English professor Matt Barton grew up loving computer role-playing games like Pool of Radiance and Baldur’s Gate, and was discouraged when that style of thoughtful, analytical gameplay almost disappeared. “For a long time the very words ‘turn-based’ were enough to make everybody laugh at you,” Barton says in Episode 363 of the Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy podcast. “It was like, ‘Who wants that? It’s boring.

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