Zelda Zone
Collin learns people dont like things on the internet. Aaron is basically Harry Potter, and Brandon just wants more historical fantasy. Is that so hard?
- People don't like things on the internet
- Harry Potter scar
- Aaron is assaulted
- BWWs, football, and old drunk people
- Main topic - video games!
- Greedfall
- More historical fantasy please!
- mastering the mechanics
- strategy games
- platforming games
Why play?
- Mechanics
- Culture
- Social Aspect
- Story telling medium
- barrier to entry!
- nerd out
- need something to do
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A VERY ROUGH TRANSCRIPT OF THE EPISODE
Provided by otter.ai
0:00
Oh, swimmingly.
0:05
What did you have to do? What What were you doing?
0:08
I interviewed a pet groomer for pet sitter confessional.
0:13
Ooh, we?
0:17
Yeah, no, she was really great. She is a house call groom, pet groomer, and pet care giver person things. And so she actually goes into people's homes to give the grooming, which is kind of cool, because she focuses a lot on elderly dogs or dogs with medication that they don't do well in other other settings. So.
0:49
Yup.
0:50
So I'm, yeah, yeah, so that's pretty exciting. I'm pretty interesting here. I'd never heard anything about that. I've never actually talked to a groomer about what a groomer does so I learned a ton. Especially when I got her talking about, like, her favorite tools and that kind of stuff. So she was she was very happy to tell me all about all about her about the stuff that she uses, which, you know, again, nerd out, please. Well, yeah, but and you got to think too, like, they're not like hairdressers in it. They don't get to talk to their clients while they're doing it.
1:28
Yeah, they need Yes. Because they can't they can't like talk with the dog like my hairdresser lady. She just talks about current stuff. Like they don't have that outlet. So they need someone to talk to you about their craft and just about things in general. Yeah. Me hanging out with dogs. It is cool. But they they don't talk back to you. So sure. Yeah. So
1:53
yeah, so that was good. And then that went long. And then
1:57
to go, we've also So we said we have we do dog sitting with a company called rover.com. And it's kind of like the Uber of Petcare where anybody can sign up and make a profile and list their services. And you can go on there and they're kind of just a listing service. Oh, well, well. We've been with them for almost eight years now. And we didn't think that the animosity between like traditional style pet care and kennels was that bad against rover. But we are latest episode was about nuts talking about podcasts on a podcast. That's kind of annoying and stupid. But
2:44
podcast. Ya
2:50
know, our latest episode was on advertising and so I thought, Hey, we're going to the dog park. Let me take a picture of Megan standing in the dog park with her rover shirt. And that'll be what we use for our post this week, because what a great way to showcase how to how to advertise. And in this one group, we got people who were like, f rover, get rid of that shirt. I'm unsubscribed from your podcast. I'm not supporting this. This is terrible. rover is awful. How dare you? It just like on and on and on. And maybe never like, What what? What in all the up all of the all of the arguments are the same thing that the taxi industry did when rover or when, when Uber came in have, it's not fair. They don't have to have the licenses, where's the regulation of them? You know, they don't work that hard. They just sit around and wait for things to happen. They're not real business owners. And so we had Megan had another Fire that we needed to address because of that, so is just just ridiculous.
4:07
And the thing is,
4:07
I think it's on our on our episode on our podcast.
4:11
We don't even talk about rover
4:13
ever. Like we'll say we say we're rover but blah, blah, blah, blah, blah or it's not a shill for rover at all. It's just sharing. And these people got so angry about it. They were so angry. So we're to the wise. Be careful.
4:32
With me strange, like, just to be that, like, violently upset about someone to take care of a dog. Like not saying not saying this is not a valuable service. I'm not undercutting you in any way. But like, no, it's
4:53
fine. But uh,
4:56
like I was saying, like, there's some other things that happen in the world that are like really bad. And people just go, man, whatever. And then if they have a violent reaction to the type of dog watching service that is presented to them, I find this very interesting
5:16
reaction, right? Like,
5:18
that doesn't make sense to me a
5:21
certain level, I know and it's, you know, on one hand, I can I can kind of understand it. If you're somebody who started from ground zero with your pet care business, and you've been there for 20 years, and you've built up your clientele and you've invested in licenses and fees and insurance and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And then some college students signs up for rover and gets a couple dog walks that you don't get anymore. And, you know, they didn't have to pay for a license and they didn't have to blah, blah, blah, blah. Like that's where that bitterness starts at
5:54
capitalism. That's what you wanted. Yeah, sign up for that's how it works. Like that. Right? Like I don't understand why that's that is the capitalist system.
6:03
Yes.
6:04
people claim to love so dearly.
6:07
They anybody else can do it do like you can get money. So Can someone else they can do the same thing. They just want it to be as hard for the new person as it was for them. Progress is progress is not okay.
6:20
Yeah. But if again, if it was 20 years ago, like this, none of you have to think about that. Like 20 years ago, it was a hassle to call someone on the phone, right? Like it was hard. If you want to call somebody on the telephone. It was a difficult like, not difficult, but like you had to like step one, find a phone like that was still thinking. So great. It was you might have had to put money into that phone, like maybe,
6:53
maybe
6:54
like my quarters in all
6:57
you have to remember people's phone numbers. True reports difficult
7:02
is difficult. Yeah, haven't I used to have them written down a little thing in my wallet? Like important phone numbers on the back of like some kind of card or something tucked in there for when my brain failed me, I'd written is my written
7:15
on the back of dad's business card. And that was where I put all my numbers.
7:19
Oh, yeah. Makes sense. I might have done a similar thing. Yeah, I probably did. Yeah, just carry around with you. Yeah.
7:32
Yeah. So it just it just got me thinking about
7:36
how people can, how their assumptions of one thing lead to their just broad generalization of hatred against everybody else. And this is a very, very small corner of that world, obviously. Well, yeah.
7:55
I think I feel like that that theme is over. Laughing into many other aspects of life, right? That's kind of how it works like what do you mean? You don't agree with me? How dare you like, yeah, this is why this is why I think that the internet is simultaneously the best and worst thing that's ever been invented.
8:15
What's the there's a an internet theory that if you argue long enough someone will bring up Hitler in a conversation. Yeah,
8:24
they're gonna call you a Nazi. Yeah,
8:26
yeah. Is that no, that is a theory. I it has a name. I don't remember. Yeah. And also that there's a it goes along with there's a second one that you will get corrected. By the well, the well actually culture. Yeah, there's that there's an actual there's a written out theory that goes I can't remember what it's called. But I do remember that somebody there's a meme somewhere where somebody calls it the wrong name. They call it like Murphy's Law. It's always look at it. It's this law. And he goes, you see?
8:52
Yeah, exactly. Oh, yeah. Yeah. It's kind of it kind of it's kind of that that you mentioned it's like The Best and Worst thing like it really culminates in that culminates but in one of that aspects is the ability and the power to now all of a sudden argue, like, it's now more easier than ever to argue out of out of ignorance and into to have that on full display in everything you know, in ways that you interact with people online because it there's, there's no consequences if you do. You don't have to know everything about it, you can just spout off an opinion and either get corrected or not or, you know, wind up talking about Nazis.
9:33
So just,
9:34
it just kind of just kind of took all of that and put it into a weird amalgam for us as we were experiencing that of like, just sitting back and being like, wow, and you know, it's fine. Like, it's fine, fine, have those opinions. And, and, and, and that's your experience and I'm sorry, those have been that's that's how it's been for you. But don't don't put that on everybody. Don't make those broad generalizations because we know people who are, you know, four times as busy as we are out there busting it and, you know, paying taxes. They're registered as a business, all sorts of stuff. And it's just yeah, you don't know.
10:13
There's also actual dog kennels that are like, cess pits. They're terrible. And people take their dogs there and their dogs die in them because they're like, gross. And there's been negligent, right, like,
10:26
yeah, I wasn't.
10:28
It goes both ways. I mean,
10:30
yeah. And I wasn't going to try and argue that to them because I did Walter, that pod. I
10:35
was I'll do that right now. Because you know, they're not here. Oh, no, just kidding. Like that thing, right? Whenever, like, I kind of think about it. Like, I know you guys didn't ride the bus as much as I did when we were children. Like, on the bus. This story kind of illustrate why he didn't ride the bus as much as I did. Like the buses and Used to be like your free for all zone. Right? So like, whenever there was a disagreement, right, you would just get punched in the face. It was someone said something good, like you just get punched now. Yeah. You know, so it's kind of the opposite of this retreat into the online sphere of OI, an anonymous person that can post things like on the school bus. You got punched in the mouth. Yeah. Yeah, I know. That sounds like a very, that's a very like me being old man being like, back in my day, right. But like, you know, to a certain extent, it's true. Like you said, there's no consequences like, in real life interactions are consequences, rightly or wrongly. Sometimes these things escalate into places where they ought not be because they're very, No, they don't. A lot of arguments don't deserve to resort to physicality. Most of us don't at all. Know, there was a quote by somebody that says That should be your last resort and if you've gotten that you failed as a person, right? But it still happens. Like sometimes we fail. It's okay. Stop shouting people on the internet. I know that sounds weird is a guy talking about podcasts on the internet is a very contradictory statement. Well, yeah, but no internet inflates your importance here I am.
12:29
Well, and that's funny. I just I was just just took the kids to the to the playground today and I was talking with a dad that showed up there just because what else you can do with the kids are playing the playground? And I was asking he had like seven kids.
12:46
And I'm Aaron Joe Aaron. Fiction, Collin just like sitting on the bench. chillin.
12:52
Chocolate. Yeah. I bet you call an open up. Put the phrase man this weather huh?
13:05
I did. I didn't I hope it is it also weird in my mind you're in sync waterpark.
13:13
I was also kind of picturing that as well. I thought you might be anyway, step one, I drove down to secret parking of hand. No, I asked how old his daughter was because that's what grown ups talk to. That's what parents talk about when they don't know anything else. Yeah.
13:33
Anyway, uh, yeah. That don't leave it. Hey, How old's your kid? And did you see my van over there? Yeah, those
13:42
are pretty sweet van over there, don't I anyway, how was you? know,
13:47
I was asking him about he said he had seven kids and I laughed and then said, I'm it's great. I'm sure it's great how they all get along then isn't it? And he laughed and he said, Oh, no, not ever and he was telling me that He his two youngest sons were boxing in the garage with a little punching bag and the dad was like remember don't hit each other in the face no face hits and he said obviously that lasted about 13 seconds where the younger one turned and just slammed in the older one space the older one and and then the older one looked at his dad and his dad went well I did say no hits to the face so there should probably be a consequence and the older brother just turned around and just way old on the younger brother in the face not on the face right exactly. of the younger brother was like, why did you let him do that? That's not fair. And he was like, you hit him in the face. You broke the rules you these are your consequences. And I was like exactly like that is a wonderful lesson of you don't follow the rules. There are consequences and in Secondly, the more people should have been fired. In the face when they were younger to get past what they're dealing with.
15:04
Well see that it goes both ways because either that or they got punched in the face too much, too much. Sure.
15:12
Obviously.
15:13
So like there is a balance here, but that is the other option that could have happened. So you can't just again You can't broadly say that Mr. generalization man,
15:24
anyway, everybody's wrong. Who doesn't agree with me?
15:28
Stupid
15:33
kind of sounds like Brandon when we used to get the snow gloves and box in the living room. Yeah, we're good at Collin media we started like, well, these kids are boxing in the garage and I'm like, Hi, Brandon myself box in the living room. But continue. I forgot. Did that
15:51
happen?
15:52
Yeah, the big a little snow globe. Yes.
15:55
Yeah. No, what a terrible idea. That one
16:00
Yeah, right. or playing tackle football in the living room next to the brick fireplace. That sounds. Yeah,
16:12
that's fine. I had stitches in my messages when I was a kid from the fireplace. So I realized it wasn't that bad. It'll be okay. You get fine.
16:21
Get stitches from a corner wall that count. Now I don't know what happened that that was it. That's not a real story. I wasn't there.
16:30
I was very busy outside
16:32
the print definitely definitely cleaning my room like I was supposed to be.
16:39
Those of you who are listening out there. This one has a massive Harry Potter scar of forehead where the allegations are that we were supposed to be cleaning our room and someone I don't know who had dove into the corner wall.
16:58
Now, hold on. Let's Back up a minute.
17:02
You judge to the India. Yeah, you don't do the NA not the part where you willingly participated in the construction of a slip and slide out of bedspreads. And we should
17:12
also note that you are what how old were you with this? Like? How, like five?
17:18
I don't remember. supervised by older children who who should have known better,
17:25
you. You were giggling and laughing and having a grand old time, right up until all the blood blanket caught around your foot and you tripped and you dove into the wall. headfirst into the corner though it's
17:45
not our fault that our upstairs hallway was perfect when you lined it with blankets and sheets that you could jump on a pillow and surf down it. That's not our fault that how physics works. It except for whenever it gets caught. Yeah, and you go flying into the corner corner.
18:00
We did not we did not anticipate the corner becoming such a problem.
18:04
Do I also need to bring up the fact that there's also a crescent shaped scar on my forehead from when someone took the extension to the vacuum cleaner and shoved me perfectly at my head?
18:21
means this ring a bell? No, again, it's just shockingly How about that? Definitely. It was a really cool throw. Okay, we were chasing each other.
18:31
I did have that Ruth
18:35
Perryman at my face.
18:37
Throw.
18:38
Wow. And I was ahead of him and I stopped and I turned, I just, you know, throw it at him as hard as I could. And those old plastic extensions for the vacuum just tumbled in Dover in Dover, and it landed squarely on Aaron's forehead. And yeah, that's pretty cool. The punishment afterwards wasn't speaking of consequences. The punishment sucked by For that brief moment, you felt like you were a superhero.
19:05
Chuck
19:07
little brothers.
Well, so that they kind of know what that reminded me. But I was on a call Listen, when I texted you the other day or Snapchat of you, I was on an investigation and I was just like talking to these people. And this little girl this at bat little creature came up and like, hugged me. And I was like, oh, how's it going? And then she kicked me in the shin. And then like, dope off the porch, like the back like the front porch, whatever it is, like into a bush. And I was like, I like the pants are sitting there and I you know, have a little no DHS tag. I'm like, I can't, I can't compute what just happened. And they're like, she does that. I'm like, that's me. It wasn't normal because I was like, Oh, hi, small creature out why and then just just dove headfirst off into a bush. She became offended when you referred to her as a creature. Well, I didn't say like, Oh, hello small person. Little tiny person out my shin and then just
20:22
like a condescending tone. Maybe that was it. Yeah. It was
20:28
four o'clock in the morning. What am I supposed to do? True fair, right.
20:33
Small person.
20:37
Good goodness. Yeah.
20:39
Thankfully, I don't have to deal with any humans. Outside humans. That is for the next week because I'm going down to Oklahoma City tomorrow.
20:49
Again,
20:49
so Oh, we're training.
20:53
This is
20:57
technically three because Last week I was I was back at the office because they give you a quote unquote break. No to which was pretty much doing the exact same thing I was doing before I left down there. So nothing really changed.
21:11
We were driving Oklahoma City. So that's bonus.
21:14
Yeah. So I'll go back. I'll leave here about like 530 in the morning. Good. Yeah, right. But yeah, I don't have I don't have to deal with other people. It's great. To deal with the drive and wake up early early in the morning. I can just drive normal early. So it'll be it'll be fine. I'm having fun. But yeah, I mean, that's all I got going on this week.
21:49
And
21:51
other
21:52
activities that I had planned
21:57
what other activities last? That's the only other activity I have.
22:02
Okay.
22:04
I don't have I don't have anything to do around here you talking about?
22:09
I mean, that's that's true. The Middle of Nowhere in Oklahoma Like what? Yeah.
22:17
You think I go out and do fun things on the weekend? No, I'm literally been sitting in my apartment like that's,
22:22
that's all I have right now. And that can be fun. I did that this weekend or today anyway, it was glorious was like Finally
22:32
I went up but I watched football and I'm like, Man, I'm out and talking to people, and then like was out in public for like 30 minutes. I'm like, I don't want to be out of my apartment. This sucks. No old drunk person. I don't want to talk to you go away.
22:49
Though. Where are you going? To see old drunk people.
22:53
Buffalo Wild Wings.
22:55
Are they are the head football, all the football.
22:57
They have a ball. De Did Didn't you know that? No, all football come from Buffalo Wild Wings?
23:06
And didn't I was unaware that that was the originating point of football. That was
23:10
1939 that was it came from Buffalo Wild Wings. Oh,
23:17
I didn't know that's quite right.
23:20
You're welcome. I think it's a little older than that. I have a degree in history. Okay. See,
23:25
I remember football history.
I feel like it's older. Because I feel like Teddy Roosevelt likes football.
23:36
Definitely pre 1939
23:39
Well, that was professional football.
23:42
saying Oh, professional football was 1939
23:45
you just said football. You were not clear.
23:47
You meant when I knew it.
23:50
I did not because I was thinking like collegiate football, which is the best one to watch because nobody got time to watch pressure football.
23:59
So that that's That gets me out to why I was actually being
24:04
a social.
24:07
I wanted to watch Oklahoma State play and the wings, obviously.
24:11
Yes. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, the Buffalo Wild Wings in that order wings It doesn't seem that doesn't make sense. I had I had literally nothing else on the menu. What you did what? Chicken dinners? Natural I'm
24:24
not chicken wings. Well I did that last week so I had to I had to mix it up and so I shut up so I got the Buffalo Wild Wings. I'm like, man I get I'm gonna watch Oklahoma State play and like all Kansas state's going to play this gonna be perfect. Both of those channels on direct tv. We're experiencing technical difficulties. And we're that what is it called, like the snowy glitchy channels like for high definition. And so I watched for all four quarters, like the top one third portion of a team Be to catch like part of the football game. Like I was miserable. I was like I'm out. I'm talking to people this is fine. The TV's not on but it's whatever I'm here that's all that matters. And then like in the third quarter it completely went dead and so I had to go watch like some random team play the whole time I'm like
25:25
today sucks
25:28
sorry suffering. I'm having to
25:32
to watch the your non favorite team play.
25:36
Yes.
25:39
But no, that's that's all I did it again. There's not really a whole lot to do.
25:46
Around Yeah, true. But
25:55
Brandon, I've been playing creed fall and My heart keeps breaking Why? Cuz it's a good game. Don't get me wrong. But like I just want I just want more out of it. Now doesn't give me more.
26:09
I agree. That might be true. But I feel like first I don't know there's something about that game that just hit me. Right? And I like it. I don't know why you're right sometimes sometimes sometimes you're like, this is weird. And it's wonky. And it's like a little bit Genki sometimes. I don't care I really liked that game
26:33
I don't know if it's like the the combat system or just just the way the game flows.
26:42
But it was that weird again, I don't ever I have a hard time with that because I'm like, ooh, side quest. What did I just go off and do things?
26:51
With my life and video games. I just like
26:52
ooh, side quest. Hello. Like I don't I don't like how the map is set up.
26:57
And I thought it was interesting. I like them. It's different. It's not just like a giant open map, because I wouldn't ever explore that whole entire thing. Right. So like Miami so controversially, yeah. Statement of the day. I like that it's broken up that way. Because, uh, you know, in a game like the Witcher, right where they gave me this ginormous map, or more recently, when I played Red Dead Redemption to, like, the map is enormous. I never go to all of it ever. Because most of the time, there's not a reason to write, there's certain areas that have that you just never visit. Because there's no missions there. Every once in a while you go, oh, what's over there, and you right over there, and there's like nothing. So you leave. Right?
27:46
Like 26 monster and you're only level 14,
27:49
but like in will in the Witcher, I mean, but there's certain areas in that game where there's like nothing, and then Red Dead Redemption to go over there. It looks great. Cool, but there's nothing there. So like when you break it up into a series of like, smaller maps like that, I was kind of like, I was more prone to explore areas, because I was over here. Oh, it's a chest I can't get to. And I like, excuse me without one thing I do like that game does different is the leveling system I like I like that they have the skills and the talents and all that stuff split up where you don't get points for certain things every level. Yeah, right. So like you're leveling choices matter. You know, you have to pick your I don't remember what they're called. They're like skills, talents, and
28:46
something else something else whatever.
28:49
And so, like you get the one every level like you just normal skill point and whatever. But then like your talent points, like every three levels, and then you're like trade I don't know. It's called every four levels. Yeah, like, it's important which ones you pick? You know, I mean, yeah. So it's not like certain RPG is where like, by the end of the game you just good at literally everything. Yeah and doesn't matter, right? Like those choices that you made to specialize in that area are valuable. And there for something. So like, naturally, I went a little like all in on the playing a diplomat thing. And so like I had the charisma, like maxed out, or I had like the intuition like maxed out, because I wanted all those dialogue choices to all that. Yeah, because they give you cool stuff when you do the dialogue thing, right. So I thought that was interesting. And I thought it was very, I don't know. The story is pretty interesting. Yeah, like there's some weird stuff in there. I also just really like the fantasy setting. That's not like medieval for some reason. That just hit me is like, dude, that's cool.
30:03
Like on it's like it's like a 1700
30:04
fantasy setting. Right? Oh, that's very different. Well,
30:10
yeah, basically this game. Sorry Collin will leave me out of conversation. This game is basically basically there is this like fictionalized land, right? And there's people there and they've discovered a new continent to which they will travel now and they want to do so because there is a sickness affecting their land right they call it like the Malik or something. I don't know. Some Yeah, I mean it's very early like 1700s like it's really cool it's like this very, like the art whoever design I don't know I don't look it up whoever designed that did the art design for that game. They're awesome. They're like totally amazing like this. Great. And it's a very cool like that time period plus, like intimacy authentic happening, because it's like magic. And like, there's weird things happening, right? So then yeah, they go to this island. And there's like native people there who are like magical and do like nature magic things very dirty, right? It's kind of cool. And so there's like a conflict between these three different, like colonial people, groups of people. Like one is like a very like science oriented one. One is a very, like, the one that you're with is like a merchant to one trade merchant thing. And the other ones like a very religious group. Right. And then there's the native Islanders, and they're trying to like balance out living on this new island all together, trying to figure out how it works and stuff. So some of it like subtext, a lot of its subtext. I think I might have been reading too much into some of this, but I was like,
31:54
Dude, this is kinda cool,
31:57
right? Like the way that they have interact in like, do stuff and like you have to like you know it kind of steers you certain times in certain like you don't have to you could totally just like stab people in the face doesn't matter like yo I've got to like do this thing for these people because they're my allies but I don't agree with what they're doing so I have to like you know switch it up a little bit like it's very cool right i think i think was cool. Other side group was like the boat people and they're like all the knots or whatever they're cool I liked it. Yeah, they're
32:32
all nothing but like ships and things. And like it's it's a very it's a sweet face tattoos everywhere. It's like yeah, it's a it's a very fascinating game like I like the time period.
32:43
time period in the setting. I want more historical fantasy that's not high fantasy. anybody has any recommendations for me I need to know this because
32:51
I love I love the you know the cosmetics of thing like the the the art style, the
32:57
art style, so
32:58
good. You know, the legal clothing and things that you get to customize and change now,
33:03
are the are the face animations always great? No, No, No, they're not. No, that's okay, though.
33:08
Like that that part was a little not like disappointing because, you know, I remember seeing the trailers and looking at it and going, Oh my gosh, this looks true. I remember the first trailer
33:19
I saw the first trailer was like, yo,
33:20
and then like the first you know, scene, you know, you have your character and he's being like, drawn by that artist person. Oh, yes. Like,
33:30
wow. Yeah. It starts off very slow. Yeah, I'll give you that. And
33:37
I just got to the island. OC, like, good. I was I was thinking around the little town and doing all those little side quests and serene sir it's called serene. Yes. And so I just trying not like just trying to get the feel for what I need to be doing.
33:55
Yeah, I did the same thing.
33:57
And like I kind of got it except for I was a lot more More. What's a good word? Like?
34:03
Like,
34:04
hey, let's try to sneak in here like you mean, walk into the front gate and attack them. Okay, like that was kind of my Yeah, you gotta get a little stuffy. Yeah, you gotta get a little you gotta practice about what it wants from you. Yeah.
34:19
Now, I will tell you the stealth is kind of not good. Yeah, there are a couple times where stealth mode is important. It does that big, like, it puts the eye over them. And then yeah, you know, yeah, right. But it's okay.
34:32
It's like just trying to develop kind of like a play style. But I don't know if I was, you know, because again, I was playing like the Witcher for hours. It just kind of the fluidity of everything. And I didn't really get that feel from the game.
34:49
That I would say the combat is not too dissimilar from the Witcher, because it's not like complex.
34:56
Yeah, I mean, it's very, very simple. Yes, but Just the same way I just didn't get that feel of it's very fluid. Now
35:06
you got to get once you get some more skills unlocked, you'll have many more combat options to choose. There are not only blunt and edged weapons, there's also heavy versions of each one. So like two handed mace is like clubs or like vi handers basically. Yeah. As well as guns and magic. I know if you went magic mode I've not gone the magic though. There is also I went magic Ray late game it kind of turned into like palette any right because I was two handed heavy weapon for sure. Yeah, with like support magic, right? That's right. Ah, but like there's also like gun. There's also all kinds of other combat things you can kind of their combat menu is actually very deep. If you get into there. There's like a million shortcuts you can enter that
35:57
thing. Yeah, I'm pretty much rockin with, you know, a hammer in my pistol. Yeah, and like just just just the comment feel itself like, I know it's good and I like it, but it's just not very, you know, Philly. But me I still I still have to unlock the
36:16
dodge roll that's in their dodge roll. Yeah, yeah, it's on the skill tree, you have to unlock it. Well, and there's a role in there. And when you start doing combat with the companions, it's very, it's better. Oh, yeah. As you get to people with you all the time.
36:36
Yeah. And so I've kind of I've kind of been rockin with some of those people. Now. I will say
36:42
the enemy variety. Not the best. Yeah, a lot of them are like four legged monster things.
36:50
Yeah, but different shapes.
36:52
Yeah, but then every once in a while, there's some like giant thing. Okay, so it's a little better but like, again, I was like roaming around All the time looking like every little nook and cranny so I thought the same thing like a million times in a row but yeah
37:06
so I'm just kind of just trying to get a feel for like the map but yeah, I just got to the island I did a lot of the quests like in the city, and then I'm going to be adventure and then just I get rocked by like some giant sheep thing. I'm like,
37:18
Oh, yeah, very cheap thing, man.
37:23
This isn't fun. And so I haven't played and
37:25
also don't forget that you can do the Perry thing with the B button or whatever or circle button I guess in your case if you're playing PlayStation Yeah, you can Perry low tech, sometimes you can pay animal attacks.
37:37
So that's nice now,
37:39
yeah, spoilers. That's handy. Because Yeah, until you get that Dodge. Sometimes you're like, Oh, snap I how am I get out of the way of that.
37:50
So I kind of want to take this just a little bit because
37:56
I don't have a whole lot to contribute to this conversation. It's very good. But I want to talk about our histories and experiences with video games, because I think all three of us kind of have a different pathway into or perception of them. And, you know, from for me, I know that some of my earliest video games were Nintendo 64 in the Atari 100 down the basement that we played with that we played with, you know, down 2600 Yeah, not the 100 Yeah, yeah, sorry. Sorry, again. Yeah, the Atari 2600 and messing with the input switcher on the top of the TV there and, you know, Channel Four, three or whatever, and getting which button it was totally which one it was. And, and so, for whatever reason, my memories of video games is predominantly with like the setup and getting to it, and then kind of once it started to get into the Sega when we got the Sega Genesis you know, I didn't I played that a little bit I think I tried to play like Sonic Sonic game and was it flipper Do we have a game with a dolphin
39:16
that go definitely Ecco the Dolphin the hardest video game ever?
39:22
Impossible. Okay. So, so I think about I mean, even by that time it was starting to wane on me as far as like video games. And then when we got the PlayStation you know, I would play Metal Gear Solid and do the cheat codes to be the massive tank or the clown car or the ice cream truck
39:49
right with Twisted Metal twisted
39:51
metal. Okay, yeah, not Metal Gear Solid. Twisted Metal. And
39:58
I was different. I was like, What
39:59
Yeah. I Metal Gear.
40:05
And then you know, I think honestly, like that was probably the last really big, just like video game thing that I've played then and even now I'll try and download apps or whatever games on my phone and they just don't stick and, and I'm trying I'm sitting here listening to you guys talk and I'm trying to figure it think about like, why did did my brain go go one way and you know what kind of experiences that I had because I love watching you guys play video games that's perfectly fine. It's for whatever reason, you know, I just it's hard for me to get in that mode of sit and play video games. So I I did want to hear from you guys. What that's what that's like because my my brains not wired that way.
40:56
Brandon, you want to start?
40:59
I'll start with Well okay, so number one is being to number one. I think it's so like starting out like those early games, they're all very like skill based, right? Like jump at this time, like timing wise, you know? Or like things like that like Mario and Sonic and those were like the like what the Aladdin and the Lion King, right remember those ones?
41:27
Oh yeah, yeah,
41:28
they're very like skill, Arkady right like timing based and things like that. And so I found that that was fun. Like, that part is fun for certain games, right? That part is interesting. The other thing that carried me a lot through after that was just like playing with my friends a lot because we played other games that were like, similar vein with your friends. So like racing games I loved about like all like Gran Turismo, I played Gran Turismo a lot when I was a kid to Gran Turismo to specifically And that Tony Hawk video games, because there is that skill level, right? It's skill based, like so it's a point value thing. And the racing games are similar to because like, compared to the ones that I have now, like I have the Forza Horizon, right, though the one What is it for three? I don't know. It's behind my computer again. Look at her now. But it's like a open world racing through the English countryside. Right? Yeah, it's got season changing. It's awesome. Anyway, it's very skill based driving game. So that's one of the things like that mechanic like trying to master the mechanics of the video game is the one thing that's interesting. Like, that's why I like to play Dark Souls, too. I mean, so no, no, I mean, Dark Souls one is better, in my opinion, but I also like all of them. One, two and three are good. They're similar. They're very mechanically driven. Okay. Hey, it's very much timing. You know, attack timing, Dodge timing, block timing, Perry timing stuff. It's very, like skill oriented. And so that's one of the draws. I feel like that way. It's just that like feedback. Oh, I screwed this up. How do I do this? How do I get better at this one? And not all games have that, which is why sometimes I also bounce off games. I'm like, yeah, this was really not for me, right? Yeah. That would be my first I think answer to that. And
43:35
kind of what like, what got me into video games, or just kind of, I'm trying because there's a lot of things flowing through my head. I'm just trying to figure out which one to get. Well
43:43
just start with with everyone's on top. Yeah.
43:47
What? Yeah, what kind of got me into games was you know, watching you know, Brandon play. Now Final Fantasy seven and then me in my little brain, like I can do that. And then I tried to like play the The first mission I'm like, this guy is bullcrap. It's hard. And so just trying to like, like, Oh, this is like, my brother can do it, I can do it. And then my wee little tiny brain, not manifesting, like how, you know, like, Oh, I didn't know, I'm supposed to level up. And so just kind of the complexity of like, Hey, this is kind of like a little neat, little, little thing. And a lot of the times was, there's things like, you know, it being kind of like, either a fantasy world, or, and that's kind of what got me into, you know, a lot of historical games was seeing the things that I read about seeing the things that I, you know, studied about being manifested in like a little digital world, that I can, you know, like, Oh, this is what, you know, medieval Europe at this time, or whatever looked like, and so, yeah, I didn't really have like that much video game experience. When you know, the I was still living at home. You know, I played what I could, because I either that was at school or, you know, doing some sort of sport sporting event. I didn't really do a whole lot of stuff outside of school. It wasn't till really college where, you know, had better access to the internet was able to, you know, watch people play video games for like a living. And I was like, Whoa, that's like really cool. Like, people people actually do this full time. And I've never I was never that good at playing video games, but just being able to kind of, you know, see what other people do. And kind of have like a little like, Oh, this is what, you know. Ancient Rome looks like kind of thing. So that kind of having that prosthetic to it like, Okay, well, I've read about it. I've studied it for years. This is what it looks like. Not verbatim by any means but just kind of like oh like this is like this looks cool this way like is Emily right? Yeah, like I'm submerged I'm submerged in this world but a lot of times honestly like it's I mean there's not really a whole lot for me to do here so I don't have a lot of a lot of options. I do have a lot of books I need to read but I was never really into like, you know, the hardcore shooting games. Like those just never really interested me. What Brandon was talking about earlier with like, the Aladdin The Lion King like those platforming games, like like, those are fun, but I they just, they didn't click for me until I was older. But I really got into kind of strategy games. And you know, instead of just being a brute force, kind of thing, although I will admit me playing like Pokemon Gold. Whenever I first got into Pokemon, I'd I for some reason, my brain cannot put two and two together that Oh a fire Pokemon is damaged by a water Pokemon beer. It's just like, bludgeon my Pokemon until I win.
47:12
Yeah. So just there's a lot to be said for power leveling in the forest, right? It's fine.
47:17
But just kind of having that, you know, ability to kind of say like, Oh, hey, I, like what are some other ways to get around this? Like, there's more than one way to accomplish something like either in real life or in in in video game world and so that's I kind of drew to those kind of games a lot because I was like, all there's more than one way to do it, and then I'd get frustrated and but it was good bullcrap. And then I go in guns blazing and kill everything.
47:50
Yeah, so that's what's that's what's really interesting to hear about because, you know, Brandon, you were saying like having that skill set and having that that mixture Haneke mastering the the mechanics. And in Aaron's over here going the strategy and the multi way of solving a particular problem. And you know, when in a video game or something, when I would encounter a skill that I didn't have that was hard or an I didn't have a strategy to solve. I couldn't solve the strategy or didn't couldn't come up with another way. I just stopped playing and just was like, Okay, well, this is as far as this game exists for me. And so, you know, why is it that that you guys continue to push past that?
48:40
Now, some games, it's like, if it's mechanically sound, and it's fair, like it's worth trying again, right? There's some games are badly made. And like, if you can't win, it's not your fault. It's that the game is like mess. Right, yeah. So that, especially in the early game, that was the thing that you would encounter, right like that you would bounce off bounce off that really hard because like, no matter what you did you just lose. You're like, What the heck? I don't even what? This doesn't make sense. Like, when the feedback doesn't match what you're giving it like, you have no like feedback of what you're doing wrong, then yeah, it's like what the heck?
49:22
Well, like
49:24
other times, you know, you could see what you're doing. Be like, Oh, Okay, I get it. I understand. Right. Like, I understand what's happening here. Like Dark Souls is another really good example of this because there's some boss fights in that game. There's like, what like the Orenstein and smell boss fight. The first time I played that was like, Nope, never, never gonna beat this ever. It's too. It's all of a sudden that game is like, oh, here's two independent people that are attacking you from like different areas and we have these different attacks. It's like insane your arenas all weird is like pillars everywhere. It's nuts right there really crazy. And they love to no matter what people tell you they love to like stick together like they don't want to separate apart. So you can't like isolate what you've got to really it's like a timing thing you like I gotta hit one Orenstein. You always get more Stanford's, get him out of the way. Now he's the small one with the speed, okay? You hit him, you roll out of the way. Because if he's trying to stay there and punish him, smo is going to crash his hammer on your head and you'll be killed. Right? So you gotta hit and get out. Right? And try to get them in the thing. So but it may after a while there's something that clicks in your brain go Oh, I get it. Because the first time you do that, it's impossible. Right? It's like I have no idea what's happening. though. I just played it last week. And just like wanted to meet him was gone to the next boss like didn't even didn't matter. Right.
50:57
So it's a
51:00
You know if it's designed well, and there's like, positive feedback about what's happening, then yeah, some of those games on Atari huge like, lose. You're like, Why? Why? What happened? Yeah, yeah, I lose. That's why I like fighting games. Because I feel like a lot of times I feel like that when in a fighting game like what do you mean a boss? I didn't like these button inputs I did did nothing. And I died.
51:26
Like, I don't really have you back in because of you that well, I didn't have I didn't have taken.
51:32
My friend had taken we played at his house. And like, it was okay when I faced other people, but like fighting when you like do the fighting game like, now
51:41
I know the story mode.
51:43
Yeah. And sometimes even when I fought other people on the fighting games, were just like, I don't know. I didn't know. I was I had the same experience with that is the input just didn't match. What I was trying to get in there. Interesting. Which is why I do like racing games. Yeah, sounds like Ooh, this makes sense. Right? These inputs me great much sense. And I got back into and recently when I bought those Forza games because I didn't you know, everyone's I don't play him for a long time and then I like get Bob put one back in I'll play it for like ever in that I don't play it for a while because again it's not like complex. Right? But the mechanics are very good. They keep you coming back. Right so so there's a kind of a good
52:23
it's very satisfying and fulfilling when you're able to.
52:28
Yeah, like when those two things match up? Yeah, yeah. Like there's some not some bosses that like I faced that are you know, I just keep dying over and like when I play Fallout four for the first time, or just like any of the Fallout games like trying to come up against like a death claw. You know, me being like a level two with a little vomit gun and true Fallout New Vegas. I didn't know what I was doing. But after you know, like, Oh, I'm gonna go level up like I'm going to get this and it was more of me being vindictive. Like this. Yeah, creature kill me 20 times I'm gonna, I'm gonna come back and I'm gonna, like I finally beat it and
53:06
just that's a that's a second mechanical thing that we have not discussed yet. The, the RPG mechanics of like leveling, right like, that is satisfying in and of itself when you're like, Oh yeah, I'm gonna level up like
53:20
this. Yeah,
53:22
I'm gonna do these specific things to me my character better when there's like some kind of skill tree involved, right where you pick like a pathway to go Yeah,
53:32
yeah. And that's kind of why I like games like that more instead of just like just straight up shooting games is it goes like this is my character. Yes, this is like some way shape or form an extension of me that like oh, I I created this. This is what I kind of like to do. And this is kind of how I'm like my
53:51
Yeah, it adapts to what you want to do in this situation. Right? Yeah. And you can kind of adapt it to how your play style basically is what that you know, that kind of And also just going into like, Oh, what is good for like, how can I do better this and like that that like mental gymnastic game of Ooh, what can I level up? Now? What can I do for this? What else do I need to put these points into? But yeah, I need to do more of this one or should I invest in this other skill? Would that help like that kind of like thought process is just fun, I guess? I don't know if it's like it's kind of enjoyable, right? Because it's like
54:28
that balancing skill. So do you what do you think?
54:32
Sorry, go ahead. No, go ahead. Go. No, I just I just interesting. So do you think that that that interest in building that that that tree and pathway is that a result of like games that you've played, or is that just scratching a mental itch that you have that is how you see the world or is gives you some, some satisfaction?
54:58
I think part of it is like the the first time I encountered that like a lot of people, like the first time that really hit me like I ever encountered that mechanical thing was definitely Final Fantasy seven. Right? Like a lot of people have this similar experience is a very touchstone moment in a lot of people's lives. They played Final Fantasy seven. And they went, Whoa, what? Right before before it was all like, you know racing and skateboarding and like, like action games right? Even like medieval, right which they're remaking By the way, Aaron, you gotta get that. It's very like, action oriented, right? to do. I'm running around I'm hitting things, whatever. And then you like you hit this JRPG completely at a level feel different thing. And you're like, what is this? Right? It was so completely different from anything I've ever played before. I was like, What? This is amazing. Like, it hit me really hard, like just the mechanics of it like trying to wrap my brain around like what do all these things mean? What is this? What is this stuff? Like? Anytime you play a new RPG like that there's always this learning curve. What do they What is this? Like Aaron was talking about agreed vol there's a little bit of it. But you look at these menus and you going I don't understand what these are. I don't what do they want? What does it mean? Like how does this function? So there's like a decoding process that has to take place first before you can really get into it.
56:41
Yeah,
56:42
but that after you kind of get into it, you're like, Okay, I mean, like and you can kind of do that and I think that was the first game that I realized, wow, this is different. This is like new like it's all this crazy stuff to dive into and not just like run around hit stuff with sword
56:59
right? Right. I remember reading, or I was reading something, and I was also watching a video about it, but it was talking about, like, the importance that The Legend of Zelda series was because, like, they can't they came out during the time of Yeah, there is either like a platform game, or it was a very like, you know, shoot this block here, whatever, but then kind of kind of with those games, it's like, oh, hey, you know, here's, you know, a dungeon trying to get out like and you kind of have to yourself figure out the puzzle. Yeah, that was you know, there's you know, at the time when it first came out, there was no walkthrough there was nothing so people trying to trying to come out like, Well, how do I get out here all by myself? like things like that. Were just no fun, you know, astronomical just even think about like, wait, I have to do this myself. Wait a second. What? Huh?
57:58
Yeah, and that was definitely a game that I've been bounced off of the first time I played. It was like first Zelda games on the Nintendo. I was like, Yeah, I don't even understand what's happening. This doesn't make any sense. Like now if you look at me like, oh, okay, there's a very formula to Zelda now after you've seen like hundreds of games, and I haven't really played I think I've only ever played like one. I've watched people play him and stuff, but like, I just kind of bounced off at heart because at first it was so different. I was like, I don't somebody didn't click with me was Zelda. I didn't, you know, like I didn't, I didn't do that thing. You didn't do it for me. And I didn't. I wasn't in the right zone for that to understand what it was trying to do is like, um, was too young, maybe I don't know, but I was like, what, I don't know why they're
58:44
hard. Yeah, but there's, there's a lot of those games that you know, kind of reach out beyond the scope of normal gaming. And it's kind of like with those games or just, you know, some of those Fantasy games that kind of drew me in that were like, Hey, you know, this is a completely different world this is something that I'm not accustomed to or this is something that's like all this is new and shiny, like what is this and so I really got into like, and you know, just know what we're talking about earlier with, you know, the character development and stuff, but like, games like skier him, you know, like, yeah, it's very medieval esque but like this is a whole new ball game that I've been playing I've never really played a game like this and that's why I was so developed into a game like sky rim or something, or like, or like the Halo games. Oh my gosh, I don't I don't know why but I just like games like yeah, it's a shooting game but I just was just so in developed in Well, the the gaming atmosphere and the one thing that goes beyond that is like the gaming culture, like the I I want to go to Comic Con so badly. And because of just like the people who also kind of like, Yeah, I was, I wasn't normal growing up in high school, like by any means. And so just going to place that's like, Hey, you know, there's more people like me, like you're not so different little buddy.
1:00:20
And so,
1:00:21
when I think you're starting to touch on number two, for me, part two of this answer, is there a storytelling medium? Just like a book, or movie. A lot of them might not all of them are like, touches another storytelling medium, Forza Horizon, not a storytelling medium, right. It's that mechanical thing, but like, a lot of the other ones that I like and Aaron mentioned like sky room, or the Witcher, good to really The Witcher Oh my god, get
1:00:54
it like the story in that game. is so good.
1:01:00
Oh yeah, right like the Red Dead Redemption series. Oh my oh my gosh, like resurrected redemption to will make you
1:01:07
cry. Yes ball
1:01:13
you will. I'm telling you, you're just like, my soul hurts right now. Like, oh, so there are certain games where part of it is just it's the storytelling, right whether yeah so that falls into two categories there's that RPG storytelling like sky rim and Fallout or like other games where it's more vague right like outer worlds I want to play that game yeah where you are there's like stories that you're involved in the lessons but you're kind of helping develop them the order you do things and all that stuff. You're writing the story kind of as you're going very first person experience right yeah vs The other aspect of heavily scripted storytelling how the Witcher, right, they have laid out this story, there's a whole entire world there that you are in and experiencing the story from that point of view. Yeah. And that's very appealing. Like, I just, I like that's why Halo is so good. Because the story behind Halo is interesting, right? It's mechanically good. It's graphically good. The story driving the game is like, important, and it's like pushing. Right. Right. So I think that's the other reason in some games again, you just well, other games don't do it well, at all. Making Sense. Yeah. And so there's that storytelling aspect does that and like the little things that they throw at you again, Red Dead, too. Oh, my gosh, man, I can't even
1:02:56
It's so good. It's Yeah, it's kind of like with your Eleanor.
1:03:01
Oh my gosh, I love Elena was so much
1:03:03
Yeah, like you know, it's it's kind of it kind of skirts around that that it's like you're an investigator you have to be involved with the story or you're not going to get like the right responses but I was trying to remember I'm looking at my gaming thing is so good
1:03:21
that
1:03:22
Oh, what we're talking about we're talking about one time you know like the Overwatch series so yeah, it's it's those like a hero based kind of strategy a lot of shooting, but like the story that goes behind a lot of the characters like the back stories like that just makes me want to play the game even more.
1:03:46
Well, that's why I like Assassin's Creed right? The stories that game are insane like the last one Odyssey like it was. That was the best one ever.
1:03:55
I have that game but I haven't played that.
1:03:56
Yes. Oh, stop what you're doing why why when you get done with I
1:04:00
know that Aaron has to go to sleep because they don't have to be up at five o'clock. It's I can't I can't start games like that, because then I'll be up for like 12 hours long. But
1:04:13
yeah, the story and the game is so good. Like, I mean, it's not it's not Red Dead Redemption good, but it's good. It's good for Assassin's Creed because they feel like they're getting better. I like that one a lot, even again like Dark Souls like the story and that that's another reason that game is intriguing. The storytelling in that game is so weird. Like, it's all delivered to you through item descriptions and like very sparse character dialogue.
1:04:41
Yeah.
1:04:43
It's very, very strange. I saw the world in the world they build up to you and present to you. You have to like you can play that whole game. You don't have to watch any cut. There's like four cuts. He's now game like boss. They just like Here comes the boss. So they're not really important. Give it Right. There's opening cut scene and you'll be like, what? war with dragons, okay, whatever. And then you can beat the whole game and doesn't matter. Or if you like, read the stuff in the game, you have to like, open the menu. If you find the thing, read the description. And then you get these like vague details about what happened.
1:05:20
What does this Understand?
1:05:23
Man? And then there's all kinds of videos online about this. If you're interested in Dark Souls lore, right? I am not. Funny Video is not my name. He doesn't want better than me. But the interesting part that that doesn't get brought up. That's my favorite thing is like, so all of this is like very vague. It all happened a long time ago. Right? And then, in the very first game, they sort of gloss over this. They introduce a lie to you. And you know about it, because you do the thing, right. But there's so much lore built up. This that like this happened. So spoilers for Dark Souls. Anybody interested? In 321 go? Good. They tell you like the night or Taurus fought and banished the Abyss this black mass that was you know, overcoming the town, right? It's the the evil essence of evil from madness the father of the abyss, right? Yeah, that's the lore that our Taurus fell fighting the abyss. very courageous. Yes, he was one of the nights of when the Knights of the good side maybe and then they did this. In the game, you find out what actually happens is through some weird time travel shenanigans. There are various was fighting, and he was corrupted by the Abyss and became evil and you We had to kill him. Yeah, it was said that in the in the legends, like oratorios save the lady like princess Lucille or whatever. Right? But it was actually you. But in the rest of the games they mentioned, like OR Tori is blah, blah, blah. And it was you that did it. And so like, even though like there's all this vague Laurin stuff, the fact that there's one lie in there, like, anytime anybody ever tells you anything else, you go, Wait, what?
1:07:37
Oh, cuz you've got to
1:07:39
thinking about that. Yeah,
1:07:40
yeah, you have to question it. Because,
1:07:45
you know, you know, different arteries did not save her.
1:07:50
He was corrupted, and you killed it. Felt like in the third game, there's this whole cult that it's like OR Tori is right. They have the This watchers, they just like him, they do the thing right there based on his design and whatever, because they venerate oratorios, his bravery. But he wasn't. Right. Yeah, that's very vague like so yeah, storytelling element is my others. Right, like, yeah, this the way that they stories are presented to you in the interactivity of them. Like Yeah, I think that's the other thing that like draws me into certain games where you're like, Oh my gosh, I had to know. Like, The Witcher, oh, my Elma board, like, yeah, I'm no God. gotta use the end of the game. I'm saving, do whatever like,
1:08:42
like, there's so there's one game that I'm looking through my games that I have with me right now. But it was kind of like the first game, just like story wise. That Oh, I remember a game that did this to me. So Gears of War Three
1:09:02
ah
1:09:03
yeah gears is really where we're Dom dies
1:09:08
wow spoilers for gears three oh
1:09:11
wow he's Aaron
1:09:12
was for way old game sorry good because you
1:09:15
see you go you go through this with this
1:09:18
character for
1:09:20
like all the other games up to this point and it doesn't
1:09:25
it doesn't break you out of the cell in the very beginning of the first one
1:09:27
yeah he's the first guy that you meet the first guy that gets Marcus out right yeah yeah and so you go through this kind of character arc with him that the guys looking for his wife after you know the monsters things oh yeah that part got me or he actually finds his wife but she's been like tortured and he has to like shooter. Yeah, tears. Um but there's a part where like, even though it's just like in an AI just a character that you can't play but he's been with you for years, I think the first years of war game came out in like 2006 or 2007, something like that, or 2000 Yeah, but in that area and so, like, you've been with this person for so long that you just like, Oh, hey, it's another, you know, person that's been with me. And there's a scene where, you know, you guys are being attacked, and he goes and sacrifices himself. And then he dies. And it was literally kind of, I can't remember if it was like the first moment, but I had to, like, pause the game and set my controller down. And I was just like, wow, why just happened? And it seems so kind of trivial for this guy being you know, a computer person, but like, I I saw him literally in game one game to it's a person that I was like, that I kind of developed this, you know, gaming friendship with like, yeah, it's just the characters. That you know it's a computer character but still just like man I just like that really like you're gonna tear my heart out and set him on fire. No, that's cool that's fine that's what I wanted on a Saturday afternoon and just kind of have it like this game tell a story that I get so developed in with this character that you don't even play like you go through with like in the catacombs of some cave trying to search for his wife that was taken and that that scene where you know he's he's holding his wife and and just like this game is a shooting game I don't cry you're crying
1:11:46
face to face with all of three years really sad though man the whole game like a good way like it's like a good it's well written. That's why you care, right? Like it's well. produced and written and that the actors do great job. And so like, it's kind of the whole package where it's it's this storytelling medium just in a different different way. And so that's Yeah, I agree. I like that. That's the other aspect that I like. And again, not always done well. So sometimes I'm like, Oh, this game is gonna be great. And I play it for a while. I
1:12:21
know.
1:12:23
It's kind of like a book, right? You read the first few chapters of the book. He's go. Yeah, no, that's resonating with me at all. I don't get anything. So let me read it. Right. It's kind of the same sometimes.
1:12:37
So if you guys could put together a like, prescription or a regiment of video games to get somebody from this really, I'd be maybe apathetic and just have a hard time getting into them to being able to see The beauty and the recognize all the thing you've got cut mentioned, like the mechanics and the culture, the social aspect of playing with other people and then the storytelling. Like, is there a way to get somebody from one into the other? Or is that just how people are how people are?
1:13:21
Well, a lot of people play games for different reasons. Right? Like, some people play just for the mechanical challenge, right? Like, these are the people that play professional Overwatch are like, speed run games, right there, like into the technical challenges of the game, right? Other people play only for the story. So they want storytelling games like What's that one? The world war one game that you did.
1:13:57
Oh, Valiant Hearts,
1:13:58
die hearts. They Want to talk about a game is not a game is not mechanically challenging. It's really good though. Like it's a game that's actually made by Ubisoft, based on letters from people in World War One. Right? And then they just put some actions to it. So like, you know, it's not super difficult. Well, like it's it's got a challenge to it obviously because you want to be challenged in some way. Sure, but not like overly challenging. Yeah, no boss. It's a crazy Metal Gear Solid, like stick around the thing, right, whatever. But it's beautiful. And the games beard of all the written and stuff like that. So, it just kinda depends on what a person is into. Right? I would say it would be better to start with a story if like they don't like him at all. Like zero, I would say start with story elements. Because people like TV and movies, and books. So I would start there, something like that something that's not too challenging, like mechanically, but like really well written. And with a good story that people want to keep playing and experience a story of it first, I would say that would be where to start something like that.
1:15:28
There's not like a lot of people go into a lot of like, the indie games, like the indie indie game genre genre,
1:15:37
because they have a lot of stories like that.
1:15:39
Yeah. And so like, there's one game that there's a guy that I worked with, he's, and he kind of the same things like Dude, I don't like video games, and I'm like, why don't you try playing this game and it's called to the moon. And it's kind of like puzzle, heard a story. It's super sad, but it's just like, it's two dimensional blocky, like it's not really visually appealing, like the music that goes with it the story of what you like your characters are trying to do. And it's it's very simple, but it draws you in. And, like I like indie games like that. Number one, they're really inexpensive on Steam. And so
1:16:24
that's, that's, that's good. That's true because barrier to entry like if you don't play at all is like buying them, which is not a cheap endeavor. Yeah, the
1:16:33
game came out 60 bucks. I'm like,
1:16:36
yep. Well, and that's on top of the several hundred dollar. Yeah, you know, on the console that you have. Yeah,
1:16:45
well, I got my console for free, so I can't really complain. Well, my ps4 yeah. Oh, yeah. It was by my friends moved and they're like, Hey, we don't we can't take her ps4. I can take it I'll sacrifice myself for everybody. But a lot of things that people get into kind of another reason for me is that some of the games that I play like the Warhammer series, like, like the Warhammer Fantasy and Warhammer 40 K, that there's like deep lore behind it. Like Same thing with Witcher so deep so much. And so like I love reading the books. I'm looking at two massive books right now on my little table, but just reading like the fantasy aspect and then playing the game. Like I know who people are. I know kind of what I'm doing sort of games hard.
1:17:41
I can't
1:17:42
talk about the games I bounce off of anything Warhammer like no, yeah, I can't deal with that.
1:17:47
I love them. But it's it just kind of like little things like that. Like that's another little nerdy aspect that I have, like I've had people say like, Oh, this game is great. And I'll be like, well actually in the lore in the books and they're like oh, And so
1:18:04
sometimes you will just need someone to sit in ideally do right sometimes you just need started Valley right? Yeah, you need to plant your crops and pet your dog and that's it goes right as I do it's kind of like a very chill yeah like there's there's no having the farm that's all you do is dark valley. He's hanging out and it's like a very relaxing experience for him.
1:18:32
Yeah, yeah, there's some games that are very you know, time oriented like Legend of Zelda Majoris mask, like you have game is so good here in game three days to beat it. And you know, people get rushed doing that or like, there's a lot of games that are, you know, constant enemies like Dynasty Warriors where it's nothing but like fighting in your face. All the time
1:19:02
I loved dynasty warrior right?
1:19:05
It was like so
1:19:06
like I heard the last one was so bad and it hurt my heart because I love that story it's so the games are so cheesy yeah like but in a funny way like a good way that it makes me sad that they've got bad like oh like
1:19:27
just turn your brain off and just like kill thousands of enemies that's a great game gonna be won you on the
1:19:33
bridge no use me
1:19:39
Dare you with the ancient Chinese culture Brandon like john john
1:19:43
like one you okay?
1:19:45
But yeah games games like that and yet what Brandon was saying that depends on the kind of person which can get you like hooked in like either your story oriented or you just want to like a nice easy paced game to go Through or you know, you have a hard day at work, you just want to come home and turn your brain off and, you know, kill, you know, play Plants vs Zombies like that's a game that you know it's strategy based but like man, I want to kill some zombies right well you want to play you want to play one game for the rest of your life and you get Wow, he's go for it that's the game I bounce off of. I can't I I can't do that game. It's fun. I like I like those games. Yeah, I just can't I can't do it. My little head starts hurting
1:20:38
like I don't that's a that's a lifestyle game, right?
1:20:40
Yeah, you just play that one. That's what you do.
1:20:43
Yeah, that's it. Like you want to do that. That's it. That's all you do. Because that's, you don't have leave literally have no time for anything else that you're doing. Well, thanks. Right.
1:20:54
And that's that is a whole nother aspect of that is. That is people who play video games. And they go between different ones. And then the people who there's like one, maybe two games, and that's all they play because of the mechanics of how they are structured and and those kind of things. So, you know, that's even that spectrum is is kind of interesting to think about of, of what it takes to be that person who's playing. Wow. 18 hours a day or whatever.
1:21:26
I can't do that. I have to play again. I don't. I'm very bad in that, like, my personality is like, Yeah, I did that one already. So I don't replay games a lot. Unless they are really mechanical, like racing games or Dark Souls, the games. Like, because it's mechanically based. Like I don't play them more than once for the story, normally, but again, mostly because a lot of story games I like super long.
Yeah, not all of them. There are some very good short, concise, well print stories, but like the ones that I like, tend to be very long yet again that I find those to be better value, right? Like if I'm going to spend $60 on a console game do I want to buy like some little short? Like, do I want to buy Call of Duty where cuz I don't play online? I don't like the social aspect of it right so I want to play and chill right so yeah I want to play that where I can play this game for maybe like the campaign mode usually like 10 hours right yeah or do I want to play outer worlds where I'm going to spend like 100 plus hours just like wandering around doing Yeah, I want that one that one. Every once in a while after you do that for a long time you like at least I do. I crave something like much more concise. Like I just want to shoot something or I just want to race a call. That's all I want. I don't want like, like you need to like toned it down a little I need like German Draw and tone it down a little bit something more simplistic cuz I'm just like exhausted from that but like
1:23:09
that's kind
1:23:09
of you know the people that do like the like the esports that they only play one or two games the other play know they might only only play Overwatch because you know some people do that as a job like they just they play video games like the people who like stream on like twitch or YouTube like there's people but they they they play games that are relevant to the games that are popular but these people who you know they play Oh what is that game cold but there's like massive tournaments in in like Korea and
1:23:48
Starcraft, Starcraft
1:23:53
League of Legend Thank you. Like I know that game is still are just like the variations of those games like the hero base. com That were like, I am doing this. Like this is my job that I couldn't you know, it's it's that now trying to find a challenge aspect of Hey, you know, I'm in a competition to play this game. Know after I left teaching there's a there's a position that opened up at one of the universities around here and it's a eSports coach and I'm like ah apply click click click I fortunate I didn't get yeah there's no eSports are super popular like they have like some colleges or universities have teams of Esports where no, you have no idea this existed holy cow what you can get a scholarship to play eSports and I don't know if like if the NCAA I don't see sponsors but you know, I'm
1:24:57
surely not they're not with it. Enough to They can barely even handle basketball they can. But
1:25:03
yeah, so they, those schools, they get together and they have like a college championship where, you know, different universities compete against each other. And that part is so cool. But I don't think I had the, the aspect because the only times I played video games and when I was in college, we had copious amounts of Mountain Dew, and a ton of Doritos, and that was our, like, if we're gonna play video games, it's a weekend play. And so there I was, like I can. I've coached before does that mean? I can apply coaching and Mountain Dew together? Does that is that what you want? I don't know.
1:25:45
No, you have to understand how it works to be that and nobody knows how that works. So they can't.
1:25:51
Overwatch two is coming out by the way, and
1:25:54
I got super sad that it was I saw that was very confused. I was like what I thought they were still doing whatever
1:26:00
Yeah, talking about a backstory. I like getting behind. Like, I'll send you one later that makes me kind of like, choked up, not like choked choked up, but one that's like, this is really cool. But I'll send you guys the video later because it's like, ah, all the fields. But you know that goes to people that there's the you know, the people who spend time playing like mobile, mobile. What am I saying? Mobile Bubble Bubble Bubble you know, like candy crush, or things that are more just kind of like I was a time wasters. But the games that are like that that are now attention grabbing, like another game that I was sucked into for the longest time was Geometry Dash. Like then yeah, I stayed up nights playing that stupid game. You could have been you could have been in Missed thinking.
1:27:03
Yeah, I mean, all of all of this kind of falls into that, like, the will versus skill matrix. And if you guys have seen that
1:27:13
just needs a puzzle game.
1:27:16
We're like, if you have a high skill and a high will, like you're going to be way more involved to and way more engaged in something versus have if you have a low skill and a low will, to to be involved, you know, like, a lot of people do that with like voting and how active they can get people doing but it really fits into kind of what I'm seeing here. Like there are games, not only games that fall in that spectrum, but also video types of video game players have, have there's there's that skill skill side in the spectrum between low and high skill and whether that skill is learned or honed or innate. You know, that's that's what One thing and then there's just that desire of where you want to spend that time and how everything falls down in the middle.
1:28:10
Yeah, I'd say that's accurate because not everybody is going to fight or science mo enough. Right like there's not like some of those games like you have to fight the boss like Eve words Dark Souls three freedom right? Did you this this I never played I never played alright guys sister freedom under dirty r1 spam in sight of death know, like when you want to beat her? Like that's not like a I want to fight this boss a couple times in the beater. No, it's like forever like you you're not you're not just waltzing in there and beating her right like Dark Souls one like gaming dragon. Yeah, that's fine, whatever. Go ahead and you know Halo is Dragon whack, okay, it's dead. Well in like Orenstein smoke or like our tour madness, like madness is walking into madness and be like, oh here we go fight him and beat him the first No, that's how it works. Like you have to like learn how the fight functions how they do the thing and like when it's safe to attack them versus oh no Here comes a follow up attack where I become killed black right
1:29:28
what which one's the wolf in one of the Dark Soul games that has like the massive sword and like you find the story that he's like protecting his fallen masters grave or oh yeah oh no
1:29:41
that yeah he's not he's not just doing that he's fighting you partly because he's protecting his masters grave but when you beat him, you get the ring that lets you go into the abyss to fight the four kings the other the other sort of information Thing is, he doesn't want to give it to you because he doesn't want you to be corrupted by the Abyss either. Yeah. So he's trying to save you, but you have to fight him and defeat him to get this ring. So that you can go down there and beat them to get this special Lord soul thing. So you can go vanquish the former ruler win, right? So there's also that little twist of he may be also knows what you want. And he doesn't want to see you do that because that's what happened oratorios he doesn't want he knows. He's a smart wolf. Sorry. And so he's you're fighting this giant dog. And it's just like, the saddest thing ever. like nobody likes fighting Sif. Like everybody likes fighting. I mean, everybody that likes Dark Souls, they like the boss fights. They don't like Sif. Because it's like, let's just get it over with.
1:30:56
When you when you play Shadow of the Colossus and you're like, oh, I have to kill this monster thing to save my girlfriend but you don't know that until later. Because it's stuff. Yeah, that's sad. I'm killing giant monster things and then you're like, Oh, I'm killing because the bad people want me to. Now I'm sad boiler and so spoilers. spoilers for bad.
1:31:23
Well, there's all these super old games like there's definitely a PSG game so I feel like maybe
1:31:29
people people have played that. spoilers for Mario two guys. Um, but yeah, I mean it's it's kind of Brandon was saying to each person be their own that yeah there's sometimes when I get home from work, you know, I like the other day I was out at you know, three o'clock in the morning when it was just pouring down rain and I couldn't get to sleep it's like you know, I just want to I just want to play a football game like I just want to beat down on you know the Cleveland Browns and just turn my brain off and and just and just enjoy something. Because another aspect to it is that I remember playing Madden with Brandon and I also remember playing with with Collin is you know that was always a nice little like what's a word like nice little Zen moment like all right I'm like relaxing. I'm having fun five brothers. But yeah, like the other day I was like, Man today's sucked. I just want to go home and do something that's familiar. AKA beat down on the clean rounds.
1:32:34
But you can always enjoy beating up Cleveland Browns. Yeah, right.
1:32:38
I who doesn't do that mirror Some days I you know, just want to turn my brain off. And things like that. Or there's times where I'm like, you know what I just, you know, today's a really good day. You know, I'm going to pull up steam and play Warhammer total war and see what kind of mischief I can get involved in and see what You know what puzzles me things that can happen and now some people just want a nice relaxing game some people just want to do nothing but shooting games. Some people do it for the social ness of online gaming, which I'm terrible at and don't like doing because I don't want some little 12 year old. Tell me to go you know where I can stick my controller and so yeah, there's there's different things like that, but I'm telling you why he didn't switch off Ganji
1:33:29
when he should have nobody wants to attack NG Get up.
1:33:34
You should be a healer you should be healer. Shut up. Jerry. Aaron, you're 28 years old. He only got a 14 year old boy he started it be I mean, it just it just really depends. Yeah, and but I mean, the one thing I had for a while when I watched like, people who do things like online, you know, since there's sometimes I have a lot of free time where I just watch YouTube CEOs and most of the time it's people who play video games and stream it or people who talk about video games but you don't really know what you're into until you pick up a controller. And and either that'd be like your phone or like a computer. Cuz I mean steam you can download steam for free and they have free games on there. And then you can you know, put in your information and buy new games or I cannot express to you how much money I spent on Steam.
1:34:30
This is why I don't have steam. Yeah, anyway,
1:34:33
that's also might be the reason my computer is not not that great. Because I just have so much memory of games on here. It's all tired, like no more games, but you know, just find something on it like the indie store, or like the indie games that you know the developers some guy in his best friend in their basement, you know, putting time and effort and creating video game Seems like it's a form of art and you know being able to help support that or sponsor that are just like, Oh, this person did good work I'm going to sit here and enjoy it. Like that means a lot to some people and so just being able to be a part of that is just really neat. But you don't really know until you just want to sit down somewhere and keep your head smashed in by road hog, but it's what No,
1:35:32
no, don't pull the chain
1:35:35
with Diane, Okay, first of all is really mean right now. not helping. True. Yeah.
1:35:42
There you go. Well,
1:35:44
yeah, I certainly I think I feel at least one step closer and definitely understand where you guys come from a lot more on games than previous cuz I know we never really talked about that. So I'm glad that came up. But
1:36:01
I'm not going to go out and buy it.
1:36:02
probably still not going to go out and buy an Xbox or Playstation, but that's fair.
1:36:12
But anyway,
1:36:14
but maybe a puzzle game maybe a puzzle game at least a puzzle game so cool. Well
1:36:25
I have any follow up questions.
1:36:28
Not not a lot you can do with stuff like that but I mean I watch a lot of people on YouTube and sometimes, you know, just nice to see what other people have to have to say about a game or the gaming life.
1:36:43
Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. Well, we'll
1:36:50
probably in there so air man can get to bed since these guys
1:36:52
jam so early. Oh.
1:36:56
Early boy. Sorry.
1:36:58
burst your bubble. It means
1:37:02
don't be the first time but Jacobites. Yeah,
1:37:14
that's right. I don't think that's where this that's not the right use of that term.
1:37:17
Okay. Don't worry about it.
1:37:20
Don't worry about it. Get your socks back. Good. Yeah.
1:37:23
Hiding so many things down right now. Okay, I don't I don't do that. I do it for you.
1:37:29
Oh, do
1:37:31
not feel like that's a service. I won't provide the
1:37:33
door.
1:37:38
That's what I told the kids and I coached which also, by the way Aaron might get back into teaching. But that's a story for another day. But that's the one thing I used to tell all my players like whenever we ever we do conditioning. Like Now guys, I don't do it to you. I do it for you. And then I remember that's what Coach Greg's used to say to me. When I was in sports, I'm like, oh my gosh. I'm turning into Scruggs. Don't do that. Don't do that. Don't
1:38:06
sleep fall asleep I supposed to be teach me how to drive and Driver's Ed. Don't do that. Yeah.
1:38:10
That's scary. Scary, man. You gotta get back there, man. And you have Yeah, and I've seen.
1:38:18
Yeah, I shall. I shall.
1:38:21
Excellent. We'll do this again next time.
1:38:23
Oh, yeah.
1:38:24
Sounds good. Love you guys.
1:38:27
Bye bye.