Gamers With Jobs Radio Episode Eighteen

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Episode Eighteen - February 7th, 2006

EA Layoffs, Oblivion System Requirements, Stubbs the Zombie: Rebel Without a Pulse, Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle Earth 2 and more!

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This is Gamers With Jobs Radio, the video gaming podcast for people who hate podcasts. This week, Russ and Shawn review Stubbs the Zombie: Rebel Without A Pulse, the Battle for Middle Earth Beta, RF Online and more! Plus we'll take a look at why the video game industry is probably taking the EA Layoffs more seriously than you are, and why it might cost more than sixty bucks to play Bethesda's Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion next month. Plus, some hot, new tracks from this week's featured music artists, G13, Mathematics, HandinHand and Mike Genato of 12 Tone Studios. Sell the car, quit your job and crank it up all day long. Seriously. We know you want to. You now have our permission.

Tell us what you think! Send us your questions, comments and suggestions to: [email protected]

Music Track Listing:

0:00:33 - GWJ Radio Main Theme, Ian Dorsch
0:01:56 - High Noon, Mathematics
0:11:37 - Twister, G13
0:15:08 - Outside, G13
0:18:39 - Brass Knuckles, Mathematics
0:23:25 - Twilight Zone, HandinHand
0:31:19 - Halcyon, Mathematics
0:38:31 - GWJ Radio Main Theme, Ian Dorsch
0:49:07 - Heavybeats, Elliot Feinberg
0:53:55 - The Art of Time, Mike Genato
0:56:44 - Breakbeat, Alec Harrison
0:59:11 - GWJ Radio Main Theme, Ian Dorsch

Gamers With Jobs Radio is produced by InsomniaCorp, in cooperation with Gamers With Jobs
Produced and Edited by: Russ Pitts
Music Director: Ian Dorsch
Hosting donated by: TheGameguru
Contact us at: [email protected]

Comments

Awesome Show!
I don't know if it just happened that way or if it was a conscious effort but the music transitions did seem longer and on the whole, gorram excellent! I like to pretend that my suggestion in some way affected the show, so if it didn't please feel free just not to say so out loud.

I really liked the Breakbeat outtro transition. Sadly the Alec Harrison link appears to lead to a dead end.

I'm building a 720p projector setup mainly for Oblivion... DVD's and stuff too, but mainly Oblivion. Oh yeah! We should run a "What I paid to play Oblivion" survey once the game hits. My projected total? Approx $3k. Make it worth it Bethesda, or I'm sending YOU the bill!

Rezzy wrote:

I really liked the Breakbeat outtro transition. Sadly the Alec Harrison link appears to lead to a dead end. :(

Yeah, Alec's site is still in the works. He asked us to go ahead and link to that url anyway, apparently there will be something there in the near future.

Glad you're liking the tunes.

Yep, the music is great... too bad there is no way to acquire it! "…unless I'm missing something. <- Which is very possible.

Great show guys.

How odd. I just got around to playing Stubbs the Zombie this weekend too. Well, that saves me from having to resurrect a dead thread (ba dum cha!) in order to talk about it. I'll be back to discuss once I've listened to the show.

Edit: Also, it looks like you got linked over on the official TES forums, so be ready for an influx of foaming at the moath Oblivion addicts looking for their next fix of news/discussion of the game in order to dull the pain of waiting for March to roll around. Hah, as if I didn't already fill that roll!

Edit 2:

Rezzy wrote:

I'm building a 720p projector setup mainly for Oblivion... DVD's and stuff too, but mainly Oblivion. Oh yeah! We should run a "What I paid to play Oblivion" survey once the game hits. My projected total? Approx $3k. Make it worth it Bethesda, or I'm sending YOU the bill!

I'm running around $2k myself. $1k on a Sony CRT HDTV, $500 on a new sound system, $500 for the Xbox and accessories, and $70 for the collectors edition. Of course, all of that will get plenty of non Elder Scrolls related use, but the initial inspiration for the home entertainment upgrades was unquestionably the promised glory of Oblivion.

Warning: this post contains several unintentional but groan worthy puns; I apologize in advance. I also get a bit spoiler happy, but try to keep that contained in "spoiler vision" for those who haven't played the game yet.

So, Stubbs the Zombie. I have to agree that the design of this game is brilliant; the setting, the presentation, the sense of humor, and even the bloody loading screen are fabulous. Also, the soundtrack... oh my, I was surprised that you neglected to mention the brilliance of the soundtrack, because that was hands down one of the most thrilling parts of the game for me.

spoiler wrote:

[color=white]
I was particularly fond of the dance-off mini-game versus the chief of police. If there was any one segment in the game that shines absolute brilliance in all respects, it was the execution of that boss fight.
[/color]

However, as you mentioned, the second level was almost a deal breaker. And, while the game is short, I was actually sort of glad to have it over towards the end, where it just became ridiculously, stupidly hard, partially due to the wonkiness and unpredictability of the system in which you must hit a potential victim just enough times before getting option of eating their brains. Towards the end, when the humans started getting smarter and better armed, it began to feel more like I was fighting with the controls than with my future victims.

That isn't to say that the game wasn't fun as hell, though, and I would heartily recommend it to anyone as a rental, and to zombie lovers as a purchase. Oh, if only there had been Xbox Live play (or even system link, for that matter), though, this game truly would have been a must buy.

One other note: play this game in backwards compatibility mode if you have a 360. The scaled up resolution and extra anti-aliasing make a huge difference in this game. Also, having the black and white buttons on the shoulder bumper is a huge boon -- it sucks to have to go digging around for the unusable black button every time you wanted to bowl your head at a pack of unsuspecting humans, and the 360 controller saves you from this misery.

About Stubbs and online play: I believe Stubbs uses an enhanced version of the original Halo engine, not the Halo 2 engine. So it's not like all that sexy Xbox Live functionality was just sitting around waiting to be exploited.

Really an entertaining game, though. Maybe a little tough to recommend at $50, but at $20-30 it's a no-brainer. Oh, man, I can't believe I just made that pun.

I knew oblivian was coming out for the PC and I think my system can handle it, but I wasn't aware Ghost Recon was also gonna be a PC title. Good news, because I just don't have $500 to spare on a 360, that is, even if I could find one. I hope some other GWJ'ers are like me and go with the PC version of GR.

I feel ya on the drought. I just haven't felt very excited or inspired to rush out and play any new games. I hope March changes that.

I'm surprised you guys were plugging the X360 version of Oblivion so much but didn't mention that the X360 won't come with the world editor and therefore won't be easily moddable, if at all. Forget soft shadowing; that's the dealbreaker for me.

We were talking about which to buy from a technical performance perspective, I've mentioned in previous shows that mods play a big part in my decision since I have a PC that can run the game

Rezzy wrote:

I don't know if it just happened that way or if it was a conscious effort but the music transitions did seem longer and on the whole, gorram excellent! I like to pretend that my suggestion in some way affected the show, so if it didn't please feel free just not to say so out loud.

I'm sure it was all me Actually, your comments and suggestions are always taken into account, even if we then ignore them. Keep 'em coming!

Now that a lot of the technical hurdles are behind us, I've been able to spend more of my time on the Artistic/Production stuff like snazzy musical transitions. I'm glad you like it. Big thanks to Shawn for helping me out on the production end these past few weeks. He's really the backbone of the operation. The broke-backbone, perhaps, but the backbone nonetheless.

Nei wrote:

Yep, the music is great... too bad there is no way to acquire it!

True dat. I'm very superstitious about discussing projects in progress, so I won't go into to much detail here, but InsomniaCorp is currently working on something along these lines. I'll be updating the InsomniaCorp mission statement later this week, so keep an eye on THE SITE for more details and for ways you can help!

When do we get an outakes and bloopers episode?

Garrad wrote:

When do we get an outakes and bloopers episode?

Good question. At this point we're accruing outtakes (besides the ones we share with you each week) at a pretty slow rate. Seems like we're getting better at this, damn us. I'm currently planning to make the outtake show a holiday tradition and save them up until December. Naturally, if the dam breaks and we have enough on-hand to put a show together sooner, you'll be the first to know

Fletcher, Is it possible to play the entire track of a featured artist before the end of the show where you have the outtakes? I think it would have been nice as an addition to the closing of the show, where you have the quote of the day and a musical finish, etc"…

"…but that just me.

Nei wrote:

Fletcher, Is it possible to play the entire track of a featured artist before the end of the show where you have the outtakes?

Not really. This is a great idea, but like I said last week, GWJ Radio is about the games first. The music is awesome, and plays a large part in making each show unique, but on GWJ Radio, the music is an enhancement, not the "main event".

However, we're very committed to music at InsomniaCorp, and are working on ways to bring you more of it. Stay tuned.

Nothing like dumping the broadcast into the iPod and listening to it while going out to enjoy the Febumof*ckingary weather.

Fletcher wrote:
Garrad wrote:

When do we get an outakes and bloopers episode?

Good question. At this point we're accruing outtakes (besides the ones we share with you each week) at a pretty slow rate. Seems like we're getting better at this, damn us.

Well, just do what actors do, and turn every verbal trip into a HIIIIIIII-larious series of un-funny giggling, totally not aware of the fact that you're playing for the out-takes reel.

In regards to Oblivion and what I paid to play ...

Too much.

I planned and built an entirely new machine ($$$$) which was timed, so I'd have all the pieces in place for the then November '05 Oblivion release.

I'm still waiting but I'll be more than set when the time comes.

And for a just-in-case ... I got 360 as well. lol.

I'm a nutbag.

Nei wrote:

Yep, the music is great... too bad there is no way to acquire it! "…unless I'm missing something. <- Which is very possible.

Hello, I'm Elliott. I just wanted to pop in and say I love having my music featured on the show, it's a great production. At the time being you can aquire a few of my songs at http://www.broadjam.com/mrtunes there are nine tracks currently up there.

As for the others I'm not sure how you would go about this but am all ears on future projects.

To the guys behind the glass, great job on running the show keep it up!

mrtunes wrote:

As for the others I'm not sure how you would go about this but am all ears on future projects.

Hey Elliot, nice to see you over here! Thanks again for the great tunes, man. Don't worry, we will definitely be keeping you posted on future projects.

I've been listening to every show, and have been too lazy to register on your site until now. Just want to give you guys some well deserved credit. Great entertainment and educational too. I still laugh thinking about your "sweat-rainbows". Good times...

Blight wrote:

I've been listening to every show, and have been too lazy to register on your site until now. Just want to give you guys some well deserved credit. Great entertainment and educational too. I still laugh thinking about your "sweat-rainbows". Good times...

Thanks for registering Blight, glad you're enjoying the show! I'm also glad the mention of "sweat rainbows" only makes you laugh.

Podunk wrote:
mrtunes wrote:

As for the others I'm not sure how you would go about this but am all ears on future projects.

Hey Elliot, nice to see you over here! Thanks again for the great tunes, man. Don't worry, we will definitely be keeping you posted on future projects. :D

Alright so a week later I get caught up! Yes please keep me informed. I just reformatted my machine this week, now that i'm up and running i'll check out the latest ep.19 Cheers!