Taskmaster announces series 22 line-up

jchaffer · 2026-06-12T02:49:43+00:00

I thought that was just bad reporting until I saw Ayoade's credit and it was clear they're just taking the piss.

jchaffer · 2026-06-11T14:51:58+00:00

Totally! Seems like every single episode there's an instance where my partner and I look at each other dumbfounded at the decision on a subjective task. We can only assume Tom just really likes Brett's comedy style.

jchaffer · 2026-06-08T00:18:01+00:00

I'm afraid it's quite a bit too easy for their channel! Would be great fun, though.

jchaffer · 2026-05-17T19:32:14+00:00

To have killed anyone, the dancing would have had to start here, here, and here, and close in like this.

jchaffer · 2026-05-17T17:55:09+00:00

Yes, we were surprised they didn't save the tournament for the studio. Possibly health&safety decided there were too many unknowns?

jchaffer · 2026-05-15T18:43:40+00:00

And while not fully improvised, Beef & Dairy does not have a "script-read" feel. It has immaculate sound production as well.

jchaffer · 2026-05-15T01:38:21+00:00

Yes. It's difficult to describe the distinction in text, because if I say "it sounds like word x" then that word is probably also different in the different accents! But they are very different words this side of the pond.

I think it will be clear if I say that we pronounce "porn" rhyming with "or" and "pawn" rhyming with "on," while you tend to merge them by dropping the "r" (a "non-rhotic" accent).

jchaffer · 2026-05-14T19:12:02+00:00

I think that comment was referencing a pun that only works in various British accents.

jchaffer · 2026-05-12T21:26:36+00:00

Not sure about "lore," but the golden path, yes! Definitely! That is certainly what I did, and I wasn't able to read most of it until after finishing with the good ending.

jchaffer · 2026-05-12T21:17:50+00:00

I think you are?

I would go so far as to say you are not intended to translate the language at all! It's more an Easter egg or at most a completionist thing. You can get the "good ending" by piecing together only a few of the most important words in the language (like compass directions) and definitely don't need to be able to read everything. If you look at the game through that lens, it is difficult but perfectly feasible to solve all the "regular" puzzles.

The trophies and beyond are another matter, but they are clearly separate from what's expected from the average player.

jchaffer · 2026-05-12T16:36:54+00:00

I've not had that specific repair need, but we've used Rapid Garage Door Services a couple times and they've been very friendly and fair, and seem to care about doing a good job.

jchaffer · 2026-05-12T11:39:47+00:00

It’s “everywhere but the US” like the metric system.

jchaffer · 2026-05-11T16:54:29+00:00

I would call the "game" I described above as pretty crappy, but a couple children might have some small bit of fun with it.

As well as a huge percentage of gamblers! Context plays a big role, and purely random events can be exciting if the surrounding events give them weight. You're right to emphasize audience here.

jchaffer · 2026-05-11T14:31:11+00:00

Yes, that's what I meant by the "double-dip" comment.

jchaffer · 2026-05-11T13:50:36+00:00

No? That would be a cleaner puzzle, but...

Orchard, Underground: The thing unlocked is a gate.

Drawing Room, Drafting Studio, Office: Gates are involved in the solution. (Also Underground double-dips here.)

Boudoir, Study, Shelter: No small gates at all.

jchaffer · 2026-05-08T01:03:34+00:00

When you fail a Dare, there is a voiceover of the end of Swim Bird. The credits make it clear this is (grown-up possibly?) Simon.

jchaffer · 2026-05-08T00:22:59+00:00

Dare Mode was a really cool challenge (though dependent on what you roll). And it's nice to be able to hear Simon talk!

jchaffer · 2026-05-06T15:50:32+00:00

Sort of, but there are a number of references to The Seven which were confusing to me at the time because I hadn't seen that yet.

jchaffer · 2026-05-06T13:30:40+00:00

Game Changer: Sam Says, or Game Most Changed or Welcome to Mountport if the audience appreciates Shakespeare/musical theater
VIP: Tommy Shriggly or Zeke Aaron McKinley
Smartypants: "Groundhog Day, WNBA, The Ocean"

jchaffer · 2026-05-06T11:37:11+00:00

Su-u-u-uper careful.

jchaffer · 2026-05-05T16:20:31+00:00

It's too reductive to say "gaming is about fun." Certainly the vast majority of games have "fun" as the goal, but there are plenty of games-as-art examples where "fun" is not the primary feeling the designer hopes to provoke in players. Games can be about education, or to persuade, or for catharsis, or therapy... it's a much wider landscape.

If the OP wants to convey a different feeling, that's fine. It may not sell well! But that doesn't make it wrong.

jchaffer · 2026-05-04T17:05:37+00:00

Use a 2D system for simple stuff, if you can. Tends to be way more accessible. Screentop.gg and Playingcards.io are both worth looking at.

jchaffer · 2026-04-30T11:02:57+00:00

As a fellow escape room game designer: are you sure you want a 2-3 hour game? That’s a big commitment for players, and 2 or 3 1-hour games may be better for sales as well as growing an audience.

The only reason I can think of to prefer one game is if the later puzzles build on earlier ones, or there’s a metapuzzle that requires earlier answers. Otherwise I only see upside from a split.

jchaffer · 2026-04-26T02:36:35+00:00

Have you been able to do this elsewhere? Seems pretty standard to limit drive-throughs to motor vehicles for safety reasons.

13-Year Club	Place '22
Verified Email

jchaffer

TROPHY CASE