Topic: Radio Free Nintendo: Episode 137

[Jonnyboy117]

Karl Castaneda sits in the guest chair for this action-packed show!  We finally kick off the RetroActive discussion of Eternal Darkness, too.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/podcastArt.cfm?artid=17974

 May the slugs dissolve your eyes!  



 Episode 137: The Darkness Comes    

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Mr. Lindemann is still swamped with work, but your old RFN host, Karl Castaneda, was happy to fill in this week.  In addition to having some interesting perspective on Eternal Darkness (no Suda, no buy), he gives us first impressions on Mad World.  Also in New Business: Jonny vigorously defends Galactrix, and Greg less vigorously defends Link's Crossbow Training.    

The large second segment is devoted entirely to Eternal Darkness, the third game in our RetroActive feature.  The regulars all love it, with some caveats, and we cover everything from Resident Evil comparisons to our favorite insanity effects.  Is the dynamic camera really that good?  Can you enjoy a game where the characters keep dying?  The listeners share their own thoughts on these questions and many more.    

The closing Listener Mail segment leads the gang into a few thoughts on the Resident Evil news, WiiWare demos, our moral gaming qualms, and a follow-up on whether games can seriously deal with death.  It's a great batch of questions, and we'll have even more next week, along with the conclusion of our Eternal Darkness revisit.    

Credits:    

This podcast was edited by Greg Leahy.    

Music for this episode of Radio Free Nintendo is used with permission from Jason Ricci & New Blood. You can purchase their new album, Rocket Number 9, directly from the record label, or download it from iTunes, or call your local record store and ask for it!  

[TJ Spyke]

I am listening to the episode now. I don't remember Karl, maybe because I just started listening about a month ago.

[broodwars]

I am listening to the episode now. I don't remember Karl, maybe because I just started listening about a month ago.

Go listen to episode 103, as that's the last episode I remember him being in.  Hell, listening to episode 103 is mandatory in any case.

[TJ Spyke]

I will eventually, I am listening to them in reverse order (I am now at episode 125).

[Stratos]

Don't forget that Pichu Bros. game that never came out may have been the last vestige of Meowth's Party.

I enjoyed the podcast, great once as per usual. And YAY! for getting a comment read on RetroActie again! Though I was a bit sad that it got cut off, but I'm not offended, I know that one was a bit long winded. I was just happy that you touched on the hero death matter at all whether or not you even mentioned my comment.

Also, thanks for the sensitivity that you dealt with the matter of suicide. I have had that matter hit close to home a few years ago in regards to a friend and only recently can I say I am able to deal with the general  matter of suicide.

I am listening to the episode now. I don't remember Karl, maybe because I just started listening about a month ago.

Go listen to episode 103, as that's the last episode I remember him being in.  Hell, listening to episode 103 is mandatory in any case.

Was that the Imfamous one where Jonny was absent, Greg hosted and everything went to Hell? I LOVED that one.

[TheYoungerPlumber]

Yes.

Another great episode. You're on a roll!

[Yoshidious]

Go listen to episode 103, as that's the last episode I remember him being in.  Hell, listening to episode 103 is mandatory in any case.

Was that the infamous one where Jonny was absent, James hosted and everything went to Hell, and he never hosted the show again? I LOVED that one.

Fixed in the interest of accountability

Karl last joined us on Episode 120 for a feature discussion on hype and expectations in gaming - it's not 103 (what is?) but it's still well worth a listen.

[Jonnyboy117]

I hope y'all don't get upset when we trim down letters and forum posts to be read on the show.  There's an inherent awkwardness to reading someone else's words out loud, and I try to make things flow better by making the quotes concise.  There's also the issue of time; we're just not going to read a 1000-word email on the show.

[ShyGuy]

I liked the insanity effects, they got me at first.

[broodwars]

My big problem with Eternal Darkness is the Sanity Meter, as it allows you to know instantly if anything you see on-screen is a Sanity effect.  That takes any surprise out of anything the game can do to you the entire game, and completely nullifies the point of the Sanity effects.  Also, let's say you play through the game with the Sanity Meter intentionally left empty (the most enjoyable way to play the game).  Then you have to deal with an endless barrage of women and babies crying, which is just too obnoxious to deal with the entire game.

[Stratos]

Go listen to episode 103, as that's the last episode I remember him being in.  Hell, listening to episode 103 is mandatory in any case.

Was that the infamous one where Jonny was absent, James hosted and everything went to Hell, and he never hosted the show again? I LOVED that one.

Fixed in the interest of accountability

Karl last joined us on Episode 120 for a feature discussion on hype and expectations in gaming - it's not 103 (what is?) but it's still well worth a listen.

Oops, I think I just remembered you incorrectly as host because there were a recent couple where you hosted during the holidays. I'm going to listen to that episode again for fun.

My big problem with Eternal Darkness is the Sanity Meter, as it allows you to know instantly if anything you see on-screen is a Sanity effect.  That takes any surprise out of anything the game can do to you the entire game, and completely nullifies the point of the Sanity effects.  Also, let's say you play through the game with the Sanity Meter intentionally left empty (the most enjoyable way to play the game).  Then you have to deal with an endless barrage of women and babies crying, which is just too obnoxious to deal with the entire game.

I actually didn't have that issue with the meter. I typically was so engrossed with the games events that I didn't know where my meter was. Now I'm too good and rarely does my sanity go too far down so I have to purposely not finish zombies to see more effects.

[Plugabugz]

I hope y'all don't get upset when we trim down letters and forum posts to be read on the show.  There's an inherent awkwardness to reading someone else's words out loud, and I try to make things flow better by making the quotes concise.  There's also the issue of time; we're just not going to read a 1000-word email on the show.

I sent in a question that kinda fits that "1000 word" description. It's just hard to explain!

*hopes it gets read out*

[Stratos]

I hope y'all don't get upset when we trim down letters and forum posts to be read on the show.  There's an inherent awkwardness to reading someone else's words out loud, and I try to make things flow better by making the quotes concise.  There's also the issue of time; we're just not going to read a 1000-word email on the show.

I do understand. Doesn't mean I can't wish that you did read the whole thing, but I trust you to convey the points accurately.

[TofuFury]

I have to say, I've never been interested in survival horror. Your discussion on Eternal Darkness makes it sound like it might be worth checking out. Oh, and the editing in this episode was top notch.

Also, wasn't Karl in 120: Hype Man? I've recommended that one to a few of my friends.

[Jonnyboy117]

Greg really did a fantastic job with the editing on this episode.  I think maybe James helped with some of the special tricks, too.

[Stratos]

Speaking of the editing, I have always been struck by your level of professionalism in editing the podcast, Greg. The way you do the chapter breaks and changing images to how well the actual cleaning of the recording is performed. It was one of the major things that caught my eye   ear to the RFN podcast and did lead to my return and eventual active participation on the site. I am an aspiring podcast creator and am only a dabbling newbie, but I ascribe to reaching anything remotely close to your level of skill.

I really love the sanity effects on this episode. I was listening to it on my iPod in my car and I have to use one of those radio receiver/transmitters and pick it up on my cars radio (heh, Radio Free Nintendo on the radio). Since I was making a 160+ mile trip the open bands I can listen to it on changes over the course of the trip. I know when I have to change the transmitting band when another station starts to walk over your show and I hear bits of both at the same time. The effects occured and I kept switching bands thinking it was such an issue. It wasn't until around the third time you did it that I realized what you were doing. I literally yelled in my car "THIS...ISN'T...REALLY...HAPPENING!"
Good job and good show.

[Plugabugz]

Greg automatically wins for "Karl sucks"

When i heard the sanity effects i was thinking each time if my hearing was packing up again (i got fluid in my left ear hence the concern) and took my headphones out to see if everything else sounded the same.

[Stratos]

Greg automatically wins for "Karl sucks"

When i heard the sanity effects i was thinking each time if my hearing was packing up again (i got fluid in my left ear hence the concern) and took my headphones out to see if everything else sounded the same.

But did you think "THIS...ISN'T...REALLY...HAPPENING!"?

[Sarail]

Great episode, guys.  Keep up the amazing work.  And Karl, I'm sorry Nintendo has frustrated you to the point of leaving the site... I never understood the reason why.  I've got plenty of reasons why sitting underneath my TV next to the Wii -- all core titles, too.

But, oh well!  I own a PS3, too, and I still rock out more with the Wii...  the games are just a whole lot more fun. 

[NWR_Karl]

Oh, I didn't leave the site because I couldn't deal with Nintendo anymore. I just wanted to focus on being a student for a while. As for games on the Wii, I think it's actually got a pretty decent release schedule for the rest of the year (provided we get that new Punch Out, that Vanillaware game, etc etc), which is a welcome change.

[NovaQ]

I hope y'all don't get upset when we trim down letters and forum posts to be read on the show.  There's an inherent awkwardness to reading someone else's words out loud, and I try to make things flow better by making the quotes concise.  There's also the issue of time; we're just not going to read a 1000-word email on the show.

Nuts. I sent in a longer one a week or two ago. I'll try to trim it down and send it again. Thanks for the heads-up!

[Plugabugz]

Nuts. I sent in a longer one a week or two ago. I'll try to trim it down and send it again. Thanks for the heads-up!

Me too! I tried to make mine more "palatable".

[Stratos]

Don't worry guys, look at it as a chance to develop your writing to convey ideas more concisely.

[TJ Spyke]

You seemed to be pretty negative on Nintendo in general Karl. I'm not sure how much was joking, but it seemed to be mostly negative things only.

Could you guys maybe talk about what you think of the New Play Control! games? Ones that you have played of coarse.

[NWR_Karl]

Without turning this into a completely different discussion, I'll just say that I don't mean to be completely negative - I'm just of the opinion that Nintendo could be doing more in certain areas without compromising their new market. It's something that often came up during my stint on the show. I'm just naturally critical of things I like (in this case, the Big N). If this was Radio Free Microsoft, I'd have an entirely different basket of complaints.

Still, I'd like to think that I'm not centered on pointing out flaws. Even as I slighted Eternal Darkness for not being what I was looking for, I pointed out that I knew exactly why people enjoyed it so much, and that I still respected the effort.

So yeah, in closing, I do like Nintendo. There are just things about the way they operate that I disagree with, is all.