Iteration 211 - Cracking Cleverness

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In this iteration, Josh and Ryan concoct a plan to become more clever, and we learn how to make a hero look clever, as opposed to being really truly smart. But first, we talk about Halloween impending, and we compare Red Riding Hood with Goldilocks. Josh talks about people-watching, and how it might help one's writing. Then Josh plays Dwarf Fortress, Pandemic, and Dungeons & Dragons. Ryan plays The Secret World, and watches Disney's Cinderella and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and comes to an interesting strategy for Dorian Grey to beat his condition.

References and Recommendations:

Join us at Roll for Initiative once every month! http://www.rollforinitiative.ca/

Iteration 209 - How Many Planets are You?

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In this iteration: Ryan laments the shutting down of another one of his online passtimes: Avengers Alliance. Then we get into a long discussion about the planet that was found orbiting Proxima Centauri. With several tangents on Pluto's planetary status, the nature of science, astronomy versus biology, and nerds arguing. Then we get into artificial intelligence. We get into some armchair philosophizing about how society, culture, creativity, and ethics emerge from multiple intelligences. Finally, we are joined by Ryan's daughter Zoey for a review of Disney's Robin Hood animated film. And Ryan talks a bit about the musical style and accents of the film being non-British.

Iteration 207 - Deific Pretensions

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In this iteration: Ryan gets excited about how well Suicide Squad is still doing at the box office, since it means a better chance of getting a Harley Quinn film. This leads to a bit of a side jag onto the topic of superhero costumes in comics versus in film. Josh ponders whether gladiator games from Roman times were creatively scripted the way modern pro wrestling is. Ryan brings us a review of the Lion King, with a little review from Zoey too. And we get a bit in depth as to the meaning and implications of the Lion King story. Then Ryan brings up the topic of pretending to be a god, and when one can consider oneself to actually be a deity.

Iteration 202 - Omniscience and Large Numbers

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We start by talking a bit about Ghostbusters, and then take a swerve into theology for some reason, and about what it would mean to be omniscient. Dwarf Fortress gets an update. And we talk about the real-world events going on in Turkey, and translating coups to a role-playing world. Zoey brings us a review of Ghostbusters. And for our main topic, we talk about the concept of large numbers, omniscience, and managing information in a role-playing game.

References and Recommendations:

Epic Rap Battles of History: Ivan the Terrible vs Alexander the Great https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVbH1BVXywY

History Bites: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0231028/

Iteration 194 - Righteous Anger and Good Guy Rivalries

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In this iteration of the Simulationist podcast, Ryan gives us his thoughts on the Neverending Story Part III. He also reviews a movie called "Sssssss" and we get a review from Zoey on Monster High. And a short review of Dragonball Z Resurrection F. We also talk about our adventures in Minecraft. Josh recaps the season finale of Grey's Anatomy.

For our main topic, we talk about rivalries between good and powerful heroes who nevertheless seem to have beefs with each other. We then spill over into a discussion about why Superman doesn't spend more of his time stopping accidents.

References and Recommendations:

Neverending Story III (1994 film) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110647/

Sssssss (1973 film) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070622/

Monster High: Haunted (2015 film) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4137924/ 

Dragonball Z Resurrection F (2015 film) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3819668/

Grey's Anatomy (TV series) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0413573/

Iteration 187 - Down with Sickness and Corruption

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We talk about the introduction of Toonz animation software to the realm of Open Source software. We talk a bit about Ryan killing filthy humans in The Secret World, and Josh falling down holes of his own making in Minecraft. We have a short discussion about whether it would be better to stop exhisting or to endure eternal torture with a tiny hope of eventually getting out. Some interesting cosmological theorizing. Our main topic this week is a bit of a takeoff from last week. In this week's "corruption" discussion, we turn to the supernatural, the magical, and the cosmic aspects of corruption. From the undead to the nature of the universe itself.

Bonus: Zoey reviews Zootopia.



References and Recommendations:

Lion King plot stolen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimba_the_White_Lion#The_Lion_King_controversy

Iteration 185 - Robot Angel Philosophy

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We start off this week's iteration of the show with a short discussion about actors playing actors, in a kind of recursive reality. And the amount of artfulness that it seems to take to pretend not to be competent at something you're actually good at. In games this week, Josh figured out how to recover a Minecraft save. Has more fun with villagers. Ryan watches and reviews Barbarella (1968 film). Which spawns our main topic for the episode: talking about angels who forget, and whether forgetting is necessary for forgiveness, and whether artificial intelligence should be programmed for forgiveness or forgetfulness, or both. Josh comes up with an idea for a league of drone do-gooders. And we argue about philosophy and morality.

References and Recommendations:

Barbarella (1968 Jane Fonda film): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbarella_%28film%29

Iteration 181 - Primordial Alphabet Soup

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We start by discussing the sport of boxing, and Josh gives his thoughts on his first boxing lesson. We talk about the evolutionary origins of play and sport. Then we turn to a weird tangent about drinking milk and playing sports. Then why do we eat so much of animals but so rarely ever drink animal blood? Then we talk about evolution, how it works, and what it means for making simulations. And will humans ever go extinct? Finally, Ryan rants about how people don't think enough.


References and Recommendations:

James Naismith, the inventor of basketball: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Naismith

Vibrating Football Game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJI9sFJ9RXQ

Iteration 162 - Social Class vs Game Class

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It's Canadian Thanksgiving and Ryan drinks the last egg nog! Josh remembers News Radio (the TV sitcom), and complains about how unrealistic it is(?) Josh and Ryan report on their Minecraft worlds. Josh lost his wolf, and Ryan began his planar sanctuary. Ryan watches Splice, a Canadian science fiction film. And for our main topic, we discuss social classes in our D&D games.

References and Recommendations:

Splice (2009 film) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1017460/

National Novel Writing Month: http://nanowrimo.org/

IFCon http://www.ifconvictoria.com/

Roll for Initiative: http://www.rollforinitiative.ca/

Suzerain: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzerainty

Iteration 149 - To Perfection and Beyond - The Post-Endgame

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In this iteration of the podcast, we talk about what we've been up to in games, and then about elusive perfection, and whether game designers should build in achievable perfection into their games, or whether they should always force a choice, even to the bitter end.

References and Recommendations:

Roll for Initiative Victoria D&D event (correction: this event is July 25):
http://www.eventbrite.ca/e/roll-for-initiative-tickets-17189714900

The Tolkein Professor:
http://www.tolkienprofessor.com/wp/lectures/the-hobbit/

Iteration 147 - Castles

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In this iteration of the podcast, Ryan breaks the Tragedy of the Commons. We talk about our week in Dungeons and Dragons and Minecraft and Internet Television. Ryan talks about battling a second-in-command bad guy. And for our main topic, we go with castles, strongholds, and fortresses, and how they might appear in stories.

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Iteration 143 - The Codification Conundrum

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In this iteration of the show, Josh and Ryan ask the question whether or not codes of conduct are really necessary. We cover real-life codes, like the Comics Code Authority, and fantasy codes, like the paladin's. All the way to the Ten Commandments and Hammurabi's Code. The Dungeons & Dragons alignment system as a code in itself.

Josh and Ryan come up with Hat World, a comic book universe in which all superpowers are granted by hats.

The Helm: http://www.thehelmcomic.com/

Omlevex: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omlevex

Iteration 133 - A Recipe for a Formula

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We start the podcast off with a discussion of alternate universes. We talk about our weekly exploits in Minecraft and Dungeons & Dragons. Then we have a discussion about how an in-story prophecy is like a meta-story formula. Trust me, we wrap it all up by the end.


Cern and Alternate Universes:
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2015/03/22/miniature-black-holes-could-prove-parallel-universes-claim-scientists

Relativistic Swimming:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/surprises-from-general-relativity/

Philadelphia Experiment:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia_Experiment

Roll for Initiative Victoria:
http://www.eventbrite.ca/e/roll-for-initiative-tickets-15951496355

Subscibe to us on iTunes:
http://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-simulationist-podcast/id589774076

Tweet at Josh on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/Spaceboot1

Like us on Facebook and chat with other listeners:
http://facebook.com/thesimulationist

Discuss the Simulationist and other topics on reddit!
http://reddit.com/r/thesimulationist
http://reddit.com/r/podcasts
http://reddit.com/r/dnd

Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/Spaceboot1

Iteration 129 - Tailored Superpowers and In-Game Awards

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We open with a discussion of superhero movies, and our adventures in Dungeons & Dragons, Minecraft, and at the movies. Ryan brings up a beef he has with every superhero. We discuss ways to enhance superpowers. For our main topic, which we get to eventually, we talk about experience awards for players in gaming.

Iteration 126 - Negating Magic

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In this iteration of the podcast: we talk about the ethical quandaries of being the human torch, versus Spider-man. We debut the nefarious pepper bees! Josh reviews Star Trek: Into Darkness. We talk about Josh's D&D class, the surgeon. Ryan continues adventures in Thaumcraft, getting into the meat of Minecraft mods. And for our main topic, we talk about negating magic via Spell Resistance, disbelief, anti-magic, variant psionics, and pretty much every other means. And as an after-topic, we talk a bit about the Super Bowl, and ask what would happen if we had orcs in real life.

Iteration 122 - The Last, or First, of Your Kind

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In this iteration of the podcast, George Lucas shrinks the wookiees. Ryan invents a conspiracy theory that could make The Croods (2013 film) happen on present day Earth. Then Ryan gets into Minecraft mods, especially Mystcraft. And for our main topic, we talk about what happens to your character when you are the last of your kind? And what if you're the first of your kind? What sort of pressure does that put on a person? What would happen if a dwarf enrolled at Hogwarts? And why aren't there more aliens in the Jetsons?

References and Recommendations:

The Croods: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0481499/

Mystcraft http://binarymage.com/wiki/doku.php?id=start

What would happen if all the nuclear bombs were detonated in the same place? http://www.sciencefocus.com/qa/what-would-happen-if-all-nuclear-bombs-were-detonated

Iteration 111 - The Clown Iteration

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In this episode: looking forward to Halloween and National Novel Writing Month. Debate topics: do Halloween costumes have to be scary? How should we do NanoWriMo? Does a great actor need to have terrible life experiences in order to be truly great at acting? The death of Wolverine! Whatever will Disney do? Ryan has a few ideas. We talk about superhero television and films. Who's winning: Marvel or DC? And for our main topic: clowns. Are they inherently scary or evil, or do evil beings choose clown forms because of their perceived innocence?

Iteration 104 - Role-Play All the Things!

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It's a very special Labour Day show! (In which we do the same thing we do every show: talk about 1990s comic books and video games for longer than our allotted time). In this episode, we talk Waterworld, the Victoria Fringe Festival, and the Justice League: War movie! Ryan discovers @Fanfiction_txt's twitter account! Discussion Topic: Role-play All the Things! Josh and Ryan talk about infiltrating all games with the role-playing spirit.

Question for mandatory listener engagement: who is dumber, the Tick or Homer Simpson?


References and Recommendations:

Waterworld! http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114898/

Justice League: War (2014 video) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3060952/

Jamaica (Pirate Ship Race Board Game) http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/28023/jamaica

Iteration 096 - When Death Isn't Permanent

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When Death Isn't Permanent

Josh and Ryan talk about D&D Fifth Edition, plus an assortment of topics, including souls, art, games, and immortality. Josh creates a Mario Clone army, and then invents Cheerirunes (runic alphabits). And for our main topic of discussion, what would happen if death wasn't permanent? We examine this question in fantasy, science fiction, and the world of modern fiction. 



References and Recommendations:

The Nameless City by HP Lovecraft http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nameless_City

Tiny Realms http://tinyrealmsgame.com/

The Long Dark http://hinterlandgames.com/projects

Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition http://www.wizards.com/dnd/DnDNext.aspx

Death Takes a Holiday http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0025037/

Iteration 094 - Analysis Exuberance

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In this iteration:
Josh recommends some of his favourite D&D-related podcasts: Harmontown, an adult podcast about friends and D&D; Critical Hit, a podcast by some guys from Major Spoilers comic book review site; NPCCast, another podcast about table-top and face-to-face games; Brian Posein's Nerd Poker, an actual play D&D podcast featuring comedian Brian Posein; 3.5 Private Sanctuary, a long-time staple of Josh's D&D podcast playlist; Fear the Boot, another established role-playing podcast; Crimson Mystical Mages, Kevin Smith's short-lived attempt at a D&D podcast; Critical Hit, a live D&D show at the Rio in Vancouver BC.

Josh plays the Mine part of Minecraft. Ryan plays Marvel Alliance Tactics. Josh and Ryan discuss the importance of writing things down and keeping statistics of stuff we all encounter as players in games. Ryan talks about how he contributes to the wikis of the games he plays, and how that's a major part of the fun of the game for him. Josh and Ryan talk about winning at video games by reading and analyzing the mechanics from outside the game. Josh and Ryan go on a tangent about the ninja turtles' various weapons, and Josh mentions the bec de corbin. And the ninja turtles take on feral robot zombie deer.