Podcasts about Idle Thumbs

Sorry, what? You've seen the grenade roll downhill before? Haven't you heard that being jaded is over? We're past that! The grenade is ROLLING down the HILL!! Discussed: Gamecube, Star Fox Adventures, Dexter on Showtime, Animal Crossing, Tidings from the Aether, Dragonball Z: Kakarot, the Sega Saturn, Grandia, Farcry 2, Idle Thumbs, Austin Walker's talk at the Different Games Conference 2016, a mysterious project coming sometime in the future hehe.---Find us everywhere: https://intothecast.onlineBuy some merch if you'd like: https://shop.intothecast.onlineJoin the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/intothecast---Follow on Threads: https://threads.net/@intothecastFollow on Tumblr: https://intothecast.tumblr.com---Follow Stephen Hilger: https://stephenhilgerart.com/Follow Brendon Bigley: https://threads.net/@brendonbigleyProduced by AJ Fillari: https://bsky.app/profile/ajfillari.bsky.social---Season 6 Cover Art by Scout Wilkinson: https://scoutwilkinson.myportfolio.com/Theme song by Will LaPorte: https://instagram.com/ghostdownphoto---Timecodes:(00:00) - Intro (00:46) - Gamecube Prep update (05:07) - Animal Crossing | Better foxes (28:41) - Break (28:42) - Tidings from wildwookie05 to US (30:09) - Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot | Year of Second Chances and Zero Moon (01:11:44) - Break (01:11:45) - Grandia | 2024's hottest new video game franchise (01:32:32) - Break (01:32:33) - Farcry 2 | Emergent Podcasting (02:10:37) - Warpping up ---Thanks to all of our amazing patrons including our Eternal Gratitude members:GrokCorey ZDirectional JoySusan HOlivia KDan SIsaac SWill CJim WEvan BDavid Hmin2Aaron GVErik MBrady HJoshua JTony LDanny KSeth MAdam BJustin KAndy HDemoParker EMaxwell LSpiritofthunderJason WJason TCorey TMinnow Eats WhaleCaleb WfingerbellyJesse WMike TCodesWesleyErik BmebezacSergio LninjadeathdogRory BA42PoundMooseAndrewJustin MPeterStellar.BeesBrendan KScott RwreckxNoah OMichael GArcturusChris RhepaheCory FChase ALoveDiesNick QWes KChris MRBMichaela WAdam FScott HAlexander SPTherese KjgprintersJessica BMurrayDavid PJason KBede RKamrin HKyle SPhilip N ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Behold! Behold! Gaze up the resplendent curvature of Egg! Let those who dwelled here shout out in His glorious voice! Cock-a-doodle doo!Use code AETHER20 when subscribing to Pika Pro for 20% off your first year of blogging!Discussed: Out of the Aether, Fallout (the TV series), Fallout 4 (the video game), Fallout 3 (the video game), Noah Caldwell Gervais' "A Thorough Look at Fallout", Fallout Shelter, Idle Thumbs, Lifeline, Fallout Shelter updates, Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, upcoming bonuses.---Find us everywhere: https://intothecast.onlineBuy some merch if you'd like: https://shop.intothecast.onlineJoin the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/intothecast---Follow on Threads: https://threads.net/@intothecastFollow on Tumblr: https://intothecast.tumblr.com---Follow Stephen Hilger: https://stephenhilgerart.com/Follow Brendon Bigley: https://threads.net/@brendonbigleyProduced by AJ Fillari: https://bsky.app/profile/ajfillari.bsky.social---Season 6 Cover Art by Scout Wilkinson: https://scoutwilkinson.myportfolio.com/Theme song by Will LaPorte: https://instagram.com/ghostdownphoto---Timecodes:(00:00) - Intro (01:48) - Out of the Aether | Weird segue! (12:09) - Fallout | Talking about... Television?! (22:27) - Fallout 3 | I wonder if they let you shoot a gun in this one (01:01:48) - Break (01:01:49) - Fallout Shelter | More games based on this new "Fallout" TV show (01:28:35) - Break (01:28:36) - Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg | I wonder if there's anything online about Sonic laying an egg or something... nah probably not (01:48:35) - Wrapping up ---Thanks to all of our amazing patrons including our Eternal Gratitude members:GrokCorey ZDirectional JoySusan HOlivia KDan SIsaac SWill CJim WEvan BDavid Hmin2Aaron GVErik MBrady HJoshua JTony LDanny KSeth MAdam BJustin KAndy HDemoParker EMaxwell LSpiritofthunderJason WJason TCorey TMinnow Eats WhaleCaleb WfingerbellyJesse WMike TCodesWesleyErik BmebezacSergio LninjadeathdogRory BA42PoundMooseAndrewJustin MPeterStellar.BeesBrendan KScott RwreckxNoah OMichael GArcturusChris RhepaheCory FChase ALoveDiesNick QWes KChris MRBMichaela WAdam FScott HAlexander SPTherese KjgprintersJessica BMurrayDavid PJason KBede RKamrin HKyle SPhilip N ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this episode, Soren interviews veteran game developer Jake Solomon, best known for the XCOM reboot and Midnight Suns. They discuss his first, failed attempt at XCOM, why 75% does not mean 75%, and how many copies of XCOM he sold at Power Gamer in Glen Burnie, MD. This episode was recorded on April 26, 2023.

In this episode, Soren interviews veteran game developer Jake Solomon, best known for the XCOM reboot and Midnight Suns. They discuss how much money he had to give back to Accenture, how to animate multiple units at the same time, and why Sid suddenly started golfing so much. This episode was recorded on April 25, 2023.

In this episode, Soren interviews veteran game developer Trent Kusters, co-founder of League of Geeks, best known for the strategy game Armello. They discuss why Armello has so much output randomness, whether they fudge the odds, and how to turn off a Game-as-a- Service. This episode was recorded on September 8, 2023.

In this episode, Soren interviews veteran game developer Trent Kusters, co-founder of League of Geeks, best known for the strategy game Armello. They discuss how he faked his way into games journalism, how to sneak risky ideas past licensors, and how to make games feel big. This episode was recorded on September 8, 2023.

In this episode, Soren interviews tabletop designer Cole Wehrle, best known for his work on Root, Oath, Pax Pamir, and John Company. They discuss whether John Company is satire, how the East India Company was like QWOP, and the importance of German postal rates. This episode was recorded on March 22, 2023.

In this episode, Soren interviews veteran game designer Tanya Short, co-founder of Kitfox Games and best known for her work on Moon Hunters and Boyfriend Dungeon. They discuss why her parents had to get a second phone like, how she accidentally made a roguelike, and whether Moon Hunters should have combat. This episode was recorded on March 23, 2023.

In this episode, Soren and Leyla interview veteran game designer Charlie Cleveland, founder of Unknown Worlds and best known for his work on Natural Selection and Subnautica. They discuss why Moonbreaker is the first digital miniatures game, if players would notice if critical hits were removed, and whether the game should have an undo. This episode was recorded on March 19, 2023.

It's an all-star panel as Len and Mike Williams are joined by Mohawk Games' and Idle Thumbs' own Soren Johnson and Paradox Tinto's Johan Andersson to chip away at a tricky target: the different design goals between a more "Board Gamey" strategy game like Civilization and the "Simulationist" breed exemplified by Europa Universalis. We discuss what we like and don't like about each one, who the audiences are for each, and how to navigate the significant overlap in those audiences. In the end, maybe it's not as adversarial after all...

In this episode, Soren and Leyla interview veteran game designer Charlie Cleveland, founder of Unknown Worlds and best known for his work on Natural Selection and Subnautica. They discuss why Charlie Cleveland moved to Cleveland, how he did Kickstarter before Kickstarter, and whether Subnautica was intended to be a survival game. This episode was recorded on March 20, 2022.

In this episode, Soren interviews veteran game designer Liz England, best known for her work on Scribblenauts, Sunset Overdrive, and Watch Dogs: Legion. They discuss how she organized her mom's RPG inventories, what is the boiling point of a lion, and whether system complexity matters if the player can't see it. This episode was recorded on September 17, 2022.

In this episode, Soren and Leyla interview veteran game designer Harvey Smith, best known for his work on the Deus Ex and Dishonored series. They discuss what TDA stood for at Origin, if Dishonored is just Thief but faster, and why it is sometimes better to be heavy handed. This episode was recorded on March 23, 2022.

In this episode, Soren interviews independent game developer Matthew Davis, co-founder of Subset Games and best known for his work on FTL and Into the Breach. They discuss whether FTL is a roguelike, how they resolve conflict at Subset, and whether Soren can convince them to add unlimited undo to Into the Breach. This episode was recorded on Sept 19, 2022.

In this episode, Soren interviews independent game developer Justin Ma, co-founder of Subset Games and best known for his work on FTL and Into the Breach. They discuss how he bombed his first game industry interview, why the AI in FTL can't behave like a human, and whether Into the Breach should have unlimited undo. This episode was recorded on March 24, 2022.

In this episode, Soren and Leyla interview independent game developer Chris DeLay, co-founder of Introversion Software and best known for his work on Uplink, Darwinia, Defcon, and Prison Architect. They discuss how to play Prison Architect without a prison, why the game needed cutscenes, and how to design an economy when the world is ending. This episode was recorded on March 24, 2022.

In this episode, Soren and Leyla interview independent game developer Chris DeLay, co-founder of Introversion Software and best known for his work on Uplink, Darwinia, Defcon, and Prison Architect. They discuss why they hid the credits screen for Uplink, who Darwinia's Dr. Sepulveda is based on, and whether you can have too much fun playing Defcon. This episode was recorded on March 22, 2022.

In this episode, Tom Chick and Bruce Geryk interview Soren and Leyla Johnson about their new historical 4X, Old World. They discuss whether the Old World timeline really makes sense, how they approach Early Access differently, and why Soren didn't want to give up on the name 10 Crowns.

In this episode, Soren interviews Luca Redwood, the developer of 10000000, You Must Build a Boat, and Photographs. They discuss why 10000000 has no commas, how he makes sure the player never gets unlucky, and why you need to build a boat. This episode was recorded March 18, 2019.

In this episode, Soren interviews veteran game developer Robin Hunicke, co-founder of Funomena and best known for her work on MySims, Boom Blox, and Journey. They discuss why developers overperform their authority in large companies, how they almost accidentally made Journey a competitive game, and why they decided to let thatgamecompany run out of money to ship the game. This episode was recorded December 1, 2021.

In this episode, Soren interviews veteran game developer Robin Hunicke, co-founder of Funomena and best known for her work on MySims, Boom Blox, and Journey. They discuss why HyperCard was so great, why AI development is game design, and how Steven Spielberg almost made Angry Birds for EA. This episode was recorded March 24, 2018.

In this episode, Soren interviews veteran RPG designer Josh Sawyer, best known for his work on Icewind Dale, Fallout: New Vegas, and Pillars of Eternity. They discuss the purpose of grinding, the difference between viable and optimal characters, and why RPG players don't welcome rebalancing their games. This episode was recorded March 24, 2018.

In this episode, Soren interviews veteran RPG designer Josh Sawyer, best known for his work on Icewind Dale, Fallout: New Vegas, and Pillars of Eternity. They discuss how making a website for a tattoo parlor led to his game career, what is the purpose of traps in an RPG, and how much lore is too much lore. This episode was recorded March 24, 2018.

In this episode, Soren interviews veteran game developer Chet Faliszek, who co-founded Stray Bombay and is best known for his work at Valve on games such as Left 4 Dead and Portal 2. They discuss what shampoo sales have to do with Old Man Murray, why he tests his games in a foreign language, and why game design is easier for co-op games. This episode was recorded August 17, 2021.

In this episode, Soren interviews independent game developer Andy Schatz, who founded Pocketwatch Games and is best known for his work on Monaco and Tooth and Tail. This episode was recorded March 23, 2018. They discuss what Monaco and Rashomon have in common, how familiarity with your best players can be more valuable than metrics, and why the flag bearer in Tooth and Tail can't attack.

In this episode, Soren interviews independent game developer Andy Schatz, who founded Pocketwatch Games and is best known for his work on Monaco and Tooth and Tail. This episode was recorded March 23, 2018. They discuss how he tried to live out Ultima's virtues, why no one was ever able to rip-off The Sims, and why we both hate click-the-stick.

Sarah and Chris discuss NW, Zadie Smith's sprawling tale of the London working class. It's a re-read for both co-hosts, and they loved it just as much the second time through. Join in and see if you agree!

In the wake of Denis Johnson's passing, Chris and Sarah discuss Jesus' Son, the author's bleak yet beautiful collection of stories centered around the desperation of addiction. We also delve into why short stories are frequently so melancholy, and Chris briefly makes an embarrassingly mistaken reference to the Velvet Underground. Join us!

Ruth Rendell is known as a crime novelist, but in A Sight for Sore Eyes she stretches the genre's trappings into a taut and thrilling class-infused generational novel. Join Chris and Sarah as they get sucked into Rendell's bleak but utterly captivating world.

Sarah and Chris discuss The Long Goodbye, Raymond Chandler's classic noir crime novel. It's a cynical, gripping tale of twists and turns, and it's a whole lot of fun. Join us!

With Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale soon to reach a larger audience than ever thanks to a television adaptation, we decided to take on the novel for the Idle Book Club—Chris for the first time, and Sarah for the second. It's a masterful imagining of a modern dystopia, and it remains just as relevant as ever.

Shusako Endo's Silence is a classic of modern Japanese literature, a reflection on faith and humanity that is sweeping and ambitious as well as intensely personal. Inspired to read it after watching Martin Scorsese's recent film adaptation, Sarah and Chris do their best to reckon with this complex novel.

If you've never read Wuthering Heights, it probably isn't what you expected. And if you haven't read it since high school, it's worth revisiting this unusual novel of obsession and revenge. Rereader Sarah and first-time reader Chris hash out their reactions to Emily Bronte's classic!

For the final Idle Book Club of 2016, Sarah and Chris wrestle with The Sellout, Paul Beatty's very dark satire on race relations in modern America. Next month: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte!

Chris Kraus' I Love Dick is an experimental novel that blurs the line between fiction and memoir. In the years since its release, it has experienced a resurgence of popularity culminating in a recent Amazon TV adaptation. Join Sarah and Chris as they discuss whether they...loved it.

What DO we talk about when we talk about love? Whatever it is, from Raymond Carver's point of view, it's not very rosy. Join Sarah and Chris as they discuss this classic collection of particularly short stories. Sorry for the delay!

The Idle Book Club tackles Sarah's favorite author, the prolific and award-winning short story writer Alice Munro. It's no surprise that Sarah loved this collection, Runaway, but does Chris? You'll have to listen to find out. (Spoilers: yes.)

This month, Sarah and Chris discuss Viet Thanh Nguyen's ambitious and bleakly comic debut novel, The Sympathizer. The story of a Vietnamese communist sympathizer among his fellow refugees in the United States, the book is a scorching examination of inside and outside perspectives on the Vietnam War and its reverberations. Next month: Runaway by Alice Munro!

This month, the Idle Book Club discusses Helen Oyeyemi's Mr. Fox, a 2011 book that blurs the line between novel and short story collection. Join us, as Sarah offers her reactions and Chris offers his confusion! For next month, we'll be reading The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen, followed by Runaway by Alice Munro.

Chris and Sarah have their first Philip K. Dick experience (in book form, anyway) with The Man in the High Castle, an ambitious and bleak alternate history novel depicting a world in which the Axis powers were victorious. Join us for an enthusiastic discussion!

Everything I Never Told You is another story in the "mysteriously dead girl" genre—so how does it stack up? Sarah and Chris discuss the story's themes of racism, family interconnectedness, and empathy. Next month: The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick

Something sinister and tragic is at play in an English countryside boarding school, and we're going to spoil it all. Join Chris and Sarah for their discussion of Kazuo Ishiguro's 2005 novel Never Let Me Go. This one had a great forum thread too, so be sure to stop by!

Chris and Sarah stop into the studio for an impromptu podcast in honor of Umberto Eco, the Italian semiotician and author of esoteric novels including The Name of the Rose and Foucault's Pendulum. Eco passed away just days ago, and we felt it was appropriate to pay our respects—and share some choice quotes and personal experiences. Join us!

The first full episode of the new Idle Book Club season tackles Lauren Groff's Fates and Furies, a novel depicting two surprising sides of a marriage—and Sarah and Chris frequently found themselves at odds as well. This battle of the sexes was endorsed by President Obama.

The Idle Book Club is back! After a two-year hiatus, we're ready to start discussing books again each month, with one returning host and one new one. This episode, we announce our first book: Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff. Then, to get back in the swing of things, we share our thoughts on two other books we've recently read: My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante, and The Secret History by Donna Tartt. Join us!

The stories of Don Draper, his family, his co-workers at Sterling Cooper, and The End Of Mad Men podcast conclude.

After a string of expansive omnibus episodes, Mad Men's focus tightens this week for a pointed dive into the depths of Don, Betty, and Pete. Join us in discussing Mad Men's penultimate episode, "The Milk and Honey Route."

Fire up the old organ and lace up your roller skates for one last ride around Sterling Cooper as we take a look at Mad Men's third-to-last episode, "Lost Horizon."

Sterling Cooper seems to be on its last legs, as we approach the series finale of Mad Men. But in spite of (or because of) the glum mood around the office, the crew is sharing some of their best moments in recent memory.

It's an episode of highs and lows—for its characters, anyway. We loved this episode of Mad Men from start to finish, featuring standout moments from Don, Sally, Joan, Peggy, and Glen's chest hair.