Idle Thumbs

Important If True 47: The Shitty Wizard by Idle Thumbs

Idle Weekend: It’s Back, Baby! by Idle Thumbs

Idle Thumbs Ruination: January 2018 by Idle Thumbs

This week we return to an old friend, a stalwart companion, an evergreen delight that has been with us for years and years and years and years. Europa Universalis IV received several updates and expansions in 2017, and while the game has not changed radically it has matured like a fine wine that was traded from the Bordeaux trade node to Ragusa. In a 3MA first, T.J. Hafer is at the helm to host the show along with Rowan Kaiser and Gamers with Jobs' Sean Sands. Prepare yourself with a deep dive of finer details of EUIV as it exists in 2018.

The Idle Book Club: NW by Idle Thumbs

Important If True 46: Cut Your Hair by Idle Thumbs

In this episode, Adam Saltsman interviews independent game developer Manveer Heir, best known for his work on the Mass Effect series. They discuss the sunken cost fallacy and game development, why Mass Effect 3 would be a bad first game for a new developer, and when a game designer is like a baseball player and when it’s like a trauma surgeon.

Games discussed:

Rise of Legends, Wolfenstein, the Mass Effect series, No Man’s Sky

It's like rain on your podcasting day. It's when a train goes by, and you can't hear what I say. It's the hammer blows, that ruin your take. And who woulda thought, it figures.

Despite a variety of excitingly ironic sonic interruptions, Steve and Nina soldier on to talk through her work a s Nuovo Award-winning indie game designer of titles like how do you Do It?, Cibele, and Lost Memories Dot Net, as well as her experience becoming a level designer on Tacoma at Fullbright. Pull up a chair, settle in, and don't let the distant hooting throw you.

This weekend, we extol the virtues of consoles and games that change our relationship to games, in honor of Rob’s newfound love of the Nintendo Switch. We also get into some good questions about gender stereotypes and game preferences, and profess a deep love of 20s gangster period pieces.

Discussed: Nintendo Switch, Breath of the Wild, Stardew Valley, LA Noire, Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle, Peaky Blinders, Boardwalk Empire

This week Rowan, Fraser, and Troy "Why are you slathering me in zombie-q sauce?" Goodfellow talk about They Are Billions by Numantiam games. Zombies are back, but there are even MORE of them in this Early Access title. They Are Billions is a real time strategy game that has you manning the ballistae and defending your steampunk-ish city against relentless waves of the shambling dead.