Conference Call

GWJ Conference Call Episode 42

NCAA 2008, All Pro Football, Growing Up Gaming, Peter Moore, Suing The Pants Off Epic, Your Emails and more!

Hi kids! This week the crrraaaaazy GWJ crew talk about various topics related to the video game genre. We pierce the veil to reveal our deep, dark, gaming pasts. Thread of the week for people who suck, your emails and more! More I tell you!

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.

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Show credits

Music credits: 

Intro/Outro Music - Ian Dorsch, Willowtree Audioworks

"Los Pistoleros" Ian Dorsch - 0:25:18
"PodunkStump" Ian Dorsch - 0:58:05

Comments

TheGameguru wrote:

Wow.. Rabbit couldnt be more wrong about the importance and role the "top" guys can make at a company/division.

I think it really depends on what kind of company it is. If we're talking, say, a hedge fund, then the top guy is very important. If we're talking Home Depot, there's less that top brass can do. They can point the ship in the right direction, but good work from everyone else is very, very important. If the guy talking to the customer isn't on board, that's hard to overcome.

That said, I do think the guys at the top at a game company are on the hook for a good bit of the company's success. Directing a game company in the right direction looks like a pretty tricky business.

Madden -- He at least used to do voice work for the commentary. I think a lot of it is reused, but it was still in last year's.

Swords! -- I don't think I could ever be a sword collector, but the idea of being given one as a gift sounds like one of the most thoughtful gifts ever.

I can't drive 55 -- But just because nobody else does does not mean I don't hate speed traps. Then again, I think that traffic laws are almost as broken as IP and immigration.

Gamer shame on display: I've got enough nerd stuff in my front room without having to display video game stuff. When you run out of wall space to fill with more bookshelves, you know you have an issue. Then again, having Brief History of Time, Lives of the Poets, and the hardcover complete Far Side all next to each other probably is enough.

As for feelies in general, I think that Ultima did the best job with that. I thought the cloth maps were cool. They were also useful, and were used as copy protection to boot. Trifecta.

wordsmythe wrote:

Swords! -- I don't think I could ever be a sword collector, but the idea of being given one as a gift sounds like one of the most thoughtful gifts ever.

As an owner of a Longsword, 2 Daggers, 1 Rapier, 3 Katana, 1 Naginata and random assortment of other blades I look forward to actually having a place large enough to actually display them with some artwork. It's just pretty hard to find a good place for them on the walls living in a tiny 950 sq ft house that isn't already taken up by something else.

As for feelies in general, I think that Ultima did the best job with that. I thought the cloth maps were cool. They were also useful, and were used as copy protection to boot. Trifecta.

Games during that time period I think were just better quality for the most part. Origin's Ultima 3, 4 and 5 which had Cloth Maps which I actually pinned colored pins to designate important locations and a I think Ultima 5 had a silver coin token, Ultima 4 may have had polished stones to represent the avatar stones in the game. Sierra's Police Quest came with a complete police academy training book and a crime scene photos and I think a detective's kit or something. Microprose's 688 Hunter/Killer came with an actual cloth patch that could be sewn onto clothing if you wanted to. Leisure Suit Larry came with a bar napkin with what looked like a kiss in lipstick and a phone number and a comic book or something. The list goes on and on with all the neat little stuff you got with the game. It did make you feel good to get extras for free.

Hi everybody, great show as always. You've mentioned a little about GalCiv and the new expansion for Civ4 that just came out. Great franchises. Just wanted to let everyone know, that starting next week, (8/5), Circuit City will have Civ4: Beyond the Sword expansion for only $15 (reg price $30), and remember you can price match at Best Buy and Walmart.

kilroy0097 wrote:

living in a tiny 950 sq ft house

Oh, look at Mr. Big Shot, with his "I have 300 more square feet than Wordsmythe" attitude!

There is no more room for bookshelves. It's come to piling books in corners.

wordsmythe wrote:
kilroy0097 wrote:

living in a tiny 950 sq ft house

Oh, look at Mr. Big Shot, with his "I have 300 more square feet than Wordsmythe" attitude!

There is no more room for bookshelves. It's come to piling books in corners.

Sounds like you either live in California, New York or an oriental country. At least it's not a Japanese apartment the size of a larger US walk in closet.

If you live by yourself then that's not so bad. Add a girl and 4 cats and 1 turtle (i.e. tank) plus everything else it gets pretty damn crowded rather quickly.

kilroy0097 wrote:
wordsmythe wrote:
kilroy0097 wrote:

living in a tiny 950 sq ft house

Oh, look at Mr. Big Shot, with his "I have 300 more square feet than Wordsmythe" attitude!

There is no more room for bookshelves. It's come to piling books in corners.

Sounds like you either live in California, New York or an oriental country.

Gads no! I just chose geographical convenience over capacity. I live a couple blocks from the Sears Tower.