PCGP Episode #176: Demi-Fraps
It’s Demigod uncut this time as we are toiling in game for the podcast again. See how a newbie can adjust while talking all things this week in PC gaming. It is very important you check out the video for this podcast in place of the audio or as well as.
May 22nd, 2009 at 12:16 am
First! Also, will the link be posted on the video podcast site?
May 22nd, 2009 at 12:28 am
workin’ on that part
May 22nd, 2009 at 1:56 am
Hey, Vietcong 1 was actually a really awesome Vietnam game. At least, I remember it being awesome…
May 22nd, 2009 at 7:04 am
Omg.. i <3 demigod, torchy n beast ftw x)
May 22nd, 2009 at 9:40 am
There was a Duke3D TC called Napalm. It was a Vietnam War game… it sucked, but I loved it as a kid.
I agree about Wing Commander… that twist in WC3 when you find out Hobbes is a traitor was THE most shocking moment I could remember in a PC game.
May 22nd, 2009 at 10:24 am
hey cool they used my idea allright and the video podacst for it is really awsome. well thanks guys
May 22nd, 2009 at 10:58 am
Guys, the gamecasts are not doing it for me. I know the idea sounds entertaining, but it’s like trying to have a conversation with someone who’s playing a game and only giving you half of their attention and won’t even make eye contact. The distraction is evident, with pauses mid-sentence, or even the complete interruption of a thought because something just happened in the game.
I really don’t care who’s attacking what, it’s not what I listen for. News is sparse on these gamecasts because it takes so much time to get through just one or two stories. I seriously had to skip through half an hour to get through play-by-plays of what you were doing in Demigod, and even when you got to the listener questions it sounded like you couldn’t be bothered.
I hope it doesn’t sound like I’m just bitching it up, but let’s just please focus. A podcast without narration of something else is a better podcast.
You know, it’s been too long since the last Catfantastic.
May 22nd, 2009 at 11:33 am
I actually liked it but can understand what Vegan is talking about. Maybe you should do this once a month so that you don’t distract from the news and opinions we’ve all come to love about the podcasts.
I really enjoyed watching your game, its one I’ve been thinking about getting for a while and it’s a great way to showcase the games that you really like. Make sure if you continue to do it to explain what is going on for those of us that haven’t played the game. I would also say to only choose games that are slower paced so that you can give as much attention to the podcast as possible. An easy L4D and demigod seem to have been good candidates so far. I would steer clear of TF2 and the like as they’re a bit too fasted paced.
What you also might be able to try is to use a web conferencing tool to show one persons screen. That way, they could play a single player game and everyone could watch. Another benefit of this is that all the spectators would not be as distracted and could give as much attention to podcast as needed. You’d obviously take it in turns but it allows you to show off the single player games that would otherwise be looked over if you continue this play as you talk podcast. I’ve love to see one of you playing Plants Vs Zombies while the others are all heckling at you! I’ve played the demo of Peggle and wasn’t that impressed. If you did Peggle in one of these podcasts, it might sway me. Might…
May 22nd, 2009 at 12:27 pm
I’m definitely in Vegan’s camp here.
The L4D themed episode was bearable, but I just turned this episode off after a while.
May 22nd, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Norm and Evan: how come neither of you are this calm when we’re playing TF2 7v7 TWL? We should do a joint PCG / G-C podcast during our next Team FU match. Now THAT would be entertaining. ;D
May 22nd, 2009 at 12:56 pm
I agree with Vegan. I fell asleep during this session.
May 22nd, 2009 at 2:01 pm
cant wait till tf2 updater is done
May 22nd, 2009 at 3:57 pm
I am not a big fan on playing games on a podcast. I have no clue on what you are doing at all and the 1 to 2 second sudden random breaks in talking make the podcast really bad. You guys usually have a really “professional” standard for your podcasts.
I am also having my virus scanner AVG complain when I come to this page. It doesn’t like your description_selections.js JavaScript.
May 22nd, 2009 at 4:41 pm
Yeah, what most of them said. These “play a game as a podcast” sessions blow. If you’re going to have a game clip, or segment to add to the conversation, that’s cool, but enough of these experimental quasi-narrative gameplay rambles.
May 22nd, 2009 at 5:27 pm
Andy B says Plants Vs Zombies is “super fun”.
That’s a box quote right there. ^_^
Also, I do appreciate the attempt at injecting energy into what has become something of a stale podcast formula. I just don’t think it works. Better go back to Master PC Theater!
May 22nd, 2009 at 5:53 pm
ok if you arent wachen the podcast and just lisen to it then your not getting the full experencs. you can go to the PCG vidoe podcast and see the game wile there talkeing. it makes it a lot better and you can wach them play and see what they are talkeing about. so try that out before you start to complain alot about the podcast. All though i do see were your comeing from but still. but i do like Pani siad about how you can have one person playing wile the rest are doing the podcast so people can wach the game and get the full podcast.
@vegan- OK when there talking you about the game there telling poeple who havent played the game wat it is about so they arent lost during the video podcast. so it is ur mixcher of gameing news and wat this game is about and the machanixs. But still try to wach the vidoe and see if that helps you out. cuase i injoyed it but i guess if most people dont like it even then then I guess they would have to stop it.
May 22nd, 2009 at 6:40 pm
wildcat, watching the video version is something that I just would never do. I listen to podcasts while I’m at work and in the car. The video podcasts that I do sit down and watch are ones that are actual internet TV shows (like Tekzilla and Systm on Revision3); that’s a bit different than talking heads doing news and letters. Cool for the people that enjoy watching the PC Gamer Video Podcast, but it would be a shame if the format changed in such a way that the audio listeners were left behind with a sub-par product.
May 22nd, 2009 at 6:55 pm
+1 what Vegan said.
I’m a long time listener and forever PC gamer. I look forward to the podcasts. I was hoping the last podcast while gaming was just a one time expirement. Having only half of your attention on the podcast, statements about the game being interjected mid-sentence, and the keyboard noise make the podcast less than great. Often, I’m forced to listen to podcasts in less than ideal cirumstance (traffic noise, talking, etc..). It’s hard to hear the podcast when there’s noise on both ends. I like watching others playing PC games and I like listening to podcasts about PC games. I’m not overly thrilled about the two being mixed.
I’m looking forward to more podcasts and the arrival of my PCGamer mags.
Keep up the good work.
PS My kids love feeding and watering the squirrels (about 12-15) that live in our trees
May 22nd, 2009 at 7:11 pm
This worked so much better with the Left 4 Dead one than this week for whatever reason. I get the idea that maybe this was a slow news week in the world of PC Games which is the right time to do something like this but I think with a different game that requires less attention be paid to it and maybe serve it up in smaller chunks.
On another note, Vega is right, it has been far too long since the last Catfantastic, Logan is slacking off.
May 22nd, 2009 at 7:53 pm
@wildcat
Dude, spellcheck. Kthx.
May 22nd, 2009 at 10:28 pm
Woo n Yay, my question got in
I have to agree with some of the people here that its kinda irritating to litsen to someone that dont pay full attention on what they are doing.
Nice idea and try, but no thx
May 23rd, 2009 at 12:41 am
I honestly don’t like the idea of a “Gamecast” because it just doesn’t sound right for me. I listen to you guys for the news and humor but the gamecast is a huge distraction. If you want to do a gamecast make it an additional podcast and don’t mix it in with the normal podcast. You wouldn’t text on your cell phone while talking to the person next to you, so why would you play games while talking to us?
I honestly dont care about Demi-God because it isn’t my kind of game and it’s worse when that surrounds my favorite podcast.
PLZZZ, dont do this again.
May 23rd, 2009 at 4:18 am
Omg please don’t play games while podcasting because again like the L4D one you randomly say something to what we can’t see and it’s like your minds are all on something else and theres pauses between everything and it’s like you ain’t interested in talking.
I can’t listen to more than 10 mins of this podcast…. retarded idea.
May 23rd, 2009 at 4:52 am
M.. It would be a lot more fun to see how [at least] one of you guys play, instead of watching everything from ’spectator’. Really, i’m more interested in where you guys put level up points, what gear u get, how do u use skills, not how the battles go..
May 23rd, 2009 at 6:04 am
Hey guys,
Google is warning me about MALWARE when I go to pcgamerpodcast.com
It’s probably something you should look into…
May 23rd, 2009 at 1:54 pm
Were do you see spell check on this form no were. Sorry about my bad spelling i cant really help it because im just a really bad at spelling i will to look over what i write but i cant garente its going to help much.
May 23rd, 2009 at 2:42 pm
@wildcat
Firefox has spellcheck built in.
May 23rd, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Hey guys I also have to voice my opinion on the “gamecast” idea. While a novel, I definitely prefer straight old news and commentary over in game ramblings with occasional non game related snippets. Now, the idea of you guys walking through the multiplayer component of a particularly good game is a fantastic idea, just not as a podcast. If you can figure out how to make this a video only, with the commentary as an overlay… so we can see whats going on… that would be really cool. Just don’t do it in place of the podcast.
May 23rd, 2009 at 3:24 pm
That malware thing I posted about earlier, its gone now… or at least google aint telling me about it anymore
May 23rd, 2009 at 6:37 pm
Like people are saying, I didn’t enjoy this game cast. For L4D perhaps it was simple enough that you could focus mainly on the podcast, but in this you were obviously too distracted. I appreciate the attempt but these game casts shouldn’t take the place of regular ones. In fact I would love you guys to just record yourselves playing some games together every once in a while, but keep it separate from the podcast.
May 23rd, 2009 at 7:42 pm
I didn’t enjoy it either.
First you have to explain the game to those who don’t know what it is or how to play it.
Then you discuss things while you are playing a game, so instead of giving your usual insight into things, those involved in the podcast are only giving a limited amount of attention.
Also, I think it sounded like Evan was chewing something during the podcast, it got so bad I was not able to listen to the last half, it was too annoying.
May 24th, 2009 at 4:31 am
+1 to what Scipio said.
I didn’t enjoy it.
It sounded like Evan was chewing gum while he was talking. That just added to the annoyance factor of the keyboard clicks in the background.
Just keep the focus of the podcast on one thing or the other. The game or the news, not both.
Also AVG and Google is giving me a warning about the site.
May 24th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
IMHO it would be best if you recorded these seperately. An audio podcast that is all news and commentary etc. And also a in-game video podcast where you describe the game and basically review it while playing. This means talking about how you like to play the game and showing the player how to play. This would have a triple use for the viewer in being that we would get the same wonderful PCG Podcast that we’ve come to know and love, as well as finding out more about a game we may be thinking of buying at the same time as we kind of learn to play said game.
Thanks for listening to my rambling,
Aounfather
P.S.
Also seeing the game from the perspective of one player while they were describing the play experience would be a lot better than the god’s eye view where we have no clue what you are doing.
May 25th, 2009 at 2:59 am
I have to chime in as another person who doesn’t like the gaming podcasts. They’re just awful, when compared to a regular podcast. Everyone seems to be a half-second slow responding to each other, and there seems to be less commentary overall. I think people are distracted and just don’t respond to what’s being said, and that makes for a worse podcast.
When you guys are actually talking about the game you’re playing it’s okay. It seems to flow well then. But if the topic isn’t the current game, things fall apart. It’s really awful.
PLEASE don’t make this the normal podcast format. I would probably unsubscribe. It just doesn’t work.
May 25th, 2009 at 7:01 am
– PC Gamer Staff - This really didn’t work for me. You have by now read all the above remarks, I second them, it was painful to endure. even the video was not interesting at all - props to you guys for trying some thing different, just this time it didn’t work. I think as an occasional “bonus” episode it could be fun and I think it could work with some editing.
May 25th, 2009 at 11:39 pm
Need moar catfantastic to make up for this failure!
May 25th, 2009 at 11:53 pm
I’ll trade this:
http://failblog.org/2009/05/25/dryer-fail/
for more Catfantatic.
May 26th, 2009 at 12:03 am
I like the video but find the value of the show as an audio podcast lacking, which is a shame because I think of podcasts as something I can listen to in the car or to get to sleep, not sit at the computer watching.
May 27th, 2009 at 11:25 am
I popped on to leave some thoughts about the in-game podcasts, but it looks like lots of people beat me to it. It’s a great idea that just doesn’t pan out in practice. People are distracted, no other gaming topics get discussed, and the description of the game being played just isn’t vivid enough to convey it to the audience.
It really is a good idea, though. Have you considered maybe just having a couple people play, with the others doing a podcast as usual and offering commentary? That way the commentators could give their full attention to describing the game at hand and, at slow moments, actually having a conversation.
May 27th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
@seamonkeydoo
or they could just record the podcast and gamecast separately so that podast listeners will be happy and the gamecast viewers will be happy as well.
May 27th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
AVG is still not happy with your site. Could you please check your javascript code.
May 27th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
@Aeshir
I don’t have firefox so thats why i dont have spell check.
May 27th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
@wildcat
Then get it. There’s absolutely no reason to be using IE over Firefox.
May 28th, 2009 at 11:20 am
Didnt like the podcast, sorry. When u guys lost focus so did I. Prob made it through 1/3 of the cast. Props for trying something new, but maybe this isnt a winner?
@Aeshir. Get off wildcat’s back. this isnt the place. No one likes a grammar nerd. yaeh? (sic)
May 28th, 2009 at 11:21 am
I like the idea, trying to contain the news in it is a little tricky though. Doing it as a shorter thing — a long time ago, PCG used to have a strategy section in the back of the mag, usually on one or two games. Perhaps doing something like this as one of those. Here’s a 15-minute walkthrough of the first level of this awesome new shooter we’re excited about! sort of thing
May 28th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
@Tweak
When just using text, it can be hard to be informative without sounding like an ass. Sorry if I offended you, wildcat.
June 1st, 2009 at 5:04 am
Probably the most boring podcast ever.
June 1st, 2009 at 4:58 pm
Holy cow everyone beat me to the punch.
Ditto on everyone else about great idea, but really bad execution. Something like a gamecast would require a lot of production effort to pull off right, and it seems like you guys are already busy as it is.
Otherwise great job on the podcast, I subscribe to the magazine only because of to support podcast. In fact I don’t even read the magazines, they just sit there.