The Two Vague Podcast

PAX West 2023 part 3 of 3... it is the bow on the present, the cherry on top of the sundae, the other bookend, the roof on the… I digress.  On day 3 Ben met Azusa, Creason, Eddie (Axolotl), Ludvig, Martin, and Bartosz.   Games he played and other video game related items he saw include: “TrinityS,” “Sky the Scraper,” “Never Awake,” “Extremely Powerful Capybaras,” “StarVaders,” “Big Boy Boxing,” “The Gap,” and the Playdate handheld.   Ben’s stream of consciousness associations include: the 1980 arcade game “Crazy Climber,” the largest living rodent, the axolotl, Boxing Day, the largest US clothing retailer, and a trip to the first Starbucks.  Ben wraps up the show by discussing his plans for the next PAX he attends. 
00:00:20 - PAX 2023 Day 3, the “Podcast in a Bag” theme song, and another minimal breakfast00:01:30 - Playing the Indie-us Games’ “TrinityS” with Phoenixx Inc. Promotions VP Azusa - https://en.indie-us-games.co.jp/trinitys 00:03:59 - Playing the Toydium developed game designed by Ryo Kobuchi, “Sky the Scraper” with Phoenixx Inc. Promotions VP Azusa - https://store.steampowered.com/app/2387430/SKY_THE_SCRAPER/00:06:51 - Playing the Neotro Inc.’s “NeverAwake” with Phoenixx Inc. Promotions VP Azusa - https://neverawake.neotro.jp/00:10:17 - Ben’s memories of the arcade game Crazy Climber00:11:35 - Playing the Studio Bravarda developed “Extremely Powerful Capybaras” with PM Studios Marketing and Production Coordinator Creason - https://studiobravarda.com/extremely-powerful-capybaras-en00:14:35 - Background audio guest appearance by Mango 00:15:25 - Capybara facts00:16:46 - Playing “StarVaders” with StarVaders Studio game designer Axolotl (aka Eddie) - https://star-vaders.com/00:22:11 - A critically endangered amphibian… the axolotl00:23:56 - Talking to Soupmasters game developer Martin about “Big Boy Boxing” - https://soupmasters.com/00:28:49 - Just a little bit of trivia about Boxing Day00:29:31 - Playing the Label This developed game “The Gap” with Crunching Koalas Marketing Chieftain Bartosz - https://thegapgame.com/ 00:32:34 - Why they should change the name of the game and all about Gap Inc.00:33:19 - Playing the somewhat notorious (hipster-ish) handheld console “Playdate” and learning about their SDK00:36:41 - Cuphead cosplay, dumpling dinner, and stopping by (arguably) the first Starbucks!00:40:15 - A “postmortem,” lessons learned, and my plans for the next PAX I attend 
Follow Two Vague on…Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcastOn YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast
For show appearance requests and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com
#PAXWest2023 #PAX2023 #PhoenixxInc #TrinityS #SkytheScraper #NeverAwake #PMStudios #StudioBravada #StarVaders #BigBoyBoxing #Soupmasters #JoystickVentures #LableThis #TheGapGame #CrunchingKoalas

This week… no time for pleasantries (Kyle)… Ben gets right into it!  On day two he met Hollie, Johnson, Daniel, Cory, Sawyer, Andrew, Natalie, Chris G., Chris R., and Chris S…. all of whom he hopes will consider being a guest on 2VP in the future.  Games he played, demos he experienced, and other video game related items he saw include: “PixelJunk Eden 2,” “PixelJunk Scrappers Deluxe,” “A Corgi’s Cozy Hike,” the VArmchair, “Castle Doombad,” the Pokémon card game, the VR game “Journey to Foundation,” “Animal Well,” and “Roman Sands RE:Build!”  Ben’s stream of consciousness associations include: the word pixel, Ikea’s  Poäng chair, and D.B. Weiss’ novel “Lucky Wander Boy.”
00:00:20 - the “Podcast in a Bag” Seattle theme00:00:45 - PAX 2023 Day 2 starts with a boring breakfast00:01:35 - Playing Q-Games Ltd.’s “PixelJunk Eden 2” with Hollie https://www.q-games.com/en/pixeljunk-eden-2-en/00:05:41 - Playing Q-Games Ltd.’s “PixelJunk Scrappers Deluxe” show attendees - https://www.q-games.com/en/pixeljunk-scrappers-deluxe/00:08:20 - The mysterious origin of the word pixel00:09:30 - Playing and discussing the inspiration behind Scalisco Games’ “A Corgi's Cozy Hike” with Johnson and Daniel - https://scalisco.com/pages/a-corgis-cozy-hike00:12:51 - Talking to furniture designer, carpenter, and gamer Cory about the VArmchair - https://batemanlabs.com/00:16:24 - Ben’s favorite chair for podcasting and Poäng trivia00:17:48 - Playing Grumpyface Studios’ “Castle Doombad” with Creative Director Chris - https://www.castledoombad.com/00:22:12 - My failed attempt to learn how to play the Pokémon card game.00:24:21 - Playing Archiact’s new VR game “Journey to Foundation” with PR specialist Chris - https://www.journeytofoundation.com/00:30:51 - Talking to solo game developer Billy about his first game “Animal Well” - https://www.animalwell.net/00:35:35 - Playing Serenity Forge’s “Roman Sands RE:Build!” with QA Specialist Chris - https://serenityforge.com/games/roman-sands-re-build 00:39:45 - D.B. Weiss’ “Lucky Wander Boy” and an uneventful yet enjoyable dinner00:42:27 - Almost 3 burgers and a slice of key lime pie to close the show.
Follow Two Vague on…Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcastOn YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast
For show appearance requests and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com
#PAXWest2023 #PAX2023 #QGames #PixelJunk #Salisco #Grumpyface #GrumpyfaceStudios #Archiact #SharedMemory #AnimalWell #VArmchair #BatemanLabs #SerenityForge
To help Johnson and Daniel reach their Kickstarter goal go here!  https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/scalisco/a-corgis-cozy-hike

Ben is back from Seattle and incredibly excited to talk about it!  On day one he met Becky, Ty, David, Haylee, Rob, and Brandon… all of whom he hope will consider being a guest on 2VP in the future.  Games he played or saw demos of include: “Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown,” “Wild Country,” “Cuisineer,” “Sail Forth,” “World of Horror,” and “Demonschool.” Of course it wouldn’t be Two Vague without diversions.  Ben talks about his college PC, cooking in games, the origin of yacht rock, Junji Ito, and Mortal Kombat’s friendliest finishers.
00:00:20 - Intro and a brief history of the Penny Arcade Expo also known as PAX00:04:16 - Going to PAX West 2023 my plans and expectations as a content creator00:06:09 - Inspiration from travelogues, MS Excel love, and the next 3 episodes
00:07:43 - The slightly altered “Podcast in a Bag” theme… Seattle edition   
00:07:55 - A sustainably sourced breakfast at Homegrown - https://eathomegrown.com/00:08:32 - Playing UbiSoft’s “Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown” demo - https://www.ubisoft.com/en-us/game/prince-of-persia/the-lost-crown00:11:35 - The original Prince of Persia games and memories of my 486DX00:12:46 - The “Wild Country” demo with Becky from Lost Native - https://www.lostnative.co/wild-country00:16:31 - Playing BattleBrew Production’s “Cuisineer” - https://www.cuisineerthegame.com/00:18:58 - Remembering episode 63 on the word cook and the game BattleChef Brigade  00:20:35 - Playing Quantum Astrophysics Guild’s “Sail Forth” with publisher Ty and game designer David - https://www.qag.io/sail-forth.html00:25:33 - The “yacht rock” interlude with Christopher Cross’ hit song Sailing (NOT literally)00:26:32 - Playing “World of Horror” with Rob from Ysbryd - https://www.wohgame.com/00:30:39 - Manga horror writer Junji Ito, and Ben is most interest in the one with the cats00:33:41 - Playing Necrosoft’s “Demonschool” with game designer Brandon - https://necrosoftgames.com/demonschool/00:39:43 - Mortal Kombat friendships, Jax playing jazz saxophone, and congressional hearings00:41:30 - Dinner at Dough Zone - https://www.doughzonedumplinghouse.com/seattlepine
Follow Two Vague on…Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcastOn YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast
For show appearance requests and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com
#PAXWest2023 #PAX2023 #LostNative #UbiSoft, #QAG, #Ysbryd, #Necrosoft #ReedPop

It may not seem like it at first, but Andrew and Ben are absolutely in this week’s word.  They start out with what Andrew has been doing, and then Ben is a voyeur on Andrew’s flavored crisps adventure.  First thoughts on the word include a life lesson, a pop singer’s breakout album, a trilogy of books by Jeff VanderMeer, and controlling the weather.  On the subject of video games, the hosts discuss Starcraft, tower defense games, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, the Atari 2600 joystick, and 3 games by Remedy entertainment. 
 
00:00:21 - Andrew’s geographical clues, Ghostbuster Afterlife, and back to school
00:03:30 - Commissioning a Christopher Walken sketch from “Bottle Rocket” era Owen Wilson
00:06:45 - Andrew’s Sensory Adventures with Suspicious Stew, Pizza, and Loaded Nachos!
00:10:34 - Satisfying Andrew’s expectation for Flame Medium, and no control group Pringles
00:13:30 - A modest proposal, a Twitter analogue, TikTok exists, blue skies, and Ben’s criticism 
00:19:38 - Long list of definitions, old timey subtweets, and Ben repeats himself to feel better 
00:23:24 - The limits of control, Janet Jackson (the youngest of 10), and the album Control
00:27:13 - Our utopia, Ben should call Janet Jackson, and you don’t have to eat them all now.
00:29:30 - The Souther Reach trilogy, Get Smart, current weather in Arizona, and cloud seeding
00:37:00 - Table salt, chaotic systems, weather, The (real) Avengers, and James Bond’s wife.
00:39:44 - Shade balls, no concrete evidence, AI hands, knuckles, and a giant space umbrella 
00:43:51 - The Central Arizona Project, lessons not learned, Flint, and the butterfly effect
00:47:13 - Unknowns, recharge basins, the 2008 Summer Olympics, and smog elimination 
00:50:01 - Andrew prefers turn-based game mechanics, and Vanillaware’s 13 Sentinels
00:54:47 - The lack of resilience in controllers, a linear progression, and winning the PEABODY!
00:57:58 - The game Control… Jesse is promoted to director of the FBC by the janitor
01:02:22 - Alan Wake 2 and Control share the same universe, and a hypothetical question 
01:05:23 - Final thoughts on the word control, and Andrew will email his Buckaroo Banzai DVD
01:08:08 - Watch out for “Don’t Be Terrible” coming soon on ETC or Big Cartel, and potatoes 
 
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On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot
 
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Madison and Ben are excited to get philosophical with this week’s word which has a simple definition but a uniquely nuanced meaning, but first… what’s new with the hosts?  Madison is reading American Dirt and Ben is playing Tango Gameworks’ “Ghostwire: Tokyo.”  They take turns reflecting on what they are grateful for: experiences, trips, connections, books, and more.  Before closing out the show, Madison teaches Ben about the “five love languages.”   
00:00:21 - Tattoos, leg sleeves, cummerbunds, and Madison does not support the torso-pants00:03:27 - Ben’s sphere, playing “Ghostwire: Tokyo,” and it’s actually called etherial weaving00:05:10 - Lithuanian hosts, folklore, American Dirt by Jeanine Cumminsand, and arithmetic 00:08:29 - The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen, weird noises, and Ben’s dating fail at Fermilab00:11:21 - Words in gratitude, number of boobs, the straightforward definition, and usage 00:14:05 - A continuation of childhood, abundance, being thankful, and being supportive00:17:00 - Growing up in Big Bear, reflecting on experiences, Arizona storms, and PUDDLES!00:20:48 - No public puddles, video game friendships, unexpected learnings, and thankfulness00:25:15 - Being a drone, respect, word trees, White out, and a coworker filled support system00:29:06 - The merits of Facebook, handfuls of coinage, not a stalker, and Sarah get married00:31:36 - A “stretch” moment, meeting friends in New Zealand, and sharing wisdom00:34:33 - Remembering photographs, scrapbooks, blackmail material, and dreaming of Japan 00:37:35 - Phalanges, gravitas, not wrong, universal thankfulness, and picking favorites 00:40:41 - Gratitude journals, food for your food, showing gratitude, and Ben is not familiar 00:43:43 - Exploring the definitions of the love languages: touch, time, words, gifts, and service 00:47:55 - Reading your partner’s love language, and Ben starts to understand the concept 00:50:18 - Religious twang, felines told the Egyptians to build, connections, and Westworld00:53:57 - Peter Henry Fonda (not Henry), Andrea’s Westworld event experience, and cravings  00:57:29 - Ben has never been pregnant, the “no” jynx, and wrapping it up with final thoughts01:00:04 - Madison recommends journaling via the “BRAIN DUMP” method.
 
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Continuing the conversation about Italy… sort of… Andrew and Ben discuss Pringles flavors from around the world .  Ben adds a little bit of trivia about their brand mascot before the conversation switches to video games.  Street Fighter 6 has introduced a new character from Italy named Marisa (secretly Ben’s new waifu)!   As promised in the airplane episode, Ben reluctantly played Assassin’s Creed 2 which he describes as a “game out of time,” and he shares his thoughts from his first 10 (and only) hours of play.  To close out the show… Andrew’s recommendation and irony.     
00:00:21 - The Pringles display at the Schiphol Amsterdam Airport… and flame medium00:02:58 - Ketchup flavored Pringles in Italy, and Andrew didn’t go to Europe to buy Pringles00:04:17 - Explosive chili, an age related medical procedure, and TikTok friendly proctologists00:06:10 - Culinary fouls of the Pringles variety, and Minecraft suspicious stew description 00:08:58 - How Mr. P got his first name, herbs, and the Screaming Dill Pickle show!00:11:56 - Descending further down the flavor rabbit hole, and refreshing sassiness 00:14:01 - Andrew is still playing Civilization, and Marisa the master of Pankration and jewelry00:17:00 - Marrow bones, fine arts, and Ben’s least favorite franchises Assassin’s Creed00:19:10 - Meeting Leonardo DeVinci, blood oath humor, and Ben’s favorite line in the game00:21:28 - Ezio’s backstory, learning stealth from sex workers, and being casual on the roof00:24:50 - Plague doctors, secondhand leaches, creepy masks, and the third SNL reference00:26:50 - The Hunt for Red October, stereotypical accents, and vaginas aren’t enough00:30:45 - Hangover movies, playing chess, and getting liquored up… on a plane00:33:48 - Sleeping on airplanes, our least favorite airlines don’t believe in legroom00:36:02 - Go to Italy, finding history, no turtle shells or banana peels, and licensing Mario00:39:36 - An “espresso with panna” callback, social media trepidation, and a sense of irony  
 
Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on…His website: https://partlyrobot.com/On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobotOn TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobotOn Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot
Follow Two Vague on…Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcastOn YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com

Andrew from Partly Robot Industries ( https://partlyrobot.com/ ) joins Ben this week to share his vacationing experiences with his family in Italy!   After Ben delivers the obligatory definition along with a side of geographic facts, they dive right in to the storytelling festivities.  Andrew talks about the interesting history of Vatican City, his experience driving a Fiat 500L, staying at a farmhouse in Tuscany, a feast catered by a gaggle of nonne, and literally being “star crossed” the morning of a music festival in the Italian city of Lucca.  
00:00:21 - Ben’s dad humor… with panna, and Andrew’s relaxing and exhausting vacation00:02:21 - Geographic features of Italy, Vatican City, art history, Google Maps, and the pope00:04:51 - Important Jesus days, and Protestants think you should take Jesus stuff seriously00:07:50 - How Vatican City became a micro-state; Mussolini’s and the pope’s deal 00:09:47 - The most embassies, architecture, medical professionals with leeches, and tourists00:12:59 - English speakers, a working farmhouse in Tuscany, Florence, and no choice in rental00:15:40 - A sea of Fiats, the “big” Fiat 500 L, the wrong car, and manual vs muscle memory00:19:30 - Mad Max driving in Disneyland, toll booths, and culture of driving on the Autostrada  00:23:10 - Roundabouts, driving on narrow roads, and Ben likes saying the word Chunnel 00:26:06 - “Sort of” rear ended,  a love tap, get the insurance, Fiat SpA, and some history00:30:12 - A tiny garbage truck from Florence, Japanese Engineering, and Mexican knowhow 00:32:22 - A family vineyard, purple feet, wine peer pressure, and something unexpected00:34:48 - Lucca not Luka, star forts, Napoleon Plaza, and Paul Stanley drinking espresso00:38:36 - Summer Festival 2023, the Italian division of the KISS Army, and bastion forts 00:41:21 - “Iron, physics, and heavy stuff,” family home chapels, and more Jesus stuff00:44:42 - A dinner catered by Italian grandmothers who are particular about pronunciation00:47:55 - Andrew is pro-nap, getting tickets, a QR code mirage, and not hirable in Florida00:51:43 - Nudity for statues only, no bare shoulders, the shawl stall, and do your research00:54:39 - A second SNL skit reference, and the “so tell me about the Pringles” cliffhanger!
TO BE CONTINUED in Episode 85 - Italy (part 2)  
Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on…His website: https://partlyrobot.com/On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobotOn TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobotOn Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot
Follow Two Vague on…Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcastOn YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast
For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com
 

This week Ben and Norah contemplate the questions “are you… or have you ever been…,”  but first they talk about what they have been up to.  Surprising nobody, Norah has been watching plays and Ben has been (GASP!) playing his PS5.  After the definition ceremonies they discover that they each have very different first thoughts, but they both agree that experience can be vastly different for an individual.  They take a detour through the philosophical before moving on to games.  Finally, Ben talks about the origin of experience points in games, how video games utilize XP, and a few terms for Norah to add to her gamer glossary.
00:00:20 - 1 word, 2 hosts, stories, trivia, mumbo-jumbo, beige, and Futurama00:02:20 - The Stratford Shakespeare Festival, sacking creative directors, and critiques00:05:01 - Taking pills, Little Women, Little Richard the Second, and a Wrinkle in Time 00:07:30 - American Players Theater in Spring Green Wisconsin, and Frank Lloyd Wright00:09:02 - Ben finished Deathloop and started on Ghostwire Tokyo and Ridiculous Fishing EX00:11:52 - Presenting the definition and origin: Norah takes the noun and Ben takes the verb00:15:02 - Jimi Hendrix and generational perspectives on playing the Star Spangled Banner00:18:38 - The Isley Brothers, and what does the song “Are you experienced” mean? 00:21:37 - One of Ben’s favorite movies “Brainstorm,” and a spoiler alert for a 40 year old film 00:25:15 - Recording brainwaves, drawing parallels to VR, and Norah is older than Ben00:28:39 - Pinecones, too many variables, comprehensive Wikipedia articles, and webs00:31:18 - “If there was a way you could experience something in a virtual environment…”00:35:27 - Adrenalin, internalizing, a trip to Lithuania, food based profiling, and phrases 00:40:20 - A philosophical question, the senses, acquiring experience in games, and XP00:43:04 - A “Dungeons & Dragons” origin, and experience points in roleplaying games00:45:17 - Gaining experience points in “Ghostwire: Tokyo,” and Norah grasps the concept00:48:00 - Types of XP growth progressions, eating, grinding, power-leveling, and a respec  00:53:42 - Do we want games to present realistic ways of gaining experience?00:57:22 - Expectations, perceptions, perspectives on video games experience, and balance01:01:35 - Vaguely putting a bow on the experience show… sort of! 
Follow Two Vague on…Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcastOn YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcastOn Twitter: https://twitter.com/TwoVaguePodcast
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This week Ben is joined by Andrew from Partly Robot Industries for an appropriately timely conversation about a vehicular method for domestic and international travel… with OR without the exclamation point!  Andrew’s going to Italy (and on a side quest or two), so Ben wants to assist in his mental preparation and support him in any way he can.  What’s the best way to prepare for the perils of air travel… is the answer watch airplane themed movies?  Who’s to say?  The hosts discuss the movies they watched to get themselves in the flight headspace, so to speak: Snakes on a Plane, Airplane II: the Sequel, Soul Plane, Mad Max Beyond Thuderdome, and Zero Hour!  In the video games section, Ben and Andrew talk about River Raid, After Burner, 1942, Microsoft’s Flight Simulator franchise, and Airplane Mode.  To close the show the hosts each share an air travel story from their past.  
00:00:21 - A shepherd of wayward wizards, up the hat game, sacking Rome, and Scott Bakula00:05:00 - The current state of downtown Portland, to Croatia by paddle boat, and Ben’s news00:08:19 - Special preparations, a masseuse theory, cheesy moons, and astronaut ice cream  00:10:40 - Some time in the 1920s, flying buttresses, dirigibles, and the Pima Air Museum00:13:07 - Ben watched “Zero Hour!” the movie that made the PG rated movie “Airplane!” 00:19:12 - The lasagna, see it if you’re a fan, and Ben recommends watching “Police Squad!”00:21:22 - Andrew watched “Airplane II: The Sequel” and “Soul Plane” to prepare for the show00:26:14 - A critics’ summary of “Soul Plane,” a different take, and a great idea… lockers!00:29:52 - A movie featuring ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales.  00:33:24 - A horrible plan, a warm baby in snake vision, and what boa constrictor snacks on00:36:40 - An excellent theme for a child’s birthday, and platypuses on a hovercraft 00:39:20 - Airplane action, opposite of “Lord of the Flies,” and the George Miller movie timeline00:42:31 - The Kevin Bacon game, Ben’s got a lay-Bacon number of two, and Colm Meaney00:45:35 - Activision game patches, River Raid, Space Shuttle, and two possible outcomes 00:48:09 - After Burner, something that 8th graders tell 7th graders, and boot discs 00:50:16 - Capcom’s 194X series, shoot em’ ups, bullet hell, and game or joke00:52:26 - AMC Games’ “Airplane Mode,” meal includes fish option, and Ben’s promise00:56:00 - Ben will play Assassin’s Creed 2 while Andrew is in Italy, and airplane stories00:57:23 - Ben’s Story: Cleveland, Grandma, flooded Cadillac, hot towels, and cold feet01:00:20 - Andrew’s Story: Computers, lessons learned, mood slime, and being late 01:05:17 - Nearly universal, angel and devil on shoulders, and the waiter from The Buena Vista 01:08:24 - In closing… Ben’s airplane quote from a movie about submarines 
For more information on what Andrew is up to, check out https://partlyrobot.com and https://partlyrobot.com/link-in-bio/ for his social media links!
Follow Two Vague on…Our website: http://www.twovaguepodcast.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcastOn YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcastOn Twitter: https://twitter.com/TwoVaguePodcast
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Norah joins Ben this week for a discussion about recursion, and speaking of… Happy Second Anniversary to us!  Norah has just seen another loud musical, and Ben is champing at the bit to talk about the game he’s been playing lately.  They start their circuitous loop with some Canadian music industry trivia, a correction for the dystopia episode, the definition, and unintentionally making fun of the Scottish.  More loop centric topics include… making jewelry, an area of downtown Chicago, digital music, computer programming languages, rollercoasters, mathematics, Norah’s Summer job in college, and “time loop” movies.  On the topic of video games, Ben explains the importance of engaging gameplay loops, his stance on game reviews, and his experiences with the game Deathloop by Arkane Studios.
 
00:00:21 - Ben’s recursion joke fail, and Norah sees the “updated” musical Tommy 00:02:42 - Other musicals… American Idiot and Jagged Little Pill, and “also known as music”00:04:27 - Interesting Canadian music idiosyncrasies, and a dystopia episode correction00:07:02 - 2nd Anniversary, weird duck callback, and a heartfelt THANK YOU to listeners!00:09:30 - The definition according to Web and Ox, and Ben adds back some superfluous stuff00:12:17 - “So I Married an Axe Murderer,” vegetarian haggis, loopholes, jewelry, and the loupe 00:15:05 - Jump rings, perspectives of helixes, the Chicago Loop, and US state opinions00:18:57 - Ben is mistaken, what is in “the Loop,” the Chicago fireworks, and M3Ps?00:21:17 - Audio formats, songs on a loop, “My Weekly Mixtape” shoutout, and recursion 00:23:30 - Norah is above BASIC, FORTRAN 77, and other loops in computer programming00:25:08 - Marry the FORTRAN teacher, middle school is NOT grade school, and classrooms00:27:45 - Mental math, Adderall, first looping rollercoaster “Flip Flap Railway,” and clothoids00:32:26 - “Shuttle Loop” rollercoasters, strange loops, the Möbius strip, and Socrates00:35:10 - A child’s perspective on math, the Museum of Science and Industry, and the U-50500:37:07 - Submarines are cramped, the coal mine, model trains, and going in to video games00:39:30 - Ben explains gameplay loops, a rare dad joke from Norah, and Donut County00:43:25 - Match 3 game loops, Norah understands, and Ben mentions Deathloop00:45:19 - A discussion about movies, television, and books using the “time loop” concept00:48:07 - Celebrating “Groundhog’s Day,” and “The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle” 00:49:34 - Ben undersells the movie Looper, and other “living the same day” movies00:51:35 - The premise (relatively spoiler free) and game mechanics of the game “Deathloop”00:54:03 - Discrepancies in user and news outlet reviews, and the start of Ben’s critique00:57:33 - “Redfall,” how skill trees work, a disclaimer, and the importance of intelligent AI 01:01:00 - Seven, Norah comes clean on playtime, some balancing is needed, and a bug01:03:17 - Ben nitpicking about reviews, know your reviewer, and closing the show!
 
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FUN FACT - The Great Train Story is a 3,500-square-foot HO scale model railroad display located in the Transportation Zone of Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry!

In this storytelling-heavy episode, Madison joins Ben to reminisce about the days of their youth.  The hosts compare their experiences as children and reflect upon how these events have impacted their lives.  Ben and Madison grew up in very different households, yet they share some common personality traits… aside from being “birthday twins!”  Madison has minimal experience and interest in video games, but she still has thought provoking questions for Ben about how his hobby shaped him as a person.  As an added bonus, we get to hear a genuine laugh from Madison when she is educated about the “hot girl walk.”  
 
00:00:24 - Madison doesn’t get the Ice Cube song reference… illustrating Ben’s old nickname00:01:53 - Madison’s interest in the word childhood… compare and contrast… stability00:04:30 - Looking forward to culture shock, going on trips solo, and exploring new places00:07:00 - Madison’s siblings, going to the schools where parents taught, and transitioning 00:09:45 - Apologizing for transgressions, Madison’s musical forte, and the impact of music00:12:52 - Rock music, Neil Diamond, Country Music, and innocence in childhood00:15:41 - “Questions are free,” Madison’s childhood bedroom, and checkerboard and hands00:19:03 - Etymology of the word childhood, Ben thinks of creativity, and oldest memories00:22:11 - Stanley the potbelly pig, and memories of grandparents and great grandparents00:24:01 - The birthday twins discuss the question, “does childhood end at the age of 18?”00:27:56 - Ben remembers the Indiana dunes, how parents meet, and picking your battles00:32:02 - The number 3, dealing with family grief, and “fool me once…”00:34:27 - How divorce impacted Ben’s childhood, independence, and safety in numbers00:37:10 - Allowing children to experience independence, a second childhood, and sneezing00:38:55 - Pinball idiosyncrasies, no interest in video games, and the latchkey kid 00:44:18 - Learning social skills in a mall, and differences in how we develop independence00:48:37 - Work ethics, paper routes, starting fires in Girl Scouts, and asking for money00:51:25 - Madison asks Ben some questions, video game stigmas, and entertainment00:54:25 - Ben talks about going to PAX, pinball back glass art, and Madison loves museums00:56:47 - Nightly routine, “hot girl walk,” Madison laughs for 7 seconds, and walking dates 00:58:13 - Playing soccer in the hallway and being a kid in your own home01:03:36 - Differences in the length of time gamers play consecutively, and smaller experiences01:07:07 - Taking parts of your childhood into the future, differences, and similarities01:11:37 - Stay tuned for forthcoming childhood episodes from Ben and Madison? 
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Norah and Ben are feeling a bit philosophical this week (as illustrated by the topic word), and in our humble opinion they do not disappoint on the discussion front.  First up on the docket, what they have been up to.  Norah has been preparing a (timely) history presentation, and Ben has been playing a Sega game created as an April Fools prank.  The conversation then turns to dystopian themes in fiction and other media.  Ben shares some information about an inclusive community in India before moving to Russia (not literally) and the game Atomic Heart by Mundfish.  Norah closes the show with an interesting question for your post-show debating pleasure.
00:00:21 - Ben doing some “workshopping,” and Norah’s discussion and presentation groups  00:03:03 - Going from being a teacher to being a teacher, and Sonic is murdered?!?00:05:38 - Playing the role of an anthropomorphic quokka that works on the “mystery train”00:08:41 - Starting the conversation with the definitions and origins of utopia and dystopia 00:10:40 - Jonathan Swift’s “Gulliver’s Travels,” and Ben can’t remember the Brobdingnagians00:12:25 - Cacotopians, Anthony Burgess’ quote, and Norah starts sharing her research 00:14:51 - Mango and Bash are being bureau-cats, types of control, and data collection00:17:00 - Differing opinions on the word apocalypse, and authors of dystopian fiction 00:20:02 - Phillip K. Dick is a strange Dick, Norah’s not a fan of Sci-Fi, and Mexican food00:23:18 - Book burning, self-expression, Lithuanian story, and Ben doesn’t care for that Hitler00:26:03 - Dystopian themes, Willian Golding’s “Lord of the Flies,” and a “real” utopia 00:28:33 - BuzzFeed’s “Follow This” Auroville (City of Dawn) investigation by Editor Rega Jha00:31:18 - The 4 point charter, other episode of Follow This, and the problem with humans00:38:02 - Ben’s experiences with the game Atomic Heart and its 1950’s dystopian setting 00:40:07 - The brief history of Facility 3826, and could robots create a utopia?00:42:49 - Controversial rumblings about Mundfish and the release of Atomic Heart 00:45:40 - The Ministry of Digital Transformation, video game revenue models, and tanks00:48:02 - A love letter to BioShock, what Ben enjoyed in the game, and obvious Easter eggs00:52:45 - Things Ben thought needed additional development attention in Atomic Heart00:54:24 - ELEVATORS, loading screens on the PS5, and dystopias in real life00:57:33 - Closing the show with Norah’s philosophical question about a dystopia   

Special guest Brian, the mastermind behind the “My Weekly Mixtape” podcast, joins Ben this week for an episode steeped in their childhood nostalgia!  The word is mixtape, and the hosts will be talking at length about their experiences and memories making them.  It wouldn’t be the Two Vague Podcast if there wasn’t a diversion or two along the way, but then Ben has a surprise for Brian to close out the show.  They are going to make a MIXTAPE (sort of) composed of a list of memorable arcade games past and present!
00:00:21 - Introducing Brian and his “My Weekly Mixtape” podcast 00:03:05 - Brian and his buddies curated gaming centric mixes for sleepovers00:06:13 - What sorts of shows are coming to MWM, and “musically and edibley”00:09:12 - Teaching the younger viewers(?), tape customizations, and the gift of music 00:12:55 - Efficiency, “measure twice, cut once,” definition of mixtape, history, and statistics00:16:18 - The fragility of cassette tapes, the worst band of all time, and not very becoming 00:17:58 - Ben bought the “Vivid” album 5 times, and home recording was NOT killing music00:20:30 - Ignoring the innuendo in music, rumors in the time before Google, and Zima00:23:44 - A mixology warning from Brian, get off the Zima, and Ben’s mixtapes for purposes00:27:12 - Brian’s fascination with radio, using “deep cuts,” and an album’s track order00:31:45 - Where Ben and Brian developed their love of music, and playing an instrument 00:34:10 - “Hot Cross Buns,” the devil’s instruments, and Brian and Ben’s game preferences00:37:34 - Conflicting opinions on “Space Ace,” the Sega CD, and the ESRB00:40:23 - Nintendo games with the family, the art style of Don Bluth, and Brian’s assignment
00:43:25 - Brian and Ben create a 10 game arcade using the patented(?) MWM approach
 00:43:35 - Game #1 BRIAN - Konami 1988 - The Main Event  00:46:55 - Game #2 BEN - Konami 1987 - Contra 00:48:17 - Game #3 BRIAN - Midway 1997 - NFL Blitz 00:50:40 - Game #4 BEN - Atari 1988 - Cyberball 00:52:03 - Game #5 BRIAN - Nintendo 1984 - Duck Hunt 00:53:42 - Game #6 BEN - Williams 1984 - Turkey Shoot  00:54:45 - Game #7 BRIAN - Devecka Enterprises 1997 - MTV Drumscape  00:57:53 - Game #8 BEN - Bally Midway 1983 - Journey 01:00:52 - Game #9 BRIAN - Namco 2005 - Mario Kart Arcade GP 01:02:10 - Game #10 BEN - Taito 1989 - Night Striker
01:03:05 - Brian and Ben’s closing thoughts on the word mixtape
Check out Brian’s My Weekly Mixtape website for links to his social media offerings, as well as the show’s episodes and Spotify playlists! https://myweeklymixtape.com/

Norah joins Ben this week on a show that is rated V for vague!  They are taking about the word rating for about 83 percent of the show, and they hope that your interest, in this specific case, is very high!  Get it?  After sharing what they have been watching recently, they dive right in to the definition.  Ben explores the nature of MPAA movie ratings, examines their relation to censorship, and provides a couple of examples from two of his favorite movies… Galaxy Quest and Robocop.  Norah recalls her experiences in advertising, drops some Michelin restaurant knowledge, and relays positive vides on the work of Consumer Reports.  Finally, the discussion turns to the US government and how a congressional hearing and the strange game Night Trap helped to shape the ESRB’s video game ratings system. 
 
00:00:21 - Ben tries something new, and Norah saw the “Little Jagged Pill” musical00:03:00 - Ben’s dad joke about mediocrity, and then he apologizes for getting a name wrong00:05:10 - Ben buys a movie to repent and tells Norah about the premise for “Be Kind Rewind”  00:09:25 - The definition according to Ox Ford Languages, yachts, and angry reprimands00:12:45 - Again with the Google N-gram Viewer, and Ben unintentionally tests Norah 00:15:33 - Norah thinks that the definition needs to be simplified, and Ben can’t affords a yacht00:17:54 - Mild censorship and how ratings can control what you read, view, play, etc.00:20:56 - The subjective nature and the sliding scale of ratings systems00:23:07 - From the Hayes Code to the MPAA rating system… is it still censorship?00:26:28 - Bring your lawyer to the movie theater, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization00:28:56 - Example of how the movie industry uses ratings to stifle creativity: “Galaxy Quest”00:31:34 - Robocop, Siskel and Ebert, and Ben’s rendition of the “At the Movies” theme00:36:44 - Norah explains the origin of Michelin star ratings00:39:28 - Consumer Reports, schools, grades, books, and Neilson Ratings00:43:40 - Metacritic, Rotten Tomatoes, on a scale of 1 to boring, and Norah’s tiny rebellion00:46:30 - Ben’s impression… video games are not always completed before they are reviewed00:49:29 - The Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) and their classifications 00:51:14 - Atari 2600 pornographic games, cartoon violence, and congressional hearings00:53:21 - Ben explains the convoluted narrative and simple gameplay of Night Trap00:58:43 - The United States 103rd Congress intervenes, and the creation of Night Trap 01:02:28 - Ninja burglars, Vampires, non-reproducible violence, and the 25th Anniversary01:05:17 - One of the worst ranking systems is one that doesn’t take history in to account01:09:05 - Final thoughts… subjectivity, parents, tools, subtle neglect, and individuality01:12:21 - Ben agrees with Norah, a VERY late tangent, and goodbye

Amaya is in the “studio” this week with Ben and the pod-cats.  Amaya and Ben are eager to talk about the topic word and their individual healing journeys, but first, Amaya sets a challenge for herself (for the record the tally was “one hundred percent”=1 and “totally”=4, so only 5 punches were required).  It should go without saying, but as always with these two, there will be a wide assortment of tangents explored including: Michel Gondry movies, medical symbols, bandaids, recreational drug experience stories, and the joys of being single.  To wrap it up, the hosts talk about the unique storytelling in Witch Beam’s 2021 game “Unpacking,” their favorite “comfort food” games, and FLOOR CHICKEN?
 
00:00:21 - Amaya says we’re on a healing journey, and the “hot girl walk”00:02:00 - Hold Amaya accountable by punching yourself, and the definitions of the word heal00:04:20 - Origin of the world heal, Ben ponders, and the first thing Amaya thinks of00:06:41 - Part of the healing arc is finding the new normal, and the origin of the podcast00:09:15 - The ways we manage our stress, the importance of feeling okay, and journaling 00:12:21 - Ben’s sage-like advice about forgiveness, and Amaya doesn’t have a time machine00:14:42 - “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” and the concept of erasing memories00:16:50 - Ben takes Amaya down the Michel Gondry rabbit hole  
 
*** Ben would like to apologize to Michel Gondry for calling him Michael; he sincerely apologizes for any undue harm that has befallen Michel’s family as a result of his ignorance.
 
00:19:10 - Ben talks about the curious case of the Caduceus and the Rod of Asclepius 00:21:33 - Different rods… Caduceus, Asclepius, and… OF DEATH!00:23:34 - Using bandaids for attention, imagining getting shot, and the healers of the world00:26:22 - Amaya talks about “The Body Keeps the Score…” by Bessel van der Kolk00:28:31 - Different types of healing, being labeled as an introvert, and conversational burnout00:31:55 - Knowing yourself, being single, social norms, and finding your own stability00:35:54 - Finding comfort in spirituality and hope, and medicinal healing with mushrooms00:38:13 - LSD brain, Timothy Leary, and learning from other people’s drug experiences 00:41:29 - Knowing people struggling with addiction, “Beautiful Boy,” and comedy00:43:27 - Talking about the wonder game “Unpacking” and it’s “narrative” about healing 00:46:29 - The awards won by Unpacking, and how Wren Brier came up with the concept00:49:26 - Minecraft, The Sims, Animal Crossing, and The Last of 1 and 200:52:50 - Amaya’s Rock Band drumming and the healing power of music00:54:01 - Upcoming guest Brian Colburn and his new show My Weekly Mixtape
*** Check out Brian’s show on you favorite podcast services or from the website at https://myweeklymixtape.com/
 
00:58:18 - What the heck is “floor chicken?”01:00:12 - Final thoughts on the word heal