Call and Response: WOFF! Dispatch August 2024
Added 2024-08-17 21:09:53 +0000 UTCHello! The purpose of this post is to call for your questions and prompts for WOFF! Dispatch. Please respond by Tuesday, August 20th by leaving a comment on this post.
We're looking for two kinds of things:
Suggestions for our long-form discussion prompt.
Q&A about the shows, behind the scenes details, and miscellaneous (including off-the-wall and off-topic questions). Ask us about games or other media, life in general... You name it.
One caveat we've given in the past: If the question is too personal or gross, we may dance around it and not give a direct answer.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Comments
will gary be putting quarters into his washer and dryer at his new place?
Videogames dot Afghanistan
2024-08-20 16:02:32 +0000 UTCI realize this is late, but I just wanted to say that when you said “The Warlock sucks!” I immediately thought “imagine if this guy came up to you,” and now I see the Warlock as Karl Havoc. You did that. Someday, you will be remanded to the Blood War for it. Keep on rockin’ till then, though!
Mark Laufgraben
2024-08-20 13:38:36 +0000 UTCHi Gary, you recently shared that you’ve bought your first house. Coincidentally my wife and I also just bought a house and moved in a few days ago. So how’s it going so far on your end?
Joel Boyce
2024-08-20 12:53:16 +0000 UTCAny plans to cover foreign language films for unfilmable? Perhaps something like Zerograd? https://g.co/kgs/KsNqgmK
Odysseas Ladopoulos
2024-08-20 08:41:35 +0000 UTCGood news friends! You wished upon a monkey's paw and it went predictably wrong. You are turning into a low level denizen of a prestige dungeon. What are you painfully transforming into? An ooze? A goblin? A lurker above? A headless? Perhaps a mongbat?
Odysseas Ladopoulos
2024-08-20 08:33:49 +0000 UTCWhat are some of your favorite goodies that came with a game you bought? I fondly remember my copy of Ultima 7 with a cloth map, a fellowship medallion, and a manual that read like the journal of some adventurer.
Odysseas Ladopoulos
2024-08-20 08:23:36 +0000 UTCHow much wood would a woodchuck chuck, if indeed a woodchuck, would chuck the aforementioned wood? (Topic, obviously)
Odysseas Ladopoulos
2024-08-20 08:19:02 +0000 UTCI was horrified to learn the Mountains of Madness/The Thing BFC special came out eight years ago. Anyway, this post is entirely to tempt you to redo The Thing as a full episode of Unfilmable. Why don't we just wait here for a while, see what happens?
KL
2024-08-19 22:00:01 +0000 UTCHey gang, I'm a longtime fan who started during the "Monster In My Podcast" era. As someone who works in the tabletop game industry (you boosted a project of mine, The Monster Overhaul, a while back in the Carrion episode, thanks!) I loved your takes on the classic Monster Manual entries and re-listen to the series regularly. My question is, have you ever considered doing a similar series about sourcebooks? I recently picked up Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft, which includes a short rundown of every single Demiplane of Dread that I think would lend itself well to the format. Some other recommendations: "I, Tyrant" is all about beholders, "The Great Modron March" is one of the sillier Planescape modules, and the sci-fi horror game MOTHERSHIP recently released a short and fun bestiary called "Unconfirmed Contact Reports." Thanks for putting out such wonderful stuff!
DAI
2024-08-19 16:27:44 +0000 UTCIf you had told your past self the status of your life and your podcasting network five years ago, how do you think your past self would feel about where you are now? What would you like to achieve in the next five years (beyond growth of the network and happy productive relationships)?
Greg Polander
2024-08-19 15:38:36 +0000 UTCLet’s cut all the bullshit this time fellas. What’s your favorite game soundtrack that you listen to regularly? For me the sonic pleasures that Jeremy Soule brings to the Skyrim soundtrack will always put me at peace. Doing an early morning brew at ye ole beer factory to some cave ambiance always put me in a great mood. Turns every day into a grand adventure
Soulful Bison
2024-08-19 14:40:53 +0000 UTCHello gents, was wondering if either of you (or both) were influenced or subscribed to any particular theoretical approaches that informed your criticism of games. If not what is your approach when your starting out and forming your opinion on a title, is it relatively instinctive or do you take some particular approach? Love the network. Thanks!
Benjamin Wilde
2024-08-19 14:14:38 +0000 UTCI recently listened to your Sekiro season of Bonfireside Chat, where you mentioned how that game was a bad teacher. Like it was a piano instructor rapping your knuckles when you played a wrong note. As an educator: I can't really disagree, and since then I've been thinking about how games teach. My question for y'all: what games out there are the best/worst teachers? How has the medium grown pedagogically over the years? And what lessons could the industry generally learn about the capacity for this medium to instruct players in unique and powerful ways? Been a big fan of the network for a long time now, and I appreciate your considered approach. Thanks for everything you do!
Scott
2024-08-19 13:58:15 +0000 UTCKole, how did reading Gideon the Ninth go? I remember you mentioned getting into it with Gwen on Qwaukstack. The forth book in the series is long over due so I am eager just to hear other folks' thoughts, especially from one of my favorite podcasters.
Mike G
2024-08-19 13:45:48 +0000 UTCHi guys, you both do the thing I like after making a joke that doesn't land, which is nothing, as opposed to flailing in embarrassment like me! Any thoughts on self-acceptance?
Diego Klassen
2024-08-18 22:25:24 +0000 UTCAlso, quick note I know the voice actor for Xmen 97 Gambit and I sent him one of Gary's Gambit xmas special and he said and I quote "hahaha this is insane."
Videogames dot Afghanistan
2024-08-18 22:06:13 +0000 UTCQuestion is for Kole, what is the angriest Gary has ever made you that you never told him about? Sincerely, William Hughes
Videogames dot Afghanistan
2024-08-18 22:04:58 +0000 UTCAre you guys fans of the animated show Gravity Falls? Based on some of the other material you've talked about liking, I think you'd enjoy it if you haven't seen it. It kind of has an 'X-Files but for kid's vibe going on.
delirious
2024-08-18 19:57:35 +0000 UTCHey gang big dog here. Id like to ask the both of you, what did it feel like when the show / patreon really started gaining momentum? Was there this constant pressure to grow, or was it a giddy "wow we can really make a go at this" or something else entirely? Hope you guys have both had good summers
Devin Simoncic
2024-08-18 15:49:58 +0000 UTCOne of my favorite game series of all time is Monster Hunter, however I recognize that even if you wanted to, it would very difficult to format an episode of WOFF around this type of game. Are there any games that may be a favorite of yours that just don’t really fit in the WOFF format? How far are you willing to stretch the format to include games you want to play?
Ben
2024-08-18 15:46:47 +0000 UTCWhat’s your stance on giving your cats “human” food? Mostly to avoid diarrhea and keep them healthy, I stick to kibble and wet food for my cats. But I can’t help but give them some of my chicken, shrimp, or tuna when they look at me so sad. Are your cats on strict diets or do you tend to give them a wider variety of foods?
Naveen Sivakumar
2024-08-18 12:20:09 +0000 UTCWhat's a piece of furniture that you'd love to have, but for whatever reason - availability, price, it wouldn't fit, your current chair is perfectly adequate etc - it's not in the cards right now? Please invent one if a specific example doesn't come to mind.
Joysweeper
2024-08-18 12:16:22 +0000 UTCHowdy boyz, thank you for all the good discourse. So I recently read through “A Sacred and Terrible Air” by Robert Kurvitz to scratch the Disco Elysium itch and I really enjoyed it. To scratch my discussion of the book itch, I tried looking for any podcast that discusses it and I found exactly one. I desperately need more and was hoping that ya’ll would perhaps cover it in some way. There could be discussion of what is additive/subtractive about gameplay to a story while comparing the two. I think that fits into none of your shows formats but maybe there’s a way?
Steven Meadows
2024-08-18 12:08:43 +0000 UTCWhat is one of the most recent rabbit holes you’ve dug into? Recently, I got recommended a 3 part documentary on YouTube about Duck Boat accidents. It was sad, yet very interesting. I never thought I would know as much about amphibious vehicles, but here we are.
Steven Riddle
2024-08-18 12:05:59 +0000 UTCDo you guys have any favorite "old people" food such as pimento loaf or head cheese? I'm partial to the odd bit of liverwurst every now and again but if I have too much it kind of feels like I'm eating cat food.
Eric
2024-08-18 11:26:51 +0000 UTCBy the same metrics, is Gary?
SindrElf
2024-08-18 10:35:55 +0000 UTCHello gentlemen. What are your experiences with your life partners interacting with your gaming? My wife enjoys games, though she is not really good at them. Hence, she resorts to watching lets plays or being a backseat gamer, although regarding the latter, recently she has been out of luck, as she does not like "the sad knight games" (i.e. soulslikes) and first person perspective games (they give her vertigo). Luckily through trial and error we managed to find games to enjoy and play together. Right now we are on a cusp of finishing Original Sin 2 and Baldur's Gate 3 is the obvious next choice. Do you play games any games with your partners (past or current) or do they participate in backseat gaming through you?
Mateusz Swietoslawski
2024-08-18 07:15:54 +0000 UTCTwo things: I think you both will get a laugh out of this one minute video. My favorite part is the triple bypass scar and the well-observed sharpshooter: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VIMOXn9elj0 Other thing: You guys like Splinter Cell? I'm replaying the original and while the story and characters are...unremarkable the stealth play still feels modern. Just curious your thoughts on those games if you have played any of them.
Gabriel Tindall
2024-08-18 05:48:44 +0000 UTCHi Gary, hi Kole. I've been listening to WOFF for over a decade now, and have lots of favorite episodes, but I don't think I've ever heard you say what YOUR favorite episodes are. If you had to make a personal best episodes list to recommend to new listeners, what makes the cut? Selfishly, here are some of the episodes that to me, best encapsulate what WOFF is about: -Any well-regarded classic PC game that secretly has an incredibly stupid ending nobody talks about (System Shock 2, The Last Express) -Alpha Protocol -Soul Reaver -Fallout 3 -> "we gotta do New Vegas, man" -> Fallout New Vegas -Any episode where one or both hosts realizes a new game is now one of their favorites to the degree that it directly informs what they want from games moving forward (Teardown, Monster Train, Disco Elysium, etc.) (If there is, in fact, a recommend episode list that I've been oblivious to this whole time, please disregard and/or make fun of me on air for missing it)
mosesplan
2024-08-18 05:09:29 +0000 UTCUh-oh! Gary and Kole have been Scheherazade'd by an evil warlord. Your only option is to keep him entertained with daily Abject Sufferings until you can convince him to marry you or affect your escape. To this end, you are provided one (1) video game console and its entire library. Which one do you choose? Note that, as you are captive, digressions about recent life events will be hard to come by. Good luck! TL;DR: What one game console has the most number of bad-but-in-an-interesting-way games?
DAI
2024-08-18 05:07:16 +0000 UTCSelf-contained, sterile, cut off from the outside world and shielded from the normal flow of time: is a casino a realm?
MrReciprocity
2024-08-18 01:42:24 +0000 UTCSame, I grew up with the 4th one but also love the third. And the music is SO good and comfy.
Joe Binson
2024-08-18 01:11:30 +0000 UTCMan Breath of fire is my favorite series , I wish that Capcom will bring it back someday (not on mobile)
Uriel Kadafi
2024-08-18 01:08:40 +0000 UTCI just started playing D&D 5th Edition, and one specific mechanic baffles me. You have the option to "spend" hit dice during short rests to regain HP, with those dice being restored during long rests. My question for you, as experienced TTRPG players, is: what is happening here? Here are my best guesses. 1) You sit down, stare into the middle distance, emit a series of grunts, and for some reason feel slightly better after each. 2) You wake up each morning with a replenished stash of magical granola bars, which may or may not be extensions of your flesh. 3) You are able to produce a set number of farts per day when relaxed, and you secretly find them invigorating. 4) Any other ideas? Hoping to make the best answer canon in my group. Thanks!
Nina
2024-08-18 00:08:02 +0000 UTCDo you have a memory of begging your parents for a video game and them getting the wrong one? What was the game you wanted and what did your parents actually get you? What was your Bonestorm and Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge moment.
Ipoop4U
2024-08-17 23:37:21 +0000 UTCI was made a man in the sturm und drang of the early aughts tabletop scene. In that crucible you could often hear people complain that this-or-that class or card is 'unbalanced.' I hear less back-seat game designers making this comment now, but I still stare into my bellybutton regarding what exactly we meant when we were talking about balance in game-design. Does balance mean that every choice is equally viable regardless of circumstance? Or does it mean that the opportunity cost for a choice is inversely proportional to its effectiveness? Maybe it means that the ideal choice is satisfyingly obfuscated? Do you have any navel-gazed musings on this wind-egg? I apologize for my particular patois, I got a hold me one of those ironic genies.
Ross Karnes
2024-08-17 23:21:53 +0000 UTCPossible Topic: game design choices that seem bad or weird at first but actually are good. For example coyote time or souls being the currency for buying items as well as leveling.
Matthew Woodyard
2024-08-17 22:56:57 +0000 UTCHey Gary and Kole, I don’t really like wrestling, but I DO like hypothetical wrestling matches between fictional characters. If you were tasked with putting together a 6 person Match for the Duckfeed TV title, which characters from Duckfeeds rich canon (I’m thinking folks like Corn Sarnit, Buffo the Clown, the Unipiper) would you put in the match and who do you pick to win? Is there an upset? Filthy heel tactics? A surprise rub in from Will Hughes? Get as wacky as you like.
Jordan and Maya M.
2024-08-17 22:56:17 +0000 UTCAny chance y'all will dive back into the ps1 jrpgs, one from the Breath of Fire series? Thank ye
Joe Binson
2024-08-17 22:42:59 +0000 UTCThere have been a countless amount of Simpsons memes over the years the internet existed. I feel like it's been a while since the last, do you think we're due for another large scale one? Is it even possible? Any thoughts on what the next big Simpsons meme will be? Also, are there any quotes or scenes that you think should have had time in the spotlight?
Kelerak
2024-08-17 22:36:08 +0000 UTCLong time; first time, yada yada. In an Abject Suffering sometime in the last couple months, the topic fell on Phish and the Grateful Dead. I have no kind words to say about Phish, but am a lifetime Deadhead. Just came back from Vegas to see the remaining members play at the Sphere…. Drew Carey wasn’t lying. Gary said that he liked enough Grateful Dead songs to fill at least one album… I am curious what some of these songs are! There are no wrong answers, as I believe that the Grateful Dead are some of the finest song-crafters in American History. Kole, I don’t want to leave you out, so maybe you could recommend me a good starting place for Godspeed You! Black Emperor? I know they aren’t the same style, but I’m a sucker for a really long song. Love the shows, and the content. Thank you for the many years of drive-time entertainment!
Derek
2024-08-17 22:31:08 +0000 UTCHave you ever been tricked into buying something from a franchise or series you otherwise wouldn’t? I was recently in my comic shop and saw a comic called Rat City. I’d heard a little about it online and liked the writer so bought it and only later realized I’d purchased a book about future tech Spawn.
Michael Krisher
2024-08-17 21:51:25 +0000 UTCAs lovers of good sentences, what are some of your favorites you've said to each other over the years? I recently listened to the Unfilmable episode on The Endless, which ended with the sentence "bad news, limp dicks - we live on a placid island of ignorance."
Chapel Collins
2024-08-17 21:50:39 +0000 UTCI loved hearing y’all talk about the process of starting up a community and would love any more info about how it all gradually came together for you specifically, the different stages and/or realization moments that kept you going. I think a lot of us who like y’all are also creators!
Austin Mathis
2024-08-17 21:38:08 +0000 UTCI’m watching The Godfather Part 2, and it’s just been the bit where young Vito steals the rug from a rich persons house to bring it home and have it take up the whole of his flat and his baby walk on it. A real point at the screen and say “cinema” moment. What “cinema” moment comes to mind for you?
Jack Bailey
2024-08-17 21:34:46 +0000 UTCGary! Do you like the band The Teeth? Kole! Have you read The Tunnel by William Gass? Given Gary's love for punchy, snarling, rock with great pop hooks, and Kole's love of psycho-spatial torment co-mingling with formal reflections of such à la House of Leaves, I thought they might have reached you!
Béa(u)
2024-08-17 21:34:05 +0000 UTCPossible topic: Clumsy games. I recently replayed The Last Guardian which has clunky controls for its youthful protagonist as well as the animal you’re trying to cajole through the game’s objectives. I think it works to a point because it’s trying to simulate the child’s actual limitations and the feeling of training a pet rather than commanding a companion NPC with precise controls. It was divisive because that necessarily creates friction between what the player wants to happen and how the avatars actually behave. Is there a place for games like this where controls are deliberately clumsy?
Doug Lief
2024-08-17 21:23:55 +0000 UTC
