Call and Response: WOFF Dispatch May 2020
Added 2020-05-15 02:46:40 +0000 UTCHello! The purpose of this post is to call for your questions and prompts for WOFF! Dispatch. Please leave your response as a comment on this post by the end of the day on Sunday, May 17.
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
I'm not them, and I don't know if I'm violating any proscriptions here, but DISCO ELYSIUM.
Max
2020-05-19 09:29:05 +0000 UTCReading about a character who struggles with depression/self harm/mourning can help some people with those challenges (myself included). Despite the possibility space being limited, games will have WAY more interaction options than a book... and 99% of the time taking player control away is The Pits. The ending of Dear Esther could have had much greater impact if the makers had not taken control away... except what if instead of a lack of trust, it was hand holding? "Hey, you've gotten this far, let's help you across the finish line, it's going to be okay." I'm uncertain, since letting the player be the one to make the last choice might indicate their moving past it emotionally. -- Is there a place for taking control away from a player if it helps (not *forces*!) them through difficult material? An optional toggle? Could it work in "mainstream" games or would it belong strictly in a therapy genre? Is there a game that might have benefited from a more subtle guiding hand? Thanks for reading this, hope you're staying safe!
Brendan Hinman
2020-05-17 21:27:03 +0000 UTCBack in 2015, I was 27 hours into Lords of the Fallen after getting it cheap on Steam. Not a masterpiece, but I enjoyed it and was making good progress--even started the Bonfireside Chat mini-series. Then I got a job offer and decided to celebrate by buying a PS4. And how could I wait to start Bloodborne? I figured I'd get back to LotF eventually, but for whatever reason that time never came. Now I have a lot of time at home for the obvious reason and am looking through my Steam library, including games like this I started but never finished. I'm tempted to pick up where I left off, but I'm not sure I'd remember what I'm doing, and I also don't really want to start from scratch. What are some games you temporarily then permanently abandoned? Did you ever try to go back to them later? Did your memory kick in, or did you just start over?
Paul Thacker
2020-05-17 19:43:03 +0000 UTCWhat does the ideal Final Fantasy game look like for you guys in 2020? I know you guys have both soured on the series post-FFXII (although I know Kole seems to be enjoying the FFVII remake). What are some changes they could make that would bring you back to the series?
Ryan Bennett
2020-05-17 19:22:03 +0000 UTCHello Gary and Kole, What's keeping you sane during these uncertain times ? What's giving you hope ?
Anh-Tu
2020-05-17 08:54:54 +0000 UTCWhat is your go-to burrito choice?
Ian Derk
2020-05-17 07:48:08 +0000 UTCI’ve never played an adventure game, but would like to try one. What would y’all recommend for a new comer to the genre?
Scott Jarvis
2020-05-17 02:51:59 +0000 UTCAfter never playing a Resident Evil game and hearing you guys talk so sweet about them, I ended up getting RE2Make and absolutely adored it. Next up on my list was RE4, but I hit a wall minutes in because of the control scheme. It just felt so strange and I couldn't get used to it despite a few tries. Do you have any tips for someone trying to wrap their head around the "tank controls" for someone whose last-owned console was an SNES? Thanks!
Max
2020-05-16 16:01:26 +0000 UTCWhat's your vote for the best/your favorite Genesis RPG (besides Shadowrun)?
Mark Mahler
2020-05-16 10:38:33 +0000 UTCHave either of you tried your hand at webcam board games/card games since the pandemic started? I've had to jury rig my setup some, but it's been a lot of fun playing with "virtual" friends and it's something I'll probably continue to do from now on with friends in other states. (Related note: this is the only time I've ever been excited for augmented reality anything, as it allows me to hover over someone's board and read their real-life Magic cards in a pop-up window.)
Mark Mahler
2020-05-16 10:37:26 +0000 UTCMore of a question for Kole. How would you feel about a Dark Tower video game? Would you want something that followed the books, or something set in that world? Perhaps it could be an open world game that was equal parts Red Dead, The Witcher and Fallout.
Matt DiTomaso
2020-05-16 00:38:45 +0000 UTC(Greg here) If something happened and you guys were unable to make either a full living from podcasting/Patron or it dropped to a small level, what would your ideal job in the 'real world' be to support yourself?
Greg Polander
2020-05-15 21:45:55 +0000 UTCIf you could show HP Lovecraft one current (within 15 years) horror movie what would it be?
Sean J Hart
2020-05-15 20:53:27 +0000 UTCThat's awesome, and I really like the design and look. I think you hit the nail on the head with Triad, but I had never really considered how bringing the game to the real world would kind of upend that balance and change how a game can be received! Thanks for sharing and good on you for putting this together!
Jimmy Wilkinson
2020-05-15 18:49:33 +0000 UTCWhat are some of your big rule-exemptions when it comes to personal taste? For example, I find traditional JRPGs to be a huge bore, but EarthBound is one of my favorite games of all time.
Matt Bixler! Hello!
2020-05-15 16:39:32 +0000 UTCWe've seen several combacks for older franchises lately. Resident Evil finding its horror groove again and Baldur's Gate 3 happening at all just off the top of my head. I mean, even Deadly Premonition is getting a sequel, which is pretty wild. Which games or franchises would most excite you right now to learn were getting brought back to us?
Alexander McConnell
2020-05-15 16:30:18 +0000 UTCA lot of games will give you a limited amount of weapons/tools to start with, and then introduce new ones over time. Frequently I'll find that I'll never bother using the new tools, since the beginning ones work just fine. For instance, I completed most of Bioshock 1 just using a wrench and the lightning plasmid. What games do a good job of making you want to try new abilities without forcing you to (by making monster X only weak to fire, for instance)?
Zoombini
2020-05-15 16:24:43 +0000 UTC(Gary, Kole, don't read this comment) I actually have a perspective on Triple Triad vs Tetra Master! Triple Triad is my favorite game-within-a-game (suck it Gwent). I think it's intuitive and elegant and just really well-designed. However, I read some articles talking about people making a print-and-play version of the game and it just not being very good when brought over to meatspace. This was when I was in the middle of a FFIX replay, and Tetra Master was bumming me out. Needlessly complex even when you understand it, but with layers of obfuscation and hidden dice rolls that make it impenetrable. I was thinking about how much better it would be if you would just see those dice rolls, which would make the drama much more clear. About an hour after having that thought, I was mocking up a paper prototype to see if it could work. Cards have arrows in different patterns and different dice sizes they use to battle each other. It was a disaster (flipping cards from one color to another is actually a nightmare because orientation is really really important), but there was something to it! 6 months later, I finished my game Wicked Simple, a hex-based casual strategy game featuring tiles with different numbers of arrows battling each other with different dice sizes. So as far as Tetra Master goes, it might not be very good, but I'm very grateful for where it lead me! If you're interested, you can download the print-and-play version for free! https://adambucceri.itch.io/wicked-simple
Adam Bucceri
2020-05-15 15:47:24 +0000 UTC(Deleting my preamble regarding Tifa in the FF7 remake, it adds nothing) What exactly does nudity/titilation add to a game? I feel like there are many great games out there that seem to add 'adult' content that serves no purpose and is universally creepy. It reminds me of 70s and 80s movies such as Animal House and Total Recall et al., with frequent boob scenes and sex scenes included for horny teen boys (I can think of no other audience this serves). I was wondering if you had any thoughts on this. I personally hate it, it makes me embarrassed to play video games, breaks the immersion and I think takes away from the piece of art as a whole (at least in every single example I've played). I love you guys and all your shows, you're a bright spot in the gamer world as I slowly become more estranged from the medium, its devs and its fans.
Douglas
2020-05-15 15:07:35 +0000 UTCIf you could steal anyone’s singing voice to have as your own, whose would it be?
Benjamin
2020-05-15 14:23:37 +0000 UTCIgnoring the issues of quality and customer respect for a minute, what games work the best or least for live service games? Are there any that haven't been historically attempted that you think would work? What's the most important aspects these games live and die on?
Markus Blomer
2020-05-15 13:02:33 +0000 UTCWhat was the first non-pornographic nudity you recall seeing in media? Mine was the stripper popping out of the cake in Under Siege (I was about seven).
Andrew F
2020-05-15 12:46:48 +0000 UTCWhat are the best games within a game? What features make the best game within a game? Why does Triple Triad work, but Tetra Master doesn't? Lockpicking and hacking from Fallout count! What games overdo their minigames (I'm thinking of Bioshock and the hacking game)? Also, quick thanks to you both for helping me get through working through my master's program, which I just graduated from! Keep up the great show!
Jimmy Wilkinson
2020-05-15 11:54:00 +0000 UTCBeen listening to your older WOFF episodes on FF: Tactics after finishing the game for the first time recently (that game fucking rules by the way). Couldn't help but notice A LOT of discourse around eating the excess Chocobos and their eggs through out. Curious to know if there are any other monsters or products of said monsters in games you've speculated about consuming? Cheers!
Joshua Garrity
2020-05-15 10:45:41 +0000 UTCJust started a podcast. What was the early days of your podcasting like? Any tips for reaching like 10 to 100 active listeners?
SindrElf
2020-05-15 08:29:12 +0000 UTCIf you each had the opportunity to work on an upcoming title of your choice. What would it be and in what capacity or department would you work in? I love game soundtracks and like the Skyrim Soundtrack significantly more than the game itself so Elder Scrolls 6 for me as the composer. Additionally, how much time do you spend speaking to each other when you’re not recording?
Dan Sayer
2020-05-15 07:15:37 +0000 UTCWhat types of morality systems do you find work the best in games? Video games offer an interesting space to explore ethics because of the interactive component, but binary good/evil coded morality often seems lacking. I’m thinking of something like the Mass Effect series, or even more egregious like Infamous where your moral choices manifest as different colored lightning powers. Do games work better when the choices done by a player are left for them to decide whether something is good or bad?
Bren
2020-05-15 03:53:12 +0000 UTCI think sports games actually make an interesting gateway to RPGs. As someone who grew up a "sports kid," some of my first role-playing experiences were actually with Backyard Baseball of all games, assembling my team and making up stories about their friendships in my head as the season went on. I went on to seek out Career Mode in future games, which let you customize your character's stats, but also make lifestyle choices. The best ones truly let you tell your own stories, like the since-discontinued college football games that had you balance grades, social outings, and training through mini-games that actually made your choices matter. Have you guys ever found an engrossing roleplaying experience in a game not labeled RPG?
Matthew Meyer
2020-05-15 03:43:24 +0000 UTCKole, thank you for hosting the Jackbox game nights! Since the first Covid one, I've hosted a weekly session for friends and family across the country. Gary, can you start reading reviews for Guppy in other places like Craigslist or something? Thanks!
Michael Schneider
2020-05-15 03:39:02 +0000 UTCFor Gary, I'm curious as to the way you play the Iron Kingdoms. Do you play within universe or home brew? Unleashed or standard?
Callumn James
2020-05-15 03:12:39 +0000 UTCDo you guys think it's more difficult to become game literate now then when you grew up? Controllers are more complicated, games keep piling on more and more systems, and moving around in a 3d space can be daunting for some. What's the best way to introduce a new gamer to the language of games in 2020?
Popofoshosho
2020-05-15 03:02:58 +0000 UTCYou guys often talk about how games could be improved by being 20% shorter, but are there any games where you think they needed more game? Maybe an extra level to explore a mechanic further, another type of enemy to diversify the enemy pool, or 1 more currency to complicate a system.
Popofoshosho
2020-05-15 02:58:49 +0000 UTCWhat do you find most motivating in games? In the Celeste episode Gary mentioned not being motivated by overcoming a challenge, so what is your favorite way for a game to move you forward?
William
2020-05-15 02:49:26 +0000 UTCWhat games do you come back to as comfort food? What games do you use to escape?
Robert Mimms
2020-05-15 02:47:44 +0000 UTC
