Conference Call

GWJ Conference Call Episode 35

Forza 2, Shadowrun, Overlord, Double Dragon, An Interview With Lord Of The Rings Online Executive Producer Jeffrey Steefel, News, Threads and more!

With Sean Sands down and out with a bad cable modem, forum regular Desram joins us for the Conference Call! This week we cover a ton of games and have a great interview with Jeffrey Steefel about the future of Lord of The Rings Online and what might have been. Mad props to the Escapist Magazine for reaching issue 100!

Want to support the show? Hit the Digg link just above (it's fast and easy to register) or review us on iTunes! Read on for show notes.

To contact us, email [email protected]! Send us your thoughts on the show, pressing issues you want to talk about or whatever else is on your mind. You can even send a 30 second audio question or comment (MP3 format please) if you're so inclined.

Sponsor
Liongames.com

The Links
Forza 2
Overlord
Shadowrun
Del.icio.us Grab Bag o' Fun

Thread of the Week:
1) PC Gamer editor slams Penny Arcade in same issue as cover story - LockandLoad

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Show credits

Music credits: 

Intro/Outro Music - Ian Dorsch, Willowtree Audioworks

"Long Midnight" (Benoit Casey) - 0:19:50
"LOTRO Track 2" Lord of the Rings Online - 0:24:38
"LOTRO Track 1" Lord of the Rings Online - 0:48:04
LOTRO Tracks

Comments

Vroom Vroom Edition

So Forza = Need for Speed Most Wanted? Or is this more? gearhead in me perking up

He's a Man, baby! Are all the rest of you Hobbits?

My 360 is not behaving so I'm out of the rest of the loop, I'm afraid.

Overlord sounds like Goblin Commander. Which I dearly loved and miss since it didn't end up on the backward compatability list. I'm going to have to go pick this up.

Double Dragon rocks, you haters! Especially if you're 13 and plugging quarters in.

Hellboy 2: The Golden Army, August 2008 according to the Oracle at Wiki.

I'll second that thanks to Jeff. Now I really really want to go play even more.

Standing on the Fifth on the PC Gamer/Penny Arcade thing.

And TMI on Desram's skirt.

momgamer wrote:

So Forza = Need for Speed Most Wanted? Or is this more? gearhead in me perking up

Forza is to NFS:MW as John Coltrane is to my buddy that played saxophone in 5th grade band.

If you're a gearhead, you'll find Forza to be orgasmic bliss, and NFS:MW to be a joke.

Go ram it! I don't need any more time-eaters. We're getting it next paycheck but I don't want it in the house until my younger son is out of school because he will macrame himself to the couch for a really long time once it's available.

momgamer wrote:

Go ram it!

You say so many mean things to me, and this time not even for my love of twin teenage girls!

*Legion* wrote:

You say so many mean things to me, and this time not even for my love of twin teenage girls! :(

You liked the Olsens?!! Yuck!

Duoae wrote:
*Legion* wrote:

You say so many mean things to me, and this time not even for my love of twin teenage girls! :(

You liked the Olsens?!! Yuck!

Actually today is their 21st birthday

painthappens wrote:
Duoae wrote:
*Legion* wrote:

You say so many mean things to me, and this time not even for my love of twin teenage girls! :(

You liked the Olsens?!! Yuck!

Actually today is their 21st birthday :D

Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll drink themselves into adorable twin comas.

Episode 34: Gee, maybe we ought to talk less about LOTRO.
Episode 35: LOTRO INTERVIEW LOL

I know, you're not about to turn down an interview like that, but I like to tease.

Duoae wrote:
*Legion* wrote:

You say so many mean things to me, and this time not even for my love of twin teenage girls! :(

You liked the Olsens?!! Yuck!

I'm fairly certain the Olsen skeletons had very little to do with that.

Forza 2: You people NEED TO STOP TALKING ABOUT THIS Every time you do, I have to take a bat to the part of me that has this outrageous desire to go buy a 360, Forza 2 and a wheel.

Shadowrun: If I ever get a 360, this will likely follow. Same with Overlord, because it was just described as Pikmin with Goblins and asskicking. THAT IS AWESOME.

Assassin's Creed is going to be my breaking point on the 360. I will very likely buy the LE as well, since apparently there's video of Jade Raymond in it. she is OMG DO WANT very hot.

LoTRO is another one that you're pulling me off the fence on. This isn't as surprising as the 360, since I never owned an XBox. I'm a fence sitter on MMOs, it takes some pushing/pulling to get me into them, but once I'm in.. I'm done. Also it's official: One does not simply walk into Mordor.

On The Vede vs Penny Arcade, I've said enough in the actual thread. On print magazines, I'm in agreement. Magazines, and tech related magazines in particular.

Also, I thank you all for immortalizing me in the CC. My life is nearly complete.

Damn you all! Willpower... breaking... must... play... LotRO.......

Can I just buy it online and download the game or do I have to have the CDs?

Mordiceius wrote:

Damn you all! Willpower... breaking... must... play... LotRO.......

Can I just buy it online and download the game or do I have to have the CDs?

I think it is CD/DvD right now, could be wrong. Been known to happen!

Good show, guys. Really enjoyed the Steefel interview. Looking forward to the expansion. They have the servers down in preparation for it at this very moment.

Forza 2: Accessible racing sim, and automotive crack. It has been an absolute blast racing with everyone. Check out the catchall thread for gobs of screens.

Woo for the random Des appearance.

Every time you guys rave about LOTRO I think back to how I really disliked it in the beta and wonder "What the hell did these guys see in this game that I didn't!"

I tend to shrug off other people's opinions on things I've made up my mind on, but the fact that you have me questioning my decision to pass on a game I've already played and disliked is a testament to how much I've grown to respect your gaming judgements.

Damn enablers. I've made up my mind! Stop confusing me!

Mordiceius wrote:

Damn you all! Willpower... breaking... must... play... LotRO.......

Can I just buy it online and download the game or do I have to have the CDs?

http://www.lotro.com/index.php?page_...

Oh, I want to be a guest. Pick me! Pick meeeeeee!

IMAGE(http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic/imgs/060713/14235__donkey_l.jpg)

With Sean Sands down and out with a bad cable modem and Demi not answering his phone because he's lame, forum regular Desram joins us for the Conference Call!

Desram is a usurper! Death to the infidel!

I mean, nice job.

Demiurge wrote:
With Sean Sands down and out with a bad cable modem and Demi not answering his phone because he's lame, forum regular Desram joins us for the Conference Call!

Desram is a usurper! Death to the infidel!

I mean, nice job. :D

I actually found his commentary quiet invigorating, relaxing and all around amusing. Des for regular IMO.

*Legion* wrote:
momgamer wrote:

Go ram it!

You say so many mean things to me, and this time not even for my love of twin teenage girls! :(

I'm sorry. That pejorative wasn't aimed at you; it was aimed at my total lack of self-control on these matters and the list of crap that should be getting done that buying this game is going to endanger.

And as for the rest, I've found the perfect punishment for those who set off my early warning system regarding my daughters.

You'll have to take them out on a driving lesson.

Yep, that's what happens to naughty boys from now on. I know it's probably listed right there in the fourth amendment as an example of cruel and unusual punishment, but hey, those are my little girls.

Hey I taught my sister to drive manual transmission. In my car.

momgamer wrote:

I know it's probably listed right there in the fourth amendment as an example of cruel and unusual punishment, but hey, those are my little girls. ;)

Tsk, tsk. You are hereby sentenced to 90 days of P&C only.

Maybe it's all the talk about games that I don't really give a ($50) for, but I'm ending up with less and less to say. Perhaps this is your intent? Hm?

PCGamer size: It's not the size that matters, it's... oh, nevermind. I used to get both PCG and Boot (erm, "boot"... Maximum PC?), and was compelled to choose only one. I picked the one that was 3x as thick and had more oogaba in the ads. Now I don't read either. They're soooo analog! If magazines can be casually marketed at Wal-Mart, can GWJ be casually marketed through pop-up ads on porn sites? Don't we do that already?

Citizen Game: Run, Ely! Run for your life!

Next week's interview: I believe that's supposed to be "Kick-Ass Interview!" I didn't get the media guide on it, though.

Dancing with myse-elf, oh oh...

Edwin wrote:

Oh, I want to be a guest. Pick me! Pick meeeeeee!

IMAGE(http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic/imgs/060713/14235__donkey_l.jpg)

Do you have talents that go beyond lack of pants?

momgamer wrote:

And as for the rest, I've found the perfect punishment for those who set off my early warning system regarding my daughters.

You'll have to take them out on a parking lesson.

Fixed! Sign me up, whoohoo!

Duoae wrote:
*Legion* wrote:

You say so many mean things to me, and this time not even for my love of twin teenage girls! :(

You liked the Olsens?!! Yuck!

I said girls, not the walking undead.

BTW guys, when i first replied i hadn't listened to the conference call but i'd just like to say that i really liked your pick of music today. Great job, Rob?

Momgamer, do you mean an actual driving lesson to see how well they drive? Or is this some obscure cultural difference thing i'm not familiar with.

When my sisters bring back guys they usually fall into one of two categories. Guys i like/not bothered about or guys i don't.

One of my sisters is prolific compared with the other and brings back nice and not-so-nice guys... i always know which guys are going to f*ck with her... must be a sixth sense or something...

Yep, an actual driving lesson. They are both studying for their driver's licenses. May Bob have mercy on our souls.

How this ties back into Forza, well, not really. We did a bit of a drive the other day and it was a nightmare of backseat driving and everything else and they won't let me just take one of them. It's far worse than anything I could try out on Legion with the stuff in the gadget drawer in the kitchen.

May Bob have mercy on our insurance bill.

Fixed.

I'd suck as a guest since I don't play any Xbox games and that seems to be over 60% of the podcast as of late. It seems like those without a console are considered almost a lesser gamer to a point.

kilroy0097 wrote:

I'd suck as a guest since I don't play any Xbox games and that seems to be over 60% of the podcast as of late. It seems like those without a console are considered almost a lesser gamer to a point.

I wouldn't say that. I love playing games on my PC, in fact the majority of my week was spent playing LOTRO on it. Hell I just did a major upgrade so that I can continue playing the latest games in the near future. Were just in a slow period right now for gaming releases. If it wasn't for all the demos and Arcade titles on Live there would be next to nothing coming out. Pretty soon things will pick up again and there will undoubtedly be more to talk about on the PC front.

Yeah, but why aren't you guys playing Wii VC titles?

@Momgamer:

Ah, okay. I was never allowed (nor would i want to) have lessons with my mum or family. I learnt to drive with an instructor in a Nissan Micro (small car) and when i was allowed to reverse my uncle's ford escort a little to a parking space i almost messed up because of the pressure i had because of the looks on my family's faces.

I honestly believe that you're a better driver if you learn with an instructor because then you don't pick up bad habits, nor are you a sweating, nervous or angry wreck from having to deal with your family while learning an alien concept.

(I didn't pass my test though, but it wasn't entirely my fault )

I don't know. I learned to drive under extremely peculiar circumstances. And they still have to take the class if they want their license before they're 18. I love some of the laws here. NOT!

And killroy, do you have something out for the PC? Preferably something that does not require a Cray to run?