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On this week’s show the Humans(Joe, Caleb, & Jason) talk Ant-Man updates, California and Google butting heads, Cumberbatching(Benedict style), Robotic hands that “feel,” and freaky snakes that can fly without the need of a plane. Plus, some of their favorite game design aspects.
Listen live Thursdays from 7pm to 9pm on 103.3 FM KSCU Santa Clara, or live online at http://www.kscu.org/
Download the podcast from itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/robots-attack/id482307785?mt=2
Show Notes for 02/6/2014
# New Releases
In Theaters:
1. The LEGO Movie:
An ordinary LEGO minifigure, mistakenly thought to be the extraordinary MasterBuilder, is recruited to join a quest to stop an evil LEGO tyrant from gluing the universe together.
2. The Monuments Men:
Based on the true story of the greatest treasure hunt in history, The Monuments Men focuses on an unlikely World War II platoon, tasked by FDR to go into Germany, rescue artistic masterpieces from Nazi thieves and return them to their rightful owners.
3. Vampire Academy:
Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, half human/vampire, guardians of the Moroi, peaceful, mortal vampires living discretely within our world. Her legacy is to protect the Moroi from bloodthirsty, immortal Vampires, the Strigoi. This is her story.
Video Games:
1. Fable Anniversary (360)
The full HD, definitive Fable experience. Fable Anniversary includes all-new Xbox 360 exclusive content, including Achievements, The Lost Chapters and Xbox SmartGlass integration.
2. Outlast (PS4, PC)
Investigate the inside of Mount Massive Asylum and live to uncover the mystery.
3. Dustforce (PS3, Vita, PC)
In Dustforce, players stylishly flow through precarious environments, sweeping up dust, leaves, trash and slime. The cleaners face off against the four Sprites who are determined to make a mess of the whole world.
4.The Wolf Among Us: Episode 2 – Smoke and Mirrors (Xbox 360, PC, PS3)
5. Surge Deluxe: (Vita)
the block-matching puzzle game that promises to electrify your fingertips with lightning fast gameplay, unique mechanics & strategic depth.
6. Dominique Pamplemousse (PC, iphone/ipad)
A unique and offbeat stop motion musical detective adventure game about gender and the economy.Featuring:- A minimalist point-and-tap interface!- Artwork made of clay, cardboard, and love!- A soundtrack of wacky brass music!- A cast of odd characters who aren’t quite who they seem!- People frequently bursting into song!
Music:
1. After the Disco – Broken Bells
The second full-length album for the duo of James Mercer and Brian Burton follows the release of a short film with Kate Mara as an astronaut and Anton Yelchin as her lover, Oliver.
2. Moon – Snowbird
The debut collaborative release from Stephanie Dosen and Cocteau Twins’ Simon Raymonde was supported by Philip Selway and Ed O’Brien of Radiohead, Eric Pulido and McKenzie Smith of Midlake, Lanterns on the Lake’s Paul Gregory, and Jonathan Wilson.
3. So Long, See You Tomorrow – Bombay Bicycle Club
Produced by lead singer Jack Steadman, the fourth release for the indie band was written while traveling in Asia and Europe.
4. Along the Way – Mark McGuire
This is the third full-length solo release for the former Emeralds guitarist.
5. Dead – Young Fathers
This is the second full-length studio release for the Edinburgh-based hip-hop trio of Alloysious Massaquoi, Kayus Bankole, and Graham Hastings.
DVD/Blu-Ray:
1. Banshee Chapter – DVD – A fictional film based on the real experiments run by the CIA using mind altering chemicals
2. Dallas Buyers Club – Blu/DVD – Based on the real life drama of a Texas man who finds himself at odds with the US pharmaceutical companies and US government. So he, in the grand American tradition takes matters into his own hands and collects alternative medicines though all available means. He also obtains supplies for other HIV positive people in his community.
3. Doctor Who: The Complete 6th Season – Blu/DVD – This set combines the two parts of this season into one glorious collection with hours of bonus material
4. Escape Plan – Blu/DVD – A pair of 80’s action movie legends combine their talents in this epic prison break movie
5. Free Birds – Blu/DVD – A pair of turkeys (the large birds, not anything else) decide to take turkey off the Thanksgiving menu, by going back in time to change history.
Comics:
DC:
1. Movement #9 – Batgirl goes to Coral City tacking down a meta human trying to join the Movement – Written by Gail Simone with art by Freddie Williams
2.And a listener recommendation from last week – Earth 2 Annual
Marvel:
1.Loki: Agent of Asgard #1 – Loki is a one man secret service, and he’s prepared to do what it takes to get the job done. Even if it means breaking in to Avengers Tower … oh who are we kidding he’d do that for giggles. – Written by Al Ewing with art by Lee Garbett
2.Ms. Marvel #1 – An ordinary girl from Jersey City, suddenly becomes extraordinary when she is given the powers of Ms. Marvel. Written by C. Willow Wilson with art by Adrian Alphona.
Not the Big 2:
1. Apocalypse Al #1 – Image – Alison Carter is about keeping the world ending day in and day out. But her latest assignment could be her last. This is the first in a four issue mini series. Written by J. Michael Straczynski with art by Sid Kotian.
2. Lobster Johnson Get Lobster #1 – Darkhorse – When a ref is killed live by seeming mad and bulletproof wrestlers, who could be the source of this? Written by John Arcudi & Mike Mignola with art by Tonci Zonjic
3.Judge Dredd: Mega City Two #2 (of 5) – IDW – Dredd is going undercover with a motorcycle gang of bloodthirsty artists? Things are very different in Mega City Two. Written by Douglas Wolk with art by Ulises Farinas
4.Grimm the Warlock – Dynamite/Dynamic Forces – Based on the hit NBC show. International tensions are up as a murder during Chinese New Year sparks questions. Can Nick keep his secret of being a Grimm away from his partner and still slove the crime?
Web:
No web this week.
News:
1. Netflix pulls in comparable revenue as HBO, but HBO currently makes more profit – http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/netflix-now-pulls-in-almost-as-much-revenue-as-hbo-but-hbo-is-far-more-profitable-1201087683/
2. Amazon Acquires Double Helix – http://techcrunch.com/2014/02/05/amazon-acquires-video-gaming-studio-double-helix-games/
3. New Insight into Shape of Flying Snake – http://www.livescience.com//42958-how-flying-snake-glides.html
4. Evangline Lilly joins Ant-Man production http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/02/06/evangeline-lilly-up-for-marvels-ant-man
5. Seth Rogen is writing a ‘Preacher’ TV series for AMChttp://feedly.com/e/3a3AhHWn
6. California orders Google to move floating barge from current construction site http://feedly.com/e/P889NbJ4
7. Easily Update Ancient Stereos With ION Audio’s Bluetooth Cassette http://feedly.com/e/qGV14-3l
8. Sledgehammer making the next Call of Duty game http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/02/06/sledgehammer-games-developing-2014s-call-of-duty-release
Robot Story:
Robotic hand with *real* sensory feedback – http://news.yahoo.com/man-gets-first-prosthetic-hand-feel-202300302.html
Geek Talk:
No talk this week.
– Caleb
– Jason:
– Joe
Caleb’s Corner:
* Who the heck are the Guardians of the Galaxy? – Today: Drax the Destoryer
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drax_the_Destroyer
* Current Origin – His prison transport crashes in Alaska. He befriends and protects a young girl named Cammi. While fighting with the other inmates he is killed. But instead of staying dead, a leaner, smarter, more agile Drax emerges from the shell of his former self. His story ties to Gamora when they are both infected and taken over by The Phalanx, a race of beings infected with a techo-organic virus. After being released from by the Phalax, he is recruited by Peter Quill/Star Lord into the Guardians.
This leaner version of Drax is who Dave Bautista will be playing.
His powers are fairly straight forward, he has improved speed, strength and senses. He is also psyically more durable. His “kicker” ability is that he can pass through Thanos’ force field.
His career as a solo comic has been mixed. No writer has made a very compelling version of him yet. Hopefully the movie will maybe give us a more rounded character.
Thanos will be discussed later, but for now just know he’s one of the BIG baddies of the Marvel universe.
or
Jason’s Fixation:
No Fixation this week.
Joe’s List:
No List this week.
or
The Core:
We discuss some our favorite game design aspects.
Caleb
– co-operation – Guardians of the Multiverse
– shared competition – Cards Against Humanity
– story telling – dice and paper RPGs, and CCGs like Magic the Gathering and 7th Sea
Jason
7th Sea – really like the sword play element, where the cards were reused in new ways
– customization of the individual in game characters
Joe
– Personalization – you can make your deck and style your own, or a theme.