Idle Thumbs Episodes & Streams
Idle Thumbs !!: With Bagblast
By Jake, February 2, 2017 in Idle Thumbs Episodes & Streams
jiggly anime false negative butts
16 hours ago, Chris said:
This is exactly what we'd want to do. The challenge is coming up with a solution that 1.) is easy for people to authenticate and use, 2) has some kind of mechanism by which we can detect whether people are abusing the ad-free feed and spreading it to non-subscribers, and 3.) is actually technically achievable by us. Being limited to any two of those is much easier, but I think we'd want to have all three before we launched such a system.
Yeah I kinda figured. An older podcast I used to listen to managed all that, so I know it's possible at least! Unique feeds generated for each user, only visible by logging in to the site-wide account, etc. The logistics, of course, are probably a nightmare.
This sounds like I'm preaching, but I guess my endgame is just to be supportive. I hope you can do it, and I look forward to future things!
GreyFall62
I get where you are coming from wanting to offer potential patreon supporters a non-ad version of the show, but a lot of paid media comes with ads (newspapers, magazines, cinema etc.) and to me that's fine as long as the ads aren't too intrusive (and the Idle Thumbs ad reads aren't really intrusive) and the advertisers don't have undue influence over the media (though in this instance I like the idea that it was Squarespace and Blue Apron representatives standing off camera who forced Nick to stream Dark Souls for all those hours on end).
Anyway, I registered to say that while I'm for sure disappointed to see the end of the current incarnation of the Idle Thumbs podcast, I tuned in each week first and foremost to listen to you guys. So I'll be following you on to all future endeavours!
dium
decent enough
fwiw (prob not much), Idle Thumbs ads are some of the only ads I don't impulsively skip over. A HUGE part of this is brevity. There are other podcasts who put a lot of effort into making their ads entertaining, which I appreciate, but I'll take a short straightforward ad over a long scripted one with gags or w/e any day.
That said. If I could pay Idle Thumbs directly and the ads would go away, I would do it.
axemtitanium
Sky Pirate
Location: Cambridge, MA
As a reader, I'm excited to see what happens next with the podcast. Are there any plans to get Sean back on the cast in any capacity (formal or occasional)? I know running a company is hard work but I miss his perspective.
simonster
Location: Sweden (08-området)
I haven't written in to any questions@idlethumbs.net but I might as well say my piece here and then go to sleep. One criteria for whether or not I would remove a subscription to a podcast was if they would diverge from the subject in a measured (I'm Swedish) way - and usually if they would use this time to mention books that would be a huge star in the corner of the homework assignment. This made me stick with Idle Thumbs and so when you decide to - after (for me) 125 [.math 300-125=175] episodes enjoyed - switch over to another format, one of more of other than #subject, ... nah just kidding.
This is something I embrace continue casting pods*. I will listen when times comes around and I will probably enjoy them because you are a group of people who often share the same views as I on things surrounding us and I like you.
*not to hard, they are heavy.
notanimal
47 minutes ago, axemtitanium said:
Are there any plans to get Sean back on the cast in any capacity (formal or occasional)?
I have subconsciously constructed some ambiguous beef between Sean and Chris to explain his disappearance from the podcast. I didn't realize that I had imagined it until I heard their tracks together on the Firewatch dev commentary.
I would also love to hear him back on the podcast in any form. He brings a unique perspective to any conversation he's in.
jennegatron
Queen of the Favs
Location: Woodland, CA
9 minutes ago, notanimal said:
Can @tabacco create a robot that just links to:
every time Sean comes up?
LONG LIVE HTTP://MITTEN.CAT
Thumb Citizen
It sounds like you already decided to launch a brand new show instead of keeping this feed. And that you took some feedback earlier?
I guess I'll chime in anyway. Many of my favorite podcasts have completely gone off the rails from the original format/topic/genre and that's cool. Would probably prefer just keeping the existing feed. Whatever though.
Remo Action News
1 hour ago, Flynn said:
We were pretty close to just keeping the existing feed, but (fairly late) we decided it made more sense to keep it around in case we do end up wanting to actually restart the full on video game show, or release periodic content onto there.
Treasure Goblin
A.K.A Thelunarcat
I've only been a presence in the community more recently, but I've been a fan of Idle Thumbs for probably 5 or 6 years at this point (I started listening shortly before the kickstarter). It's kind of weird to think about how thumbs has been a constant through my whole early-mid 20s, and the podcast has been a great source of both entertainment and comfort through hard times. I'm more active on Slack than I am on the forums, and since I have become more involved I have really found that the thumbs community is the best i've ever been a part of. I really love and appreciate what you do, and while I feel a bit sad that Idle Thumbs in its current incarnation is going to sleep, I'm really looking forward to seeing you all exploring a new direction.
mcwizardry
Thumb Tourist
Looking forward to see what the new direction of Idle Thumbs looks like, I assume they want to talk about politics.
On 3.2.2017 at 6:55 AM, Chris said:
I haven't listened to the latest cast yet, only read the summary, but to me it sounds like you're making things more difficult for you than they have to be. I don't think people wouldn't be willing to support a Patreon because there are two or three ads in each cast? Maybe I'm wrong.
I guess starting a new feed makes sense, although you guys seemed to be a bit disheartened by losing a lot of readers over the last few years or so -- won't the move probably increase that number?
Other than that, everything sounds pretty cool and I'm glad to hear Twitch streaming will continue.
Synnah
Shitty Justice Wizard
15 hours ago, Synnah said:
I went back and played MoaBD again though, for the first time in a few years, and it doesn't actually start with a DOS prompt, it starts with a Windows '95-style OS. The game itself has a glitch aesthetic, but not on the OS section. Mythalore suggested that maybe the game was Duskers, which does seem a lot more likely aesthetically and thematically. There's one problem with this, though: The game isn't available on itch.io, so there's very little chance of him accidentally downloading it instead of The Sad Story of a Modern Idiot.
Okay, so apparently the itch.io build of Memory of a Broken is an almost entirely different game to the GDC build that I have; I figured they were from around the same time, but apparently not. I couldn't really see any connection between the two! The itch.io build does actually play almost exactly like Clyde's descriptions in his email and in the thread for Sad Story of a Modern Idiot.
a wooden leg named "Smith"
I'm starting to to think y'all are right about me downloading the wrong game. I'm not at home so I can't check yet, but those screenshots look similar to what I played.
Regarding @Spenny streaming the development, I started thinking that this was part of the plan. If I did download the wrong game and for some reason continued to think it was another game, truly this will be a sad story of a modern idiot.
I'll update y'all once I get home. Glad I asked!
9 hours ago, mcwizardry said:
We really don't. It's more important than it's ever been in my adult lifetime for people to be politically engaged, and we are, but part of what Thumbs is for us is an escape from all of the "real life" stuff. I'm sure there are people for whom that seems cowardly or immature but it feels as though every waking moment this year has been flooded in dismal politics and current events, which I have spent a lot of time trying to understand and react to constructively, and just on a psychological maintenance level I need a couple hours a week where I know I can pretend not to be living in that. Anyway I'll see any San Francisco folks at the refugee ban rally today.
7 hours ago, Sloane said:
Oh yeah definitely. But 1) we hope if we actually can make it good there's growth potential, and 2) doing a new thing with a new goal is fun and energizing, and Thumbs proper has been coasting for a while.
Obviously if people simply don't like the new thing, we fucked up. We'll cross that bridge if we come to it.
1 hour ago, Chris said:
It's more important than it's ever been in my adult lifetime for people to be politically engaged, and we are, but part of what Thumbs is for us is an escape from all of the "real life" stuff. I'm sure there are people for whom that seems cowardly or immature but it feels as though every waking moment this year has been flooded in dismal politics and current events, which I have spent a lot of time trying to understand and react to constructively, and just on a psychological maintenance level I need a couple hours a week where I know I can pretend not to be living in that.
I think you guys nail responsible escapism on Idle Thumbs. It is clear that you guys give a shit about everything that is going on right now, but during the podcast you are able to focus on the funny and absurd in the world.
My social life breaks down into two categories these days. In one I am surrounded by people who care about current events, and all we ever talk about is the worlds slow descent into authoritarianism. It's exhausting. In the other I am surrounded by people who don't care, which means every conversation is shadowed with a guilt that I'm wasting my time. it is equally exhausting.
Idle Thumbs has been an escape for me over the past year. I'm able to relax by not having to think about the current state of affairs while also knowing that the content I'm consuming is created by people who really care.
Basically, keep doing what you're doing! Thanks for all the pods!
@TinKelp @Synnah @Spenny @Jake
So it's true, I did in fact open the wrong file. Multiple times even. I checked my archive and the two games are right beside each other. This is both an embarrassing realization, and an inspirational one. Thanks for your enthusiasm and patience solving what was for me a riddle. It's kinda funny that I was more willing to assume that Spenny was fucking with people than that I clicked on the wrong file... multiple times.
3 hours ago, Chris said:
Thanks for taking the time to elaborate, we could all use a break from current events and the news cycle.
I just wanted to register my vote for podcasts basically always being better when the podcasters are talking about the things that they want to talk about.
Also I'm excited to add a podcast in my list to the "not about video games" category because right now the ratio with the "about video games" category is perhaps slightly embarrassing?
Cbirdsong
On 2/2/2017 at 11:55 PM, Chris said:
Patreon actually has this functionality built in now. It generates a unique per-backer RSS feed that stops working if you stop backing. You'd just have to post the ad-free versions attached to backer-only Patreon updates, I think?
extremely if true
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
There is no Idle Thumbs podcast to me anymore, it's all Idle Thumbs slack and Wizard Jam now.
I've been here since 2004 - came for the games journalism by Mojo alumni, stayed for the tangent-heavy podcast chat. I've really valued your ridiculous gameplay anecdotes and smart observations on the industry, and I often act on your game recommendations. But I also enjoy the other topics discussed, and actually find that mix less alienating that an all-games podcast might end up being. I just don't get round to playing dozens of games a year, so it's nice to hear about your hinterland beyond gaming and game development, be it books, films, drinks, food, robot news, or anything else.
So I'll definitely be listening to the new cast! I'm intrigued as to how you'll pitch it so that people entirely new to Thumbs stuff will go for it - I suppose the (recently more theoretical) focus of Thumbs on gaming has been a draw for any gamers who stumble upon it having played Firewatch or whatever. To that end, I think preserving Idle Thumbs stream for the strongly games-related stuff is wise, as it could remain a nice gateway to this new cast (and others on the network, of course).
TopFish
The Greatest Cephalopod in Guildford
I'm really excited to see what happens with the new podcast. The moments that you guys go off-topic have always been some of the best, so the idea having a format that makes it easier for you all to talk about what you want to sounds great. I love the podcast for the way that you manage to combine some really interesting and mature discussion with a joyful and unabashed enthusiasm for glorious dumb shit. Over the years, you've introduced me to films and authors I might not have otherwise considered, as well as some great weird stuff - like the recent talk about Neil Cicierega's albums.
It's a shame to hear about the declining readership, but if you're considering looking for other ways to fund the podcast besides advertising, then I'd be very happy to send a little money your way. I'm afraid I've always been reluctant to order stuff from the store - as great as it looks - because by the time transatlantic shipping is added on, $40+ for a T-shirt gets difficult for me to justify to myself. So yeah, I'd love to have a way to pay you guys back for all the entertainment you've given me over the last however-many years it's been.
Anyway, I'll go wherever the Robot News goes.
pabosher
Dead, for tax purposes.
Also, I know that I'd be down to act as a guinea pig for the new cast (much like with the relaunch of Thumbs); so if you're looking for feedback...!
Go To Topic Listing Idle Thumbs Episodes & Streams