Voice Acting
Tonight on GeekNights, we discuss voice acting. In the news, anime voice actors' unionization efforts grow ever more important as they are forced back into non-remote work in Texas, Anime Central betrayed its attendees, and Inu-Oh is coming imminently,
Scanners
Tonight on GeekNights, we consider scanners. Ancient devices used to convert paper documents and photos into files on computers, often using something called TWAIN. For many consumers, they have been replaced by "smart phones." In the news, NVIDIA releases open source GPU drivers, hell has frozen over, Russia appears to have lost custody of a relatively intact Krasukha-4.
Swimming
Tonight on GeekNights, we consider swimming, especially in swimming pools. Pool toys, diving boards, swimming lessons, the works. In the news, the COVID meat shortage was fake, AleXa wins the "American Song Contest", and Christopher Walken will play the Emperor in Dune 2. Also convention drama.
Playdate
Tonight on GeekNights, we consider the fascinating art project x portable game console: Playdate. It's neat. In the news, the contest for Lord Stanley's Cup is underway, EA Sports loses FIFA, Bethesda finishes off their PC game launcher, Square Enix continues its long fall from grace by doubling down on a scam, Embracer is embracing a gaming empire, Overwatch 2 is very promising for competitive play thus far, and American fascists are destroying basic human rights in overturning Roe v Wade.
Live at PAX East 2022!
GeekNights will be live at PAX East 2022!
Atari Game Design
Thursday, April 21st
7:00pm ET
Bumblebee Theatre
Game design is a wide subject. The best approach to mastering it is to focus on the fundamentals, and what better place to do that than with Atari 2600 games? Join us for a deep game design analysis of classic competitive Atari games like Outlaw, and how their core concepts extend to modern games. When you can literally count the pixels with your eyes, and the code will fit in your calculator, the core principles of good (and bad) design become starkly apparent.
Rare Game Mechanics
PAX Unplugged 2021
Some game mechanics are common. Drafting cards. Rolling dice. Choosing actions. Worker placement. They are used in many games for a variety of reasons. But what about the weird ones? Ever play a game with a Rondel? Experience the glory of a 'Promise Cube?' Wait until we talk about what can only be described as 'Bohnanza Hand!' Join the GeekNights crew for a deep exploration of the rarely used (sometimes for a reason) mechanics of tabletop games.
Book Club - Ninefox Gambit
After the Genji debacle, I felt it was only fair to use my next book club selection on the book most requested by the listener of this show, Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee. That does not mean this pick is without merit. Despite being the author's debut novel it was nominated for several awards, and won some as well. It is the first book in the Machineries of Empire series.
The book itself is a fundamentally a sci-fi novel full of space battles. It truly deserves to have a space ship on the cover. It tells the story of Kel Cheris, a captain in the hexarchate, a space empire. A large and important space station, the Fortress of Scattered Needles, is overthrown by heretics. Cheris is chosen for a mission to take it back.
Of course it's not just some pulp action adventure space opera. The book is actually about calendars, orthodoxy, democracy, immortality, consciousness, memory, folklore, traditions, math, games, and more. I think the parts relating to game design where perhaps why the listener wanted us to select it.
So humble listener, I hope you are happy we have chosen the book you have requested. Look forward to us discussing it probably sometime this summer.
