The Giant Beastcast: Episode 245

2

hot take- gaga performance at superbowl was legit underwhelming. the theatricality was there, but it was completely anodyne in a way that i found disappointing. for an artist that sold herself on being at least mildly subversive it felt rubber-stamped by a censor board.

there will never be another purple rain in the rain.

Team Vinny.

If the listener who asked about visiting new york is reading this, my suggestion is to go see the knicks game. Alex was wrong, there are a ton of tourists that go to the game. At least 35-40% of the crowd will be tourists. Especially if the visiting team is a good team. I was there for a game in the spring (a tourist) and there were so many European tourists there.

MSG is an iconic basketball arena. And is also a really really nice building inside.

You can see world class theatre in Ireland and a short trip away in England. You can't see the nba live over there.

Couldn't Jeff's kid just watch Jeff play XCom?

Great podcast as usual. I’m on team hear you all talk about video games more. Also team watch you guys stream playthroughs of games more.

I hate sleep. I mean, it's not bad, but I always feel I'm missing out on everything that keeps running when I don't.

Please stop yukking my yums.

Team Vinny! Talk about the games you're playing and loving Vinny! No matter how old or how long you've been playing them.

I’m an official “Jeff Fan” but cmon this is Team Vinny all the way. Between hearing what Vinny has been playing and enjoying and spending 7 HOURS hearing what Jeff’s son doesn’t want to play I’ll take Vinny. I mean Jeff’s kid isn’t even on the podcast why does he get a bit!

Team Vinny, always.

More Vinny playing XCOM 2 and Abby playing Sims personal challenges would be neat! Always hope to see more of those 'shows'.

Heads up guys! XCOM 1 Complete, XCOM 2, and War of the Chosen are all on super sale on GMG right now (70%-80% off). Just picked em all up and I'm gonna try em out for the first time. Thanks Vinny!

@fnert_bjerglen: Uh, yeah, I know. My comment was meant as a compliment and an endorsement of a fun stream to watch, not a life changing career suggestion.

When exactly did Kentucky Route Zero become an “all-text” game?? It’s a point and click adventure game, not a visual novel. Yes, the puzzle stuff is pretty easy, sometimes toyish and the mechanics are basic, but it is not “all-text”. The very beginning of the game where you go into the basement you have to solve a puzzle - it’s a very short one, but it isn’t just text.

Hahah, I'm glad you called in some expertise for the email segment.

What is the reason for no video casts? Im sure they've talked about it before. If you made these videos I would watch em and so would lots of others, I literally cant stare at a spinning cassette tape for several hours. I spend most my time in the bathroom or in bed and I cant stay engaged in something I can't see. I also watch them on my tablet so if I switch windows or anything I lose the stream. Am I the only person here who wonders why a high tech video lab like giant bomb east doesnt produce video morsels of podcasts.

Even in the hospital bed ive been in for the past week I cant do the podcast because I gotta stay seated on this page to do so.

xcom2 wotc vanilla is good to have a playthrough for

but tbh the client is just a mod platform to "roll your own" stack of a completely customized game

i played one campaign vanilla and then 1700 hours modded (not counting modding hours)

once you feel comfortable i would also recommend ironman even if you think its extremely not your thing; having to live with the consequences of your actions and actually having to restart is actually much better to build skill and the higher difficulties (and mods for this) are extremely rewarding.

@steveurkel: I think Vinny and Abby addressed this at some point. The room they're recording in is too small to set up a the necessary gear plus it would add a lot of cumbersome micromanagement.

The podcast is available for download or streaming on a multitude of platforms, so you don't have to look at at a spinning cassette tape unless it's something you enjoy.

Some “nice light cardio” this guy says.

I'm really curious where Alex heard people are happy with the Age of Empires remasters. Everywhere I look it's nothing but "dumpster fire" complaints. I only tried AoE II through PC Game Pass and, uh, it's pretty spotty, especially with the 4K texture pack (on a PC with waaaay better specs than recommended).

They totally stripped the names out of Techmobowl for the switch and NES Classic versions

Lady Gaga's Roof jump and drone scene were pre-recorded. She was just lowered down from the rafters live.

It sounds like Abby might have Oral Allergy Syndrome if eating raw fruit makes her ears and mouth itch. You can look up which pollens you react to and see which food allergies are correlated. I have OAS and it sucks.

The Dan call was an unexpected treat. Surprised there isn't more buzz about it in these comments.

I can't imagine not liking cheese, to the point of ordering things without it. That's crazy to me. You might have a bit of a rough time finding food in the US, then. Lots of crap has cheese on it here.