AggroChat Podcast

AggroChat #307 – Connection Based Madness

by
Featuring: Ammo, Ashgar, Belghast, Kodra, Tamrielo and Thalen
Featuring:  Ammo, Ashgar, Belghast, Kodra, Tamrielo and Thalen

Tonight Belghast completely botches the intro to the show and has to record a second one, and it is absolutely not like the rest of the crew let this slide calmly.  We start the show talking about Cross Code and how it is now available on consoles, and was quite possibly the best roleplaying game of 2018.  Bel dives into a discussion about how connection based matchmaking is destroying any joy that can be found in crucible. This leads into a whole discussion about the best sorts of matchmaking we have played under and also a long discussion about how peer to peer connections are problematic.  We talk about the concept of what if we could choose the length of a game before starting it.  This also leads to a discussion of how more games need clearly identified difficulty settings and allow players to understand the ramifications of that choice.  From there we dive into a discussion about how it is oftentimes hard to find information that is more or less considered to be common knowledge in a given community.

Topics Discussed

  • CrossCode on Consoles
  • Skill Based Matchmaking vs Connection Based Matchmaking
    • How to Ruin and Iron Banner
  • Peer to Peer Connections are Problematic
  • Variable Length Games
  • Why We Need to Stop Caring about how others play games
  • The challenge of finding gaming ancestral knowledge

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

AggroChat #305 – What Makes Game Value

by
Featuring:  Ammosart, Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, Kodra, Tamrielo and Thalen

Tonight we have an assorted topic type show, but the main discussion ends up centering around games and game value.  What makes one game feel like a valuable experience and another game just seems like a waste of time.  We talk a bit about the Phantasy Star Online 2 America Day holiday and how they have a really strange impression of our country.  Kodra talks about his adventures in the deeply edge case Sudoku.  We also have a discussion about when the right time to group is in a game versus largely solo play.  In the middle of all of this there are several references to Guild Wars 2 and Destiny 2 for reasons.

Topics Discussed

  • Phantasy Star Online 2 “America Day”
  • When to play a game with friends
    • What point do you transition from solo to group play
  • Kodra’s adventures in edgecase Sudoku.
  • What makes up game value
    • Getting the most out of a game
    • The length of AAA Games
  • Side Discussion about Guild Wars 2
  • Side Discussion about Destiny 2

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

AggroChat #304 – Darkness and Dragons

by
Featuring:  Ammosart, Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, Kodra, Tamrielo and Thalen

Tonight we start off with a discussion about Destiny and unintentionally the storyline a bit as Darkness has finally arrived.  Bel talks about the degenerate gameplay of the AFK Forge and how it more or less brought the game to a halt.  We also talk about the gear sunset as Bungie tries to do MTG Standard but for Destiny.  From there we talk about Guild Wars 2 and how Tam thinks it is the best mount system.  Bel and Grace disagree, but we continue from there about some general discussion about the game and more specifically the Dragon mount grind.  Lastly we wrap up with a quick discussion of the EA Play 2020 event, Star Wars Squadrons, Cross Play for All Platforms and that EA is probably still evil in spite of them really wanting us not to think that.

Topics Discussed

  • Destiny 2
    • The Darkness is Here
    • Degenerate AFK Forge
    • Weapon Sunset
      • MTG Standard for Destiny
  • Guild Wars 2
    • Ideas about Flight
      • Tam’s Soliloquy of Love
      • Bel and Grace’s disagreement
    • The Dragon Mount Grind
    • General Guild Wars 2 Discussion
  • EA Play 2020
    • Sweet Star Wars Game
    • Cross Play For All
    • Probably Still Evil

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

AggroChat #303 – Not-E3 and Pinball Gushes

by
Featuring: Ammo, Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, Kodra, Tamrielo and Thalen

This show has a wide variety of topics that don’t really connect up.  Bel starts with talking about how easy it was to reinstall steam after losing a hard drive, and how impossible it has been to install either Origin or Epic Game Store as they appear to be in a state of limbo, both installed and not uninstallable at the same time.  Grace talks about her recent adventures in figuring out what she wants to play on her brand new Switch without peer pressure of playing a specific title.  This goes into a side topic about Pinball games and also a side topic about a missing style of Arcade Racing games.  We dive into a topic of virtual tabletops and iTabletop specifically as well as a run down of the various options we have tried over the years.  Finally we land on some discussion of Not-E3 and the wide variety of shows surrounding it the biggest being the PS5 reveal.

Topics Discussed

  • Why Steam is Best Storefront
    • Limbo of Origin and Epic Game Store when a hard drive dies
  • Pressure Free Switch Exploration
    • Grace gets a Switch
  • Talking about Pinball Games
  • Talking about the missing style of Racing Games
  • iTabletop and Virtual Tabletops
  • Not-E3
    • Talking about some of the wide variety of shows happening this year without E3
  • Sony PS5 Reveal Show

Podcast: Play in new window | Download