Shane Bettenhausen: Giant dick or just an obnoxious dork?

[DoomMunky]

He's got this asshole/snarky thing DOWN, and his presence has never bothered me as much as on the most recent 1up Yours.

During the first segment, Garnett Lee and the rest of the cast were easygoing and gave measured analysis of the topics, but as soon as Shane came on, the tone sharpened and became much meaner and more aggressive, and the amount of hasty, defensively-talking-over-each-other quadrupled.

Does he just rub me the wrong way because I want Garnett to not ALWAYS seem like a doofus, or is Shane really just a total dick?

[Bahimiron]

He and Garnett seem to trade 'being a giant cock' back and forth show to show. Though when it's Garnett's turn he's less 'giant cock' and 'kind of raving lunatic'.

[Zylon]

Is this one of those threads that tries to get people to hate someone they've never heard of?

[Shadari]

Is this one of those threads that tries to get people to hate someone they've never heard of?
I hate people that do that!

[Alex Handy]

Who are you people? I hate you all!

[theblackw0lf]

I can't give a good reason why, but 1up Yours seems to have declined in quality since what's-his-name left.

GFW and Gamers with Jobs are pretty much the only gaming podcasts I listen to now.

[Dean]

The best thing about 1upYours was when Luke would catch either Shane or Garnett in a blatant lie and call them a giant cock.

With Luke gone, there's no one to call those two on their idiocy. I particularly hate it when Garnett takes a "strong stance" that he doesn't even believe because the success of 1upYours (as he obviously believes) is based on strong opinions, even if they're wrong. They also don't have a clue what they're talking about half the time.

They had an intern on a couple of shows ago, and he was measured and reasonable and they gave him shit because he wasn't outrageous enough. They also walked all over him because he was "just an intern."

[JPR]

With each departure, it has gotten worse -- first Luke, then John, then Mark.

Garnett doesn't "seem like a doofus" because of Shane, he's just an idiot. Shane calls him on it in a pretty obnoxious fashion, but Garnett is "fully" a moron.

I think Shane was probably always like that, but his internet celebrity status has exacerbated the problem. I no longer look forward to 1up Yours. GFW is the only podcast that I really want to listen to these days. I assume that Jeff's not going to jump in and agree that Garnett's a dumbass and Shane is an asshole, but without John to keep things reasonable and Luke to offer a little journalistic inquisitiveness and insight, the show has gone off the rails.

[DoomMunky]

With each departure, it has gotten worse -- first Luke, then John, then Mark.

Garnett doesn't "seem like a doofus" because of Shane, he's just an idiot. Shane calls him on it in a pretty obnoxious fashion, but Garnett is "fully" a moron.

I think Shane was probably always like that, but his internet celebrity status has exacerbated the problem. I no longer look forward to 1up Yours. GFW is the only podcast that I really want to listen to these days. I assume that Jeff's not going to jump in and agree that Garnett's a dumbass and Shane is an asshole, but without John to keep things reasonable and Luke to offer a little journalistic inquisitiveness and insight, the show has gone off the rails. QFMFT.

Absolutely. It seems to me that Shane is adept at the "new punditry" that cable news and AM radio (and to a lesser extent, the blogosphere) have brought to the American discourse. Lots of divisive, personal criticism with little substance and a TON of attitude. If he's not trying to do it, he's just a natural.

Luke was great (once I warmed to him) because he backed up his attitude with a fairly incisive, critical mind. He walked the walk, while Shane doesn't actually have much to say. He just attacks and attacks, and then talks and talks about whatever he's really into defending that week.

Part of the problem is that I just hate most of the shit he likes, and hearing him go on and on about how great it is WITHOUT ACCEPTING ANY CRITICISM OF IT just drives me up the wall.

Also, I think Garnett is a good host, but not a good participant. He's very good at directing the flow of conversation, but every time he tries to get involved he seems like he's saying something just to say something, not because he has any particular or original insight that's not being shared. He seems to parrot groupthink quite often, then trail off when he's pressed.

The Brodeo has always been my favorite in the 1up stable, and is only getting more so as the quality of 1up Yours declines.

[Coca Cola Zero]

first Luke, then John, then Mark.


Who is next... Matthew?

[J. Matthew Zoss]

I will say this, however. I've met Shane on several occasions, and each time I'm surprised again by how nice he actually is in person.

[JPR]

Sure. And I'm sure that Garnett comes off as less retarded in person (it doesn't show in his writing). But the guy can't extemporize at all, and his scripted stuff is even more ham-handed and embarrassing.

[Aeon221]

Who is next... Matthew?

Bwaa ha ha ha haaa

[Bahimiron]

I agree with most of what's being said here, but I really think that Dean's overstating how they treated their intern, 'Big Fun'. He was on with another guest, got pretty equal time with his opinions and, so far as I recall, was never given any great deal of shit.

[caesarbear]

I hate 1UPYours. Stopped listening a while ago, therefore the rest of you idiots should as well.

[Hugin]

Basically I miss John. I have no particular problem with Shane (and I think his depth of knowledge about old games/obscure games/japanese games is quite valuable), but John kept things sane and I liked his sense of humor. Garnett needs to learn to let pointless arguments go.

On the other hand, I don't understand the love for the GFW podcast. I like Jeff Green (and liked it when he guested on 1Up Yours recently), but Jesus God I cannot stand Shawn Elliot. He's like some kind of bipedal Chinese Hell of longwinded unfunny anecdotes. And besides those two there's very little personality, just nasal voices talking about...well, mostly not PC games.

In a magical world of wishing, John, Mark, Jeff, Luke, and N'Gai Croal would form a giant podcasting robot and fight evil.

[flyinj]

but Jesus God I cannot stand Shawn Elliot. He's like some kind of bipedal Chinese Hell of longwinded unfunny anecdotes.

I completely agree. I know people like him. People who do weird inflections on the end of sentences to make themselves sound "whacky" to mask their extremely pedestrian sense of wit and humor.

[Mordrak]

In a magical world of wishing, John, Mark, Jeff, Luke, and N'Gai Croal would form a giant podcasting robot and fight evil.
If Croal's speaking style is anything like his writing, they'd never finish a podcast. Really, he's the last person I want to listen to talk about games.

[Bahimiron]

On the other hand, I don't understand the love for the GFW podcast. I like Jeff Green (and liked it when he guested on 1Up Yours recently), but Jesus God I cannot stand Shawn Elliot. He's like some kind of bipedal Chinese Hell of longwinded unfunny anecdotes. And besides those two there's very little personality, just nasal voices talking about...well, mostly not PC games.

You're nuts.

While I can certainly understand why someone might not find Shawn Elliot amusing, I certainly didn't when I first started, saying that no one else on the show has any personality is just dumb. Sean Malloy is not only funny and extremely bright, he's also the guy who basically keeps the show on the rails. While Ryan Scott doesn't talk a lot his wild swinging between snark and punching bag makes just about everything he says a crack up.

The only dead weight on GFW was Darren. I liked Gladstoned, but I couldn't stand to listen to him talk. His sense of humor seemed to be based entirely around repeating jokes someone else said five minutes before and then boasting about how much he loved to get high.

At its worst the GFW podcast beats the shit out of the best PC Gamer podcast. I like Gary and Logan (even if he does talk like he spends most of the podcast high) but Norm and Dan Stapleton make me hate life. Not my life, mind you. All life. The very concept of life. Norm speaks and I'm like 'well shit, there's the proof that God isn't real that people have been waiting for'.

[Hugin]

If Croal's speaking style is anything like his writing, they'd never finish a podcast. Really, he's the last person I want to listen to talk about games.

He's guested on the show a couple times and been quite good. Funny without trying too hard, sensible, well informed.

[DoomMunky]

At its worst the GFW podcast beats the shit out of the best PC Gamer podcast. I like Gary and Logan (even if he does talk like he spends most of the podcast high) but Norm and Dan Stapleton make me hate life. Not my life, mind you. All life. The very concept of life. Norm speaks and I'm like 'well shit, there's the proof that God isn't real that people have been waiting for'. Abso-fucking-lutely. I recently stopped listening to the PCG podcast after they got into a long argument about whether they'd seen Crysis displayed on a wall unit or a mid-floor stand-up in a Gamespot they visited in a mall on their lunch break. They literally couldn't stop trying to be right long enough to realize what terrible radio they were making.

A friend of mine works with several of those guys and says they have a fair amount of pressure to get across a certain image in every podcast. Apparently their corporate masters want them to talk about certain things in a certain way. This doesn't excuse their incredible lack of appeal, but it does explain the amazing joylessness that pervades the PCGamer podcast.

And I'm up in the air about Shawn Elliot. He talks WAY too much on the podcast, but his thoughts about the games industry and the place of the reviewer/journalist within it are the most developed I've heard anywhere. He and N'Gai would be great to hear sound off on the state of the industry together. But, he talks too much. He dominates conversation to a degree that I can just hear his ego working, and if his thoughts weren't of such consistently high quality, I'd throw my iPod across the room. I love him and hate him, and just wish he'd let some other opinions get in there, too. He talks like his perspective is the One True View, and doesn't let the other guys get a word in edgewise. I wish he tried to facilitate a discussion more often, rather than argue down Sean Malloy and Jeff Green, who obviously don't like to argue too much, and don't think out loud with the same incredible facility that Elliot does.

Robert Ashley is good to have around, as he takes everything lightly. I hope they have him around more often.

[Hugin]

You're nuts.

While I can certainly understand why someone might not find Shawn Elliot amusing, I certainly didn't when I first started, saying that no one else on the show has any personality is just dumb. Sean Malloy is not only funny and extremely bright, he's also the guy who basically keeps the show on the rails. While Ryan Scott doesn't talk a lot his wild swinging between snark and punching bag makes just about everything he says a crack up.

If you say so. I couldn't remember their names, that's how little impression they made. I'm sure they're cool human beings in person, but I'm sorry, they made no particular impression on me in the podcasts. It was Jeff (liked), Shawn (hated), and..some other voices.


At its worst the GFW podcast beats the shit out of the best PC Gamer podcast. I like Gary and Logan (even if he does talk like he spends most of the podcast high) but Norm and Dan Stapleton make me hate life. Not my life, mind you. All life. The very concept of life. Norm speaks and I'm like 'well shit, there's the proof that God isn't real that people have been waiting for'.

Never listened to a PC Gamer podcast, so I can't compare.

[theblackw0lf]

How's the Gamespot podcast?

I'm looking for a general video game podcast to replace 1up Yours (though as I said Gamers with Job fulfills that roll admirably. But I'd like another).

[Rob_Merritt]

At its worst the GFW podcast beats the shit out of the best PC Gamer podcast.

I use to like the GFW podcast a lot but there is so much hate abd bile spewed on that podcast (mostly from the mouth of Elliott) that I actually started a game with myself to see how long I could listen to an episode without stopping it and deleting the file. When I was getting to under three minutes, it was time to stop listening. PC Gamer podcast might be boring sometimes but at least they 1) talk about pc games, and 2) act like adults.

[DennyA]

+1 on the Shawn Elliott-on-a-podcast hatred. (I'm sure he's a swell guy in real life.)

When he talks about games, he's fine. But the damn characters, the 45 minutes of talking about non-gaming stuff... Too many not-irritating podcasts competing for my listening time to put up with that.

[markv]

I stopped listening to 1up yours after John left. I can't handle Garnett and Shane unchecked. I don't know how Garnett is now, but when I was listening to it, he would drive me nuts with the number of times he would interrupt someone who had a good train of thought going just to spew some mindless retarded shit. So him as a host really kind of drove me nuts, because he'd constantly interrupt. I'd almost cheer when John would tell him to shut up.

[Jason Becker]

For me GFW can be in a single podcast episode can be both the best and worst show. Elliot's thoughts and insights are the best around when he gets serious, but when things get off the rails they really go bad these days to the point I've stopped listening several times. The occasional goofing off is fine but they get just stupid to often anymore. I'd love for Elliot to become a regular on 1UP yours. He would be a great counter to Garnett and Mr. Smartass.

[mono]

For me GFW can be in a single podcast episode can be both the best and worst show. Elliot's thoughts and insights are the best around when he gets serious, but when things get off the rails they really go bad these days to the point I've stopped listening several times. The occasional goofing off is fine but they get just stupid to often anymore. I'd love for Elliot to become a regular on 1UP yours. He would be a great counter to Garnett and Mr. Smartass.

Pretty much agreed here. I love the podcast, and appreciate Elliot's insights, but I wish he'd perhaps share less of them. He really ought not to lead the conversations.

The heroes of the web business was too cringeworthy the 1st time they trotted it out. I think they're catering to the younger 1-Up console playing audience who aren't even PC gamers, but just listen to the podcast for that stupid shit.

[Rob_Merritt]

Pretty much agreed here. I love the podcast, and appreciate Elliot's insights, but I wish he'd perhaps share less of them. He really ought not to lead the conversations.

The heroes of the web business was too cringeworthy the 1st time they trotted it out. I think they're catering to the younger 1-Up console playing audience who aren't even PC gamers, but just listen to the podcast for that stupid shit.

Bingo. That sums it up right there. I wonder if the GFW podcasts is just a waste of time and money since its targeted by people would wouldn't game on a pc or buy GFW even if a gun was pointed at them?

[malkav11]

Yeah, I'd like the GFW podcast a lot more sans the Ralphie/Heroes of the Web/etc business. It's not that I always dislike those segments (there was one Heroes about pokemon love that had me in stitches) but I always cringe, especially at the voices. Once I'm past those segments, it's been great.

[Jazar]

How's the Gamespot podcast?

I'm looking for a general video game podcast to replace 1up Yours (though as I said Gamers with Job fulfills that roll admirably. But I'd like another).

I actually liked the Hotspot back when it was Rich Gallup and Gerstman. Now both of them have left and I took the show off my RSS feed.

[JPR]

I enjoy the vast majority of the Heroes of the Web segments, and usually find Shawn's anecdotes very entertaining.

(Whas goan sell? They give us mun-ee)

[Moggraider]

Yeah, Shawn's funny. It's true that he dominates conversation too often, but he's still hilarious.


Shane is a necessary evil. He has interests the others don't, and even though he can annoy sometimes, he's a great guy.

[Dave47]

I don't listen to 1up Yours, but Shane has come across well the few times I've heard him on the Retrogamers podcast.

[Bahimiron]

I generally like Shawn's stories and some of the voices. Now and again he says something and I think someone should slap him. Like when Jeff admits that he's fallen asleep playing a game before and Shawn equates that to kids shitting their pants. At that point Jeff should've given the guy a whack across the back of the head with a rolled up newspaper and said 'no! We do not say dumb shit like that!'.

I do appreciate the people here who're saying that the voices and Heroes of the Web segments are there to appeal to console-players. There's some logic. Cos Shawn Elliot is playing Il2 on his Wii and CoH:OF on his PSP.

[mono]

I do appreciate the people here who're saying that the voices and Heroes of the Web segments are there to appeal to console-players. There's some logic. Cos Shawn Elliot is playing Il2 on his Wii and CoH:OF on his PSP.

The 1-UP/Neogaf boards are full of folks who admit they stick to consoles, but listen for Shawn's wacky antics.

[fuzzyslug]

He's a little of both. That's probably why I like his input to the podcast.

I do miss Luke and John -- it really was an all star cast when they were part of it -- but the third head of that beast is probably Shane. In all fairness, his input would never be appreciated on QT3. His interests are completely different than the majority of folks here and even on 1UP Yours. Luke, in particular, served as a great counterpoint. He was Mr. Halo to Shane's Mr. JRPG. The result was one of the best podcasts on the web.

Sure, he's obnoxious but I don't mind at all. They just need another Luke for him to argue with.

Side note: Anyone listen the Bungie podcast with Luke? It's like sleep medicine.

Side note 2: Gamers with Jobs is now the best podcast on the 'net.

[Kevin Grey]

I used to really like most of the 1UP podcasts but after all of these strange cults have built up around them (especially on GAF), it's starting to feel like they are just trying to play to their little fan clubs. Consequently, it's more like they are becoming manufactured personalities than real people.

[Kristen Salvatore]

A friend of mine works with several of those guys and says they have a fair amount of pressure to get across a certain image in every podcast. Apparently their corporate masters want them to talk about certain things in a certain way. This doesn't excuse their incredible lack of appeal, but it does explain the amazing joylessness that pervades the PCGamer podcast.

Like any "radio" show, not every podcast is right for everyone, so while I'm sorry you're not digging on our shtick, I recognize that when it comes to entertainment, to each his own.

That said...I can guarantee that no one outside of the immediate PCG staff decides anything about the podcasts--not when we record them, not when we post them, and definitely not what we say while recording them. That's right, we are entirely responsible for our own lack of appeal! So, if this was any indication of the validity of info you get from this "insider," well, I wouldn't take any stock tips from him/her anytime soon.

[Tom McNamara]

Haha, pwned.

[Mordrak]

He's guested on the show a couple times and been quite good. Funny without trying too hard, sensible, well informed.
Cool. I've just found he meanders too much in his writing. He tends to be verbose as it is. At least from the few things I've read.

[Pishtaco]

I rather like heroes of the web. But I wish it had stayed in one segment, and Shawn Elliott's nonsense hadn't started to take over the show.

[DoomMunky]

Haha, pwned.

Yup, my source just got pwned. Well, he/she was under the impression that there was a lot of pressure from elsewhere in Future to get across a certain image, and that was right after talking to DJ. But whatever. I am not a big fan of that person anyway, and definitely won't be taking any stock tips from them.

The point is that the podcast is definitely not my cup of tea. And, at the risk of sounding like a pandering douchebag (like that's ever stopped me before!), I really enjoyed your personality in the podcast, KS. You brought a real lightness to the show when you were on, a goofy sense of fun. I also LOVED Catfantastic, mainly because you guys were all having a ball. The rest of the time there was a feeling of obligation to the thing that doesn't have the fun I look for in a podcast. I really need a sense of enjoyment that pervades the proceedings, even if there's a structure and serious conversation. I need the feeling that the people on it get a kick out of each other. I really liked the PCG-sponsored Widget back in the day for that reason. They got a huge kick out of each other, and it was great to listen to a bunch of good friends hang out and bicker.

Speaking of fun, I dumped Gamespot because they were TOO fun; after the original host left (Rich Gallup, right?) the show got to feeling really forced. It was still goofy, but it felt zany on purpose, rather than zany because the guys were all goofballs. And zany on purpose is not my cup of tea either.

My new cup of tea I got from advice from this thread; I've gotten into Gamers With Jobs today and am quite enjoying it. They don't seem to take themselves too seriously, but obviously really enjoy games and seem to get a kick out of each other. Good stuff, and somewhat less juvenile than the 1up stuff, which I also enjoy, but it gets old from time to time. Jesus. It's like my podcast manifesto around here.

[Papageno]

I really enjoy the GWJ podcast most, but the Games for Windows and PCG ones are right behind. I do miss the Vede, though.

I agree, Luke provided some kind of balance on 1up Yours that is now missing. I really wish they wouldn't spend nearly as much time talking about handheld games and JRPGs, too (seemingly Mr. Bettenhausen's great loves). Shawn Elliot makes me laugh sometimes, with the Ralphie voice and the really high-pitched one he puts on for ridiculing long-winded forum posts full of malapropisms and speculations about relationships with video game characters. The Whiskey Nerd has got to go, though.

[Chris Nahr]

I actually don't mind Shane Sonyhausen. Remember that EGM podcast where he told Shoe that everyone should absolutely buy a PS3 right now, even though it's $600 and won't have many good games for another year? That was priceless. Also, he likes Genji.

Shawn Elliott is funny in small doses, too. The problem is he doesn't seem to understand the concept of small doses.

[Ex-S Woo]

I don't really mind the the personalities too much but what really irks me is that...I could swear that the PC Gamer/GfW podcast folks spend more time talking about console games than PC games half the time.

W.T.F.

If not even the PC Mag editors can talk about PC games for an hour I guess the hobby really is dead.

[Theodore Rex DX]

Can we please leave the cult-of-personality crap that surrounds the 1UP podcast to GAF? Thanks. Also, Luke Smith was as bad as anybody on the show in terms of pushing meathead agendas, and he had a laughable record in terms of misinformation and bogus predictions. What he had a gift for was reframing issues to make him sound more reasonable than everybody else, and thus earning himself a reputation as a straight-shooter.

[Bahimiron]

I'd kind of like it if they could get Crispin on 1up Yours with regularity. He's always been a good counterpoint to Shane and the guy's just so goddam easygoing he might chill Garnett out a little bit.

Can we please leave the cult-of-personality crap that surrounds the 1UP podcast to GAF?

Dang. Who drilled twenty to thirty holes in your Wheaties this morning?

[JPR]

Yeah, Crispin gets my vote, too.

[BDGE]

Shane's deuchbaggery was a big part in what made 1up Yours one of the best podcasts up until Luke's departure. Shane was a great foil for the rest of the crew delivering the sort of opinionated nonsense that allowed Luke to cut right through it and deliver heated and rational counterpoints. It's entertainment folks! They all needed each other.

Now with Luke gone it's as if the podcast has cut off it's leg and has been stumbling about trying to maintain itself. Granted, John occasionally steps in as the voice of reason in Garnett and Shane's rampant delusionary viewpoints. Mark voiced the side of rationality nearly on par with Luke for his term, but now it's the Garnett and Shane show and the constantly cycling temp seats don't give the same identity as the show once had.

[Dean]

I would also point out that the first hour of 1upYours is better than the second hour (lately, or possibly the third hour) because they're not as drunk. The early December shows got hella long, and Garnett was clearly slurring his words by the end.

I like GfW, but many times I can't even understand Shawn Elliot when he's doing the voices. If he'd do the same "Heroes of the Web" without the voices, would it be as pathetic?

I'll check out the Gamers with Jobs podcast, but haven't listened to it since Russ Pitts left. I still have that RSS feed, but apparently they got a new one or something.

Oh, and the Hotspot has gone greatly downhill in recent months. They've now lost three of their regular crew and I can't imagine the next one is going to be any happier.

[BDGE]

Oh, and the Hotspot has gone greatly downhill in recent months. They've now lost three of their regular crew and I can't imagine the next one is going to be any happier.

Yea, the Hotspot was a really entertaining podcast about a year ago. Listened to it regularly and as much as Gerstmann's review opinions may occasionally differ from my own, the guy is a really solid presence on the air. Informative, inciteful, knowledgeable and genuinely funny. There have been few instances where I would actually crack up listening to a podcast, but Jeff did have me laughing several times.

I've not bothered downloading the podcast for a few months, and I fear what it has become lately.

[BlueJackalope]

Just my 2 cents.

I don't like Shane or (Garn-et) but at least Shane knows what he is talking about. Garnette(?) is an idiot. Or plays one. I still listen to the podcast, cause its long, informative and I have a lot of time at work to listen to podcasts. I think Shane tries to bury interesting guests.

The GFW I actually enjoy. The fellahs are actually having fun and its generally pretty funny. Elliot gets a lot of crap but he carries a lot of the load. Heroes of the Web is always funny. Always. The voices are not the problem, its when he goes off on a tangent and makes us listen can sometime just go down a dead end. What makes it work is that the other fellah's endulge him with the right amount of skeptism. Sometimes he even hits paydirt. I'm totally willing to take the good with the bad with him.

PC Gamer is alright. I could do without the PC elitism (hah! yeah I went there).

[BDGE]

Yea, I adore GFW and like Sean Elliot quite a bit. I do agree I tend to fizzle out when he goes off on one of his tangential stories, but they do sometimes have hilarious payoffs. It's hard to really say anything bad about Jeff though, always entertaining.

[sventest]

I just don't get the concept of game reviewers trying to become mini internet celebrities.

[AndrewPf]

We aren't trying to be anything -- audio podcasts are a relatively new way of communicating our jobs as writers (which is what most of us were originally hired to do). There's naturally going to be some awkwardness as we figure out the best way to use the medium.

[Bahimiron]

I just don't get the concept of game reviewers trying to become mini internet celebrities.

I don't see how that could be a charge laid against Shawn Elliot. The guy who says that as far as fame goes gaming journalists are somewhat lower than the greeters at Wal-Mart.

[DoomMunky]

We aren't trying to be anything -- audio podcasts are a relatively new way of communicating our jobs as writers (which is what most of us were originally hired to do). There's naturally going to be some awkwardness as we figure out the best way to use the medium.Overall, I'm a huge fan of most of the 1up podcasts. The thing they've done so successfully is given me a real insight into the personalities that make up the writing and editorial teams, and because of that insight I have a big-time love for 1up now. I really like all those people (with some obvious exceptions), and the whole podcasting thing has really cemented their brand in my mind. Hell, I became a GFW subscriber after listening to them yak every week.

The thing that makes them so successful is they can do whatever they want, and the freedom lets their personalities really shine. Shane is a shit? Yup. Too bad. Jeff Green is a hilarious, big-hearted, and wonderfully goofy dude? Yup. Yay for Jeff! Shawn Elliot is an imperfect genius? Yar! Good on ya. The 1up Radio thing is wonderfully anarchic, and I hope it stays that way.

I miss the good old days of 1up Yours, back when the personality mix was just right, but hell, I'm still listening now. I listen to EGM now even though I don't read the mag because I love Crispin Boyer and usually a good half of the reviews round-up. Hell, I listen to the fucking SPORTS ANOMALY even though the last console sports game I played was RBI Baseball! I love those guys and how funny and wild they are, and they make me like 1up!

Whatever it is, it's working. Keep it up, even if there's parts of it that I don't like. The podcasts are pretty much a giant success, right? They've been going on for a good while now...

[caesarbear]

I just don't get the concept of game reviewers trying to become mini internet celebrities.
Tom Chick wannabes.

[Ryan Markel]

Yea, the Hotspot was a really entertaining podcast about a year ago. Listened to it regularly and as much as Gerstmann's review opinions may occasionally differ from my own, the guy is a really solid presence on the air. Informative, inciteful, knowledgeable and genuinely funny. There have been few instances where I would actually crack up listening to a podcast, but Jeff did have me laughing several times.

I've not bothered downloading the podcast for a few months, and I fear what it has become lately.

FIVE GRAND!!!

</razorcallahan>

[Schazzwozzer]

I rather like Shane. Obnoxious dork, sure, but I'm not sure I've ever heard genuine dickitude in his words. I'm sure he makes plenty of embarassing declarations, but he usually maintains a sense of humor about everything too.

I admit though that I'm not a long-time listener —maybe only a few months— so I don't remember Luke at all, or these other guys. It's basically only ever been the Garnett & Shane show to me, which is still preferable to loads of other game podcasts.

GFW sorely needs another assertive personality on there, to interrupt Shawn Elliott when he gets going. I agree with essentially everything in this thread that has been said about him, both the good and the bad, but I don't think the fault is on him so much as just not having someone else to balance him out. If you want to hear what GFW would sound like without Shawn Elliott, check out the Legendary Thread WoW podcast they do. It's not terrible, but it's lacking momentum or pacing. It just sort of trudges forward, with lots of awkward pauses.

The Gamers With Jobs podcast is pretty great, and the best balanced games podcast I've heard with regards to professionalism. What sometimes frustrates me is that there's so much groupthink going on. They're all very western (360/PC-centric) gamers, and the quirkier, flawed-but-lovable gems that are so beloved on boards like Qt3 rarely find mention. Also, I have been unimpressed when they occasionally delve into industry analysis.

[KieronGillen]

I was chatting to some British games journalists about the whole pod-cast culture thing, and the whole Cult Of Celebrity thing around games writers after following the thread. From our perspective, it's kinda funny.

Point is: British mags have always pushed the cult of personality thing - that is, showing personalities as a way for readers to have a greater relationship with the mag, because they feel they know who's actually talking to them and what they're like. It's always been there, back to the eighties. When I was 11 Your Sinclair's Duncan McDonald was, as far as I could work out, the greatest human being who ever lived.

Clearly, it arose from writers fucking about, but Personality and faux-camaraderie is something which is now absolutely on the basic-check-list of stuff Brit mags do. Even if they have to fake it, on orders of the Editor.

(Which never works convincingly.)

Chatting to comrade Rossignol, it reminded him of a conversation he had with a major American games mag about 2000 or so about how PC Gamer UK viewed them. He thought we looked down on them and thought them boring. Which is - to be fair - completely true. He explained that he understood that completely, but the thing is the stuff you do just isn't what the American readership wants. It wouldn't work.

Except, as the whole podcast fame-explosion thing shows...

Well, you fill in the rest.

KG

[Joel]

Chatting to comrade Rossignol,

I see what you did there!

[KieronGillen]

I see what you did there!

We're incorrigible.

KG

[DoomMunky]

Speaking of British stuff, I quite like One Life Left. It's only tangentially about video games, but the hosts are great, and Anne sounds as lovely as she is spunky and cool. Every now and then they call this Kieron guy and the bloviating takes over, but usually it's pretty good.

[Ezdaar]

I second the One Life Left recommendation, it's easily a 7 out of 10. I also like Game Theory.

[RichardC]

Point is: British mags have always pushed the cult of personality thing - that is, showing personalities as a way for readers to have a greater relationship with the mag, because they feel they know who's actually talking to them and what they're like.

Did you ever see the first issue of the NES mag Total? That's probably the most ridiculous I've ever seen it - the main two guys appearing on every page, complete with comedy personas and cartoons - Steve* and Thicky or something. The first issue featured a full-on photostory of them both buying NES machines, with one constantly dropping it and electrocuting himself on the plug, trying to jam it into a toaster and all kinds of weird stuff... It later became SuperPlay, the SNES mag of awesome covers and import obsession fame.

I miss the days of really weird magazines. And still rue the day Zone stopped being a comedy mag that happened to be about PC games and tried to go all-out for the Gamer market.

(* Now I think about it, wasn't it Jarrett? Christ...)

[slantz]

I'm a big fan of Game Theory as well.

[BlueJackalope]

I rather like Shane. Obnoxious dork, sure, but I'm not sure I've ever heard genuine dickitude in his words. I'm sure he makes plenty of embarassing declarations, but he usually maintains a sense of humor about everything too.

I admit though that I'm not a long-time listener —maybe only a few months— so I don't remember Luke at all, or these other guys. It's basically only ever been the Garnett & Shane show to me, which is still preferable to loads of other game podcasts.

GFW sorely needs another assertive personality on there, to interrupt Shawn Elliott when he gets going. I agree with essentially everything in this thread that has been said about him, both the good and the bad, but I don't think the fault is on him so much as just not having someone else to balance him out. If you want to hear what GFW would sound like without Shawn Elliott, check out the Legendary Thread WoW podcast they do. It's not terrible, but it's lacking momentum or pacing. It just sort of trudges forward, with lots of awkward pauses.


I was a little harsh, I listen to the 1 up podcast every week and generally enjoy it. (Irony - I'm listening to it right now) I don't have any hate for Shane or Garnett, but I wouldn't miss either of them. Shane maybe, if he had a better foil. He comes across like the obnoxious clerk in a comic book store and his interests are not mine, I don't care about JRPGs or the PS3 and I think he hates on popular stuff and champions obscure stuff just to prove how knowledgeable he is. Garnett's gaming interests are much closer to my own, but he lets his own...spazziness (for lack of a better word) undermine him.

Where Elliot suceeds is his self awareness. He knows games and games journalism and geek culture in general, is pretty silly, and he makes fun of some of the sillier aspects. At the same time he has obviously spent serious time playing and thinking about games and games journalism. He is wrong about Garth Ennis though.

In the long run, these things are free....sooo whadda want?

[Troy S Goodfellow]

Where Elliot suceeds is his self awareness. He knows games and games journalism and geek culture in general, is pretty silly, and he makes fun of some of the sillier aspects. At the same time he has obviously spent serious time playing and thinking about games and games journalism. He is wrong about Garth Ennis though.

Yeah, people shouldn't let Funny Voice Theater get in the way of appreciating how generally thoughtful Elliott is when he talks about games and gaming. He's a smart guy. I just fast forward through the furries.

While I'm at it, I'll also speak up for the PC Gamer podcast. I understand why some people think it's boring, but I think that's just organization. The GfW podcast seems a little stream of consciousness at times, which sometimes gets in the way of what I want from a gaming podcast, where PCG seems to actually have an agenda they are following.

Both pale before the Gamers with Jobs podcast, though. That's appointment listening there.

Troy

[KieronGillen]

(* Now I think about it, wasn't it Jarrett? Christ...)

Yes, I believe it was.

And wasn't Binnsy's first job on Total too?

bloviating

Physician, heal thyself.

KG

[Bahimiron]

I'm a big fan of Game Theory as well.

I like me some Game Theory when it's Gaz, Colin and Jeremy yacking about the industry. I swear to god though, it's like they comb the world of gaming to find the most unbelievably boring guests imaginable.

While I'm at it, I'll also speak up for the PC Gamer podcast. I understand why some people think it's boring...

I don't think it's boring. I just think that Dan Stapleton is both a giant dick and an obnoxious dork. I like Gary and Jeremy and Logan, but Dan himself balances them out. Then toss in Norman Chan who I'm pretty sure is going for some kind of an award for packing as much stupid shit into every sentence he says and you've just got a podcast which is a black hole.

[Quaro]

I think the problem is that business-oriented guests never leave PR mode. The best guests are like Ken Levine on GWJ, he's not on promote his game anymore, he's just talking about what he's been playing and whatever pops into his head.

[Brakara]

This thread fails without a poll.

I like me some Game Theory when it's Gaz, Colin and Jeremy yacking about the industry. I swear to god though, it's like they comb the world of gaming to find the most unbelievably boring guests imaginable.

The one with Frankie from Bungie was good and entertaining. And last month they had someone to discuss the NPD numbers who actually had some insight and good analysis (unlike all other podcasts who are clueless).

[Mordrak]

Except, as the whole podcast fame-explosion thing shows...

Well, you fill in the rest.

KG
Podcasts are a different medium though. American's like their celebrities, probably more than anyone else. American corporations are just waking up to the fact that you can get people to pay you to be (or say you are) their friend.

I'm a big fan of Game Theory as well.

I don't really care for Game Theory. Much of their discussion is just rehashes of what gets discussed here. I've found the quality of the podcast is generally dependent on the quality of their guest that episode.

The one podcast I listened to regularly is NPR's Press Start. It was more than just talking about whatever was newsworthy in the press at the time. I've listened to the GfW podcast once (the hellgate one), and if Elliott is the one I think he is, he does seem smart. His comments were almost always insightful.

[slantz]

The one podcast I listened to regularly is NPR's Press Start. It was more than just talking about whatever was newsworthy in the press at the time. I've listened to the GfW podcast once (the hellgate one), and if Elliott is the one I think he is, he does seem smart. His comments were almost always insightful.
I couldn't really get into Press Start so much. They didn't really cover much ground, and the shows were so intermittent and rare that I finally deleted it from my feeds list because I thought it stopped production.

But I appreciated that one of the guys had to do the podcast on his cell phone from the MS parking lot. I had to do the exact same thing when I interviewed Ken Levine from my car in the MS parking lot for a little blurb about Freedom Force back in the day (back when I still wrote a little.)

[Moggraider]

Gamers with Jobs is great with Ken Levine, heh, but I find the regular hosts boring, and the feedback on games is often late. Gamespy Debriefings I don't like for similar reasons. Shows need real personalities, so I guess I'm drawn to the 1up stuff. Maximum PC I wouldn't listen to, either, if it wasn't so informational.

[DoomMunky]

Someone who knows something about polls should start one about podcasts.

Or something.

[Jazar]

Where Elliot suceeds is his self awareness. He knows games and games journalism and geek culture in general, is pretty silly, and he makes fun of some of the sillier aspects. At the same time he has obviously spent serious time playing and thinking about games and games journalism. He is wrong about Garth Ennis though.


I will agree that he is very intelligent and keen, but where he fails IMO is that he is too much of an attention whore. He's the class clown that feeds off of everyone's laughter too much. That's probably more of a problem for the rest of the cast actually. Someone needs to shut him up every now and then with either a couterpoint or even a subject change. Otherwise it's a 5 minute discusson on Portal and a 30 minute discussion on Elliot's friend working at a bakery.

[forgeforsaken]

Sometimes you'll listen to the GFW podcast and you forget there are other people on it besides Jeff and Shawn as they never say anything.

[Charlatan]

I listen to all (most) of the podcasts listed here and I enjoy all of em for one reason or another.

While I get the Shane hate, I think that most of the time he's at least entertaining, andhe exposes me to stuff I wouldn't know about otherwise. Does that mean he doesn't get on my nerves sometimes? No, of course not.

As for Shaun Elliot, I've just gotten to the point where I skip over his childish prank stories, because most of the time I find em stupid. He definitely brings a different voice to the podcast though. And his speaking is a lot easier to understand than his writing! And while some of the times I'm left scratching my head over the point he's trying to make, more often than not I'm digging what he says, and how he deconstructs games. He definitely gives you more insight into what's happening than typical reviewers.

And while much of the time I think Garnet's just fine, it seems that he oftentimes tries to force the conversation to a "deeper" level when it doesn't want to go there. And his railing for a one console future make me want to stab my eyes out.

GFW has been recently more entertaining (or was it Legendary Thread) to hear the conversations between Ryan (who just hit 70 in WoW) and Jeff (who was 68 at last count after being subscribed for about a year more than Ryan). Hearing Jeff's glee at announcing to his guild that he got his Warlock epic mount ... and then having someone say in guild chat "at 68?" was hilarious.

[Charlatan]

< This post intentionally left blank >

[Rob_Merritt]

GFW has been recently more entertaining (or was it Legendary Thread) to hear the conversations between Ryan (who just hit 70 in WoW) and Jeff (who was 68 at last count after being subscribed for about a year more than Ryan). Hearing Jeff's glee at announcing to his guild that he got his Warlock epic mount ... and then having someone say in guild chat "at 68?" was hilarious.

If Ryan was talking it must of been Legendary Thread.

[DoomMunky]

I listen to Legendary Thread just to hear Jeff talk about stuff. He could talk about his weekend spent doing chores and make it entertaining.

+1 to Jeff Green love.

[Hugin]

Yeah, Jeff Green is one of those folks you could go have a beer with. I don't even like beer, but still. I wonder if it's just that Jeff and John are a little older? I dunno. How old is N'Gai? Or Mark?

Actually, wossisface is underrated...erm...he seems to be a big portable gaming/obscure Japanese games guy...Jeremy Parish. He's good too.

[malkav11]

Oh, I love Retronauts. Most of the time I haven't even played the games they're talking about, but they make me want to.

[theblackw0lf]

1up Yours has a new permanent guest...Brian Intihar.

[DoomMunky]

Hmmm. I like him on Sports Anomaly b/c the other two guys know how to treat his bluster (with deflating comments and by ignoring him), but when he gets surrounded by people who like to fight (like Shane and Garnett) he just bristles and gets way too aggressive and strident.

Good ol' aggressive and strident. What would we do without you?

[Hugin]

Intihar has the "this conversational sidetrack is boring, let's move on" gene, which is valuable.

[Bahimiron]

I gotta say, I love the new 1up Show opening.

That blood elf is dreamy.

[Quaro]

1UP Yours isn't quite the show it was with Luke and John, but it's still one of the most enjoyable gaming podcasts out there. Shane's cool when he's talking about things he knows, and he does know a lot, but I agree he can be a bit obnoxious when he pans games or even whole genres he's never actually tried.

I used to listen to a ton of gaming podcasts, I've cut all the weeklies except for 1up and GWJ, and GFW from time to time.

Shaun Elliot is great on games or any topic really, but I'm tired of the voices and often fast forward through those segments. I think Shaun has an easier time making an argument in the podcast than he does in his writing.

[Chris Nahr]

Speaking of which, all the gaming podcasts are much more informative than the published reviews. The reviews are always way too short, and also forced into the straightjacket of a well-rounded narrative which further reduces the "payload" of actual information. They don't have a tenth of the interesting details about the actual gameplay that get mentioned in the podcasts.

[Bahimiron]

I'm surprised no one has pointed out that Jeff Green references this thread on last week's GFW podcast.

It also seemed like Shawn might have been trying to restrain himself a bit more this week. I hope I'm wrong, though. The formula is good, Jeff. Stay immature.

[JPR]

Yeah, I just listened to that yesterday.

I realize there are plenty of people who disagree with me, but I have no criticisms of the [krunk] Brodeo.

What I hope Andrew took from the thread is that 1up Yours needs an equally strong personality to balance out Shane and a little more thoughtful commentary. I think that Intihar is the best choice of the 1upers I'm familiar with (Simon also makes a good foil). Lastly, I think someone a little more analytical (like Klepek) should be doing the news portion. I want to reiterate that I still listen to and mostly enjoy the show, but I am sure you guys know that you have lost your way to a degree.

[AndrewPf]

For sure. It was rough going when Luke left, and then John slowly faded due to his new venture (which is totally understandable). The chemistry among those four was really hard to beat, and with something like "radio", chemistry is king. Which is why we didn't try to force a new chemistry right away by immediately filling the departed seats. Did we wait a little too long? Perhaps, but with Bryan and hopefully a permanent #4 soon, the show will be reinvigorated. I'm happy as hell to be working on it again.

[JPR]

Lastly, I think someone a little more analytical (like Klepek) should be doing the news portion.

God damn it, Pfister. You guys need to retain employees better.

Klepek is leaving to work at MTV Multiplayer (http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2008/01/22/1up-news-editor-patrick-klepek-to-join-mtv-multiplayer/).

[Dean]

God damn it, Pfister. You guys need to retain employees better.

Klepek is leaving to work at MTV Multiplayer (http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2008/01/22/1up-news-editor-patrick-klepek-to-join-mtv-multiplayer/).

Sheesh, how long did Klepek work there, like 6 months?

What's with the exodus from 1up? They've lost more people in the past year than Gamespot.

[Bahimiron]

Perhaps, but with Bryan and hopefully a permanent #4 soon, the show will be reinvigorated. I'm happy as hell to be working on it again.

I love listening to Jeff. Would enjoy seeing Shawn in that role.

But really?

Crispin. Please! Crispin!

[Papageno]

Sheesh, how long did Klepek work there, like 6 months?

What's with the exodus from 1up? They've lost more people in the past year than Gamespot.

No kidding. Well, I guess they are mostly young twenty-somethings, so it makes sense that they'd be jumping from job to job in a happening place like the Bay Area.

[AndrewPf]

Sucks that he's leaving, but it's hard to say no to MTV.

[DoomMunky]

Totilo is doing some interesting work, too. His interview with Gamasutra was excellent, as are all of his discussions with Croal for Vs. Mode (if a tad long).

It would be great to hear more Jeff on 1up Yours, but he tends not to respond too well to the aggression and 'war' mentality that show exemplifies. I like his laid back jokey style.

Another vote for Crispin, then. He has a wonderful ability to puncture the hot air build-up around an issue, but is really damn well-informed and articulate. Crispin!

[Kevin Grey]

Sheesh, how long did Klepek work there, like 6 months?

What's with the exodus from 1up? They've lost more people in the past year than Gamespot.

Isn't 1Up and/or Ziff-Davis in horrendous financial trouble? I'm guessing people are seeing the writing on the wall and just using 1UP as a platform to jump to something with a little more perceived job security.

[theblackw0lf]

Looks like Shawn Elliot is joining 1up Yours on a permanent basis. And supposedly he's going to be cutting down on the voices.

[Shadari]

I wonder if Jeff G. has ever tried stand-up comedy. He certainly should. He's fucking hilarious.

[Shawn_Elliott]

Heroes of the Web (aka "voices") ended several weeks ago.

[Bahimiron]

Heroes of the Web (aka "voices") ended several weeks ago.

Thanks for settling that hotbutton issue that no one had talked about for two weeks.

[JPR]

Yeah, how dare he. Actually, though, now that we've had the chance to hear the whole group on 1Up Yours, this discussion probably bears revisiting.

The first episode where everybody was there didn't jell too well. The flow of GFW is so radically different from 1Up Yours that Shawn seemed a little out of place. It's just really rare on Yours for somebody to speak more than a few contiguous sentences unchallenged. I'm sure that as things go on, it will become more natural, but either everybody else needs to get a little more serious, or Shawn needs to be more of a vapid asshole.

With both Shawn and Intihar there now, it could turn into a somewhat more substantive thing, but I don't have a lot of confidence in that happening. And really, that's not what that podcast is for -- it's for drinking and making fun of each other, so I don't know.

Still listening, still enjoying it.

[mittens]

Since the thread was bumped I went through and read the whole thing and I figured I'd contribute to the conversation that started the thing.

The GFW podcast is, really, one of the only podcasts I can listen to with consistency. It has a nice balance of on- and off-topic chat that makes its typical hour and a half length worthwhile. That said, I listen to it at work in spurts and, typically, during bouts of "compile, execute program to test changes, tweak, rinse and repeat" sessions that are in dire need of something to listen to. Jeff and Shawn certainly contribute a majority of the conversaion but, when Sean and Ryan contribute, it's a well-rounded group with four people who have a positive rapport with no presence of real arguments or juvenile jabs at one another. It was kind of bizarre to hear the GFW crew alongside industry figures over the course of the week; the tone was far more "serious" and the normal crew, rightly, let their guests do a majority of the talking. The episode (do we call podcasts "episodes?") with Warren Spectre and Paul Wedgwood was particularly excellent.

The other podcast that was consistently fun was the ShackNews one, but I have yet to see how that will turn out now that Chris Remo will no longer be involved.

[Bahimiron]

I'm enjoying the new cast of 1up Yours. Though as much as I generally like Shawn, it's two weeks in a row he's gone off about how much he hates the presentation of a story in games. We get it. You're not a fan. Figure out how to fix it or let it go. Please.

As for this week's GDC episodes, the GFW ones I've listened to so far have been really great. Warren Spectre and Paul Wedgwood were both very funny and very informative. Unfortunately the two 1up Yours GDC podcast I've listened to so far have been unimaginably dull. I really don't know why, but the interviews just didn't work for me. Maybe it's just a case of less interesting guests (sorry if any of those guests are reading! I'm sure you're great people!) but I've found myself doing a lot of fast forwarding and I haven't done that with a 1up Yours podcast since Bill Roeper decided to do a twelve hour Hellgate commercial.

[forgeforsaken]

I'm not sold on the chemistry of the current 1up Yours lineup but at least Shawn calls Shane out on his retarded fanboyism most of the time now.

[fuzzyslug]

As for this week's GDC episodes, the GFW ones I've listened to so far have been really great. Warren Spectre and Paul Wedgwood were both very funny and very informative. Unfortunately the two 1up Yours GDC podcast I've listened to so far have been unimaginably dull. I really don't know why, but the interviews just didn't work for me. Maybe it's just a case of less interesting guests (sorry if any of those guests are reading! I'm sure you're great people!) but I've found myself doing a lot of fast forwarding and I haven't done that with a 1up Yours podcast since Bill Roeper decided to do a twelve hour Hellgate commercial.

I've only had a chance to listen to the 1up one with the folks from Abe and Naughty Dog so far. I thought it was great.

[DavidKaye]

Thanks for settling that hotbutton issue that no one had talked about for two weeks.

Thanks for being a rude jerk.

I, for one, will miss Heroes of the Web. It was hilarious.

[Quaro]

A good Hero of the Web would still be funny in a normal voice.

[Chris Nahr]

I'm just happy that Ryan Scott will now have a chance to speak more than two sentences per podcast. Hopefully they won't be all about comic books and TV series, though.

[fuzzyslug]

I, for one, will miss Heroes of the Web. It was hilarious.

I will not. That horse was flogged.

[Moggraider]

I would definitely want Heroes of the Web to come back. Just don't make it weekly so people don't get pissed about it. Save it for the best finds, because it's still generally hilarious. I bet a lot of the dislike for it here is people not wanting to be overheard listening to that.

[Rob_Merritt]

I'm surprised no one has pointed out that Jeff Green references this thread on last week's GFW podcast.


I've stopped listening to GFW podcasts a while back, what was said?

[Moggraider]

Jeff mentioned the person in this thread who criticized the podcast for intentionally being too immature. That person was saying that the hosts' behavior and wackiness was an attempt to get listeners who wouldn't normally be interested - people like Halo players, console gamers in general, etc. Jeff said that that wasn't the case at all - that that's how the hosts really behave. The other big, though sort of implicit, mention was the number of people here who trashed Heroes of the Web, and how now it's canned.

Jeff probably mentions Qt3 at least every few weeks, I think. I bet a big part of the increase in the site users came from podcast mentions on GfW and elsewhere.

[DoomMunky]

I found out about this place from the mag and the podcast. W00t!

I'm loving the GDC stuff; the Portal episode of GFW Radio was freakin' hilarious.

[Jeff Green]

Yeah, I mention Quarter to Three a lot because, ya know, it's like my neighborhood bar. I'm like the Norm to your...nah, ferget it.

There was no conscious decision to retire "Heroes of the Web"---the bits like that just kind of naturally retire themselves once we feel they're played out, which just occurs naturally. Once it feels like the umpteenth recurrence of The Coneheads or Church Lady or your modern SNL skit of choice, we're as tired of it as everyone else.

But we'll always be doing other things, and Shawn is great at finding nonsense on message boards which I personally never get tired of hearing about. :)

[fuzzyslug]

Yeah, I mention Quarter to Three a lot because, ya know, it's like my neighborhood bar.

Jeff!

[Anaxagoras]

Yeah, I mention Quarter to Three a lot because, ya know, it's like my neighborhood bar. I'm like the Norm to your...nah, ferget it.

Who's Cliff? Or even worse... Dr Crane?

[mono]

Jeff mentioned the person in this thread who criticized the podcast for intentionally being too immature. That person was saying that the hosts' behavior and wackiness was an attempt to get listeners who wouldn't normally be interested - people like Halo players, console gamers in general, etc.

I imagine this person was me, earlier in this thread, but honestly, I've never been fitted for a monocle or a bankers vest. The whole Heroes of the Web/furries nonsense is just not my thing. I enjoy most of the other tangential, off-topic, goofball stuff, since I am in fact, an immature goofball.

I don't think the GfW crew was brainstorming about how to cater to a particular audience. I just figured that any positive feedback on the whole I want to marry/fuck a video game inspired furry HotW moment was coming from a lot of the younger, presumably console gamers, who listen just because of the humor, and not because of an interest in PC games. Which is fine, as stated, just not my bag. ...or poopsock.

[JPR]

Who's Cliff? Or even worse... Dr Crane?

I think about 80% of the qt3 population is Cliff.

[Jeff Green]

I imagine this person was me, earlier in this thread, but honestly, I've never been fitted for a monocle or a bankers vest. The whole Heroes of the Web/furries nonsense is just not my thing. I enjoy most of the other tangential, off-topic, goofball stuff, since I am in fact, an immature goofball.

I don't think the GfW crew was brainstorming about how to cater to a particular audience. I just figured that any positive feedback on the whole I want to marry/fuck a video game inspired furry HotW moment was coming from a lot of the younger, presumably console gamers, who listen just because of the humor, and not because of an interest in PC games. Which is fine, as stated, just not my bag. ...or poopsock.

Totally fair. Yeah, that is why this came up on the podcast--I remember now. I think I was responding to that comment, that we were consciously catering to "younger, presumably console gamers" with that foolishness, when really it was just our own innate immaturity. Or Shawn's. I can't blame him though cuz I laugh every time. :) Which makes me just as immature as the guys 20-30 years younger than me who prefer a different gaming platform...

That said, if I may be so bold as to plug this past week's 'casts, the daily lineup yielded some very interesting interviews, so anyone who hasn't listened or has hated us or whatever, or just wants to hear some smart people (I don't mean us, I mean the developers) talk, check out the GDC podcasts at gfwradio.1up.com. The lineups were:

Tues: Warren Spector + Paul Wedgwood
Wed: Chris Taylor + Josh Mosqueira (Relic)
Thurs: 1) American McGee
2) Erik Wolpaw + Kim Swift (Valve--Portal)
3) Ken Levine

[Moggraider]

Yeah, I listened to all of those and they were great. Nice job getting all of those guests. Don't take it as an excuse to skip future weeks, though :). Ken Levine is a blast on every podcast he's on. Warren Spector has to stop being so mysterious! And it was great hearing American McGee's poking fun at himself and his mea culpa, though I still don't know how he could have let Bad Day LA happen.

[RickH]

Hey, Jeff, I've started listening to the GFW podcasts since the ones from first of the year (and I'm almost caught up). Good stuff, even though you guys spend an amazing amount of time talking about WoW.

Has anyone ever told you you sound like an adult Beavis?

[DavidKaye]

I'm working my way through them as we speak. Just finished the Chris Taylor/Josh Mosqueira one, which I thought was really interesting.

It was a great idea to get them both on together, because it really highlighted how differently they are approaching the increasing commercial marginalization of the PC RTS. Of the two, Relic seemed infinitely more sophisticated: experiment overseas with new business models that are immune to piracy, with the presumed goal of bringing it over here when they work out the kinks. I think Chris is fooling himself that porting SupComm to 360 is the right way to go, no matter how great a job he thinks they have done remapping the controls.

Anyway, great stuff.

[Jeff Green]

Hey, Jeff, I've started listening to the GFW podcasts since the ones from first of the year (and I'm almost caught up). Good stuff, even though you guys spend an amazing amount of time talking about WoW.

Has anyone ever told you you sound like an adult Beavis?

Yeah, I kind of *am* an adult Beavis.

Sean, Ryan, and I play a lot of WoW. So there ya go. But I did spend 15 hours yesterday playing Civ 4. It was like having a day-long date with an ex-girlfriend you forgot you were in love with.

[Kryten]

I said this already at the other forum Jeff whores himself out to (btw, nice slip on the intro!), but well done on a great week of podcasts, both GFW and 1Up Yours.

[Jeff Green]

I said this already at the other forum Jeff whores himself out to (btw, nice slip on the intro!), but well done on a great week of podcasts, both GFW and 1Up Yours.

With all due respect, I am both a whore *and* a pimp.

[Moggraider]

What is your other forum, Jeff?

I think Chris is fooling himself that porting SupComm to 360 is the right way to go, no matter how great a job he thinks they have done remapping the controls.


Totally agree. Everything he said contradicts all the press I've read and heard on the 360 Supcom version. I hope I never have to lie to myself like that, heh.

[Bahimiron]

Everyone seems to agree that the graphics look like shit. No one's so far said that the control is bad!

I mean, it probably is.

[Kryten]

With all due respect, I am both a whore *and* a pimp.

Yeah, screw you man - I go home and have to make a decision between playing games or catching up with The Wire. And it's ALL YOUR FAULT.

[Schazzwozzer]

Since this thread is on the front page, I might as well toss out a heaping bag o' gratitude to you GFW guys for the awesome week of podcasts. I loved every single one, both on the GFW and the 1Up Yours side.

If I have one gripe, it's that I would have liked to hear Robert Bowling of Infinity Ward's take on storytelling and the whole single player experience — what's important, etc. When I played CoD4, I was basically a newb to the series, to perhaps that single player campaign was way more poignant for me than others, but I felt it was really poignant stuff.

Oh, and re: Shawn's griping about what I think N'gai called "embedded narrative". I'm glad he's there to represent that side of the debate, because it's a really important question in current-day game design, and I think we saw it bear fruit in the exchange between him and Amy Hennig near the end of the Tuesday 1Up Yours podcast. It's always pleasing to hear that game developers are thinking about these things and can kind of stand their philosophical ground when challenged.

[malkav11]

Yeah, I listened to all of those and they were great. Nice job getting all of those guests. Don't take it as an excuse to skip future weeks, though :). Ken Levine is a blast on every podcast he's on. Warren Spector has to stop being so mysterious! And it was great hearing American McGee's poking fun at himself and his mea culpa, though I still don't know how he could have let Bad Day LA happen.

My favorite thing about Bad Day LA was going into a Gamestop and seeing that priced at negative one dollar. Yes, they paid you to take it off their hands. (I didn't, because I knew full well how bad it was. But it was funny.)

[Warning]

What is your other forum, Jeff?
The NMA forums?

(just kidding)

[Lake]

What is your other forum, Jeff?

Guessing it is GAF since Jeff mistaken says GAF Radio instead of GFW Radio.

[Jeff Green]

Guessing it is GAF since Jeff mistaken says GAF Radio instead of GFW Radio.

Well it is GAF, but everyone who keeps saying I said "GAF Radio," including my own editors, are like the people who thought they heard "Eric" instead of "Erin" on Lost. Hmmpf. My mouth/brain were trying to spit out both "GFW Radio" and "Games for Windows Radio" at the same time. In that split second moment before deciding which to say, it came out that way. No matter what Freud might say. Dammit!

[BlueJackalope]

But we'll always be doing other things, and Shawn is great at finding nonsense on message boards which I personally never get tired of hearing about. :)

Internet nonsense is always funny. And Shawns "fat internet nerd" voice kills me. FWIW. Anyone taking offense is probably a Mt Dew(elixir of the tards) stained, moms-basement-dwelling, neckbeardo anyway.


Back to Shane for a second - does it bug the living shit out of anyone else that someone, who is presumably near the top of the games journalism heap, has not played either Bioshock or Gears of War?

[Venture]

I'm looking for a good podcast that focuses on PC games. I last listened to the GFW podcast maybe a year ago. If I remember right every few minutes somebody was dropping the F-bomb or something similar, which is OK except that I listen in the car on long weekend drives when family is in the car. Can anybody say if that is that still the case?

[BlueJackalope]

I'm looking for a good podcast that focuses on PC games. I last listened to the GFW podcast maybe a year ago. If I remember right every few minutes somebody was dropping the F-bomb or something similar, which is OK except that I listen in the car on long weekend drives when family is in the car. Can anybody say if that is that still the case?


Fuck yes.



EDIT: PC Gamer podcast bleeps out the cuss words

[Jeff Green]

We are not a family-friendly podcast. Unless you are in the Tarantino family.

[Moggraider]

You shouldn't be listening to any gaming podcasts with the family in the car, anyway! Put on some Jackson Browne or Eagles! Wooh!

[Chris Nahr]

Back to Shane for a second - does it bug the living shit out of anyone else that someone, who is presumably near the top of the games journalism heap, has not played either Bioshock or Gears of War?

No, because he has played lots of other games that aren't widely known. Games journalism is already populated by too many identical clones who are all playing the same games and have the same standardized opinion about them. It's a good thing that some people are at least a little bit different.

[forgeforsaken]

No, because he has played lots of other games that aren't widely known. Games journalism is already populated by too many identical clones who are all playing the same games and have the same standardized opinion about them. It's a good thing that some people are at least a little bit different.

Which would be fine if he wasn't always commenting on games he hadn't played with stuff like "I've heard that..."

[Phoenix]

Yeah, Shane says that a lot, but otherwise, his knowledge of games are near-encyclopedic. He always pulls out dates, names and random facts from nowhere in every podcast I hear him in.

[BlueJackalope]

No, because he has played lots of other games that aren't widely known. Games journalism is already populated by too many identical clones who are all playing the same games and have the same standardized opinion about them. It's a good thing that some people are at least a little bit different.

Hypothetical: if Bioshock was on PS3 would Shane play it?

I don't care if everyone plays everything, but I suspect he hasn't played either title (and I don't care so much about Gears, Bioshock is a pretty big deal) not because he is such an iconoclast, but because they are not on the platform that he champions. Its silly.

To me its a like a movie reviewer that hasn't seen the Citizen Cane because its in black and white. I appreciate that he admits it but its going to affect my opinion of his opinions.

As an aside I heard him say just this (last?) week that he hadn't finished Portal - I guess Orange Box didn't come out on PS3.

[Papageno]

Pssst, "Citizen _K_ane"

[Gunmetal]

Hypothetical: if Bioshock was on PS3 would Shane play it?

No, because Shane doesn't like FPS, regardless of platform. He's said as much on the 1up podcasts. The only one he has put any time into is Unreal Tournament. Oh no!

[BlueJackalope]

Pssst, "Citizen _K_ane"

D'oh.

*True story - in college I played against a middle linebacker who went on to have a cup of coffee in the League. Anyway his last name was Cane and at some point he was tagged with the Citizen Cane nickname (hence my predispostiton to misspell it...sure). It always cracked me up to see this huge dude screaming "Cit Cane coming for ya! Cit Cane going to kill your ass!" I desperately wanted to tell him just to yell "Rosebud!" at the quarterback, but he was on another team and frankly he scared me. But not as much as he would have if he yelled "Rosebud".

Thanks for listening.

[BlueJackalope]

No, because Shane doesn't like FPS, regardless of platform. He's said as much on the 1up podcasts. The only one he has put any time into is Unreal Tournament. Oh no!

So that's why he didn't play Resistance? Oh no!

[Gunmetal]

So that's why he didn't play Resistance? Oh no!

Sigh. Really? He's also played Halo. But when Shawn was on the podcast (back before he was 4th chair) talking to the guys about FPS and the upcoming UT3 release, Shane chose to mention Unreal and UT1 as examples that he has played at least 1 FPS, not Resistance.
And Garnett is the guy who usually champions Resistance on 1up yours.

edit: Afaik, he hasn't mentioned playing Call of Duty 4, either. It must be because it's sullied itself by being on the 360 as well as PS3, right? Bias!

[Rorschach]

No, because Shane doesn't like FPS, regardless of platform. He's said as much on the 1up podcasts. The only one he has put any time into is Unreal Tournament. Oh no!

So he's never played SOCOM or Resistance?

[Gunmetal]

Socom is not a first person shooter.

[BlueJackalope]

Sigh. Really? He's also played Halo. But when Shawn was on the podcast (back before he was 4th chair) talking to the guys about FPS and the upcoming UT3 release, Shane chose to mention Unreal and UT1 as examples that he has played at least 1 FPS, not Resistance.
And Garnett is the guy who usually champions Resistance on 1up yours.

edit: Afaik, he hasn't mentioned playing Call of Duty 4, either. It must be because it's sullied itself by being on the 360 as well as PS3, right? Bias!

Do you really think if Bioshock was a PS3 exclusive he wouldn't have already played it?

[Gunmetal]

Given that I've already said he doesn't like fps games, and he didn't have to play it for a review?

As a counter-argument, I submit that Culdcept Saga is a 360 exclusive and he loves that game, and has spent a couple of podcasts trying to convince people to play it.

[Hugin]

Anyone who pays attention knows Shane is all about Japanese games, quirky games, puzzle games, turn based games, portable games, obscure/old/rare games etc etc. He is not about Space Marine Shooter #423. It's not a big deal.

[BlueJackalope]

Anyone who pays attention knows Shane is all about Japanese games, quirky games, puzzle games, turn based games, portable games, obscure/old/rare games etc etc. He is not about Space Marine Shooter #423. It's not a big deal.

Which is fine, those games need a champion. My point is that his transparent fanboyism undermines his credibility. At least to me.

He's the comic book store clerk who only reads obscure manga and wont read any Marvel, because its Marvel*. I'll take his recommendation on obscure manga, but I don't have to pay attention when he slags...um, Invincible Iron Fist.



*I know Marvel has seen better days, its just an example, lets not start that bruhaha.


As a counter-argument, I submit that Culdcept Saga is a 360 exclusive and he loves that game, and has spent a couple of podcasts trying to convince people to play it.

Noted. The exception that proves the rule? I don't know. He's not my favorite, and I believe I have my reasons. I'll leave it at that.

[Bahimiron]

Anyone who pays attention knows Shane is all about Japanese games, quirky games, puzzle games, turn based games, portable games, obscure/old/rare games etc etc. He is not about Space Marine Shooter #423. It's not a big deal.

At least you're not being reductive in your description.

[forgeforsaken]

Anyone who pays attention knows Shane is all about Japanese games, quirky games, puzzle games, turn based games, portable games, obscure/old/rare games etc etc. He is not about Space Marine Shooter #423. It's not a big deal. And yet he was really down on the early 360 RPGs like Eternal Sonata and Blue Dragon, or the plethora of puzzle games on XBLA such as Poker Smash. If Culdcept was a new IP and not a sequel to a PS2 game he liked would he have given it any time? You'll notice the counter to this is how he talks up PS3 games in genres he doesnt play/like such as UT3. Shawn does a good job of calling him out on this stuff now, but after Luke and Mark left there was a void there.

[Rorschach]

Socom is not a first person shooter.

Neither is Gears of War.

[Brakara]

My "favorite" Shane quote is when asked (on 1up Yours more than year ago) if he was going to play Lost Planet, he replied "I'm waiting for the definite version on PS3!"

He's great when he talks about old games, but I cringe whenever he talks about new and upcoming games.

[Moggraider]

He turned out to be right, though. The PS3 version does have a new character, plus some other stuff I think. The demo looked worse graphics-wise than the 360 version, though I don't know if that holds for the retail.

[Brakara]

But 13 months? When's the cut-off then, wait for two years or even more?

[Gunmetal]

And yet he was really down on the early 360 RPGs like Eternal Sonata and Blue Dragon, or the plethora of puzzle games on XBLA such as Poker Smash.
It has nothing to do with Blue Dragon being a pretty bad game, right?

[Jon Rowe]

He is fun to listen to!

[Phoenix]

And yet he was really down on the early 360 RPGs like Eternal Sonata and Blue DragonThat's because those games sucked. He likes Lost Odyssey, because that game is good. It's really quite simple.

[richard_horne]

I can't be sure but you've got to wonder whether the 'Sony Defence Force' attitude he displays is just an act for the pod cast or whether that's his actual and genuine opinion.

Also, I can't understand the hate for Shawn Elliot's "voices" - he's had me in tears of laughter and now it almost feels like he's been bullied back into himself and seems much more reserved.

Oh and I have a question for Jeff - what did you think of the Will Wright talk at the Mezzanine hotel? I was stood about 6 feet away from you to your left and so desperately wanted to say hi and thank you for the hours of entertainment you've given me with the GFW pod casts, but in the end I chickened out and left you alone as you looked like you were with friends or colleagues and I didn't want to disturb you.

As for my own opinion of the Will Wright talk, I have to say that I've never seen such a bunch of arse licking sycophants in all my life. So many people were just hanging on his every word and creasing themselves at every none joke.

Don't take that for Will Wright hate by the way, I respect the guy a lot and enjoyed the talk he gave, but he's not a comedian you know?

As a relative newcomer to this industry, is that what all events are like?

Oh and hi guys, I'm new here!

[KieronGillen]

Polite laughter to developers jokes? Yes. It's only polite.

Stop short of whooping.

KG

[richard_horne]

Aah but this wasn't polite laughter. I saw some sides a splittin'!

Maybe I'm just too cynical a Yorkshire-man.

[KieronGillen]

Maybe I'm just too cynical a Yorkshire-man.

You'll fit in fine.

KG

[Papageno]

Aah but this wasn't polite laughter. I saw some sides a splittin'!

Maybe I'm just too cynical a Yorkshire-man.

Like one of these guys? : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe1a1wHxTyo

(EDIT: Don't know how cynical they could be considered, but I can never resist busting out that sketch.)

[Kevin Grey]

As an aside I heard him say just this (last?) week that he hadn't finished Portal - I guess Orange Box didn't come out on PS3.

Orange Box did come to PS3.

[Pumpkinhead]

After listening the last two weeks I think they should add N'Gai Croal a permanent member and yank Intehar. Croal adds so much to the podcast and Intehar doesn't seem to bring much except basic sports game knowlege.

This is still my favorite gaming podcast. And I look forward to it each week. But Croal takes it to another level.

[Rob_Merritt]

As for my own opinion of the Will Wright talk, I have to say that I've never seen such a bunch of arse licking sycophants in all my life. So many people were just hanging on his every word and creasing themselves at every none joke.


At least he actually works on his games, unlike some Japanese game designers who haven't seen code since the 80s yet the gaming press regularly drop to their knees and blow on sight.

[forgeforsaken]

After listening the last two weeks I think they should add N'Gai Croal a permanent member and yank Intehar. Croal adds so much to the podcast and Intehar doesn't seem to bring much except basic sports game knowlege.

This is still my favorite gaming podcast. And I look forward to it each week. But Croal takes it to another level.Croal doesn't work there nor does he live in the area I'm pretty sure. So he only guests when they are all out at GDC or something along those lines.

[richard_horne]

At least he actually works on his games, unlike some Japanese game designers who haven't seen code since the 80s yet the gaming press regularly drop to their knees and blow on sight.

Hey don't get me wrong, I wasn't criticising Will Wright whatsoever - there's no denying his talent - I was just surprised at the levels of hero-worshipping going on. And I'm slowly coming to the realisation that this probably happens at all these events.

[Jon Rowe]

What I appreciate most about shawn in podcasts is that not only is he funny, and good at telling stories, and has great voice characters, but he actually usually has some meaningful insights and good questions.

Oh, and unlike Shane and Garnett he doesn't get into pointless yelling matches and arguments.

But, I digress, the show has a very unique dynamic that I appreciate when listening to. There are 4 very different and distinct viewpoints to listen to.

[Bahimiron]

Oh, and unlike Shane and Garnett he doesn't get into pointless yelling matches and arguments.

I donno. Shawn might not get into pointless yelling matches, but he can be a caustic, reductive prick in a way Garnett and Shane can't even touch. Like when all the guys were talking about times that they'd fallen asleep at the computer and Shawn said he didn't ever do that because in his mind it's the same as shitting your pants.

[Jason Becker]

Shane is at times by far the biggest prick on the entire 1UP site that I've heard, and I'm so glad Shawn will be around to call him out on some of the inane crap he tries to say at times. Plus now there's someone there who won't let them constantly trash talk PC gaming anymore even though none of them even play PC games ever and has the slightest clue as to what they're talking about when it comes to that. I personally wanted to smack that John guy when he went on a rant last time and made the "and you need a fucking $7000 machine to play it" or some inane crap like that.

I hate console only clueless twits like that.

[richard_horne]

Oh and Jeff - back to the Shawn 'defection' can you tell us if he walked or was pushed? :P

[BlueJackalope]

I donno. Shawn might not get into pointless yelling matches, but he can be a caustic, reductive prick in a way Garnett and Shane can't even touch. Like when all the guys were talking about times that they'd fallen asleep at the computer and Shawn said he didn't ever do that because in his mind it's the same as shitting your pants.

Which was one of the many times I laughed out loud, at work (I listen on headphones) at GFW. 1up, not so much (though Shawns griefing of hardcore sim pilots story killed when he was guest awhile back), though it is still generally interesting and informative.

Gamers need to have a sense of humor about themselves, some of the overheated, and vewy sewious, arguments on this very board are proof.

[Hugin]

It's clear Shawn Elliot is polarizing, a lot of folks love him, I and others don't.

I also wish N'Gai could come on board permanently, but he works for Newsweek and as far as I know he lives on the east coast.

[Phoenix]

Shawn didn't defect. He's still on GFW Radio, he's just on 1UPYours, too.

[RickH]

Shawn didn't defect. He's still on GFW Radio, he's just on 1UPYours, too.

It was a joke that got corrected later in that podcast, IIRC.

[Rob_Merritt]

It was a joke that got corrected later in that podcast, IIRC.

He did that joke a few times while I listened.

[Jeff Green]

Yeah, Shawn never left GFW Radio. He was just riling up his fans-- and haters. :)

[DoomMunky]

Jeff, is there any way to reign him in a LITTLE bit? Sean Malloy was hilarious when it was just you and he and Ryan a while ago, and I miss how quiet he gets when big bully Shawn is dominating. I mean I love Shawn, too, he just dominates the conversation too much.

[Jazar]

Jeff I gotta say that Garriott bit in the last GFW Podcast almost caused a major accident, I was laughing so hard in the car. Loved the accent. :)

"Hey fucker, this is whack-a-mole!"

"BYE!"

[Phoenix]

Yeah, the Garriot bit (complete with voice impression) was the funniest thing on GFW for many many episodes.

[JPR]

I donno. Shawn might not get into pointless yelling matches, but he can be a caustic, reductive prick in a way Garnett and Shane can't even touch. Like when all the guys were talking about times that they'd fallen asleep at the computer and Shawn said he didn't ever do that because in his mind it's the same as shitting your pants.

You got called out on the new podcast.

[Bahimiron]

You got called out on the new podcast.

Really? Hot.

I meant to post a little earlier, though. In regards to the original topic of the thread. Listening to last week's 1up Yours, I found myself wanting to smack Shane on the back of the head every few minutes. It's not a response I usually have, but god, his pointless anger about Poker Smash and then snickering comments about PCs. I almost just skipped it and listen to the PC Gamer podcast, but then I was all 'woah, let's not go crazy here'.

[Rorschach]

As a fan of the PC and X360 I don't mind Shane championing the PS3. Lord knows it's gotten enough bashing in the last few years and could use some evangelists. What annoys me is he goes out of his way to pick out the flaws of everything that is not Sony and only occasionally forces out a backhanded complement. Tell me why the platform I don't have is great: good for you. Go out of your way to tell me why the platforms I do have are crap and I tune you out.

[brainfromarous]

+1 on the Shawn Elliott-on-a-podcast hatred. (I'm sure he's a swell guy in real life.)

When he talks about games, he's fine. But the damn characters, the 45 minutes of talking about non-gaming stuff... Too many not-irritating podcasts competing for my listening time to put up with that.

Agreement. His online-fratboy "Oh, I'm so naughty" shtick gets old FAST.

Which is a damned shame, because the guy DOES have a lot to say. Having listened to quite a few GfW 'casts, I can't help wondering whether Shawn is actually... performing for the Jay & Silent Bob crowd which he images makes up their audience.

[Bahimiron]

I actually like Shawn. I think he's a smart-as-hell guy. His humor isn't highbrow all the time, but it's clear he knows a lot more than just the minutiae of video games. When he and Jeff discuss the books they're reading, I usually find it fairly enriching. Sometimes he takes a joke and runs it into the ground, Dane Cook style. And I do honestly think that he can take things other people like and just reduce them down to their base, most easily insulted form so as to laugh at them. Things like saying that Jeff, Sean and Ryan play a 'press a button and make numbers appear above a monster's head game' when MMOs come up, for instance. Still, he adds a lot to GFW and I honestly think he can add a lot more to 1up Yours. So I'm looking forward to hearing the bit where he calls me out. Doubtless I'll get that twisting feeling in my stomach and then crash my car into a tree cos of my eyes being blinded by the tears.

It's possible. Boston's got too many trees.

Edit: I actually heard it now. Not too bad. He's a little Sally Sensitive about it, especially in light of the fact that other than that one post I've always had pretty nice things to say about the guy. Hell, compare it to a lot of the other posts in this very thread. It's not like I'm the guy who said that the way he acts makes him sound like he should be the kind of dude who'd wear a visor upside down and sideways along with two Lacoste polo shirts with popped collars.

[Dean]

Edit: I actually heard it now. Not too bad. He's a little Sally Sensitive about it, especially in light of the fact that other than that one post I've always had pretty nice things to say about the guy. Hell, compare it to a lot of the other posts in this very thread. It's not like I'm the guy who said that the way he acts makes him sound like he should be the kind of dude who'd wear a visor upside down and sideways along with two Lacoste polo shirts with popped collars.

I haven't listened to it yet. Did he give you a funny voice?

[Bahimiron]

I haven't listened to it yet. Did he give you a funny voice?

Not that I recall. Though if you must apply a voice filter, feel free to make me sound like the anime nerd.

"Maaaaaanga. Aaaaanime. Heeeeentai."

[Jazar]

When does he talk about bahimiron? What time?

[Bahimiron]

When does he talk about bahimiron? What time?

He doesn't really. JPR's being a little dramatic. He doesn't really call me out. He just references that someone made a post getting on him for comparing falling asleep at the computer with shitting ones pants.

[JPR]

Yeah, I was kind of kidding.

[JPR]

It's been a long time since something games related has disappointed me as much as the fact that there is no GFW podcast this week.

[RickH]

To the extent that the GFW podcast is game-related. Between the office talk, discussions of MTG and its players, and drug addict stories, I think less than half of the 1:45 one I just listened to was actually about games.

But it wasn't boring, I'll give them that.

[Papageno]

Between this and the last issue of the magazine covering two months, I'm kinda bummed.

BTW, I wonder what the deal is with that business and the subscription-- if I signed up for 24 issues, do I actually get 24 issues or 24 months (resulting in fewer issues since some are double issues)?

[Bahimiron]

To the extent that the GFW podcast is game-related. Between the office talk, discussions of MTG and its players, and drug addict stories, I think less than half of the 1:45 one I just listened to was actually about games.

I usually love that approach. PC Gamer's more of a by the numbers games podcast, though their most recent one did have a long sidetrack about how many burgers Dan Stapleton can eat. Admittedly, last week's podcast involved a comic book discussion I went ahead and fast forwarded through cos every other comment on Shawn Elliot's part had me rolling my eyes. The man's worse than the Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons sometimes.

Though I was really interested to find out what part of Preacher was a direct attack on Sandman. Garth is usually all about one of two things. Making fun of superheroes and celebrating soldiers, especially those in WWII or members of the SAS. Based on my interactions with the man, he's got a lot of respect for Neil Gaiman and his work on Sandman in particular. It seemed an odd claim for Shawn to make, but he was interrupted before he could go any further.