[episode] LucasCast Episode 20

[Jae Onasi]

Release date: 9 May 2010

 

Download page: http://www.lucascast.com

 

Summary:

Welcome to number 20! It's packed with 1:48 hours of fun for you.

 

In this episode, we chat about our favorite games as usual, including a game you might not ever have expected Jae to be playing. The movie, Avatar, gets some attention--Darth Groovy was pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable it really was. We share our take on the latest Lucasforums poll, and talk about our favorite threads.

 

We're seeing more info on Alpha Protocol now, which has officially gone gold and is due June 1:

This interview with Avellone, MacLean, and Parker here along with

Joystiq's take on the game.

Links below on AP courtesy of PastramiX:

Best buy pre-order comes with a stealth weapons pack

Uniloc DRM for AP. Game Daily comments, "Unfortunately, we've begun to equate a companies' promises about the painlessness of their DRM technologies to proctologists' promises about the painlessness of their procedures. In fact, that might be the most literal analogy we've ever conjured."

 

Red Dead Redemption is a topic for some serious and not so serious discussion, and the Dragon Age: Awakenings expansion is out.

 

We talk a bit about the different pre-order bonuses that various merchandisers are using to encourage sales.

 

What are the best parts of playing MMOs? The ladies let you know. For Jae, it's the camaraderie of playing with great guilds and fleets like The Lost Haven and Lotus Fleet. For leXX, it's the challenge and excitement of having a coordinated guild of 25 to 40 people working together to take down a boss and accomplish other major game goals.

 

Guild Wars is celebrating its 5th anniversary.

LOTRO is celebrating its Third anniversary.

 

News from around the gaming world:

Always read your TOS on your games....

Nintendo's been hit with a patent infringement suit on Wii items

Australian gamers continue to petition for R18 ratings for games.

Can gamers come up with a better solution to the US national debt crisis? "The USA Today piece reported that Erskine Bowles, who's heading up President Obama's "war on the federal deficit," talked to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer about making a video game that would let anyone "take a stab at balancing the budget.""

Are game companies just making up numbers on how much they've supposedly lost due to piracy? Smells like it to me....

 

Bloopers? In a podcast this long, there are lots of them.

[urluckyday]

YAYAYAYAYAY! Just in time for my drive back to school!

[Jae Onasi]

Hope you enjoy it, and have a safe drive back to school.

[urluckyday]

Thanks again! Had a great time listening to it! Made sure that I didn't fall asleep while driving

 

Can't wait for the next one!

[Bokken]

This was a great cast. There was a ton of actual content in it, and it didn't compromise the comedy.

 

It's pronounced BOW-ken BLAY-der (fifty six). And none of you are the first ones to look at it and think, "Defective organ," so it's fine. But as soon my 1 year limit runs out, I'm changing my damn name!

 

I listened to it last night, so I don't fully remember everything that went on. I might listen to it again so that I can comment.

 

I know that most of you are console-gamers, but the kind of camaraderie that Jae was talking about is rampant on PC games because of utilities like Xfire, particularly in games like SWBF2, which aren't very chat-friendly. I bought Jedi Academy from Steam as part of the Star Wars Jedi Knight collection, but I never got a chance to multiplayer. I might try that after hearing about the socialization.

[swphreak]

Nice episode, the intro music was nice.

 

Avatar - I'm not a fan of how they didn't release any special features with the Bluray. The official word I read was "they wanted to make sure the movie had maximum video quality". They could have put the special features on a separate disc if they wanted. They're just going to release the Special Edition, then the Ultimate Edition, and then the Special Extended Ultimate Edition.

 

About the LF Steam Group - It kinda fell off there. Other things occupied my time and there weren't enough people showing up to make it worthwhile. With Red Dead Redemption coming out next week, I'll definately get LF Game Night going again (at least on the 360 anyways)

 

Star Trek Online - I only played for a month, and got bored with it. Didn't meet my expectations I suppose. Advisory Council? Sounds like EVE Online's Council of Stellar Management.

 

TV sucks!? Dude there's a ton of good shows on: Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, Castle, Bones, Mercy, Parenthood, How I Met Your Mother, and others. My DVR is filled with shows I need to catch up on.

[urluckyday]

^Don't forget the ever-entertaining "The Simpsons!"

[Astrotoy7]

Great work LucasCast crew. Congrats on a milestone 20th Episode.

 

This one was very enjoyable and with zero blood sausage stomach churning moments.... !! It could be just a coincidence that it was because Niner was absent

 

Great work to Jae who is learning soundmistressing 101 on the fly.

 

Cheers to Grooves for giving the info on DirectX 11 - though Billy being a techforum shadow overlord could have told us all that many moons ago and saved/Groovy me the trouble !

 

Lexxy, it's OK if you think horsie games are cool

 

Some other cool threads to mention next time?

 

*The swamps "cool things" thread by Groovy and the AHTO equivalent "cool stuff"

 

*Pavlos "what are you reading?" thread at AHTO

 

*Tech news and gossip thread- get the latest tech related news, with a pc gaming hardware focus, but also news on the impressive new mobile devices on the market. Just like a tech blog but everyone can contribute Passionate but friendly rants are encouraged.

 

Looking forward to no. 21!! \o/

 

It's pronounced BOW-ken BLAY-der (fifty six). And none of you are the first ones to look at it and think, "Defective organ," so it's fine. But as soon my 1 year limit runs out, I'm changing my damn name!

 

lolz. just dont change it to BrokeBacker56, unless you want to continue to draw excessive attention of course

 

mtfbwya

[Pho3nix]

TV sucks!? Dude there's a ton of good shows on: Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, Castle, Bones, Mercy, Parenthood, How I Met Your Mother, and others. My DVR is filled with shows I need to catch up on.

I love those shows too! \o/

 

*edit*

 

haha, you sneaky bastards

[Astor]

Nice opening, although I think For A Few Dollars More is a much better score.

 

I should confess that I haven't listened for some time, and have only 'skimmed' through this episode, but I liked it.

 

And there is NOTHING wrong with wanting to ride a horse! Shame on all of those with dirty minds! [/feigned indignance]

 

TV sucks!? Dude there's a ton of good shows on: Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, Castle, Bones, Mercy, Parenthood, How I Met Your Mother, and others. My DVR is filled with shows I need to catch up on.

 

Only watched Modern Family, and that was only because Julie Bowen was in it - I've liked it so far. Haven't watched any of those other ones - but I agree with the sentiment that TV doesn't suck, especially when i've got Sons of Anarchy and Ashes to Ashes to watch.

[Astrotoy7]

All those shows suck

 

Come now, the wonderful thing about the world is that every one can like different things

 

The only shows that suck in my book are ones that involve:

 

*Vampires

*Teenagers

*Fashion

*Fashionable Vampire Teenagers

 

mtfbwya

[Alexrd]

The only shows that suck in my book are ones that involve:

 

*Vampires

*Teenagers

*Fashion

*Fashionable Vampire Teenagers

 

mtfbwya

 

Yes, I guess that's what suck in my book too. (at least, at the moment)

[leXX]

It's pronounced BOW-ken BLAY-der (fifty six). And none of you are the first ones to look at it and think, "Defective organ," so it's fine. But as soon my 1 year limit runs out, I'm changing my damn name!

 

I still say Broken Bladder is funnier.

 

About the LF Steam Group - It kinda fell off there. Other things occupied my time and there weren't enough people showing up to make it worthwhile. With Red Dead Redemption coming out next week, I'll definately get LF Game Night going again (at least on the 360 anyways)

 

Yeah, it's a shame the game night hasn't really taken off, but I think the time zone differences have been a major factor in that. Hopefully it will get going with RDR posse's.

 

Lexxy, it's OK if you think horsie games are cool

 

Well, lets wait and see the sales figures for Red Dead Redemption to see if millions of people agree with me or not.

 

Nice opening, although I think For A Few Dollars More is a much better score.

 

Anything by Ennio Morricone is awesome, but I think the one we chose is the most recognizable and enduring wild west theme.

 

And there is NOTHING wrong with wanting to ride a horse! Shame on all of those with dirty minds! [/feigned indignance]

 

QFT

 

 

I'm glad you all enjoyed it, and thanks for listening.

[Jae Onasi]

Nice opening, although I think For A Few Dollars More is a much better score.

We picked that one because it was the one that got everyone singing in the middle of the cast. I was laughing so hard I had to turn my mic off in the middle of it.

[ChAiNz.2da]

I'm glad you discussed the "issues" of MMO pricing and I agree with leXX. When I was playing DDO feverishly, I didn't spend ANY money on other games because I was so entertained playing it. Once I settled down.. the expenses definitely took a bite out of the wallet....

 

I really hope some of the doubters will at least give ToR a shot before judging it.. at least on the cost-wise side of things

 

*Tech news and gossip thread- get the latest tech related news, with a pc gaming hardware focus, but also news on the impressive new mobile devices on the market. Just like a tech blog but everyone can contribute Passionate but friendly rants are encouraged.

Yes please. Definitely one of the best "little-known" corners of the forums. Can't count how many times that forum has saved my arse.. and how many threads I've moved over there

 

---

 

Excellent cast gals-n-pals.. keep up the great work. Looking forward to more

[Jae Onasi]

 

I really hope some of the doubters will at least give ToR a shot before judging it.. at least on the cost-wise side of things

I'm hoping Bioware provides a family discount, although I doubt that'll happen. At least 3 in our family, and possibly all 4 of us, are going to be playing. It's going to get very expensive for us very fast otherwise.

[Darth Groovy]

^Don't forget the ever-entertaining "The Simpsons!"

 

You know...I have followed the Simpsons since I was in high school. That show has been on forever. I think it has surpassed just about every sitcom that ever existed at this point as far as time on air.

 

That being said, even though I thought the movie was hilarious, I think the TV show has lost most of it's luster. Most of the episodes over the past couple of years barely even make any sense at all.

 

Hate to say it, but Family Guy is paving new roads for TV entertainment as well as animated series entertainment. It continues to push the limits of censorship into levels I never thought imaginable a few years ago. What makes it scary, is that even my parents are watching it now....holy crap!

[Threepwood4life]

Simpsons hasn't been as good as it use to be for many years now, I was mixed about the movie and I really miss the characters Lionel Hutz and Troy McClure who were voiced by the late Phil Hartman. I mainly watch Family Guy nowadays

 

I'm really looking forward to the return of Futurama which airs in the US on Comedy Central at the end of June with a 1 hour special.

 

BTW did you guys hear about the rumours that Battlefront 3 has been discovered on the Gamespy server lobbies, various servers were up and for each gaming platform, could be something that may appear at E3 next month if its true.

[urluckyday]

You know...I have followed the Simpsons since I was in high school. That show has been on forever. I think it has surpassed just about every sitcom that ever existed at this point as far as time on air.

 

That being said, even though I thought the movie was hilarious, I think the TV show has lost most of it's luster. Most of the episodes over the past couple of years barely even make any sense at all.

 

Hate to say it, but Family Guy is paving new roads for TV entertainment as well as animated series entertainment. It continues to push the limits of censorship into levels I never thought imaginable a few years ago. What makes it scary, is that even my parents are watching it now....holy crap!

 

I think Family Guy is as about original as South Park makes it out to be. They just pick a random celebrity, a crazy action, and a location and put it together for their skits...

 

The Simpsons just has that undeniable charm imho.

[Bokken]

just dont change it to BrokeBacker56, unless you want to continue to draw excessive attention of course

 

Dammit, Astro!

 

BTW did you guys hear about the rumours that Battlefront 3 has been discovered on the Gamespy server lobbies, various servers were up and for each gaming platform, could be something that may appear at E3 next month if its true.

 

Fie. Battlefront III only exists in the naughty, naughty dreams of PC gamers.

[Jae Onasi]

Fie. Battlefront III only exists in the naughty, naughty dreams of PC gamers.

I think your idea of naughty and my idea of naughty might be a tad different....

[Bokken]

Now I feel like I cheated on JK III...