Welcome to the Nerds Without Pants podcast! We're here to talk to you about games, comics, movies, and Jason Statham. Listen to our organized chaos, and join in the discussion with your letters. Keep it pantsless, internet! http://www.pixlbit.com/features?type=5&podcastType=5 PixlBit http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss en-us Thu, 15 Jun 2006 19:33:22 -0400 Thu, 15 Jun 2006 19:33:14 -0400 PixlBit Join Patrick, Rob, and Julian as we wax philosophically about video games and any other random nerdy topics we meander into. Welcome to the Nerds Without Pants podcast! We're here to talk to you about games, comics, movies, and Jason Statham. Listen to our organized chaos, and join in the discussion with your letters. Keep it pantsless, internet! Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, videogames, Wii, Wii U, PlayStation 3, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, 360, technology, games, nintendo ds, ds, psp, 3ds, vita, pixlbit, pixltalk, pspgo, kinect, move PixlBit podcasts@pixlbit.com PixlBit yes http://www.pixlbit.com/ui/images/nwoplogo-itunes.png http://www.pixlbit.com/features?type=5&podcastType=5 Welcome to the Nerds Without Pants podcast! We're here to talk to you about games, comics, movies, and Jason Statham. Listen to our organized chaos, and join in the discussion with your letters. Keep it pantsless, internet! 123 35 http://www.pixlbit.com/feature/2016/episode_23_dont_worry_be_nerdy <p>Hi there. We're all nerds and geeks here, right? We're passionate about our hobbies, but why does that passion so often turn to rage and complaining? Can't we all just have fun and enjoy each other's thoughts and company? Well, this week on Nerds Without Pants we're joined by a couple excellent guests to talk about just that. Enjoy the beautiful voices and even-handed opinions of <a href="https://twitter.com/erikaszabo">Erika Szabo</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/gholson">John Gholson</a>!</p> <p>We kick things off with introductions. Erika is becoming a force to be reckoned with in the realm of games and tech writing. John has started a <a href="http://guttersandpanels.com/">new comics blog</a>, acted in a movie, and been on <a href="http://www.vh1.com/video/misc/889218/john-gholsons-sxsw-movie-buzz.jhtml">VH1</a> since last we heard from him. After that we move into Consumption Junction. We talk about Iron Man 3, comic book back issues, Fire Emblem, anime, and the proper language needed when reviewing vibrators. Yes, you read that right.</p> <p><iframe style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/768wJZoqB9Q" frameborder="0" width="560" height="315"></iframe></p> <p>Then, we go deep on the echo chamber of nerd rage that can be found on the internet. Sexism comes up a lot, as it's been a hot button issue in the games sector recently. From the Dragon's Crown art kerfluffle to Iron Man 3 ruining people's lives, the crew tries to preach a message of tolerance and positivity. Simply put, why so serious, gamers?</p> <p>This is a very different episode of Nerds Without Pants, and you're really in for a treat. Let us know your feelings on nerd rage in the comments below. Also, give some love to Erika, who we would really like to have back on the show very soon. Possibly forever. And ever. And ever.</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/2280.jpg" alt="" width="525" height="313" /></p> Fri, 17 May 2013 12:00:00 EDT <p>Hi there. We're all nerds and geeks here, right? We're passionate about our hobbies, but why does that passion so often turn to rage and complaining? Can't we all just have fun and enjoy each other's thoughts and company? Well, this week on Nerds Without Pants we're joined by a couple excellent guests to talk about just that. Enjoy the beautiful voices and even-handed opinions of <a href="https://twitter.com/erikaszabo">Erika Szabo</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/gholson">John Gholson</a>!</p> <p>We kick things off with introductions. Erika is becoming a force to be reckoned with in the realm of games and tech writing. John has started a <a href="http://guttersandpanels.com/">new comics blog</a>, acted in a movie, and been on <a href="http://www.vh1.com/video/misc/889218/john-gholsons-sxsw-movie-buzz.jhtml">VH1</a> since last we heard from him. After that we move into Consumption Junction. We talk about Iron Man 3, comic book back issues, Fire Emblem, anime, and the proper language needed when reviewing vibrators. Yes, you read that right.</p> <p><iframe style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/768wJZoqB9Q" frameborder="0" width="560" height="315"></iframe></p> <p>Then, we go deep on the echo chamber of nerd rage that can be found on the internet. Sexism comes up a lot, as it's been a hot button issue in the games sector recently. From the Dragon's Crown art kerfluffle to Iron Man 3 ruining people's lives, the crew tries to preach a message of tolerance and positivity. Simply put, why so serious, gamers?</p> <p>This is a very different episode of Nerds Without Pants, and you're really in for a treat. Let us know your feelings on nerd rage in the comments below. Also, give some love to Erika, who we would really like to have back on the show very soon. Possibly forever. And ever. And ever.</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/2280.jpg" alt="" width="525" height="313" /></p> 2:12:18 Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, videogames, Wii, PlayStation 3, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, 360, technology, games, nintendo ds, ds, psp, pixlbit, pixltalk, pspgo PixlBit.com yes http://www.pixlbit.com/feature/1996/episode_22_nintendo_propaganda <p>Hey! Listen! We have a big show for you this week, and we kick things off by talking about how awesome Felicia Day is before Patrick gives us the lowdown on the c2e2 convention. Is that Jeff Green guesting on our show? Not quite, but Angelo sounds a little bit like him, and he drops by to talk about Nintendo and other fun things!</p> <p>In Consumption Junction, Angelo brings up some great conversation about video game soundtracks. Patrick's been playing Phantasy Star IV, and the guys talk about gaming "then" and gaming "now". Julian watched Twilight: Breaking Dawn and recoils in terror from CG BABY. He's also jumped onto the 3DS bandwagon, thanks to peer pressure from people like our own Jesse Miller.</p> <p>That leads the crew into a lengthy discussion about Nintendo. Julian's been a vocal "jilted Nintendo lover" for a long time, and talks about his love and breakup with the company. Angelo tells his odd beginnings with the Big N, and Patrick reminisces about his "gaming All-Mother". Julian calls out the hysterical, rabid Nintendo fans, likening them to Alex Jones listeners. Controversial? Probably...</p> <p>After some talk about the state of the Wii U, the guys put on their thinking caps and each reinvent the Nintendo Holy Trinity: Mario, Metroid, and Zelda. As always, their ideas will most likely surprise, entice, and anger you! Let us know how <em>you</em> would reinvent popular Nintendo franchises, and any other comments and feedback on the show.</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/2274.jpg" alt="" width="571" height="428" /></p> Fri, 03 May 2013 12:00:00 EDT <p>Hey! Listen! We have a big show for you this week, and we kick things off by talking about how awesome Felicia Day is before Patrick gives us the lowdown on the c2e2 convention. Is that Jeff Green guesting on our show? Not quite, but Angelo sounds a little bit like him, and he drops by to talk about Nintendo and other fun things!</p> <p>In Consumption Junction, Angelo brings up some great conversation about video game soundtracks. Patrick's been playing Phantasy Star IV, and the guys talk about gaming "then" and gaming "now". Julian watched Twilight: Breaking Dawn and recoils in terror from CG BABY. He's also jumped onto the 3DS bandwagon, thanks to peer pressure from people like our own Jesse Miller.</p> <p>That leads the crew into a lengthy discussion about Nintendo. Julian's been a vocal "jilted Nintendo lover" for a long time, and talks about his love and breakup with the company. Angelo tells his odd beginnings with the Big N, and Patrick reminisces about his "gaming All-Mother". Julian calls out the hysterical, rabid Nintendo fans, likening them to Alex Jones listeners. Controversial? Probably...</p> <p>After some talk about the state of the Wii U, the guys put on their thinking caps and each reinvent the Nintendo Holy Trinity: Mario, Metroid, and Zelda. As always, their ideas will most likely surprise, entice, and anger you! Let us know how <em>you</em> would reinvent popular Nintendo franchises, and any other comments and feedback on the show.</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/2274.jpg" alt="" width="571" height="428" /></p> 2:21:01 Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, videogames, Wii, PlayStation 3, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, 360, technology, games, nintendo ds, ds, psp, pixlbit, pixltalk, pspgo PixlBit.com yes http://www.pixlbit.com/feature/2003/episode_21_sick_sad_world <p>Hello, and *cough cough* welcome to *hack* another episode of *wheeze* Nerds Without Pants! Our last episode was <strong><em>so freaking epic</em></strong> that Julian fell ill. Well, not really, but he's rather under the weather this week, so hopefully you enjoy this shorter show as Patrick takes up the slack.</p> <p>It's pretty much all Consumption Junction this time, folks. Patrick's been playing The Walking Dead, catching up on TV shows, and reading copious amounts of comics. Julian conquered a game from his past that has haunted him for years, shares his fear of bug eyed people, and has a vastly different definition for large breasts than Patrick. Things wrap up with some talk of game collecting before Patrick chimes in with a PSA on insomnia, something that Julian and many of the PixlBit community suffer from.</p> <p>And that's it! What, you want more? You got almost three hours of us last time! WHAT MUST WE DO TO APPEASE YOU??!!</p> <p>FEATURED MUSIC:</p> <p>Bad Religion- Infected</p> <p>Paula Cole- Hush, Hush, Hush</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/2237.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="400" /></p> Fri, 19 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EDT <p>Hello, and *cough cough* welcome to *hack* another episode of *wheeze* Nerds Without Pants! Our last episode was <strong><em>so freaking epic</em></strong> that Julian fell ill. Well, not really, but he's rather under the weather this week, so hopefully you enjoy this shorter show as Patrick takes up the slack.</p> <p>It's pretty much all Consumption Junction this time, folks. Patrick's been playing The Walking Dead, catching up on TV shows, and reading copious amounts of comics. Julian conquered a game from his past that has haunted him for years, shares his fear of bug eyed people, and has a vastly different definition for large breasts than Patrick. Things wrap up with some talk of game collecting before Patrick chimes in with a PSA on insomnia, something that Julian and many of the PixlBit community suffer from.</p> <p>And that's it! What, you want more? You got almost three hours of us last time! WHAT MUST WE DO TO APPEASE YOU??!!</p> <p>FEATURED MUSIC:</p> <p>Bad Religion- Infected</p> <p>Paula Cole- Hush, Hush, Hush</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/2237.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="400" /></p> 01:16:55 Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, videogames, Wii, PlayStation 3, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, 360, technology, games, nintendo ds, ds, psp, pixlbit, pixltalk, pspgo PixlBit.com yes http://www.pixlbit.com/feature/1987/episode_20_ten <p>It's time again for Nerds Without Pants! This week, JD joins us for a very special look at growing up in the '90s, and all the great games we experienced back then. So lace up your army boots, tie a flannel around your waist, and chug some Crystal Pepsi folks, because this episode of NWP is full of attitude and is so effing XTREME!</p> <p>First though, we head over to Consumption Junction, where quite a bit of games are talked about. Enjoy plenty of discussion about God of War: Ascension, Gears of War: Judgment, BioShock Infinite, The Cave, and Star Craft II: Heart of the Swarm. Julian brings up Metal Gear Solid V and the danger of "prequel fatigue". We also talk about comics for a reeeally long time, as well as a bit of TV.</p> <p>Then we hop into the Wayback Machine for a trip through 1990-1999. There's as much as a ten year gap between the oldest and youngest members of this show, so memories and experiences vary wildly. From the heyday of the arcade to the launch of the SNES, N64, PSX, and more, the Pantsless Ones have a lot to say. Pokemon addiction! Fear of Ecco the Dolphin! Dreams of living on Dawson's Creek! All this and more await you in a most excellent episode of Nerds Without Pants! Seriously, you Ninten-don't want to miss this one.</p> <p>FEATURED MUSIC:</p> <p>Way too many to name!</p> <p><img src="/media/generic/2210.jpg" alt="" width="143" height="193" /><img src="/media/generic/2211.jpg" alt="" width="141" height="191" /><img src="/media/generic/2212.jpg" alt="" width="146" height="189" /><img src="/media/generic/2213.jpg" alt="" width="146" height="188" /></p> <p><img src="/media/generic/2214.jpg" alt="" width="143" height="195" /><img src="/media/generic/2215.jpg" alt="" width="145" height="195" /><img src="/media/generic/2216.jpg" alt="" width="142" height="192" /><img src="/media/generic/2217.jpg" alt="" width="144" height="191" /></p> Fri, 05 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EDT <p>It's time again for Nerds Without Pants! This week, JD joins us for a very special look at growing up in the '90s, and all the great games we experienced back then. So lace up your army boots, tie a flannel around your waist, and chug some Crystal Pepsi folks, because this episode of NWP is full of attitude and is so effing XTREME!</p> <p>First though, we head over to Consumption Junction, where quite a bit of games are talked about. Enjoy plenty of discussion about God of War: Ascension, Gears of War: Judgment, BioShock Infinite, The Cave, and Star Craft II: Heart of the Swarm. Julian brings up Metal Gear Solid V and the danger of "prequel fatigue". We also talk about comics for a reeeally long time, as well as a bit of TV.</p> <p>Then we hop into the Wayback Machine for a trip through 1990-1999. There's as much as a ten year gap between the oldest and youngest members of this show, so memories and experiences vary wildly. From the heyday of the arcade to the launch of the SNES, N64, PSX, and more, the Pantsless Ones have a lot to say. Pokemon addiction! Fear of Ecco the Dolphin! Dreams of living on Dawson's Creek! All this and more await you in a most excellent episode of Nerds Without Pants! Seriously, you Ninten-don't want to miss this one.</p> <p>FEATURED MUSIC:</p> <p>Way too many to name!</p> <p><img src="/media/generic/2210.jpg" alt="" width="143" height="193" /><img src="/media/generic/2211.jpg" alt="" width="141" height="191" /><img src="/media/generic/2212.jpg" alt="" width="146" height="189" /><img src="/media/generic/2213.jpg" alt="" width="146" height="188" /></p> <p><img src="/media/generic/2214.jpg" alt="" width="143" height="195" /><img src="/media/generic/2215.jpg" alt="" width="145" height="195" /><img src="/media/generic/2216.jpg" alt="" width="142" height="192" /><img src="/media/generic/2217.jpg" alt="" width="144" height="191" /></p> 2:39:31 Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, videogames, Wii, PlayStation 3, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, 360, technology, games, nintendo ds, ds, psp, pixlbit, pixltalk, pspgo PixlBit.com yes http://www.pixlbit.com/feature/1976/episode_19_patricks_day <p>Hello, and welcome to a very special edition of Nerds Without Pants! Patrick takes the helm this week for the holiday that was named after him. That...may not be an accurate statement, but the name of the game is all sorts of clever tricks and cons in the world of video games.</p> <p>Before that, we introduce a new opening segment to the show: Consumption Junction. This is where we talk about all the different forms of media we've consumed since last time, and this week we discuss Julian's new Disgaea obsession, Wreck-It Ralph, inFAMOUS 2, Joe Danger: The Movie, and more.</p> <p>Then, Patrick dips into his pot 'o gold to talk about some tricky games and even trickier game companies. We bring up all the dastardly deeds we can ken, from deceptive console launches to video game hero switcheroos. Plenty of tangents and asides abound, thanks to input from <a href="/user?action=showUserProfile&userId=422">Joe Step</a>, <a href="/user?action=showUserProfile&userId=410">leeradical42</a>, and <a href="/user?action=showUserProfile&userId=398">angelfaceband42</a>. We've got crotch-shattering combos! Telekinetic babies! Ken Griffey Jr.!Patrick talking in Irish brogue! Don't miss it!</p> <p>FEATURED MUSIC</p> <p>Jeff and Mychael Danna (Blood of Cu Chulainn)</p> <p>Connie Dover (Laddie, Lie Near Me)</p> <p>Orealis (L'Hiver Sur Richelieu)</p> <p>Dropkick Murphys (I'm Shipping Up to Boston)</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/2185.jpg" alt="" width="576" height="432" /></p> Fri, 22 Mar 2013 12:00:00 EDT <p>Hello, and welcome to a very special edition of Nerds Without Pants! Patrick takes the helm this week for the holiday that was named after him. That...may not be an accurate statement, but the name of the game is all sorts of clever tricks and cons in the world of video games.</p> <p>Before that, we introduce a new opening segment to the show: Consumption Junction. This is where we talk about all the different forms of media we've consumed since last time, and this week we discuss Julian's new Disgaea obsession, Wreck-It Ralph, inFAMOUS 2, Joe Danger: The Movie, and more.</p> <p>Then, Patrick dips into his pot 'o gold to talk about some tricky games and even trickier game companies. We bring up all the dastardly deeds we can ken, from deceptive console launches to video game hero switcheroos. Plenty of tangents and asides abound, thanks to input from <a href="/user?action=showUserProfile&userId=422">Joe Step</a>, <a href="/user?action=showUserProfile&userId=410">leeradical42</a>, and <a href="/user?action=showUserProfile&userId=398">angelfaceband42</a>. We've got crotch-shattering combos! Telekinetic babies! Ken Griffey Jr.!Patrick talking in Irish brogue! Don't miss it!</p> <p>FEATURED MUSIC</p> <p>Jeff and Mychael Danna (Blood of Cu Chulainn)</p> <p>Connie Dover (Laddie, Lie Near Me)</p> <p>Orealis (L'Hiver Sur Richelieu)</p> <p>Dropkick Murphys (I'm Shipping Up to Boston)</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/2185.jpg" alt="" width="576" height="432" /></p> 1:43:02 Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, videogames, Wii, PlayStation 3, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, 360, technology, games, nintendo ds, ds, psp, pixlbit, pixltalk, pspgo PixlBit.com yes http://www.pixlbit.com/feature/1956/episode_18_sonys_world <p>Hello again! This week on Nerds Without Pants Julian and Patrick give all of their love to the PlayStation 4. There’s been a ton of negative talk swirling around the new Sony console, and the Pantsless Ones bring a refreshing amount of positive vibes to the discussion. But before that—games!</p> <p>Both of the guys finished<a href="/review/734/metal_gear_rising_revengeance_review"> Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance</a>, and they rant about the criminal difficulty of the final boss while raving about the rest of the game. Patrick’s been enjoying his first taste of Suckerpunch’s superhero saga with <a href="/review/444/infamous_2_review">inFAMOUS 2</a>, and a lot of time is spent dreaming up what their dream God of War game would be like. Regular contributor <a href="/user?action=showUserProfile&userId=317">Michael117</a> has a question about video game advertising, leading to one of the best drops in the history of NWP.</p> <p>After that, it’s a veritable Sony love-in. Well, after Julian takes jaded gamers to task for being so blasé about a NEW CONSOLE REVEAL. The guys talk about the new controller, Julian’s antisocial stance on all that social media stuff, and the solutions to first world problems that the PS4 presents. Then the guys move on to the games. Patrick and Julian are high on Knack, think Killzone and inFAMOUS look pretty but expected, and go gaga over Media Molecule’s virtual sculpting demonstration. Julian wags his finger at Square Enix and Quantic Dream for their lackluster presentations, and the nerds agree that Blizzard+console=give us a new Lost Vikings.</p> <p>The discussion wraps up with baseless speculation on price, as well as those rumors of Sony trying to remove used games from the equation. Oh, and Julian says “fantastic” more in two hours than the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX2RKJIkwYw">9<sup>th</sup> Doctor</a> did in an entire season, so get your shot glasses ready for a drinking game that will have you falling down drunk by the end of the show.</p> <p>FEATURED MUSIC:</p> <p>It Has to Be This Way (Metal Gear Rising-Platinum Remix)</p> <p>Black Sheep (Brie Larson-Scott Pilgrim vs. the World)</p> <p>Games People Play (The Spinners)</p> <p>Monzter Hozpital (Zeale Rapz-Metric Remix)</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/2114.png" alt="" width="584" height="292" /></p> Fri, 08 Mar 2013 12:00:00 EST <p>Hello again! This week on Nerds Without Pants Julian and Patrick give all of their love to the PlayStation 4. There’s been a ton of negative talk swirling around the new Sony console, and the Pantsless Ones bring a refreshing amount of positive vibes to the discussion. But before that—games!</p> <p>Both of the guys finished<a href="/review/734/metal_gear_rising_revengeance_review"> Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance</a>, and they rant about the criminal difficulty of the final boss while raving about the rest of the game. Patrick’s been enjoying his first taste of Suckerpunch’s superhero saga with <a href="/review/444/infamous_2_review">inFAMOUS 2</a>, and a lot of time is spent dreaming up what their dream God of War game would be like. Regular contributor <a href="/user?action=showUserProfile&userId=317">Michael117</a> has a question about video game advertising, leading to one of the best drops in the history of NWP.</p> <p>After that, it’s a veritable Sony love-in. Well, after Julian takes jaded gamers to task for being so blasé about a NEW CONSOLE REVEAL. The guys talk about the new controller, Julian’s antisocial stance on all that social media stuff, and the solutions to first world problems that the PS4 presents. Then the guys move on to the games. Patrick and Julian are high on Knack, think Killzone and inFAMOUS look pretty but expected, and go gaga over Media Molecule’s virtual sculpting demonstration. Julian wags his finger at Square Enix and Quantic Dream for their lackluster presentations, and the nerds agree that Blizzard+console=give us a new Lost Vikings.</p> <p>The discussion wraps up with baseless speculation on price, as well as those rumors of Sony trying to remove used games from the equation. Oh, and Julian says “fantastic” more in two hours than the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX2RKJIkwYw">9<sup>th</sup> Doctor</a> did in an entire season, so get your shot glasses ready for a drinking game that will have you falling down drunk by the end of the show.</p> <p>FEATURED MUSIC:</p> <p>It Has to Be This Way (Metal Gear Rising-Platinum Remix)</p> <p>Black Sheep (Brie Larson-Scott Pilgrim vs. the World)</p> <p>Games People Play (The Spinners)</p> <p>Monzter Hozpital (Zeale Rapz-Metric Remix)</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/2114.png" alt="" width="584" height="292" /></p> 2:04:01 Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, videogames, Wii, PlayStation 3, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, 360, technology, games, nintendo ds, ds, psp, pixlbit, pixltalk, pspgo PixlBit.com yes http://www.pixlbit.com/feature/1943/episode_17_the_alljapan_pro_podcast <p>Welcome to another edition of Nerds Without Pants! No, this show isn't about an epic wrestling match between Antonio Inoki and Great Baba.This time, we revisit a topic that we talked about when we were still the Tri-Force crew on <a href="/feature/1047/episode_52_bravely_agito_heroes_versus_3582_days_plus_alpha">PixlTalk</a>: Japanese games. Instead of rehashing material we take advantage of the fact that we’re nearing the end of the console cycle and grade major Japanese developers on their performance. Before that, we talk about what games we’ve been playing.</p> <p>Rob tried his best to like Aliens: Colonial Marines, but the game failed him, and he had to<a href="http://www.justpressplay.net/articles/10426-aliens-colonial-marines-its-not-you-its-me.html"> break up</a> with it. As a result, he’s done with Gearbox as well, and we talk a little about that entire debacle. Rob’s also been playing The Sims 3 (I know, right?), and has a special announcement on a new project. Patrick and Julian tag team the Platinum craziness that is Metal Gear Rising. Julian played the indie game <a href="http://www.depressionquest.com/">Depression Quest</a>, a text-based narrative that has him wondering if he needs professional help.</p> <p>After that, the Pantsless Ones crack open the grade books and give report cards to Capcom, Konami, Sega, Square Enix, Sony, Nintendo, and Platinum Games. If you’ve been following the show at all you’ll probably be surprised at some of the scores.</p> <p>We wrap things up by putting on our designer hats. It’s East meets West, and we select a favorite Japanese game property and pair it with a Western developer.</p> <p>We’re sad to say that this is Rob’s final episode as a regular member of NWP. It’s been a hell of a run, but he’s had a lot of life changes that prevent him from continuing, which he talks about. It’s kind of like when Son Goku was killed by Cell and didn’t want to be resurrected by the Dragon Balls. Actually yeah, it’s <em>exactly</em> like that. Stay tuned after the show for a very special set of outtakes.</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Jungle and Hangar (Contra)</p> <p>Ryu’s Theme (Super Street Fighter 2-MS DOS remix)</p> <p>Little Mac’s Lament (Punch Out!! OC remix)</p> <p>Theme of Laura (Silent Hill 2)</p> <p>Sarah McLachlan (I Will Remember You)</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/2099.jpg" alt="" width="595" height="445" /></p> Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:00:00 EST <p>Welcome to another edition of Nerds Without Pants! No, this show isn't about an epic wrestling match between Antonio Inoki and Great Baba.This time, we revisit a topic that we talked about when we were still the Tri-Force crew on <a href="/feature/1047/episode_52_bravely_agito_heroes_versus_3582_days_plus_alpha">PixlTalk</a>: Japanese games. Instead of rehashing material we take advantage of the fact that we’re nearing the end of the console cycle and grade major Japanese developers on their performance. Before that, we talk about what games we’ve been playing.</p> <p>Rob tried his best to like Aliens: Colonial Marines, but the game failed him, and he had to<a href="http://www.justpressplay.net/articles/10426-aliens-colonial-marines-its-not-you-its-me.html"> break up</a> with it. As a result, he’s done with Gearbox as well, and we talk a little about that entire debacle. Rob’s also been playing The Sims 3 (I know, right?), and has a special announcement on a new project. Patrick and Julian tag team the Platinum craziness that is Metal Gear Rising. Julian played the indie game <a href="http://www.depressionquest.com/">Depression Quest</a>, a text-based narrative that has him wondering if he needs professional help.</p> <p>After that, the Pantsless Ones crack open the grade books and give report cards to Capcom, Konami, Sega, Square Enix, Sony, Nintendo, and Platinum Games. If you’ve been following the show at all you’ll probably be surprised at some of the scores.</p> <p>We wrap things up by putting on our designer hats. It’s East meets West, and we select a favorite Japanese game property and pair it with a Western developer.</p> <p>We’re sad to say that this is Rob’s final episode as a regular member of NWP. It’s been a hell of a run, but he’s had a lot of life changes that prevent him from continuing, which he talks about. It’s kind of like when Son Goku was killed by Cell and didn’t want to be resurrected by the Dragon Balls. Actually yeah, it’s <em>exactly</em> like that. Stay tuned after the show for a very special set of outtakes.</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Jungle and Hangar (Contra)</p> <p>Ryu’s Theme (Super Street Fighter 2-MS DOS remix)</p> <p>Little Mac’s Lament (Punch Out!! OC remix)</p> <p>Theme of Laura (Silent Hill 2)</p> <p>Sarah McLachlan (I Will Remember You)</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/2099.jpg" alt="" width="595" height="445" /></p> 1:23:35 Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, videogames, Wii, PlayStation 3, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, 360, technology, games, nintendo ds, ds, psp, pixlbit, pixltalk, pspgo PixlBit.com yes http://www.pixlbit.com/feature/1911/episode_16_the_romantic_babies <p>Hey folks, Julian here. I hope you had a great Valentine's Day (or Single Awareness Day if you're like the Pantsless Ones). I wanted to do something special for this episode, but my original idea was love stories in video games. Yawn. Instead, I asked Patrick to come up with an off the wall and eclectic idea, in the way that Patrick does. He did not disappoint, and it's a shame that Rob wasn't able to join us because of BLIZZARD 2013!!!</p> <p>We talk about what we've been playing. It's slim pickings, but Patrick's been powering through Simpsons: Tapped Out and FIFA 13, which leads to a nice discussion about "in-app" purchases. I'm working on Corpse Party: Book of Shadows (review coming soon!), but the big thing for me was playing an upcoming indie game: <a href="http://grundysoft.com/pimps-vs-vampires-alpha-released/">Pimps vs. Vampires</a>. Pixel artist <a href="https://twitter.com/ThomasNoppers">Thomas Noppers</a> was nice enough to let me participate in a recent weapons test and I liked what I played. Go give him some love on Twitter.We also speculate on what could come out of the upcoming Sony PS4 announcement. </p> <p>Patrick takes the lead for romance, focusing on the countries that spawned the romantic languages: France, Italy, Spain, and Romania. This leads us to a lengthy talk about game design in Europe. Not quite flowers and chocolates, but I think you'll find it interesting. We digress into other regions as well, highlighting the potential for game design in Saudi Arabia and Ireland. Patrick brings up an interesting article about Spanish game design, which you can read <a href="http://www.develop-online.net/features/1402/Has-Spain-awakened-from-development-slumber">here</a>.</p> <p>Part two of the discussion brings in the Romantic movement. We wax philosophical about games that could be considered a part of this period in history, as well as pontificate about what impact video games could have had if they had existed back then. It's something different than you're used to from Nerds Without Pants, and I hope you enjoy it.So put on your smoking jacket and adjust your horn-rimmed glasses, because we get academic on your ass this week.</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Damien Rice- The Blower's Daughter</p> <p>Dan Fogelburg- Longer</p> <p>Mychael and Jeff Danna- The Child Deirdre</p> <p>Karen Matheson- Mi Le M' Ulinn Air Mo Ghluin</p> <p>Adam Sandler- Love Stinks</p> <p> </p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/2047.jpg" alt="" width="594" height="454" /></p> Fri, 15 Feb 2013 12:00:00 EST <p>Hey folks, Julian here. I hope you had a great Valentine's Day (or Single Awareness Day if you're like the Pantsless Ones). I wanted to do something special for this episode, but my original idea was love stories in video games. Yawn. Instead, I asked Patrick to come up with an off the wall and eclectic idea, in the way that Patrick does. He did not disappoint, and it's a shame that Rob wasn't able to join us because of BLIZZARD 2013!!!</p> <p>We talk about what we've been playing. It's slim pickings, but Patrick's been powering through Simpsons: Tapped Out and FIFA 13, which leads to a nice discussion about "in-app" purchases. I'm working on Corpse Party: Book of Shadows (review coming soon!), but the big thing for me was playing an upcoming indie game: <a href="http://grundysoft.com/pimps-vs-vampires-alpha-released/">Pimps vs. Vampires</a>. Pixel artist <a href="https://twitter.com/ThomasNoppers">Thomas Noppers</a> was nice enough to let me participate in a recent weapons test and I liked what I played. Go give him some love on Twitter.We also speculate on what could come out of the upcoming Sony PS4 announcement. </p> <p>Patrick takes the lead for romance, focusing on the countries that spawned the romantic languages: France, Italy, Spain, and Romania. This leads us to a lengthy talk about game design in Europe. Not quite flowers and chocolates, but I think you'll find it interesting. We digress into other regions as well, highlighting the potential for game design in Saudi Arabia and Ireland. Patrick brings up an interesting article about Spanish game design, which you can read <a href="http://www.develop-online.net/features/1402/Has-Spain-awakened-from-development-slumber">here</a>.</p> <p>Part two of the discussion brings in the Romantic movement. We wax philosophical about games that could be considered a part of this period in history, as well as pontificate about what impact video games could have had if they had existed back then. It's something different than you're used to from Nerds Without Pants, and I hope you enjoy it.So put on your smoking jacket and adjust your horn-rimmed glasses, because we get academic on your ass this week.</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Damien Rice- The Blower's Daughter</p> <p>Dan Fogelburg- Longer</p> <p>Mychael and Jeff Danna- The Child Deirdre</p> <p>Karen Matheson- Mi Le M' Ulinn Air Mo Ghluin</p> <p>Adam Sandler- Love Stinks</p> <p> </p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/2047.jpg" alt="" width="594" height="454" /></p> 1:49:47 Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, videogames, Wii, PlayStation 3, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, 360, technology, games, nintendo ds, ds, psp, pixlbit, pixltalk, pspgo PixlBit.com yes http://www.pixlbit.com/feature/1891/episode_15_potpourri <p>Hello again! Julian here, joined as always by Patrick and Rob for another episode of Nerds Without Pants. No topic this time...we decided to just wing it with some random discussion. Yes, a hodge podge of talking points brought together to form a pleasant bouquet. Some potpourri, if you will. We can all enjoy a little P O T. And if you got that obscure Laugh In joke, congratulations! I love you.</p> <p>I didn't think we had a lot of games to talk about, but actually we had a frakton of games to talk about. Patrick is still preaching the gospel of PS Plus, with beta access to Dust 514 and God of War: Ascension some good reasons to join. Rob's knee-deep in his second Fallout: New Vegas run through, and he confesses his undying love for Felicia Day at last. Okay, not really, but his opinion has changed a little. I try to convince him for the billionth time to finish Alan Wake, and I'm met with his love for Max Payne 3's multiplayer. I give Final Fantasy ATB a thumbs up while taking Dead Space 3 and EA to task. Patrick's not enamored with Darksiders (being played right now on <a href="/feature/1850/darksiders_part_1">Backloggers Anonymous</a>!), but he loved The Unfinished Swan so much that he wrote a poem about it. I reveal my own quest to eliminate my backlog, lottery style.</p> <p>Then we go to crazy town. Rob has turned me on to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nxp83CimT0w">Tommy Wiseau</a>, who brings his own brand of insanity to this podcast. We all rage about the crappy non-ending to The Devil Inside before Rob and Patrick nearly bring the fun to a screeching halt. Fear not, listeners! We bring things back to life with copious amounts of comic book talk, as well as Amazing Spider-Man 2 casting news, and I talk about some awesome documentaries I watched recently, with 6 Days to Air: The Making of South Park at the top of the list. There are plenty more shenanigans in this episode, including Rob's proclivity for sitting in a rocking chair wearing a Batman snuggie...and nothing else. Come for the gaming talk. Stay for the crazy.</p> <p>Featured Music</p> <p>Abandoned Pools- Clone High theme song</p> <p>Total Recallin' - Spoof of Free Fallin' by Tom Petty</p> <p>Normand Cobeil- Theme of Ethan Mars (Heavy Rain)</p> <p>Abandoned Pools- The Remedy</p> <p>YOU'RE TEARING ME APART, LISA!</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/2045.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="333" /></p> Fri, 01 Feb 2013 12:00:00 EST <p>Hello again! Julian here, joined as always by Patrick and Rob for another episode of Nerds Without Pants. No topic this time...we decided to just wing it with some random discussion. Yes, a hodge podge of talking points brought together to form a pleasant bouquet. Some potpourri, if you will. We can all enjoy a little P O T. And if you got that obscure Laugh In joke, congratulations! I love you.</p> <p>I didn't think we had a lot of games to talk about, but actually we had a frakton of games to talk about. Patrick is still preaching the gospel of PS Plus, with beta access to Dust 514 and God of War: Ascension some good reasons to join. Rob's knee-deep in his second Fallout: New Vegas run through, and he confesses his undying love for Felicia Day at last. Okay, not really, but his opinion has changed a little. I try to convince him for the billionth time to finish Alan Wake, and I'm met with his love for Max Payne 3's multiplayer. I give Final Fantasy ATB a thumbs up while taking Dead Space 3 and EA to task. Patrick's not enamored with Darksiders (being played right now on <a href="/feature/1850/darksiders_part_1">Backloggers Anonymous</a>!), but he loved The Unfinished Swan so much that he wrote a poem about it. I reveal my own quest to eliminate my backlog, lottery style.</p> <p>Then we go to crazy town. Rob has turned me on to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nxp83CimT0w">Tommy Wiseau</a>, who brings his own brand of insanity to this podcast. We all rage about the crappy non-ending to The Devil Inside before Rob and Patrick nearly bring the fun to a screeching halt. Fear not, listeners! We bring things back to life with copious amounts of comic book talk, as well as Amazing Spider-Man 2 casting news, and I talk about some awesome documentaries I watched recently, with 6 Days to Air: The Making of South Park at the top of the list. There are plenty more shenanigans in this episode, including Rob's proclivity for sitting in a rocking chair wearing a Batman snuggie...and nothing else. Come for the gaming talk. Stay for the crazy.</p> <p>Featured Music</p> <p>Abandoned Pools- Clone High theme song</p> <p>Total Recallin' - Spoof of Free Fallin' by Tom Petty</p> <p>Normand Cobeil- Theme of Ethan Mars (Heavy Rain)</p> <p>Abandoned Pools- The Remedy</p> <p>YOU'RE TEARING ME APART, LISA!</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/2045.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="333" /></p> 1:37:54 Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, videogames, Wii, PlayStation 3, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, 360, technology, games, nintendo ds, ds, psp, pixlbit, pixltalk, pspgo PixlBit.com yes http://www.pixlbit.com/feature/1856/episode_14_inspired_discourse <p>The band is back together for another exciting edition of Nerds Without Pants! This time, the Pantsless Ones talk about the people in the video game industry that inspire them, and why. Inspiration is the topic of the day, but before that, the guys catch up on what they’ve been up to.</p> <p>It’s a little light in the games department this week, as Rob’s been busy and Julian was laid up in bed. Patrick’s been busy, though, and he brings the games with Assassin’s Creed 3, NiGHTS, and Retro City Rampage. He’s also really digging PlayStation Plus, leading to a discussion about what Sony and Microsoft need to do to impress us in the online space next generation. Julian is neck deep into his Doctor Who obsession while also jumping down the Lost rabbit hole. Rob interviewed a film hero of his, <a href="http://www.justpressplay.net/articles/10309-exclusive-interview-tommy-wiseau-talks-the-room-on-Blu-ray-godzilla-rumors-and-more.html">Tommy Wiseau</a>, and you should totally read his piece at Just Press Play.</p> <p>The guys brought three people from the game industry that inspire them , and they go around the room trading influences. If you’ve been following along you can probably guess a few of them, but some of the answers may surprise you. The show wraps up with a single non-gaming personality.</p> <p>Who inspires you? Let us know in the comments section, and come back in two weeks for another excellent episode of Nerds Without Pants.</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Vangelis- Chariots of Fire</p> <p>Spectre General- Nothin’s Gonna Stand In Our Way</p> <p>Chicago- You’re the Inspiration</p> <p><img src="/media/generic/2017.jpg" alt="" width="195" height="109" /><img src="/media/generic/2021.jpg" alt="" width="187" height="110" /><img src="/media/generic/2022.jpg" alt="" width="199" height="111" /></p> <p><img src="/media/generic/2020.jpg" alt="" width="196" height="112" /><img src="/media/generic/2019.jpg" alt="" width="181" height="112" /><img src="/media/generic/2018.jpg" alt="" width="205" height="115" /></p> Fri, 18 Jan 2013 12:00:00 EST <p>The band is back together for another exciting edition of Nerds Without Pants! This time, the Pantsless Ones talk about the people in the video game industry that inspire them, and why. Inspiration is the topic of the day, but before that, the guys catch up on what they’ve been up to.</p> <p>It’s a little light in the games department this week, as Rob’s been busy and Julian was laid up in bed. Patrick’s been busy, though, and he brings the games with Assassin’s Creed 3, NiGHTS, and Retro City Rampage. He’s also really digging PlayStation Plus, leading to a discussion about what Sony and Microsoft need to do to impress us in the online space next generation. Julian is neck deep into his Doctor Who obsession while also jumping down the Lost rabbit hole. Rob interviewed a film hero of his, <a href="http://www.justpressplay.net/articles/10309-exclusive-interview-tommy-wiseau-talks-the-room-on-Blu-ray-godzilla-rumors-and-more.html">Tommy Wiseau</a>, and you should totally read his piece at Just Press Play.</p> <p>The guys brought three people from the game industry that inspire them , and they go around the room trading influences. If you’ve been following along you can probably guess a few of them, but some of the answers may surprise you. The show wraps up with a single non-gaming personality.</p> <p>Who inspires you? Let us know in the comments section, and come back in two weeks for another excellent episode of Nerds Without Pants.</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Vangelis- Chariots of Fire</p> <p>Spectre General- Nothin’s Gonna Stand In Our Way</p> <p>Chicago- You’re the Inspiration</p> <p><img src="/media/generic/2017.jpg" alt="" width="195" height="109" /><img src="/media/generic/2021.jpg" alt="" width="187" height="110" /><img src="/media/generic/2022.jpg" alt="" width="199" height="111" /></p> <p><img src="/media/generic/2020.jpg" alt="" width="196" height="112" /><img src="/media/generic/2019.jpg" alt="" width="181" height="112" /><img src="/media/generic/2018.jpg" alt="" width="205" height="115" /></p> 1:26:46 Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, videogames, Wii, PlayStation 3, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, 360, technology, games, nintendo ds, ds, psp, pixlbit, pixltalk, pspgo PixlBit.com yes http://www.pixlbit.com/feature/1847/special_edition_love_and_the_mmorpg <p>Welcome to a very special edition of Nerds Without Pants. Julian is joined by a couple of lovely ladies—Shanna and Allison—who are experts on the topic of the day: massively multiplayer online role playing games. That’s MMORPGs for you savvy ones. With Star Wars: The Old Republic doing well below expectations and Final Fantasy XIV needing a complete redesign this episode of NWP asks what’s so special about these types of games, and why do people still play them?</p> <p>Final Fantasy XI is the gateway drug for this conversation. Julian has played this game for nearly ten years, and his guest Shanna has spent nearly that long wandering the lands of Vana’diel. We talk about how we each got into this notoriously difficult game, and why we’ve played it for so damn long. Allison has moved on to Final Fantasy XIV, so she tells us why she left.</p> <p>Community plays a big role in these games, and that’s the core theme that the panel keeps coming back to. With all the drama, naughty talk, and serious conversations there’s just something about bonding with fellow adventurers in a virtual world that’s very appealing. We take some time to remember a fallen friend, and talk briefly about other MMOs we’ve played, and why they didn’t stick with us.</p> <p><iframe style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/v38yEs3shw0" frameborder="0" width="420" height="315"></iframe></p> <p>Allison got a chance to participate in the FF XIV:A Realm Reborn alpha test, and she’s all too happy to give us the dirt on that. But she goes one step beyond, and lets us know what improvements were made to the embattled game over the past couple of years since its launch.</p> <p>We go into some deep “inside baseball” talk at times, but if you’re not an MMO fan hopefully you find this discussion informative. And if you’re well versed in these types of games, we hope this podcast gives you a chance to think about all the fond memories and friendships you’ve made along the way. And if you’re a big fan of Final Fantasy, please check out our <a href="/event/22/final_fantasy_retrospective">Final Fantasy retrospective</a>. Comment and let us know your favorite MMO moments, or why you avoid them.</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Selected music from Final Fantasy XI (Main Theme to Final Fantasy XI, Vana’diel March, The Kingdom of San d’Oria, The Federation of Windurst, The Republic of Bastok, Recollection, The Sanctuary of Zi’Tah,  Ronfaure-vocal version)</p> <p>Jace Hall-I Play WoW</p> <p>Selected music from Final Fantasy XIV (The Hall of Flames, Good King Moggle Mog XII)</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/1978.jpg" alt="" width="512" height="382" /></p> Fri, 11 Jan 2013 12:00:40 EST <p>Welcome to a very special edition of Nerds Without Pants. Julian is joined by a couple of lovely ladies—Shanna and Allison—who are experts on the topic of the day: massively multiplayer online role playing games. That’s MMORPGs for you savvy ones. With Star Wars: The Old Republic doing well below expectations and Final Fantasy XIV needing a complete redesign this episode of NWP asks what’s so special about these types of games, and why do people still play them?</p> <p>Final Fantasy XI is the gateway drug for this conversation. Julian has played this game for nearly ten years, and his guest Shanna has spent nearly that long wandering the lands of Vana’diel. We talk about how we each got into this notoriously difficult game, and why we’ve played it for so damn long. Allison has moved on to Final Fantasy XIV, so she tells us why she left.</p> <p>Community plays a big role in these games, and that’s the core theme that the panel keeps coming back to. With all the drama, naughty talk, and serious conversations there’s just something about bonding with fellow adventurers in a virtual world that’s very appealing. We take some time to remember a fallen friend, and talk briefly about other MMOs we’ve played, and why they didn’t stick with us.</p> <p><iframe style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/v38yEs3shw0" frameborder="0" width="420" height="315"></iframe></p> <p>Allison got a chance to participate in the FF XIV:A Realm Reborn alpha test, and she’s all too happy to give us the dirt on that. But she goes one step beyond, and lets us know what improvements were made to the embattled game over the past couple of years since its launch.</p> <p>We go into some deep “inside baseball” talk at times, but if you’re not an MMO fan hopefully you find this discussion informative. And if you’re well versed in these types of games, we hope this podcast gives you a chance to think about all the fond memories and friendships you’ve made along the way. And if you’re a big fan of Final Fantasy, please check out our <a href="/event/22/final_fantasy_retrospective">Final Fantasy retrospective</a>. Comment and let us know your favorite MMO moments, or why you avoid them.</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Selected music from Final Fantasy XI (Main Theme to Final Fantasy XI, Vana’diel March, The Kingdom of San d’Oria, The Federation of Windurst, The Republic of Bastok, Recollection, The Sanctuary of Zi’Tah,  Ronfaure-vocal version)</p> <p>Jace Hall-I Play WoW</p> <p>Selected music from Final Fantasy XIV (The Hall of Flames, Good King Moggle Mog XII)</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/1978.jpg" alt="" width="512" height="382" /></p> 1:14:07 Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, videogames, Wii, PlayStation 3, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, 360, technology, games, nintendo ds, ds, psp, pixlbit, pixltalk, pspgo PixlBit.com yes http://www.pixlbit.com/feature/1839/episode_13_2012_the_year_in_podcast <p>It’s 2013 and somehow we survived the apocalypse! Time to ring in the new year in style, with a new episode of Nerds Without Pants. This week we’re a nerd down, as Patrick is convalescing after minor surgery. Filling in is the one and only Ty “Fighter”, who long time listeners will know as Rob’s oft-mentioned buddy. Since every podcast is doing their game of the year lists we decided to buck that trend and instead take a look back at the year that was.</p> <p>Before that, we talk about stuff that we’ve been up to, including <a href="/review/720/hitman_absolution_review">Hitman: Absolution</a>, FTL, and Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy. Ty has gone down the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure rabbit hole, and Rob has a walk of shame. Oh, and Julian went streaking on New Year’s Eve!</p> <p>After that we discuss some of the biggest things to hit the video game industry in 2012. We take a look at the implications of Kickstarter on indie game development, explore why we aren’t all that excited over the PS Vita and Wii U, and try to get to the bottom of so many major game designers leaving their companies. Julian takes the BioWare fans to task over their ridiculous demands over the ending to Mass Effect 3. We close things out with our favorite games of 2012, as well as our favorite gaming <em>experiences</em> of 2012.</p> <p>We have big plans in store for NWP this year, and we hope you continue to listen and support us. Please comment with your favorite game and experience of 2012 in the comments. You can check out Rob’s entire <a href="http://www.chud.com/121453/mcp-robs-top-5-games-of-2012/">top five here</a>, and you can follow <a href="http://tytoon.tumblr.com/">Ty on Tumblr</a>.  Visit our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NerdsWithoutPantsPodcast">Facebook fanpage</a>, and come back in two weeks for the triumphant return of The Ginger Devil!</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Damien Rice- Cheers Darlin’</p> <p>Save Ferris- Under 21</p> <p>Sugarcult- [Untitled]</p> <p>Dan Fogelburg- Same Old Lang Syne</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/1960.jpg" alt="" width="575" height="430" /></p> Fri, 04 Jan 2013 12:00:00 EST <p>It’s 2013 and somehow we survived the apocalypse! Time to ring in the new year in style, with a new episode of Nerds Without Pants. This week we’re a nerd down, as Patrick is convalescing after minor surgery. Filling in is the one and only Ty “Fighter”, who long time listeners will know as Rob’s oft-mentioned buddy. Since every podcast is doing their game of the year lists we decided to buck that trend and instead take a look back at the year that was.</p> <p>Before that, we talk about stuff that we’ve been up to, including <a href="/review/720/hitman_absolution_review">Hitman: Absolution</a>, FTL, and Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy. Ty has gone down the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure rabbit hole, and Rob has a walk of shame. Oh, and Julian went streaking on New Year’s Eve!</p> <p>After that we discuss some of the biggest things to hit the video game industry in 2012. We take a look at the implications of Kickstarter on indie game development, explore why we aren’t all that excited over the PS Vita and Wii U, and try to get to the bottom of so many major game designers leaving their companies. Julian takes the BioWare fans to task over their ridiculous demands over the ending to Mass Effect 3. We close things out with our favorite games of 2012, as well as our favorite gaming <em>experiences</em> of 2012.</p> <p>We have big plans in store for NWP this year, and we hope you continue to listen and support us. Please comment with your favorite game and experience of 2012 in the comments. You can check out Rob’s entire <a href="http://www.chud.com/121453/mcp-robs-top-5-games-of-2012/">top five here</a>, and you can follow <a href="http://tytoon.tumblr.com/">Ty on Tumblr</a>.  Visit our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NerdsWithoutPantsPodcast">Facebook fanpage</a>, and come back in two weeks for the triumphant return of The Ginger Devil!</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Damien Rice- Cheers Darlin’</p> <p>Save Ferris- Under 21</p> <p>Sugarcult- [Untitled]</p> <p>Dan Fogelburg- Same Old Lang Syne</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/1960.jpg" alt="" width="575" height="430" /></p> 2:07:06 Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, videogames, Wii, PlayStation 3, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, 360, technology, games, nintendo ds, ds, psp, pixlbit, pixltalk, pspgo PixlBit.com yes http://www.pixlbit.com/feature/1836/episode_12_apocalypsenow <p>Happy end of the world, everyone! With today being the supposed end of times according to the Mayans, the Nerds Without Pants thought it would be a great time to talk about apocalyptic games and media. Before that, we catch up on what we’ve been up to lately.</p> <p>Rob is back after recovering from a terrible bout of throat AIDS (don’t ask). He talks about Far Cry 3 and The Hobbit. We also talk some comic books, have a heated debate about the difference between graphics and art design, and more. Julian rants about his bug infested experience with The Walking Dead which leads us to ponder the nature of giving popular games a pass when they have serious technical issues. He also sends a love letter to David Tennant, the tenth Doctor. Who? Exactly.</p> <p>The topic of the day is the end of the world, and we talk about our favorite depictions of the apocalypse in video games and film. We discuss what type of post apocalypse we’d most like to live in, and then finish things off with a doomsday scenario wherein we can only play <em>one</em> game for the rest of our lives, and reveal what that game would be for each of us.</p> <p>Thanks for listening to us! If the world hasn’t descended into chaos after this, join us again in two weeks for another exciting edition of Nerds Without Pants! Oh, and check out the apocalyptic web comic <a href="http://www.whatisdeepfried.com/weaponbrown/weaponbrown.html">Weapon Brown</a>, which we bring up during the show.</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Johnny Cash- Ring of Fire</p> <p>Doctor Who theme</p> <p>The cast of The Hobbit- Misty Mountains</p> <p>R.E.M.- It’s The End of the World As We Know It</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/1941.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="366" /></p> <p> </p> Fri, 21 Dec 2012 13:00:00 EST <p>Happy end of the world, everyone! With today being the supposed end of times according to the Mayans, the Nerds Without Pants thought it would be a great time to talk about apocalyptic games and media. Before that, we catch up on what we’ve been up to lately.</p> <p>Rob is back after recovering from a terrible bout of throat AIDS (don’t ask). He talks about Far Cry 3 and The Hobbit. We also talk some comic books, have a heated debate about the difference between graphics and art design, and more. Julian rants about his bug infested experience with The Walking Dead which leads us to ponder the nature of giving popular games a pass when they have serious technical issues. He also sends a love letter to David Tennant, the tenth Doctor. Who? Exactly.</p> <p>The topic of the day is the end of the world, and we talk about our favorite depictions of the apocalypse in video games and film. We discuss what type of post apocalypse we’d most like to live in, and then finish things off with a doomsday scenario wherein we can only play <em>one</em> game for the rest of our lives, and reveal what that game would be for each of us.</p> <p>Thanks for listening to us! If the world hasn’t descended into chaos after this, join us again in two weeks for another exciting edition of Nerds Without Pants! Oh, and check out the apocalyptic web comic <a href="http://www.whatisdeepfried.com/weaponbrown/weaponbrown.html">Weapon Brown</a>, which we bring up during the show.</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Johnny Cash- Ring of Fire</p> <p>Doctor Who theme</p> <p>The cast of The Hobbit- Misty Mountains</p> <p>R.E.M.- It’s The End of the World As We Know It</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/1941.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="366" /></p> <p> </p> 1:18:02 Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, videogames, Wii, PlayStation 3, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, 360, technology, games, nintendo ds, ds, psp, pixlbit, pixltalk, pspgo PixlBit.com yes http://www.pixlbit.com/feature/1828/episode_11_dgenerates <p>We’re back! After a month long hiatus, the Pantsless Ones return to entertain and inform on a variety of topics. We begin by catching up, which leads to a lot of comic book talk. Rob’s made a new addition to his legendary Comedian shrine, and he also may have a slight Dark Knight Rises hoarding problem. Don’t worry folks—an intervention is in the works.</p> <p>Unfortunately, technical difficulties plagued this episode, resulting in us splitting up our recording time. In that break, Rob got really sick and couldn’t make it for the rest of the show. Julian and Patrick soldier on and talk about TOO MANY GAMES. This discussion includes, but is not limited to, Assassin’s Creed 3, Need for Speed Most Wanted, NiNo Kuni, and Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom.</p> <p>After that, we talk about holiday gaming memories. With Black Friday and Cyber Monday behind us, we compare notes on any deals they stumbled upon. Patrick shares eerie similarities with the Nintendo 64 kid, and Julian shares an epic tale from the gaming retail trenches. We then close things out with some discussion about the second Grand Theft Auto V trailer that debuted recently.</p> <p>It’s good to be back! Tell us your holiday gaming and Black Friday stories in the comments below. Tell your friends about the Nerds Without Pants--it’s the gift that keeps on giving. Send us feedback to our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NerdsWithoutPantsPodcast">Facebook fanpage</a>, and please rate and review us on iTunes.</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Oh You Didn’t Know (New Age Outlaws)- Jim Johnston</p> <p>Kiss Me Sunlights (Zone of the Enders)- Heart of Air</p> <p>Skeletons (GTA V)- Stevie Wonder</p> <p>Are You Ready? (D-Generation X)- Jim Johnston</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/1932.jpg" alt="" width="595" height="446" /></p> <p> </p> Fri, 07 Dec 2012 12:40:00 EST <p>We’re back! After a month long hiatus, the Pantsless Ones return to entertain and inform on a variety of topics. We begin by catching up, which leads to a lot of comic book talk. Rob’s made a new addition to his legendary Comedian shrine, and he also may have a slight Dark Knight Rises hoarding problem. Don’t worry folks—an intervention is in the works.</p> <p>Unfortunately, technical difficulties plagued this episode, resulting in us splitting up our recording time. In that break, Rob got really sick and couldn’t make it for the rest of the show. Julian and Patrick soldier on and talk about TOO MANY GAMES. This discussion includes, but is not limited to, Assassin’s Creed 3, Need for Speed Most Wanted, NiNo Kuni, and Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom.</p> <p>After that, we talk about holiday gaming memories. With Black Friday and Cyber Monday behind us, we compare notes on any deals they stumbled upon. Patrick shares eerie similarities with the Nintendo 64 kid, and Julian shares an epic tale from the gaming retail trenches. We then close things out with some discussion about the second Grand Theft Auto V trailer that debuted recently.</p> <p>It’s good to be back! Tell us your holiday gaming and Black Friday stories in the comments below. Tell your friends about the Nerds Without Pants--it’s the gift that keeps on giving. Send us feedback to our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NerdsWithoutPantsPodcast">Facebook fanpage</a>, and please rate and review us on iTunes.</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Oh You Didn’t Know (New Age Outlaws)- Jim Johnston</p> <p>Kiss Me Sunlights (Zone of the Enders)- Heart of Air</p> <p>Skeletons (GTA V)- Stevie Wonder</p> <p>Are You Ready? (D-Generation X)- Jim Johnston</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/1932.jpg" alt="" width="595" height="446" /></p> <p> </p> 1:53:31 Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, videogames, Wii, PlayStation 3, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, 360, technology, games, nintendo ds, ds, psp, pixlbit, pixltalk, pspgo PixlBit.com yes http://www.pixlbit.com/feature/1747/episode_10_halloween_havoc <p>Welcome to the Halloween spectacular of Nerds Without Pants! Fear not boys and ghouls, the Pantsless Ones always hand out full sized candy bars. We’ve got tons of podcasting goodness to fill your sacks with as well, so have a listen, won’t you?</p> <p>We kick things off with what we’ve been playing, including Happy Wars, 007 Legends, and XCOM: Enemy Unknown. We also have a moment of silence and pour one out for Patrick’s dearly departed PS3. Hopefully he doesn’t bury it in an ancient Native American burial ground…we know how that ends.</p> <p>After that, Rob guides the crew as we discuss our deepest and darkest fears. Look into our souls as we talk about irrational fears of sea monsters (that damn giant eel in Mario 64!), feelings of hopelessness, abandonment, and failing to amount to anything in life. It’s an oddly deep episode, but we keep things light as we weave video games into our personal fears, running the gamut from Super Metroid to Silent Hill 3 to Closure.</p> <p>We had a lot of fun with this one, and enjoy all of the spooky music, as well as a guest appearance from a clown that enjoys Dancing Mad, if you know what I mean. Let us know your biggest fears and what games invoke them in the comments below, or at our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NerdsWithoutPantsPodcast?ref=hl">Facebook fan page</a>. Stay safe out there, and if you’re going to TP a house, make sure it’s two ply.</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>John Carpenter- Theme from Halloween</p> <p>Nobuo Uematsu- Cry in Sorrow</p> <p>Bobby “Boris” Pickett- Monster Mash</p> <p>Wednesday 13- I Walked With a Zombie</p> <p>Mike Oldfield- Tubular Bells</p> <p>Nobuo Uematsu- Dark World</p> <p>Koh Ohtani- Demise of the Ritual</p> <p>Mao Mamamoto- Corpse Party Chapter 5 BGM</p> <p>Nightwish- Scaretale</p> <p> <img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/1833.jpg" alt="" width="597" height="327" /></p> Mon, 29 Oct 2012 12:00:00 EDT <p>Welcome to the Halloween spectacular of Nerds Without Pants! Fear not boys and ghouls, the Pantsless Ones always hand out full sized candy bars. We’ve got tons of podcasting goodness to fill your sacks with as well, so have a listen, won’t you?</p> <p>We kick things off with what we’ve been playing, including Happy Wars, 007 Legends, and XCOM: Enemy Unknown. We also have a moment of silence and pour one out for Patrick’s dearly departed PS3. Hopefully he doesn’t bury it in an ancient Native American burial ground…we know how that ends.</p> <p>After that, Rob guides the crew as we discuss our deepest and darkest fears. Look into our souls as we talk about irrational fears of sea monsters (that damn giant eel in Mario 64!), feelings of hopelessness, abandonment, and failing to amount to anything in life. It’s an oddly deep episode, but we keep things light as we weave video games into our personal fears, running the gamut from Super Metroid to Silent Hill 3 to Closure.</p> <p>We had a lot of fun with this one, and enjoy all of the spooky music, as well as a guest appearance from a clown that enjoys Dancing Mad, if you know what I mean. Let us know your biggest fears and what games invoke them in the comments below, or at our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NerdsWithoutPantsPodcast?ref=hl">Facebook fan page</a>. Stay safe out there, and if you’re going to TP a house, make sure it’s two ply.</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>John Carpenter- Theme from Halloween</p> <p>Nobuo Uematsu- Cry in Sorrow</p> <p>Bobby “Boris” Pickett- Monster Mash</p> <p>Wednesday 13- I Walked With a Zombie</p> <p>Mike Oldfield- Tubular Bells</p> <p>Nobuo Uematsu- Dark World</p> <p>Koh Ohtani- Demise of the Ritual</p> <p>Mao Mamamoto- Corpse Party Chapter 5 BGM</p> <p>Nightwish- Scaretale</p> <p> <img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/1833.jpg" alt="" width="597" height="327" /></p> 1:42:12 Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, videogames, Wii, PlayStation 3, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, 360, technology, games, nintendo ds, ds, psp, pixlbit, pixltalk, pspgo PixlBit.com yes http://www.pixlbit.com/feature/1731/episode_9_cinema_verite <p>Welcome to NWP at the Movies! This week, the pantsless ones are joined by film critic, actor, artist, and all around good dude, John Gholson. Movies are the topic of the day, but as always we begin with what we’ve been playing and listener mail. This week, we talk about Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD, Patrick’s intro to iOS games, XCOM, and Julian’s existential gaming crisis.</p> <p>John attended the Fantastic Fest movie festival in Austin recently. This particular film fest focuses on quirky horror, action, and sci-fi movies, and John clues us in on Dredd, Cloud Atlas, and My Amityville Horror among others. We get deep into recent films as well, such as Argo and Seven Psycopaths, along with Rob’s recent trip to the Hamptons International Film Festival.</p> <p>We close out this episode talking about movies based on video games. Yeah, they all kind of suck, but there’s some fun to be had, as well. Enjoy Rob and John as they sit as polar opposites on nearly every movie! Thrill to Rob condemning Patrick and Julian’s favorite gaming flicks! Try not to fall asleep as we talk for far too long about the Resident Evil films!</p> <p>We hope you enjoyed this movie-centric episode. Join us in two weeks for our Halloween spectacular. Tell us your favorite scary games on our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NerdsWithoutPantsPodcast">Facebook fan page</a> and we’ll work them into the show.</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Hans Zimmer- Theme from The Critic</p> <p>Brendan Small- Jazz Fight</p> <p>Tomoyasu Hotei- Battle Without Honor or Humanity</p> <p>Utah Saints- Utah Saints Take on the Theme From Mortal Kombat</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/1815.jpg" alt="" width="647" height="324" /></p> Fri, 19 Oct 2012 12:00:00 EDT <p>Welcome to NWP at the Movies! This week, the pantsless ones are joined by film critic, actor, artist, and all around good dude, John Gholson. Movies are the topic of the day, but as always we begin with what we’ve been playing and listener mail. This week, we talk about Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD, Patrick’s intro to iOS games, XCOM, and Julian’s existential gaming crisis.</p> <p>John attended the Fantastic Fest movie festival in Austin recently. This particular film fest focuses on quirky horror, action, and sci-fi movies, and John clues us in on Dredd, Cloud Atlas, and My Amityville Horror among others. We get deep into recent films as well, such as Argo and Seven Psycopaths, along with Rob’s recent trip to the Hamptons International Film Festival.</p> <p>We close out this episode talking about movies based on video games. Yeah, they all kind of suck, but there’s some fun to be had, as well. Enjoy Rob and John as they sit as polar opposites on nearly every movie! Thrill to Rob condemning Patrick and Julian’s favorite gaming flicks! Try not to fall asleep as we talk for far too long about the Resident Evil films!</p> <p>We hope you enjoyed this movie-centric episode. Join us in two weeks for our Halloween spectacular. Tell us your favorite scary games on our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NerdsWithoutPantsPodcast">Facebook fan page</a> and we’ll work them into the show.</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Hans Zimmer- Theme from The Critic</p> <p>Brendan Small- Jazz Fight</p> <p>Tomoyasu Hotei- Battle Without Honor or Humanity</p> <p>Utah Saints- Utah Saints Take on the Theme From Mortal Kombat</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/1815.jpg" alt="" width="647" height="324" /></p> 2:09:16 Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, videogames, Wii, PlayStation 3, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, 360, technology, games, nintendo ds, ds, psp, pixlbit, pixltalk, pspgo PixlBit.com yes http://www.pixlbit.com/feature/1711/episode_8_femme_fatales <p>After weeks of teasing and scheduling conflicts we finally bring you the Femme Fatales episode of Nerds Without Pants! Games and tech writer for the International Business Times Lisa Eadicicco joins us to talk about our favorite polygonal ladies, but we start off with what we’ve been playing. This week the crew covers Tekken Tag Tournament 2, FIFA ’13, FTL, Borderlands 2, and Resident Evil 6 among other things.</p> <p>We begin the conversation with our thoughts on female protagonists in media as a whole. Can women be strong and still be sexy? Is the tendency to sexualize women in video games any different than the way they are portrayed in film? These questions lead us to a discussion on our favorite female leads and supporting roles in video games. The selections may surprise you!</p> <p>We take a detour into some more serious talk, bringing up male harassment of female gamers, with examples like the Street Fighter x Tekken Cross Assault fiasco and the vitriol over Anita Sarkeesian’s <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/566429325/tropes-vs-women-in-video-games">“Tropes vs. Women in Video Games”</a> series. We also bring up the upcoming Tomb Raider reboot and that controversial attempted rape scene. Things go to a dark place, so we wrap things up with the female characters we’re embarrassed to admit we love.</p> <p>We hope you enjoy this episode, and we really want some feedback on it, especially from any ladies in the audience. Comment below or head on over to our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NerdsWithoutPantsPodcast">Facebook fanpage</a> to participate.</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Shivaree- Goodnight Moon</p> <p>The Hit Girls- Bad Reputation</p> <p>Bjork- Army of Me</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/1804.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></p> Fri, 05 Oct 2012 12:00:00 EDT <p>After weeks of teasing and scheduling conflicts we finally bring you the Femme Fatales episode of Nerds Without Pants! Games and tech writer for the International Business Times Lisa Eadicicco joins us to talk about our favorite polygonal ladies, but we start off with what we’ve been playing. This week the crew covers Tekken Tag Tournament 2, FIFA ’13, FTL, Borderlands 2, and Resident Evil 6 among other things.</p> <p>We begin the conversation with our thoughts on female protagonists in media as a whole. Can women be strong and still be sexy? Is the tendency to sexualize women in video games any different than the way they are portrayed in film? These questions lead us to a discussion on our favorite female leads and supporting roles in video games. The selections may surprise you!</p> <p>We take a detour into some more serious talk, bringing up male harassment of female gamers, with examples like the Street Fighter x Tekken Cross Assault fiasco and the vitriol over Anita Sarkeesian’s <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/566429325/tropes-vs-women-in-video-games">“Tropes vs. Women in Video Games”</a> series. We also bring up the upcoming Tomb Raider reboot and that controversial attempted rape scene. Things go to a dark place, so we wrap things up with the female characters we’re embarrassed to admit we love.</p> <p>We hope you enjoy this episode, and we really want some feedback on it, especially from any ladies in the audience. Comment below or head on over to our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NerdsWithoutPantsPodcast">Facebook fanpage</a> to participate.</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Shivaree- Goodnight Moon</p> <p>The Hit Girls- Bad Reputation</p> <p>Bjork- Army of Me</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/1804.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></p> 1:56:03 Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, videogames, Wii, PlayStation 3, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, 360, technology, games, nintendo ds, ds, psp, pixlbit, pixltalk, pspgo PixlBit.com yes http://www.pixlbit.com/feature/1693/episode_7_the_daily_planet <p>You were probably expecting a really entertaining discussion about our favorite female video game characters with a real life lady guest. Sadly, this episode of Nerds Without Pants is another sausage fest. We hope we can bring that topic to you in the future, but for now please enjoy this free form episode.</p> <p>It’s only been a week since we last recorded, and Rob and Patrick haven’t gotten up to much in the gaming department. Rob brings some movies and books to the table, and Patrick got <a href="/review/395/child_of_eden_review">Child of Eden</a> for his birthday. Julian’s got you covered though, with <a href="/review/659/way_of_the_samurai_4_review">Way of the Samurai 4</a>, <a href="/review/660/mutant_mudds_review">Mutant Mudds</a>, and <a href="/review/664/double_dragon_neon_review">Double Dragon Neon</a>.</p> <p>After that, we go into some news. We rarely talk about the headlines, but there was some big things in gaming since our last episode, including the announcement of the iPhone 5, the Wii U launch details, and the oddly timed sacking of the creator of Plants vs. Zombies…right after a sequel is announced. Sit back and let your pantsless newshounds give you the straight scoop.</p> <p>We wrap things up with a question from a listener that leads into Julian’s personal story of failure with the ladies. Thanks for listening, and please comment below or at our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/NerdsWithoutPantsPodcast">Facebook fan page</a>.</p> <p> </p> <p>Featured music:</p> <p>Selections from the <a href="http://virt.bandcamp.com/album/double-dragon-neon">Double Dragon Neon soundtrack</a> by Jake Kaufman.</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/1781.jpg" alt="" width="596" height="335" /></p> Fri, 21 Sep 2012 12:00:00 EDT <p>You were probably expecting a really entertaining discussion about our favorite female video game characters with a real life lady guest. Sadly, this episode of Nerds Without Pants is another sausage fest. We hope we can bring that topic to you in the future, but for now please enjoy this free form episode.</p> <p>It’s only been a week since we last recorded, and Rob and Patrick haven’t gotten up to much in the gaming department. Rob brings some movies and books to the table, and Patrick got <a href="/review/395/child_of_eden_review">Child of Eden</a> for his birthday. Julian’s got you covered though, with <a href="/review/659/way_of_the_samurai_4_review">Way of the Samurai 4</a>, <a href="/review/660/mutant_mudds_review">Mutant Mudds</a>, and <a href="/review/664/double_dragon_neon_review">Double Dragon Neon</a>.</p> <p>After that, we go into some news. We rarely talk about the headlines, but there was some big things in gaming since our last episode, including the announcement of the iPhone 5, the Wii U launch details, and the oddly timed sacking of the creator of Plants vs. Zombies…right after a sequel is announced. Sit back and let your pantsless newshounds give you the straight scoop.</p> <p>We wrap things up with a question from a listener that leads into Julian’s personal story of failure with the ladies. Thanks for listening, and please comment below or at our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/NerdsWithoutPantsPodcast">Facebook fan page</a>.</p> <p> </p> <p>Featured music:</p> <p>Selections from the <a href="http://virt.bandcamp.com/album/double-dragon-neon">Double Dragon Neon soundtrack</a> by Jake Kaufman.</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/1781.jpg" alt="" width="596" height="335" /></p> 1:37:51 Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, videogames, Wii, PlayStation 3, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, 360, technology, games, nintendo ds, ds, psp, pixlbit, pixltalk, pspgo PixlBit.com yes http://www.pixlbit.com/feature/1676/episode_6_vice_city <p>Nobody’s perfect. We all have our inner demons—those things that we do even though we know we shouldn’t. That’s what this episode of NWP is all about: vices, and how they work into our video games. Since this is technically the second part of <a href="/feature/1652/episode_5_til_all_are_one">episode 5</a>, we skip what we’ve been playing and jump into the discussion.</p> <p>First up, Patrick brings up the subject of gambling, and how prolific it is in our games. Even at a young age we’ve been exposed to this vice in gaming, and we look at how it’s affected us, even without our knowledge. We gamble all the time, including crafting in MMOs or just taking a chance on a game we’ve never played. We also look at the insidious rise of “mystery items” in games—random virtual goods that cost real world cash.</p> <p>Next, Rob takes us into the slippery slope of substance abuse. We look at games that glorify drugs and alcohol, such as Narc and Catherine, and Julian tells a personal story about how GTA IV ensured he would never drink and drive…<em>ever.</em> Then we get onto an amazing discussion about how technology is the new dangerous addiction, especially since it’s totally legal.</p> <p>Last but certainly not least, Julian makes us atone for our sins and talks about death in video games. Does the fact that death is used as a failure mechanic take away from the impact of story related character death? What about that Aeris death, anyway? When we lose a character in a game are we sad because a friend is gone, or because we lost a valuable battle asset? What are the benefits of permadeath?</p> <p>We hope you enjoy this episode, and that it was worth the wait. We have another topic you’ve been waiting for in two weeks, when our special guest Lisa Eadicicco comes on to talk about our favorite ladies of gaming. Let us know your favorite digital femme fatales either in the comments below or at our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NerdsWithoutPantsPodcast">Facebook fan page</a>.</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Grand Theft Auto Vice City- Theme</p> <p>Kenny Rogers- The Gambler</p> <p>Third Eye Blind- God of Wine</p> <p>Melissa Williamson- Room of Angel</p> <p>Kavinsky- Nightcall (featuring Lovefoxxx)</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/1776.jpg" alt="" width="587" height="470" /></p> Fri, 14 Sep 2012 12:00:00 EDT <p>Nobody’s perfect. We all have our inner demons—those things that we do even though we know we shouldn’t. That’s what this episode of NWP is all about: vices, and how they work into our video games. Since this is technically the second part of <a href="/feature/1652/episode_5_til_all_are_one">episode 5</a>, we skip what we’ve been playing and jump into the discussion.</p> <p>First up, Patrick brings up the subject of gambling, and how prolific it is in our games. Even at a young age we’ve been exposed to this vice in gaming, and we look at how it’s affected us, even without our knowledge. We gamble all the time, including crafting in MMOs or just taking a chance on a game we’ve never played. We also look at the insidious rise of “mystery items” in games—random virtual goods that cost real world cash.</p> <p>Next, Rob takes us into the slippery slope of substance abuse. We look at games that glorify drugs and alcohol, such as Narc and Catherine, and Julian tells a personal story about how GTA IV ensured he would never drink and drive…<em>ever.</em> Then we get onto an amazing discussion about how technology is the new dangerous addiction, especially since it’s totally legal.</p> <p>Last but certainly not least, Julian makes us atone for our sins and talks about death in video games. Does the fact that death is used as a failure mechanic take away from the impact of story related character death? What about that Aeris death, anyway? When we lose a character in a game are we sad because a friend is gone, or because we lost a valuable battle asset? What are the benefits of permadeath?</p> <p>We hope you enjoy this episode, and that it was worth the wait. We have another topic you’ve been waiting for in two weeks, when our special guest Lisa Eadicicco comes on to talk about our favorite ladies of gaming. Let us know your favorite digital femme fatales either in the comments below or at our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NerdsWithoutPantsPodcast">Facebook fan page</a>.</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Grand Theft Auto Vice City- Theme</p> <p>Kenny Rogers- The Gambler</p> <p>Third Eye Blind- God of Wine</p> <p>Melissa Williamson- Room of Angel</p> <p>Kavinsky- Nightcall (featuring Lovefoxxx)</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/1776.jpg" alt="" width="587" height="470" /></p> 1:25:00 Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, videogames, Wii, PlayStation 3, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, 360, technology, games, nintendo ds, ds, psp, pixlbit, pixltalk, pspgo PixlBit.com yes http://www.pixlbit.com/feature/1652/episode_5_til_all_are_one <p>Well, we goofed. Due to circumstances beyond our control, this episode of NWP is woefully lacking a second segment. Worry not though, true believers! We’ll be bringing you the intended topic of this episode (vices and video games) next week. So sit back and enjoy what we’ve been playing and some bloopers.</p> <p>Julian can’t contain his inner fanboy for Transformers, and even though<a href="/review/654/transformers_fall_of_cybertron_review"> Fall of Cybertron</a> isn’t his idea of a perfect TF game you get to hear him discuss it at length. Patrick vents his frustration over the ending of <a href="/review/434/dead_space_2_review">Dead Space 2</a> (no spoilers) and talks some Starhawk, while Rob manages to rave about Counter Strike: Global Offensive without yelling “BOOM! Headshot!”</p> <p>And that’s it! Check out the work of Ken Knudtsen that Rob was talking about<a href="http://kenknudtsen.blogspot.com/?view=classic"> here</a>, and be sure to follow us all on Twitter, since we didn’t get the chance to beg for new followers this week.</p> <p>Rob is <a href="https://twitter.com/robertottone">@robertottone</a></p> <p>Patrick is <a href="https://twitter.com/someboss">@someboss</a></p> <p>Julian is <a href="https://twitter.com/julian_titus">@julian_titus</a></p> <p>Join our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NerdsWithoutPantsPodcast">Facebook fan page</a>, and tune in next week as we go to some dark places with our vices.</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Stan Bush- The Touch</p> <p>Vince DiCola- Autobot/Decepticon Battle</p> <p>N.R.G.- Instruments of Destruction</p> <p>Lion- The Transformers (theme)</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/1772.jpg" alt="" width="473" height="731" /></p> Fri, 07 Sep 2012 12:00:00 EDT <p>Well, we goofed. Due to circumstances beyond our control, this episode of NWP is woefully lacking a second segment. Worry not though, true believers! We’ll be bringing you the intended topic of this episode (vices and video games) next week. So sit back and enjoy what we’ve been playing and some bloopers.</p> <p>Julian can’t contain his inner fanboy for Transformers, and even though<a href="/review/654/transformers_fall_of_cybertron_review"> Fall of Cybertron</a> isn’t his idea of a perfect TF game you get to hear him discuss it at length. Patrick vents his frustration over the ending of <a href="/review/434/dead_space_2_review">Dead Space 2</a> (no spoilers) and talks some Starhawk, while Rob manages to rave about Counter Strike: Global Offensive without yelling “BOOM! Headshot!”</p> <p>And that’s it! Check out the work of Ken Knudtsen that Rob was talking about<a href="http://kenknudtsen.blogspot.com/?view=classic"> here</a>, and be sure to follow us all on Twitter, since we didn’t get the chance to beg for new followers this week.</p> <p>Rob is <a href="https://twitter.com/robertottone">@robertottone</a></p> <p>Patrick is <a href="https://twitter.com/someboss">@someboss</a></p> <p>Julian is <a href="https://twitter.com/julian_titus">@julian_titus</a></p> <p>Join our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NerdsWithoutPantsPodcast">Facebook fan page</a>, and tune in next week as we go to some dark places with our vices.</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Stan Bush- The Touch</p> <p>Vince DiCola- Autobot/Decepticon Battle</p> <p>N.R.G.- Instruments of Destruction</p> <p>Lion- The Transformers (theme)</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/1772.jpg" alt="" width="473" height="731" /></p> 53:15 Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, videogames, Wii, PlayStation 3, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, 360, technology, games, nintendo ds, ds, psp, pixlbit, pixltalk, pspgo PixlBit.com yes http://www.pixlbit.com/feature/1632/episode_4_in_statham_we_trust <p>We may have missed an episode, but we’re making it up to you this week with a bonus episode that gets us back on track. Even though we only recorded a week ago we have some games to talk about, including Sleeping Dogs, Final Fantasy VII PC, and Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance.</p> <p>It’s a pretty loose episode this week, with a little bit of everything. Rob talks about watching the Will Ferrell movie The Campaign and Julian gushes all over The Expendables 2. Is a Statham Sighting in your future? All signs point to yes. Rob gives us a peek into the depths of his soul, and we close things out with a rant about a recent shooting that leads into a brief discussion on that whole “violence in video games” debate that keeps popping up.</p> <p>Come back in two weeks when we talk about video games and vices. It’ll be a nice gritty look at the seedy side of gaming, as well as your pantsless nerds. Join the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/NerdsWithoutPantsPodcast">Facebook fan page</a> and also weigh in on the violence discussion in the comments below. STATHAM!</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Streets of Rage 2-Slow Moon</p> <p>Castlevania- Bloody Tears</p> <p>Mega Man 2-Intro (Over Clocked Remix)</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/1765.jpg" alt="" width="599" height="337" /></p> Fri, 24 Aug 2012 12:00:00 EDT <p>We may have missed an episode, but we’re making it up to you this week with a bonus episode that gets us back on track. Even though we only recorded a week ago we have some games to talk about, including Sleeping Dogs, Final Fantasy VII PC, and Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance.</p> <p>It’s a pretty loose episode this week, with a little bit of everything. Rob talks about watching the Will Ferrell movie The Campaign and Julian gushes all over The Expendables 2. Is a Statham Sighting in your future? All signs point to yes. Rob gives us a peek into the depths of his soul, and we close things out with a rant about a recent shooting that leads into a brief discussion on that whole “violence in video games” debate that keeps popping up.</p> <p>Come back in two weeks when we talk about video games and vices. It’ll be a nice gritty look at the seedy side of gaming, as well as your pantsless nerds. Join the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/NerdsWithoutPantsPodcast">Facebook fan page</a> and also weigh in on the violence discussion in the comments below. STATHAM!</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Streets of Rage 2-Slow Moon</p> <p>Castlevania- Bloody Tears</p> <p>Mega Man 2-Intro (Over Clocked Remix)</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/1765.jpg" alt="" width="599" height="337" /></p> 1:27:53 Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, videogames, Wii, PlayStation 3, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, 360, technology, games, nintendo ds, ds, psp, pixlbit, pixltalk, pspgo PixlBit.com yes http://www.pixlbit.com/feature/1616/episode_3_the_hardest_trophy <p>And we’re back! Scheduling problems and technical difficulties can’t keep your favorite nerd trio from removing their pants and talking about some awesome video games. We kick it off as always with what we’ve been playing, including PlayStation All-Stars, Little Big Planet Karting, Dyad, and Robot Rob’s hatred of Batman: Arkham City. Julian confesses his new nerd addiction: table top games!</p> <p>The topic this episode is everything trophy and achievement. Gamers have been addicted to these little pieces of digital flair for years now, and Patrick wants to know how we feel about them as a group. Rob spends the episode in complete denial of his achievement lust, while Julian and Patrick completely admit to their addictions. We talk about our first achievements, the ones we tried the hardest for, and the ones that seemed particularly lame. We also talk about Rob’s atavistic fear of Disney’s Cars before closing things out with some shameless self-promotion.</p> <p>Join our<a href="https://www.facebook.com/NerdsWithoutPantsPodcast"> Facebook fanpage</a> and let us know what you want to see in upcoming episodes. We’ll be back next week with a free-form bonus episode, and after that we hope to have a very special guest for you all.</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Survivor-Eye of the Tiger</p> <p>Joe Cafferty-Hearts on Fire</p> <p>Joe “Bean” Esposito-You’re the Best</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/1752.jpg" alt="" width="592" height="286" /></p> Fri, 17 Aug 2012 12:00:00 EDT <p>And we’re back! Scheduling problems and technical difficulties can’t keep your favorite nerd trio from removing their pants and talking about some awesome video games. We kick it off as always with what we’ve been playing, including PlayStation All-Stars, Little Big Planet Karting, Dyad, and Robot Rob’s hatred of Batman: Arkham City. Julian confesses his new nerd addiction: table top games!</p> <p>The topic this episode is everything trophy and achievement. Gamers have been addicted to these little pieces of digital flair for years now, and Patrick wants to know how we feel about them as a group. Rob spends the episode in complete denial of his achievement lust, while Julian and Patrick completely admit to their addictions. We talk about our first achievements, the ones we tried the hardest for, and the ones that seemed particularly lame. We also talk about Rob’s atavistic fear of Disney’s Cars before closing things out with some shameless self-promotion.</p> <p>Join our<a href="https://www.facebook.com/NerdsWithoutPantsPodcast"> Facebook fanpage</a> and let us know what you want to see in upcoming episodes. We’ll be back next week with a free-form bonus episode, and after that we hope to have a very special guest for you all.</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Survivor-Eye of the Tiger</p> <p>Joe Cafferty-Hearts on Fire</p> <p>Joe “Bean” Esposito-You’re the Best</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/1752.jpg" alt="" width="592" height="286" /></p> 1:41:00 Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, videogames, Wii, PlayStation 3, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, 360, technology, games, nintendo ds, ds, psp, pixlbit, pixltalk, pspgo PixlBit.com yes http://www.pixlbit.com/feature/1562/episode_2_strange_love <p>Sex. Now that I have your attention, why is it something that gaming podcasts don’t talk about very often? Sex sells, and game developers have used it more and more in their games over the years. Your favorite nerdy trio takes off their pants, turns on their mics, and talk at length about sex in vidya games. But before that we talk some recent games, including Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy, Slender, and Unchained Blades.</p> <p>We kick things off with a little of our sexual histories, and pontificate for a bit on just who would make it onto our Freebie Five lists. Things then turn to how sex impacts our games and the industry. Did Hot Coffee destroy the potential for sex in games? Did BioWare lose their nerve after the Fox News Mass Effect debacle? Can gamers even handle sexuality in video games in a mature manner, or can we just not have nice things? We explore games that handle sexuality in interesting or subtle ways, as well as highlight some of the inherent problems with trying to tackle these issues.</p> <p>Throughout the show we take some of our listener’s Kinsey Report questions, and Rob continues his desperate advances towards Patrick. Enjoy all of this and more in this (surprisingly) mature look at getting it on in the virtual space. And don’t worry ladies: unlike Christian Grey we can give you more than a paragraph’s worth of pleasure.</p> <p>Liked the episode? Hated it? Want to submit ideas for topics? Join our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NerdsWithoutPantsPodcast">Facebook Fanpage</a>!</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Marcy Playground-Sex and Candy</p> <p>P!nk featuring Peaches-Oh My God</p> <p>Paula Cole-Feelin’ Love</p> <p>Friendly Fires-Strange Love (Depeche Mode cover)</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/1658.gif" alt="" width="500" height="417" /></p> Fri, 27 Jul 2012 12:00:00 EDT <p>Sex. Now that I have your attention, why is it something that gaming podcasts don’t talk about very often? Sex sells, and game developers have used it more and more in their games over the years. Your favorite nerdy trio takes off their pants, turns on their mics, and talk at length about sex in vidya games. But before that we talk some recent games, including Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy, Slender, and Unchained Blades.</p> <p>We kick things off with a little of our sexual histories, and pontificate for a bit on just who would make it onto our Freebie Five lists. Things then turn to how sex impacts our games and the industry. Did Hot Coffee destroy the potential for sex in games? Did BioWare lose their nerve after the Fox News Mass Effect debacle? Can gamers even handle sexuality in video games in a mature manner, or can we just not have nice things? We explore games that handle sexuality in interesting or subtle ways, as well as highlight some of the inherent problems with trying to tackle these issues.</p> <p>Throughout the show we take some of our listener’s Kinsey Report questions, and Rob continues his desperate advances towards Patrick. Enjoy all of this and more in this (surprisingly) mature look at getting it on in the virtual space. And don’t worry ladies: unlike Christian Grey we can give you more than a paragraph’s worth of pleasure.</p> <p>Liked the episode? Hated it? Want to submit ideas for topics? Join our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NerdsWithoutPantsPodcast">Facebook Fanpage</a>!</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Marcy Playground-Sex and Candy</p> <p>P!nk featuring Peaches-Oh My God</p> <p>Paula Cole-Feelin’ Love</p> <p>Friendly Fires-Strange Love (Depeche Mode cover)</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/1658.gif" alt="" width="500" height="417" /></p> 2:05:03 Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, videogames, Wii, PlayStation 3, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, 360, technology, games, nintendo ds, ds, psp, pixlbit, pixltalk, pspgo PixlBit.com yes http://www.pixlbit.com/feature/1517/episode_1_origin_stories <p>Greetings, true believers! Welcome to the first episode of Nerds Without Pants. Do join us for some generally nerdy talk about games, movies, and comics...sans pants.</p> <p>We kick things off with a quick discussion about what we've been up to since ending our run on PixlTalk, including Ghost Recon, Final Fantasy XI, The Amazing Spider-Man movie, and entirely too much talk about Spec Ops: The Line. If you listen carefully, you can catch a very rare Statham Sighting, as well. Julian asks the listeners for some help with his backlog. Check it out <a href="/blog/170/help_my_pile_of_shame_and_you">here</a>, and let him know what you think he should play!</p> <p>Then we move on to our special comic book themed topic, wherein we share with you our video game origin stories. We each talk about our earliest gaming memories, what game first made us realize that this was to become our hobby of choice, and why we still game today. We also wrap up each story with a comic book pick, just for you, and at no extra charge.</p> <p>Patrick closes things out with a story about his recent trip to Europe, in typical metaphysical Patrick style. We're excited to have you on board for this new edition of our special kind of madness. A reboot, if you will. Let us know your gaming origin stories in the comments section, and come back in two weeks when we talk about all things sexual in gaming. It's sure to be saucy, and you definitely won't want your pants on for that episode.</p> <p>-Excelsior!</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Nobuo Uematsu- Zanarkand</p> <p>Danny Elfman-Theme From Batman: The Animated Series</p> <p>John Williams-Main Theme (From Superman)</p> <p>Smashing Pumpkins-The Beginning is the End is the Beginning</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/1651.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="610" /></p> Fri, 13 Jul 2012 12:00:00 EDT <p>Greetings, true believers! Welcome to the first episode of Nerds Without Pants. Do join us for some generally nerdy talk about games, movies, and comics...sans pants.</p> <p>We kick things off with a quick discussion about what we've been up to since ending our run on PixlTalk, including Ghost Recon, Final Fantasy XI, The Amazing Spider-Man movie, and entirely too much talk about Spec Ops: The Line. If you listen carefully, you can catch a very rare Statham Sighting, as well. Julian asks the listeners for some help with his backlog. Check it out <a href="/blog/170/help_my_pile_of_shame_and_you">here</a>, and let him know what you think he should play!</p> <p>Then we move on to our special comic book themed topic, wherein we share with you our video game origin stories. We each talk about our earliest gaming memories, what game first made us realize that this was to become our hobby of choice, and why we still game today. We also wrap up each story with a comic book pick, just for you, and at no extra charge.</p> <p>Patrick closes things out with a story about his recent trip to Europe, in typical metaphysical Patrick style. We're excited to have you on board for this new edition of our special kind of madness. A reboot, if you will. Let us know your gaming origin stories in the comments section, and come back in two weeks when we talk about all things sexual in gaming. It's sure to be saucy, and you definitely won't want your pants on for that episode.</p> <p>-Excelsior!</p> <p>Featured Music:</p> <p>Nobuo Uematsu- Zanarkand</p> <p>Danny Elfman-Theme From Batman: The Animated Series</p> <p>John Williams-Main Theme (From Superman)</p> <p>Smashing Pumpkins-The Beginning is the End is the Beginning</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/media/generic/1651.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="610" /></p> 1:46:13 Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, videogames, Wii, PlayStation 3, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, 360, technology, games, nintendo ds, ds, psp, pixlbit, pixltalk, pspgo PixlBit.com yes