SURVEY_PROGRAM: A podcast about DELTARUNE

Is it important that the protagonist of Deltarune is transgender? Kate and Valerie say yes.

IGN’s Non-Binary Protagonist of the Year. Living in a society versus falling in a hole. Teenventures in Teenland. These clothes hold no power over you any more. THERE’S NO SHAME IN AN EGG. The girl next door. Real weird route hours. The closet scene. Reflecting on the fan responses to Kris. A manhole. Getting stronger. An attempt to talk seriously about Berdly is shut down. What does Ralsei represent?

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Music by hywell (new album out now!)

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Kate and Elsie talk about inspirations for Undertale and Deltarune, including 1997’s groundbreaking moon: Remix RPG Adventure.

Topics: The gamer ideology. Love and experience. Why do we love video games, even though they almost all suck? Chapter 3’s game within a game. The (sorry) Halloween Hack. One ending. Goodbye, Dragon Inn and Car Seat Headrest. Too much content. Lightner merch. How to synthesize narrative and gameplay? Is Smash Bros more narratively compelling than Twine games? Death Stranding, Disco Elysium and how to carve out space for narrative in commercial environments. CHAPTER 7 ENDING REVEALED. The prophecy as game code.

Music by The Thelonious Monkees from moon: Remix RPG Adventure.

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Check out Hywell's new album coming Friday!

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Ruby introduces a formerly-oblivious Kate to the wild world of Undertale AUs.

Topics: Millenial Valhalla. It’s nice to see you again, Sans. Starbucks unionization. Helen of Troy. Enoch NEO. Janeites. Oz. Competing strains of fandom. N-Sync RPF. A straight line from Star Trek to Hetalia. Defining the “Tumblr sexyman.” Hit ‘em with the dinosaur, Raygun. Basketball shorts swooshing around in the gale. Cape comics. Komaeda’s special day. Driving in my car… We close with some Spamtenna talk.

The greater Sansiverse: Kate gets a whirlwind tour that includes Underfell, Underswap, Handplates, Swapfell, Outertale, Outerswap, Ink!Sans, Error!Sans, Dancetale, Horrortale, Undertale Red, Undertale Yellow, Undertoad, Dreamtale, HELP_tale, Glitchtale, Xtale/Underverse and more. There’s so many of these…

Donate to the Tapir Specialist Group

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Music by hywell (new album coming Friday!)

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Mama miba! Mom AMOEBA! Kate and Sophia talk Carol and Toriel, the two main moms of Deltarune, and how their stories intersect with the game’s view of family.

Topics: OFF. Baggage from Undertale. Madonna-whore complex. You might be worried because your room doesn't have stuff in it, but your family loves you in this game. Alarm clocks and alcohol. Fantasy villains versus real bad parenting. Parallels between Dark World bosses and the adults of Hometown. Kate says “frumpkin” and “multiphoner” within two minutes of each other. T-Rank and C-Rank. Why the heck does Toriel believe in sin??? What Asriel and Dess tell us. It’s like she’s having some kind of “knightmare.” [[HeartShapedObject]]. Carol’s role in the weird route. What are the relationships between the four Holiday and Dreemurr adults? A highly important final question is answered. We finish with some Star Wars talk.

Sources cited:
Andrew Cunningham on determination
Stuffed Alpaca on gender in Deltarune

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Music by hywell

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NOTE: Kate’s audio is a bit clippy in this episode. Sorry.

Kate and Riley round up Deltarune’s outstanding secrets, and how Toby Fox uses mysteries in writing. They talk Fun Values, Gaster, what Ralsei knows, Kris’s role in the conflict, blood, DARKER YET DARKER, why Deltarune’s ARGs work where others fail, Dess, IMAGE_FRIEND, playing Deltarune on release vs. all at once, “one ending,” WHERE’S PAPYRUS????, the Knight, the shadow crystals, the prophecy, and surprise at the narrative pace.

SURVEY_PROGRAM is an in-depth discussion of the themes, cultural impact, and history of Deltarune by Toby Fox, with a rotating panel of guests.

Sources referenced:
Wandydoodles’ FRIEND masterdoc.
LoreFactsTV’s Deltarune and Twin Peaks essay.
Andrew Cunningham on the Knight conspiracy.

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Music by hywell

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An oral history of Deltarune Chapter 1, featuring stories from people who were there.

SURVEY_PROGRAM is an in-depth discussion of the themes, cultural impact, and history of Deltarune by Toby Fox, with a rotating panel of guests.

Join the SURVEY_PROGRAM Discord or follow on Bluesky.

In-episode music by hywell

Outro music by CRISTATA + HYWELL

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Story timestamps:

Valerie (3:20)

Quiet (7:53)

photonicDog (8:27)

Harriet (13:00)

Dare (17:15)

tempest2k (25:00)

Aria (27:20)

Skyplayer (31:25)

Paravellex (33:15)

Ciat (34:05)

Roxie Puddles (36:40)

Arashi500 (38:10)

Sophia Goodnight (38:55)

ValantWynn (39:55)

My story and outro (55:30)