38: A Button Masher's Soul

This week on Side Story, Sylvi and Jack delve into the spooky, scary world of New York City in Control: Resonant. They dig into the paranatural mystery, float around in the shifting gravity, and spend some time talking about the joy of a human-made multimedia bonanza in a world drowning in AI assets. This show wouldn't be possible without your support. Please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/friends_table. Show Notes Who made the art inside Control Resonant?Doug Foster's Art  Chapters 00:00 Introduction 04:48 Control Background and Setting 27:02 Core Mechanics 49:05 Game Structure

This week on Side Story, Ali takes to the stars with long time No Man's Sky players Keith and Darcy, who welcome their newly spaceborne fellow traveler the only way they know how: by letting her sing the praises of alien languages, giving her good advice on hostile orb economies, and interrogating her on why it is she hasn't secured a freighter for herself yet. This show wouldn't be possible without your support. Please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/friends_table. Show Notes Shaboozey - A Bar Song (Tipsy) (No Man's Sky ByteBeat) Featuring Ali Acampora, Keith Carberry, and Darcy Swan Produced by Austin Walker Cover Art by A Liang Chan  Music by Jack de Quidt

Have you heard? The Duke died. Yeah. Yeah. Well that's the thing. The funeral's going to be a whole to-do. Everyone is going to be there, even that little pigeon who just landed in town, Marie. You haven't met her? Well you will. She plays at being grounded but have you seen how she dresses? I just know she'll be trying to get everyone to look her way. That's why I came to you: Because they should be looking my way instead. Yes. The funeral. That's right. No, not "something black." Hm. Disappointing. I thought you had more imagination than that.  Support us on Patreon! Show Notes Janine's Dress Crime Featuring Janine Hawkins and Jack de Quidt Produced by Austin Walker Cover Art by A Liang Chan  Music by Jack de Quidt

What was that sound in the other room? Who is gathering in the Kitchen? Wait, whose body is it we found again? And what the hell is up with the butler? Answer these questions and you'll... well, you'll be on your first step towards solving the mystery of the Incident at Galley House.  This show wouldn't be possible without your support. Please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/friends_table. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 04:46 No Spoilers: The Incident at Galley House 13:32 No Spoilers: Impressions 26:26 No Spoilers: Comparisons to Type Help and The Roottrees Are Dead 34:00 Spoiler Discussion 01:01:34 DEEPER Spoiler Discussion Featuring Austin Walker, Keith Carberry, and Sylvi Bullet Produced by Ali Acampora Cover Art by A Liang Chan  Music by Jack de Quidt

After telling us for months that we needed to play and talk about Kingdoms of Amalur, Jack has made good on the threat. But is it a threat? Isn't Kingdom's of Amalur a classic 'better than you think it is' game of the early 2010s? Once you look past all the legal hoopla (and the politics of 38 Studios' founder), doesn't it have a pretty unique setting and a combat system that lets you pull off, frankly, sick maneuvers? Well. Opinions differ. This show wouldn't be possible without your support. Please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/friends_table. Show Notes Listen to Jack's segment on WCBN on September 8th at 9PM EST Watch Janine play some Kingdom's of Amalur Assassin's Creed Animation Change Featuring Austin Walker, Keith Carberry, and Jack de Quidt, Produced by Austin Walker Cover Art by A Liang Chan  Music by Jack de Quidt

Today, Janine and Ali go to a little world of catboy couriers and witches with high standards: Go-Go Town!, a frenetic city builder that splits the difference between Animal Crossing and Anno. They discuss its myriad tasks (both hands-on and delgated), its numerous vehicles (subway, truck, skateboard, and horse), and its many, many marble-like residents. Support us on Patreon! Chapters 00:00 Introduction 03:41 Go-Go Town!: A Game About Building Up a Little Town 12:11 Wait, What Is Go-Go Town! 19:47 The Courier System 26:28 Does It Have Longevity? 39:29 Early Game vs Late Game 52:31 Final Thoughts and Feelings Featuring Janine Hawkins and Ali Acampora Produced by Austin Walker Cover Art by A Liang Chan  Music by Jack de Quidt

It's music week on Side Story! Keith, Jack, and Sylvi kick off a conversation around music creation game Offbeat, a game about using a toy keyboard and a bunch of input cables as a sequencer to create little jingles as a freelance musician. But of course, this is Side Story, so their conversation quickly ranges to the act of music-making writ large. Show Notes  Yamaha MU80 - Performance Demo The Gen Alpha Melody Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:00 Every Company Only Makes One Good Thing 09:51 What is 'Offbeat' 17:44 Wait, what is a "Sequencer" 31:27 Permission to Make Busted Work 40:46 How Tools Shape Music 01:08:02 Keith Reccomendation 01:14:09 Secret Bonus Track (Deluxe Edition) Go check out the Special Edition 10th Anniverary Marielda Vinyl Album!  Featuring Jack de Quidt, Keith Carberry, and Sylvi Bullet Produced by Ali Acampora Cover Art by A Liang Chan  Music by Jack de Quidt

We talk about friction a lot here on Side Story. Friction as difficulty. Friction as texture. Friction as erotics. But today, as the gem slides onto the lathe, as the clay spins around the wheel, as the brush strokes across the long arm, we talk about friction-as-friction, literally. But I mean, yes, we also talk about it as all that other stuff. Of course. Who do you think we are?  Show Notes Chapters 00:00 Introduction 03:17 Lapidary 31:43 Master of Pottery 58:29 Meccha Chameleon

Gather up your ore nuggets, bind quicksave to an easy to reach button, and prepare to be killed in one hit by a level 1 mole creature because this week, Jack and Austin descend into the Khorinis mines and the magically-sealed penal colony within, delving for the first time into the renowned Gothic series via the newly released Gothic 1 Remake.  Support us on Patreon! Show Notes The Lost Art of Collectivist RPGs by Crocodile Gambit Sin Vega's Gothic 1 Remake Review https://xetoxyc.github.io/gothic-remake-lockpicker/ Go check out the Special Edition 10th Anniverary Marielda Vinyl Album!  Featuring Jack de Quidt and Austin Walker Produced by Ali Acampora Cover Art by A Liang Chan  Music by Jack de Quidt

Go check out the Special Edition 10th Anniverary Marielda Vinyl Album!  Begin. Motion. D4. Nav 3 R4; gather all. D4. D3. Nav 1 R3; Motion. D5. Nav 3 R5. Interface. Scan. Defense. D6. Nav 3 R6; Gather All. Fuck. Defense. Nav 1 D6; Tow. Nav all R1. Exit. Chapters 00:00 Marielda Vinyl Announcemnet 01:33 Intro 05:09 Today's Topic: Duskers 18:43 Introversion's Uplink 22:35 Duskers: When Things Go Bad 43:18 For All Mankind 46:28 Space Horror 51:10 Reentry - A Space Flight Simulator 53:01 Duskers Final Thoughts Support us on Patreon! Featuring Sylvi Bullet and Jack de Quidt Produced by Austin Walker Cover Art by A Liang Chan  Music by Jack de Quidt