Iteration 203 - The Superhero with a Thousand Faces

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We start this week's discussion off with our thoughts on the new trailer for the Justice League movie. Josh reports on Being John Malkovich, Harmonquest, and a documentary called Marwencol. Ryan reports on the Fantastic Four movie, and speculates whether it needed the particular IP, or whether it would have been a better movie if it had been a standalone movie with its own unique characters. From there we just talk about superhero stories. And veer into Hitler toward the end, just because.

References and Recommendations:

Justice League (2017 film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0974015/

Being John Malkovich (1999 film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120601/

Marwencol (film and book): http://marwencol.com/

Venger Satanis (RPG books): http://vengersatanis.blogspot.ca/

Iteration 193 - The Graveyard Battle

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We start the podcast off with some banter about learning to draw. How even if all you can draw is stick figures, that's a place to start. Then Ryan talks about another Buccaneer Days' Festival in Esquimalt, and we talk about the design of theme parks, roller coasters, and carnival rides. Then we talk about Disney Infinity shutting down, and segue into a conversation about the ephemeral nature of online games, and a comparison to the carnival. Our main topic this week is about a story concerning a battle in a graveyard that involved 200 people. From there we examine the nature of death and memory, what to do with dead bodies, ethnicity, gang violence, government corruption, religion, and whether or not this story qualifies as weird enough.

References and Recommendations:

Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics http://scottmccloud.com/2-print/1-uc/

Cemetery Terminology http://18thcenturylove.tumblr.com/post/129586813937/burial-a-reference

Moscow fight in cemetery http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/moscow-cemetery-brawl-1.3582704

"Early in the morning in the middle of the night two dead boys got up to fight" http://www.poetrylibrary.org.uk/queries/lostquotes/?id=134 

King Richard III's Grave Found in Parking Lot https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exhumation_and_reburial_of_Richard_III_of_England

Iteration 179 - Minecraft as an Artistic Medium

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In this iteration of the podcast, we start with some talk about the designed environment of a fast food restaurant. Then we get into a small discussion about automation, and how automation works or doesn't work when it comes to game design. Then Ryan gets excited about the upcoming Deadpool movie, but worries about it being a box office flop. Then we talk a bit about our recent adventures in Minecraft. And from there we get into a long talk about art in Minecraft, and how a video game can serve as a medium for artistic expression to rival more traditional art forms like painting and sculpture. We talk about how we think art will be made in the future, like in the Star Trek universe. And how we'll consume food in the universe of Star Trek. We talk about the art of curation and criticism.

References and Recommendations:

Deadpool movie:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1431045/

Robert Bateman
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Bateman_%28painter%29

Iteration 146 - Hapless Heroes - Neither Brains nor Brawn

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In this iteration of the Simulationist, fifty episodes of Game of Thrones, and 100 episodes of My Little Pony. Our main topic, which we eventually get to, is about heroes who rely on things other than brains or brawn. Are there any heroes who win without either wits or ability? Can those kinds of characters be interesting, or are they uncompelling?



References and Recommendations:

Retarded Policeman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yioJQFrqMXM

Wil Wheaton's Titansgrave: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8HbkYV5ZaY

The Martian: http://www.andyweirauthor.com/

The Amazing Spider-Man (2012): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0948470/

Spin (2005 Canadian film): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP59tQf_njc

Iteration 145 - The Buccaneers of Esquimalt

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In this iteration of the Simulationist Podcast: we remember Christopher Lee, talk about Spider-Man, Minecraft, and Game of Thrones.

References and Recommendations:

The Stupids (film) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117768/

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 140 - Failures of Diplomacy

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This week in the Simulationist: failing on diplomacy. How do you fail to do diplomacy, and what happens when you do?

References and Recommendations:

Other Space (television series): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4561950/

Cynical Walrus: https://www.facebook.com/cynicalwalrus

Iteration 136 - Theories of Comic Relief

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In this episode, we are joined by our most popular guest host, Jason Kirkby!

Jason plays D&D 5th edition, Josh plays Minecraft, and Ryan plays it all. For our main topic, we talk about comic relief and comedic elements in otherwise "serious" works of art and fiction and role-playing games. And what is the role of comedy in highly comedic works? We basically analyze all comedy ever.

References and Recommendations:

Star Thugs: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/18437/Star-Thugs-The-Roleplaying-Game?it=1

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hitchhiker%27s_Guide_to_the_Galaxy

The Maggot Show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7ka7I-z_dI

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 119 - Extended Lifespan? I Can't Lose!

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We start out with a discussion about Team Fortress's new update with its trailer video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aLjwVVNq4s

A discussion about the use of music in film and cartoons.

Bugs Bunny the Rabbit of Seville https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXCULR2wO-A

The Muppets Minuet in G Major https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlLSMZ8qn7I

Flash Gordon by Queen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9kCCLwEga8

Pandamonium http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandamonium_%28TV_series%29

For our main topic, we talk about those scenarios in which there aren't bad choices, but only rewards no matter which decision you make.

And at the end of the podcast, an exercise for the listener: if reincarnation was real, who or what would you like to come back as?

Iteration 118 - Best-Laid Schemes

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We talk about the Thetis Lake Monster, the Loch Ness Monster, and the Ningen of the Southern Ocean. Then, space travel, and aliens, and bird calls, and SETI.

The word of the day is "Gaser". Stands for Gravity Laser.

Who is the Moon Villain anyways?

Main Topic: About the futility of planning ahead. Or is it the unutterable joy of dreaming up details of things that might be?

References and Recommendations:



Interactivity Board Game Cafe http://www.ibgcafe.com/
Ningen http://cryptidz.wikia.com/wiki/Ningen

Josh and Ryan play and modify Minecraft and Dwarf Fortress.

Nobody expects the zombie apocalypse!

Iteration 112 - On Ghosts and the Other Side

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Also find this show on YouTube: The Simulationist

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In this iteration of the podcast: As another part of our month of the dead, we talk about ghosts, not so much as monsters, but as characters. Josh and Ryan talk about their weekly adventures in gaming, mostly Minecraft and Marvel: Avengers Alliance. As a jumping off point for our main topic, we watched the film ParaNorman. We discuss the mechanisms of ghostly return and hauntings. Also recommended: the Book of Life (2014 film).

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 110 - Sleepy Hollow

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References and Recommendations:

The Uninvited (1944 film) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Uninvited_%281944_film%29

Sleepy Hollow (1999 film) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0162661/

Iteration 106 - The Circle of Antagony

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Tweet at Josh @Spaceboot1

A short discussion about the new D&D Monster Manual, the Paladin's warhorse, and teamwork and team-helping abilities in role-playing games. The Sims-ulationist! Josh played an hour of the Sims 4, and reports back in this podcast. And Josh goes to Interactivity again. Ryan plays around with Tri-Stat stats for Bender and Robo-Cop http://tristat.wikispaces.com/

Ryan discovers a monster he's been working on turns out to be an internet fetish. Sparkling mummies. What is closer to the wellspring of life? Josh says bacteria. Ryan says wolves. Ryan delves the bottom of the ocean for ideas for Cthulhoid monstrosities. If Cabin in the Woods
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1259521/ were a board game or a role-playing game, which characters/monsters are player characters?
http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/15987/arkham-horror

http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/553/chez-geek .

So we have protagonists and antagonists, what about retagonists? Josh and Ryan tangentially touch on Eastern religion. We think prequels need to start using negative numbers, like Order of the Stick http://www.giantitp.com/Comics.html . Playing as monsters. Non-standard goals for players--what if the players just want their characters to get drunk and have as much fun as possible? http://www.bullypulpitgames.com/games/fiasco/ .

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 100 - The Poor Security of Vampires

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This show is on iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-simulationist-podcast/id589774076

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

Josh and Ryan talk about how they missed Comic Con and wished they could have gone, and their business plan for selling body spray at gaming conventions. Then, Ryan discusses how his thoughts on security were sparked by the incompetence of the vampire in Son of Dracula. And we move on to discussions of security in Dungeons & Dragons, whether it be the players' own castles, or the dungeons they infiltrate. And then we inevitably move on to discuss what World War II would have been like with vampires in it. And then we somehow end up on Star Wars. Then we invent the Wormwood Vampire toward the end, so stay tuned for that one, because it's pretty cool.

Dwarf Fortress Forums http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/

And Justice for All (1979 movie) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078718/

Son of Dracula (1943 movie) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Son_of_Dracula_%281943_film%29

The Giant Who Had No Heart in His Body http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Giant_Who_Had_No_Heart_in_His_Body

Iteration 095 - The Littlest Nomads

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The Littlest Nomads

Josh and Ryan talk about all the simulations they've been running this week: Josh prepares for some in-public D&D, Ryan plays Marvel Online, Josh writes himself a sitcom, Ryan notices a coincidence with the Tagalog word for onions and Ghostbusters lore, Mutants, mixing and matching genetic mutations for awesome comic book and video game characters. And once all the tangents are out of the way, for our main topic, we discuss how a nomadic lifestyle applies to the world of Dungeons & Dragons.