Iteration 182 - Simplicity and Other Game Design Topics

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In this iteration of the Simulationist podcast: we talk about the Academy Awards and try to convince ourselves why they are significant in our culture. Josh accuses Ryan of being a hipster. Then we talk about the DotA tournament in Shanghai that fired its announcer. Josh talks about comedy, Minecraft, and the TV shows we watched. On the topic of structuring television, telling stories forward and backward. Ryan reports on watching Deadpool. Then, prompted by Ryan recently tinkering with Hero Quest, we talk about the simplicity factor in game design, and how we add our own features and rules tweaks to role-playing games. And finally, we talk about board games, and picking a good board game for young children to play.


References and Recommendations:

The Wizard of Speed and Time (1988 film) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoLhLn9hVkE

Shanghai Major Dota 2 Tournament 2016: http://wiki.teamliquid.net/dota2/Shanghai_Major/2016

Roll for Initiative Victoria: http://www.rollforinitiative.ca/

Ye Olde Inn (HeroQuest site): http://www.yeoldeinn.com/

Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/

Iteration 181 - Primordial Alphabet Soup

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We start by discussing the sport of boxing, and Josh gives his thoughts on his first boxing lesson. We talk about the evolutionary origins of play and sport. Then we turn to a weird tangent about drinking milk and playing sports. Then why do we eat so much of animals but so rarely ever drink animal blood? Then we talk about evolution, how it works, and what it means for making simulations. And will humans ever go extinct? Finally, Ryan rants about how people don't think enough.


References and Recommendations:

James Naismith, the inventor of basketball: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Naismith

Vibrating Football Game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJI9sFJ9RXQ

Iteration 180 - Quests for Holy Grails

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We talk a bit about seafood, then a bit about the movie Deadpool. We get a little bit excited about the upcoming Lantasy convention in Victoria. Then we talk about the games we've been playing. And Ryan watched the 1981 film Excalibur. And that becomes our main topic. We talk about the divine mandate of kings, and how that leads into grail quests.

References and Recommendations:

LANtasy: https://www.lantasy.com/

Excalibur (1981 film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082348/

Roll for Initiative: http://www.rollforinitiative.ca/

Iteration 179 - Minecraft as an Artistic Medium

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In this iteration of the podcast, we start with some talk about the designed environment of a fast food restaurant. Then we get into a small discussion about automation, and how automation works or doesn't work when it comes to game design. Then Ryan gets excited about the upcoming Deadpool movie, but worries about it being a box office flop. Then we talk a bit about our recent adventures in Minecraft. And from there we get into a long talk about art in Minecraft, and how a video game can serve as a medium for artistic expression to rival more traditional art forms like painting and sculpture. We talk about how we think art will be made in the future, like in the Star Trek universe. And how we'll consume food in the universe of Star Trek. We talk about the art of curation and criticism.

References and Recommendations:

Deadpool movie:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1431045/

Robert Bateman
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Bateman_%28painter%29

Iteration 178 - Fixing Broken Things

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We start with a bit of talk about live comedy in Victoria. Ryan continues with his quest to automate his Minecraft world. Ryan then continues to develop his ideas for revolutionizing the vegepygmy race in the framework of the new Dungeon Master's Guild. Ryan finally gets around to watching Disney's Frozen. And for our main topic, we talk about things that are broken and need repairing, and how we approach this in the games we play and the stories we tell.


References and Recommendations:

The Scourge of the Slave Lords (D&D adventure) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scourge_of_the_Slave_Lords

Welcome to Night Vale (podcast) http://www.welcometonightvale.com/