Matt Chat

gilgamesh · 26 March 2011, 21:09

Hi guys,

Matt interviews Paul Reiche and Fred Ford, the SF-addicted, D&D loving programmers behind Star Control, Archon and Mail Order Monsters. Enjoy!

[ Show youtube player ]

Wow, as a child those semi virtual action figures would just have blown me away. In fact, they are still tempting.

laffer · 26 March 2011, 23:45

Somehow I missed this in my subscriptions box, thanks for posting... going to watch this one right now, I find that Matt Chat is always very entertaining and interesting.

mattbarton.exe · 27 March 2011, 03:59

Thanks, Gilgamesh and Laffer!

I had some fun watching old 80s toy commercials like Visionaries and Silverhawks, both of which I had totally forgotten about (despite having them). There were so many good toys back then, like Air Raiders, Wheeled Warriors, M.A.S.K., and Captain Power. I guess all people remember is GI JOE and Transformers. Rather a shame.

laffer · 27 March 2011, 04:44

The toy I have the fondest memories of is the Viewmaster, which I still think is quite neat

Not sure if you remember that one?

By the way, just want to say that I really liked this episode, as usual

One thing I really like about your show is how you oftentimes have people on that I haven't heard of before, but where I'm familiar with one or more of the things they have worked on.
Stuff like that is really interesting, I think.

gilgamesh · 27 March 2011, 09:42

For me it was He-Man and Transformers. Especially the latter could easily incorporate USB dongles or memory cards these days. That could be rather awesome.

Matt, do you already have that list of books? Larry Niven is the only author they mentioned that I actually read so far.

Apropos Thri-Kreen, Dark Sun: Shattered Lands is a very decent non-Gold Box D&D game.

gilgamesh · 02 April 2011, 15:12

Here is part two:
[ Show youtube player ]

Just had a flashback. I played that golf game as a kid. It was my third computer game ever. That was fun.

Download Star Control II here

mattbarton.exe · 02 April 2011, 19:57

I obviously haven't played it, as you can see from my pitiful attempts to tee-up in the footage. It does look like fun, though. I remember a mini golf game I played a lot on my Amiga, though I don't seem to remember its name...

I like the golfing games on the Wii quite a bit, though it's a shame the controls always feel loose. If they could really nail that, it'd be awesome.

gimbal · 03 April 2011, 21:41

golf on the Amiga. Mean 18 ftw

Only golf game I owned because I got it for free with an Amiga Power issue if I remember correctly. Was a fun game, the 8 bit graphics only added to the charm

Bloodwych · 03 April 2011, 21:46

Great viewing as always Matt!

TCD · 10 April 2011, 02:34

And here's part III : [ Show youtube player ]

Edit : Just watched the whole bunch and enjoyed it a lot

Cheers Matt

laffer · 10 April 2011, 04:31

They seem like really cool games, I love their attitude about abandonware

gilgamesh · 05 June 2011, 15:00

The Bitcher takes on the Witcher

. Enjoy!

[ Show youtube player ]

Excellent one, Matt.

I was just about to start reading Sapkowski's books on Geralt of Riva. Might be a bit different from your usual Tolkien high fantasy. There is a [ Show youtube player ] as well.

Shoonay · 05 June 2011, 15:10

Great review as always Matt!

Quote:

Originally Posted by gilgamesh

There is a [ Show youtube player ] as well.

The film is a bit cheesy, you really have to love those silly B monster movies to enjoy it.

The monsters are all made of rubber but for it's time it had some cool special effects and an AWESOME soundtrack by Grzegorz Ciechowski.
There's also a 13-episode long TV series: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hexer_%28TV_series%29

gilgamesh · 05 June 2011, 21:19

It seems like Matt Chat 104 draws fire from the fan boys.

I've heard complaints about the lengthy travels before. Some outspoken Geralt addicts even admitted that the game starts out so so and picks up speed after the first levels.

The mediocre translation is an everyday nuisance if you don't happen to live in an English speaking country, though. But that's nothing compared with what they did to Half-Life here. They exchanged the soldiers with robots and effectively changed the whole story.

mattbarton.exe · 05 June 2011, 21:47

Thanks, Gilgamesh. Yeah, I heard the same thing -- oh, you can't criticize game X because you haven't put 100 hours into it. Whatever. I generally expect a game to capture me as soon as the intro/tutorial type stuff is done. If I've played it for four hours and waiting for it to "pick up," I know something's wrong. If you keep on after four hours despite being bored with it, then you're either just determined to finish it or actually like it better than you realize.

It's like those people who sit through bad movies because "I paid for it." I have to laugh at that, because it just means you're paying for it twice, once in cash, the other in wasted time you could be doing something you enjoy more.

But anyway, one of the comments was apparently from a Polish gamer who claims that even the Polish voice acting is bad. That's really the nail in the coffin for me on this one.

Shoonay · 05 June 2011, 21:54

Don't worry about it Matt, haters gonna hate, the more people talk about your show the more people know about your show.

Personally I can't get into the first Witcher, I always get bored right after starting the 2nd act...

And I don't want to play the second one without finishing the first one

gilgamesh · 05 June 2011, 22:07

Many RPG nuts love it. There certainly is something about that game.

andy · 06 June 2011, 07:38

Good grief, what is it about the on-line and modern world that so readily strikes up such animosity (and considers it acceptable)?! Over a game, too! It seems that opinion is a somewhat misunderstood term - unless I'm in the wrong and as it frequently seems, the real meaning is 'your view is okay... as long as it is in line with mine'...

I haven't watched your latest episode yet, Matt and simply can't imagine what you've said to strike up such ire from a presumably thirty-seven year-old individual regarding of all things, your feelings with the game's dialogue. Anonymity and the freedom of a keyboard or not, that response is absolutely unwarranted and I'm only sorry to again see that like so many others across forums and sites, you have to deal with such nonsense.

As I'm uncertain if I've posted about Matt Chat before or not, I'd like to add and perhaps surprise you in saying that I've had little or no knowledge or indeed, previous interest in a great many of the games featured within your videos. Given that and a recent comment of yours in mind, the surprise may come when I say that I've enjoyed every single instalment. My viewing started in the early days and from the start it was a delight to witness such obvious enthusiasm allied with a presentation in which the speaker could capably string a few words together (well, that is your business, I suppose!). I'm someone with a great fondness for language, a person disappointed and slightly irritated with a modern-day international propensity to constantly over-enunciate, utilise strange intonations and utter ever-changing, bizarre pronunciations of even the simplest of words. Where's the clarity, emphasis and interest when the speaker is doing those things all of the time?! Then there's making every sentence sound like a question and using the same phrasing and set of words time after time after time (see: "Look...", "Y'know...", "Sort of...", "Kind of...", "...as well"). Hmm, I digress!

Away from my rambling, please do keep up the good work. It's genuinely a good shoe show - one so informative and entertaining that anticipation of a new feature remains high to this day. By the way, where you feel it applicable, a longer or multi-part form will always be welcome. Later interviews not having to succumb to the bounds of a ten-minute cut-off point has been a real strength in reflecting well on your work and though I appreciate that such a format is not for everyone, it is something that this one viewer would like to see continue.

Now where's Matt Chat 105? Come on, it's been... a whole day!

TLDR version: Boo! Yay! Keep going!

Shoonay · 06 June 2011, 10:14

Here's a silly review of the 2nd game, which sums things up when it comes to the special effects of THE movie

http://www.blisteredthumbs.net/2011/...s-sexy-review/
(around 2:28)

humble worm · 06 June 2011, 11:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by gilgamesh

I was just about to start reading Sapkowski's books on Geralt of Riva. Might be a bit different from your usual Tolkien high fantasy.

Go for it. Almost no black/white crap, lots of politics, plots etc. Greatest strenght of Sapkowski's prose is the language, some of it must be lost in translation but I guess it is still worth reading.

26 March 2011, 21:09	#1
gilgamesh Linux snob Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Monkey Island Posts: 997	Matt Chat Hi guys, Matt interviews Paul Reiche and Fred Ford, the SF-addicted, D&D loving programmers behind Star Control, Archon and Mail Order Monsters. Enjoy! [ Show youtube player ] Wow, as a child those semi virtual action figures would just have blown me away. In fact, they are still tempting. Last edited by TCD; 14 August 2011 at 17:16.

27 March 2011, 04:44	#4
laffer Zone Friend Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Norway Age: 43 Posts: 1,335	The toy I have the fondest memories of is the Viewmaster, which I still think is quite neat Not sure if you remember that one? By the way, just want to say that I really liked this episode, as usual One thing I really like about your show is how you oftentimes have people on that I haven't heard of before, but where I'm familiar with one or more of the things they have worked on. Stuff like that is really interesting, I think. Last edited by laffer; 27 March 2011 at 05:30.

10 April 2011, 02:34	#10
TCD HOL/FTP busy bee Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Germany Age: 46 Posts: 31,522	And here's part III : [ Show youtube player ] Edit : Just watched the whole bunch and enjoyed it a lot Cheers Matt Last edited by TCD; 10 April 2011 at 02:50.

05 June 2011, 15:00	#12
gilgamesh Linux snob Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Monkey Island Posts: 997	Matt Chat 104: The Witcher The Bitcher takes on the Witcher . Enjoy! [ Show youtube player ] Excellent one, Matt. I was just about to start reading Sapkowski's books on Geralt of Riva. Might be a bit different from your usual Tolkien high fantasy. There is a [ Show youtube player ] as well.

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26 March 2011, 23:45	#2
laffer Zone Friend Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Norway Age: 43 Posts: 1,335	Somehow I missed this in my subscriptions box, thanks for posting... going to watch this one right now, I find that Matt Chat is always very entertaining and interesting.

27 March 2011, 03:59	#3
mattbarton.exe Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: St Cloud, MN/USA Posts: 328	Thanks, Gilgamesh and Laffer! I had some fun watching old 80s toy commercials like Visionaries and Silverhawks, both of which I had totally forgotten about (despite having them). There were so many good toys back then, like Air Raiders, Wheeled Warriors, M.A.S.K., and Captain Power. I guess all people remember is GI JOE and Transformers. Rather a shame.

27 March 2011, 09:42	#5
gilgamesh Linux snob Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Monkey Island Posts: 997	For me it was He-Man and Transformers. Especially the latter could easily incorporate USB dongles or memory cards these days. That could be rather awesome. Matt, do you already have that list of books? Larry Niven is the only author they mentioned that I actually read so far. Apropos Thri-Kreen, Dark Sun: Shattered Lands is a very decent non-Gold Box D&D game.

02 April 2011, 15:12	#6
gilgamesh Linux snob Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Monkey Island Posts: 997	Here is part two: [ Show youtube player ] Just had a flashback. I played that golf game as a kid. It was my third computer game ever. That was fun. Download Star Control II here

02 April 2011, 19:57	#7
mattbarton.exe Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: St Cloud, MN/USA Posts: 328	I obviously haven't played it, as you can see from my pitiful attempts to tee-up in the footage. It does look like fun, though. I remember a mini golf game I played a lot on my Amiga, though I don't seem to remember its name... I like the golfing games on the Wii quite a bit, though it's a shame the controls always feel loose. If they could really nail that, it'd be awesome.

03 April 2011, 21:41	#8
gimbal cheeky scoundrel Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Spijkenisse/Netherlands Age: 42 Posts: 6,908	golf on the Amiga. Mean 18 ftw Only golf game I owned because I got it for free with an Amiga Power issue if I remember correctly. Was a fun game, the 8 bit graphics only added to the charm

03 April 2011, 21:46	#9
Bloodwych Moderator Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: I'm behind you! Posts: 3,763	Great viewing as always Matt!

10 April 2011, 04:31	#11
laffer Zone Friend Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Norway Age: 43 Posts: 1,335	They seem like really cool games, I love their attitude about abandonware

05 June 2011, 21:19	#14
gilgamesh Linux snob Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Monkey Island Posts: 997	It seems like Matt Chat 104 draws fire from the fan boys. I've heard complaints about the lengthy travels before. Some outspoken Geralt addicts even admitted that the game starts out so so and picks up speed after the first levels. The mediocre translation is an everyday nuisance if you don't happen to live in an English speaking country, though. But that's nothing compared with what they did to Half-Life here. They exchanged the soldiers with robots and effectively changed the whole story.

05 June 2011, 21:47	#15
mattbarton.exe Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: St Cloud, MN/USA Posts: 328	Thanks, Gilgamesh. Yeah, I heard the same thing -- oh, you can't criticize game X because you haven't put 100 hours into it. Whatever. I generally expect a game to capture me as soon as the intro/tutorial type stuff is done. If I've played it for four hours and waiting for it to "pick up," I know something's wrong. If you keep on after four hours despite being bored with it, then you're either just determined to finish it or actually like it better than you realize. It's like those people who sit through bad movies because "I paid for it." I have to laugh at that, because it just means you're paying for it twice, once in cash, the other in wasted time you could be doing something you enjoy more. But anyway, one of the comments was apparently from a Polish gamer who claims that even the Polish voice acting is bad. That's really the nail in the coffin for me on this one.

05 June 2011, 21:54	#16
Shoonay Global Caturator Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Porando Age: 43 Posts: 6,105	Don't worry about it Matt, haters gonna hate, the more people talk about your show the more people know about your show. Personally I can't get into the first Witcher, I always get bored right after starting the 2nd act... And I don't want to play the second one without finishing the first one

05 June 2011, 22:07	#17
gilgamesh Linux snob Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Monkey Island Posts: 997	Many RPG nuts love it. There certainly is something about that game.

06 June 2011, 07:38	#18
andy Back. Join Date: May 2002 Location: UK Posts: 121	Good grief, what is it about the on-line and modern world that so readily strikes up such animosity (and considers it acceptable)?! Over a game, too! It seems that opinion is a somewhat misunderstood term - unless I'm in the wrong and as it frequently seems, the real meaning is 'your view is okay... as long as it is in line with mine'... I haven't watched your latest episode yet, Matt and simply can't imagine what you've said to strike up such ire from a presumably thirty-seven year-old individual regarding of all things, your feelings with the game's dialogue. Anonymity and the freedom of a keyboard or not, that response is absolutely unwarranted and I'm only sorry to again see that like so many others across forums and sites, you have to deal with such nonsense. As I'm uncertain if I've posted about Matt Chat before or not, I'd like to add and perhaps surprise you in saying that I've had little or no knowledge or indeed, previous interest in a great many of the games featured within your videos. Given that and a recent comment of yours in mind, the surprise may come when I say that I've enjoyed every single instalment. My viewing started in the early days and from the start it was a delight to witness such obvious enthusiasm allied with a presentation in which the speaker could capably string a few words together (well, that is your business, I suppose!). I'm someone with a great fondness for language, a person disappointed and slightly irritated with a modern-day international propensity to constantly over-enunciate, utilise strange intonations and utter ever-changing, bizarre pronunciations of even the simplest of words. Where's the clarity, emphasis and interest when the speaker is doing those things all of the time?! Then there's making every sentence sound like a question and using the same phrasing and set of words time after time after time (see: "Look...", "Y'know...", "Sort of...", "Kind of...", "...as well"). Hmm, I digress! Away from my rambling, please do keep up the good work. It's genuinely a good shoe show - one so informative and entertaining that anticipation of a new feature remains high to this day. By the way, where you feel it applicable, a longer or multi-part form will always be welcome. Later interviews not having to succumb to the bounds of a ten-minute cut-off point has been a real strength in reflecting well on your work and though I appreciate that such a format is not for everyone, it is something that this one viewer would like to see continue. Now where's Matt Chat 105? Come on, it's been... a whole day! TLDR version: Boo! Yay! Keep going!

06 June 2011, 10:14	#19
Shoonay Global Caturator Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Porando Age: 43 Posts: 6,105	Here's a silly review of the 2nd game, which sums things up when it comes to the special effects of THE movie http://www.blisteredthumbs.net/2011/...s-sexy-review/ (around 2:28)

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