On RPG combat: were there any RPGs you've played whose story and characters you didn't particularly care for, but you played anyway because the combat itself was so fun? For me it was definitely Final Fantasy X.

On the other hand, what RPGs have you played that had completely boring combat but you played to completion because of a great story?

Since Rev was a dick and called dibs on Bill, who is the rest of the Podtoid group gonna be in L4D?

Also, Jim, what is the first thing you're gonna do once you arrive in this great country of ours (aside from unpacking and doing all that lame moving stuff)?

Also, what other pro-rights group should make ripped-off video games?

Do you guys have a game or series of games that you love but the game's title just shits you to tears? For example, Giants: Citizen Kabuto. LOVED the game, but is the "Citizen Kabuto" really necessary?

Also Left 4 Dead needs DLC in the form of a shopping centre map. Agree or Strongly Agree?

I love Sir Digby Chicken Caesar! This one's my favourite: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=0VxgUc_v2Zs&feature=related

Also, what is your favourite RPG combat system? Turn-based, real-time or something like VATS?

And do you think that something like "conveying romance" is tied to the gameplay? Many RPGs have romance story arcs whereas there's pretty much none in shooters.

"You'll have a real FEStival of fun when you pick up Persona 3 FES!"

Why is Okami the best Zelda game?

Is Resistance 2 not Gears of War 2 in first person basically?

Since Bonerquest in confirmed for Wii, how will the incluion of waggle effect the gameplay?

Also can the ending be a slow motion video of spunk flying towards Laurens face?

Spartacus:
Did the comment editor crash for you? Because all I see is a big area of blank space. I literally don't see anything there.

From now on, all questions about BonerQuest should be called "BonerQuestions."

Usually, I play a game because I think it's awesome, but sometimes I notice I'll gravitate towards certain types of games based on my mood. This had me wondering about the structural influence of games on us, instead of the narrative/thematic influences:

For example: Have you ever wondered if the appeal of retro games, and some newer games like Braid, is tied to their inherent rigidity of structure? That is, a small, self-contained world where the rules are constant and your direction is clear and nothing is random?

For example: Braid dealt with some heavy things, but could it have achieved a similar feel without the text? Just music, environment and gameplay? Or just even just environment and gameplay? Do you think there is untapped potential for emotive gameplay experiences based purely on game structure? (Passage is the most elegant example I can think of)

Do you think that the recently announced Blood of Bahamut for DS would've given Squeenix a fantastic opportunity to show off their creativity/awesomeness had it been on a console instead?

Think about it. 4 player co-op SotC-alike... Come on, you can't deny that that would be an orgasmic experience.

Or, dare I say it... a Bonergasmic experience?

Can we have some Reggie Fils A-meat puns in the show please? It's been a while.

Der Sïëgëlpüntz

GET OVER HERE and play mortal kombat vs DC universe

@Reverend Anthony
It was acting a bit weird when I posted it, but I can see the comment fine. Here it is again:

Recently, there has been controversy surrounding the idea of internet dibs. The general idea seems to be, the more important you are, and the more exposure your dibs have, the greater the repercussions are for ignoring said dibs, if there are any consequences at all. My question is this: Do you think the idea of dibs are archaic and juvenile in nature, and is there a better way of doing things so that more people can get what they want? Calling dibs on the internet also has vague implications; if someone calls dibs on a character, are they the only person who can play as that character, ever? If someone isn't aware of another's dibs, do they get off scot-free for breaking them? If someone calls dibs on something first, but someone more important calls dibs later, who gets the dibs? These are important issues, and I think we as gamers need to set general rules as to how and when we will call dibs, and what's off limits.

Also, my Fallout 3 manual smelled minty. Discuss.

Spartacus:
I'm really bad at being sarcastic.

Question

Do you guys have some sort of game tradition or ritual that you follow each year? For example I play mario 64 on thanksgiving and I have to complete it by christmas for good luck. Do you do anything like this?

I don't really like That Mitchell and Webb Look...but the Surprising Adventures of Sir Digby Chicken Cesar is one of the funniest things I've ever seen on television.
Period.

Question:
Now that videogames are advanced enough to be more easily comparable to (though not at all the same as) movies do you think that more developers should be making more "arthouse" games? Or is the idea of an "arthouse game" much more difficult to pull off than an arthouse movie?

Podtoid drinking game:

Drink every time Jim says literally

The beginning of this video sums up exactly what I love the most about RPG combat. I know it sounds wonky, but I get a great enjoyment out seeing the three-five separate individuals (despite there all being controlled by me) combine they’re different strengths to bring one common enemy down. Maybe it's just my inner Marxist (which I did not realize I had) but the image of a party of people with all different skills, and from all different walks of life, united towards a single goal is a sweet one. Do any of you guys share a love of similar, or completly different quirks when fighitng in RPGS?

I guess this could fall into the category of RPG combat...What do you think about bloated numbers when it comes to attacks and hit points? For example, a character with 9000 hit points attacked by a weapon that does 1000 damage is essentially the same as 9 hit points and 1 damage. I can understand the pure thrill of performing a devastating attack for 74395723 points as well as how some of the ratios that could be necessary. It just seems like the differences between 999 and 9999 hit points would be negligible, aside from cheap wow factor.

@Scary Womanizing Pig Mask

YOUR

Geez - every time I hit 'submit' I think of one more thing.

Anthony - you mentioned you played Baldur's Gate. Did you use the space bar to pause the game and plan your attacks, or did you go with more of a 'live' feel and just trust the other party members' scripts and AI?

Got a few questions:

Am I the only one that gets mad when people compare games like Lost Odyssey to something like Fable 2. Yes they are both RPGs but the style of play and combat is so different. What do you guys think?

I don't get it people always complain about DLC but places like ign write articles like games that need DLC and half the games came out in the past month. Shouldn't we start getting mad at ign and not the developers?

Hey,

Just commenting on the discussion you guys had last week regarding the Gamasutra interview with Nick Channon about the reasoning behind the use of first person in what is essentially a first person puzzle/platformer, rather than a shooter. You all seemed to jump on the comment, claiming that the sight of Faith's arms and legs broke any sense of connection to Faith as a character (as opposed to connecting the player and the main character he/she is controlling).

I have to disagree, as I think what Nick Channon was getting at is that the use of first person serves as a sort of nexus point in which the spaces of both Faith and the player are united. Similar to baroque works of art in which objects in the picture plane are painted as to give the illusion that they are extending into/out of the space of the viewer (see Caravaggio's Entombment and/or Velazquez's Las Meninas). For example, in Velazquez's work, you (the viewer) are standing where the subject (the nobility spotted in the mirror across the room) would be standing. Velazquez stands in front of you painting as he were and the room expands to the rest of the building you are standing in by way of the door to the far right of the room. Obviously you are not a noble couple, but all of these elements work together to give you a feeling of being there, despite the fact that it's not a part of your own reality. I believe the same applies to Mirror's Edge in that both Faith and the player are two separate entities, however, by way of the first person viewpoint both realities are united as one, connecting the two.


Yes, I am a college student.

PS. I also recall Topher mentioning how frustrating the game was to watch (I assume due to the first person perspective). I've heard other complaints from gamers regarding the "leap of faith" mentality and the decent amount of trial and error that occurs on the first playthrough. It frustrates me to hear this as there seems to be a wave of hypocrisy when it comes to tolerance of trial and error gameplay in retro titles such as Mega Man but complete intolerance of it when it occurs in a modern title. What are your takes on this?

@Reverend Anthony
I hate both of us a lot right now.