Call and Response: WOFF Dispatch June 2021
Added 2021-06-11 20:06:30 +0000 UTCHello! The purpose of this post is to call for your questions and prompts for WOFF! Dispatch. Please respond by Monday, June 14 by leaving a comment on this post.
We're looking for two kinds of things:
1. Suggestions for our long-form discussion prompt.
2. 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.
We look forward to making this new kind of WOFF! episode together with you.
Comments
lmao
Duckfeed.tv
2021-06-15 00:01:58 +0000 UTCYou guys like Big Dogs T shirts? Have any favorites? As a joke I got my brother one that says "I live on the corner of bite me and no frickin way" for his birthday
Gabriel Tindall
2021-06-15 00:01:10 +0000 UTCIs sleep an activity at which either of you are vikings? Why, or why not?
Andrew (andyk250) Koch
2021-06-14 20:20:36 +0000 UTCGary, help me settle a bet. Is "Space Oddity" about a literal spaceman, or a heroin overdose?
KL
2021-06-14 18:21:09 +0000 UTCHello! Do you guys have any advice when it comes to saving money? Thanks! Love the show and all that you do!
Joseph maneol
2021-06-14 16:45:28 +0000 UTCSeparating art from the artist, or corporation from the content Short question: What are your thoughts on Waypoint+? Context/long question: I personally think that direct-to-consumer things like this, Kickstarter and Patreon are a necessary evil to counter the rot induced by decades of shareholder-based, profit-before-everything capitalism. I like them because I get to support people and projects that mean something to me, but I can’t shake the weird libertarian bent to it all and would rather just pay much higher taxes to ensure that artists of all stripes can create while not worrying about how to pay for food. I immediately subscribed to Waypoint+, but when I saw ‘www.vice.com’ charged on my credit card I came very, very, very close to cancelling. To me, Vice is a trashy website with trashy content that was started by horny contrarian boys (and noted monster/terrorist Gavin McInnes). In my previous job, I hired a former Vice journalist who told me later that they were fleeing the company due to the awful worker exploitation and sexual harassment they faced and bore witness to. And here I was, giving that company, so antithetical to my tastes and ethics, $5 a month. I felt very gross. I didn’t cancel because Waypoint is the reason I got back into video game discourse after leaving in the early 2000s (and the only reason I found Bonfireside Chat and then WOFF and the rest). I suppose I was able to separate the corporation from a very hyper-focused, specific part of their content in this case. You’ve talked about separating art from artists who are monsters before, but is there anything that you pay for/partake in despite having very serious problems with the machine/corporation that hosts it? Once again, you are the best!
Douglas
2021-06-14 16:35:54 +0000 UTCA matter of taste I’m curious what your thoughts are, as part of the wider gamer media, on allowing (or not allowing) the discourse around a game to drive your opinion. More clearly, what are some examples of situations where you two are so far away from the critical consensus on something that you question, what’s wrong with everyone? -- what’s wrong with me? – or what am I missing? This is inspired by too-many-to-count examples in my life of my ‘bad opinions’. For example: - I can’t grasp why Resident Evil 4 is considered good, much less a masterclass (and I’ve tried multiple times) - Even before the remaster showed how bad the game is/was, I always thought Mass Effect 1 was awful on almost every measure. But I liked 2, and loved both 3 and Andromeda (which by extension is another ‘bad opinion’) - To me, Final Fantasy 15 is the best FF since the 90s by a huge margin; it’s a unique game with an incredible villain, and is one of the more experimental triple-A games from an established series in the past decade; outside Bob Mackey, it seems everyone hates it - I find Nier Automata’s gameplay boring and poorly executed. The same is true of any Platinum Games release that I’ve ever played. I think I might be the only person on earth who thinks this. I could go on, but no one here cares about my opinions (as such, please cut as needed). I am, however, interested in your opinions. To me, this disconnect often leaves me alienated from the discourse/culture/critique in the gamer ecosystem, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Hell, often it’s a good thing, but it does contribute to a certain loneliness that I can’t seem to shake. Love your shows, I will sponsor an episode one day (as Gary might remember, I was going to last summer, but my house decided to start falling apart and hasn't stopped). You guys are the best!
Douglas
2021-06-14 15:17:38 +0000 UTCYour episode of Unfilmable (now my favorite show on the network) on The Ritual was great! I know how unpleasant unwarranted entertainment recommendations can be, but here we go. Have either of you read Wyrd from the same author, Adam Nevill? It’s a series of very short stories (roughly ten pages a piece) that feature no characters or dialogue. Instead, you move through mostly desolate areas, picking through the aftermath of some secret rite that’s summoned eldritch abominations. They read a bit like a “walking simulator” crossed with Dark Souls item descriptions.
Stephen Veilleux
2021-06-13 11:41:52 +0000 UTCI was re-listening to the RE4 episode for the millionth time and you mentioned it being the five year anniversary of the show. Then I realized that episode was five years old and, holy shit, you're about to have the TEN YEAR anniversary of the show! First off congrats. What an awesome accomplishment. On to my question: Any plans to celebrate the ten year anniversary?
Holland Hume
2021-06-13 02:30:49 +0000 UTCHave you ever played the newer South Park RPG games, and what are your thoughts on South Park in general? Idk if I have ever heard you mention it. The RPGs have been really good, and really funny (if you like South Park, of course).
My Dog's Name Is Yharnam
2021-06-12 18:59:53 +0000 UTCFeel free to answer or skip as many or as few as you'd like Best/worst Zelda item? Best/worst Metroid item? Best/worst Mario power up? Best/worst Kirby copy ability? Best/worst Tetris block?
Andrew T
2021-06-12 15:21:48 +0000 UTC*Mild Disco Elysium spoilers ahead--feel free to skip the backstory to the question if necessary.* I just recently completed Disco Elysium: The Final Cut. While I was enjoying the game from the get-go and was consistently impressed by the writing, it wasn't until about Day 3 of my playthrough when I realized I was playing something very special. After 20 or so hours of developing Harry, I was finally able to pass an authority check that allowed me to get through to Titus Hardie and continue the investigation. Once I realized that this character was beginning to respect Harry, and that I was beginning to like Titus after initially being turned off by him (all thanks to my own gameplay choices, no less), the game immediately became one of the greats, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since I beat it. My question is this: what is your best example of a moment where you realized that a specific game you were playing wasn't just a good game, but actually something very special? How does a game make that jump? Love the show and appreciate all your work. Thanks!
vapingwithdad
2021-06-12 14:48:43 +0000 UTChow do you drink your coffee?
Jan Champion
2021-06-12 13:38:04 +0000 UTCWhat simpsons character you relate to the most?
Ipoop4U
2021-06-12 11:34:53 +0000 UTCWhat's the best sword in video games?
Tom Healey
2021-06-12 09:16:20 +0000 UTCLong time listener, first time writer. First, thank you so much for all the amazing content you guys create! I can't tell you how much I look forward to every new episode from all your different channels. On to my simple question. Do you guys have a way for people to check what episode they have had their honorable mention from their patreon backing? If not, would you consider creating one? Thank you for everything you guys do. Keep on with the amazing work!
Jesse Hill
2021-06-12 06:21:30 +0000 UTCFirst-person, third-person, top-down, and isometric- you have to choose one type of view for all games moving forward. In fact, all games will be re-made in the chosen view (for better and for worse). What view do you choose and why?
Inter-Party Conflict
2021-06-12 03:44:05 +0000 UTCWhat are the odds that Pac-Man is into vore?
Jonathan Scratch
2021-06-12 01:04:07 +0000 UTCWhy do games keep asking me to hunt and skin animals for upgrades? Even Resident Evil is doing it now and I’m concerned.
CoalmineCanary
2021-06-12 00:24:41 +0000 UTCWhat are your favorite pies?
Markus Blomer
2021-06-12 00:20:44 +0000 UTCDo any horror games come to mind that don't get enough credit, and if so, why do you think they're overlooked? Also, WoFF means a great deal to me, thank you both for creating something so exceptional. Your efforts are deeply appreciated!
Leo Parrill
2021-06-11 22:48:53 +0000 UTCProbably not meaty enough to call for a main topic but could you guys talk a little about UI? It’s heavily important to many games but is such a given that I never hear anyone talk about it unless it’s bad/complicated. Discuss!
Charlotte Lopas
2021-06-11 22:48:44 +0000 UTCDo you use your local public library?
Ian Derk
2021-06-11 22:38:56 +0000 UTCThe next Metal Slug game was just revealed to be a turn-based tactics game, which might be cool but is also a little odd. If you had your druthers, which old IP would you want to see converted into a tactics-style game?
Mark Mahler
2021-06-11 22:11:11 +0000 UTCWhen the inevitable human apocalypse comes and our species is wiped out, which current tiny critter do you hope will win the evolutionary lottery and rise up to be the next dominant species on the planet? I vote for woodchucks because they’re cute, chubby little bucktooth boys who would probably just grow into something resembling a fuzzy Snorlax instead of inventing nuclear weapons.
Mark Mahler
2021-06-11 22:08:08 +0000 UTCLess of a question and more of a response to the statement of "how much blood is on Mario's hands" I disagree I don't think mario is letting bowser live, he brutally murders king koopa on many occasions be it lava or explosive spiked balls. And bowser keeps on being resurrected through magical means by Kames. Mario is using any means necessary to save his homeland but he's facing a neverending threat from an undead abomination. Also you guys referring to being pancaked by a drunk dump truck driver bring back repressed traumatic memories of a story I should not have read.
erhm03
2021-06-11 21:36:51 +0000 UTCAre there any moments from the development of the network that you look back on with particular fondness? Serious moments, humorous moments, and everything in between are acceptable! PS - It has been 4 years since the FF4 episodes, and I am still tickled by the fact that Kole's show notes described entering the Giant of Babil as "deploy[ing] into its mouth."
Casey Woolfolk
2021-06-11 21:15:15 +0000 UTCHave you ever replayed a game you already covered for WOFF? If so, did your opinions on it change or have they mostly stayed the same?
Kelerak
2021-06-11 21:15:02 +0000 UTC(My name is Maya now but y’all might recognize me as Jordan, I wrote in Cassette Goblin if that rings any bells) I have always been a fan of the Call of Cthulhu Tabletop Roleplaying game and uses of sanity mechanics in rpgs, but lately I have seen many people in the community citing these systems as ableist and othering in regards to gamifying mental health. I am torn as to how to feel because yes, as a neurodiverse individual and a fan of these sorts of mechanics; I do find the relegation of mental health and certain real life hardships that many go through to a roll of the dice or flip of a bit. Do you think these can still be enjoyed with a grain of salt? (As I have done) or do you think we should work as a whole to find better ways to include sanity mechanics or representation in our own Entertainment?
Jordan and Maya M.
2021-06-11 21:02:41 +0000 UTCHey chaps, quick question - what's your favourite gaming environment? I always buy games on my PC but never end up playing on them as I work at my desk all day. I tend to play on the TV downstairs because the kids play the console too but my favourite is plugging the console into my bedroom TV and sitting in my office space. Boring question I know, bit interested in your thoughts
Ak1raTron
2021-06-11 20:44:33 +0000 UTCHey dudes. I enjoy leveling in RPG games most of the time but some systems either don't give enough options (to me) or are way too granular. Some examples include: in the Shadowrun Returns series of games felt too basic to me. I just leveled up my main weapon stat and maybe a side stat or two, but I didn't feel like I was making interesting decisions. Looter games often have stats that level up in 1s and 2s of percentages that they are similarly unsatisfying. What are some games you think either hit the right amount of decisions or do an absolute terrible job at it?
Nick
2021-06-11 20:30:14 +0000 UTCI'm really envious about how much feedback that you guys get on your podcasts. I do a podcast also, as you may remember, for about five years now. I've racked my brain and done just about everything in my podcast short of bribing the listeners, and I just can't get anyone to submit feedback on games. I know people are listening from the stats. Are there podcasts you guys have done where you got little or no feedback and would you have any suggestions in my case that perhaps I haven't thought of yet?
Greg Polander
2021-06-11 20:22:53 +0000 UTCNot sure if this is too personal so please ignore if you feel weird about discussing it, but I was wondering if you play certain games or certain types of games to get yourselves out of a depressive/anxious funk or conversely, was there a particular game that put you in a bad head space that you had to put down? I love Bloodborne for example but it occasionally triggers an anxiety response in me that I'll need to walk away from.
Connor Cox
2021-06-11 20:21:09 +0000 UTCKole, what’s one game you love that Gary hates/dislikes. Same question to Gary, what do you love that Kole doesn’t?
Andrew F
2021-06-11 20:18:51 +0000 UTCOver the past year I've really gotten into the Link to the Past Randomizer. I love the way it remixes one of my favorite game and turns it into a logic puzzle. And it's got many formats (Crosskeys, Inverted, etc.) to keep thing interesting. What do you think about randomizers? Are there games they really do or do not work with? Are they transformative or nostalgia bait? Love the show and I especially love these Dispatch episodes.
Abrahm Simons
2021-06-11 20:18:10 +0000 UTCHey G & K! I've been loving ORB and making my way through Venture Bros. For essentially the first time, but it has made me want to hear you guys do other episode by episode podcasts as well. Are there any other shows that you think would be in the Duckfeed wheelhouse for such treatment? I think Adventure Time would make for fantastic discussion between you two! Love you guys, thanks for all you do!
Max Taylor
2021-06-11 20:17:49 +0000 UTC
