TIGSource: New Arsecast Episode

New Arsecast Episode

Tim — Mon, 28 May 2007 14:06:00 +0000

The new format is fab. I mean, it has screenshots and everything!

Now I don’t have to bother imagining how the latest match-three puzzlers look like.

"New Arsecast Episode" by DrDerekDoctors

Sat, 02 Jun 2007 07:37:27 +0000

It is a boon because if you collect the tokens from five episodes you get to download a free phone-sex mp3 where I promise to bring you off in less than 3 minutes. FACT! ;)

"New Arsecast Episode" by MattC

Sat, 02 Jun 2007 04:12:55 +0000

I thought that the pictures and captions were one of the things the readers got extra while the listeners got to hear lovely music and Graham’s voice (if that’s supposed to be a boon).

"New Arsecast Episode" by DrDerekDoctors

Sat, 02 Jun 2007 03:35:51 +0000

Ah, there is a proper reason for that - it’s that I don’t want the copyright police killing me. Although I accept that you can use the defense of “fair use”, that’s a defense, not a right.

Also, it’s more work. :P

"New Arsecast Episode" by Anthony Flack

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 21:37:40 +0000

Hm, what about interspersing short snippets of the sound of the game being played, then…?

"New Arsecast Episode" by Anthony Flack

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 21:36:13 +0000

Lummy, I can’t win, can I?

Nope. That’s the problem with experimental formats. I can’t think of a tidy solution that works in all cases, either.

But while we’re at it - why is it that all audio game reviews that I’ve ever listened to have occasionally gone on at length about the music and/or sound effects in a game, and yet never actually play any of it?

"New Arsecast Episode" by DrDerekDoctors

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 17:02:06 +0000

Gah! Never reading them out! That’ll just sound like bizarre asides and will then piss off people who choose to just listen to it rather than read along.

Lummy, I can’t win, can I?

Also, page updated.

"New Arsecast Episode" by Anthony Flack

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 04:58:31 +0000

Oh, mm, perhaps not if you are going to have multiple screenshots interspersed with text in a single review. Um, maybe you could just read out the captions as well, as they come up, but delineate them by doing it in a creepy whisper.

"New Arsecast Episode" by DrDerekDoctors

Thu, 31 May 2007 01:48:34 +0000

Hmm, I dunno. I suspect that’ll really break up the flow of the reviews. Well, such flow as they have given that they all conform to exactly the same pattern. :P

I’ll give it a whizz with the bit I’m editing for putting up tonight and see if I like it.

"New Arsecast Episode" by Anthony Flack

Wed, 30 May 2007 17:48:54 +0000

Perhaps I should have a small intermission tune to allow users to read the captions.

Yes! Actually, just putting one of your little bleeptunes in between each would be fine.

"New Arsecast Episode" by DrDerekDoctors

Tue, 29 May 2007 09:13:16 +0000

Tough tits, Anthony, because I really enjoy writing stupid captions. Perhaps I should have a small intermission tune to allow users to read the captions. ;)

A nice bit of lounge-lizard piano tinkling.

And glad you approve Jake. :)

"New Arsecast Episode" by Jake Bikett

Tue, 29 May 2007 06:52:56 +0000

Captions are good for if you are reading not listening :-)

This is a nice long piece of news about some interesting titles, cool.

"New Arsecast Episode" by Anthony Flack

Tue, 29 May 2007 06:37:51 +0000

I quite like the new format too. It’s like a blog, except I don’t even have to bother using my eyes any more and can safely allow them to return to their normal glassed-over stare. Plus, it lets me imaging I have a really state-of-the-art text-to-speech program that, due to a terrible management blunder, sounds exactly like Graham.

I also like the screenshots and find them very, very useful in trying to get a bead on what the hell he’s blabbing on about. However the captions are a problem. I’m listening away, and looking at the screenshot, and everything’s fine. Then my gaze wanders down to the caption underneath, and my brain tries to process that at the same time as the audio stream and I get all confused and don’t know what’s going on any more.

So I think it’s all very good except for the captions because, as nice as it might be to have captions underneath pictures of things, they are disruptive to the general flow.