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We start this week's iteration off with a talk about what it means to play and improvise, from a philosophical perspective. Josh recounts some more adventures from Dwarf Fortress. Ryan downloads some new mods for his Minecraft world, and is inspired to ponder the difference between magic and technology.

We start the podcast off with talking about the adventures we have personally had in video games this week. Josh plays Dwarf Fortress and rebuilds his old fort, getting tips from Ryan on better defences. Ryan plays Minecraft with the Thaumcraft mod, and experiences video game bliss. And another review from Zoey, this time of the film the Road to El Dorado. And this movie inspires our main topic this week, which is blood magic, and how magic always seems to cost something. We ask why it should cost anything to use magic, and if you were designing your own world, what choices should you make as to the cost of magic? References and Recommendations: The Road to El Dorado: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0138749/

Esquimalt to get a new TV studio space, so the entertainment industry in Victoria is expanding! We talk a bit about the return of the Necromancer class into Diablo, and about how we think a company decides which content to monetize, and which content to make free. Ryan achieves all the achievements for Samhain in the Secret World. Zoey reviews Alice and Wonderland, with a little help from her dad. And for our main topic, well we just couldn't resist the US election, so we try to put a storytelling slant on it. We talk about voting systems like the electoral college. We talk about how power is gained, held, and maintained in our fantasy realms. References and Recommendations: Tres Laughin with Josh TreLeaven: https://treslaffin.blogspot.com Made You Look Media: https://vimeo.com/madeyoulookmedia

We open with a meta discussion about the future of podcasts and all media. And we ask what media is going to be like when we can simply download memories of experiences that are as good as actually having them. Then Ryan brings us a thought about comedic duos, comparing the Yogscast goons to Abbot and Costello. Josh plays some more Dwarf Fortress and admires the aesthetic of a bare-bones graphical style. Ryan plays the Secret World's Halloween content. For our main topic, we talk about the value of adaptation. References and Recommendations: The Stoned Ape: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terence_McKenna#.22Stoned_ape.22_theory_of_human_evolution

We start with a tangent on Doctor Who. Then we do the rest of the podcast. We struggle with the question of whether to be happy that Ewe Bolle has been put in his place. Josh plays Dwarf Fortress and labours at digging through aquifers. Ryan watches Disney's Sleeping Beauty with Zoey. Ryan brings up the idea of what happens when the most powerful political entity in the area is an evil fairy queen. And then we talk about as many examples as we can think of when the love interests in a story have an age difference in the hundreds or thousands of years, and how that's dealt with in fantasy and science fiction. We also talk about what it really means for elves to have such extended lifespans.  References and Recommendations: Han Solo film: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3778644/

We begin the podcast this week with a bit of a rave by Josh about how cool he finds the Men in Black franchise, but also a conspiracy thought about why a shadowy organization would make a chart-topping R&B dance number. And a discussion comparing and contrasting the worlds of Ghostbusters versus the Men in Black. Then Ryan brings us a discussion about race. We talk about the crows in Dumbo, and Ryan talks over Josh a bunch and it's not particularly satisfying, but hopefully Josh got his point out, even though neither of these guys are equipped for making judgments on what actually is and isn't racist. At this point, we try to make an awkward transition into an analogy between being from a culture that is being appropriated and a comic book nerd whose Batman isn't quite the same as the old Batman. Ryan expresses his inability to properly give a rating to the Batman Versus Superman film. References and Recommendations: Galavant! (TV series): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3305096/ Batman Versus Superman: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2975590/

In this iteration, we talk about Disney's Pinocchio, time travel, and various video games. Josh plays Minecraft, Code Name, and Forbidden Island. Ryan watches Pinocchio with Zoey, and Canadian horror flick The Drownsman. References and Recommendations: Interactivity Board Game Cafe Victoria: http://www.ibgcafe.com/ Roll for Initiative: http://www.rollforinitiative.ca/ Pinocchio (1940 film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032910/ Legends of Tomorrow (TV series): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4532368/ The Flash (TV series): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3107288/ The Drownsman (2014 film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3450134/

We start off with a  bit of chat about the latest Minecraft update, and what we think of llamas, and how games in general are updated. Josh plays Dwarf Fortress and watches the musical television series Galavant! Ryan discovers a new all-time favourite in Reanimator (1985 film). Ryan also finishes off his beloved Facebook game Avengers Alliance, and watches the end credits of the game.

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 every month! http://www.rollforinitiative.ca/

In this iteration, Josh plays Dwarf Fortress and watches the Revanant and compares the two. Ryan and Zoey report on watching another Disney classic, this time Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. And we get into another argument, this time about whether the Smurfs are derivative of the Seven Dwarfs. Our main topic this week is a continuation from a couple of iterations ago, about evoking a moody atmosphere for a Ravenloft campaign.

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.

We open this week's iteration with a tale of the largest pearl ever discovered in all of history. Then we talk a bit more about Stranger Things having a second season. Then we argue over what makes a movie a B Movie. We talk a bit about our adventures in Dwarf Fortress. And Ryan delves into the literature of the world of Ravenloft, and explains further why he thinks Ravenloft calls to him as a setting. And our main topic is actually a bunch of little tips and tricks to improve storytelling, inspired by Ryan's readings in Ravenloft. References and Recommendations: Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959 film): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFN-y5AB6fs

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.

We talk about whether and why the film Kung Fu Panda was a better representation of Chinese culture than some Chinese-made films. Then Ryan brings us a conspiracy notion questioning how we know whether the little details haven't been altered. From inventing a fictional baseball player and inserting him or her into history, to inventing an entire new historical sport. We share our adventures in simulations this week: Josh watches Event Horizon and plays Dwarf Fortress. Ryan gets food poisoning and is inspired to talk about poison in role-playing games and stories. Kung Fu Panda (2008 film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0441773/ Kung Fu Panda Should Have Been Made in China (2008 article): http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/11/AR2008071103281.html Event Horizon (1997 film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119081/

In this iteration, we begin with talk about the Waghi tribe of Papua New Guinea who uses The Phantom as a sigil that they draw on their war shields. Then we talk a little bit about Suicide Squad, and the fan-made version of Metroid 2. Josh gets back into Dwarf Fortress, and gets annoyed with it. Josh plays some board games at Interactivity! And for a main topic, we discuss the Disney film the Beauty and the Beast, mainly about the role of Gaston. Ryan thinks Gaston gets short shrift, but Josh is a bit less forgiving. Ryan wants to take the sorceress to task, but Josh thinks the castle staff had it coming. And we ask about the extent of the Beast's curse, and why it seems to extend to the surrounding countryside, because it causes the people to forget the castle. References and Recommendations: Interactivity Board Game Cafe: http://www.ibgcafe.com/ Critical Role: http://geekandsundry.com/shows/critical-role/

This week we're excited about Starbound, a new video game we found out about from Kickstarter. We talk about microfiction as it appears in commercials. And we talk about education, conspiracy theories, and ideology. Josh plays D&D at roll for initiative, and reviews Stranger Things. Ryan finally gets started on the Game of Thrones television series, and he absolutely loves it. Ryan and Zoey review The Secret Life of Pets. And for our main topic, we talk about flavours of evil, different kinds of villains and degrees of villainy. References and Recommendations: Starbound (video game): http://playstarbound.com/ Roll for Initiative (local face-to-face gaming event): http://www.rollforinitiative.ca/ Stranger Things (television series): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4574334/ Game of Thrones (television series): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0944947/ The Secret Life of Pets (2016 film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2709768/

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/

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/

We start with a discussion about Pokemon Go! Ryan watches the Emperor's New Groove again. Ryan plays more of the Secret World. And for our main topic, we were inspired by boss fights from MMORPGs and we ponder the question of how to make big battles more dynamic and interesting and awesome over time. References and Recommendations: Beyond the Pale RPG: http://beyondthepalerpg.tumblr.com/ The Secret World (MMORPG): http://www.thesecretworld.com/

We start with a discussion about why we think movies bomb at the box office. Then Ryan and Zoey review Finding Dory (2016 film). Josh reports on Love and Friendship (2016 film). Then Ryan points out all the plot holes in Men in Black 3. Then we talk about how summoning monsters from other planes works, on a technical level, and the variants in which you can summon the same version of the monster every time. And we conclude with a discussion about intelligent or semi-intelligent magic items, and how to deal with them as players, DMs, and storytellers. References and Recommendations: Finding Dory (2016 film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2277860/ Love and Friendship (2016 film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3068194/ Lindybeige: https://www.youtube.com/user/lindybeige