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Amy Hennig gets a do over & we talk about WoW for some reason - Add to Party 04.19.2022
7 Plays3 years ago
This week we discuss the ballad of "let me solo her" from elden ring, Amy Hennig getting a second crack at star wars, Kojima being a tease, Jet Set Radio and Crazy Taxi coming back, Xenoblade coming early, Bablyon's fall being awful, and WoW's new xpac desite my best efforts.
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Transcript
Introduction of Hosts
00:00:00
Speaker
you
00:00:16
Speaker
Add to party. A friendship simulator masquerading as a new show. I'm your host, James Hartwell, and I'm joined by Honeydewenjoyer, Charles Umont, and I've been joined by. Oh, no. No, Andy, we don't. Don't respect that. The bits are in the tail end. That was just last night. Andy Kay. There we go. I guess.
00:00:41
Speaker
Mm hmm. That's what I think. This is a this is a harsh buzz that we're starting this episode with. And maybe we need to really chill because guess what? Tomorrow's 420. Whoa. Oh, man.
Biden and Marijuana Legalization
00:00:56
Speaker
Hey, what happened to that where Biden was going to make it all legal? I mean, you may still may. Like, didn't it go to the Senate?
00:01:07
Speaker
Well, Biden, all Biden has to do is because he's the he's in control of the D.A. So he just has to be like, it's not a schedule one drug anymore. I like I read something that I think it passed the House and moved to the Senate. And then there was debate about whether Biden would sign it because he's old and sucks.
00:01:27
Speaker
But he's losing all the young people and the young people want weed. So Biden signed the bill. All right. Let's choke up and forgive our debt. I'm all for it. What was the thing I heard today, which was.
00:01:43
Speaker
are you familiar with the the national wing chain wing stop national that's right that's that's that's wings over that's wings over thank you yeah yeah no wings top i've also heard wing stop is a national brand unlike our local brand of wings over
420 Marketing Strategies: Wingstop and Jimmy John's
00:02:03
Speaker
Um, no, so they put out this press release where it's like, Hey, guess what? We know that wings are like the biggest, you know, are, are big munchy food and you can get our now blazed and glazed wings from now until four 20 that has hemp seed, terpenes, strawberry, and I think Buffalo sauce. Oh, Kyan, Kyan.
00:02:29
Speaker
And it's like, isn't it great that we have national companies just going fucking toke up and eat our food? And then there's people in prison. You know, that's a fair way to frame it. Yeah. It's like companies like toke up and eat our food, but only in the state, which is legal to do so. Exactly. And all these other people in prison for
00:02:56
Speaker
Non-violent, non-violent. Thank you. I was looking for the word. I was looking for the word. I'm looking for their 420 blazing flavor. Oh, here we are, blazed and gla- ugh. Blaze is not the word you want to hear. I don't know. It just looks gross. But you know what? Capitalized. Did I hear somewhere that Jimmy Johns said they would give you a bigger discount the more high you are?
00:03:25
Speaker
Or was that like an onion article? I don't know. Jimmy John's is offering a 420 discount based on how high you are. That's not realistic. So here's their metrics. You're not so high, kind of high or highest. Yeah, already sounds like you can't measure that. Oh, there's an elevation checker site.
00:03:55
Speaker
Man, I wanted us to do this on stream, but it asks me to come back tomorrow. About 420 yet. It's not 420. Not in America, at least. No. Well, that sucks. I hope that Bill gets to Biden's desk, and then I hope he doesn't wimp out. Don't wimp out. Weed Bill. Weed Bill.
00:04:22
Speaker
Weed bill. You know, that guy down the street who sells you a dime bag. Weed bill. Listen, I am I'm too much of a baby to know who. Well, I'm pretty sure there's a lot of dealing that happens across the street for me. Not not not as gentle as weed, but much, much more. There was a I think it was a meth dealer.
00:04:47
Speaker
Across the street, he was kicked out, though. He was kicked out. He was tracking too many people. Yes, that's I believe that was the reason. Yeah, I think it was just there's too many people in his place at like two in the morning. Like, oh, OK. And was sleeping out and Andy. Do you know what he also had in his house? The real Sudafed. What? Behind the counter. Now the PE garbage.
00:05:16
Speaker
Well, I guess I can't get anything now. Ew. I'm looking at the Jimmy John sandwiches. There's a lot of pickles on this sandwich, you guys. Like a lot. I've I've I've transitioned into being a Jersey Mike's guy. OK, subway is subway has lost me. Like I always want subway, but because I because I smell it and I have the memories of college and I want it. But I know it's no longer as good as it was.
00:05:45
Speaker
Oh, interesting. My franchise place, like low levels sandwich shop is cousin subs. And then a nicer place would have been, would be Potbelly as my nicer sandwich shop. They have to be national brands to count, Charles. Well, Potbelly is there. I think Potbelly is national, maybe.
00:06:10
Speaker
Oh no. I've never heard of either of these brands in the best coast. East. Trash place. The East coast is I, you know, I, I think considering national, cause I just like cut out all of the East coast, like, well, it's in the Midwest and in the West coast. Hey, Charles, you said you'd never forget. All right. Forget all how ill they treated me. Maybe.
00:06:36
Speaker
Oh, that's fair. Uh, I want. All right. Or rather James, you bring that up. I had Jersey mics today for the first time in maybe four years. Like not sponsored, not sponsored, not sponsored, but literally I had the exact thought you just had or spoke.
00:07:00
Speaker
Because I was thinking about Jimmy John's because I think I saw that ad about being high and then I looked it up and Jimmy John's had a three dollar delivery price and Jersey Mike's was only a dollar. So I went with Jersey Mike's. That's good. Yeah, really good. Did you get the rosemary bread?
00:07:18
Speaker
Ah, I don't know. No, I just got the club. It was like all the default settings. But rosemary bread is that how powerful is that? That sounds like it might be too flavorful, James. It's not. It's like the it's like the Italian herb sees breaded. Oh, OK. Oh, OK.
00:07:39
Speaker
Yeah, you might have a Jersey Mike's convert with their dollar delivery fee. Or you get you get a dash pass and you pay no delivery fees ever.
00:07:50
Speaker
I used to have dash pass, but then I stopped it so that I would stop ordering food. Have you ever called? This is how you know you have a problem. Oh, and you call when you call DoorDash for like an issue and they say, hello, you're one of our most valuable customers. We'll put you direct to our VIP service. I was like, well, that's not a good sign. That's not a good sign. No.
00:08:18
Speaker
You're one of the most valued.
00:08:21
Speaker
Every second you're waiting is a second you're not ordering food. Also, I have nachos in front of me that I ordered from Dordash right now. I had to slow down with Dordash just because I get disgusted with how much things are priced when ordering through it. One time I filled out my order and looked at the price after all the fees were added and it was like 70 bucks.
00:08:49
Speaker
And then I went, well, let me just compare. If I, if I called right now and totaled what I ordered, how much would it be? It was 35. I was like, this is ridiculous. Oh, I don't have even close to that. Yeah.
00:09:09
Speaker
I wonder if there was like peak charges and all that other stuff going on by you. Yeah, I think that was it too. Just because, you know, I do live in the best coast, west coast. There you go. That's what it is. It costs ridiculous here. So things happen.
00:09:25
Speaker
I don't I don't know. It's not going to like getting rid of Dash Pass. I pretty much haven't ordered food in over a month. But I does. Well, I didn't stop being one of their best customers, James. I can't save so much. I have. That's right. Dash Pass has saved me so much money. One of their best customers. I love it.
00:09:52
Speaker
Granted, how are they saving that money? Where are they cutting that money out of? I don't know. Listen, James, like we talked about, it's the working poor paying for our credit card rewards. Those dashers better not be suffering because of your free delivery, James. Oh, I tip the hell out of them. OK, good. Speaking of blue collar, hard working people just trying to make their way in the world. Oh?
Elden Ring Community Highlights and Updates
00:10:18
Speaker
Let's talk about Let Me Solo Her. Oh, that's right. So if you are unfamiliar with the ballad of Let Me Solo Her, in the game, Elden Ring, which, yes, we're still talking about, deal with it. There is a boss. Her name is, how do you say it? It's millennia? It's millennia. Millennia, yeah. Millennia. She's pretty hard. In fact, most people have kind of put her, I don't know, top five from software bosses?
00:10:48
Speaker
Yeah. Well, like, um, so I, I need to also say I had to, um, put an asterisk on my experience because when I fought her, I was already playing a very strong build that naturally was her counter. Um, so I don't, I can say my personal experience, it, she was difficult, but not one of the hardest things, but, um,
00:11:13
Speaker
Because my build was very conveniently her counter, so I was like well. It's a shame We can discuss from software's balancing issues After this maybe because there's something to be said about that too, but neither here nor there She in general people have she has like one or two attacks that are pretty rough
00:11:36
Speaker
And players have obviously struggled with her. I watched a streamer fight her for, I want to say two days. Whoa. I know. So, however, it's really tough. Like she has some very strong fast attacks.
00:11:54
Speaker
Okay. She has a unique mechanic for her in that she actually heals. That too, yeah. When she hits you. That sucks. Yeah. She's got long hair. Oh, she has a great intro. Who's got long hair on the PS3?
00:12:12
Speaker
I don't know. But anyway, players have found solace on at least the PC version with a helpful summon, a helpful summoner player named let me solo her wielding only two katanas and a pot on his head and nothing else. He has killed her over 400 times by himself in co-op.
00:12:36
Speaker
So he has become he has become the darling of the Elden Ring community, spawning fan art. Oh, people have made mods of him now where he becomes a summoner spirit ash. So, yeah, it's yeah, he he encourages people to help, but he can't guarantee their survivability if it helps. But you can just sit back and watch him kill her. Wow. And he will do it.
00:13:03
Speaker
Pretty reliably. I think people say he almost never dies. That's really cool. Yeah He recently posted to the other me subreddit he spent about 200 out this is as of
00:13:18
Speaker
three days ago he spent as of 200 hours on his current character which is a level 179 he does not plan to level up any further and his current loadout is the rivers of blood katana and a cold uchi katana best weapons in the game also the same weapons i use so absolutely correct he is on their money yeah
00:13:41
Speaker
But yeah, he's he dodges. He most likely fights without getting hit most of the time. And yeah, he has become the darling of the Elden Ring community. What's stopping you two from becoming the darlings of the Elden Ring community? It's a bad game. Yeah, that's that's why this guy, he spent two hundred hours. You had an article read about him in a bad game. Yeah, that's what happened to it. Oh, well, my thing with millennia is
00:14:11
Speaker
So while Millenia is very strong, her counter is the fact that she's easily staggerable. So if you're aggressive to her, you can actually out damage her healing, which is really cool.
00:14:27
Speaker
My problem, and I think it was almost everybody's problem, is that her waterfowl attack where she does a succession of whirlwind attacks on somebody is very hard to react to. Not that it's impossible, but it is hard.
00:14:45
Speaker
because you have to dodge in a certain direction at a certain time. Well, it's not even just the dodging part because you could theoretically just run away. You don't have to dodge. You could actually run away from her two instances of
00:15:03
Speaker
whirlwind, and then on our third one, you could dodge forward and you could actually successfully dodge it. And that timing is all right. The dodging windows are very precise, so you have to get it right. Which, if you saw a video of Let Me Solar Hurry, he does it flawlessly. Oh, it's beautiful. I'm just like, yep, that's exactly how you do it. Perfect.
00:15:31
Speaker
Yeah. And then, uh, you know, the funny, I think the best thing about millennia is that she does have a phase two, but it's not phase two at 50% health. It's phase two after defeating her first life bar, her full life bar. So people go, all right, I did it. And then she gets up again. And then you're like, Oh,
00:15:55
Speaker
I see. Yeah. Yeah. And then she introduces a status effect. And that's and that is your big problem if you're not ready for it. Yep. Yeah. I had that same thing of like, oh, I beat her. Why is this cut scene going on so long?
00:16:12
Speaker
Yeah, as soon as that cutscene kept going, I was like, oh, no. But yeah, my experience with Millennia was the way I beat her was the first attempt after taking a break from it. I had previously did two hours straight of trying to get to her first phase.
00:16:35
Speaker
And, uh, and then once I realized they had a second phase, I went, Oh, all right, we're going to try that again later. Then I came back to it and then I beat her first try. Cause I was lucky. My spirit ash summon had a lot of HP by the time still had a lot of HP for her second phase. And so I still got the benefit of using a spirit summon, um, during her phase two. And so I just played aggressively and killed her then it was good.
00:17:04
Speaker
But yeah, if you are struggling with millennia, just look for a summon sign of a man wearing a pot on his head and nothing else, wheeling two katanas, and he might enter your world. Oh yeah. That's it. What beautiful work. It was so, it's so fun to watch too. You're just like, yeah, right there. So this actually brought up a very interesting, there was an Elden Ring patch today in which they actually buffed a large amount of items and nerfed a few things.
00:17:35
Speaker
Specifically that spell that you guys saw me use I have to sign in to show this video never mind Where it's you can cast blood loss they nerf that spell But they buffed a lot of the incantations So I feel like this is one of the games or from software has taken the most time to actually balance changes post-launch They also buff the speed of colossal swords. They're like maybe a touch slower than great swords now making them just a touch more viable and
00:18:04
Speaker
Um, Oh, and, and I think people have started talking and from software has acknowledged that due to how the game is kind of formatted, there's like, you can run into normal NPCs, like normal bobs, right? Outside of like bosses that kick your up and down the game. And then you'll get to the boss encounter. You can kill him for heads.
00:18:26
Speaker
And they've acknowledged that this is a problem. So they actually might be working on it. So I wouldn't be surprised maybe about the first expect that comes out for Elden Ring, because they usually read. I mean, Dark Souls 3 had three expects. I think it was two for Dark Souls 3. It was the ice world. The painted. No, it's three. Painted World. Well, the Painted World was the ice world.
00:18:52
Speaker
I don't know. Maybe it was two. You're right. Ring City and Ashes of Ariandel. OK, yeah, so two. So I wouldn't be surprised if their most popular game ever got a DLC. And I wouldn't be surprised also when they did that, that maybe they kind of did kind of a rebalancing to get the bosses where they want them to be. So they provide a consistent challenge throughout the game. Yeah, I could see that. There is a dual sword wielding knight that lives in castle soul that deserves to be elven lord.
00:19:22
Speaker
I was stuck on one, that guy, for an hour. And I beat him by using everything. I runarked. I started looking up status effect items to throw at him first and then try to fight him. Even then it was lucky. And I was like, this guy's too strong. God, what a fun game. It is. And it seems like it's consistently getting better.
00:19:50
Speaker
The longer I wait, I feel like when I go back and play it again more, it's going to feel like almost completely different game, which is exciting to me. Yeah. Yeah. I've been, I'm trying to decide what weapon to dual wield next. I'm thinking daggers or fists.
00:20:04
Speaker
Well, moving on. Hey, remember when we made fun of PlayStation for buying Skydance when they hadn't made a single game?
New Star Wars Game Announcement by Skydance Media
00:20:11
Speaker
Which one was Skydance? That's Amy Henning's video. Well, guess what? This is why they bought them, because Skydance is signing up to make a new game with Lucasfilm. Oh. Yep. What kind of game? Well, probably Uncharted and Star Wars, because that's what Amy Henning does.
00:20:33
Speaker
Oh, we already have that. No, we don't. I mean, you're thinking about a fallen order. Yes. That's more of a souls born. Really. Oh, OK.
00:20:44
Speaker
I like Uncharted. That's fun. You have to remember, too, that Amy Henning was working on an Uncharted in Star Wars at EA with the ragtag studio, which they then canceled and then Amy left and formed Skydance Media. And now here she is again making a Star Wars game. Wait, I thought EA had exclusive access to Star Wars. Not anymore. Oh, is that what Battlefront did to him?
00:21:14
Speaker
Pretty much, yeah. Sucks. But good. I'm glad they get to try something. Now, are they going to be able to pull it off? They're a brand new studio. This is quite, and isn't she just, wasn't she just one of the writers or was she a director? No, she was director. She was director. She was the world winning writer and director. What's that?
00:21:35
Speaker
award-winning writer and director. Oh, I didn't know she moved on to director. Cool. Cool. So we did this last time, but she was the creative director slash writer for Uncharted Drake's Fortune, Uncharted 2, Uncharted 3. Oh, I thought she was just a writer. And she was a writer for Spoken, which will be coming out soon. And Battlefield Hardwood.
00:22:00
Speaker
And Andy, women's erasure of accomplishments is a common problem. Okay. Don't, don't, don't. Another conservative aspect of it. I am not conservative. Can we talk about this? No, Andy, she also directed the legacy of Kane series.
00:22:19
Speaker
Oh my god, get her another game. Wait, get a Cloner. Which ones did she do? The Soul Reaver ones? Legacy of Cain, Soul Reaver, Soul Reaver 2, Legacy of Cain Defiance, and Jak 3. Well, you know what? Jak 3 was really good. I never played the third one. Jak 2 was really good. I think Jak 3 was okay.
00:22:43
Speaker
I can't be this bad. I can't be this bad of a person. Uncharted writers. No.
00:22:58
Speaker
oh no well good i she i'm gonna stop talking i'm gonna make it worse yeah you probably should sometimes i think you should just shut up and listen shut up and let women talk
00:23:18
Speaker
So anyway, they put out a fresh release today and as the collaboration of Lucasville games to develop and produce a richly cinematic action adventure game featuring original story in the legendary Star Wars TM Galaxy. So basically, yeah, uncharted in Star Wars. Amy Hennig was quoted as saying, I've often described how seeing Star Wars in 1977 essentially rewired my 12 year old brain, shaping my creative life and future indelibility.
00:23:45
Speaker
I am elated to be working with Lucasfilm Games again to tell interactive stories in this galaxy that I love. And maybe not have EA cancel on me this time. Yeah.
00:23:57
Speaker
Well, it turns out now also keep in mind, too, that this is the second project they got to which they have a partnership with Marvel Entertainment to craft an all new game with original story and their unique take for beloved Marvel characters. So they are making a they are a Disney studio to basically because they're making a Marvel game and a Star Wars game. These are big projects. Yeah. Oh, my God, that's so much work.
00:24:26
Speaker
How many teams does she actually have? Yeah. The studio just started. They haven't even released a game yet. I'm looking up Skydance Media. Where is it? I mean, she's some pretty good pedigree. Does she bring anybody else with her? Let's see. Actually, Skydance Media. Wait, are we getting the thing Amy Henning and the other developer confused again? What, Jade Raven? I think we're getting here. Yeah, Haven. How long has Skydance been around?
00:24:52
Speaker
Skydance has been around a while. Oh, well, yeah. Oh, no. Film, films, films, games. Here we go. Games, games, games. Yeah. OK. Skydance Interactive. Skydance New Media founded in 2019. Yeah. OK. It was just founded. Yes. So they have not released anything yet. It was just founded three years ago. That's a lot of confidence. Yep.
00:25:18
Speaker
Well, that's it. I mean, they just made a movie out of Uncharted that did pretty well. So, frankly speaking, Amy Henning did do good. She did. Well, I wish the best for it. And it's in Tony's hands. Now who will make the better game? A woman, Amy Henning, or noted woman hater?
00:25:45
Speaker
David Cage. Does he hate women?
00:25:52
Speaker
I mean, I'm sure he would say he loves them. Yeah, I didn't follow what happened with. Loves them too much. The allegations happening at the studio, because I didn't know if like he was like convicted of them as convicted means they were confirmed or like a punishment was sentenced or whatever. I don't know.
00:26:15
Speaker
Okay. So I just, I did just double check this. Yes. So no skydance media is still separate. We're thinking of Haven, which jade, which Sony did acquire, which is jade Raymond studio. So yes, we got them confused. I think, I think when we broke the Haven news, we can reach jade Raymond with a hang now, now that it's a B Hennings day, we've confused her with jade Raymond. Oh, we're bad.
00:26:44
Speaker
No, don't lump us in. You're the only one that said it. I believe you. It sounded right. As host, I bear the brunt of the pain on my shoulders. You're the monster. That's right. I'm going forward to it, though. I was excited when she was doing an EA, and I'm excited for it now. Yeah, I probably won't play it. Fair enough, Andy. Star Wars just doesn't.
00:27:11
Speaker
Is anybody sick of Star Wars yet? No. Are we sick of Marvel yet? No.
00:27:21
Speaker
Look, I mean, look, I'm sure there are people that are sick of those franchises. And I think even right now, in terms of Star Wars, people are sick at how the new trilogy was done. And I'm sure people don't want the new trilogy. But is the setting still interesting? Yeah, that's it.
00:27:45
Speaker
Even with this proposed game, we don't really know what it's about, but if they were just like, you play as something and it's not involving the trilogy, then you go, okay, okay. That's interesting. So that's where I go on it.
00:28:03
Speaker
That's fair. It means a lot to a lot of people. OK, liberal Andy. OK, not conservative Andy will allow. No, no, I can't use the word allow. I love that other people love it. There we go. I'll say that. Well, Andy, maybe what you will allow is Kojima to stay independent. Yeah, what's this about? All right.
00:28:33
Speaker
What's this about, says Andy, putting his hands on his shoulders. So there was this weird little thing that happened over the week. So Sony updated their PlayStation Studios banner to include Norman Reedus and the Funky Fetus from Death Stranding.
Kojima Productions' Independence from Sony Rumors
00:28:51
Speaker
I believe it replaced Concrete's genie slide. Hideo Kojima retweeted that.
00:29:00
Speaker
And everyone was like, Ooh. Is this, it's like, it's like a middle school and it's like, I think they're dating. Um, what's the next to him?
00:29:17
Speaker
That is, I think, the order 1986. 1986. No, it looks older. The order 1886 has older stuff. Let's see. There's Tower Ridge right there, so I don't know what else that could be. But anyway. Well, I only... Yeah, go ahead. Yeah. Later, Kojima followed up about 10 minutes later going, no, no, no, we're still an independent company and we plan to stay that way.
00:29:45
Speaker
Sure, you do. Sure, you do. Just just like you're not making abandoned. Oh, yeah, that's right. Listen, Jim Ryan, maybe maybe now he knows what he's doing. But like if we look at that banner, it has baseball on it. And I know Sony used to have MLB the show, but I thought it left their platform.
00:30:11
Speaker
It's, there's still a PlayStation studio, but they're multi-platform now. Like when you boot it up, when you boot up MLB on the show, MLB the show on Xbox, the switch, it still says PlayStation studios. No way. Oh, I didn't know that. Interesting.
00:30:29
Speaker
Yeah, and the banner is really meant to be a what's to say? These are PlayStation Studio games. Yeah. Is not necessarily meant to be like these are each game represents a studio we own technically. These are all PlayStation Studio games. There's no other reason you would be on the banner. Well, technically, that's standing is a PlayStation Studio. Yeah. Yeah. They contracted Kojima Productions to make deaf stranding.
00:30:58
Speaker
Like, oh, does it? Oh, I didn't know it was considered PlayStation Studios. I thought it was just like Kojima and then published by Sony. No, Sony funded them to build to make Death Stranding. So they needed Death Stranding. That was a good game. Well, it's a good game. And again, very prophetic about a global catastrophe trapping people in their homes while delivery men are the heroes doing things to people.
00:31:26
Speaker
released right before a global pandemic. Who is who's he trying to? Who's who's he trying to prove that he's not a time traveler? Oh, Jima. Well, that's interesting. Yeah, I still think they might get bought. Oh, wait, why don't we have the no, not Halo Destiny on here? Because that's not done yet. Oh.
00:31:55
Speaker
Yeah, throw a Guardian on there. Yeah, I'm sure that'll change once the deal goes through, because that is mystery man. Who is this mystery man? I think somebody said it might be a racing game. Isn't Uncharted? No. Oh, that would make sense. Can you enhance, James? That's not Uncharted. It doesn't look like him, but why wouldn't Uncharted be on here? Because it's represented by Last of Us. It could be a racing game.
00:32:25
Speaker
Oh, you know what that is? What? That's that VR game. No. Yeah. Because that was a PlayStation studio that made those VR games and they it was called like not the getaway because the getaway was a game on PS2. But I bet that's what it is. I don't know what it was called. But like you like drive like a I think like a truck of the money trucks, whatever the money trucks are called.
00:32:54
Speaker
You know what's great? I'm glad that people can just update a graphic and suddenly everyone speculates like crazy. That's a really cool way to train people because that's what they've done whenever they announce acquisitions, right? They would just be like, they update the graphic of this banner and say, welcome to the blah, blah, blah.
00:33:17
Speaker
X company. And so now we're all used to speculating this. We're just like, wait, there's a new thing on the banner. So is that a new acquisition? The game is blood and truth. It's that VR one. Nice. So and I thought they closed him down or they moved him into something. I don't know. I think or maybe they were working on a project for a long time that they gave up on something. They were in the news recently, but
00:33:45
Speaker
PlayStation's not giving up on VR, and they're gonna buy Kojima Studios. They better not give up on VR. Oh, no, they're not going to. They're releasing PSVR too, so I kind of doubt that. Right, that's it. Well, I just need more people, more high, that's it, deep pocket tech companies investing in VR, so that eventually we get, let's say, nerve
Sega's New Projects: Jet Set Radio and Crazy Taxi
00:34:09
Speaker
gear.
00:34:09
Speaker
No! Well, maybe you can get that with the remakes of Jet Set Radio and Crazy Taxi. Oh! Can you imagine a VR Jet Set Radio and Crazy Taxi? I can imagine puking it instantly.
00:34:28
Speaker
Yeah, a report came out today that Sony or Sony Sega is currently developing new quote unquote big budget jet set radio and crazy taxi games. It's actually not even remakes. I think they're going to be like new entries in the series. They have been in development for quite a while, according to insider sources. And the first of those two big budget games will will be jet set radio and then crazy taxi.
00:34:56
Speaker
There's no idea. Yeah, I've never played them. Oh, I have played both. I love on Jet Set Radio or direct grind radio on the Dreamcast is the one I have a closer connection to. I love that game. I think 100 percent of it. But there's no way they're going to dump money into this if they're not able to monetize it like after the fact. Why would you invest in this?
00:35:23
Speaker
I, this scares me. Them saying big budget makes me less excited. Andy, don't you want to pay $5 for skins to make your, your, uh, taxi look like some, you know, named property? Well, that was part of the fun of the original crazy taxi, right? The branding.
00:35:42
Speaker
Yeah, that was I thought it was the offspring soundtrack, man. And there's all corporate. Yeah. You know, how do you think about it? It's a lot there, please. Look, how do you how do you monetize jet set radio? Oh, sprays sprains, skins. That makes sense. Like, how do you add a season pass?
00:36:10
Speaker
Oh yeah, that's easy, Andy. You just put a bunch of sprays and skins and if you want, you could even be lazier than just a full skin. You could just do articles of clothing.
00:36:22
Speaker
That's it. Oh, yeah. New glasses, new spray can new new new skates. Do you want to? Let's say, you know, new top, new pants. It is a stylish game. Yeah. And all those tags are beautiful. They're really they can be very beautiful. Yeah. So yeah, I think I think.
00:36:45
Speaker
I think Jet Set Radio is prime for a SaaS model. Or a gas model, I guess. This is, I don't know, this is going to be pretty bad. There's no, I'm not excited about this. Yeah, Andy. It's dangerous. You know, whenever a trusted developer makes games into, as a service, oh,
00:37:13
Speaker
Everyone has to be wary because it'll likely suck. It will. Well, look what they did to even beloved chocobo racing. I know. Wasn't a shame. They made a good game. What's that? How was that? Consensus is like really fun racing game. Why did you add a season pass? Yeah. Right. That's literally. You put cloud behind it. You're like, you motherfuckers know what you're doing. Yep.
00:37:40
Speaker
Yeah, they put and so they like guard certain like why would you take a real and that's and this is literally what I think of when they bring up these games and they say big budget you don't put money into these fringe franchises without a way of Exploiting it and he called Final Fantasy fringe everyone you heard that you heard that racing is fringe Speaking of fringe
00:38:07
Speaker
You know blade Xeno blade 3 is coming out earlier than you thought oh Yeah, don't trigger me James I'm gonna Xenoblade Chronicles 3 originally slated for launches September released a trailer today Announcing that they will be launching in July 29th. So moving it up now probably two months That's a lot. Yeah, especially like if you're like printing and everything like that's a lot. I
00:38:36
Speaker
Do you think they're going to have an English soundtrack? Because that also probably takes a lot of, or dub track. Because that probably takes a lot of time. They did for the other ones. Hold on, like me here. Can I hear this? I thought this one was in English too, actually. Actually, yeah, the trailer might be in English. I don't know, because I haven't muted. Um, but yeah. I'm sure people are excited. Yeah. Yeah, that's what I said. I was like, oh, good for them.
00:39:07
Speaker
Here's the thing, I'm going to have to buy this game because it has Xeno in it. I don't really want to play it. Andy, I feel like if you want them to change the format, you shouldn't buy it. Yeah, but they have my money forever. Because of what? Because of Xenogears and Xenosaga. I'm going through Xenogears right now. Those games are like 20 years old. Yeah, but you never know.
00:39:36
Speaker
Well, I think you do, Andy. I think you can say pretty much that they've a consistent downward trend. Oh, well, we don't know what's on the screen right now. It looks pretty cool. I know. Charles is like, you know what? Maybe I will play this and get disappointed. Well, here's the thing. I've never played the Xenoblade games. Me either. I mean, listen, I have two six hour flights coming up in October, so.
00:40:05
Speaker
Anything anything to stave off boredom? Although Charles you and I may be on one of those together. So yeah, that's true I'm counting I'm counting on your luck to make sure we get a row to ourselves James you know the trick to that is you take the edge you take a window. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah always Always and then if they show up you go alright you get the aisle I might know
00:40:38
Speaker
Oh, all right. Well, you know what? Well, that was that's what conversion they made with this trailer. Well, that was showing the unit zero one frame on girls. And I'm a sucker for. Oh, God, I don't know. Now I sound creepy. You're a sucker for what? You said girls and then you're a sucker for something that could be a library further, please. Like mecca women.
00:41:09
Speaker
I don't see the problem with that. Why would you hesitate? I don't know. It's just... It's... I don't know. Well, it's any point in laughing at Andy. Let's point and laugh at Square Enix.
Square Enix's Babylon's Fall Player Count Issues
00:41:22
Speaker
Hey, do you remember Babylon's fall? No, because no one else does. This week, Square Enix's destiny-like melee game, Babylon's fall, fell to 10 concurrent players on Steam. That's so bad.
00:41:40
Speaker
That's real bad about embarrassing. It's a co-op action RPG from Square Enix and Platinum struggled to attract an audience from the launch last March and has fallen. So it's a year old has fallen before 10 concurrent players on PC for the first. Wait, you're old. I thought that you know a month or two ago. Yeah, I think the article even mentions that it released between Horizon and Elden Ring. Oh, you're right. Yeah, you're right. OK, why does it say the last March then?
00:42:09
Speaker
Last March, because it's April right now. Last March would be 2021. You just say March. It launched in March. Oh, I don't know. I think as long as you're past it, you can say last March. I didn't go to journalism school to not know how they did in business. I agree with you. I think last March implies, you know, 2021 March.
00:42:35
Speaker
In material and game tracking site, Steam chart shows only eight players booted up. Battle has fallen steam during one point on April 13th, working a new low for the ailing game. As of press time, a poultry 93 people were playing and it's attracted an average concurrent player count of only 149 across the last 30 days. Hey, remember that game that we saw all the trailers about and stayed to play and went, this looks like shit.
00:43:03
Speaker
Mm hmm. Was this shit? Yeah, that was it. That was the one where it was like weird kind of like few like God medieval kind of armor, but it was always set to like fucking like jock rock. I think this is the one where they borrowed 14 assets. There was a game that was only this trailer. I don't recall. Also, this was platinum. Yeah, that's the weird part.
00:43:34
Speaker
Yeah, a live service game already, like we said earlier, always a bad thing for a game company to try to milk because it has to be fucking good.
00:43:46
Speaker
Well, this is what jet set radio is going to look like. Yeah. Yeah. Well, the problem is none of this seems bad. It was also a $70 game. Oh, yeah. Well, that's fucking there you go. You can't just don't look. I hate when companies try to, you know, have their cake and eat it. The issue here, like if you're going to try to make it a gas model and then sell it at full price, it's kind of gross.
00:44:16
Speaker
Kind of like Destiny. I'm looking at you, Destiny. You didn't charge full cost for the expansions. They're like 40 bucks. Right. That's true for the expansions. But remember when he first came out, it was a full price game. Yeah, but that was Activision.
00:44:32
Speaker
Oh, you will do this. Well, now it's Sony. It's true. Well, let's say remember that the rumblings on that dealing. Let's say they're not going to get decisions. Sony won't choose. Yeah, Sony is. Yeah, they're independently published. Oh. But yeah, I don't know. It's just funny. Let's see. So the article from Tech Radar goes on to continue. Does Babylon's fall have a future?
00:45:01
Speaker
No, no. Fear not. Fear not would be fans. All two of you. Square Enix has especially addressed the future of the game, insisting its longevity is not in danger. There are, quote, there are no plans to reduce the scale of development of Babylon's fall. Unquote. We still have the two guys at a basement somewhere working on it. The game's official Twitter account said in a statement last month, content up to the end of season two is now practically complete.
00:45:28
Speaker
Yeah, I've heard practically complete in project management a lot of times and started work on season three and beyond. We will continue to provide new content for the game and make improvements based on player feedback. All five of you striving to keep existing players playing.
00:45:45
Speaker
Yes, sure. And to attract new covers. Go ahead, Charles, what are you saying? Well, Andy, I just want you to think to yourself, there's a small subset of people here. This is their sonic memories of playing with somebody and just together. Oh, remember when we were your kids and we played babblons all together?
00:46:06
Speaker
This is their childhood memories. Oh, that was awesome. Great. No, whatever happened in that game. How can they didn't make another one? And then they go to cons and complain about the evidence falls underrated. Some parent fucking bought their kid a PS5 and was like, all right, Babylon's fall. Sounds good. Got it for them. And they're like, Dad, can I get Destiny to we have Destiny two at home? Babylon's fall.
00:46:35
Speaker
You know, when I was young, I had some bad games and I played them over and over because it's what you had, right? Maybe. No, but not Babylon's fall, though. No, not Babylon's fall. Or maybe I need to accept this. I need to accept this. Did you? Oh, good. No, no, no. Finish your thought because I was doing a wrap up story, so.
00:47:01
Speaker
Well, because I was going to say because this is square, right? Yeah. And they're, you know, asking for feedback on how to improve, which gives me 14 vibes. Did you guys see all the the the wow stuff today? Yes. Oh, yeah. Yeah. I I specifically deign not to talk about it. Fair. Fair.
00:47:27
Speaker
I mean, since we're talking about it, there's the cinematic for the new X-Pac is out. It's pretty. It means it's pretty boring. Well, I would say I am immediately attached to that stone character, but he will not be that interesting in the game. So it doesn't matter. Absolutely. Yeah. The depth of his personality was in that trailer, which was he spoke nothing and made some facial expressions, but he wouldn't give up. He wouldn't give up. Yeah.
00:47:55
Speaker
Um, but no, I mean, watch it. It's fine. It's pretty Blizzard makes good trailers, but it's, I don't know. Wow is, I think I saw something about that today where someone said, wow is no longer for anyone else, but wow players. And I'm like, absolutely.
00:48:13
Speaker
I mean, I looked up, I was like, if we talked about this many, many moons ago about how stupid the one of the rate cut scenes was with Sylvanas and fucking the jailer and all that. And I was like, wait, what did happen at the end of Shadowlands? And I looked it up today and I didn't do it. And it was just like, they're like, why? Why did you do all these evil things? Evil person's like, well, because we wouldn't survive the evil that's coming. And then
00:48:46
Speaker
And I was like, I almost threw my phone across the train station. Look to your God, I can hire me. I can come up with better plots.
00:49:01
Speaker
I don't understand the writing team for Blizzard. I just I know they tried, but are they just being overwritten every time by some bigwig? I because I can't believe any self-respecting writer wouldn't have just been like, we can't put this out there, guys. Our character that was irredeemable was somewhat redeemed at the end of the story.
00:49:27
Speaker
I think they might be that bad. What's that rule? Occam's Razor? Sometimes the simplest answer is it? No, no, there's a different one, which is don't attribute malice to what can be explained with ignorance, which I can't remember what it's called. Oh my gosh, we're mixing them all up. I believe Occam's Razor is right, Andy, in that that's the simplest solution. Yes, yes, yes. Is the answer?
00:49:54
Speaker
that they're just bad. They're bad at writing and they're bad at making games. I was also going to say like the Peter principle, which is probably promoted to the point of inadequacy or ineptitude. But so like now there's all these people, they just like, I can't write a story. I can't lead the entire narrative arc, guys.
00:50:22
Speaker
But we got to say something uh What if what if what if the bad guy just wanted to unite us so we could fight bigger bad guy? genius shipping At the end of our last expansion weren't they all united already?
00:50:41
Speaker
Yeah, but they're less united and now Anduin is evil. Oh God, wow. I just, it's, I want to like it. God, Phil, Phil, let's all take a moment, say a prayer to Phil Spencer. Just really just come in there with a fucking, just come in there with a hammer and just knock some sense into everyone.
00:51:04
Speaker
Well, yeah, I was I was curious because someone at work was watching it and they were talking about how it sounded like they were listening. What? And I was curious on your guys's take. Don't worry. I will be very clear with you.
00:51:19
Speaker
Every fucking Illusional WoW fan has said that about every X-Mac that's ever come out in WoW. I have said that. I have said that at certain points at certain X-Macs. They're really listening to our feedback this time.
00:51:35
Speaker
Well, that was that was the point. Like, and then I went on a rant about how I've heard this same thing for every expansion for the last 10 years. And then everybody says the expansion is the best one when it comes out and then they hate it afterwards and everybody complains. But he was saying that it's a little bit different, like they're going back and focusing on like making older systems better. Like I believe in his input. But I was kind of curious what you guys were thinking, because it's
00:52:03
Speaker
Like Babylon's fall, they're trying to make a China turd, it sounds like. Well, let's be clear. They still make millions and millions. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. No, no, no, no. It's not even in the same league. They still make a ton of money, but I'm not convinced they'll ever be good because I'm seriously sick of people saying wow is good when every time an expansion comes out, it sucks after a month. Well, Peter, after the Lich King, fight me.
00:52:32
Speaker
But yeah, we can move on just that for everybody. There's a new Wow expansion coming out Apparently they're going back somewhere. I think they're going to the Dragons homeland, which I wasn't aware was a thing Yeah, yeah, Andy Andy. Here's the gist long ago we sealed off our homeland and made it so we all forgot where it was and
00:52:58
Speaker
and then the stone person lights the beacon to remind everybody where it was. Now we're there. Do they remember Andy? They're back in like 10 seconds. He's falling to his death. Now Sraza fucking gets there in record time. Just immediately, not two seconds later, dragons are all there in the island just flying around.
00:53:26
Speaker
What is that meant to be? Listen, if they don't have 18 fucking quests referencing how to train your dragon, I will be upset. Also, the new race is a half dragon, half humanoid people. So all those ERP players are going to go crazy. Oh, I bet they're pumped.
00:53:45
Speaker
I can say something really untoward. And I'm gonna, and then immediately skip to the next story, which is watch out for the knot.
Activision and Bobby Kotick's Future Post-Acquisition
00:53:56
Speaker
Anyway, Bobby Kotick's definitely getting fired. Speaking of knots.
00:54:06
Speaker
On Friday, Activision added a line to its main filing about the... This is from Steven Tortillo. On Friday, Activision added a line to its main filing about the plan, so the Microsoft stressing that Microsoft and Bobby Kodak haven't discussed nor negotiated his post merger employment status. The line reads,
00:54:28
Speaker
No discussions or negotiations regarding post-closing employment arrangements with Microsoft occurred between Microsoft and Mr. Kodak prior to the approval and execution of the merger agreement and the transactions compilated here or thereby, or have occurred so sweetened to such approval and execution through the date hereof. We don't want him.
00:54:48
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, I don't I don't know how to make this any more clear to you without just saying we're not going to fight. We're going to fire him. This is this is business talk for his ass is gone.
00:55:01
Speaker
And then that's like the title of every article, though, right? Leading up. Is he staying? Is he staying? Does this mean he's staying? No, this is this is this is them going. He's leaving. Yeah, just without without saying he's leaving because that would cause issues. I mean, yeah, we still have the problem where Codex still going to get paid millions and millions and millions of dollars due to the acquisition. And that's not good. But at least our toys will be free of his stain for a little bit. So.
00:55:30
Speaker
You take the good. You take the small good with the incredible bad, you know. Mm hmm. Mm hmm. Oh, Cody. Nobody wants you. He just gets to retire. Well, he probably won't retire. But like he has more money than you know what to do with. Mm hmm. You could just play video games now. Like just retire. Don't.
00:55:57
Speaker
But he's not canceled or anything. I'm sure anybody would be happy to have him. Yeah, I mean.
00:56:05
Speaker
Yes, I guess. I do think there is an unspoken cooldown for highly talked about CEOs because I do think a good chunk of company CEOs, not named Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and Bobby Kotick,
00:56:28
Speaker
It's a good idea not to have your face blasted all over the news all the time for things. True. He is very, very visible. He's basically like the evil villain of the video game world, but outside of that. Hmm. I don't know. I don't know. Now I'm thinking about Elon. Isn't he like not buying Twitter now or wasn't he going to buy all of Twitter? We're not getting into that.
00:56:59
Speaker
I, I just, I'm so sick of him. No, I got rid of Trump and I got to deal with this shit. Um, but yeah, I don't know. I'm, I'm happy to hear that in not so many words, the Kodak will be gone. Yeah. Because again, I really want to play Diablo four. And wow. No.
00:57:28
Speaker
80. I told you I beat. Wow. I don't know why they, I don't know why they keep releasing X packs when I've already beaten the game. Um, it's just weird to me when you would release content for a game that's beaten. That is true. Uh, much like my, uh, ex girlfriends of the past, you know, I don't want to have anything to do with them in the future, but I do occasionally check their profiles, see how they're doing.
00:57:58
Speaker
I need to make sure I'm still doing better than they are, you know, it's the point. But yeah, that's how I feel. I don't think I'll ever go back to playing Blizzard games. You'll play Diablo 4 with me and like it. And Overwatch 2 maybe. I know. Why would we play Overwatch 2 when we could play Gundam Evolutions?
00:58:24
Speaker
I saw a report today that 17,000 people did the play test, which is actually not, I don't know. It feels like not a lot, but it was a fairly quiet thing though. And like, you know, I don't think normies would have known that a Gundam play test was going on. So we'll see.
00:58:45
Speaker
Well, we'll see more on another episode of Add to Party, a friendship simulator masquerading as a new show. I've been your host. Yeah. Elon Musk sucks. I said it. Come at me, Stans Hartwell joined by Charles doesn't really understand the implications of BTS Stans. You might be joined by
00:59:11
Speaker
Andy Jersey, Mike's convert. Okay. There you go. Have a good night, everyone, and enjoy your number 13 with olive oil vinegar. Is that the club? That's the, that's the Italian classic all next time. Then turkeys, turkeys just for me. Good night. Good night.