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RetroforceGO! Episode 91: Platformers photo

Happy Friday Saturday, listeners! Allow me first to apologize for the lateness of the show this week. Despite Geraldo Beedog's shocking accusations of scandal, the truth of the matter is that there was simply a bit of trouble uploading the file yesterday, and it really isn't any more interesting than that. But without further ado, highlights:

  • Colette's on a plane! For real!
  • What is a platformer?
  • Let's argue about it!
  • Pancakes. Don't make me do it.
  • Chad gives us a lesson in ergonomics
  • Double jump!
As always, you can subscribe to us on iTunes to get the show early, or you can check it out right here. We'll catch you again next week, hopefully on time.

Continue: More RetroforceGO! stories





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19 comments | showing # 1 to 19

Geraldo Beedog's Avatar
Geraldo Beedog at 05/30/2009 15:42
I am watching you, sir.
Xhumation's Avatar
Xhumation at 05/30/2009 15:59
So i just got a call telling me that I have to show up for work in an hour and do overtime on a saturday night.

I'm glad I'm gonna have retroforce with me for that.
gatorsax2010's Avatar
gatorsax2010 at 05/30/2009 16:04
I was so lost without my Friday Retroforce. Glad it's finally up :)
Isay Isay's Avatar
Isay Isay at 05/30/2009 16:10
What of the popsicles? Have we located more popsicles yet?
SpAM CAN's Avatar
SpAM CAN at 05/30/2009 17:05
For those who care: I am making The RetroforceGO! RPG Game. Redundant word is deliberate, please send me your ideas and contributions!
perri's Avatar
perri at 05/30/2009 17:05
Woo!
protomark's Avatar
protomark at 05/30/2009 17:14
i want a geraldo beedog shirt.
parsleyboots's Avatar
parsleyboots at 05/30/2009 18:06
The discussion about the definition of "platform game" reminded me that I once saw a newspaper article during the 16-bit era in which a clueless journalist defined "platform game" as a game that represented the hardware platform for which it was developed. So Mario was the SNES's platform game, and Sonic the Mega Drive's. Which has its own logic, I guess.
SadCheese's Avatar
SadCheese at 05/30/2009 18:18
@protomark

Ditto
Snacks n Candy's Avatar
Snacks n Candy at 05/30/2009 20:15
Chad, Psychonauts gives you a double jump. The game is 80% "Oh crap, how do I make this jump?" It's got less exploring than the Banjo-Kazooie games, too. It's a platformer. You goof. >:C

Speaking of which, yeah, they need to make a real Banjo-Threeie. Totally agree.
Zagieman's Avatar
Zagieman at 05/30/2009 20:22
Here is my theory on "left to right":

When programming a game, it is conventional to use a co-ordinate system when printing the sprites and this starts on the left hand side of the screen at zero. I know when I start off programing something, I give the initial test co-ordinate something like 10 so that it starts on the left hand side. Naturally you want to run to the other side of the screen when the sprite is printed, this way being to the right. From there it just stuck.
Chronic Logic's Avatar
Chronic Logic at 05/30/2009 21:05
I really dont' get double jump. I mean, how the fuck does that work? What are they jumping off of? Now if they farted so hard that they elevated themselves higher, that I can understand.
garison's Avatar
garison at 05/30/2009 23:50
Really great episode guys :) I love platformers so freaking much.
Stridechicken's Avatar
Stridechicken at 05/31/2009 11:39
Hmmm, the discussion about yoshi sacrifice made me think about this picture:
http://pixelatedgeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/05thumb.jpg
It really pulls at your heart-strings. Loved the episode, especially the fact that there seem to be more criteria for what constitutes a platformer than there are actual games...
CypherVR's Avatar
CypherVR at 05/31/2009 15:11
ummm, the podcast isn't working >_>
CypherVR's Avatar
CypherVR at 05/31/2009 15:13
Infinitys End's Avatar
Infinitys End at 05/31/2009 18:57
OMG I can't believe DeadMovieStar isn't flipping out because Dyson forgot the name of the NES game, MetalStorm... I don't believe Metal Storm is a platformer. It's got way more in common than Contra. So, action-platformer, sure.
Fletcher's Avatar
Fletcher at 06/01/2009 02:37
After listening to this episode and the Muppets show episode I mean uh secret show... I have decided that Topher and Chad need to form a movie/tv review podcast.
hpv's Avatar
hpv at 06/01/2009 17:06
The whole left-to-right thing is based on a universal (or near enough as to make no matter) psychological phenomenon of people perceiving movement to the right as going away from home, as into something new and unexplored, and moving toward the left as returning home to the known and familiar.

It's been employed widely in all visual art mediums for a long, long time. That's the reason for side scrollers to favor this direction, whether the designers are knowingly employing it or just copying that convention from other games where it was consciously implemented to achieve that effect.
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