October 25, 2016

Virtual Realities and Pretend Robots, with Dan Teasdale (and Cassie)

ETAO Podcast, Episode 24.

http://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/etao.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/etao-podcast-24.mp3

Dan Teasdale returns to discuss No Goblin’s sophomore effort, 100ft Robot Golf, a game about (wait for it) hundred-foot-high robots playing golf. This being a No Goblin game, of course, there’s more to it than that. It’s a deeply personal and proudly goofy admixture of influences that maybe shouldn’t even be called an indie game so much as a farm to table game, as Dan jokingly said. (Joking aside, it might be a better term than indie, though).

We talk about the exciting possibilities of Virtual Reality, the equally exciting differences between this first generation of home VR, and the value of unwinking, internally consistent tonal absurdity—running gags become lore, and vice-versa—not to mention the value of not perusing “perfect design” in games.

We also discuss the “unsolvable problem” of having voiced commentary without having that commentary get repetitive—and how having The McElroys in the booth, and therefore being able to use just about every take, certainly helps with that.

———

• For those unfamiliar with Headmaster and/or Accounting.

• Well, “Can A Computer Make You Cry?” (Emphasis mine).

• For those who don’t know why I say “kiss the egg” when I putt, or who generally have yet to enjoy Monster Factory.

• James Whitbrook was the one who said that he was sick of saving the world.

• Patrick Lee also talked about that idea in the context of Persona 3.

• The Cheffo Chronicles are pure entertainment.

———

“All The People Say (Season 2)” by Carpe Demon.

“And Then He Took Up Golf” by Frank Crumit.

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