Showing posts with label The Texture Pop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Texture Pop. Show all posts
Sunday, August 16, 2015
The Texture Pop: Episode 50: Poppin' Off
This is it, ladies and gentleman. After over two years of podcasting, The Texture Pop's crew has decided to shut our virtual office doors.
As much as we all enjoy doing it (and make no mistake, we ALL enjoy doing this and this is more painful than any of us expected), the simple fact is that we're all really getting busy with our lives. It's been hectic for each one of us, and since we aren't getting paid for this podcast, it's even more difficult to justify the time we spend on it.
Now, this isn't to say that this is the last you'll see of us. Nor is it the last time we'll all get together for a production. Once we all settle into our respective routines, it's likely that we'll reunite for something new.
On top of that, we all have our own projects we'll be working on. Garrett is starting up his Twitch stream. He'll also be joining Chris and number of our old, mutual friends in another video game related project. As for Sam and I, we each have our own blogs and Interactive Friction will continue as normal.
So while The Texture Pop may be over, we're all just getting started! :)
Friday, July 17, 2015
The Texture Pop: Episode 49: Waifu Warriors
0:00:00 Gaming News
Satoru Iwata Passes Away
Though Nintendo games don't appeal to me in quite the same way that they do so many others, it is undeniable that Iwata was one of the best executives in the industry. He knew why people love Nintendo and their games so much, and he did his best to facilitate that. Given how many bad executives we see, the loss of such a good one is truly tragic.
Konami and Kojima are still at odds.
At this point, this story is just sad. Konami really doesn't seem to give a shit anymore.
0:13:50 Chris falls down the Skylanders rabbit hole.
Do you like little plastic shapes? Chris does. In this segment, we discuss the merits so little plastic shapes and why some of them are better or worse than others.
0:42:45 We discuss the Suicide Squad and Dawn of Justice trailers from Comic-Con
I'm still abstaining from commentary regarding their take on Joker in the Suicide Squad. It could work, but my gut is saying that it won't.
We also discuss how dark, gritty, and ultra-realistic DC's movies have been and why that's not a good choice for them.
0:55:25 Garrett discusses Star Fox: The Animated Series
Like I said in the episode, this guy's work is great. However, the fact that he's going to Patreon to fund his work is dangerous, especially given Nintendo's history. I don't want Nintendo to sue him for the proceeds, but I expect them to if they find out.
1:03:40 Garrett details the rest of his week.
If you were wondering what happened to Alvin and the Chipmunks after their terrible movies, Garrett will tell you in this segment.
1:10:20 I played Her Story
Regardless on how you feel about the whole "What is a game?" debate, Her Story demonstrates an interesting way to tell a tale in an interactive format.
This is one of those stories that is made powerful because of its interactive nature. Otherwise, it lacks the impact.
1:18:15 I played Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-
This game really demonstrates to me, the love/hate relationship the so many fighting game fans have with their genre. Guilty Gear is brilliant, and very well polished. However, I can't help but feel that the DLC price points are far too high.
1:26:20 I played Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin
Given how awesome the Estus Flask system was, and how every single decision in Dark Souls played upon the others, it feels weird to see them make these additions and changes that just don't work as well.
It's not a bad game, but it forces you to compare it to its predecessor, and it loses than comparison.
1:49:30 Sam goes to college
As someone who just graduated, it's fairly amusing to see one of my friends go back. Best of luck to Sam, and I hope he learns useful skills there.
1:53:40 Sam played Samurai Warriors 4
I have, perhaps unfairly, given the Warriors games a wide berth for a long time. In this segment, Sam and Chris explain why they deserve some love.
2:05:55 Sam found a program named Taiga
If I ever get into anime, I will probably use this. It sounds like a fantastic program for people who consume a lot of anime.
2:08:55 Wrapping Up
Don't forget, you can always send us questions, comments, and silly stuff at our e-mail at thetexturepop@gmail.com.
I wrote an article on the story of Batman: Arkham Knight. It's spoiler-heavy, but nothing a podast listener will be surprised by.
Lastly, Interactive Friction returns. We continue our painful journey through Watch_Dogs at long last.
Thursday, July 9, 2015
The Texture Pop: Episode 48: The Magical Mind of Yoko Taro
0:00:00 Gaming News
Destiny/Red Bull crossover codes being guessed.
This story could have been infinitely worse, but it's still just more and more bad news for Destiny.
Warner Bros. knew of Arkham Knight's bad PC performance months before
(Link to Shamus Young's article on porting.)
I hope this teaches WB a lesson on why it's important to take care of your customers.
Ubisoft learned from their mistakes with Watch_Dogs
(Interactive Friction talks over the Watch_Dogs trailer.)
I can't add anything here that I didn't already say in either the podcast or during Interactive Friction. You know my thoughts on Watch_Dogs by now.
0:16:06 Chris plays more Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag
And we discuss the pitfalls of the overuse and abuse of collectibles in both the Assassin's Creed franchise and the Batman: Arkham franchise.
0:24:29 Chris and I have each been playing Nier, from Yoko Taro.
If you've been listening to this podcast for a while, you know about our collective fandom of Yoko Taro. This is a more tempered conversation of his works, but still a bit on the gushy side.
0:48:50 I played Paranautical Activity
Again, it is not a bad game, but it just doesn't compare to The Binding of Issac, which does the same thing but better.
0:50:41 I played Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition
This time, I used Lady/Trish. I talk about how interesting it is to use a ranged character in a game with so many melee-focused characters.
0:56:30 Sam played Batman: Arkham Knight while his PC was getting fixed.
(Spoilers from 0:58:10 to 1:10:20)
This was a bit of a continuation of the conversation we had on the last podcast. We also take the time to discuss the potential future for Rocksteady.
1:19:25 Sam played more Weeaboo Anime Trash.
Y'know how it is with Sam. He plays something anime-related, and I crack a few jokes about it. I don't hate anime, but I can't resist.
1:28:45 Wrapping Up
Interactive Friction might come off hiatus soon.
Thursday, July 2, 2015
The Texture Pop: Episode 47: Yaoi Fangirls Rejoice!
0:00:30 Gaming News
Arkham Knight pulled from Steam
Given what we were saying last week, this comes as no surprise.
Red Bull-exclusive quest in Destiny
It's just... I mean.... why?
0:14:30 Garrett returns to the cast!
(Note: From 0:17:20 until 0:22:20, we get into a very spoiler-heavy discussion about Among the Sleep)
It's good to have Garrett back on the show. He's been busy as hell lately, so it's sometimes hard for him to find the time.
0:24:35 Chris played Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag
A pirate's life for him.
0:35:05 Chris played J-Stars Victory VS+
Anyone who is a big fan of anime would be well served by buying this game.
I should point out that is was pretty irresponsible of me to say that implementing Cross-Save is "easy". Even without knowing the particulars of their code bases for each version, which would be a huge factor in how difficult it would be, I have no idea how complex the act of changing a save file from a PS3 or PS4-compatible format to a PS Vita compatible format would be or vice-versa. It could honestly be very complicated.
Cross-Play is also another really interesting, and difficult, programming challenge. Given the decidedly low-budget given to this game, I can totally understand why it wouldn't get implemented. I imagine that relative to Cross-Play, Cross-Save is easier to implement, but I should acknowledge that both are probably a lot harder than I am giving them credit for in the podcast.
0:51:00 Chris saw the movie Inside Out
As with most movies, I will get this on DVD/Blu-Ray when it comes out. I can't wait until then.
0:55:00 I played Batman: Arkham Knight
(Note: This section contains MASSIVE SPOILERS for the game's story.)
Arkham Knight isn't a bad game, but there a lot of things I wish they did better. It has some really noticeable flaws.
1:16:45 I played Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition
Since I just played the first three games, this was the perfect time for them to release the Special Edition of DMC4, at least for me. I'm really happy with the game.
1:29:35 Wrapping Up
Garrett's Twitch Channel
Interactive Friction Plays Watch_Dogs
My article on Dante from Devil May Cry
Thursday, June 25, 2015
The Texture Pop: Episode 46: Devil May Cast
0:00:30 Gaming News
Arkham Knight's PC Port is awful
Just to reiterate, the PC port was outsourced to a different studio. Still, this is another example of the PC audience getting shafted when it comes to big publishers.
Eurogamer Interview with Destiny's Creative Director makes him look like a jerk.
This is one of the worst interviews I've ever read. Eurogamer did a great job staying professional and asking all of the right questions, but the responses were just awful. You have to read it just to get the full force of it.
0:14:08 Chris has beaten Murdered: Soul Suspect (Spoiler Alert after 0:15:56)
Though it isn't the first time we've talked about it, I am glad that Chris finally played the game. It may not be the best game out there, but it does a lot of interesting things with its premise.
0:25:00 Chris and Sam played Dragonball: Xenoverse together.
I honestly think the Chris and Sam sold me on the game during this conversation. The only catch is that they play on the PC. Even with my new laptop, I'm unsure if I could run it well. I'll do some research and wait for the next sale before making a decision.
0:39:23 Sam and I talk about our escapades recording Interactive Friction: Watch_Dogs.
Alternate sub-title: The Watch_Dogs save system is GARBAGE!
When the next Interactive Friction episode comes up, I will go into more detail about why this particular problem perplexes me.
0:43:30 I played the Devil May Cry HD Collection
This convinced me to get the Special Edition of DMC4. That tells you enough about my time with the game.
0:55:45 I played Call of Juarez: Gunslinger
I love the unreliable narrator trope, so of course I would love this game.
1:02:01 I played Rayman: Legends
Really, you can't go wrong with Rayman Legends. It's scientifically impossible to dislike it.
1:05:30 Chris, Sam, my friend Ryu, and I played Lost Planet 2 together.
It's.... a game.
1:11:30 Wrapping Up
My Dark Souls article
Interactive Friction
Saturday, June 20, 2015
The Texture Pop: Episode 45: Everyone's Exhausted Expo.
This week, we take a break from our usual fare to give you a breakdown of our thoughts on the E3 press conferences.
Also, this is the first podcast that I have personally edited. Let me know how I did in the comments.
To make it easier, we went through each conference one at a time in chronological order.
0:00:00 Bethesda
0:17:40 Microsoft
1:08:20 EA
1:32:30 Ubisoft
2:00:20 Sony
2:28:00 Nintendo
2:36:50 Square-Enix
Also, this is the first podcast that I have personally edited. Let me know how I did in the comments.
To make it easier, we went through each conference one at a time in chronological order.
0:00:00 Bethesda
- Doom
- Dishonored 2
- Elder Scrolls Online Expanion
- Elder Scrolls Card Game
- Fallout 4
- Fallout Shelter
0:17:40 Microsoft
- Backwards Compatibility with 360 games
- Halo 5
- Recore
- Xbox Elite Controller
- Fallout 4 Mods
- EA Access
- Garden Warfare 2
- Forza
- Dark Souls 3
- The Division
- Rainbow Six: Siege
- Gigantic
- Indie Games
- Tacoma
- Cuphead
- Ashen
- Beyond Eyes
- Microsoft Game Preview
- Ion
- Rise of the Tomb Raider
- Rare Replay
- Sea of Thieves
- Fable: Legends
- Minecraft and Hololens
- Gears of War 1 remake
- Gears of War 4
1:08:20 EA
- Mass Effect: Andromeda
- Need For Speed
- The Old Republic Expansion
- Unravel
- Garden Warfare 2
- EA Sports
- Star Wars Card Game
- Minions' Mobile Game
- Mirror's Edge: Catalyst
- Star Wars: Battlefront
1:32:30 Ubisoft
- South Park: The Fractured But Whole
- Aisha Tyler's hosting
- For Honor
- The Crew Expansion
- The Division
- Anno 2205
- Just Dance 4
- Rainbow Six: Siege
- Trackmania
- Assassin's Creed: Syndicate
- Ghost Recon: Wildlands
2:00:20 Sony
- The Last Guardian
- Horizon: Zero Dawn
- Hitman
- Street Fighter V
- No Man's Sky
- Media Molecule's Dreams
- Firewatch
- Destiny Expansion
- Assassin's Creed: Syndicate
- World of Final Fantasy
- Final Fantasy VII Remake
- Shenmue 3 Kickstarter
- Batman: Arkham Knight
- Playstation Vue
- Call of Duty
- Disney Infinity + Star Wars
- Uncharted 4
2:28:00 Nintendo
- Star Fox: Zero
- Amiibo/Skylander Crossover
- Zelda: Tri-Force Heroes
- Hyrule Warriors 3DS
- Metroid Prime: Federation Force
- Fire Emblem: Fates
- Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem
- Xenoblade Chronicles X
- Animal Crossing: Amiibo Festival
- Yoshi's Wooly World
- Yokai World
- Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam
- Mario Tennis Game
- Super Mario Maker
2:36:50 Square-Enix
- Just Cause 3
- NIER 2
- Rise of the Tomb Raider
- Lara Croft GO!
- Final Fantasy VII Remake
- Kingdom Hearts: Unchained X
- Kingdom Hearts 3
- World of Final Fantasy
- Hitman
- Star Ocean 5
- Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
- Final Fantasy Portal App
- New RPG Project by Tokyo RPG Factory
Sunday, June 14, 2015
The Texture Pop: Episode 44: Squid Inkorporated
0:02:05 Viewer Questions
"What you do guys think about the graphics of the Fallout 4 trailer?"
They're fine. We mostly spent this time talking about what we expect of the new game and how ugly the other Fallout games were.
"Have any of you guys gotten around to playing The Witcher 3 yet?"
No.
0:13:40 Gaming News
XCOM 2 revealed
We talk about the change from a united world gov't to a ragtag group of rebels, PC exclusivity, and snake boobs.
Uwe Boll hates all of us.
There's no reason to include this story other than the fact that I find it funny.
0:29:55 I finished Bravely Default
Finally. And I've even wrote a piece about how it criticized the standard JRPG plot.
0:31:50 I started playing Dark Souls.
I never would've guessed myself to be a fan of this series, but I totally am. There are just so many good game design decisions on display with Dark Souls and Demon's Souls that you could (and people have) wrote essays on it.
0:53:30 My friend Ryu and I played Resident Evil 2: Revelations (with Share Play)
Since the game had no online co-op, we needed to use Share Play for it to work. Share Play is fine, but it's something I should have had to use to play co-op.
As for the game itself, it's a good game in co-op. The two of us worked very well together. If you've a friend to play with, it's worth checking out.
1:06:55 Sam played The Witcher 1
And he likes the game much more than most of the people I talk to do. Most other people I know hate that game. It's interesting to hear a new viewpoint on the game.
"[The combat] isn't bad. It's just not entertaining." - Sam Callahan on The Witcher
1:24:40 Chris played Splatoon.
At this point, you know what that game is. I don't need to say anymore.
We came up with the title during this segment.
1:44:30 Wrapping Up
My Bravely Default article.
Sam's art blog.
Garrett's stream
Interactive Friction (Watch_Dogs)
Thursday, June 4, 2015
The Texture Pop: Episode 43: Episode With Soul
0:02:00 Gaming News
Metro 2033 and Last Light offer 1/3 of each game as demo
To answer Sam's question from the podcast, those demos are also available on console.
And here is the article about game controllers Sam was talking about.
Infinite Crisis is closing down
That did not take very long.
The Vita is now a legacy platform.
Which sucks, because it had a lot of potential. Sony can really suck sometimes.
0:32:40 Sam went to Momocon
Which I had never heard of until he mentioned it on Twitter. Considering how big it is, that's something I probably should know. It seems like a convention I would enjoy going to.
And here is the Giant Bomb Gal-Gun clip Sam and Chris were talking about.
0:45:00 Sam played The Witcher 1
Apparently it's okay, and somewhat sexist.
0:48:00 Sam finished Gravity Rush
It's a good showcase of what the Vita can do. As a game, it is distinctly lacking.
0:54:00 Sam finished the first Yakuza game.
And his thoughts on it can be found here.
0:55:55 Garrett has been playing Smite
League traitor...
1:01:50 Garrett watched Season 1 of "Rick and Morty"
I swear that I've heard that shows name before, but I can't remember where.
1:15:55 We talk about Steam's new refund policy.
And of course it has problems. To me, this is once again an issue where Steam has great intentions, but didn't fully think through the consequences of their action. For the record, we are in favor of Steam revamping the refund policy. We just feel that this isn't a good solution.
1:22:05 We talk about Demon's Souls (finally)
Even if you're not fan, the Souls games serve as really intriguing case studies in game design. The level and boss design, at least in Demon's Souls, were really top-notch. Though there is a lot of challenge, it's not hard if you take the time to learn the systems.
The Demon's Souls commentary that Sam talked about is here.
1:36:55 I played more Bravely Default.
Long story short: If you liked old-school Final Fantasy games, you will love Bravely Default.
I will also be writing an article to better explain the point I was trying to make about Bravely Default criticizing the standard JRPG plot.
1:44:30 I watched the Kill Bill movies.
I liked both movies, but I say that about most of the movies I watch. My opinion probably doesn't mean much of anything when it comes to movies.
1:50:41 Chris got Splatoon.
For the record, the "squid now, kid now" stuff is referencing this commercial.
We also spent this segment complaining about how terrible Nintendo has handled Amiibos. Nobody can find ANY of these goddamn Amiibos. It's so dumb how Nintendo can't seem to manufacture enough of them.
2:05:25 Sam, Chris, my friend Ryu, and myself have finished FUSE
And we are all just happy to have finished the game. Chris wants to beat it on hard, but I was happy to move it to my shelf.
As promised, here are the trailers for the original Overstrike concept, and the revamped FUSE concept.
Since we mentioned it, here is Hyper Bit Hero's video on the changes between both concepts.
2:21:55 Wrapping Up.
Remember, you can e-mail us at thetexturepop@gmail.com.
We also have finally started Interactive Friction with Episode 0. Episode 1 is also available.
And, of course, don't forget Garrett's Twitch channel.
Metro 2033 and Last Light offer 1/3 of each game as demo
To answer Sam's question from the podcast, those demos are also available on console.
And here is the article about game controllers Sam was talking about.
Infinite Crisis is closing down
That did not take very long.
The Vita is now a legacy platform.
Which sucks, because it had a lot of potential. Sony can really suck sometimes.
0:32:40 Sam went to Momocon
Which I had never heard of until he mentioned it on Twitter. Considering how big it is, that's something I probably should know. It seems like a convention I would enjoy going to.
And here is the Giant Bomb Gal-Gun clip Sam and Chris were talking about.
0:45:00 Sam played The Witcher 1
Apparently it's okay, and somewhat sexist.
0:48:00 Sam finished Gravity Rush
It's a good showcase of what the Vita can do. As a game, it is distinctly lacking.
0:54:00 Sam finished the first Yakuza game.
And his thoughts on it can be found here.
0:55:55 Garrett has been playing Smite
League traitor...
1:01:50 Garrett watched Season 1 of "Rick and Morty"
I swear that I've heard that shows name before, but I can't remember where.
1:15:55 We talk about Steam's new refund policy.
And of course it has problems. To me, this is once again an issue where Steam has great intentions, but didn't fully think through the consequences of their action. For the record, we are in favor of Steam revamping the refund policy. We just feel that this isn't a good solution.
1:22:05 We talk about Demon's Souls (finally)
Even if you're not fan, the Souls games serve as really intriguing case studies in game design. The level and boss design, at least in Demon's Souls, were really top-notch. Though there is a lot of challenge, it's not hard if you take the time to learn the systems.
The Demon's Souls commentary that Sam talked about is here.
1:36:55 I played more Bravely Default.
Long story short: If you liked old-school Final Fantasy games, you will love Bravely Default.
I will also be writing an article to better explain the point I was trying to make about Bravely Default criticizing the standard JRPG plot.
1:44:30 I watched the Kill Bill movies.
I liked both movies, but I say that about most of the movies I watch. My opinion probably doesn't mean much of anything when it comes to movies.
1:50:41 Chris got Splatoon.
For the record, the "squid now, kid now" stuff is referencing this commercial.
We also spent this segment complaining about how terrible Nintendo has handled Amiibos. Nobody can find ANY of these goddamn Amiibos. It's so dumb how Nintendo can't seem to manufacture enough of them.
2:05:25 Sam, Chris, my friend Ryu, and myself have finished FUSE
And we are all just happy to have finished the game. Chris wants to beat it on hard, but I was happy to move it to my shelf.
As promised, here are the trailers for the original Overstrike concept, and the revamped FUSE concept.
Since we mentioned it, here is Hyper Bit Hero's video on the changes between both concepts.
2:21:55 Wrapping Up.
Remember, you can e-mail us at thetexturepop@gmail.com.
We also have finally started Interactive Friction with Episode 0. Episode 1 is also available.
And, of course, don't forget Garrett's Twitch channel.
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
The Texture Pop: Episode 42: Game Player Haters
0:01:15 Gaming News.
Supergirl TV Show Trailer
As a whole, it piqued my interest in the show enough that I want to give it a chance. It has some parts that DC fans might not like, but there's enough done right that I think it can both bring some female attention to DC superheroes and get old fans to keep watching.
0:15:45 Garrett has played some Dying Light.
It's a game I have had my eye on for quite some time. Though zombies have begun to show their decay, it's nice to know that there are still some new and interesting things that can be done with them.
We also have a really good discussion on durability mechanics in video games in this segment.
0:28:45 I had a summer indie game adventure.
In particular, I played Flower, The Unfinished Swam, and Race the Sun.
They all have their strengths and weaknesses. At the same time, each one is worth spending time with just to see some of the other game design ideas.
Out of the three, I had the most fun with Race the Sun. Though it was the hardest, I was very engaged in trying to get as high of a score as I can.
At the same time, both Flower and The Unfinished Swam show how one can use non-violent mechanics to keep players interested.
0:38:45 I finished Demon's Souls.
But we're not talking about it until Sam gets back.
0:39:00 I played Bravely Default.
As a fan of the old-school Final Fantasy games, I am LOVING this game. The turn-manipulation mechanics at the core of the game give players more control over the pace of a battle. There are also enough difficulty options that any RPG fan should be able to get the kind of gameplay experience they want. Despite the classic (read: generic) Final Fantasy plot, there's enough going for Bravely Default to keep my interest.
0:51:30 Sam, Chris, my friend Ryu, and I played Friday Night FUSE!
And at this point, we are really only playing it so that we can get to the end. It's just a bland game.
0:59:30 Chris talks about his new move, and getting internet set up.
Here are the "Super Bitch" and "Asshole Brown" stories I talked about.
1:02:30 Chris binge watches Chappelle's Show.
Like I said, this is on my list of shows to watch. I will get to it at some point.
1:24:45 Wrapping Us.
Feel free to e-mail us at thetexturepop@gmail.com.
Garrett's Twitch can be found here
My article on the popularity of Demon's Souls
And, of course, Interactive Friction.
Supergirl TV Show Trailer
As a whole, it piqued my interest in the show enough that I want to give it a chance. It has some parts that DC fans might not like, but there's enough done right that I think it can both bring some female attention to DC superheroes and get old fans to keep watching.
0:15:45 Garrett has played some Dying Light.
It's a game I have had my eye on for quite some time. Though zombies have begun to show their decay, it's nice to know that there are still some new and interesting things that can be done with them.
We also have a really good discussion on durability mechanics in video games in this segment.
0:28:45 I had a summer indie game adventure.
In particular, I played Flower, The Unfinished Swam, and Race the Sun.
They all have their strengths and weaknesses. At the same time, each one is worth spending time with just to see some of the other game design ideas.
Out of the three, I had the most fun with Race the Sun. Though it was the hardest, I was very engaged in trying to get as high of a score as I can.
At the same time, both Flower and The Unfinished Swam show how one can use non-violent mechanics to keep players interested.
0:38:45 I finished Demon's Souls.
But we're not talking about it until Sam gets back.
0:39:00 I played Bravely Default.
As a fan of the old-school Final Fantasy games, I am LOVING this game. The turn-manipulation mechanics at the core of the game give players more control over the pace of a battle. There are also enough difficulty options that any RPG fan should be able to get the kind of gameplay experience they want. Despite the classic (read: generic) Final Fantasy plot, there's enough going for Bravely Default to keep my interest.
0:51:30 Sam, Chris, my friend Ryu, and I played Friday Night FUSE!
And at this point, we are really only playing it so that we can get to the end. It's just a bland game.
0:59:30 Chris talks about his new move, and getting internet set up.
Here are the "Super Bitch" and "Asshole Brown" stories I talked about.
1:02:30 Chris binge watches Chappelle's Show.
Like I said, this is on my list of shows to watch. I will get to it at some point.
1:24:45 Wrapping Us.
Feel free to e-mail us at thetexturepop@gmail.com.
Garrett's Twitch can be found here
My article on the popularity of Demon's Souls
And, of course, Interactive Friction.
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
The Texture Pop: Episode 41: Parkour Hitman
Chris and Garrett both had important reasons they could not attend. This left Sam and I to hold the fort this week.
0:01:30 Gaming News
Assassin's Creed: Syndicate revealed:
There are some interesting ideas being floated about, but time will tell with this game. After all, it IS Ubisoft we're talking about. Speaking of...
Ubisoft no longer supporting PS3/360
Honestly, that's a long time coming. We all knew this would happening sooner or later, now that the new consoles are out.
0:11:05 Sam has been playing Project Cars.
And I don't have a whole lot to say about it. We do end up talking about steering wheel peripherals though.
0:16:30 Sam talks about his friend playing Bloodbourne.
And how annoying it can be to watch someone else play a Souls game when you're an expert at it.
Speaking of people being bad at Souls games...
0:18:45 I have been playing Demon's Souls
Much to Sam's excitement. It's been fun so far, and very interesting from a game design perspective.
(Note: At the time of recording, I was very new to Demon's Souls had not even looked at the wiki yet. When he's saying things like "World 1-2" and "World 2-1", I know what he means by that terminology as I write this. At the time, I had NO IDEA what he was talking about. Keep that in mind when you listen to this.)
0:33:30 I bitch about Rayman:Legend's lack of online co-op.
Because I really wanted to play with my friend. It's a shame he lives in a different state entirely.
0:37:30 I have finished Resonance of Fate
WARNING: We spoil a few things from 0:40:00 to 0:46:35 and from 0:49:50 to 0:52:45
Overall, I really like the game, but I understand why I didn't catch on. Considering how much of the game's plot is unresolved, it's a real shame that we will likely never get a sequel.
0:54:00 Wrapping Up.
Interactive Friction should have some new content coming out in the next week or so. In the meantime, feel free to watch our seasons on Far Cry 3 and Tomb Raider.
0:01:30 Gaming News
Assassin's Creed: Syndicate revealed:
There are some interesting ideas being floated about, but time will tell with this game. After all, it IS Ubisoft we're talking about. Speaking of...
Ubisoft no longer supporting PS3/360
Honestly, that's a long time coming. We all knew this would happening sooner or later, now that the new consoles are out.
0:11:05 Sam has been playing Project Cars.
And I don't have a whole lot to say about it. We do end up talking about steering wheel peripherals though.
0:16:30 Sam talks about his friend playing Bloodbourne.
And how annoying it can be to watch someone else play a Souls game when you're an expert at it.
Speaking of people being bad at Souls games...
0:18:45 I have been playing Demon's Souls
Much to Sam's excitement. It's been fun so far, and very interesting from a game design perspective.
(Note: At the time of recording, I was very new to Demon's Souls had not even looked at the wiki yet. When he's saying things like "World 1-2" and "World 2-1", I know what he means by that terminology as I write this. At the time, I had NO IDEA what he was talking about. Keep that in mind when you listen to this.)
0:33:30 I bitch about Rayman:Legend's lack of online co-op.
Because I really wanted to play with my friend. It's a shame he lives in a different state entirely.
0:37:30 I have finished Resonance of Fate
WARNING: We spoil a few things from 0:40:00 to 0:46:35 and from 0:49:50 to 0:52:45
Overall, I really like the game, but I understand why I didn't catch on. Considering how much of the game's plot is unresolved, it's a real shame that we will likely never get a sequel.
0:54:00 Wrapping Up.
Interactive Friction should have some new content coming out in the next week or so. In the meantime, feel free to watch our seasons on Far Cry 3 and Tomb Raider.
Friday, May 15, 2015
The Texture Pop: Episode 40: Infection Buddies
My apologies for the late posting. I have been busy for these past few days.
0:01:33 Gaming News
Batman: Arkham Knight Season Pass (Costs $40)
I don't know whether I should have been surprised to see this or not. This is the logical extension of the pre-order/season pass system. It was bound to happen, and giving Warner Bros. awful history in its short time as a well-known publisher, they were going to be one of the ones to push as far as they did.
It is interesting how publishers don't seem to realize that this system subtly encourages consumers to just wait for the collector's edition, with all of the DLC content included. Playing the launch day-edition is almost a fool's proposition, unless you are extremely sure that you'll enjoy the content.
PT has been completely removed from the PS Store.
Even worse, all active copies now have an expiration date. It's less a condemnation of Konami, but more of an acknowledgement of the consequences of the brave, new world of digital gaming.
As an addendum: Since the time of record, SuperBunnyHop's video on Konami temporarily received a takedown notice, but Konami failed to file it correctly.
0:24:20 Sam bought a new gaming monitor.
This one specifically, or a similar model.
Sam spends the rest of this segment talking nerdy to us. And we also talk about how it's changed his gaming habits.
0:40:10 Sam purchased the New 3DS.
Ignoring the confusing name, Nintendo is terrible about the transfer process. At least the customer support was good enough.
0:51:30 Sam beat Dark Souls 2: Scholars of the First Sin
And we talk about it's differences with the base game.
0:57:35 Garrett is sick as a dog.
And a title was born.
Here is the hot kool-aid video he was talking about.
1:02:35 Garrett talks League of Legends.
1:08:55 I played Resonance of Fate
To get an idea of what kind of hilarity is in this game: Here are both the raisins scene and the hand slap scene.
Though the combat is extremely difficult to explain, it's really fun to play. There's a ton of strategy involved and it looks really stylish.
Side note: You can hear the South in Sam's voice when he pronounced "naked" as "nekkid".
1:24:50 I finished up Drakengard 3.
As we said before, this series and the world it takes place it is so very rich and fascinating. In a way, it's basically a giant criticism of video games, fantasy worlds, and the people who enjoy them. It's undeniably dark, and I love it for precisely that reason.
I also wrote a piece about how the game lampshades its mechanics. It can be found here.
1:38:35 We played more FUSE together.
The only reason parts of this game are fun and/or funny is because the rest of the game is so bland, monotonous, and boring that any sort of mildly interesting stimuli causes some sort of reaction. Those parts are less amusing in and of themselves and more interesting in light of the fact that everything else is so boring.
1:47:50 Chris has been playing Splatoon's Global Test Fire.
Sounds pretty fun.
1:59:00 Wrapping Up
Once again, my Drakengard 3 article here.
Sam's site.
Garrett's Twitch Channel.
And of course, you can e-mail us at thetexturepop@gmail.com
0:01:33 Gaming News
Batman: Arkham Knight Season Pass (Costs $40)
I don't know whether I should have been surprised to see this or not. This is the logical extension of the pre-order/season pass system. It was bound to happen, and giving Warner Bros. awful history in its short time as a well-known publisher, they were going to be one of the ones to push as far as they did.
It is interesting how publishers don't seem to realize that this system subtly encourages consumers to just wait for the collector's edition, with all of the DLC content included. Playing the launch day-edition is almost a fool's proposition, unless you are extremely sure that you'll enjoy the content.
PT has been completely removed from the PS Store.
Even worse, all active copies now have an expiration date. It's less a condemnation of Konami, but more of an acknowledgement of the consequences of the brave, new world of digital gaming.
As an addendum: Since the time of record, SuperBunnyHop's video on Konami temporarily received a takedown notice, but Konami failed to file it correctly.
0:24:20 Sam bought a new gaming monitor.
This one specifically, or a similar model.
Sam spends the rest of this segment talking nerdy to us. And we also talk about how it's changed his gaming habits.
0:40:10 Sam purchased the New 3DS.
Ignoring the confusing name, Nintendo is terrible about the transfer process. At least the customer support was good enough.
0:51:30 Sam beat Dark Souls 2: Scholars of the First Sin
And we talk about it's differences with the base game.
0:57:35 Garrett is sick as a dog.
And a title was born.
Here is the hot kool-aid video he was talking about.
1:02:35 Garrett talks League of Legends.
1:08:55 I played Resonance of Fate
To get an idea of what kind of hilarity is in this game: Here are both the raisins scene and the hand slap scene.
Though the combat is extremely difficult to explain, it's really fun to play. There's a ton of strategy involved and it looks really stylish.
Side note: You can hear the South in Sam's voice when he pronounced "naked" as "nekkid".
1:24:50 I finished up Drakengard 3.
As we said before, this series and the world it takes place it is so very rich and fascinating. In a way, it's basically a giant criticism of video games, fantasy worlds, and the people who enjoy them. It's undeniably dark, and I love it for precisely that reason.
I also wrote a piece about how the game lampshades its mechanics. It can be found here.
1:38:35 We played more FUSE together.
The only reason parts of this game are fun and/or funny is because the rest of the game is so bland, monotonous, and boring that any sort of mildly interesting stimuli causes some sort of reaction. Those parts are less amusing in and of themselves and more interesting in light of the fact that everything else is so boring.
1:47:50 Chris has been playing Splatoon's Global Test Fire.
Sounds pretty fun.
1:59:00 Wrapping Up
Once again, my Drakengard 3 article here.
Sam's site.
Garrett's Twitch Channel.
And of course, you can e-mail us at thetexturepop@gmail.com
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
The Texture Pop: Episode 39: 200cc Omen
Hosts: Chris, Brandon, Garrett
0:02:05 Gaming News
Steam no longer supports paid mods in Skyrim
Thank goodness. I'm no against modders getting paid, but there was no way this was going to work. Here's Shamus's take, as promised.
What the fuck, Konami?
Clearly, they don't even care anymore.
0:21:15 Viewer Questions
"Is there anyone in the film or television field that you'd like to get involved in game design?"
This question was clearly inspired by Silent Hills. It was interesting to ruminate.
"What do you predict that Kojima's next project will be?"
I legitimately wonder this. I would assume that either way, he'll want to take some time off to recharge after what Konami did.
0:35:00 Garrett's Week
0:44:25 I player Unrest
It's a good RPG, but sadly that's all I have to say about it. I wish I had more meaningful commentary than that, and I wish the game left a bigger impression on me.
0:47:30 I played The Banner Saga
Though I played on Easy, I really enjoyed the game. Every part of it feeds into the overall tone the developers were trying for.
If you want to know more about the combat, I wrote an article about it.
0:55:40 I watched Serenity
That basically ends my Joss Whedon marathon. I've seen everything I need to know.
0:57:55 Chris played some Nintendo-DLC
In particular, we spent most of the conversation on Mario Kart DLC.
1:07:00 Wrapping Up
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
The Texture Pop: Episode 38: The FUSE Experience
0:02:19 Viewer Question
What would be your ideal Star Wars game?
This was written in lieu of the trailers of both the new Battlefront game and Episode 7. Also, I need to make clear that Star Wars is not a franchise that appeals to me, so if my opinions are seen as heretical to fans, it's not something I can help. This is in regards to both the movie and game discussions.
And remember, if you have questions and/or comments that you'd like us to read on the air, you can do so at thetexturepop@gmail.com
0:21:15 Gaming News
Skyrim allowed paid mods on Steam.
For the record, we recorded this podcast on Sunday. By the time of this writing, paid Skyrim mods have been removed. So I kinda have to put my foot in my mouth regards to the apocalyptic tone expressed during this segment. Still, I stand behind the opinions expressed on this subject. It's a well-meaning idea, but Valve didn't really think too much about what the implications were behind such a massive, overnight change.
0:39:55 Garrett talks about his week.
1:03:00 Sam sells furniture (and reads The Fault in Our Stars)
As someone who follows John Green online, I really need to start reading his books. They seem like they'd be right up my alley.
1:09:40 Sam played portable games (while selling furniture)
In particular, he played Muramasa: Rebirth, Persona Q, and Crimson Shroud.
It's nice to hear Sam make similar criticisms that I made when I played Persona Q. I even wrote an article about it way back when.
1:21:00 Sam got into Monster Hunter and God Eater: Burst
As our resident Dark Souls player, I'm not really surprised these games would interest him.
1:34:50 I finished Pillars of Eternity.
It's like Baldur's Gate 2, but without all of the stuff that makes me hate Baldur's Gate 2.
1:46:00 I watched Dollhouse by Joss Whedon
It's a darkly interesting series. Though only 2 seasons long, it did more than many other shows have managed in 5 seasons.
1:50:00 Sam, Chris, one of my friends, and I played Insomniac Game's FUSE
Dear god, that game. We're going to keep going, but it's going to be painful.
2:09:00 Chris played more South Park: The Stick of Truth
2:22:50 Wrapping Up
What would be your ideal Star Wars game?
This was written in lieu of the trailers of both the new Battlefront game and Episode 7. Also, I need to make clear that Star Wars is not a franchise that appeals to me, so if my opinions are seen as heretical to fans, it's not something I can help. This is in regards to both the movie and game discussions.
And remember, if you have questions and/or comments that you'd like us to read on the air, you can do so at thetexturepop@gmail.com
0:21:15 Gaming News
Skyrim allowed paid mods on Steam.
For the record, we recorded this podcast on Sunday. By the time of this writing, paid Skyrim mods have been removed. So I kinda have to put my foot in my mouth regards to the apocalyptic tone expressed during this segment. Still, I stand behind the opinions expressed on this subject. It's a well-meaning idea, but Valve didn't really think too much about what the implications were behind such a massive, overnight change.
0:39:55 Garrett talks about his week.
1:03:00 Sam sells furniture (and reads The Fault in Our Stars)
As someone who follows John Green online, I really need to start reading his books. They seem like they'd be right up my alley.
1:09:40 Sam played portable games (while selling furniture)
In particular, he played Muramasa: Rebirth, Persona Q, and Crimson Shroud.
It's nice to hear Sam make similar criticisms that I made when I played Persona Q. I even wrote an article about it way back when.
1:21:00 Sam got into Monster Hunter and God Eater: Burst
As our resident Dark Souls player, I'm not really surprised these games would interest him.
1:34:50 I finished Pillars of Eternity.
It's like Baldur's Gate 2, but without all of the stuff that makes me hate Baldur's Gate 2.
1:46:00 I watched Dollhouse by Joss Whedon
It's a darkly interesting series. Though only 2 seasons long, it did more than many other shows have managed in 5 seasons.
1:50:00 Sam, Chris, one of my friends, and I played Insomniac Game's FUSE
Dear god, that game. We're going to keep going, but it's going to be painful.
2:09:00 Chris played more South Park: The Stick of Truth
2:22:50 Wrapping Up
Friday, April 24, 2015
The Texture Pop: Episode 37: Alien Dildos
Sam and Garrett were unable to join us for this episode for various reasons. (You know how it is with various reasons.) So, Chris and I held the fort.
Also, we still don't have any viewer questions. If you would like to submit a question or comment to be read on the air, please send it to thetexturepop@gmail.com.
0:01:30 Gaming News
Gamespot to Experiment with Retro Games
Like most of these types of news stories, it is hard to say how good/bad it is until after the changes get implemented.
Mortal Kombat's First Canonically Gay Character
I'm still waiting for the day that news like this is no longer a big deal. Until then, it's always nice to be a little more inclusive.
The Unity Engine Now Supports the 3DS and 3DS XL
Given now Nintendo doesn't often support smaller devs, so this is a good move. Considering how badly the company flubs in other areas, this is well-needed PR.
0:18:55 I got a new laptop.
The old one was about 4 years old now, so honestly I'm more than due for an upgrade. Still, that doesn't mean that I was particularly happy about shelling out $650 for a new system. Ah well, one must make lemonade out of lemons, as they say.
0:23:50 I linked an article on Reddit, and then Kotaku linked to it.
The Reddit link is here, and the Kotaku link is here.
Needless to say, it may me really happy.
0:27:50 I finished a lot of Joss Whedon's old TV shows this week.
I've been gradually chipping away and both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off, Angel, for a number of months now. Since Firefly was only 13 episodes, and my laptop was out of commission, so watching it on my PS4 was really one of the only sensible uses of my time.
I enjoyed all of those shows, and Joss Whedon's writing is top notch. Like I said in the podcast, his dialog feels very natural. Also, he's very self-aware of the tropes and cliches that he is both using and subverting.
As an aside, it's funny to see Chris fumble in a conversation about TV shows.
We also talk about the act of TV watching in the general sense in this segment.
0:43:30 Chris played South Park: The Stick of Truth.
And we somehow got a full 20 minutes worth of conversation about it, despite my complete disinterest in South Park.
1:05:00 Wrapping up.
Interactive Friction: Tomb Raider (2013) is now complete. You can see the whole season here.
Also, we still don't have any viewer questions. If you would like to submit a question or comment to be read on the air, please send it to thetexturepop@gmail.com.
0:01:30 Gaming News
Gamespot to Experiment with Retro Games
Like most of these types of news stories, it is hard to say how good/bad it is until after the changes get implemented.
Mortal Kombat's First Canonically Gay Character
I'm still waiting for the day that news like this is no longer a big deal. Until then, it's always nice to be a little more inclusive.
The Unity Engine Now Supports the 3DS and 3DS XL
Given now Nintendo doesn't often support smaller devs, so this is a good move. Considering how badly the company flubs in other areas, this is well-needed PR.
0:18:55 I got a new laptop.
The old one was about 4 years old now, so honestly I'm more than due for an upgrade. Still, that doesn't mean that I was particularly happy about shelling out $650 for a new system. Ah well, one must make lemonade out of lemons, as they say.
0:23:50 I linked an article on Reddit, and then Kotaku linked to it.
The Reddit link is here, and the Kotaku link is here.
Needless to say, it may me really happy.
0:27:50 I finished a lot of Joss Whedon's old TV shows this week.
I've been gradually chipping away and both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off, Angel, for a number of months now. Since Firefly was only 13 episodes, and my laptop was out of commission, so watching it on my PS4 was really one of the only sensible uses of my time.
I enjoyed all of those shows, and Joss Whedon's writing is top notch. Like I said in the podcast, his dialog feels very natural. Also, he's very self-aware of the tropes and cliches that he is both using and subverting.
As an aside, it's funny to see Chris fumble in a conversation about TV shows.
We also talk about the act of TV watching in the general sense in this segment.
0:43:30 Chris played South Park: The Stick of Truth.
And we somehow got a full 20 minutes worth of conversation about it, despite my complete disinterest in South Park.
1:05:00 Wrapping up.
Interactive Friction: Tomb Raider (2013) is now complete. You can see the whole season here.
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
The Texture Pop: Episode 36: All About the Vapes
First off, I'd like to apologize for the complete lack of annotations for last week's podcast. A lot went on last week, so I wasn't able to get them done.
We're also changing things up on the podcast front. Sam's getting busier and busier with all of his side projects, so from now on Chris will be taking responsibility for the act of hosting, editing, and publishing the podcast.
The other big change was the use of Mumble. Previous episode were recorded over Skype. With Mumble, we hope that uncompressed audio will make the listening experience more pleasant. We still have some kinks to work out, but it sounds a lot better.
Lastly, we still have no viewer questions. If you would like to submit a question, comment, or something you'd like read on the air, send us an e-mail at thetexturepop@gmail.com.
0:02:15 Gaming News
New Deus Ex game: Mankind Divided.
I'm really excited for it. Human Revolution was a great game, and I have a feeling I will enjoy going back to that world.
The Tomb Raider reboot is the best-selling game in the franchise... ever.
Take that, Square-Enix circa 2013.
0:15:25 Sam played Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin
And he tells us a bit about how different it feels from the point of view of a chronic Dark Souls-player.
0:23:30 Sam played DMC: Devil May Cry: Definitive Edition
It seems like the fact that all four of us liked the reboot is a bit of an anomaly. It's really not a bad game, and the new edition seems to address most of my complaints about the original version, including some of the more objectionable jokes.
0:39:00 Garrett attends the East Coast Gaming Conference (ECGC)
It was really to hear him talk about it. I would love to attend such a conference in the future, when finances allow.
0:50:50 Garrett purchased a Vape.
Which gets us talking about drugs and cigarettes.
0:56:55 I finished Final Fantasy 3.
I noticed as I was saying it in this episode, but there are a lot of RPGs that I loved until the ending. RPGs don't do endings very well.
1:02:00 I played Pillars of Eternity.
I've really enjoyed my playthrough thus far. It does well to pay homage to old games like Baldur's Gate, without duplicating a lot of the big problems of those games. A good fusion of old and new mechanics.
1:19:00 Chris played more Dragonball: Xenoverse
And we're still not sure if he likes it or not.
1:34:15 Wrapping Up.
Remember to write to us at thetexturepop@gmail.com
My Dragon Age: Inquisition article is here.
Also, my new comment is unveiled, which you can interact with at the bottom of this very post, among others.
And, of course, Interactive Friction is almost finished with it's second season, which you can see here.
We're also changing things up on the podcast front. Sam's getting busier and busier with all of his side projects, so from now on Chris will be taking responsibility for the act of hosting, editing, and publishing the podcast.
The other big change was the use of Mumble. Previous episode were recorded over Skype. With Mumble, we hope that uncompressed audio will make the listening experience more pleasant. We still have some kinks to work out, but it sounds a lot better.
Lastly, we still have no viewer questions. If you would like to submit a question, comment, or something you'd like read on the air, send us an e-mail at thetexturepop@gmail.com.
0:02:15 Gaming News
New Deus Ex game: Mankind Divided.
I'm really excited for it. Human Revolution was a great game, and I have a feeling I will enjoy going back to that world.
The Tomb Raider reboot is the best-selling game in the franchise... ever.
Take that, Square-Enix circa 2013.
0:15:25 Sam played Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin
And he tells us a bit about how different it feels from the point of view of a chronic Dark Souls-player.
0:23:30 Sam played DMC: Devil May Cry: Definitive Edition
It seems like the fact that all four of us liked the reboot is a bit of an anomaly. It's really not a bad game, and the new edition seems to address most of my complaints about the original version, including some of the more objectionable jokes.
0:39:00 Garrett attends the East Coast Gaming Conference (ECGC)
It was really to hear him talk about it. I would love to attend such a conference in the future, when finances allow.
0:50:50 Garrett purchased a Vape.
Which gets us talking about drugs and cigarettes.
0:56:55 I finished Final Fantasy 3.
I noticed as I was saying it in this episode, but there are a lot of RPGs that I loved until the ending. RPGs don't do endings very well.
1:02:00 I played Pillars of Eternity.
I've really enjoyed my playthrough thus far. It does well to pay homage to old games like Baldur's Gate, without duplicating a lot of the big problems of those games. A good fusion of old and new mechanics.
1:19:00 Chris played more Dragonball: Xenoverse
And we're still not sure if he likes it or not.
1:34:15 Wrapping Up.
Remember to write to us at thetexturepop@gmail.com
My Dragon Age: Inquisition article is here.
Also, my new comment is unveiled, which you can interact with at the bottom of this very post, among others.
And, of course, Interactive Friction is almost finished with it's second season, which you can see here.
Thursday, April 2, 2015
The Texture Pop: Episode 34: MPPH
The whole group is together again in the effort to make this podcast more succinct. We will keep working at this, so feel free to let us know how we do. You may be confused about the title, but Sam lovingly
Remember, if you would like to send us a question or comment to be read on the air, you may do so at thetexturepop@gmail.com. Even if you don't want it read out loud, feel free to drop us a line if you want to communicate with us.
0:02:05 Gaming News
Deadpool movie costume finally revealed:
Chris, as our comic book guy, seems rather optimistic about the production. After seeing this picture, I can understand why.
X-Files reboot is actually happened:
Sam does bring up a point about "Why does this need to exist?" Most fans of the show agree that the show went out on a whimper after its last two seasons, so a reboot may not be advised. However, it could be interesting to see how they work within the context of the modern world and more contemporary conspiracy theories. For an aliens-themed show, The X-Files aged well, but aliens are still out of favor. I'm interested in what they do with these six new episodes.
Also, David Duchovny did an interview after we record the podcast on David Letterman, talking a bit more about it.
0:14:05 I played a bit of Hitman: Blood Money.
Hitman has been a weird franchise. Even though it's never really been a big seller, it is almost always brought up as an example of good stealth game design. If you haven't played Blood Money, it's worth checking out. The previous games are okay, but never play the first (Codename 47). It's awful.
0:18:01 I played Final Fantasy III
I like the pacing of a lot of the NES/SNES JRPGs, because they are not meant to take up a lot of time. Considering how much games seek to give tons of content, without much depth or variety, it was nice to play a game that didn't try to be much longer than it had too.
0:22:30 I played Dragon Age: Inquisition
Despite how irritating it is for me to have to make so many different video game accounts, I am having a blast with Inquisition.
The Hinterlands criticism isn't exactly new, but it is worth reiterating. It's a massive trap that designers should have known players would fall for. Somehow, that slipped the net. The rest of the game has been pretty good, but the Hinterlands is a terrible starting area.
0:31:10 Garrett discovers that a rare Beetles CD is stolen.
He didn't do the stealing. Someone stole it before he could buy it.
Sam had a similar story, coincidentally.
0:37:30 Garrett took his friends through Second Life.
I know what you're all thinking: "Second Life is still around?" Yes, it is. I don't go on it, but there are people who still do.
Personally, I'm waiting on Third Life.
0:41:00 Garrett talks about the rest of his week.
0:42:30 Chris talks about Chrono Cross
Note: He did not actually play the game. Yet the conversation we had was worth it.
For reference: The Chrono Cross opening theme.
0:57:19 Sam played Drakengard with a PS2 emulator.
Though it is not a very fun game to play, I remember playing Drakengard just for how darkly compelling it was at the time. You need to play through a lot of mediocre game to get to those interesting bits, but dear god they make it worth it.
I'm also glad Sam used the phrase ",,.how much of a [weeaboo] he is, like me...." He's become self-aware.
1:06:35 Sam played Bloodborne.
I think Sam's thoughts on it are interesting. As someone who never played a Souls games, I can't comment on it with any authority. However, I appreciate that they exist and I am weirdly interesting in listening to people talk about them.
1:23:20 Wrapping Up.
Garrett is starting up a Twitch channel.
My Dragon Age pacing article is here.
Sam's Bloodborne article is here.
Interactive Friction is here.
Chris, as our comic book guy, seems rather optimistic about the production. After seeing this picture, I can understand why.
X-Files reboot is actually happened:
Sam does bring up a point about "Why does this need to exist?" Most fans of the show agree that the show went out on a whimper after its last two seasons, so a reboot may not be advised. However, it could be interesting to see how they work within the context of the modern world and more contemporary conspiracy theories. For an aliens-themed show, The X-Files aged well, but aliens are still out of favor. I'm interested in what they do with these six new episodes.
Also, David Duchovny did an interview after we record the podcast on David Letterman, talking a bit more about it.
0:14:05 I played a bit of Hitman: Blood Money.
Hitman has been a weird franchise. Even though it's never really been a big seller, it is almost always brought up as an example of good stealth game design. If you haven't played Blood Money, it's worth checking out. The previous games are okay, but never play the first (Codename 47). It's awful.
0:18:01 I played Final Fantasy III
I like the pacing of a lot of the NES/SNES JRPGs, because they are not meant to take up a lot of time. Considering how much games seek to give tons of content, without much depth or variety, it was nice to play a game that didn't try to be much longer than it had too.
0:22:30 I played Dragon Age: Inquisition
Despite how irritating it is for me to have to make so many different video game accounts, I am having a blast with Inquisition.
The Hinterlands criticism isn't exactly new, but it is worth reiterating. It's a massive trap that designers should have known players would fall for. Somehow, that slipped the net. The rest of the game has been pretty good, but the Hinterlands is a terrible starting area.
0:31:10 Garrett discovers that a rare Beetles CD is stolen.
He didn't do the stealing. Someone stole it before he could buy it.
Sam had a similar story, coincidentally.
0:37:30 Garrett took his friends through Second Life.
I know what you're all thinking: "Second Life is still around?" Yes, it is. I don't go on it, but there are people who still do.
Personally, I'm waiting on Third Life.
0:41:00 Garrett talks about the rest of his week.
0:42:30 Chris talks about Chrono Cross
Note: He did not actually play the game. Yet the conversation we had was worth it.
For reference: The Chrono Cross opening theme.
0:57:19 Sam played Drakengard with a PS2 emulator.
Though it is not a very fun game to play, I remember playing Drakengard just for how darkly compelling it was at the time. You need to play through a lot of mediocre game to get to those interesting bits, but dear god they make it worth it.
I'm also glad Sam used the phrase ",,.how much of a [weeaboo] he is, like me...." He's become self-aware.
1:06:35 Sam played Bloodborne.
I think Sam's thoughts on it are interesting. As someone who never played a Souls games, I can't comment on it with any authority. However, I appreciate that they exist and I am weirdly interesting in listening to people talk about them.
1:23:20 Wrapping Up.
Garrett is starting up a Twitch channel.
My Dragon Age pacing article is here.
Sam's Bloodborne article is here.
Interactive Friction is here.
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
The Texture Pop: Episode 33: Tactical Puzzle Solving
Sam was completely exhausted when we recorded this episode. Because of that, he had to miss out on the podcast. A shame, because we talk about a lot of topics which call for his input.
0:02:30 Viewer Questions
"Have any of you guys played Ori and the Blind Forest?"
Guess what? Sam did. And next week, he may even talk about it. As someone who hasn't I have to admit it looks really good and I'd love to play it.
Have you guys seen the trailer for Pixels?
I am open to this being a good movie. However, Adam Sandler does not exactly have the best track record. I will be watching how this develops with guarded expectations.
0:12:50 Gaming News
Hideo Kojima will be leaving Konami after Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
Like I said in the podcast, I would say this is the beginning of the end for Konami. Aside from the YuGiOh card game (and video games), they don't have much else. With Kojima gone, I have no idea what Konami is going to do with Silent Hills now, since they just let go of the guy who was supposed to make it. It's not looking good.
PlayStation Vue is Sony's answer to cable.
And it's dumb. With far too few channels at far too great a price, I have no idea how Sony plans to make that work. I'm not even sure who the target market is for this service. It's confusing, to say the least.
0:30:50 Garrett discusses his computer troubles.
Turns out it is an issue with the latest update to the drivers for his graphics card. We've all haad issues like this, and it's good to vent about them when they happen. Also, congrats to Garrett for starting his Twitch channel.
0:39:40 Garrett talks about the rest of his week.
0:44:40 I finished Dragon Age 2.
I wish Sam was here, because it would've been a much more interesting conversation than it was. I like Dragon Age 2 is a good game, but it has a lot of flaws. It's paced so much better than Origins was. At the same time, it's ending is complete garbage.
Where Chris thinks the game is garbage, and Sam likes it, I'm somewhere in the middle. There will be an article about it soon.
0:57:30 I played Valiant Hearts: The Great War.
It's a game worth playing, but it bizarre issues with keeping a consistent tone. The puzzles also really wreak the pacing of the game.
While awkward, the game is still good. I'm also working on an article for this game.
1:06:10 Chris talks about playing Punch-Out, featuring Mr. Dream.
And he talk about that for a bit.
1:20:00 Wrapping Up.
Interactive Friction can be found here.
My Resident Evil 5 article is here.
0:02:30 Viewer Questions
"Have any of you guys played Ori and the Blind Forest?"
Guess what? Sam did. And next week, he may even talk about it. As someone who hasn't I have to admit it looks really good and I'd love to play it.
Have you guys seen the trailer for Pixels?
I am open to this being a good movie. However, Adam Sandler does not exactly have the best track record. I will be watching how this develops with guarded expectations.
0:12:50 Gaming News
Hideo Kojima will be leaving Konami after Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
Like I said in the podcast, I would say this is the beginning of the end for Konami. Aside from the YuGiOh card game (and video games), they don't have much else. With Kojima gone, I have no idea what Konami is going to do with Silent Hills now, since they just let go of the guy who was supposed to make it. It's not looking good.
PlayStation Vue is Sony's answer to cable.
And it's dumb. With far too few channels at far too great a price, I have no idea how Sony plans to make that work. I'm not even sure who the target market is for this service. It's confusing, to say the least.
0:30:50 Garrett discusses his computer troubles.
Turns out it is an issue with the latest update to the drivers for his graphics card. We've all haad issues like this, and it's good to vent about them when they happen. Also, congrats to Garrett for starting his Twitch channel.
0:39:40 Garrett talks about the rest of his week.
0:44:40 I finished Dragon Age 2.
I wish Sam was here, because it would've been a much more interesting conversation than it was. I like Dragon Age 2 is a good game, but it has a lot of flaws. It's paced so much better than Origins was. At the same time, it's ending is complete garbage.
Where Chris thinks the game is garbage, and Sam likes it, I'm somewhere in the middle. There will be an article about it soon.
0:57:30 I played Valiant Hearts: The Great War.
It's a game worth playing, but it bizarre issues with keeping a consistent tone. The puzzles also really wreak the pacing of the game.
While awkward, the game is still good. I'm also working on an article for this game.
1:06:10 Chris talks about playing Punch-Out, featuring Mr. Dream.
And he talk about that for a bit.
1:20:00 Wrapping Up.
Interactive Friction can be found here.
My Resident Evil 5 article is here.
Monday, March 16, 2015
The Texture Pop: Episode 32: Living Your Anime Life
It's hard to really say what happened this week, I suppose with Sam and I releasing the previous episode, recording Interactive Friction's new season, and doing this episode all in the span of about 4 days, we must have lost track of all the conversations that took place on and off the air. As a result, we did end up repeated a lot of what we said in the last show. Since Chris didn't get the chance to see any of it, I suppose it's all good. The audio this week wasn't that good either, so I sincerely apologize for that.
Also, we had no viewer questions this week. If you have a question, comment, or something you'd like to be read on the air in a hilariously bad/inappropriate accent, you may send it to us at thetexturepop@gmail.com.
0:02:00 Gaming News
Battlefield Hardline doesn't want you to feel bad for killing dudes.
I suppose that I can understand this thought process. AAA gaming tends to, for better or worse, appeal to the most common denominator. Since most people who buy Battlefield: Hardline will be the same types of people who buy other Battlefield or Call of Duty games, EA and Visceral has to assume that they either don't want to, or won't, think about the potential repercussions for their in-game actions.
Having said all that, it is extremely disappointing, and very tone deaf, to make this story about a cop without changing and recontextualizing the gameplay to fit that new environment. Combat between cops and criminals is not the same as combat between military forces and terrorists, so there's no reason whatsoever for them to be so similar. It's a wasted opportunity.
Valiant Hearts director leaves Ubisoft to go into the indie space.
I find this interesting only because this story is becoming more and more common as the years go on. A lot of the people who have spent years working in the industry are getting sick of the way AAA developers are treating them, so they're leaving. In light of the many horror stories we hear from AAA, Now that publishers are becoming less and less necessary in the era where any person can just build a website to sell a game, the dynamic is changing in a good way.
0:19:00 Chris played Dragonball: Xenoverse.
I'm actually oddly interested in Dragonball: Xenoverse, but not enough that I'm willing to purchase it for full price. It looks like it would be pretty fun for a Dragonball fan, but otherwise fairly average.
0:37:50 Chris watched the first episode of Powers on PlayStation Plus.
I don't know much about it, but what Chris said made me interested.
0:46:50 Garrett talks about his week.
But eventually we start talking about movies, specifically...
0:51:35 Garrett watched Lady in the Water
Since movies are notoriously not my strong suite, I've not much more to add.
1:06:30 Sam has played more inFamous: Second Son. *MAJOR SPOILERS*
Because we talked about it after finishing our Interactive Friction recording session, it was difficult to remember what Sam said to me only versus what we spoke of on the air last week.
That said, I still think Second Son is an interesting case study to show just how far we've evolved from the days of moral choice systems. The game is trapped in the past, with no acknowledgement of how both storytelling and game mechanics have changed.
Given what we've said about this game in the past, I believe that Sam's idea of shorter DLCs focusing on a single character and power set would work much better for the game.
1:25:20 Sam played Killzone: Shadow Fall.
I know very little about Killzone, so there's not much to add here.
1:32:10 Sam played Korean MMOs with his anime friends.
Honestly, do I NEED to say anymore? He had to "live his anime life."
1:42:30 I played more Dragon Age 2.
I appreciate the faster-pace in the combat and dungeon-exploration. Compared to Origins, this game is paced significantly better. Having said that, it does have it's issues. We'll probably talk more in the next podcast about this very topic, since I did finish it after this recording.
1:52:00 I played a bit of Papo Y Yo.
I just wish I had more to say about it. It's much the same problem I had with Contrast. It is a good game, but not enough material for discussion.
1:54:30 Wrapping Up.
Garrett recommends Overwolf, which does not sponsor us.
Interactive Friction's Tomb Raider season has begun.
We also did a bonus episode on Blood Dragon.
My Far Cry 4 article is also worth a read.
Battlefield Hardline doesn't want you to feel bad for killing dudes.
I suppose that I can understand this thought process. AAA gaming tends to, for better or worse, appeal to the most common denominator. Since most people who buy Battlefield: Hardline will be the same types of people who buy other Battlefield or Call of Duty games, EA and Visceral has to assume that they either don't want to, or won't, think about the potential repercussions for their in-game actions.
Having said all that, it is extremely disappointing, and very tone deaf, to make this story about a cop without changing and recontextualizing the gameplay to fit that new environment. Combat between cops and criminals is not the same as combat between military forces and terrorists, so there's no reason whatsoever for them to be so similar. It's a wasted opportunity.
Valiant Hearts director leaves Ubisoft to go into the indie space.
I find this interesting only because this story is becoming more and more common as the years go on. A lot of the people who have spent years working in the industry are getting sick of the way AAA developers are treating them, so they're leaving. In light of the many horror stories we hear from AAA, Now that publishers are becoming less and less necessary in the era where any person can just build a website to sell a game, the dynamic is changing in a good way.
0:19:00 Chris played Dragonball: Xenoverse.
I'm actually oddly interested in Dragonball: Xenoverse, but not enough that I'm willing to purchase it for full price. It looks like it would be pretty fun for a Dragonball fan, but otherwise fairly average.
0:37:50 Chris watched the first episode of Powers on PlayStation Plus.
I don't know much about it, but what Chris said made me interested.
0:46:50 Garrett talks about his week.
But eventually we start talking about movies, specifically...
0:51:35 Garrett watched Lady in the Water
Since movies are notoriously not my strong suite, I've not much more to add.
1:06:30 Sam has played more inFamous: Second Son. *MAJOR SPOILERS*
Because we talked about it after finishing our Interactive Friction recording session, it was difficult to remember what Sam said to me only versus what we spoke of on the air last week.
That said, I still think Second Son is an interesting case study to show just how far we've evolved from the days of moral choice systems. The game is trapped in the past, with no acknowledgement of how both storytelling and game mechanics have changed.
Given what we've said about this game in the past, I believe that Sam's idea of shorter DLCs focusing on a single character and power set would work much better for the game.
1:25:20 Sam played Killzone: Shadow Fall.
I know very little about Killzone, so there's not much to add here.
1:32:10 Sam played Korean MMOs with his anime friends.
Honestly, do I NEED to say anymore? He had to "live his anime life."
1:42:30 I played more Dragon Age 2.
I appreciate the faster-pace in the combat and dungeon-exploration. Compared to Origins, this game is paced significantly better. Having said that, it does have it's issues. We'll probably talk more in the next podcast about this very topic, since I did finish it after this recording.
1:52:00 I played a bit of Papo Y Yo.
I just wish I had more to say about it. It's much the same problem I had with Contrast. It is a good game, but not enough material for discussion.
1:54:30 Wrapping Up.
Garrett recommends Overwolf, which does not sponsor us.
Interactive Friction's Tomb Raider season has begun.
We also did a bonus episode on Blood Dragon.
My Far Cry 4 article is also worth a read.
Saturday, March 14, 2015
The Texture Pop: Episode 31: Why Can't We Just Be Mage Bros
This week is an interesting recording session. Chris could not make it, because he has a new job. The rest of us, however, were more than able to make it. Since it was such a weird week, the podcast was posted pretty late. On behalf of the cast, I would like to apologize to you, the viewers.
0:00:50 Viewer Questions
"What do you think of Anita Sarkeesian's 8 point suggestions?"
Turns out I was wrong about when this came out, because I found an article talking about it as of the time of writing.
At the time of the recording, none of us saw this particular talk, so we tried to get away with discussing this in the general sense.
Now that I have read those points, I don't see the issue with any of them. They make logical sense and the problems they address are real problems.
One of the throughlines I see repeated in comments to these points, and other issues raised by Sarkeesian, is that they tend to think that she wants to apply these points to all games. That is not true. What she wants developers to consider these suggestions and try to incorporate them more often. I also want to point out that the only angry comments we have ever gotten on this show came from the one episode where we defended Anita Sarkeesian when GamerGate was still a thing people cared about.
"What games are you guys looking forward to in the next few months?"
I was pretty nervous when this game came up, because I honestly could not think of anything on the top of my head. We're still in this initial rut brought about by the dawn of new gaming consoles. As a result, the number of new titles, at least in the AAA space, that have my interest is small.
0:18:50 Gaming News
Steam Machines/Controller announcements
The thing about the Steam controller is that it is basically trying to make the keyboard and mouse more viable for a home theater setup. Honestly, I'm not sure how many game will benefit from such a device. Maybe it's just me, but I am fine with the idea of having a KB & M on my lap as I play.
As for the machines themselves, I'm not sure who the target market for them is. For most people, they are better off just upgrading their PCs and home theater setups at the price these machines cost. Even at the lower end, a gaming console is about as good and easier to add to whatever setup you have.
Maxis is shut down by EA.
I don't think anyone is surprised by this announcement, but to do this at the same time GDC is going on is a little painful. EA has been on people's shit list for a long time because of this behavior, so I doubt it will change.
0:27:10 I played a new little game called Hand of Fate.
I have slowly, gradually begun to love this little game. As an aspiring game designer, I think the way it combined so many different mechanics into a cohesive whole is brilliant. It's difficult to explain, but immediate obvious when you start to play and/or watch someone else play.
Just be warned that there are technical issues in the game. It's not perfect, but it's good.
0:35:35 I played Dragon Age 2.
I don't hate the game, but it does have its flaws.
The biggest problem is honestly the combat. I am getting so tired of all the waves and waves of enemies. What I would have done to improve the game is to give each enemy group a leader, with significantly higher stats than the others. Once the leader falls, than the other units will retreat.
Also, Carver and Anders are some of the most irritating people I've ever had in an RPG party. The game isn't the best thing I've ever played, but it's not bad. I can see how fans of Dragon Age could not like it.
I didn't mention it in the cast, but I had a huge problem at first because it felt like I was just doing nothing but sidequests. As the game went on, the game evolved from that, and I began to like it a lot more.
0:53:10 Sam tried a PS2 emulator.
And we had a pretty good conversation about old PS2 games, regional differences, and how different regions respond better or worse to different stimuli.
The Nier comparison shots of the Japanese vs. North American protagonist can be best show off with this image.
0:59:51 Sam got a PS4.
We kinda go rapid-fire through the games he purchases with it.
The other big discussion involves graphics and how technology is improving.
1:10:30 Sam played inFamous: Second Son.
I know we talked a lot about it when I played the games, but I was nice to talk with Sam about it, since he now has the experience that I have from playing.
1:30:30 Garrett talks about his week.
In this segment, we cover:
1:59:55 We talk about game engines.
The recent news that Unreal 4 and Source 2 will be free inspired this conversation. For guys like Garrett and myself, who are aspiring game designers, this is a huge boon.
We get into a side conversation about Watch_Dogs and how terrible it was.
2:13:30 Wrapping Up
My Outlast article is here.
Interactive Friction: Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is here.
0:00:50 Viewer Questions
"What do you think of Anita Sarkeesian's 8 point suggestions?"
Turns out I was wrong about when this came out, because I found an article talking about it as of the time of writing.
At the time of the recording, none of us saw this particular talk, so we tried to get away with discussing this in the general sense.
Now that I have read those points, I don't see the issue with any of them. They make logical sense and the problems they address are real problems.
One of the throughlines I see repeated in comments to these points, and other issues raised by Sarkeesian, is that they tend to think that she wants to apply these points to all games. That is not true. What she wants developers to consider these suggestions and try to incorporate them more often. I also want to point out that the only angry comments we have ever gotten on this show came from the one episode where we defended Anita Sarkeesian when GamerGate was still a thing people cared about.
"What games are you guys looking forward to in the next few months?"
I was pretty nervous when this game came up, because I honestly could not think of anything on the top of my head. We're still in this initial rut brought about by the dawn of new gaming consoles. As a result, the number of new titles, at least in the AAA space, that have my interest is small.
0:18:50 Gaming News
Steam Machines/Controller announcements
The thing about the Steam controller is that it is basically trying to make the keyboard and mouse more viable for a home theater setup. Honestly, I'm not sure how many game will benefit from such a device. Maybe it's just me, but I am fine with the idea of having a KB & M on my lap as I play.
As for the machines themselves, I'm not sure who the target market for them is. For most people, they are better off just upgrading their PCs and home theater setups at the price these machines cost. Even at the lower end, a gaming console is about as good and easier to add to whatever setup you have.
Maxis is shut down by EA.
I don't think anyone is surprised by this announcement, but to do this at the same time GDC is going on is a little painful. EA has been on people's shit list for a long time because of this behavior, so I doubt it will change.
0:27:10 I played a new little game called Hand of Fate.
I have slowly, gradually begun to love this little game. As an aspiring game designer, I think the way it combined so many different mechanics into a cohesive whole is brilliant. It's difficult to explain, but immediate obvious when you start to play and/or watch someone else play.
Just be warned that there are technical issues in the game. It's not perfect, but it's good.
0:35:35 I played Dragon Age 2.
I don't hate the game, but it does have its flaws.
The biggest problem is honestly the combat. I am getting so tired of all the waves and waves of enemies. What I would have done to improve the game is to give each enemy group a leader, with significantly higher stats than the others. Once the leader falls, than the other units will retreat.
Also, Carver and Anders are some of the most irritating people I've ever had in an RPG party. The game isn't the best thing I've ever played, but it's not bad. I can see how fans of Dragon Age could not like it.
I didn't mention it in the cast, but I had a huge problem at first because it felt like I was just doing nothing but sidequests. As the game went on, the game evolved from that, and I began to like it a lot more.
0:53:10 Sam tried a PS2 emulator.
And we had a pretty good conversation about old PS2 games, regional differences, and how different regions respond better or worse to different stimuli.
The Nier comparison shots of the Japanese vs. North American protagonist can be best show off with this image.
0:59:51 Sam got a PS4.
We kinda go rapid-fire through the games he purchases with it.
The other big discussion involves graphics and how technology is improving.
1:10:30 Sam played inFamous: Second Son.
I know we talked a lot about it when I played the games, but I was nice to talk with Sam about it, since he now has the experience that I have from playing.
1:30:30 Garrett talks about his week.
In this segment, we cover:
- Five Nights at Freddy's
- League of Legends
- voice acting
- music
- Cards Against Humanity
- shoes
- Campbell's soup and other foods
- CSI
- Hotline Miami 2
- alcohol
- watching other people sleep on Skype?
- consumption of meat
1:59:55 We talk about game engines.
The recent news that Unreal 4 and Source 2 will be free inspired this conversation. For guys like Garrett and myself, who are aspiring game designers, this is a huge boon.
We get into a side conversation about Watch_Dogs and how terrible it was.
2:13:30 Wrapping Up
My Outlast article is here.
Interactive Friction: Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is here.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
The Texture Pop: Episode 30: A Very Bad Case of Melanoma
So, we here at The Texture Pop have begun to make an earnest attempt to reduce the overall length of our podcasts to more manageable levels. I know I have said this before, several times, but I believe that we can stick to it this time.
Also, we did not receive any viewer questions this week. If have any questions, comments, or thoughts for us, feel free to send them our way at thetexturepop@gmail.com.
0:02:30 The only piece of news this week.
Leonard Nimoy has passed away.
I think I can speak for many people when I say that he will be missed. He's made many contributions to the world through what he's done and the roles he's played. Few people can claim to live a life as full as his, so we took the time to acknowledge that in this segment.
0:06:50 Garrett plays League, reads books, has a birthday, and hangs out with friends.
And this all happens in the span of a few minutes.
Also, I just realized that the new League of Legends character Garrett was talking about has a Kabuki mask. That's the word we spent so much time not thinking of.
0:17:00 Chris talks about an anime fighting game.
And Sam is just enthralled by it. I'll be honest, I mostly zoned out until Chris said "Yu Narukami" and/or "Persona."
I just wish talking about the game didn't involve the word "inbirth." I'm not entirely sure why, but that just doesn't sound right.
0:30:20 Chris talks about buying Dragon's Dogma.
And hilarity ensues. At least he was able to see the silver lining and use his misfortune to his favor. All's well the end's well.
0:32:50 I finished Far Cry 4. *spoiler*
I have an article due soon on Far Cry 4. As a result, I will let the conversation here stand.
It's a good game, and better than it's predecessor, but I don't think Ubisoft can keep producing Ubisoft: The Game for much longer. The formula is growing stale. I just don't think that it's sustainable.
0:46:25 I finished Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition
There were parts of the game I enjoyed. As a whole though, the game isn't really that great. It is only worth playing if you need an excuse to hang out with a friend.
0:54:50 I played more Muramasa DLC.
Still worth it.
0:57:40 Sam played Resident Evil Revelations 2: Episode 1.
It's a shame the first episode wasn't that great. Still, it's hard to talk about games like this until more episodes get released.
1:10:50 Sam played Nosgoth.
And (successfully) attempts to convince us to install it so that we can all play together.
While the game sounds really good, I am almost immediately put off by the nature of the microtransactions. In short, those prices are way too high. Still, I love asymmetric multiplayer, so I would say it's probably worth trying out.
1:22:55 Sam picked up Ranma 1/2.
I've heard of it, but never read it. Seems a little too out there for me.
1:26:00 Wrapping Up
Remember, you can send us stuff at thetexturepop@gmail.com.
Sam's Saya no Uta article is here.
My Final Fantasy VI piece is here.
Also, we did not receive any viewer questions this week. If have any questions, comments, or thoughts for us, feel free to send them our way at thetexturepop@gmail.com.
0:02:30 The only piece of news this week.
Leonard Nimoy has passed away.
I think I can speak for many people when I say that he will be missed. He's made many contributions to the world through what he's done and the roles he's played. Few people can claim to live a life as full as his, so we took the time to acknowledge that in this segment.
0:06:50 Garrett plays League, reads books, has a birthday, and hangs out with friends.
And this all happens in the span of a few minutes.
Also, I just realized that the new League of Legends character Garrett was talking about has a Kabuki mask. That's the word we spent so much time not thinking of.
0:17:00 Chris talks about an anime fighting game.
And Sam is just enthralled by it. I'll be honest, I mostly zoned out until Chris said "Yu Narukami" and/or "Persona."
I just wish talking about the game didn't involve the word "inbirth." I'm not entirely sure why, but that just doesn't sound right.
0:30:20 Chris talks about buying Dragon's Dogma.
And hilarity ensues. At least he was able to see the silver lining and use his misfortune to his favor. All's well the end's well.
0:32:50 I finished Far Cry 4. *spoiler*
I have an article due soon on Far Cry 4. As a result, I will let the conversation here stand.
It's a good game, and better than it's predecessor, but I don't think Ubisoft can keep producing Ubisoft: The Game for much longer. The formula is growing stale. I just don't think that it's sustainable.
0:46:25 I finished Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition
There were parts of the game I enjoyed. As a whole though, the game isn't really that great. It is only worth playing if you need an excuse to hang out with a friend.
0:54:50 I played more Muramasa DLC.
Still worth it.
0:57:40 Sam played Resident Evil Revelations 2: Episode 1.
It's a shame the first episode wasn't that great. Still, it's hard to talk about games like this until more episodes get released.
1:10:50 Sam played Nosgoth.
And (successfully) attempts to convince us to install it so that we can all play together.
While the game sounds really good, I am almost immediately put off by the nature of the microtransactions. In short, those prices are way too high. Still, I love asymmetric multiplayer, so I would say it's probably worth trying out.
1:22:55 Sam picked up Ranma 1/2.
I've heard of it, but never read it. Seems a little too out there for me.
1:26:00 Wrapping Up
Remember, you can send us stuff at thetexturepop@gmail.com.
Sam's Saya no Uta article is here.
My Final Fantasy VI piece is here.
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