month at E1M1's Patreon Page! Get two month early access to Critical Misses, uncensored outtakes, and much more for just $5/month!

Chuck E. Cheese is still alive, and so is the analytics-to-product pipeline. @Amanda Cesario analytics lead turned product leader, joins @Phillip Black, Eric, and @Christopher Kaczmarczyk-Smith argue for embedded analytics, sharper language, and game systems that actually produce cooperation instead of a cosplay community. We discuss: • The missing vocabulary for economy design in live service, and how it's harmed the entire industry• Why office ball pits best start-up ping pong tables • The analyst's real job: explaining “why,” then realizing the only way to fix it is to own the lever • Embedded analytics vs centralized service orgs; who beats who • Roblox as a laboratory: aspirational visibility, server “neighborhoods,” and system norms that communicate more than art • Iterated Prisoner's Dilemma, Axelrod's tournaments, and why tit-for-tat is a design principle • Monopoly Go partner events as rare, genuine, cooperation-through-repeated-interaction design • Why Discovery Zone died, but Chuck E. Cheese prints money anyway Chapters (00:00:00) - In the Elevator With Chuck E. Cheese(00:00:52) - The Ball Pit(00:03:23) - How to Turn From Analyst to Product Designer(00:05:02) - Peter Feuerstein on Becoming Product Manager for Madden(00:13:09) - What Do Data Scientists Need to Know to Be a Product Manager?(00:15:07) - Have You Got What it Takes to Lead an Analytics Team?(00:20:16) - Analytics and Product Incentives(00:22:11) - Bee Swarm Simulator(00:28:38) - Roblox's Impact on the Game Industry(00:34:35) - Game Money vs. Positive Monetization(00:36:48) - Have We Reached a Turning Point in Video Gaming?(00:40:01) - Iterated Prisoner's Dilemma(00:45:14) - Tick for Tat in Minecraft(00:51:51) - Dark Souls 2(00:55:29) - How to Design a Board Game(00:58:42) - Board Games: Found Your Love of Gaming(01:03:57) - Game Economy in a Vocabulary(01:10:13) - Amanda Zario on Game of Economics

Warmest of Welcomes everyone This month on the Mooglecast myself (Max) and Zac are joined by Trophy Room patron Katieeee to talk about all things 2026 but not without first feeling our bones ache by acknowledging some of the great games that turn 10 years old this year! So happy birthyear Dishonored 2, Dark Souls 3, Overwatch, Final Fantasy XV and Pokemon GO. For the preshow Katie kicks us off by sharing her experiences and approach to streaming, followed by our usual run of platinum shoutouts and a series spotlight on DOOM, from there we insert a new segment into the show titled Cactuar Vs Tonberry where myself and Zac kick off our friendly comp for the year. The main Meat & Potatoes of the show are taken up by what we've been playing and of course our main topic discussing our top 5 most anticipated games of 2026. Enjoy the first show of 2026 and we'll see you next month, but until then... be excellent to each other. Max

With time, any game could be the coolest ancient artefact. Welcome to the first ever Scribies, an award show and definitely not an itchy reaction to a species of mite: that would be Scabies. In the Scribies, we choose winners for myriad categories from the pool of games that we have played and talked about for the podcast this year. We've brought back some fan favorite categories like Least Likely to be Compared to Dark Souls and The Newlywed Game, as well as introduced some new classics such as “The Dad Award,” so there's a lot to look forward to and a great variety in the nominations to be made. The best news is that if you have award fatigue after so many years-end celebrations across so many industries, you can rest assured our awards specifically target a sample population that has extremely limited relevance and only has like three qualitative categories! It's basically meaningless in the grand scheme of things! What isn't meaningless however, is how much we appreciate everyone who listens to podcast and these year end wrap up episodes. We just entered our first year with the new name, so we do want to shout out everyone who has stuck around. However, we also appreciate+, an extra premium tier of appreciation, anyone who has or will submit game suggestions for Fanbruary, which is rapidly approaching. Next time, we're going to be talking about That Which Gave Chase, a short but frigidly cold wintertime horror title, and Fanbruary begins immediately after that, so we hope you'll join us then and hope that we can choose from among some of your favorite games when Fanbruary rolls around!

Huge news for Xbox and Nintendo fans: Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is officially breaking away from PlayStation exclusivity on January 22, 2026. Eammonn Dignam breaks down what this means for the trilogy and the upcoming Switch 2. Plus, we look at the surprise success of the survival climber Cairn. With a demo that's already racked up 600,000 players, the "simulation of the impossible" on Mount Kami is proving that hardcore survival is reaching new heights. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Press XJoin the Press X Discord: https://discord.gg/MAXtvmv2rwTopics:Making Metroid Prime 4 was originally a request from Nintendo of America; when Retro Studios took over its development, they no longer had the structure to make a MP game and had to rebuild https://nintendoeverything.com/metroid-prime-4-developer-interview-origins-challenges/Its open-world hub was a concession to old pleas from fans for an open-world Metroid that it became too late to change course on later as people's attitudes towards open-world games changed https://nintendoeverything.com/nintendo-discusses-its-approach-to-metroid-prime-4-and-why-it-isnt-open-world/Pikmin 3 Deluxe rated for Switch 2 in Europe https://www.gematsu.com/2025/12/pikmin-3-deluxe-rated-for-switch-2-in-europeJez Corden: First Call of Duty Switch version "is nearly done and launching in a few months" https://x.com/JezCorden/status/2003171421879460027NateTheHate: The Switch 2 “devkit delivery situation has largely been resolved” (in other words, it looks like devs getting a Switch 2 devkit isn't a problem anymore) https://mynintendonews.com/2025/12/29/natethehate-nintendo-switch-2-dev-kit-availability-has-largely-been-resolved/ Questions from Discord: Joe: What are your biggest disappointments of the year? For me it honestly might be the Switch 2. I just think outside of Donkey Kong the first-party titles aren't the best so far. Plus, the high price of the system, charging $80 for a Mario Kart with less content than the previous title, key cards, etc. Also, Microsoft, fuck ‘em.Campfire_knight: Here's a fun question: What is your annual game(s) that you replay? For me, I probably replay Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, and Dark Souls 3 the most of any of the games I own. They are just so near and dear to my heart.

Los creadores de 9 Years of Shadows y Mariachi Legends se pasan por Nuevebits para explicarnos los secretos tras la creación de sus dos estupendos metroidvanias-Comprar Los Secretos de Shadow Moses: https://amzn.to/3KsYAhYMás información del máster en Arte 2D y 3D de UNIR: https://www.unir.net/diseno/master-arte-2d-3d-videojuegos/

William Hope Hodgson's The Night Land (1912) is a staggering piece of early weird fiction — an immense, apocalyptic vision set millions of years in the future, after the sun has died. Humanity survives in the Last Redoubt, a titanic metal pyramid lit by internal power, surrounded by eternal darkness and monstrous forces that hunger for the light within. The protagonist, a telepathic man of that far-future world, senses the spirit of his long-dead love calling from another human fortress — the Lesser Redoubt — now besieged in the black wilderness. Driven by love and duty, he ventures into the Night Land: a desolate, monster-haunted plain where the Earth's surface is stalked by “Watchers,” “Silent Ones,” and colossal horrors that defy comprehension. It's equal parts cosmic horror, doomed romance, and proto-science-fantasy. Hodgson's prose is archaic, deliberately medieval in tone, which makes the book feel like an illuminated manuscript describing a dream of the end of time. Modern readers often find it dense, but it rewards endurance — this is an early ancestor of Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and dark science fiction from Dune to Dark Souls. Check out DB Spitzer's newest book, a love letter to cyberpunk and bartending. FInd us on... INSTAGRAM Facebook YouTube Apple  

William Hope Hodgson's The Night Land (1912) is a staggering piece of early weird fiction — an immense, apocalyptic vision set millions of years in the future, after the sun has died. Humanity survives in the Last Redoubt, a titanic metal pyramid lit by internal power, surrounded by eternal darkness and monstrous forces that hunger for the light within. The protagonist, a telepathic man of that far-future world, senses the spirit of his long-dead love calling from another human fortress — the Lesser Redoubt — now besieged in the black wilderness. Driven by love and duty, he ventures into the Night Land: a desolate, monster-haunted plain where the Earth's surface is stalked by “Watchers,” “Silent Ones,” and colossal horrors that defy comprehension. It's equal parts cosmic horror, doomed romance, and proto-science-fantasy. Hodgson's prose is archaic, deliberately medieval in tone, which makes the book feel like an illuminated manuscript describing a dream of the end of time. Modern readers often find it dense, but it rewards endurance — this is an early ancestor of Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and dark science fiction from Dune to Dark Souls. Check out DB Spitzer's newest book, a love letter to cyberpunk and bartending. FInd us on... INSTAGRAM Facebook YouTube Apple  

William Hope Hodgson's The Night Land (1912) is a staggering piece of early weird fiction — an immense, apocalyptic vision set millions of years in the future, after the sun has died. Humanity survives in the Last Redoubt, a titanic metal pyramid lit by internal power, surrounded by eternal darkness and monstrous forces that hunger for the light within. The protagonist, a telepathic man of that far-future world, senses the spirit of his long-dead love calling from another human fortress — the Lesser Redoubt — now besieged in the black wilderness. Driven by love and duty, he ventures into the Night Land: a desolate, monster-haunted plain where the Earth's surface is stalked by “Watchers,” “Silent Ones,” and colossal horrors that defy comprehension. It's equal parts cosmic horror, doomed romance, and proto-science-fantasy. Hodgson's prose is archaic, deliberately medieval in tone, which makes the book feel like an illuminated manuscript describing a dream of the end of time. Modern readers often find it dense, but it rewards endurance — this is an early ancestor of Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and dark science fiction from Dune to Dark Souls. Check out DB Spitzer's newest book, a love letter to cyberpunk and bartending. FInd us on... INSTAGRAM Facebook YouTube Apple

William Hope Hodgson's The Night Land (1912) is a staggering piece of early weird fiction — an immense, apocalyptic vision set millions of years in the future, after the sun has died. Humanity survives in the Last Redoubt, a titanic metal pyramid lit by internal power, surrounded by eternal darkness and monstrous forces that hunger for the light within. The protagonist, a telepathic man of that far-future world, senses the spirit of his long-dead love calling from another human fortress — the Lesser Redoubt — now besieged in the black wilderness. Driven by love and duty, he ventures into the Night Land: a desolate, monster-haunted plain where the Earth's surface is stalked by “Watchers,” “Silent Ones,” and colossal horrors that defy comprehension. It's equal parts cosmic horror, doomed romance, and proto-science-fantasy. Hodgson's prose is archaic, deliberately medieval in tone, which makes the book feel like an illuminated manuscript describing a dream of the end of time. Modern readers often find it dense, but it rewards endurance — this is an early ancestor of Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and dark science fiction from Dune to Dark Souls. Check out DB Spitzer's newest book, a love letter to cyberpunk and bartending. FInd us on... INSTAGRAM Facebook YouTube Apple

William Hope Hodgson's The Night Land (1912) is a staggering piece of early weird fiction — an immense, apocalyptic vision set millions of years in the future, after the sun has died. Humanity survives in the Last Redoubt, a titanic metal pyramid lit by internal power, surrounded by eternal darkness and monstrous forces that hunger for the light within. The protagonist, a telepathic man of that far-future world, senses the spirit of his long-dead love calling from another human fortress — the Lesser Redoubt — now besieged in the black wilderness. Driven by love and duty, he ventures into the Night Land: a desolate, monster-haunted plain where the Earth's surface is stalked by “Watchers,” “Silent Ones,” and colossal horrors that defy comprehension. It's equal parts cosmic horror, doomed romance, and proto-science-fantasy. Hodgson's prose is archaic, deliberately medieval in tone, which makes the book feel like an illuminated manuscript describing a dream of the end of time. Modern readers often find it dense, but it rewards endurance — this is an early ancestor of Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and dark science fiction from Dune to Dark Souls. Check out DB Spitzer's newest book, a love letter to cyberpunk and bartending. FInd us on... INSTAGRAM Facebook YouTube Apple  

William Hope Hodgson's The Night Land (1912) is a staggering piece of early weird fiction — an immense, apocalyptic vision set millions of years in the future, after the sun has died. Humanity survives in the Last Redoubt, a titanic metal pyramid lit by internal power, surrounded by eternal darkness and monstrous forces that hunger for the light within. The protagonist, a telepathic man of that far-future world, senses the spirit of his long-dead love calling from another human fortress — the Lesser Redoubt — now besieged in the black wilderness. Driven by love and duty, he ventures into the Night Land: a desolate, monster-haunted plain where the Earth's surface is stalked by “Watchers,” “Silent Ones,” and colossal horrors that defy comprehension. It's equal parts cosmic horror, doomed romance, and proto-science-fantasy. Hodgson's prose is archaic, deliberately medieval in tone, which makes the book feel like an illuminated manuscript describing a dream of the end of time. Modern readers often find it dense, but it rewards endurance — this is an early ancestor of Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and dark science fiction from Dune to Dark Souls. Check out DB Spitzer's newest book, a love letter to cyberpunk and bartending. FInd us on... INSTAGRAM Facebook YouTube Apple  

William Hope Hodgson's The Night Land (1912) is a staggering piece of early weird fiction — an immense, apocalyptic vision set millions of years in the future, after the sun has died. Humanity survives in the Last Redoubt, a titanic metal pyramid lit by internal power, surrounded by eternal darkness and monstrous forces that hunger for the light within. The protagonist, a telepathic man of that far-future world, senses the spirit of his long-dead love calling from another human fortress — the Lesser Redoubt — now besieged in the black wilderness. Driven by love and duty, he ventures into the Night Land: a desolate, monster-haunted plain where the Earth's surface is stalked by “Watchers,” “Silent Ones,” and colossal horrors that defy comprehension. It's equal parts cosmic horror, doomed romance, and proto-science-fantasy. Hodgson's prose is archaic, deliberately medieval in tone, which makes the book feel like an illuminated manuscript describing a dream of the end of time. Modern readers often find it dense, but it rewards endurance — this is an early ancestor of Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and dark science fiction from Dune to Dark Souls. Check out DB Spitzer's newest book, a love letter to cyberpunk and bartending. FInd us on... INSTAGRAM Facebook YouTube Apple

William Hope Hodgson's The Night Land (1912) is a staggering piece of early weird fiction — an immense, apocalyptic vision set millions of years in the future, after the sun has died. Humanity survives in the Last Redoubt, a titanic metal pyramid lit by internal power, surrounded by eternal darkness and monstrous forces that hunger for the light within. The protagonist, a telepathic man of that far-future world, senses the spirit of his long-dead love calling from another human fortress — the Lesser Redoubt — now besieged in the black wilderness. Driven by love and duty, he ventures into the Night Land: a desolate, monster-haunted plain where the Earth's surface is stalked by “Watchers,” “Silent Ones,” and colossal horrors that defy comprehension. It's equal parts cosmic horror, doomed romance, and proto-science-fantasy. Hodgson's prose is archaic, deliberately medieval in tone, which makes the book feel like an illuminated manuscript describing a dream of the end of time. Modern readers often find it dense, but it rewards endurance — this is an early ancestor of Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and dark science fiction from Dune to Dark Souls. Check out DB Spitzer's newest book, a love letter to cyberpunk and bartending. FInd us on... INSTAGRAM Facebook YouTube Apple

Dr. K joins Ludwig and Squeex in the middle of an intense Dark Souls marathon to unpack a growing tension that goes beyond the game. What starts as frustration over skill differences quickly turns into a deeper conversation about resentment, competition, validation, and what happens when collaboration turns into comparison. As the conversation unfolds, Dr. K walks them through real relationship dynamics in real time. They explore how cycles of blame form, why arguing over who is “right” often makes things worse, and how resentment quietly builds when people feel unheard or undervalued. The episode becomes a live breakdown of how to move from winning arguments to actually repairing trust. Topics include: Why focusing on “the truth” can damage relationships How resentment builds between teammates and collaborators Competition vs cooperation in close partnerships Feeling respected versus feeling understood Why validation matters more than being right Breaking cycles of blame and escalation How to repair tension without keeping score HG Coaching : https://bit.ly/46bIkdo Dr. K's Guide to Mental Health: https://bit.ly/44z3Szt HG Memberships : https://bit.ly/3TNoMVf Products & Services : https://bit.ly/44kz7x0 HealthyGamer.GG: https://bit.ly/3ZOopgQ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

William Hope Hodgson's The Night Land (1912) is a staggering piece of early weird fiction — an immense, apocalyptic vision set millions of years in the future, after the sun has died. Humanity survives in the Last Redoubt, a titanic metal pyramid lit by internal power, surrounded by eternal darkness and monstrous forces that hunger for the light within. The protagonist, a telepathic man of that far-future world, senses the spirit of his long-dead love calling from another human fortress — the Lesser Redoubt — now besieged in the black wilderness. Driven by love and duty, he ventures into the Night Land: a desolate, monster-haunted plain where the Earth's surface is stalked by “Watchers,” “Silent Ones,” and colossal horrors that defy comprehension. It's equal parts cosmic horror, doomed romance, and proto-science-fantasy. Hodgson's prose is archaic, deliberately medieval in tone, which makes the book feel like an illuminated manuscript describing a dream of the end of time. Modern readers often find it dense, but it rewards endurance — this is an early ancestor of Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and dark science fiction from Dune to Dark Souls. Check out DB Spitzer's newest book, a love letter to cyberpunk and bartending. FInd us on... INSTAGRAM Facebook YouTube Apple

William Hope Hodgson's The Night Land (1912) is a staggering piece of early weird fiction — an immense, apocalyptic vision set millions of years in the future, after the sun has died. Humanity survives in the Last Redoubt, a titanic metal pyramid lit by internal power, surrounded by eternal darkness and monstrous forces that hunger for the light within. The protagonist, a telepathic man of that far-future world, senses the spirit of his long-dead love calling from another human fortress — the Lesser Redoubt — now besieged in the black wilderness. Driven by love and duty, he ventures into the Night Land: a desolate, monster-haunted plain where the Earth's surface is stalked by “Watchers,” “Silent Ones,” and colossal horrors that defy comprehension. It's equal parts cosmic horror, doomed romance, and proto-science-fantasy. Hodgson's prose is archaic, deliberately medieval in tone, which makes the book feel like an illuminated manuscript describing a dream of the end of time. Modern readers often find it dense, but it rewards endurance — this is an early ancestor of Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and dark science fiction from Dune to Dark Souls. Check out DB Spitzer's newest book, a love letter to cyberpunk and bartending. FInd us on... INSTAGRAM Facebook YouTube Apple

William Hope Hodgson's The Night Land (1912) is a staggering piece of early weird fiction — an immense, apocalyptic vision set millions of years in the future, after the sun has died. Humanity survives in the Last Redoubt, a titanic metal pyramid lit by internal power, surrounded by eternal darkness and monstrous forces that hunger for the light within. The protagonist, a telepathic man of that far-future world, senses the spirit of his long-dead love calling from another human fortress — the Lesser Redoubt — now besieged in the black wilderness. Driven by love and duty, he ventures into the Night Land: a desolate, monster-haunted plain where the Earth's surface is stalked by “Watchers,” “Silent Ones,” and colossal horrors that defy comprehension. It's equal parts cosmic horror, doomed romance, and proto-science-fantasy. Hodgson's prose is archaic, deliberately medieval in tone, which makes the book feel like an illuminated manuscript describing a dream of the end of time. Modern readers often find it dense, but it rewards endurance — this is an early ancestor of Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and dark science fiction from Dune to Dark Souls. Check out DB Spitzer's newest book, a love letter to cyberpunk and bartending. FInd us on... INSTAGRAM Facebook YouTube Apple

William Hope Hodgson's The Night Land (1912) is a staggering piece of early weird fiction — an immense, apocalyptic vision set millions of years in the future, after the sun has died. Humanity survives in the Last Redoubt, a titanic metal pyramid lit by internal power, surrounded by eternal darkness and monstrous forces that hunger for the light within. The protagonist, a telepathic man of that far-future world, senses the spirit of his long-dead love calling from another human fortress — the Lesser Redoubt — now besieged in the black wilderness. Driven by love and duty, he ventures into the Night Land: a desolate, monster-haunted plain where the Earth's surface is stalked by “Watchers,” “Silent Ones,” and colossal horrors that defy comprehension. It's equal parts cosmic horror, doomed romance, and proto-science-fantasy. Hodgson's prose is archaic, deliberately medieval in tone, which makes the book feel like an illuminated manuscript describing a dream of the end of time. Modern readers often find it dense, but it rewards endurance — this is an early ancestor of Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and dark science fiction from Dune to Dark Souls. Check out DB Spitzer's newest book, a love letter to cyberpunk and bartending. FInd us on... INSTAGRAM Facebook YouTube Apple

William Hope Hodgson's The Night Land (1912) is a staggering piece of early weird fiction — an immense, apocalyptic vision set millions of years in the future, after the sun has died. Humanity survives in the Last Redoubt, a titanic metal pyramid lit by internal power, surrounded by eternal darkness and monstrous forces that hunger for the light within. The protagonist, a telepathic man of that far-future world, senses the spirit of his long-dead love calling from another human fortress — the Lesser Redoubt — now besieged in the black wilderness. Driven by love and duty, he ventures into the Night Land: a desolate, monster-haunted plain where the Earth's surface is stalked by “Watchers,” “Silent Ones,” and colossal horrors that defy comprehension. It's equal parts cosmic horror, doomed romance, and proto-science-fantasy. Hodgson's prose is archaic, deliberately medieval in tone, which makes the book feel like an illuminated manuscript describing a dream of the end of time. Modern readers often find it dense, but it rewards endurance — this is an early ancestor of Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and dark science fiction from Dune to Dark Souls. Check out DB Spitzer's newest book, a love letter to cyberpunk and bartending. FInd us on... INSTAGRAM Facebook YouTube Apple

William Hope Hodgson's The Night Land (1912) is a staggering piece of early weird fiction — an immense, apocalyptic vision set millions of years in the future, after the sun has died. Humanity survives in the Last Redoubt, a titanic metal pyramid lit by internal power, surrounded by eternal darkness and monstrous forces that hunger for the light within. The protagonist, a telepathic man of that far-future world, senses the spirit of his long-dead love calling from another human fortress — the Lesser Redoubt — now besieged in the black wilderness. Driven by love and duty, he ventures into the Night Land: a desolate, monster-haunted plain where the Earth's surface is stalked by “Watchers,” “Silent Ones,” and colossal horrors that defy comprehension. It's equal parts cosmic horror, doomed romance, and proto-science-fantasy. Hodgson's prose is archaic, deliberately medieval in tone, which makes the book feel like an illuminated manuscript describing a dream of the end of time. Modern readers often find it dense, but it rewards endurance — this is an early ancestor of Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and dark science fiction from Dune to Dark Souls. Check out DB Spitzer's newest book, a love letter to cyberpunk and bartending. FInd us on... INSTAGRAM Facebook YouTube Apple

William Hope Hodgson's The Night Land (1912) is a staggering piece of early weird fiction — an immense, apocalyptic vision set millions of years in the future, after the sun has died. Humanity survives in the Last Redoubt, a titanic metal pyramid lit by internal power, surrounded by eternal darkness and monstrous forces that hunger for the light within. The protagonist, a telepathic man of that far-future world, senses the spirit of his long-dead love calling from another human fortress — the Lesser Redoubt — now besieged in the black wilderness. Driven by love and duty, he ventures into the Night Land: a desolate, monster-haunted plain where the Earth's surface is stalked by “Watchers,” “Silent Ones,” and colossal horrors that defy comprehension. It's equal parts cosmic horror, doomed romance, and proto-science-fantasy. Hodgson's prose is archaic, deliberately medieval in tone, which makes the book feel like an illuminated manuscript describing a dream of the end of time. Modern readers often find it dense, but it rewards endurance — this is an early ancestor of Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and dark science fiction from Dune to Dark Souls. Check out DB Spitzer's newest book, a love letter to cyberpunk and bartending. FInd us on... INSTAGRAM Facebook YouTube Apple

William Hope Hodgson's The Night Land (1912) is a staggering piece of early weird fiction — an immense, apocalyptic vision set millions of years in the future, after the sun has died. Humanity survives in the Last Redoubt, a titanic metal pyramid lit by internal power, surrounded by eternal darkness and monstrous forces that hunger for the light within. The protagonist, a telepathic man of that far-future world, senses the spirit of his long-dead love calling from another human fortress — the Lesser Redoubt — now besieged in the black wilderness. Driven by love and duty, he ventures into the Night Land: a desolate, monster-haunted plain where the Earth's surface is stalked by “Watchers,” “Silent Ones,” and colossal horrors that defy comprehension. It's equal parts cosmic horror, doomed romance, and proto-science-fantasy. Hodgson's prose is archaic, deliberately medieval in tone, which makes the book feel like an illuminated manuscript describing a dream of the end of time. Modern readers often find it dense, but it rewards endurance — this is an early ancestor of Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and dark science fiction from Dune to Dark Souls. Check out DB Spitzer's newest book, a love letter to cyberpunk and bartending. FInd us on... INSTAGRAM Facebook YouTube Apple

Patreon https://www.patreon.com/randomtopicgames Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/randomtopicgames/ ⚫ Discord https://discord.gg/55Qt7SxS ⚫ Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@randomtopicgames ⚫ Web https://www.randomtopicgames.es Hoy os presentamos un Dark Craft, un nuevo MMORPG en ESPAÑOL y con formato F2P ( es decir gratis para jugar) Un juego que mezcla el estilo Dark Souls con la estética Minecraft y del genero MMO. Un juego de mundo abierto con un fuerte componente PVP donde en cualquier momento podremos morir a manos de NPC's o otros jugadores, pudiendo perder equipo. Una experiencia prometedora, que quizás acabe llegando antes que Hytale, arrebatando la sorpresa o la novedad a este y posicionándose como un gran juego de PVP. [ RANDOM TOPIC MÁS INFO ] Y no te olvides suscribirte ► https://bit.ly/RandomTopicSubscribe ---------------------------- #mmorpg #mmorpg2025

William Hope Hodgson's The Night Land (1912) is a staggering piece of early weird fiction — an immense, apocalyptic vision set millions of years in the future, after the sun has died. Humanity survives in the Last Redoubt, a titanic metal pyramid lit by internal power, surrounded by eternal darkness and monstrous forces that hunger for the light within. The protagonist, a telepathic man of that far-future world, senses the spirit of his long-dead love calling from another human fortress — the Lesser Redoubt — now besieged in the black wilderness. Driven by love and duty, he ventures into the Night Land: a desolate, monster-haunted plain where the Earth's surface is stalked by “Watchers,” “Silent Ones,” and colossal horrors that defy comprehension. It's equal parts cosmic horror, doomed romance, and proto-science-fantasy. Hodgson's prose is archaic, deliberately medieval in tone, which makes the book feel like an illuminated manuscript describing a dream of the end of time. Modern readers often find it dense, but it rewards endurance — this is an early ancestor of Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and dark science fiction from Dune to Dark Souls. Check out DB Spitzer's newest book, a love letter to cyberpunk and bartending. FInd us on... INSTAGRAM Facebook YouTube Apple

William Hope Hodgson's The Night Land (1912) is a staggering piece of early weird fiction — an immense, apocalyptic vision set millions of years in the future, after the sun has died. Humanity survives in the Last Redoubt, a titanic metal pyramid lit by internal power, surrounded by eternal darkness and monstrous forces that hunger for the light within. The protagonist, a telepathic man of that far-future world, senses the spirit of his long-dead love calling from another human fortress — the Lesser Redoubt — now besieged in the black wilderness. Driven by love and duty, he ventures into the Night Land: a desolate, monster-haunted plain where the Earth's surface is stalked by “Watchers,” “Silent Ones,” and colossal horrors that defy comprehension. It's equal parts cosmic horror, doomed romance, and proto-science-fantasy. Hodgson's prose is archaic, deliberately medieval in tone, which makes the book feel like an illuminated manuscript describing a dream of the end of time. Modern readers often find it dense, but it rewards endurance — this is an early ancestor of Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and dark science fiction from Dune to Dark Souls. Check out DB Spitzer's newest book, a love letter to cyberpunk and bartending. FInd us on... INSTAGRAM Facebook YouTube Apple

Welcome to Dev Game Club, where this week we try something a little different. Unattached to any particular game, we chat with Ed Fries, a long-time video game developer most well-known for his work  shepherding the early days of Xbox and Microsoft Game Studios. We talk about five games of his early years that particularly affected him. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Podcast breakdown: 1:16:35 Break 1:16:48 Outro Issues covered: a new model for interviews, productivity software wars, a child of engineers, Lunar Lander on a calculator, 6800-based kit computer and programming in assembly, cardboard computer, jumping from BASIC to assembly language, using a print terminal, modem sounds, competitive Asteroids, the first real video game, oscilloscopes and radar, complaining to the dentist, inspiring a generation of programmers and engineers, learning by typing from magazines, the 8-bit microprocessor, getting a 6502 square root routine from Woz, using a computer terminal, an intro to Rogue and its procedural elements, a things-going-wrong simulator, "there were not that many games in the world," building a game for different player types, the D programming language and other alphabetic languages, a short remembrance of Dani Bunten Berry, Multiple Use Labor Elements, how M.U.L.E. plays, screwing your buddies, similarities to Euro strategy games, the auction phase, crystite mining, a literary game, the first original IP character in a video game, moving from real caves to fantasy, some connections, album covers from EA, expensive personal computers. Games, people, and influences mentioned or discussed: Frogger, ROMox, The Princess and the Frog, Ant Eater, Sea Chase, Tom and Ed's Bogus Software, Tom Saxton, Sucker Punch, Microsoft, Ender's Game, Phil Spencer, Xbox, Bungie, Ensemble Studios, Rare Limited, World of Warcraft, Gabe Newell, Atari 2600, Halo, 1Up Ventures Fund, Psychonauts, Keeper, Tim Schafer, Boeing, Digital Equipment Corporation, Lunar Lander, CARDIAC, Nintendo Labo, Apple ][, Atari 800, Space Wars, Asteroids, Nolan Bushnell, Ampex, Ted Dabney, Computer Space, Nutting Associates, Computer Trivia, Pong, Homeworld, Steve Wozniak, Rogue, Defeating Games for Charity, Dark Souls, HACK, PDP-11/VAX, Epyx, Walter Bright, Sid Meier, Civilization, Bruce Shelley, Age of Empires, M.U.L.E., Dani Bunten Berry, Seven Cities of Gold, Settlers of Cataan, Diplomacy, AJ Redmer, Maxis, Will Wright, Dungeon/Zork, Don Daglow, Tim Anderson, Colossal Cave Adventure/Advent, Infocom, Frank Cifaldi, Video Game History Foundation, Kate Willaert, Will Crowther, Don Woods, Mike Haas, Andrei Alexandrescu, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Populous, The Bard's Tale, Outer Wilds, Kirk Hamilton, Aaron Evers, Mark Garcia.  Next time: TBA! or more Pikmin TTDS: 40m 6s Links: Ant Eater source  Princess and Frog source Sea Chase source  Nitro source Errata: I misspoke with respect to the co-inventor of D, it was Andrei Alexandrescu. We regret the error. Twitch: timlongojr and twinsunscorp  YouTube  Discord  DevGameClub@gmail.com 

William Hope Hodgson's The Night Land (1912) is a staggering piece of early weird fiction — an immense, apocalyptic vision set millions of years in the future, after the sun has died. Humanity survives in the Last Redoubt, a titanic metal pyramid lit by internal power, surrounded by eternal darkness and monstrous forces that hunger for the light within. The protagonist, a telepathic man of that far-future world, senses the spirit of his long-dead love calling from another human fortress — the Lesser Redoubt — now besieged in the black wilderness. Driven by love and duty, he ventures into the Night Land: a desolate, monster-haunted plain where the Earth's surface is stalked by “Watchers,” “Silent Ones,” and colossal horrors that defy comprehension. It's equal parts cosmic horror, doomed romance, and proto-science-fantasy. Hodgson's prose is archaic, deliberately medieval in tone, which makes the book feel like an illuminated manuscript describing a dream of the end of time. Modern readers often find it dense, but it rewards endurance — this is an early ancestor of Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and dark science fiction from Dune to Dark Souls. Check out DB Spitzer's newest book, a love letter to cyberpunk and bartending. FInd us on... INSTAGRAM Facebook YouTube Apple

William Hope Hodgson's The Night Land (1912) is a staggering piece of early weird fiction — an immense, apocalyptic vision set millions of years in the future, after the sun has died. Humanity survives in the Last Redoubt, a titanic metal pyramid lit by internal power, surrounded by eternal darkness and monstrous forces that hunger for the light within. The protagonist, a telepathic man of that far-future world, senses the spirit of his long-dead love calling from another human fortress — the Lesser Redoubt — now besieged in the black wilderness. Driven by love and duty, he ventures into the Night Land: a desolate, monster-haunted plain where the Earth's surface is stalked by “Watchers,” “Silent Ones,” and colossal horrors that defy comprehension. It's equal parts cosmic horror, doomed romance, and proto-science-fantasy. Hodgson's prose is archaic, deliberately medieval in tone, which makes the book feel like an illuminated manuscript describing a dream of the end of time. Modern readers often find it dense, but it rewards endurance — this is an early ancestor of Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and dark science fiction from Dune to Dark Souls. Check out DB Spitzer's newest book, a love letter to cyberpunk and bartending. FInd us on... INSTAGRAM Facebook YouTube Apple

テクノロジーが日々進歩する中で、古典的なゲームデザインは変わらずにいてほしい、という意見もある。ゲームは新しい要素や革新的なものを貪欲に取り入れるべきなのか？「ポケモン」や「ドラクエ」や「バイオハザード」といったゲームから考える。 ■ゲーム＆映画グッズ専門店「IGN JAPAN STORE」 https://ignstore.jp/ 00:00 オープニング 07:24 テーマ：ゲームは進化すべきなのか？ 55:32 コメントコーナー ■出演 クラベ・エスラ 今井晋 福山幸司（フリーライター） IGN JAPAN編集部のスタッフが、長々とゲーム雑談をする“ながら見”推奨番組「しゃべりすぎGAMER」。 コメントコーナーではみなさんからいただいたコメントを紹介したり、返答したりします。ぜひコメントを残してください！ ■「しゃべりすぎGAMER」再生リスト https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5dP0ylcT42dJXN_5KJECJ8cI9hK690_e ■ポッドキャスト版 iTunes　https://podcasts.apple.com/jp/podcast/ign-japan-%E3%81%97%E3%82%83%E3%81%B9%E3%82%8A%E3%81%99%E3%81%8Egamer-%E3%83%9D%E3%83%83%E3%83%89%E3%82%AD%E3%83%A3%E3%82%B9%E3%83%88/id1258418439 Spotify　https://open.spotify.com/show/4AKK4MIlRk3Zfj8my703D8?si=x1_N0RZnTWiagXspsoIUkA ■一部使用楽曲 MusMus：http://musmus.main.jp/

William Hope Hodgson's The Night Land (1912) is a staggering piece of early weird fiction — an immense, apocalyptic vision set millions of years in the future, after the sun has died. Humanity survives in the Last Redoubt, a titanic metal pyramid lit by internal power, surrounded by eternal darkness and monstrous forces that hunger for the light within. The protagonist, a telepathic man of that far-future world, senses the spirit of his long-dead love calling from another human fortress — the Lesser Redoubt — now besieged in the black wilderness. Driven by love and duty, he ventures into the Night Land: a desolate, monster-haunted plain where the Earth's surface is stalked by “Watchers,” “Silent Ones,” and colossal horrors that defy comprehension. It's equal parts cosmic horror, doomed romance, and proto-science-fantasy. Hodgson's prose is archaic, deliberately medieval in tone, which makes the book feel like an illuminated manuscript describing a dream of the end of time. Modern readers often find it dense, but it rewards endurance — this is an early ancestor of Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and dark science fiction from Dune to Dark Souls. Check out DB Spitzer's newest book, a love letter to cyberpunk and bartending. FInd us on... INSTAGRAM Facebook YouTube Apple

William Hope Hodgson's The Night Land (1912) is a staggering piece of early weird fiction — an immense, apocalyptic vision set millions of years in the future, after the sun has died. Humanity survives in the Last Redoubt, a titanic metal pyramid lit by internal power, surrounded by eternal darkness and monstrous forces that hunger for the light within. The protagonist, a telepathic man of that far-future world, senses the spirit of his long-dead love calling from another human fortress — the Lesser Redoubt — now besieged in the black wilderness. Driven by love and duty, he ventures into the Night Land: a desolate, monster-haunted plain where the Earth's surface is stalked by “Watchers,” “Silent Ones,” and colossal horrors that defy comprehension. It's equal parts cosmic horror, doomed romance, and proto-science-fantasy. Hodgson's prose is archaic, deliberately medieval in tone, which makes the book feel like an illuminated manuscript describing a dream of the end of time. Modern readers often find it dense, but it rewards endurance — this is an early ancestor of Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and dark science fiction from Dune to Dark Souls. Check out DB Spitzer's newest book, a love letter to cyberpunk and bartending. FInd us on... INSTAGRAM Facebook YouTube Apple

Inspired by Silent Hill f's "optional" ending that requires 4 playthroughs, we decided to dig in on what "optional" really even means. To the point that, actually, we're not sure we even know! MORE PLACES TO FIND USCrubscribe ► https://bit.ly/CrubcastGet the show early and get exclusive content at our Patreon ► https://www.patreon.com/crubOur Crubcasts are recorded LIVE at https://www.twitch.tv/crub_official every Tuesday at 7pm Eastern, with EXCLUSIVE Pre- and Post-ShowsJoin our Discord ► https://crub.org/joinBlueSky ► https://bsky.app/profile/crub.orgCome join our Steam group ► https://steamcommunity.com/groups/crubclubPodcasts are available on Apple, Google, Spotify, and other platforms are available at ► https://crub.orgTODAY'S CRUBCAST HOSTSChris: https://www.youtube.com/@MykonosFanJustin: https://www.youtube.com/@WorldFamousJtart9Moriarty: https://www.youtube.com/@reallycoolNicco: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl56kbl3tb-KiGEHT7MUGUgCHAPTERS00:00 We promise you will be confused too07:31 We begin to talk ABOUT optional content instead of the term itself12:34 On the utility of "secret" (missable) endings in games20:00 Bringing it back on track to what "optional" means27:06 Is the apex of challenge the point in Dark Souls? Or are the credits the point?34:34 To put it another way, if the hardest challenge is up front, what's he point in the rest of it?41:22 We just need better terms, perhaps48:32 Power Stars versus Far Cry waypoints51:33 Who would win, Crub or the 1994 Birmingham Barons? (Chef Kilo) ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Ever had a game session so draining that even your dice lose levels? In this episode, the RPGBOT crew resurrects one of D&D's most dreaded mechanics: energy drain, and the undead horrors that made it famous. From the White Box to Pathfinder 2e, Tyler, Randall, and Ash relive decades of pain, permanent debuffs, and emotional damage, all in the name of understanding why we're so glad energy drain is (mostly) dead. Grab your holy symbol, chug a potion, and prepare for a nostalgic necrotic nosedive. Join the RPGBOT Patreon If you want to keep your creative energy undrained, support the RPGBOT.Podcast on Patreon. Patrons get ad-free episodes, early access to our Masterclass recordings, and exclusive bonus content from Tyler, Randall, and Ash. Join us today at patreon.com/rpgbot — and help keep our hit points (and our humor) at full strength. Show Notes The RPGBOT crew takes a dark, funny journey through the history of energy drain — one of tabletop RPGs' most punishing and misunderstood mechanics. Starting with OD&D's dreaded Wight, they trace how "losing levels" evolved across editions — from instant death in AD&D to hit point maximum reduction in D&D 5e and drained conditions in Pathfinder 2e. Along the way, Ash shares stories from her Ravenloft campaign, Tyler explains why undead needed to be terrifying, and Randall asks the eternal question: "Did anyone actually have fun with this rule?" Covered Topics: How energy drain first appeared in the OD&D White Box The connection between Wights, vampires, and permanent level loss Why AD&D and 3.5 made energy drain one of the most hated mechanics ever Pathfinder 1e and the dawn of "negative levels" D&D 5e's kinder, gentler approach — max HP reduction instead of level loss Pathfinder 2e's drained and doomed conditions, and how they replace energy drain The evolution of innervation and life drain spells How modern systems preserve undead flavor without destroying players' progress A philosophical question: Should tabletop games hurt this much? Plus: a tangent about Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and how much punishment is too much Mentioned Creatures & Mechanics: Wight, Vampire Spawn, Shadow, Ghoul, Varghoul Innervation / Enervation spell Negative levels, Hit Point Maximum reduction, Drained condition Resurrection penalties in 3.5e and Pathfinder 1e Afflictions, Fortitude saves, and Constitution death spirals Key Takeaways Energy drain began as a brutally punishing mechanic — losing levels in OD&D and AD&D could erase hours of play progress instantly. Pathfinder 1e softened the blow with temporary negative levels, while still terrifying players with math-heavy penalties. 5e and PF2 modernized the concept into simpler, narratively cleaner effects like HP maximum reduction or the drained condition. Undead identity survived — even as the math got easier, the flavor of losing your vitality to a vampire or wight remained iconic. Players prefer tension over punishment. Modern systems preserve danger without making players rage-quit. Energy drain mechanics reflect evolving design philosophy — from simulationist suffering to storytelling sustainability. DM takeaway: Make undead scary through story and tension, not through math that kills fun. How to Play Holidays This Christmas season, while you're recovering from your own levels of exhaustion, the RPGBOT.Podcast is re-releasing our "How to Play" Series for Pathfinder 2e — perfect for new players and GMs ready to explore the system over the holiday break. And if your friends are just starting out in Dungeons & Dragons, introduce them to the Remastered Series of How to Play Dungeons & Dragons from RPGBOT.Podcast. Whether you're new to Pathfinder, new to D&D, or just want to survive another undead encounter, these episodes are your ultimate player's guide. Welcome to the RPGBOT Podcast. If you love Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, and tabletop RPGs, this is the podcast for you. Support the show for free: Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast app. It helps new listeners find the best RPG podcast for D&D and Pathfinder players. Level up your experience: Join us on Patreon to unlock ad-free access to RPGBOT.net and the RPGBOT Podcast, chat with us and the community on the RPGBOT Discord, and jump into live-streamed RPG podcast recordings. Support while you shop: Use our Amazon affiliate link at https://amzn.to/3NwElxQ and help us keep building tools and guides for the RPG community. Meet the Hosts Tyler Kamstra – Master of mechanics, seeing the Pathfinder action economy like Neo in the Matrix. Randall James – Lore buff and technologist, always ready to debate which Lord of the Rings edition reigns supreme. Ash Ely – Resident cynic, chaos agent, and AI's worst nightmare, bringing pure table-flipping RPG podcast energy. Join the RPGBOT team where fantasy roleplaying meets real strategy, sarcasm, and community chaos. How to Find Us: In-depth articles, guides, handbooks, reviews, news on Tabletop Role Playing at RPGBOT.net Tyler Kamstra BlueSky: @rpgbot.net TikTok: @RPGBOTDOTNET Ash Ely Professional Game Master on StartPlaying.Games BlueSky: @GravenAshes YouTube: @ashravenmedia Randall James BlueSky: @GrimoireRPG Amateurjack.com Read Melancon: A Grimoire Tale (affiliate link) Producer Dan @Lzr_illuminati

Ever had a game session so draining that even your dice lose levels? In this episode, the RPGBOT crew resurrects one of D&D's most dreaded mechanics: energy drain, and the undead horrors that made it famous. From the White Box to Pathfinder 2e, Tyler, Randall, and Ash relive decades of pain, permanent debuffs, and emotional damage, all in the name of understanding why we're so glad energy drain is (mostly) dead. Grab your holy symbol, chug a potion, and prepare for a nostalgic necrotic nosedive. Join the RPGBOT Patreon If you want to keep your creative energy undrained, support the RPGBOT.Podcast on Patreon. Patrons get ad-free episodes, early access to our Masterclass recordings, and exclusive bonus content from Tyler, Randall, and Ash. Join us today at patreon.com/rpgbot — and help keep our hit points (and our humor) at full strength. Show Notes The RPGBOT crew takes a dark, funny journey through the history of energy drain — one of tabletop RPGs' most punishing and misunderstood mechanics. Starting with OD&D's dreaded Wight, they trace how "losing levels" evolved across editions — from instant death in AD&D to hit point maximum reduction in D&D 5e and drained conditions in Pathfinder 2e. Along the way, Ash shares stories from her Ravenloft campaign, Tyler explains why undead needed to be terrifying, and Randall asks the eternal question: "Did anyone actually have fun with this rule?" Covered Topics: How energy drain first appeared in the OD&D White Box The connection between Wights, vampires, and permanent level loss Why AD&D and 3.5 made energy drain one of the most hated mechanics ever Pathfinder 1e and the dawn of "negative levels" D&D 5e's kinder, gentler approach — max HP reduction instead of level loss Pathfinder 2e's drained and doomed conditions, and how they replace energy drain The evolution of innervation and life drain spells How modern systems preserve undead flavor without destroying players' progress A philosophical question: Should tabletop games hurt this much? Plus: a tangent about Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and how much punishment is too much Mentioned Creatures & Mechanics: Wight, Vampire Spawn, Shadow, Ghoul, Varghoul Innervation / Enervation spell Negative levels, Hit Point Maximum reduction, Drained condition Resurrection penalties in 3.5e and Pathfinder 1e Afflictions, Fortitude saves, and Constitution death spirals Key Takeaways Energy drain began as a brutally punishing mechanic — losing levels in OD&D and AD&D could erase hours of play progress instantly. Pathfinder 1e softened the blow with temporary negative levels, while still terrifying players with math-heavy penalties. 5e and PF2 modernized the concept into simpler, narratively cleaner effects like HP maximum reduction or the drained condition. Undead identity survived — even as the math got easier, the flavor of losing your vitality to a vampire or wight remained iconic. Players prefer tension over punishment. Modern systems preserve danger without making players rage-quit. Energy drain mechanics reflect evolving design philosophy — from simulationist suffering to storytelling sustainability. DM takeaway: Make undead scary through story and tension, not through math that kills fun. How to Play Holidays This Christmas season, while you're recovering from your own levels of exhaustion, the RPGBOT.Podcast is re-releasing our "How to Play" Series for Pathfinder 2e — perfect for new players and GMs ready to explore the system over the holiday break. And if your friends are just starting out in Dungeons & Dragons, introduce them to the Remastered Series of How to Play Dungeons & Dragons from RPGBOT.Podcast. Whether you're new to Pathfinder, new to D&D, or just want to survive another undead encounter, these episodes are your ultimate player's guide. Welcome to the RPGBOT Podcast. If you love Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, and tabletop RPGs, this is the podcast for you. Support the show for free: Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast app. It helps new listeners find the best RPG podcast for D&D and Pathfinder players. Level up your experience: Join us on Patreon to unlock ad-free access to RPGBOT.net and the RPGBOT Podcast, chat with us and the community on the RPGBOT Discord, and jump into live-streamed RPG podcast recordings. Support while you shop: Use our Amazon affiliate link at https://amzn.to/3NwElxQ and help us keep building tools and guides for the RPG community. Meet the Hosts Tyler Kamstra – Master of mechanics, seeing the Pathfinder action economy like Neo in the Matrix. Randall James – Lore buff and technologist, always ready to debate which Lord of the Rings edition reigns supreme. Ash Ely – Resident cynic, chaos agent, and AI's worst nightmare, bringing pure table-flipping RPG podcast energy. Join the RPGBOT team where fantasy roleplaying meets real strategy, sarcasm, and community chaos. How to Find Us: In-depth articles, guides, handbooks, reviews, news on Tabletop Role Playing at RPGBOT.net Tyler Kamstra BlueSky: @rpgbot.net TikTok: @RPGBOTDOTNET Ash Ely Professional Game Master on StartPlaying.Games BlueSky: @GravenAshes YouTube: @ashravenmedia Randall James BlueSky: @GrimoireRPG Amateurjack.com Read Melancon: A Grimoire Tale (affiliate link) Producer Dan @Lzr_illuminati

Matt and Art get back to crushing on Souls games and discuss Upper Latria and The Ivory Tower (World 3-2 and 3-3).Join us on our Discord: https://discord.gg/tQGJVsrnNpFollow us on Blue Sky and X @BlackLodgeRPG and on Mastadon @ BLTNRecorded on 11/13/25Dances and Dames Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/(00:00:00) Intro(00:00:45) Trivia(00:04:10) Start of Discussion(01:22:33) Some bonus Dark Souls 3 Chat(01:31:33) Closing Thoughts

Ever looked at a monster stat block and thought, "That's cool… but what if it was full of wasp parasites, haunted by Victorian metaphors, and could bend reality like a jaded demigod?" Well buckle in, because Keith Ammann—monster maestro and author of Making Enemies—is back to teach us how to create RPG nightmares smarter than your party's wizard, sneakier than a rogue with reliable talent, and more layered than a Dark Souls boss. Buy Keith's Books Keith Ammann's books, including The Monsters Know What They're Doing, Live to Tell the Tale, How to Defend Your Lair, and now Making Enemies, are all available through your friendly local game store or online via your favorite bookseller. Find more at themonstersknow.com—and level up every system at your table. Get your own copy of Making Enemies and start building smarter monsters today! Support local shops first, but if they don't have it in stock? Use the affiliate link in our show notes and help us keep the show going too! Buy it here! (affiliate link) Show Notes The Monsters Know author Keith Ammann returns for his third masterclass to discuss his new book, Making Enemies. We explore everything from designing creatures with realistic biological traits, to metaphorical monsters rooted in culture, to how to mess with your most OP players using quirks and weaknesses. Keith breaks down monster creation for five game systems: D&D 5e, Pathfinder 2e, Cypher System, Call of Cthulhu, and Shadowdark—and why your eldritch beast might benefit from wasp logic or a cursed Victorian metaphor. Making Enemies (affiliate link) Keith Ammann TheMonstersKnow.com Keith's Existing Books The Monsters Know What You're Doing (affiliate link) Live to Tell the Tale (affiliate link) MOAR The Monsters Know What You're Doing (affiliate link) How to Defend Your Lair (affiliate link) RPGBOT.Podcast Episodes KEITH AMMANN STRIKES BACK (Remastered) How to Defend Your Lair with Keith Ammann MOAR The Monsters Know What They're Doing with Keith Ammann Key Takeaways Making Enemies works as both a practical toolkit and a design philosophy for creating smarter, more thematic monsters in tabletop RPGs—across multiple systems from D&D to Cypher. Keith talks about using real-world biology and evolution (think wasps, cephalopods, and parasitoids) to create monsters that defy typical humanoid/mammal tropes. It's unsettling... and that's the point. Monsters as metaphors: Your horrors can represent societal fears, personal anxieties, or moral dilemmas—but choose stories your table wants to confront and conquer, not retraumatize. Phased monsters (like Dark Souls bosses) add tactical and narrative depth—now adapted for multiple RPG systems and not just legendary D&D bosses. Weaknesses and Quirks: Make monsters memorable by letting players discover and exploit lore-backed vulnerabilities—not just AC and HP pools. Magic in Monster Design: Keith breaks down four ways monsters wield magic—spellcasting, innate magic, psionics, and reality-bending—each with different narrative implications. Listen Back: Previous Keith Ammann Episodes You can hear Keith talk more about monster decision-making, smart combat encounters, and defeating TPK machines like a pro in our earlier interviews: Masterclass #1 – The Monsters Know What They're Doing Masterclass #2 – How to Defend Your Lair Bonus – Combat Tactics, Intelligence Checks, and Mastering Boss Fights Catch up on all Keith episodes at RPGBOT.net/podcast or wherever you get your shows. Welcome to the RPGBOT Podcast. If you love Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, and tabletop RPGs, this is the podcast for you. Support the show for free: Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast app. It helps new listeners find the best RPG podcast for D&D and Pathfinder players. Level up your experience: Join us on Patreon to unlock ad-free access to RPGBOT.net and the RPGBOT Podcast, chat with us and the community on the RPGBOT Discord, and jump into live-streamed RPG podcast recordings. Support while you shop: Use our Amazon affiliate link at https://amzn.to/3NwElxQ and help us keep building tools and guides for the RPG community. Meet the Hosts Tyler Kamstra – Master of mechanics, seeing the Pathfinder action economy like Neo in the Matrix. Randall James – Lore buff and technologist, always ready to debate which Lord of the Rings edition reigns supreme. Ash Ely – Resident cynic, chaos agent, and AI's worst nightmare, bringing pure table-flipping RPG podcast energy. Join the RPGBOT team where fantasy roleplaying meets real strategy, sarcasm, and community chaos. How to Find Us: In-depth articles, guides, handbooks, reviews, news on Tabletop Role Playing at RPGBOT.net Tyler Kamstra BlueSky: @rpgbot.net TikTok: @RPGBOTDOTNET Ash Ely Professional Game Master on StartPlaying.Games BlueSky: @GravenAshes YouTube: @ashravenmedia Randall James BlueSky: @GrimoireRPG Amateurjack.com Read Melancon: A Grimoire Tale (affiliate link) Producer Dan @Lzr_illuminati

Come with us to celebrate the birthday of our Caged Lord and talk America's love affair with the charlatan, wearing bad vibes like Dark Souls armor, and Craig's defense of the AMV in 2012's THE MASTER! linktr.ee/swimfans patreon.com/swimfans

There is a small but determined sub-sub-genre of games based on The Legend of Zelda named "Zelda-likes". Usually their own thing, a few have been fused with some of the Dark Souls game mechanics to form something altogether different and their own thing. On this episode I will be looking briefly at two of them: Tunic and Death's Door. Do the protagonists of these titles, a little fox in green and a little crow that reaps souls, have what it takes to overcome the impossible odds against them? Stop by for a listen and find out!

Does anything matter? Does my wife have the cancer of society? Is that Bruce Fucking Cambell??? We talk about: Silent Hill F, Warhammer Romance, Escape Rooms, Left Behind, War of The Worlds, Threads, Dark Souls 2, The Forever Game, Sexy Bug, Rye Lie, Hunting Party, Midwest 70s Goth GF, Scared of Femdom, Pissing With Regan, Red Barrel Kitchen,

Send us a textThe gang didn't really do a whole lot this week!If the Xbox Ally is the future of Xbox, Microsoft is in troubleDragon Ball FighterZ Is Getting Its First New Character In Years And A Major Balance AdjustmentMicrosoft wants you to talk to your PC and let AI control itQuantic Dream's first multiplayer game is Spellcasters Chronicles, a 3v3 strategy action gameSleeping Dogs movie back on track as Marvel star Simu Liu reveals the draft script is "done"Shovel Knight dev's next game doesn't have a single parry, pulling from Castlevania and Bloodborne instead of Sekiro: 'Every game has a parry now … even Doom has Dark Souls stuff in it'Tomonobu Itagaki dies at age 58Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 May Suggest JRPGs Are 'Back,' But Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 Co-director Is Focused On 'What Game Experience Fans Will Enjoy' MARVEL Cosmic Invasion adds Phoenix and Invincible Iron Man, launches December 1The physical Xbox edition of remastered JRPG darling Tales of Xillia seemingly canceled a week before release: "All preorders will be canceled and refunded"Support the showPATREON: http://www.patreon.com/thegorgeDiscord: discord.gg/K8A6SG2Big Gay Nerds: https://soundcloud.com/biggaynerdsBackground music: DJ CUTMAN: https://music.djcutman.com/Broke for Free: https://brokeforfree.comVisager: https://visager.bandcamp.comAdventuria: https://adventuria.bandcamp.com/INTRO: https://soundcloud.com/zak235Ben's BlueSky: thegorgepodcast.bsky.socialSara's BlueSky: radioinactivity.bsky.socialE-mail: thegorgepodcast@gmail.com

Welcome to Dev Game Club, where this week we continue our series on 2010's Deadly Premonition. We dig into the game further, particularly talking about how its open world works for us as opposed to the repetitive tasks of more modern open world games, among other topics. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: Up past town meeting (Tim) and a little less (Brett) Issues covered: scheduling, porting games successfully and not, engine ports and working with engines, removing an easy mode, janky controls and performance, enemy entrances and support, enemies as stories, shadow origins, enemy animation, integrating the pickups to the combat, the baby, the doorknob and the puzzle clue, being lenient with the mechanics, York the jerk, an object playing double duty, phones as save points, door interacts and knowing the player will see something, playing on player expectation, the heart rate monitor, creating dread and drama, having to retread the level while being chased, meeting the killer, disempowerment, reach exceeding grasp, hand-crafted moments, the various technical elements, the expense of polishing all these mechanics, the appreciation of surprise vs the ur-game, seeing the production methodology in the games, the anti-production of the unknown, the diminishing effect of systematizing cultural specifics, fitting the narrative to the open world, interviewing suspects and moving forward the narrative, getting the Twin Peaks experience, knowing one can do things in the living town, the task system and knowing what chapters you can visit people in, getting to locations in open world games and time having stood still for the player, homage vs theft, picking our favorite trading cards, feeling like you're solving a crime, a crime that can play out multiple ways.  Games, people, and influences mentioned or discussed: Portal 2, Defeating Games for Charity, Nintendo Switch, Unreal, Unity, Godot, Halo (series), Republic Commando, Silent Hill (series), Alan Wake, Ico, Resident Evil (series), Hideo Kojima, Dark Souls, Metal Gear (series), Alien: Isolation, Twin Peaks, Final Fantasy IX, The Last Express, Beyond Good & Evil, Rockstar, Witness, Deadline, Infocom, Red Dead Redemption (series), Heavy Rain, Agatha Christie, Mousetrap, Batman, X-Files, Spelunky, Kirk Hamilton, Aaron Evers, Mark Garcia.  Next time: Bonus Portal 2 LIVE STREAM Defeating Games for Charity  Twitch: timlongojr and twinsunscorp YouTube Discord DevGameClub@gmail.com

It's been a while since we had a super nerdy episode so Manley Reviews is here to nerd out with the boys on all things YouTube & gaming! LIVE TOUR TICKETS: https://unsubcrew.com/liveshows Watch this episode ad-free and uncensored on Pepperbox! https://www.pepperbox.tv/ WATCH THE AFTERSHOW & BTS ON PATREON! https://www.patreon.com/UnsubscribePodcast P.O BOX: Unsubscribe Podcast 17503 La Cantera Pkwy Ste 104 Box 624 San Antonio TX 78257 MERCH: https://www.bunkerbranding.com/collections/unsubscribe-podcast ------------------------------ THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS! GHOSTBED Get an extra 25% off when you use code UNSUBSCRIBE at checkout. Go to http://GhostBed.com/unsubscribe to get started. THE PERFECT JEAN F*%k your khakis and get The Perfect Jean 15% off with the code UNSUB15 at http://theperfectjean.nyc/unsub15 #theperfectjeanpod BOOKING.COM Find exactly what you're booking for. Booking.com, Booking.YEAH! Book today on the site or in the app. http://booking.com TURTLE BEACH Level up your game and get 10% off @TurtleBeach with code UNSUB at turtlebeach.com/UNSUB! #turtlebeachpod BLACK FOREST SUPPLEMENTS Try High Flavanol Cocoa (Stem Cells & Nitric Oxide): (40% OFF PROMO FOR 48HR) https://blackforestsupplements.com/UNSUBSCRIBE ------------------------------ UNSUB MERCH: https://www.bunkerbranding.com/pages/unsubscribe-podcast ------------------------------ FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS! Unsubscribe Podcast https://www.instagram.com/unsubscribepodcast https://www.tiktok.com/@unsubscribepodcast https://x.com/unsubscribecast Eli Doubletap https://www.instagram.com/eli_doubletap/ https://x.com/Eli_Doubletap https://www.youtube.com/c/EliDoubletap Brandon Herrera https://www.youtube.com/@BrandonHerrera https://x.com/TheAKGuy https://www.instagram.com/realbrandonherrera Donut Operator https://www.youtube.com/@DonutOperator https://x.com/DonutOperator https://www.instagram.com/donutoperator The Fat Electrician https://www.youtube.com/@the_fat_electrician https://thefatelectrician.com/ https://www.instagram.com/the_fat_electrician https://www.tiktok.com/@the_fat_electrician ------------------------------ unsubscribe pod podcast episode ep unsub funny comedy military army comedian texas podcasts #podcast #comedy #funnypodcast Chapters 0:00 Welcome To Unsub! 4:19 Liam's Content & ‘Offensive' Humor 28:28 Unsub Live Shows 32:16 Political Propaganda 41:24 Liam's Band & Touring 48:38 Problems With AI 52:01 Navigating The Youtube Algorithm 1:10:35 What Is Happening on Twitch? 1:16:36 Ethan Klein's Lawsuits & Fair Use 1:23:34 YouTube Copyright & Demonetization 1:35:23 Dark Souls 2 & Cyberpunk 2077 2:01:26 Indie Games Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices