Joystiq Podcast 042 - Mostly harmless edition
by Justin McElroy 
{ Mar 21st 2008 at 11:15AM }
First off, allow us to apologize for the headline. This is a video game site after all, we have to make some concessions to the nerd populace. The last thing we want to do is wake up with Tom Baker's head in our bed. This week, we're talking a bit more Army of Two, Rock Band hotness and FPS map packs, as well as answering your emails.
Oh, and if you haven't yet, be sure to join the Joystiq Podcast Facebook group. Now with girls!
Oh, and if you haven't yet, be sure to join the Joystiq Podcast Facebook group. Now with girls!
Get the podcast:
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Hosts: Chris Grant, Ludwig Kietzmann and Justin McElroy
Music: "Get Ready for Love" by Nick Cave, "Red Eye" by Ben Kweller.
See all of this week's links after the jump.
NEWZ:
Rock Band music store rockin' consoles this week
Guitar Hero: Beatles Edition a possibility
Guitar Hero: On Tour and 'Guitar Grip' DS peripheral revealed
LOL: The Game
Next Halo 3 map pack coming April 15, includes Sidewinder remake
Call of Duty 4 GOTY edition, map pack DLC coming April 3
Cast, date, director revealed for Street Fighter film
EA releases first details, screens of Sims 3
Smash Bros. Brawl sells record-breaking 1.4 million first week in US
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Sir Fidlious Wong (Zeon Defense Force) @ Mar 21st 2008 11:22AM
Just as Destructoids podcast was wrapping up... Huzzah!
God I love podcast fridays...
Fernando Rocker @ Mar 21st 2008 11:32AM
Why I can't be brushed with fame? =(
Sir Fidlious Wong (Zeon Defense Force) @ Mar 21st 2008 11:39AM
Because you took advantage of Toys R Us's Wii game sale and didn't be put on back order....
...bastard
*looks at backorder notice on House of the Dead 2&3 and weeps*
Fernando Rocker @ Mar 21st 2008 11:42AM
=p
Sir Fidlious Wong (Zeon Defense Force) @ Mar 21st 2008 11:38AM
Okay guys, I'm calling shenanigans on the games industry because of Doom 3 reactions. What you guys just described in condemned as an asset and tension builder (needing to use a tool while having no weapon equipped) was exactly the same way I felt about Doom 3. You HAD to choose between the safety of a gun, or the knowledge of a flashlight. It made the game tense...
xFenixKnightx @ Mar 21st 2008 1:50PM
Fid, try Firefox. Worked out finally! =)
James Lockwood @ Mar 21st 2008 4:26PM
(Firefox worked for me, too)
xFenixKnightx @ Mar 21st 2008 11:46AM
Why cant we change our avatars?!!!! Arghhh, I think Ive tried to change it 20 times in the past week and nothing...
>:(
Sir Fidlious Wong (Zeon Defense Force) @ Mar 21st 2008 11:51AM
I gave up. I have a new avatar for a Rick-Dom in a Mario Hat that cannot update. Kinda hard to represent Zeon Defense Force as Itagaki...
Fernando Rocker @ Mar 21st 2008 11:53AM
What happened to the Oatmeal Defense Force?
Sir Fidlious Wong (Zeon Defense Force) @ Mar 21st 2008 12:04PM
Oatmeal has always been oatmeal and he will continue with the Dead Or Alive series..
But the Principality of Zeon deserves my loyalty...
ChooChooCharlie (Brawl: 1504-5357-9285) @ Mar 21st 2008 12:56PM
Are you using Firefox?
I changed mine a few days ago and then changed it back with no problems. Sometimes you have to wait a few minutes, though. It doesn't always take effect immediately.
xFenixKnightx @ Mar 21st 2008 1:42PM
Thanks Choochoocharlie
Ill try that.
DiddlyKong @ Mar 21st 2008 12:12PM
Where's the Zune marketplace link?
Donald @ Mar 21st 2008 12:14PM
"join Facebook group"
Care Bear stare
rTwelve needs a wii @ Mar 21st 2008 12:43PM
Joystiq meets Facebook?
"You have been poked by Fernando Rocker."
NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
natez0r @ Mar 21st 2008 12:27PM
Score, came up in time for me to get it on my iPod for the 10 hour bus ride to Scotland!
rTwelve needs a wii @ Mar 21st 2008 12:38PM
A H2G2 reference! Everytime I see one I die a little less inside.
kip @ Mar 21st 2008 1:01PM
Hey I'm not a crazy person for thinking Nintendo hates Jesus! And I've only microwaved and eaten my pants once.
Sir Fidlious Wong (Zeon Defense Force) @ Mar 21st 2008 2:16PM
I think the main strategy for Nintendo on this aspect, as heir releases have been Sunday releases for at LEAST 5 years, in in the idea that they get that full week to boast about first week sales. That's my theory anyway and offhandedly confirmed by the Nintendo rep in my area when I was working retail.
kip @ Mar 21st 2008 3:04PM
Some of the big budget movies open on Wednesdays for a similar reason--so that opening weekend is five days instead of three.
Donald @ Mar 21st 2008 3:18PM
They do it so that people won't cut school/work to play the big release (also known as the Dragon Quest effect).
And most game stores don't open until after good churches end, so it also works as a way of enforcing good behaviour.
"You don't tell the teacher she'll burn in hell, and we'll pick up Smash Brothers on the way home."
"YAY!!"
D_Average @ Mar 21st 2008 1:06PM
Way to harsh on Guitar Hero DS!!
Just as the DS Version is rediculous to the real Guitar Hero...so is Guitar Hero to playing an Actual Guitar. I think the 16 and under crowd will eat it up.
THE WICKER MAN (BWF) (GT: Dalek Prime) @ Mar 21st 2008 1:34PM
I disagree with last weeks assesment of Army of Two I rented it yesterday and have been tearing through the single player. I think you guys need to read the directions or quit charging into combat blindly. The characters and the option to "PIMP" your weapons is insipid. I do however like the idea of new skins for my weapons. Im looking for some coop action if you clowns want to join me this weekend. Gamertag is in profile.
squeevi @ Mar 21st 2008 1:44PM
I am one of those people who was lucky enough to have more than one xbox hooked up in a room. It just happend that me and a couple of my buddies who also own xbox's at the time moved into a house together. We converted the unfinished basement of this house into a gameing room with three TV's, three xbox's, and three couches. We played countless number of hours of Halo one multiplayer. Almost nightly for about two years. Man, those were good times. So yeah, remake of Sidewinder will be Great!
kip @ Mar 21st 2008 1:49PM
As for where I listen to this podcast, I listen to in on my PC at work while I'm debugging code or (more often) answering e-mails.
NPJ @ Mar 21st 2008 2:11PM
I miss the yoyo jokes, i hope I'm not alone in saying that that whole section made me spray milk out of my nose in front of strangers. Even though I was drinking Coke.
Christopher Grant @ Mar 21st 2008 2:25PM
Alchemist!
ScottG13 @ Mar 21st 2008 2:50PM
Hating on Two Worlds? The perfect mid-January romp for me for a mere $10.
Justin McElroy @ Mar 21st 2008 7:13PM
Somebody didn't listen to the whole podcast.
ScottG13 @ Mar 21st 2008 8:39PM
Oh I sure as hell did.
Buh-buh-buh Brush With Fame(TM) for Kenny!
Donald @ Mar 21st 2008 3:34PM
I listen on the hour+ bus ride home, or on breaks at work.
Curtis @ Mar 21st 2008 5:11PM
I have a newfound respect for Chris after hearing that he read and enjoyed Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. I had doubts about his reading habits after the "things in high school weren't difficult for me" rant in an earlier podcast (which led me to believe he reads nothing but Thomas Pynchon). Hopefully during another slow week they can talk about graphic novels.
Christopher Grant @ Mar 25th 2008 1:01PM
Hey, I didn't say that! That was a reader email ... I may have said things in college weren't difficult, but that's another matter. ;-)
And, yeah, I like Pynchon? Wanna fight about it?!
Cpt Culpepper @ Mar 21st 2008 9:43PM
When I heard Justin say we've had some real great comments about the beatles I held my breathe in fear because me in my stupidity/ running across the street, which is a bad time to hold your breathe but, none the less did not pick up on his sarcastic home and thought he agreed with the some of the obviously intoxicated comments. Great show and for the record I listened to show while walking around the mall/ shopping center across the street because of shear boredom.
Halwende @ Mar 21st 2008 7:43PM
I usually listen to the podcast at the office, I get the occasional sideways glance when you guys make me laugh - my boss wonders how Excel VLOOKUP's can be amusing
Lonin @ Mar 22nd 2008 2:01AM
I usually listen to the podcast while playing games, which I guess may be a little weird. I play quite a few games where sound doesn't matter a whole lot, so listening to a podcast while playing is great fun.
I've actually become pretty addicted to gaming podcasts in general now, I have about 7 podcasts I listen to weekly. On the days where there is only one podcast, or none at all, I've even begun listening to audio books while playing games. Not only does it work surprisingly well, but it's great hearing old men with British accents do the voice of a 9-year-old girl in one sentence and a stunted dwarf in the next. On the topic of reading, I'm a big fantasy nerd so I have to recommend The Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin (which is what I'm re-reading/audio booking now) and The Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erickson. Both are absolutely amazing fantasy series that are probably some of the genre's best in the last few decades.
Purple Haze @ Mar 22nd 2008 2:16AM
Justin, I couldn't agree more with your assessment of the comments on the Beatles guitar hero post. You are a great man. Or you would be if you got more guests on.
Mr French @ Mar 22nd 2008 2:52AM
hey yo, check out yet another joystiq podcast facebook group, except this one is dedicated to the more infamous of podcast listeners. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=26258345091
RobLink (McElroy Defence Force) @ Mar 22nd 2008 7:23AM
I'm with Ludwig on the N+ talk - I'm TOTALLY adicted to that game, though it's hard finding people who are good enough at the co-op to work through the second set of co-op missions. If anyone wants to play some co-op, add me on Live - I'm RobLink.
And in keeping with the rest of the comments, I was listening to the podcast in bed last night, but fell asleep half way through. I'm about to go and do some laundry and clear the kitchen up, and I'll finish the rest of the podcast up out there. Because my life is full of excitement like that. :-)
Philip (Fernando Rocker Defence Force) @ Mar 23rd 2008 5:30AM
I usually listen to the podcast while I play Call of Duty or else while I do homework.
fernio @ Apr 3rd 2008 9:00AM
hey! that's my facebook picture! stop using it, i'm not fernando "rocker"
guess i shouldn't have joined the JPAG in facebook ¬¬
Korova @ Mar 23rd 2008 1:12PM
I used to listen during the drive to from work, but now that it comes out of friday I listen on saturday morning while surfing or on the drive somewhere if alone. That way my wife, who sleeps in on the weekend wakes up to roaring laughter and the day stays upbeat from there.
As for books: Mao II by Don DeLillo and The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien. Both a touch heavy, which I am not usually into. Btw, I though Dr. Strange was crap, couldnt get past quarter way into it. Maybe I have to get back into it. Everyone's raving about it.
Justin is becoming quite a cast anchor, handling the stars firmly and preciseky but with an air of draping indecision.
Harod Burnett @ Mar 23rd 2008 3:41PM
I work over night 10pm to 6am.So I listen while I am at work.I work by myself so the poeple who keep me company are you guys.
Eleniel @ Mar 23rd 2008 7:56PM
I heard somewhere Nintendo releases stuff on Sundays so the kids don't skip school to get new games, etc. Apparently it was a big problem in Japan. Wait... didn't I hear that from you guys?
Also, Susanna Clarke and Terry Pratchett are amazing. Whoever says Strange & Norrell is crap is clearly illiterate. It was 900 pages and I STILL didn't want it to end. Ludwig, if you haven't read Night Watch yet, pick it up ASAP. One of the best Discworld books evarrrr.
dantebk @ Mar 24th 2008 2:08PM
In answer to Justin's question:
I listen to the podcast at work in my cubicle. I don't have an iPod so I listen to it on my work computer. Because my work blocks access to www.joystiq.com but does NOT block access to podcasts.joystiq.com, I have to manually enter the URL for the mp3 file.
But it's worth it, baby!!
Christopher Grant @ Mar 25th 2008 1:04PM
Try hitting up m.joystiq.com for your news then. That may work.
dantebk @ Mar 25th 2008 1:18PM
Hmm, tried and failed I'm afraid. It's blocked as well.
But no worries! I read Joystiq news whenever I like with a feed reader on my Yahoo! homepage.
Will @ Mar 24th 2008 5:00PM
I listen to the podcast on my 20 minute walk to class. If I don't have class, I plug in the podcast to my tv and listen to it while I play Portal. Good times.
Flyy;; @ Mar 24th 2008 10:06PM
My drive to school is all of 5 minutes..
Listening to it in the car would be nice, but I'd never finish it in a week..
Instead, I listen in the late hours of the night when I'm studying, and try not to laugh out loud when everything else is dead silent. Needless to say, I don't get much studying done those nights.