Ep. 296 - Junk Factory, with merritt k (Patreon)

Author and game developer merritt k joins the panel to cover recent industry developments, Gex, and coffin food. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield, and merritt k. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

Questions this week:

1. Is the game development business getting better or worse? (05:43)
2. You heard about Gex? (10:47)
3. Design a new platforming mascot based around a working standup comedian. (16:32)
4. How do you make a game demo? (22:59)
5. Jim Bunt 0008 asks: If a game controls with just one hand, what do with the other? (31:14)
6. How has a game frustrated you most when not letting you do something you really should be able to do? (42:36)
7. Which video game most perfectly fits into the genre which describes it? (48:17)

LIGHTNING ROUND: Playground Rumors - Diablo IV (57:41)

Recommendations and Outro (01:01:51)

A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED:

• Microsoft wins FTC fight to buy Activision Blizzard
• Sega workers form largest multi-department video game union in the US
• Sega are still investing in NFTs, but will keep their biggest series away from the blockchain
• M2
• Hollywood actors hit picket lines in historic double strike
• Bungie wins landmark lawsuit against player who harassed Destiny staff
• Gex series
• Gex Trilogy announced for PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Switch, and PC
• Bubsy series
• GEICO
• Dana Gould
• Red Dwarf
• Mad Men
• The Dana Gould Hour
• Spider-Ham
• John Mulaney
• Atari Jaguar
• Ricky Gervais
• Dave Chappelle
• Vole
• Rocky Rodent
• Awesome Possum Kicks Dr. Machino's Butt
• Hyper Gunsport
• VIDEOBALL
• Demonschool
• Final Fantasy VII
• Final Fantasy XVI
• P.T.
• Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
• Zone of the Enders
• Tobal No.1
• Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King
• Final Fantasy XII
• Super Mario Run
• Dead or Alive: Xtreme series
• Animal Crossing
• Super Mario 64
• Old Man Murray
• Half-Life
• Portal 2
• Peggy Hill
• Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series
• Destiny 2
• Destiny's Child
• Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
• Cyberpunk 2077
• Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
• Cofagrigus
• Doom
• Call of Duty: Warzone
• Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
• Celeste
• Super Mario Bros. 3
• Croc: Legend of the Gobbos
• Uncharted series
• Jak & Daxter series
• Grand Theft Auto III
• Crash Bandicoot series
• Dragon Quest series
• Streets of Rage / Bare Knuckle series
• Final Fight series
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles licensees
• The Simpsons licensees
• X-Men

Recommendations:

merritt: OtherStrangeness.com

Brandon: Wishlist Demonschool on Steam if you want to, watch How It’s Made on Tubi, try telling yourself an incredibly boring story if you have trouble sleeping

Jaffe: the Dave’s Not Here sketch

DIRTBAGS: You can submit your questions to the show using this form. And, thanks!