Rand(Nerds);

Welcome to episode 252

We start by addressing Skazz’s issues with operating systems and Ram’s annoyances with the YouTube TV app, before diving into the main topic of games.

Ram shares another brief update on Empyrion Galactic Survival, where he’s finally made it into space, albeit with a few setbacks—mainly forgetting the laws of physics. He also delves into the game's creative mode and talks about some of his ambitious projects. Next, he talks about Maid of Sker, a game from one of his favourite genres: stealth survival horror. This leads us to discuss the elements of good and bad horror game design, as well as what makes environments feel immersive. We briefly touch on game difficulty levels and the ideal length of games.

Skazz brings up Netflix’s game streaming beta, discussing how it works, its performance, and the current selection of games. We then expand the conversation to game streaming services as a whole.

We also discuss how Comic Sans will save the world, the perils of operating system updates, why Skazz owns an iPhone, dogs controlling TVs, the differences between the Greeks and Romans, and the real reason oil is harmful to the environment.

Notes

The font that will save the world: Comic Sans

Yes, the head of Ubuntu is both South African and British

Still having fun in space with Empyrion - Galactic Survival.

Creepy sneaky walkey puzzle game Maid of Sker

Also check out our next game night on Wednesday 22nd May at approx 20:30 GMT+1 on Twitch: ⁠twitch.tv/randnerds

Welcome to episode 251

Skazz shares his thoughts on the game we recently played during game night: Nidhogg. It’s a deceptively simple 2D sword-fighting game with surprising depth in its mechanics and an incredible amount of fun.

We also dive into the newly announced PS5 Pro, discussing how a stable frame rate can enhance a game’s visuals more effectively than higher resolution. This sparks a passionate rant from Skazz about how modern games often fall short in terms of gameplay mechanics, and we explore why focusing on graphics isn't the right approach.

Our conversation then shifts to movies, with Ram revealing that he’s just watched the entire Harry Potter series—most of them for the first time. This leads to a discussion about separating the author from their work, particularly in the case of J.K. Rowling, and how good things can be pulled from terrible situations . We also take a moment to appreciate the late Alan Rickman’s incredible acting.

Finally, Ram gives us an update on his adventures in Empyrion - Galactic Survival. He’s excited about the prospect of finally getting his spaceship off the ground next time!

Notes

Skazz makes great use of his Whitton skills in Nidhogg

A game to practise the basics of fighting in FOOTSIES

A step back in graphics? The Bad Guys

A decent film series with Harry Potter

The horrific case of Thalidomide

So was Snape a Villain, or a hero?

Gone too soon Alan Rickman

One of the more random project Daniel Radcliff has been involved in Guns Akimbo

When you have film success, why not buy an Ice Cream van and hand them out for free

Still having fun in space with Empyrion - Galactic Survival.

Welcome to episode 250

Skazz shares his thoughts on why he preferred the racing elements in the original Gran Turismo for the PS1, highlighting what set it apart from other racing games of its time. We also dive into the unique mechanics of the game, while exploring other iconic racing titles, like Colin McRae Rally.

We reflect on the challenges of preserving classic games and the misconceptions about the permanence of digital content, emphasising how, contrary to belief, the internet can forget. Our discussion covers the risks to digital preservation, including the Internet Archive lawsuit and the downfall of Lik-Sang imports.

Next, we catch up with Rams' adventures in Empyrion - Galactic Survival. He recounts his first rage quit, the frustration that led him to use console commands, and his progress in designing his own spaceships—from small vessels to the beginnings of a capital ship. Along the way, Rams faces asteroid mining, aggressive drones, and the engine’s limitations.

We also chat about Ram's impressive maths skills the future of AI and job automation, some strangely flat trees, Ram's explosive potential, and why open mouths are essential for YouTube thumbnails, what would happen if they remade Back to the Future and ponder how to keep Gabe Newell alive forever.

Notes

Vroom Vroom around the track with Gran Turismo 

Skazz was was right about GT be a best selling PS1 game

Skazz choice of car for Gran Trurismo

A model T in a Gran Turismo game

Late 90s show about games with Games World

Not the last in the series to carry his name, but one of the last with Colin McRae: Dirt

Ram first taste of console racing games with Wild Wild Racing

The game that sold steam to Ram, Dark Messiah of Might and Magic

Also, it was not the first source game, not even one of the first released

Still having fun in space with Empyrion - Galactic Survival.

The Internet Archive has suffer from lawsuits

The sad fate of Lik Sang

The Volkswagen steam engine

A car that (Thankfully) never came to be, the Ford Nucleon

Welcome to Episode 249

Skazz talks about the technical issues he's been having getting trying to get the PlayStation Vita to work, issues with dying memory cars, whitelisting of games and an internet killing power adapter all stand in his way to replay the Ys games

Ram has been playing a game that was seemingly downloaded from creative depths of his brain and made real by a team with a lot more skill than him in Empyrion - Galactic Survival.

This epic Voxel based game has you surviving on alien worlds, gathering resources, crafting, and finally building spaceships to fly to other worlds and do it all again. 

The game features factions, clever day/night cycle, unclear swimming mechanics, an interesting base networking system and an efficient crafting system. 

He also discuss the advantages and limitation of the Voxel base building system, and also talk about some of the games problems such as annoying despawn timers and slightly dodgy vehicle physics 

We also discuss Hi-Fi Rush being saved

We also discuss figuring out how to drown and avoiding hitting things, 

Notes

One Skazz’s favourite hand held game system, the PlayStation Vita

A game that felt like it was made for Ram, Empyrion - Galactic Survival

A video of Ram enjoying life as his sentry guns kills things

Also check out our next game night on Wednesday 28th August at approx 20:30 GMT+1 on Twitch:

Welcome to Episode 248

For some reason we start this episode discussing world records, getting into the Guiness book of records, and various tv programs based around it.

Not having access to his PC at the moment, Skazz has returned to Console gaming with the PS5 and trying out in-home game streaming with the Playstation Portal. He talks about his experience with using remote play and the issues using it over Wifi, this leads into a discussion as to why Google Stadia got a bad reputation. We also talk about Sony's bizarre design decisions and anti-consumer practices.

We then move onto discussing Blood Bowl 2, Skazz has played the tabletop version whereas Ram has not. We discuss the rules of the games, and the outcome of the few matches we’ve had between Ram’s Skaven and Skazz’s Orcs. we also talk about the horror’s of oak nipple tassles

We also discuss fly by wire systems, being arrested for stick shaking, games with complex names, Ram infecting a whole office, delivering freedom, why modern console gaming is like old style PC gaming and the Lord of the RIngs tabletop game

Notes

Grow a part of your body very long and make it into the Guinness World Records

People doing stupid things on telly for no good reason on the The People's Book of Records

More legitimate world records in Record Breakers

Celebrities betting on people with skills in You Bet!

Go into the cockpit and shake your stick

In-home game streaming with the PlayStation Portal

Dead too Soon, Google Stadia

Remember that time Sony installed a rootkit onto your pc

Teams of the old world battle it out to win the cup in Blood Bowl 2

Not in Blood Bowl 2, but Skaven Cheerleaders do exists in BB3

Also check out our next game night on Wednesday 14th August at approx 20:30 GMT+1 on Twitch: 

Welcome to Episode 247

Skazz has been hitting mobile gaming on his iPhone with an varitory of emulators that are now available, joined up with the Backbone, a device that attached to your phone and give you controller interface. It does have an and app and subscription services with some bullshit features tied behind it

Ram has been playing early 2000s first person shooter Command and Conquer Renegade, an attempt to take the red alert universe down to ground level. It also had a pretty unique multiplayer mode based around trying to destroy your opponents base.

Ram also revist’s The Bureau: XCOM Declassified, and how he got over the bug that was stopping his progress before he ended up dropped the game anyway

We also discuss Skazz preferred holiday destinations.

Notes

PS or xBox style controller on your phone with the Backbone, shame about the subscription

First person command and conquer in C&C Renegade.

Interesting idea, but gameplay makes it not worth the time, The Bureau: XCOM Declassified

Also check out our next game night on Wednesday 31st July at approx 20:30 GMT+1 on Twitch:

Welcome to Episode 246

Skazz kicks us off briefly discussing the emulators that are now available on apple allowing mobile gaming, as well as trying in-home streaming of the playstation 5. He decided to try an old PS4 launch title with Killzone: Shadow Fall. Discussing the changes to the gameplay, adding a less then successful stealth feature to the game. As well as annoying tutorials, psychic enemies and eternal combat music. We also talk about stealth implementation in games and why it does and does not work

Ram also been playing a game from the early 2010s with XCom the Bureau Declassified. A time where every main player character was an arsehole. The setting is interesting and the story has some potential, but is let down with dodgy combat, annoying crashes and badly placed checkpoint. 

We alos discuss achievement and our general hatred of them, with some exceptions 

We revisiting discussing cyberpunk 2077, one of our favourite games of recent time and we relive some of the great moments from the game

Notes

A ps4 launch title from back in the day, Killzone Shadow Fall

The third person tactical shooter with Xcom the Bureau Declassified

Also check out our next game night on Wednesday 3rd July at approx 20:30 GMT+1 on Twitch:

Welcome to episode 245

We kick off this episode with Skazz telling us about his sea exploits by going to see a visiting Spanish Galleon, which has turned up a bit late for the armada

We have some disturbing conversations with chat gpt, and discover the truth about sheep military prowess 

We discuss a game we had issues actually playing, Dawn of War: Soulstorm, we discuss when we played it in the past and how field of view is such an issue. We also talk about some other early 2000s classic multiplayer games and pc days, And a brief discussion of hardware.

We also discuss Dolphin jumping submarines, under-dressed motorcyclists and the other type of AI 

Notes:

The spanish are coming with the Galeón Andalucía

Piracy is still illegal in the uk

Classic 40k RTS Dawn of War Soulstorm
⁠Also check out our next game night on Wednesday 19th June at approx 20:30 GMT+1 on twitch

Welcome to Episode 244

We start off discussing Ram re-wiring techniques after Skazz's wife has an accident with a hedge trimmer. Ram also talks about his visit to the Pig and Poultry fair to see all the pig related sex equipment and tractors.

Moving swiftly on, Skazz has been playing Hi-Fi Rush, developed by recently killed off studio Tango Gameworks, a third person platformer with a rhythm style combat mechanic. Skazz talks about how it avoided it at the time.   

Following on from the above, we discuss the random cull Microsoft have done of some their studios and the state the gamer industry is in, how its got here and what the future will hold, we also discuss why the time is to move away from chasing graphics and into other parts of development.

Ram has been fighting a alien invasion in 2016 XCOM 2, a management sim with a turn based combat were you have to manage a flying base and perform mission with soldiers who do not tend to have long life spans. Capture alien tech and even the aliens themselves to improve your equipment and take the fight back to them. The only dislike is the mission timer.

We also discuss: Skazz ASMR, Pig wanking machines, Ram’s sausage 

Notes:

A company offering free robotic upgrades is EVIL?!?!? Who would have guessed in Hi-Fi Rush

Don’t get attached to your soldiers in XCOM 2
Also check out our next game night on Wednesday 5th June at approx 20:30 GMT+1 on Twitch: ⁠twitch.tv/randnerds

We kick off this week with Ram telling us about his rebellious file server and his networking woes, plus window missing up his audio.

Skazz talks about infinity generating road driving game s l o w  r o a d s and how enjoyable chill games can be. We discuss other chill games such as flight simulator, Everything and Jalopy. 

Ram talks about the recently released netflix version of The Three Body Problem. He's also listened to the audiobook so he discusses the difference between it and the series and what changes he did and didn’t like. 

Also discussed Gamer Cream, rolling over in Eurotruck and Die Hard

Notes

Chill time in S l o w R o a d s

The sad fate of Solomon Epstein

The Three Body Problem: Book vs Netflix

The Die Hard prequel starring Frank Sinatra, The Detective

Also check out our next game night on Wednesday 22nd May at approx 20:30 GMT+1 on Twitch: ⁠twitch.tv/randnerds