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Side Story: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Friends at the Table
Side Story is a bi-weekly podcast about games and the stories we tell about them, presented by Friends at the Table and supported by our patrons at friendsatthetable.cash.
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- 1 weeks ago2h 10m
34: It's Important That We Explain What Chex Mix Is
After telling us for months that we needed to play and talk about Kingdoms of Amalur, Jack has made good on the threat. But is it a threat? Isn't Kingdom's of Amalur a classic 'better than you think it is' game of the early 2010s? Once you look past all the legal hoopla (and the politics of 38 Studios' founder), doesn't it have a pretty unique setting and a combat system that lets you pull off, frankly, sick maneuvers? Well. Opinions differ. This show wouldn't be possible without your support. Please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/friends_table. Show Notes Listen to Jack's segment on WCBN on September 8th at 9PM EST Watch Janine play some Kingdom's of Amalur Assassin's Creed Animation Change Featuring Austin Walker, Keith Carberry, and Jack de Quidt, Produced by Austin Walker Cover Art by A Liang Chan Music by Jack de Quidt
- 3 weeks ago1h 20m
33: Developing Relationships With Marbles
Today, Janine and Ali go to a little world of catboy couriers and witches with high standards: Go-Go Town!, a frenetic city builder that splits the difference between Animal Crossing and Anno. They discuss its myriad tasks (both hands-on and delgated), its numerous vehicles (subway, truck, skateboard, and horse), and its many, many marble-like residents. Support us on Patreon! Chapters 00:00 Introduction 03:41 Go-Go Town!: A Game About Building Up a Little Town 12:11 Wait, What Is Go-Go Town! 19:47 The Courier System 26:28 Does It Have Longevity? 39:29 Early Game vs Late Game 52:31 Final Thoughts and Feelings Featuring Janine Hawkins and Ali Acampora Produced by Austin Walker Cover Art by A Liang Chan Music by Jack de Quidt
- Aug 12, 20261h 16m
32: The Gnome Is Going Into the Shredder
It's music week on Side Story! Keith, Jack, and Sylvi kick off a conversation around music creation game Offbeat, a game about using a toy keyboard and a bunch of input cables as a sequencer to create little jingles as a freelance musician. But of course, this is Side Story, so their conversation quickly ranges to the act of music-making writ large. Show Notes Yamaha MU80 - Performance Demo The Gen Alpha Melody Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:00 Every Company Only Makes One Good Thing 09:51 What is 'Offbeat' 17:44 Wait, what is a "Sequencer" 31:27 Permission to Make Busted Work 40:46 How Tools Shape Music 01:08:02 Keith Reccomendation 01:14:09 Secret Bonus Track (Deluxe Edition) Go check out the Special Edition 10th Anniverary Marielda Vinyl Album! Featuring Jack de Quidt, Keith Carberry, and Sylvi Bullet Produced by Ali Acampora Cover Art by A Liang Chan Music by Jack de Quidt
- Jul 21, 20261h 19m
31: Putting the Player in the Kiln
We talk about friction a lot here on Side Story. Friction as difficulty. Friction as texture. Friction as erotics. But today, as the gem slides onto the lathe, as the clay spins around the wheel, as the brush strokes across the long arm, we talk about friction-as-friction, literally. But I mean, yes, we also talk about it as all that other stuff. Of course. Who do you think we are? Show Notes Chapters 00:00 Introduction 03:17 Lapidary 31:43 Master of Pottery 58:29 Meccha Chameleon
- Jul 8, 20261h 34m
30: A Game About Shitheads
Gather up your ore nuggets, bind quicksave to an easy to reach button, and prepare to be killed in one hit by a level 1 mole creature because this week, Jack and Austin descend into the Khorinis mines and the magically-sealed penal colony within, delving for the first time into the renowned Gothic series via the newly released Gothic 1 Remake. Support us on Patreon! Show Notes The Lost Art of Collectivist RPGs by Crocodile Gambit Sin Vega's Gothic 1 Remake Review https://xetoxyc.github.io/gothic-remake-lockpicker/ Go check out the Special Edition 10th Anniverary Marielda Vinyl Album! Featuring Jack de Quidt and Austin Walker Produced by Ali Acampora Cover Art by A Liang Chan Music by Jack de Quidt
- Jun 23, 20261h 2m
29: The Ship Is Like a Piano to Me
Go check out the Special Edition 10th Anniverary Marielda Vinyl Album! Begin. Motion. D4. Nav 3 R4; gather all. D4. D3. Nav 1 R3; Motion. D5. Nav 3 R5. Interface. Scan. Defense. D6. Nav 3 R6; Gather All. Fuck. Defense. Nav 1 D6; Tow. Nav all R1. Exit. Chapters 00:00 Marielda Vinyl Announcemnet 01:33 Intro 05:09 Today's Topic: Duskers 18:43 Introversion's Uplink 22:35 Duskers: When Things Go Bad 43:18 For All Mankind 46:28 Space Horror 51:10 Reentry - A Space Flight Simulator 53:01 Duskers Final Thoughts Support us on Patreon! Featuring Sylvi Bullet and Jack de Quidt Produced by Austin Walker Cover Art by A Liang Chan Music by Jack de Quidt
- Jun 9, 20261h 33m
28: The Abstraction Gap
We've all been there. You sit down and break the seal on a new pack of cards, you smell the new card smell, you deal out a starter hand of Solitaire -- and then it dawns on you: you accidentally bought evil cards again! This keeps happening! Today, Jack and Austin sit down to talk about evil card games and discuss Forbidden Solitaire and Black Jacket. Support us on Patreon! Featuring Jack de Quidt and Austin Walker Produced by Ali Acampora Cover Art by A Liang Chan Music by Jack de Quidt Chapters 00:00 Introduction 05:06 An Introduction to Evil Games 15:00 Forbidden Solitaire 38:20 Black Jacket
- May 26, 20261h 49m
27: The Machine Needs the Blood
Stop. Take a breath. Make the decision: Which Pokémon would you choose as your roommate. Could Voltorb help you keep the electricity bill down? Would Houndoom make you feel safe at night? Might you let Sinistcha make you its delicious Matcha Gotcha even though it is, somehow, the matcha in question? Today, Ali and Janine take you on a tour of Pokopia, and at least one of them will reveal their answer to this question. Any guesses? Support us on Patreon! Featuring Janine Hawkins and Ali Acampora Produced by Austin Walker Cover Art by A Liang Chan Music by Jack de Quidt Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:21 Pokopia Intro 05:28 Basics: Interacting, Building, Exploring 29:22 Building Philosophies 34:54 Pokemon Roommate Choices 01:10:26 A Game Built For Building 01:18:59 Entering the Spoiler Zone 01:36:33 Re: The Social Media Response
About Side Story
Side Story is a bi-weekly podcast about games and the stories we tell about them, presented by Friends at the Table and supported by our patrons at friendsatthetable.cash.
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