The Two Vague Podcast

Ben has TOO MANY game codes, so Aunt Norah is here to help! This back to back episodes… episode contains two conversations themed around the games Ben has been playing for review purposes. In the top half, they talk about the representations of the mental ailments in the games Next of Kin and RATSHAKER™. In the latter half, they talk about the handling of the animal protagonist in Spirit of the North 2. 
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PART 1 - The portrayal of mental fitness topics in and opinions about Next of Kin and RATSHAKER™ 00:00:20 - Going global-ish and an explanation of the next batch of Norah episodes
Next of Kin by Spelkväll Games - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmMrdlVPC4M
00:02:23 - Story description and the trailer, and Norah’s thoughts on the trailer…text box speed 00:05:27 - Her interest was piqued, solving the mystery, in-game trigger warnings, and not light 00:07:40 - Mental disorders, differences between dementia and schizophrenia, and trivializing00:10:00 - Excellent mental health focused games, and generational perspectives on sharing00:15:27 - Life experiences with schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease, and the garden hose
RATSHAKER™ by Sunscorched Studios - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIrYRaWOdt8
00:18:07 - A horror experiences, trademarked, and trying to be clever with the description00:20:25 - The controls and game mechanics, a schizophrenia simulation, and the trailer 00:23:38 - Effective scares, cracking the rat for a light source, and it’s normal for horror 
00:26:47 - Final thoughts on the importance of mental health awareness and empathy 
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PART 2 - Telling a story with a silent animal protagonist and opinions on Spirit of the North 2 00:30:43 - Welcome, figuring out the topic, and an appetizer for the word folklore
Spirit of the North 2 by Infuse Studio - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UK3x3bmaWQA
00:31:34 - Being a fox in Iceland, similarities to Stray, and Norah’s thoughts on the game trailer00:33:37 - The technical trailer, a disagreement on feedback, and complaining in social media00:37:15 - Finnish folklore, Icelandic settings, a fox’s mental faculties, and game description 00:40:11 - Customizing your fox, and Ben gets excited about… VIKING HELMETS ON CATS?!00:43:00 - Boss fights, waiting for the giant bird in the coliseum, and lots of running around00:45:42 - Not an observant animal, a silent protagonist, and no connection to other foxes00:49:14 - Zen and the art of being a fox, from a previous generation, and total playtime hours00:51:21 - No detectable side-quests, de rigueur, the perspective, and some camera problems 00:53:58 - The delicate balance of game design, thoughts on adding a narrator, and beauty00:56:00 - The internal monologue of animals, cozy camping does not exist, and show closing 
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Follow Two Vague on…Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.comOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcastOn YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcastOn Substack: https://twovaguepodcast.substack.com/On Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/twovaguepodcast.com
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com-AND- …for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC!https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries
***
References, Links, and TagsFor more information about Next of Kin from Spelkväll Games…https://store.steampowered.com/app/3027980/Next_of_Kin/
For more information about RATSHAKER™ from Sunscorched Studios…https://sunscorchedstudios.co.uk/ratshakerhttps://sunscorchedstudios.co.uk/
For more Information about Spirit of the North 2 from Infuse Studio…https://www.playspiritofthenorth.com/https://infusedstudio.com/
#Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #PartlyRobot #PartlyRobotIndustries #TeePublic #NextofKin #NextOfKinGame #SpelkvällGames #RATSHAKER™ #SunscorchedStudios #SpiritOfTheNorth2 #InfuseStudio 

Erik joins Ben this week to chew the fat about… math? NOPE! We’ll just insert THAT version of the definition into the title graphic instead, thank you (sorry, Norah)! However, the fellas ARE going to discuss how the word "derivative" is used in positive and negative contexts, but first a warmup—talking about their “glory days” and high school experiences. In the obligatory “What Have They Been Up To" intro, Erik shares details about what’s going on in the development of Rogue Climber, and Ben offers details and opinions about the games Spacepunk Survival and Polterguys: Possession Party. FINALLY… they move on to the definition and etymology of the word, namedrop some video games and game designers, talk about Ben’s favorite movie, and engage in other assorted conversational shenanigans. In the bonus clip, Ben tells the story of the time he said something objectively strange in a job interview. 
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00:00:20 - Sleepy spelling, parents trying too hard, verbs and a past participle, and high school 00:03:31 - Erik’s lunchtime cartography skills, book exchange story, and not for consumption00:07:30 - High school emulation, going to shopping malls, and game release midnight events00:12:23 - A coffee shop stock owner, and what’s new in the world of Imaginary Game Studios00:16:43 - Belonging in the “think tank,” opinions on Severance, and Ben likes happy endings00:18:47 - Thoughts on relatable characters, the Coen brothers, and Erik’s watch-along idea00:26:34 - A couple of mini-reviews—starting with Ben’s thoughts on Spacepunk Survival 00:28:34 - Fundamental insights from Sid Meier, visual novels, and reflections on PAX feedback 00:31:56 - Ben’s spit and plosive-ridden thoughts on Polterguys: Possession Party 00:33:03 - Inverse Fall Guys on a smaller scale, Ben has a powerful mouth, and final verdict00:35:50 - A math free definition of derivative, Ben probably wouldn’t notice, and the origins00:39:23 - Practical Creativity at the GDC, fighting games, professional critics, and perspective00:41:42 - cynical gamers, People Can Fly games, stakes not steaks, and Cyberpunk: 207700:47:02 - The “brain dance” game mechanic, Ben sells the movie Brainstorm, and the lore00:53:24 - The futures market, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, and a Cameron Frye callback00:58:08 - Mediocre game experiences, clones, percolating, inspiration, and happy accidents01:01:00 - The messy board, Ben’s final plea, Andrew’s one-sided feud, and the cooking show
BONUS01:03:26 - Don’t try this at home kids—Ben’s job interview story… made entirely of butter 
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Follow all the shenanigans of Imaginary Game Studios here…On their website: https://www.imaginarygamestudios.com/ On their Discord: https://discord.gg/YyDD7ECtdJ On their YouTube channel - they post all sorts of stuff from gaming news, to gaming podcasts, to game jams, to the occasional cooking video: https://www.youtube.com/@caxtnova
Follow Two Vague on…Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.comOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcastOn YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcastOn Substack: https://twovaguepodcast.substack.com/On Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/twovaguepodcast.com
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com-AND- …for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC!https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries
***
References, Links, and Tags
Imaginary Game Studios GAMES on Steam:https://store.steampowered.com/app/2673440/Rogue_Climber/  <—- WISHLIST ME NOW!!!https://store.steampowered.com/app/2175790/Meticulous/
For information about Polterguys: Possession Party…https://www.polterguysgame.com/
For information on Spacepunk Survival…https://nejcraft.cz/games/spacepunk-survival/
#Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #PartlyRobot #PartlyRobotIndustries #TeePublic #ImaginaryGameStudios #SpacepunkSurvival #PolterguysPossessionParty #TavernTaleStudio #Nejcraft #Madorium #AmplifiedGames

Ben’s long time friend Jen joins the podcast this week to talk about her bread making business called Worth Her Salt Sourdough, the challenges of understanding and navigating social media as a Generation X-er, her experiences teaching from primary school to community college, how video game culture has changed in the last 50 years, and the assorted video games her four daughters played in the 90s and 2000s. 
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00:00:20 - Jen’s business, cooking school, pirates, and showing your value… through baking00:04:39 - Post-layoff experiences, first jobs, the DQ Q, and the Subway vs. Dairy Queen feud 00:07:32 - Pop-up sales and pickups, family help for the farmer’s markets, and hobby bakers00:11:49 - Establishing credibility, TikTok mysteries, doomscrolling, and the cute winter boots00:16:31 - Social media uses, Ben’s uses the wrong word, the definition, and complex origins00:20:45 - Boy George, the sourdough starter class, and committing bacterial cultural genocide  00:23:48 - Brewing beer, kefir, the puke juice, food fermentation, and atmospheric sensitivity 00:28:48 - Inclusions, flavor and texture, managing the variables, practicing, and bulk baking00:32:02 - Patience and precision, loaves now and then, focus on one recipe, and repetition00:34:40 - Maintaining multiple cultures, ancient grains, waking up the starter, and bacteria 00:38:15 - Understanding the science, utilizing teaching experience, and creating the class00:41:41 - Students sharing results, protecting the workbook, and feeding or teaching people 00:44:14 - Thoughts on doing what you love for a living, and a monetizing hobbies push segue 00:48:47 - That time pinball was illegal in Chicago—where most pinball machines were made 00:50:36 - Leave it to John E. Cassidy, TV theme songs, illegal free games, and back to Neil   00:53:27 - Crystal Lake is partially to blame, arcade player gender divides, and console culture 00:56:26 - The industry becoming more inclusive, not just for nerds anymore, and streamers 00:58:58 - Webkinz, Cooking Mama, Animal Crossing, and the Easy-Bake Kitchen PC Playset01:03:04 - YOU HAVE DIED OF DYSENTERY, Skylanders, and getting two talkers together 01:05:39 - Final thoughts, exploring the old ways, War lyrics fact check, and be open learning  
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Follow Jen / Worth Her Salt Sourdough on…Her website: https://worthhersaltsourdough.com/On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worthhersalt_sourdough/OnFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Worth-Her-Salt-Sourdough-61560240098268/
Follow Two Vague on…Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.comOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcastOn YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcastOn Substack: https://twovaguepodcast.substack.com/On Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/twovaguepodcast.com
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com-AND- …for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC!https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries
***
References, Links, and Tags
#Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #TeePublic #WorthHerSaltSourdough 

Sky, one of the hosts of a men’s mental health podcast called Hey Man; It’s Ok, joins Ben this week to have a discussion about the word growth. After talking about the games they have been playing recently, they each open up a little bit and share their experiences with managing various mental health challenges and utilizing therapy. Next, they shift their focus to an exploration of how growing is handled in video games. Finally, they wrap it all up with some parting words of advice. Games mentioned by the hosts in the episode include Star Wars: Outlaws, Ghost of Tsushima, Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist, the Assassin’s Creed franchise, Baldur’s Gate 3, Split Fiction, Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, Katamari Damacy, DORONKO WANKO, and the GROW series of Flash games.
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00:00:20 - Cheyenne’s sibling, electric ukuleles, Hey Man; It’s OK guests, and a feline spoiler00:04:38 - Personality Tests, Ben’s personality type, “Sucky Assassin’s Creed,” and climbing00:10:07 - An empty open world, laser-proof animals, and playing Binary Haze’s masterpiece 00:13:12 - Sky the multi-tasking gamer, Kessel Sabacc, console exclusives, and more games00:17:00 - Getting into the definition, Ben’s Arnold Schwarzenegger impression, and maturing 00:20:31 - Not the gross one, Sky’s connection, navigating the negatives, and processing00:22:33 - Mostly mental, panic and anxiety, Ben’s gaggle of therapists, and new perspectives00:25:11 - Therapy relationship dynamics, testing the connection, and a seeker of knowledge 00:28:51 - The importance of research, the relationship between Sky and math, and learning 00:30:50 - Ideas, more on personality tests, being a helper, discovering, complexity, and love00:34:35 - Growth mechanics, Ben’s exploration, adding by subtraction, and point reallocation00:38:01 - The re-spectre, experience points from eating food, video game logic, and the right00:41:53 - Balls of stuff, making constellations, earworm theme song, and game experiments 00:43:52 - The spirit of clumping, Namco student development, and finding nostalgic novelty 00:45:52 - Literally in the title, Flash games from the past, growing your brain, and final words
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Follow Hey Man; It's Ok on…Their website: https://heymanitsok.com/And their TREE o’ LINKS: https://linktr.ee/heymanitsok
Follow Two Vague on…Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.comOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcastOn YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcastOn Substack: https://twovaguepodcast.substack.com/On Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/twovaguepodcast.com
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com-AND- …for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC!https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries
***
References, Links, and Tags
Check out the The ART of Growth website to learn about Enneagrams…https://www.theartofgrowth.org/
For information on Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist, follow the link below!http://www.endermagnolia.com/en/
Find out about the amazing games from Binary Haze Interactive here…https://bhaze.com/
Check out the GROW series of games on…eyezmaze.com
#Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #PartlyRobot #PartlyRobotIndustries #TeePublic #HeyManItsOK #TheArtofGrowth BinaryHazeInteractive #EnderMagnolia #EnderMagnoliaBloomintheMist 

VR and tabletop game designer from Small Rice Studios, Doug joins Ben this week to talk about the recently released cozy card game ROAST, which he designed along with his brother Nick (who Ben had the pleasure of meeting at PAX West 2024). Ben had some questions about the design, development, and testing of ROAST—all of which Doug is more than happy to elaborate on and discuss. They also spend some time reminiscing about the board, card, arcade, and video games of their youth. And don’t forget to stay tuned after the interview for an outtake followed by Ben’s review of Rendering Ranger: R² [Rewind]!
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00:00:50 - Doug introduces himself and their first published game, and what is coming next00:02:31 - Collaboration with a sibling, Doug’s love of games, and the times before UNO 
The UNO was originally developed in 1971 by professional barber Merle Robbins in Reading, Ohio. The Robbins’ family raised the money to have 5,000 copies of the game made, which he sold from his barbershop. Merle Robbins later sold the rights to UNO to a group of friends headed by Robert Tezak, a funeral parlor owner in Joliet, Illinois. Tezak formed International Games, Inc., to market Uno until company was purchased by Mattel in 1992.
00:05:04 - The ROAST design idea, living off the grid, connections, and roasting marshmallows00:06:55 - Testing tabletop games, getting constructive feedback, and finding the best strategy00:09:50 - Micromanaging your math, opinions of Balatro, and variety is the spice of something00:12:15 - Remembering Magic the Gathering, from chess to golf, and more about frame-rates00:18:23 - Pinball machine legality, real-time strategy games, and it’s more than a full-time job  00:24:32 - Learning about game players, and the art of community building—online AND offline00:26:18 - Becoming more comfortable, and donating sales to the National Park Foundation 00:27:55 - Pets doing things with intent, reconnecting with others, and climates are changing 00:32:26 - Being productive and constructive, Ben babbles, and cardboard costumes in SoCal00:36:03 - Being a card, being odd, Democrats ruined weird, and Doug’s parting sales pitch00:38:30 - Curated social spaces, break out the ban-hammer, THE Dug, and names as verbs 
BONUS material00:41:09 - The Marshall Mathers outtake 00:41:55 - Ben’s review of Rendering Ranger: R² [Rewind]
Ben’s FINAL VERDICT for Rendering Ranger: R² [Rewind]
DO BUY if…
...you want a health dose of smoothly animated, SuperNintendo nostalgia
...you want an incredibly challenging experience with excessively long levels
DON’T BUY if…
you’re looking for a casual, arcade style experience
***
Follow Small Rice Studios and Doug on…On their website: https://www.roast-game.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallricestudiosOn Discord: https://discord.com/invite/GSyxdBN2A7On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DougSmallRayOn YouTube: https://youtube.com/@smallricestudiosAnd their TREE o’ LINKS: https://linktr.ee/smallricestudios
Follow Two Vague on…Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.comOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcastOn YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcastOn Substack: https://twovaguepodcast.substack.com/On Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/twovaguepodcast.com
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com-AND- …for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC!https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries
***
References, Links, and Tags
For more information about the classic Super Famicom / SNES port of the Manfred Trenz designed game Rendering Ranger: R² [Rewind] from Ziggurat Interactive, follow the link below.https://www.ziggurat.games/game/rendering-ranger-r2
#Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #PartlyRobot #PartlyRobotIndustries #TeePublic #SmallRiceStudios #RenderingRangerR2Rewind #ZigguratInteractiveInc #ManfredTrenz

Andrew joins Ben this week for a discussion about a particular mythical beast, cultural symbol, and imaginary icon. One in the POÄNG and one in the pandemic chair—the guys fill us in on what they have been doing lately. Andrew has been thinking about his gardening hobby, researching a method for aging stainless steel, and creating all sorts of artsy things for his Advanced Dungeons Have Dragons pin Crowdfundr campaign. Ben has been pondering what he’s going to do for the April Fools' Day episode this year and playing Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist (compliments of Binary Haze Interactive). Once they have concluded with the pleasantries, they enter… THE DRAGON! Together, they offer up a smorgasbord of pop culture ramblings and video game nonsense, including how their AD&D experiences shaped their creative natures. Then they navigate through a movie and music pop-culture-ridden obstacle course until they arrive at their video game destination. Andrew talks about Adventure for the Atari 2600, and Ben talks about one of the first laserdisc arcade games created in part by a former Disney artist and animator. 
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00:00:20 - A welcoming, the new threats, invest in leach farms, and Behind the Bastards00:03:13 - Andrew left speechless on sadistics, Senator astronauts, and making it non-binary 00:07:33 - Stickers on Cybertrucks, rusting solutions for planters, and no library garlic this year00:09:51 - The best kind of orchids, pro tips, the introduction is dragging, and the ADHD pin00:12:58 - An ADHD Valentines Day, test printing for coffee mugs, and the AD&D pickup line00:15:20 - Color printing wheels, and Ben has been playing Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist00:18:02 - Not from Altoona, Mango is a Flerken, attention… dragons, and the ADHD pin origin00:21:35 - Ben offends bowlers, no calisthenics before bowling, and "Trogdor the Burninator"
Strong Bad Email #58 - Dragon - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90X5NJleYJQ
00:23:50 - Another derogatory definition, Blair and the kaiju, and the word use blame game00:28:07 - Taking back weird, tabletop lore, playing alone, and D&D method acting connections00:32:29 - AARP Drews, rigorous screening, dragon drawing, and Pete’s cost cutting measures00:35:37 - Ariel is NOT dragon, movie audio n’ picture books, H.R. Pufnstuf, and more puppets00:39:13 - Reign of Fire, the power of friendship, Eric’s movie list, and they aren’t all Zardoz00:42:38 - Urge Overkill’s “last” album, Andrew takes Ben’s word for it, and Dragon & Tennille00:46:45 - Imagine dragons bowling again, the Hot Hail button, and Andrew’s game Adventure00:50:05 - The 2600 difficulty switch, Double Dragon, and Ben’s oblique perspective art lesson00:52:40 - The laserdisc game Dragon’s Lair, Ben’s encounters, and bully shutdown techniques00:56:10 - Brainstorm trivia, cautionary tales, Kai Winn, Don Bluth, and chicken-fried steak
***
Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on…His website: https://partlyrobot.com/On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobotOn TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobotOn Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/partlyrobot.comOn Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/partlyrobotAnd his TREE o’ LINKS: http://linktr.ee/partlyrobot
Andrew’s latest Crowdfundr campaign has concluded, but please check out his assorted storefronts listed in his LinkTree above and his Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC!https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries
Follow Two Vague on…Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.comOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcastOn YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcastOn Substack: https://substack.com/@twovaguepodcastOn Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/twovaguepodcast.com
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com
***
References, Links, and Tags
For information on Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist, follow the link below!http://www.endermagnolia.com/en/
Find out about the amazing games from Binary Haze Interactive here…https://bhaze.com/
#Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #PartlyRobot #PartlyRobotIndustries #ADHD #Autism #AdvancedDungeonsHaveDragons #TeePublic #BinaryHazeInteractive #EnderMagnolia #EnderMagnoliaBloomintheMist #StrongBadEmail #Crowdfundr

It’s been a rough couple of weeks for Ben, but processing the death of his 21-year-old feline companion Bash has come with a bit of creative inspiration. He has written a lovely, heartfelt eulogy that he will be reciting for us at the end of the episode, but first he has got two game reviews to share: a cute, Norse mythology-inspired, casual strategy adventure game and a super-creepy, Taiwanese, first-person perspective horror adventure game.
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00:00:20 - Intro00:01:57 - MiceGard Review 00:06:32 - The Bridge Curse 2: the Extraction Review00:12:30 - Eulogy - https://open.substack.com/pub/twovaguepodcast/p/in-memory-of-bash00:28:40 - Closing 
***
Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on…His website: https://partlyrobot.com/On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobotOn TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobotOn Substack: https://partlyrobot.substack.com/On Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/partlyrobot.comOn Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/partlyrobotAnd his TREE o’ LINKS: http://linktr.ee/partlyrobot
Follow Two Vague on…Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.comOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcastOn YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcastOn Substack: https://twovaguepodcast.substack.com/On Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/twovaguepodcast.com
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com-AND- For PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC!https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries
***
References, Links, and Tags
For more information on MiceGard…https://store.steampowered.com/app/2430660/MiceGard/
For more information on The Bridge Curse 2: the Extraction…https://store.steampowered.com/app/2331330/The_Bridge_Curse_2_The_Extrication/
#Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #PartlyRobot #PartlyRobotIndustries #TeePublic #MiceGard #ValkyrieInitiativeLLP #GameDynasty #Aivictory #ValkyrieInitiative #TheBridgeCurse2theExtraction #PQube #GameraGames #SoftstarEntertainment

Cheyenne joins Ben this week to talk about a word that gets a lot of bad press, but in reality, it is a necessity in most activities involving progress and self-improvement. After conversing about what games they are playing (and discovering Ben’s Hogwarts House), they dive right in to deep end and commence with the festivities. Topics explored: the “Epic Fail” meme, Tom Platz, CrossFit acronyms, the invention of Post-It Notes, John Cleese’s speeches and educational videos, corporate culture, points of failure in engineering, stories about successes and failures in the academic settings, the roguelike and roguelite labels, and looping game mechanics.  Games discussed this week are as follows—Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Infinity Nikki, Hogwarts Legacy, Uncle Chop’s Rocket Shop, Papers Please, Plate Up, Baldur’s Gate 3, Hades, Kenshi, Deathloop, Disco Elysium, Indigo Prophecy, Super Meat Boy, and Seaman. Finally, Ben and Cheyenne “tie a bow on it” with some words of wisdom and a couple of Spock references—the Star Trek character, not the pediatrician. 
***
00:00:20 - A city of roses, serving up smiles, parking lot beatdown, Dragon Age: The Veilguard00:02:35 - Mass Effect opinions, Ben likes the synthesis ending, Liara T’Soni, and Infiniti Nikki00:06:40 - A cozy fashion battling platformer, getting homework at PAX, and impatient much?00:08:48 - Thoughts on Hogwarts Legacy, mediocre story, and Cheyenne guesses Ben’s house00:11:11 - The new Indiana Jones game trailer, the nitty and the gritty, and a previous customer00:13:01 - Ox Ford has a comma, Cheyenne’s failure, person versus thing, and positive views00:15:13 - The Google Ngram Viewer (no exceptions), the EPIC FAIL, and planking nostalgia 00:18:02 - The Tom Platz weightlifting philosophy, muscle building, and success through failure00:20:53 - A tale of 3M’s Post-It Notes, the John Cleese speech, and the Video Arts sales story 00:24:31 - The perception of mistakes in corporate culture, and the measure of an employee 00:28:17 - “In a world…,” Mr. Perfect’s Plex, SPOFs and SPORs, and in failures in academia 00:32:20 - A bell curve, thoughts on grading, the architecture shoe, and teams on instruments00:41:43 - Uncle Chop’s Rocket Shop summary, 5 endings (not 4), and “not for all ages” humor 00:47:12 - Ben’s least favorite descriptors, the rogue prefix, no barrels, and looping mechanics00:52:00 - “Leveling” characters, weakness before strength, and broadening your knowledge00:55:52 - Fireworks tampering, the thematics of failure, and “failure is preferred” scenarios 01:03:11 - Excessively difficult games, back to the rocket shop, wrapping up, and Star Trek 
***
Follow Two Vague on…Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.comOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcastOn YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcastOn Substack: https://twovaguepodcast.substack.com/On Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/twovaguepodcast.com
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com-AND- …for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC!https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries
***
References, Links, and Tags
For more information on Infinity Nikki, check out the official website!https://infinitynikki.infoldgames.com/en
For more information about Uncle Chop’s Rocket Shop, developer Beard Envy Games, and publisher Kasedo Games…https://www.unclechops.com/https://store.steampowered.com/app/1849790/Uncle_Chops_Rocket_Shop/https://www.beardenvy.co.uk/https://www.kasedogames.com/
#Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #PartlyRobot #PartlyRobotIndustries #TeePublic #InfinityNikki #KasedoGames #UncleChopsRocketShop #BeardEnvyGames 

Although it would be more thematically appropriate of us to NOT tell you about this week’s episode, we are going to be rebellious and do it anyway—sans mohawk and safety pins.  Andrew joins Ben this week to ruminate over the work punk.  After discussing what they have been up to, debating the importance of a thesis statement (or lack thereof), and sharing their experiences with the game they have both (YES BOTH) been playing, Dungeon Clawler by Stray Fawn Studio, they embark upon a sensory adventure together… in STEREO!  Following the traditional definition festivities, they explore their thoughts and feelings associated with the word.  Finally, Ben talks about Suda51—recognized by many as one of the most “punk rock” game developers out there in addition to being author responsible for a favorite gaming narrative of his.        
***
00:00:00 - Andrew’s Crowdfundr ADHD pin promo and the obligatory 2VP theme song
Please contribute to Andrew’s latest Crowdfundr campaign and buy a swanky “Advanced Dungeons Have Dragons” ADHD enamel pin!https://crowdfundr.com/dragonpin?ref=ab_5eGT0FGiaC55eGT0FGiaC5
00:02:03 - Book progress, a 25 percent different demon, veggies, and many presidents ago00:04:37 - Ben breaks kayfabe, the Piper Cafe, the Safehouse, price tags, and trading cards00:06:37 - Verified on Bluesky, Andrew’s 2025 call, allies for decades, and Bash the alarm clock00:09:25 - Thoughts on the thesis, eating children, Substack review handling, and epic poems00:14:24 - The Hunt for Red October, embargo date debate, and Uncle Chop’s Rocket Shop00:17:23 - Looking at manuals, divergent vs. diverse, symptoms of life, and rewiring the brain00:21:01 - Autistic trends, a mom’s introduction to Rick and Morty, and a claw machine thesis00:24:22 - Christopher Nolan, Dungeon Clawler impressions, and Andrew describes the game00:27:45 - Ben wants more stuff, Count Clawcula, thumbs up, and speaking of potato snacks00:29:35 - In stereo, lining them up in post, the bouquet, the mouth feel, and a mystery flavor00:31:53 - Aged in wooden tubes, the proof with vinegar, maltodextrin, and the aging problem00:34:44 - Ben’s bourbon belch, she smelled like soup, the comma, and ten points in Scrabble00:37:40 - The derogatory definition, Ben’s Allen Funt impression, and the skipped definition00:40:01 - Punk sticks, anarchy, being adjacent, punk credit, and getting out what you put in00:43:03 - The Bumblebee Tuna theme in Ska, the energy, and questionable stuff in Tucson00:45:00 - Going to the Meet Rack, the condom machine, lubricated regulars, and river rafting00:47:24 - Not inherently political, Andrew’s Portland punk experiences, and The Young Ones 00:50:00 - The Seattle WTO Protests, moving into retail, against the grain, and hybrid formats00:53:44 - Not Punky Brewster, punk as a suffix, Daft Punk origin, and Max Headroom shows00:57:02 - The Video Toaster, actor Matt Frewer, platinums, and Ben sells 100 million albums00:58:40 - Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered, not Sudafed, and the games of Suda5101:01:23 - Punk Rock sub-genres, Franz Kafka game gets canceled, and Garcia is a Mexi-CAN01:04:37 - Something that happens, expired donuts, mistook it for a Cybertruck, and food love01:07:30 - So romantic, Michigan, final thoughts, Joe saved the podcast, and formica dragons 
***
Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on…His website: https://partlyrobot.com/On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobotOn TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobotOn Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/partlyrobot.comOn Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/partlyrobotAnd his TREE o’ LINKS: http://linktr.ee/partlyrobot
Follow Two Vague on…Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.comOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcastOn YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcastOn Substack: https://substack.com/@twovaguepodcastOn Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/twovaguepodcast.com
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com-AND- …for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC!https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries
***
References, Links, and Tags
For more information about Stray Fawn Studio’s game Dungeon Clawler…https://strayfawnstudio.com/https://dungeonclawler.com/
For more information about Uncle Chops Rocket Shop, developer Beard Envy Games, and publisher Kasedo Games…https://www.unclechops.com/https://www.beardenvy.co.uk/https://www.kasedogames.com/
Check out Ben’s review of SlavicPunk: Oldtimer on the Two Vague Podcast Substack…https://substack.com/home/post/p-154373300
Check out Red Square Games and SlavicPunk: Oldtimer on Steam…https://store.steampowered.com/curator/44288282-Red-Square-Games/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/1820140/SlavicPunk_Oldtimer/
Check out SUDA51 / Grasshopper Manufacture’s gameshttps://www.grasshopper.co.jp/en/https://www.shadows-of-the-damned-hellaremastered.com/
#Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #PartlyRobot #PartlyRobotIndustries #TeePublic #StrayFawnStudio #DungeonClawler #BeardEnvyGames #UncleChopsRocketShop #KasedoGames #GrasshopperManufacture #ShadowsoftheDamnedHellaRemastered #Suda51

Erik from Imaginary Game Studios joins Ben in HIS virtual studio this week to chat about all manner of things—his experiences as a sports writer, his love of literature, his creative process, and of course his philosophy of game design.  After discussing what’s "under construction" in the world of Rogue Climber, what games they have been playing, and their odd experiences in Chicago (which in itself is a thematically appropriate path), they dive in to the topic at hand… the word circuitous!  They follow the conversation through the unique topography of books, movies, games, and cultural references to its destination where Ben asks Erik to share his advice on creating, developing, and prototyping a video game concept.
***
00:00:21 - Many spreadsheets, Ed’s Excel love, freaks at the coffee shop, and a Magic 8-Ball 00:03:39 - Pro bono, what Christian and Erik learned at PAX, and the Roblox generation00:05:50 - Rogue Climber ancillary stuff, the correct direction, about seven, and what is janky?00:08:32 - Eighty or weighty, the Tron level, a cardboard cutout, and Millennial gamers are soft00:10:57 - Erik platinums Black Myth: Wukong, the Cyberpunk 2077 caveat, and a good segue 00:14:00 - Writing the sports news, Ben’s question about quality, and SlavicPunk: Oldtimer00:16:33 - A film noir soundtrack, amazingly crafted world, and the banal hacking mini game 00:18:45 - Dragonage and Blueski, pocket experiences, broken English, and an annoying boss 00:22:55 - Small font, Red Square Games’ next title, bad translations, and finding drug crumbs00:26:45 - Erik’s Chicago story, a dead pigeon, absorbance, and the emcee of the spelling bee00:33:10 - The nature of the creative process, in inches or graphs, and the perils of efficiency   00:35:48 - Two types of fiction, Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian, and Gene Wolfe books00:40:22 - John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, “The Hobbit” LP, and a well kept secret about babies00:43:25 - Rock & Rule, Ralph Bakshi’s Wizards, the Washington Bullets, Joust, and Zardoz00:46:16 - A talking point itinerary for next time, and Ben’s favorite commercial fiction authors 00:48:15 - American Psycho, three if you’re keeping score, Bono as Satan, and the message00:50:59 - Swimming up the waterfall, getting it all out of your head, and evaluation at the end00:53:10 - Being creative for yourself, figuring out where to start, and creating the prototype00:58:59 - Catch the vibe, the next word, gorilla arms, crushing heads, and strategic saving01:01:30 - Agreement about NieR: Automata, three times, no connection, and the same river01:03:06 - Erik’s words of wisdom, something unique, planning, and make no assumptions 
***
Follow Two Vague on…Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.comOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcastOn YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcastOn Substack: https://substack.com/@twovaguepodcastOn Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/twovaguepodcast.com
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com-AND- …for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC!https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries
References, Links, and Tags
Check out SlavicPunk: Oldtimer on Steam…https://store.steampowered.com/app/1820140/SlavicPunk_Oldtimer/
Follow all of the shenanigans going on at Imaginary Game Studios…On their website: https://www.imaginarygamestudios.com/On their Discord: https://discord.gg/YyDD7ECtdJOn their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@caxtnovaImaginary Game Studios GAMES on Steam:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2673440/Rogue_Climber/  <—- WISHLIST ME NOW!!!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2175790/Meticulous/
#Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #ImaginaryGameStudios #CaxtNova #PartlyRobot #PartlyRobotIndustries #TeePublic

Aron Koh from JOFSOFT joins Ben this week to talk about the development of their latest game Pizza Bandit AND one of his favorite words—rather appropriately, iteration.  They start out talking about Aron’s childhood favorite PC games, how Sierra On-line games inspired him to work in the online gaming industry after he graduated, and his experiences working for the Korean game company Nexon on “games as service” games. Next, Ben and Aron share their thoughts and philosophies about how software is improved through incremental changes.  Finally, Aron expounds upon Pizza Bandit’s development timeline and forthcoming genre blending plans while Ben pitches mission and story ideas.
***
00:00:20 - Skewed console game experience, Korean games, and starting a career at Nexon 00:03:30 - Sitting down, breaking windows, opening doors, and “games as service” opinions00:06:40 - Our favorite Nexon games, many of which are still doing strong business in China 00:08:33 - Start somewhere, how games as service companies improve games, and QuizQuiz00:11:07 - Moving to the United States, and Korea’s big three: Nexon, NCSOFT, and Netmarble  00:13:22 - The definition, the waterfall method, three spectrums, and assorted game engines00:19:14 - Don’t talk about Frostbite, no plans for a 16-bit version, and inspired by Outriders 00:23:06 - Rift Sweepers lessons, gameplay iterations, reusing assets, and finding the balance00:28:09 - Antiquated hacking with discs, and balancing Pizza Bandit missions from feedback 00:31:55 - A time traveling bounty hunter, "Cowboy Bebop" adjacent, and plan for more cooking00:34:28 - Keeping the pizza parlor dream alive, pizza purism, and the home of Hawaiian pizza 00:36:34 - Australia’s favorite, sweet potato pizza, yam confusion, and other Kimchi variants00:40:46 - When game development becomes work, prototyping joy, and mundane content 00:43:12 - Frustrations finding balance, making the hard pivot, and the semantics of change00:47:08 - Taking design risks during development, expectations, and hikers not swimming00:50:30 - The financial risk, always in debate, knowing your audience, and using feedback 00:54:43 - The Remnant franchise, Western and Eastern gamer differences, and the Alpha test00:57:16 - Stories from PAX, one chef and three zombie killers, doubling down, and Ben’s idea01:00:16 - Ontario Canada in 1962, it will always be invented, and Hawaiian pizza prevention  
***
Follow Two Vague on…Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.comOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcastOn YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcastOn Substack: https://substack.com/@twovaguepodcastOn Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/twovaguepodcast.com
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com-AND- …for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC!https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries
References, Links, and Tags
For more information on JOFSOFT’s freshman release Pizza Bandit… https://www.jofsoft.com/WISHLIST Pizza Bandit on Steam HERE…https://store.steampowered.com/app/2475010/Pizza_Bandit/
#Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #PartlyRobot #PartlyRobotIndustries #TeePublic #JOFSOFT #PizzaBandit

Andrew joins Ben this week to talk about something which thanks to pop culture is turtle adjacent and thanks to an obscure martial arts publication is also peach adjacent… weird eh?  They catch up on what has been going on in their lives—lots of writing for each! Andrew has been working on his ADHD focused book, and Ben has been playing Edge of Sanity for game review material on Substack. They explore an assortment of topics before moving to video games including the following: the Insane Clown Posse, the writings of H.P. Lovecraft, household appliances, motorcycles, the movie You Only Live Twice, G.I. Joe toys and comics, the Community episode “G.I. Jeff,” The Tick, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja (Hero) Turtles franchise. In closing, Ben and Andrew talk about some of their favorite ninja themed arcade games and the PC games they would play in their youth.
***
00:00:21 - The intersection of life stuff and writing stuff, lots of stickers, and a fleet of snails00:03:44 - Andrew’s “Attention Dragons” mini-zine, a new Ko-Fi page, and shuttering Patreon00:06:33 - Taxes, staying out of Etsy jail, a flu fighter, the plural of ninja, and asking a Juggalo 00:09:33 - Learning on a bus, the quintessential alcoholic clown movie, and the 2VP Substack00:12:05 - H.P. Lovecraft, separating art and artist, the Cthulhu-verse, and “The Cats of Ulthar"00:16:18 - Ben’s preliminary thoughts on Edge of Sanity, the madness meter, and Xenophobe  Check out Ben’s full review of Edge of Sanity on Substack!https://substack.com/home/post/p-150996029
Check out Andrew’s reference to the song “Night Boat to Cairo” by Madness! https://youtu.be/lLLL1KxpYMA?si=b5eoHuDOmllJKNeP
00:19:20 - It literally means spy, food processors, motorcycle names, and You Only Live Twice00:22:46 - From blenders to Snake Eyes, comic loopholes, and “PORKCHOP SANDWICHES!!!”00:26:50 - Complicated personalities, the government issue Jeff episode, and the original Joes00:29:12 - A surrounding hedge, straight outta Birnam Wood, ninja parody, and TMNT or TMHT 00:35:41 - Adventures with Chicago weapon vendors, finality of death, and parodying parodies 00:36:57 - Cheap 80s and 90s newsprint, cashing in on trends, arcade remakes, and The Tick00:39:07 - Bitch or ninja, czars in government, subreddits, Ninja Mind Control, and fruit theft  00:42:52 - Memorable ninja arcade games, 28 quarters, Arcade Archives, and Mystic Warriors00:45:32 - Telling stories in shortened arcade experiences, and Andrew briefly checks out00:48:20 - Sinistar’s backstory, board games, and Andrew ponders if he likes “story” games00:50:30 - His name was Richard Garriott, remembering Tabula Rasa, and Ultima with Andrew’s00:53:02 - Games of the college days, Ben remembers Strider, and a Vancouver microbrewery 00:56:00 - Strange beers, brewing, the flavor of the day, juice pouch problems, and apologies00:58:05 - Andrew remembering the Juggalo lore and Ben remembering a Patton Oswalt bit
***
Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on…His website: https://partlyrobot.com/On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobotOn TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobotOn Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/partlyrobotAnd his TREE o’ LINKS: http://linktr.ee/partlyrobot
Follow Two Vague on…Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.comOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcastOn YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcastOn Substack: https://substack.com/@twovaguepodcast
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com-AND- …for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC!https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries
***
References, Links, and Tags
Episode 122 Show Notes - https://substack.com/home/post/p-151404155
The Edge of Sanity Linktree page - https://linktr.ee/Edge_Of_SanityVixa Games - https://vixagames.com/Daedalic Entertainment - https://www.daedalic.com/
#Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersOfThreads #Substack #Gamer #PartlyRobot #PartlyRobotIndustries #TeePublic #EdgeOfSanity #VixaGames #PositiveVibes

Ben is flying solo again this week. After managing technical and medical difficulties, he’s champing at the bit and excited to talk about his PAX West 2024 Exhibit Hall experiences! But first, Ben has an abbreviated review of Deathbound; for the full review of this game check out our Substack page! Any feedback would be appreciated! Then Ben dives right in and shares his favorite games and booths at the show this year. If any of these games sound interesting to you, please follow the links in the show notes, like, wishlist, subscribe… do ALL the things!
***
00:00:20 - Intro, explanation, apology, and CHECK OUT OUR SUBSTACK!
00:02:02 - Ben’s Deathbound thoughts00:04:26 - 3 UPs: amazing music, great graphics for an indy, and the unique combat system00:05:30 - 3 DOWNS: issues with targeting, perspective shift bug, and too few essences at first
You can read Ben’s full Deathbound review “It’s Inspired by… Don’t Call it a Soulslike - A Review of Deathbound on PS5” on Substack here… https://substack.com/home/post/p-149861815
00:08:43 - PAX West 2024 
Day 100:09:05 - Ysbryd Games - https://www.ysbryd.net/00:09:24 - Love Eternal - https://loveeternalgame.com/ 00:10:33 - Everdeep Aurora - https://www.everdeepaurora.com/ 00:11:40 - ENDER MAGNOLIA: Bloom in the Mist - http://www.endermagnolia.com/en/ 00:13:39 - Anshar Publishing - https://store.steampowered.com/publisher/AnsharPublishing00:13:48 - Coridden - https://www.coridden.com/00:14:32 - Bytebond - https://store.steampowered.com/app/1952690/Bytebond/00:15:49 - Rugrats: Adventure in Gameland - https://store.steampowered.com/app/2633950/Rugrats_Adventures_in_Gameland/00:16:33 - Railgun Games - https://www.railgungames.com/00:17:01 - Virtual World Centers - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BattleTech_Centers 00:17:32 - Red Planet - Training Video  https://youtu.be/DIPMK4L_Qv4?si=ho3Wj0xcJ2rRt9TF00:17:51 - Deathland Drifters - https://www.youtube.com/@railgungamesdev00:18:37 - A Corgi’s Cozy Hike - https://scalisco.com/pages/a-corgis-cozy-hike00:19:09 - Ukiyo Studios - https://www.ukiyostudios.com/00:19:12 - Nine Sols - https://store.steampowered.com/app/1809540/Nine_Sols/00:19:20 - Infinity Bullets - https://infinitybullets.com/00:20:37 - Pacific Drive - https://www.pacificdrivegame.com/00:21:20 - Heartworm - https://heartwormgame.com/00:22:37 - The Mortuary Assistant - https://store.steampowered.com/app/1295920/The_Mortuary_Assistant/00:23:12 - Section 13 - https://oceandrive.studio/blackout-protocol/00:24:51 - The Behemoth Games - https://www.thebehemoth.com/00:25:51 - Path of Exile 2 - https://pathofexile2.com/
Day 2 00:27:19 - DORONKO WANKO - https://store.steampowered.com/app/2512840/DORONKO_WANKO/  00:29:09 - Pizza Bandit - https://www.jofsoft.com/ 00:30:00 - Jay and Silent Bob: Chronic Blunt Punch - https://www.interabangent.com/00:31:11 - Optillusion - https://www.optillusion.games/00:31:28 - While Waiting - https://store.steampowered.com/app/2449160/While_Waiting/00:31:50 - Pick Me, Pick Me - https://www.pickmepickme.ai/00:33:08 - PLAYISM - https://playism.com/en/00:33:21 - Nitro Express - https://playism.com/en/game/nitro-express/00:33:43 - Homura Hime - https://playism.com/en/game/homura-hime/00:34:09 - Outrider Mako - https://playism.com/en/game/outrider-mako/00:34:26 - Metal Bringer - https://playism.com/en/game/metal-bringer/00:34:45 - HARUKA: Beyond the Stars - https://playism.com/en/game/haruka-beyond-the-stars/00:35:25 - Million Depth - https://playism.com/en/game/millionｰdepth/
Day 300:35:58 - Shroom Siege - https://www.upsidedownbird.com/shroom-siege00:37:07 - Exercise Your Demons - https://www.vyersoft.com/eyd00:38:15 - MythWalker - https://mythwalker.com/00:43:38 - Highway Police Simulator - https://highwaypolicegame.com/00:46:51 - Fish Game - https://www.fish.game/00:48:14 - Kriegsfront Tactics - https://www.togeproductions.com/project/kriegsfront-tactics/00:49:10 - Alterium Shift - https://alteriumshift.com/
Day 400:51:01 - ANTONBLAST - https://store.steampowered.com/app/1887400/ANTONBLAST/00:53:09 - Honeycomb: The World Beyond - https://store.steampowered.com/app/1510440/Honeycomb_The_World_Beyond/00:54:22 - Winter Burrow - https://www.pinecreekgames.com/00:56:27 - Rogue Climber - https://store.steampowered.com/app/2673440/Rogue_Climber/
Other Things00:58:00 - Bateman Labs - https://batemanlabs.com/00:58:28 - Dragon Roast Coffee - https://dragonroast.coffee/00:58:58 - Small Rice Studios’ new game Roast -  https://www.roast-game.com/
00:59:53 - PAX West 2025 Plans  
***
Follow Two Vague on…Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.comOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcastOn YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcastOn Substack: https://substack.com/@twovaguepodcast
For show appearance and other inquiries email us at twovaguepodcast@gmail.comFor all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC!
References, Links, and Tags
For more information about Deathbound and the developer Trialforge Studio…https://deathbound-game.comhttp://www.trialforgestudio.com/en/
Check out Small Rice Studios’ YouTube page…https://www.youtube.com/@smallricestudios6703/
#Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #PartlyRobot #PartlyRobotIndustries #TeePublic #TateMultimedia #Deathbound #TrialforgeStudio #PAXWest_2024 #PAXWest2024

Prepare yourself for the conversational snips of the previous thirty episodes… a potpourri of what may be our final clip show for a while. Over the last 3 years we’ve obviously refined a few things. Ben is starting to get right into the show when he’s in charge of recording; a side effect of this is that warmups are no longer as much of “a thing” for us anymore. Ben has also worked diligently on reducing the necessary recording time for special guests, so these days we are also cutting far fewer segments due to time. However, we reserve the right to revisit the clip show concept in the future, but they will no longer occur on 30 episode intervals as they have in the past. And now… on to the scraps!
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00:00:21 - Why?00:01:47 - Ep 92 Logic clip introduction00:02:23 - Unity fee restructuring, SAG striking, Andrew’s support, and supporting indies 00:09:19 - Ep 95 Animate clip introduction 00:10:23 - Martin’s opinions about Unity, showing support by being vocal, and StarVaders00:13:23 - Ben asks Martin about controller support on the Mac and development challenges00:17:07 - The benefits of being a part of the Unity developer community and 3rd party tools00:20:33 - Effective game QA testing, using Discord, and how game engines lock down code 00:25:14 - The pros and cons of making your own game engine, and Starbucks’ in Sweden  00:26:58 - Ep 96 Robot clip introduction00:27:38 - Differences in salts, nobody wants goiters, PRINGLES® slogans, and “Hi Julius!”00:31:38 - Let them breathe, smells like potato water, hearing Idaho, and eating them in stacks00:34:01 - ASMR, salt favored, the most expensive salt, condiment reminder, and library garlic00:38:41 - PRINGLES® freshness dates foreign and domestic, ASMR+, and a bathroom break00:43:51 - Ep 98 Ink clip introduction00:44:19 - Sensory adventure triggers another sensory adventure, and an animatronic callback00:48:06 - Ep 100 Review clip introduction00:48:41 - Drop dead, postmortem, rail sharing, trains falling down, and high altitude littering 00:54:47 - Ep 102 Narative clip introduction00:55:28 - Andrew loves all things Richard Ayoade, his first, and 0118 999 88199 9119 725... 301:00:54 - The “Critical Film Studies” episode of a Community, and it’s just a television show01:03:09 - Ep 103 Rhythm clip introduction01:04:00 - Some tech talk, definitions of art, “but also that elephant…,” and walking on the flag 01:07:48 - Heather Cassils’ performance art, and Star’s experience at Purchase College 01:11:01 - Exploring what you want to learn in community college, and don’t not be happy01:13:24 - Decoy show start, a dress rehearsal for a podcast, and short term memory screens01:16:15 - The WiiU, The Wonderful 101, Veiwtiful Joe, and an extreme button mashing pro tip 01:19:11 - Ep 104 Lukas Eggan Interview clip introduction01:19:50 - Discussing Alan Wake 2, Quantum Break, and a choice for the current generation01:22:23 - Bethesda needs a win, collecting priorities, changing it in post, and LAN Parties01:26:24 - Lukas’ noticeable change in sound quality, our cats, and Ben’s pre-show coffee01:28:10 - Ep 106 April Fools / Turbo Tax Game Review clip introduction01:28:59 - Agendas, sensitivity readings, the moral “high ground,” and conspiracy theories01:32:16 - Splitting hairs of the definition, trying to explain things, and being empathetic 01:35:49 - Ep 107 Trend clip introduction01:36:48 - A documentary about coinage, Norah’s traffic commentary, and interview feedback01:39:32 - Actively being a passenger, Norah reveals Alaska plans, and ambient sounds 01:43:17 - Ep 109 Beat clip introduction01:44:13 - AI responding to AI generated content, where we get our news, and the FTC ruling01:46:41 - Twenty year old cat FRAPs, old politicians, and refusing to work with people  01:50:33 - Printed infographics, teach yourself with the internet, and positive attitudes01:53:58 - Ben starts showcasing his writings on Substack, and closing the show  
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Follow Two Vague on…Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcastOn YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcastOn Substack: https://substack.com/@twovaguepodcastFor show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com-AND- …for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC!https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries
References, Links, and Tags
#Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #PartlyRobot #PartlyRobotIndustries #TeePublic

This week we have an AMAZING episode for you!  We received another PS5 review code compliments of the fabulously kind PR ninja Robert, but before Ben spills the entire cup of tea on his time KIWIWALKS’ latest remaster of the original WitchSpring game, he recounts his 7 days of experiences in Seattle when he wasn’t busy at PAX West 2024 proper.  After the review, Ben shares his LIVE (at the time) “Podcast in a Bag” interviews from the Arch Building of the Seattle Convention Center.  The first one is with The Behemoth’s co-founder, artist and game designer Dan Paladin; he “sits down” with Ben to talk about his game design inspirations and of course, his favorite word.  Next, JOFSOFT’s Aron Koh, the Executive Producer of the upcoming genre bending game Pizza Bandit, speaks to Ben about the circuitous route they took in their development of the game, as well as the importance of pivoting and iterating when developing for a general gaming audience. 
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00:00:21 - On this episode… two interviews, a game review, and Ben’s non-PAX Seattle stuff 00:01:41 - In Seattle, corned beef and cabbage, the story turns sour, and a mixed blessing00:05:27 - The What’s Good Games party, Polaroid cameras, and dinner with Christian and Erik00:07:25 - New friends in your 50s, Ben starts a Seattle walk, and selfie museum shenanigans  00:09:49 - Repopulating the planet, the Space Needle, and thanks to Nancy for the photos00:11:03 - A fancy sandwich, more waking, a putting the bow on the trip with delicious Thai00:13:16 - Witch versus evil pope, same story with different perspectives, and Suyoung Jang 00:16:14 - Building at your atelier, managing difficulty, a fat bird, and the experience system00:19:42 - Increasing your other levels with training mini-games and bonus percentages00:22:01 - 3 ups: well balanced, superior audiovisuals, and smart map zoom view and usage 00:23:30 - 3 downs: pet capture tutorial, inconsistent mission arrow, and blacksmith mini game 00:25:59 - Ben recommends playing, wants to see more witch stories, and closes the review00:27:45 - The interviews, a quick disclaimer on the audio quality, crowd noise, and hot mics00:30:23 - The seldom used a cappella Podcast in a Bag theme song!00:30:35 - The co-founder of The Behemoth, Dan Paladin; words = ladle and cheeseborough00:44:42 - The executive producer of JOFSOFT’s “Pizza Bandit,” Aron Koh; 00:51:44 - Aron’s words are pivot and iterate, the difference between the two, and WISHLIST!00:53:13 - Ben shares what is in store for you on future episodes of the Two Vague Podcast
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Follow Two Vague on…Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcastOn YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcastFor show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com-AND- ...for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC!https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries
References, Links, and Tags
For more information on WitchSpring R from KIWIWALKS…https://witchspringr.com/en/
For more information on The Behemoth’s amazing games…https://www.thebehemoth.com/
For more information on JOFSOFT’s freshman release Pizza Bandit… https://www.jofsoft.com/WISHLIST Pizza Bandit on Steam HERE…https://store.steampowered.com/app/2475010/Pizza_Bandit/ 
#Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #witchspring #witchspringr #kiwiwalks #DanPaladin #TheBehemoth #AronKoh #JOVSOFT #PizzaBandit