The Geekbox: Episode 50

[Rydog]

The big 5-0! Guest host Patrick Joynt joins us for this week's episode. Enjoy!

[LiQuid]

Was just about to listen to this and remembered I haven't watched Burn Notice yet. Be back in 40, bitches!

[darfox8]

Awesome, I'll listen to it now. Before I do though I'd like to say two things: 1Hr 30M? That's pretty long by Geekbox standards. Does Patrick always cause a time warp where nobody keeps track or time? Longer show isn't a bed thing though.

Also, I see Megaman in the show notes. This better be Ryan Scott's apology for attacking the innocent game MM Legends. For it is one of the best game ever made.

[The__Doctor]

Listening to it now. Have you guys thought about answering some reader questions?

Also i wasn't a big fan of avatar. I would have liked it more if it was an hour shorter, because when i got bored i couldn't think about anything interesting to fill in the gaps. From what i saw they never told you the year the movie took place, how they got to pandora, even what unobtanium (eugh) was used for and why it was so valuable. They might have that information available somewhere online or something, but i dont think its too much to want to know what year it is in an ip without reading the novels.

[mtcantor]

Listening to it now. Have you guys thought about answering some reader questions?

Also i wasn't a big fan of avatar. I would have liked it more if it was an hour shorter, because when i got bored i couldn't think about anything interesting to fill in the gaps. From what i saw they never told you the year the movie took place, how they got to pandora, even what unobtanium (eugh) was used for and why it was so valuable. They might have that information available somewhere online or something, but i dont think its too much to want to know what year it is in an ip without reading the novels.

The year is indicated on the video journal segments. Not really an important detail though if you ask me.

You are right about the unobtanium though.

[LiQuid]

Final Fantasy Tactics was dumb, there I said it.

I'm callin' you out Scott! Put yer fuckin' dukes up!

[darfox8]

Ok Ryan Scott I'm glade your trying out Megaman Legends. In case you read this, here are some tips to help you enjoy the game(since it might be slightly archaic now a days).

-First, you should recognize that it's basically a 3rd Person shooter without the right Analog stick. You run forward and backwards, strafe left and right with the D Pad(same way you would use the Left Analog stick in a modern shooter). But instead of turning or aiming with the Right Analog stick you just do it with the L1 and R1 Buttons. With this mindset the game's controls shouldn't weird you out. You can also switch the control to make it have tank controls(similar to RE4) but I don't recommend it.

-Your Lock On button isn't too useful in Megaman Legends 1. It's the same button you use to "Look Around"(That's how you know that this game is form a different ear. Because it has a "Look Around" Button instead of just camera controls). When ever there's an enemy close by instead of "Looking Around" the camera will just snap to the enemy, but you can't move while this is going on. In Megaman Legends 2 the lock on works how you'd expect. It's basically "Z"-Targeting. Either way there's only a few sections of the game where it's required or intelligent to use your Lock On. Otherwise refer to the next point.

-Circle Strafe is the law of the land. Most bosses don't move too quickly. Run circles around them and keep shooting. This is one of the few criticism you can level against the game but it happens to almost any game where your shooting at something with a life bar.

-Don't expect "Classic" Megaman Structure or experience. There is no stage select or powers to steal from defeated bosses. It's alot more like a linear Zelda game. Aside from a few optional Dungeons(that are pretty small) you always have one "new" place to go. Megaman Legends M.O. is light hearted adventure. So enjoy the bright colors(above ground) and the funny characters.

-Make sure to have a save file before entering Clozer Sub-Gates. This is the only section in the game where you can possibly screw yourself over. After your done with this "dungeon" your sucked into an inescapable boss battle that might be too tough if your in a weakened state. Maybe it only happened to me but when I first played the game I almost had to stop when I got to this point, because I didn't have any other save points to fall back on. The rest of the game doesn't have any danger of this. Multiple save files isn't anything new if you play RPGs but your probably not using this discipline in this game. Just remember when you get your flying ship operational again, to save before you go into this "dungeon".

I realize that they recorded the podcast earlier in the week so Ryan may of already quit playing one of the best games ever(Megaman Legends) but I don't mind filling the first page of this thread with a big fat Legends post. You guys can't do nothing about it now.

Oh and Megaman ZX is pretty cool but the map in the first game is stupid. I heard they fix it in the second game but I never played it.

[indieinsd]

Glad to see Patrick put those bitches in their place this week. Patrick and Karen bringing some logical to those other morons who think that it's a 'black and white' world and you must either 'Hate Avatar' or 'Be an Avatard'.

[achickenchaser]

I think Annie died with the rest of the Darma Initiative on Lost. There was a dead girl laying near a (I think) volleyball net as Ben came back to meet Richard in that episode. I always assumed that was Annie.

[bitblockader]

No better guest for the 50th issue Super-Special.

[KindGalaxy]

This is my favourite episode so far. Now that we have approached renewal contracts (it has been a year); Pizza for Karen should be upgraded to a Value Meal involving a salad-side and choice of soft drink, she's even brought in a worthy voice with regards to Patrick Joynt.

[IcarusII]

Patrick should just take the place of Mike Cruz from here on in. Also, I want to thank mr. And mrs. Joynt/Chu. Finally a viewpoint on Avatar that is balanced and not steeped in snobbery and snide sarcasm. Fair points, both positive and negative, all reasonable and very good, especially Patrick's comment about how the film shows the Military in a positive light and that Avatar is better than SW eps 3.

However, Ryan Scott is right. No more Avatar talk ever. The movie is done. Old news.

I've been playing Mass Effect 2 for a few days now. I'm fairly underwhelmed, guys. I think that Bioware went too far in streamlining some of the rough aspects of the first game. A lot of the RPG elements have been dumbed down or stripped out completely.

Character skills have been pared down and the leveling up process has been simplified, but too much. The inventory system is gone! No more omnigel and selling weapons/armor.

The environments and places you visit feel small. The Citadel in ME2 is but a smaller shadow of it's former self. The Mako missions are gone, which means exploration on uncharted worlds is anemic. The amount of side quests seems to be smaller too.

Still, my favorite aspect of Mass Effect is present and accounted for in Mass Effect 2: The story, the characters, the world that bioware built. It has more personality and has made me laugh on many occasions.

The combat us smoother too, which I guess is nice.

[Pepto]

Yay Mr. Karen Chu.

[lemon-fresh]

I've been playing Mass Effect 2 for a few days now. I'm fairly underwhelmed, guys. I think that Bioware went too far in streamlining some of the rough aspects of the first game. A lot of the RPG elements have been dumbed down or stripped out completely.

Character skills have been pared down and the leveling up process has been simplified, but too much. The inventory system is gone! No more omnigel and selling weapons/armor.

The environments and places you visit feel small. The Citadel in ME2 is but a smaller shadow of it's former self. The Mako missions are gone, which means exploration on uncharted worlds is anemic. The amount of side quests seems to be smaller too.

Still, my favorite aspect of Mass Effect is present and accounted for in Mass Effect 2: The story, the characters, the world that bioware built. It has more personality and has made me laugh on many occasions.

The combat us smoother too, which I guess is nice.

interesting, I think you are one of the few that actually liked all the useless (janky) filler in ME1. In ME2 it seems like they cut out the BS and attempted to deliver a more focused experience. This game feels like it was made for me.

I can understand where you are coming from though, cause it seems like you are into the more tedious time consuming aspects of the RPG genre. I have just always felt that ME's strengths seemed to lie in it's "gameplay mechanics", characters and narrative. By toning down and streamlining the menus and rpg aspects it allows them to better focus the player on the game's strengths, but different strokes for different folks I suppose....

[IcarusII]

I've been playing Mass Effect 2 for a few days now. I'm fairly underwhelmed, guys. I think that Bioware went too far in streamlining some of the rough aspects of the first game. A lot of the RPG elements have been dumbed down or stripped out completely.

Character skills have been pared down and the leveling up process has been simplified, but too much. The inventory system is gone! No more omnigel and selling weapons/armor.

The environments and places you visit feel small. The Citadel in ME2 is but a smaller shadow of it's former self. The Mako missions are gone, which means exploration on uncharted worlds is anemic. The amount of side quests seems to be smaller too.

Still, my favorite aspect of Mass Effect is present and accounted for in Mass Effect 2: The story, the characters, the world that bioware built. It has more personality and has made me laugh on many occasions.

The combat us smoother too, which I guess is nice.

interesting, I think you are one of the few that actually liked all the useless (janky) filler in ME1. In ME2 it seems like they cut out the BS and attempted to deliver a more focused experience. This game feels like it was made for me.

I can understand where you are coming from though, cause it seems like you are into the more tedious time consuming aspects of the RPG genre. I have just always felt that ME's strengths seemed to lie in it's "gameplay mechanics", characters and narrative. By toning down and streamlining the menus and rpg aspects it allows them to better focus the player on the game's strengths, but different strokes for different folks I suppose....

Well, that's fine and good, but this is a Bioware game. It's the first Bioware game I've played that didn't feel like a Bioware game outside of the dialogue. I don't know if you've played or are a fan of their previous games, but I went into Mass Effect expecting an deep RPG core with a strong Third Person Shooter shell. That's exactly what I got with the original Mass Effect. Sure, there definitely was the bit of tedium. The inventory system was a mess and the Mako missions were quite monotonous, and those were things I'd hoped Bioware would improve upon for the sequel. Well, instead of improving them, they removed those outright! A person who expects an RPG enjoys buying and selling and looting new stuff!

Mass Effect 2 is a third person shooter with RPG-lite trappings. It feels lacking in the latter, and I don't know why Bioware thought they couldn't fit in both genres smoothly without crippling one or the other. They almost did it in the first Mass Effect, but they went a bit too far in Mass Effect 2. Something had to give.

I think that's at odds with contemporary games of today, many of which are quietly ADDING RPG elements into their structure.

I feel like Mass Effect 2 was made with the FPS crowd in mind. Well, you Gears of War players will be happy.

[lemon-fresh]

I've been playing Mass Effect 2 for a few days now. I'm fairly underwhelmed, guys. I think that Bioware went too far in streamlining some of the rough aspects of the first game. A lot of the RPG elements have been dumbed down or stripped out completely.

Character skills have been pared down and the leveling up process has been simplified, but too much. The inventory system is gone! No more omnigel and selling weapons/armor.

The environments and places you visit feel small. The Citadel in ME2 is but a smaller shadow of it's former self. The Mako missions are gone, which means exploration on uncharted worlds is anemic. The amount of side quests seems to be smaller too.

Still, my favorite aspect of Mass Effect is present and accounted for in Mass Effect 2: The story, the characters, the world that bioware built. It has more personality and has made me laugh on many occasions.

The combat us smoother too, which I guess is nice.

interesting, I think you are one of the few that actually liked all the useless (janky) filler in ME1. In ME2 it seems like they cut out the BS and attempted to deliver a more focused experience. This game feels like it was made for me.

I can understand where you are coming from though, cause it seems like you are into the more tedious time consuming aspects of the RPG genre. I have just always felt that ME's strengths seemed to lie in it's "gameplay mechanics", characters and narrative. By toning down and streamlining the menus and rpg aspects it allows them to better focus the player on the game's strengths, but different strokes for different folks I suppose....

Well, that's fine and good, but this is a Bioware game. It's the first Bioware game I've played that didn't feel like a Bioware game outside of the dialogue. I don't know if you've played or are a fan of their previous games, but I went into Mass Effect expecting an deep RPG core with a strong Third Person Shooter shell. That's exactly what I got with the original Mass Effect. Sure, there definitely was the bit of tedium. The inventory system was a mess and the Mako missions were quite monotonous, and those were things I'd hoped Bioware would improve upon for the sequel. Well, instead of improving them, they removed those outright! A person who expects an RPG enjoys buying and selling and looting new stuff!

Mass Effect 2 is a third person shooter with RPG-lite trappings. It feels lacking in the latter, and I don't know why Bioware thought they couldn't fit in both genres smoothly without crippling one or the other. They almost did it in the first Mass Effect, but they went a bit too far in Mass Effect 2. Something had to give.

I think that's at odds with contemporary games of today, many of which are quietly ADDING RPG elements into their structure.

I feel like Mass Effect 2 was made with the FPS crowd in mind. Well, you Gears of War players will be happy.

IMO it shows that bioware is able to innovate and not make the same game repeatedly... I think dragon age will still be there to carry the hardcore rpg torch though.

The original ME did shooting better than it did the RPG aspects so it makes sense that they would choose to tone down the RPGness and focus on refining the shooting. Actually, in a sense they also refined the RPG elements into their key components, and they succeeded in avoiding that bloated feeling of the first game.

[Ninjabear]

On the subject of Horde children character models in WOW, I want to see some Undead childern.

[Resa F]

The original ME did shooting better than it did the RPG aspects so it makes sense that they would choose to tone down the RPGness and focus on refining the shooting. Actually, in a sense they also refined the RPG elements into their key components, and they succeeded in avoiding that bloated feeling of the first game.

What? Seriously? The shooting wasn't bad but the combat on the whole was a tad unwieldy. The RPG elements worked really well I thought. Ah well, I've yet to aqquire Mass Effect 2 (Godsdamn regional release dates). On the podcast, I swear I've laughed out loud at the past 2 than for most of the other ones combined. Also, I don't care if it's Patrick or Mike, they both have awesome laughs.

[Mr_eX]

Good episode

About Patrick's comment about Avatar jumping the shark with the mech knife fight, it's not really jumping the shark if you never come down.

I agree that the Avatar talk is getting old(I do want to hear Ryan's opinion of it after he's seen it) but I would rather have more Avatar talk than more WoW talk.

[Nico]

I feel like there is no issue with the avitard talk, it is a current issue.