This month, Ashley spends the episode asking why he games, and "gets a first-hand account of what it's like to work on terrible games." So ... what are you waiting for? Go listen!
This month, Ashley spends the episode asking why he games, and "gets a first-hand account of what it's like to work on terrible games." So ... what are you waiting for? Go listen!
Reader Comments (24)
Posted: Apr 30th 2009 12:18PM Bowser Rogozhin said
Podcasts should really use speech-to-text technology (if that exists, I'm sure it does), just for people who do not have immediate access to audio. You know, people like me.
Posted: Apr 30th 2009 4:06PM urbantek said
This "podcast" can never be in text. Also, Its not really a podcast as much as it is an Audio Documentary. The music, the samples, the editing....the complete audio production is extensive and of quality podcasts have never seen.
Robert Ashley has such great attention to detail that its hard to argue that the podcast comes out once a month.
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Robert Ashley has such great attention to detail that its hard to argue that the podcast comes out once a month.
Posted: Apr 30th 2009 5:37PM andysexton said
@Mauricio - GT: Zed Word
I wouldn't say like no other "podcasts have ever seen". After all, his inspiration for this style of podcast is NPR's This American Life radio show/podcast.
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Archive.aspx
But it's definitely a nice change of pace from other gaming podcasts that always start with "what we've been playing..." and end with listener mail :) (Not that I don't enjoy those, too)
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I wouldn't say like no other "podcasts have ever seen". After all, his inspiration for this style of podcast is NPR's This American Life radio show/podcast.
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Archive.aspx
But it's definitely a nice change of pace from other gaming podcasts that always start with "what we've been playing..." and end with listener mail :) (Not that I don't enjoy those, too)
Posted: Apr 30th 2009 12:18PM anonymack said
Joystiq you can't tell me what to do.
Posted: Apr 30th 2009 12:22PM StormEagle said
Yes, I find Podcasts to be completely inconvenient. Seeing as I can read faster than most people talk and, well, I don't have all the time in the world.
Posted: Apr 30th 2009 12:29PM Alpharudy said
If you don't have time to listen to podcasts then your life isn't boring enough. My job requires me not to have to talk to anyone and just work at my own pace so podcasts are great for me but i understand not having time to listen to them. Try with this podcast though its great, time well wasted.
Posted: Apr 30th 2009 12:28PM (Unverified) said
Sorry, I liked GFW's podcast from way back, but I find Robert Ashley and his new podcast really irritating. Last time he was on Listen Up, I had to stop halfway through he was bothering me so much.
Posted: Apr 30th 2009 12:35PM PersonOfSorts said
To be fair, they were all REALLY drunk in that ep.
The production values in ALWW are off the charts and completely unheard of. It's soothing, informative, and insightful. Much better than the dozens of weekly podcasts that don't go any further than "whatch been playin?"
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The production values in ALWW are off the charts and completely unheard of. It's soothing, informative, and insightful. Much better than the dozens of weekly podcasts that don't go any further than "whatch been playin?"
Posted: Apr 30th 2009 12:52PM Courtney said
A Life Well Wasted is more look listening to a really good NPR segment focused on gaming, rather than the usual skyped in gaming podcasts were used to (no offense Joystiq podcast!). I've been quite pleased to see something of this quality and depth arise.
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Posted: Apr 30th 2009 3:48PM (Unverified) said
He was on Listen Up? The first time I heard Robert was when he was on Rebel FM. I really found him annoying and I was surprised when I found him rather cool in A Life Well Wasted. Maybe it's also because that episode was so random.
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Posted: Apr 30th 2009 4:39PM (Unverified) said
Oops sorry, forgot you're not allowed to have alternate opinions here on Joystiq. Feel free to keep downvoting my comment into oblivion.
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Posted: Apr 30th 2009 12:33PM (Unverified) said
This podcast is so good it hurts - and I wouldn't know about it if Justin hadn't mentioned it on the 'stiq podcast a few weeks back.
Keep pimping it! Ashley's too good at this to be allowed to stop - ever :)
Keep pimping it! Ashley's too good at this to be allowed to stop - ever :)
Posted: Apr 30th 2009 1:55PM nickux said
I have been addicted to podcasts for years. "A Life Well Wasted" came at the perfect time as I was reeling from the loss of 1UP Yours, 1UP FM, etc. Now I have ListenUP and Rebel FM and ALWW rounds it all out. I generally like the show and while I appreciate what Robert Ashley is doing with ALWW I find myself almost taken aback by how pretentious it can get sometimes. He even adopts this very strange tone of voice when doing the bumps for the show. Still, one can't argue with the quality of the show so I will definitely remain a faithful listener for as long as he makes them. Unlike most podcasts which I delete after listening to them, I find myself saving ALWW to listen to years from now. I just hope Ashley is able to tone down the highfalutin vibe I feel sometimes. Is it just me or does anyone else get irritated by the way he talks in that pseudo-NPR voice? I've heard him on GFW Radio, ListenUP, and Rebel FM and while I know his voice sounds a certain way- he really turns it up when he does this show.
Posted: May 5th 2009 1:29AM JoshMilewski said
I feel the same. I think the way music transitions and background music are handled add to that pretentious feel, since the music will force a mood onto you to try to match the voice, but if you just listen to the people talking as you would hear them in real life -- no music -- they're usually not so ... emotional/dramatic ... as the music makes them sound.
Aaanyway, the content of these podcasts is still stellar, which makes up for anything else I might not like about them.
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Aaanyway, the content of these podcasts is still stellar, which makes up for anything else I might not like about them.
Posted: Apr 30th 2009 1:58PM (Unverified) said
Wow... maybe I haven't been following good podcasts before... but... I found this to be very enjoyable; insightful even. I can draw parallels to my own work frustrations.
Posted: Apr 30th 2009 2:35PM ScottG13 said
Its soooo different. I love it. Ashely's wit and conversation style is perfect. NPR created this style, but Ashely has done a terrific job adopting it to the medium. We're all better off for having podcasts like this around instead of more "Waddya Been Playin," "News of the World," "Topic of the Week" segmented podcasts.
Posted: Apr 30th 2009 3:19PM Ficken said
I LOVE this show. It can't come any faster.
Posted: Apr 30th 2009 4:08PM Crusty Magic said
Agreed Justin.
'Tis a great show.
'Tis a great show.
Posted: Apr 30th 2009 4:23PM SpacePenguinBot said
Very good. Definitely the classiest podcast out there. It used to be Game Theory, but they stopped podcasting in September.
Posted: Apr 30th 2009 6:27PM (Unverified) said
I've got 24 gaming podcasts that I listen to regularly and "A Life Well Wasted" is by far the best (no offense Joystiq, you're a close second). The production value and coffee shop, NPResque approach is something totally different and a must hear. Ashley gives gamers a good name.
Posted: May 5th 2009 2:34AM nickux said
I agree. The content is amazing and I absolutely appreciate the way its crafted. Just a little pretentious.
