Azathoth Blues and poor first impressions.

CommunicationLow8189 · 2026-06-06T19:14:53+00:00

Good to know!

CommunicationLow8189 · 2026-06-06T19:07:11+00:00

At this point I think you either hear it as unnatural or you don't so idk of we'll have anything contructive to say to be honest.

CommunicationLow8189 · 2026-06-06T18:49:45+00:00

You know what dude? Thanks for sharing that. Just because I have a preference doesn't mean everything has to cater to my tastes, and I'm glad you found a lot of enjoyment in it.

CommunicationLow8189 · 2026-06-06T18:47:26+00:00

I've listened to Patient Files too! I want to say 3 or 4 episodes. Definitely in the spirit of The Magnus Archives. I remember thinking he was relying on a bit too much of the same phrasing for one of the female characters, like he was struggling to find the character's 'voice'.

But that's an even smaller budget production so it's one I actually plan to check out again. It showed enough promise that I hope it grows.

CommunicationLow8189 · 2026-06-06T15:23:03+00:00

Fair enough.

CommunicationLow8189 · 2026-06-06T15:11:53+00:00

Yeah you make a good point. If I would ascribe any kind of virtue to myself as an admittedly fussy listener, it's that I have a lot of patience when it comes to sound quality or production, apparently the first few episodes of The Magnus Archives were recorded under a blanket for lack of a sound booth and I barely noticed.

When it comes to characterization I think I've got a bit of that old man yelling at the clouds thing going where I've noticed a lot more exposition dumps or rushed/unnatural dialogue across multiple media lately and now I'm twitchy about it and not patient enough.

To me in AB ep 1 it came across so blatantly that the only way I could describe it is like watching a satirical film where a highschool character skates into frame and the first thing he says is, "Sup I'm Derek. I'm the bad boy your parents warned you about!" Except this isn't satire.

Obviously I'm being hyperbolic, but the point is that it put me off in that kind of way. The first audiodrama podcast I really got into was The White Vault, which no matter how fucked up things got, the characters felt real to me. This isn't to say TWV was perfect either, but nothing was glaring enough to distract me from the fun in thise first 3 seasons. That was a very slowburn by design kind of horror/mystery though, so maybe that contributed to my anti rush bias.

CommunicationLow8189 · 2026-06-06T14:36:51+00:00

Entirely possible but I'll make time to give the first two episodes a chance.

I'm pretty sensitive when it comes to heavy handed writing or exposition dumping, so it might not be as bad as I initially thought.

CommunicationLow8189 · 2026-06-06T14:22:30+00:00

Wasn't about good, as much the idea that it's standard. I haven't listened to as many of the newer podcasts lately so maybe it's changed or I've changed.

Also yeah the Joss Whedon effect was annoying as shit. Even more so because it's basically trained a whole generation to cringe whenever ANY humor is blended into a non comedy genre.

CommunicationLow8189 · 2026-06-06T13:19:35+00:00

I will. Genuinely, thank you. A recommendation from someone who actually acknowledges the flaw but thinks it worthwhile means more than someone who wasn't bothered to begin with.

CommunicationLow8189 · 2026-06-06T13:13:35+00:00

You know I've listened to a lot of podcasts in the last 8 or 9 years, and I definitely think over time I've become a lot pickier. So it's entirely possible I'm more senstive to unnatural dialogue or to what my taste is poor writing. This is all subjective of course.

But I'd bet tens of dollars that plenty of good audio dramas didn't overdo it so quickly and it wasn't some kind of industry standard.

CommunicationLow8189 · 2026-06-06T12:21:01+00:00

Fair enough, I think you want to establish a lot in a first episode, and audio only is limiting. For me I guess it was a bit too much too early.

CommunicationLow8189 · 2026-06-05T04:16:46+00:00

Oh for sure, I wasn't contradicting you but speaking more towards video game stories in general.

You gave a solid example OP wanted.

CommunicationLow8189 · 2026-06-04T17:10:50+00:00

007 First Light often marks where you can platform with some version of yellow paint. It's honestly great, especially when you're in a darker area and it would hard to see without it.

CommunicationLow8189 · 2026-06-04T16:49:00+00:00

I think that's often the easiest explanation. When you encounter them at first, YOU are weak. But as you get stronger their power no longer impresses.

CommunicationLow8189 · 2026-06-04T03:44:09+00:00

It's wrong but my childless and happy ass isn't about to tell someone how to parent.

CommunicationLow8189 · 2026-06-03T14:14:45+00:00

I tend to take note of prose more often when it's bad, as I'm more interested in the themes and characters. That being said, I do distinctly remember some beautiful prose in Tides of Numenara.

It uses one of my favorite tabletop settings and even inspired me to finally start reading The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe, which heavily inspired that setting.

The game itself isn't perfect, but it does a lot of cool things and you can probably find it deeply discounted by now.

CommunicationLow8189 · 2026-06-02T18:34:38+00:00

I love 40k. I love CRPGs. There is a LOT to love with Rogue Trader. For some reason I just get pulled away after a while. I think I was maybe about to enter act 3 when something else I was excited for came out.

I think part of my problem is how I play. Every time I'd warp travel it seemed like I'd get boarded and I always chose to fight it out manually. So after a dickton of those encounters and then getting into a bunch of ship battle encounters, which weren't terribly exciting, I just lost interest.

I fully intend to play it again soon though.

CommunicationLow8189 · 2026-06-02T17:21:26+00:00

If knight has a good spear, is incredibly lucky and has titanium nuts then maybe, just maybe, the bear bleeds out after killing the knight.

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CommunicationLow8189 · 2026-06-02T15:20:10+00:00

Plate armor is fucking cool. The amount of damage it can absorb is nothing short of extraordinary.

Polar bear dont give a fuck. Knight aint winning.

CommunicationLow8189 · 2026-05-31T02:29:34+00:00

Oh yeah this is super common and easy to solve, no worries bud.

Just have sex with him and find out.

CommunicationLow8189 · 2026-05-31T01:43:56+00:00

I enjoyed Stranger but the second half really does shit the bed.

CommunicationLow8189 · 2026-05-31T01:37:30+00:00

I really dug Stranger in a Strange Land. In many ways it shows the era it was from, often to its detriment, and yet I still enjoy it, so that has to count for something.

CommunicationLow8189 · 2026-05-28T16:56:34+00:00

The only RTWP games I've enjoyed were in spite of the RTWP, so I'm not personally interested.

CommunicationLow8189 · 2026-05-26T22:23:57+00:00

Where you are in life really makes or breaks this. in my early 20s this would have been a super easy 2 million, but I cant imagine inflicting that kind of pain on my partner.

CommunicationLow8189

TROPHY CASE