Digital Dissection: A Nerd Podcast

Have you ever just completely immersed yourself in a video game? Where hours felt like minutes? Where you felt a connection with the characters and other players? Then, when you finally stopped playing you were hit with the harsh reality of the fructose corn syrup shortage and a greedy corporate entity trying to fill your HUD with 80% ad space and making indentured servants out of people? Yeah, we've all been there... Welcome to Season One Episode 30 of Digital Dissection: A Nerd Podcast! Today we are dissecting the modern classic Ready Player One with a critic that knows the Kevins and Kevouts of this movie; Kevin the Critic.  So, get in your haptic suits and get ready to jump into the Oasis with us!  Kevin the Critic Music Credits: "Pixel Peeker Polka (Faster)" Written and Performed by Kevin MacLeod "Our Young Guts" Written and Performed by Andy G. Cohen

What happens when you mix a story about fighting corporate greed, an immersive online world, a dash a romance, strong friendships, and pop culture references that span four decades? You get Ernest Cline's READY PLAYER ONE -- a best selling novel (2011) followed by a movie adaptation in 2018! It'd go on to feature roughly a million Easter eggs as a full blown pop culture celebration Directed by Steven Spielberg.. In today's episode of Side Stitches, Joe and Mark don't go over EVERY Easter egg, but they do cover some of their favorites, as well as where they think the world will be in 2050 -- the timeline where the story takes place.  Music Credits: "Pixel Peeker Polka (Faster)" Written and Performed by Kevin MacLeod.

Actor, art enthusiast, toy collector, and someone who isn't afraid to cross a questionable river, Dian Bachar is a man of many talents and we are excited to sit down with him today! Welcome to Season 1 Episode 29 of Digital Dissection: A Nerd Podcast! Dian Bachar has been in movies such as Orgazmo, BASEketball, Cannibal: The Musical, Galaxy Quest, the upcoming Guillermo del Toro film "Nightmare Alley" and so many more! We think you'll enjoy hearing about Dian's various experiences in life and adventures on movie sets that may include a...questionable use of a bathtub. Dian's sweet poster  Music Credits: "Pixel Peeker Polka (Faster)" Written and Performed by Kevin MacLeod "Our Young Guts" Written and Performed by Andy G. Cohen

On today's Side Stitches, Mark and Joe talk about some other their favorite films featuring Dian Bachar -- a dive into some of the properties we didn't discuss during our main episode. Dian's background goes far beyond his most well-known works, check out some of his expanded history in this episode! Music Credits: "Pixel Peeker Polka (Faster)" Written and Performed by Kevin MacLeod

We're not here today to argue nerd vs geek, we're here to shed a little insight into where the term nerd came from and how it has evolved over a few decades; as well as how nerd culture's level of acceptance has shifted.  Welcome to Season 1 Episode 28 of Digital Dissection: A Nerd Podcast, today we are joined by Jeff and Cory from Switch the Envelope, as we discuss how being a nerd once meant something you had to keep to yourself to avoid ostracism but has come to the forefront of pop culture.  We also pepper in our personal experiences in nerdom over the years!  Music Credits: "Pixel Peeker Polka (Faster)" Written and Performed by Kevin MacLeod "Our Young Guts" Written and Performed by Andy G. Cohan

The term "Nerd" has changed over the years, and it has done so for the better.  With nerd culture having become pop culture, people can wear their interests on their sleeves with relative acceptance.  However, this wasn't always the case. For many years interests that were considered to be nerdy typically had to be kept secret or at the very least limited in order to maintain social acceptance.   In this week's Side Stitch, Mark and Joe discuss how their life of nerd-dom began and how it went into a state of dormancy for many years.  Meanwhile, Chelsea is in the peak of wedding season and is not in today's show due to her Maid-of-Honor responsibilities. Godspeed Chelsea, and we miss you already.  Music Credits: "Pixel Peeker Polka (Faster)" Written and Performed by Kevin MacLeod   

Some video games we play to pass the time on our commutes, some make us rage quit, others give us a fun playthrough but never get played again.  However, there are games that we come back to play time and time again, they bring family and friends together, and define a whole generation of gamers...these are the games that made us.  Welcome to Season 1 Episode 27 of Digital Dissection: A Nerd Podcast; today we welcome Doug Eberle back to the podcast as we take turns talking about the games that we've played so much they've seem to become a part of us.  Music Credits: "Pixel Peeker Polka (Faster)" Written and Performed by Kevin MacLeod "Our Young Guts" Written and Performed by Andy G. Cohen

So, like most lifestyles, how we gamed in the midst of a pandemic was different than how we did before life seemed to have shut down. Doug Eberle rejoins us today to talk about how he upgraded his gaming during this time while some of us actually slowed down and enjoyed life on an island...a virtual island...run by a racoon.  Music Credits: "Pixel Peeker Polka (Faster)" Written and Performed by Kevin MacLeod

What do you get when you mix a humble upbringing in a small Wisconsin town with a love for role playing table top games, college LAN parties, and wandering through the desert for inspiration? If you guessed one of the best game designers/directors in the video game industry, Josh Sawyer, you'd be right! Welcome to Season 1 Episode 26 of Digital Dissection: A Nerd Podcast! Today we sit down with Josh Sawyer, Design & Content Director of Obsidian Entertainment to dive into history you may not know about him! We have an in-depth discussion about Josh's education, early inspirations, and how he cracked into the gaming industry. Stick around as well for some fan requested Q&A! We also introduce Josh to an old friend of his. It's pretty hilarious. Music Credits: "Pixel Peeker Polka (Faster)" Written and Performed by Kevin MacLeod "Our Young Guts" Written and Performed by Andy G. Cohen

This is one of our most anticipated weeks ever, we will be talking with esteemed video game Designer and Director Josh Sawyer on Wednesday! Today Mark and Joe talk about some of the games Josh has worked on as well as the different companies that he'd connect with over the years. If you aren't familiar with him you'll have a little background before this week's main episode.  Music Credit: "Pixel Peeker Polka (Faster)" Written and Performed by Kevin MacLeod

Today we say goodbye to the Golden Age of 80's and 90's RPG's and continue our trek through the genre into the modern day. Welcome to Season 1 Episode 25 of Digital Dissection: A Nerd Podcast; gone are the days of adorably simplistic pixelated sprites and we now enter S.P.E.C.I.A.L. systems, Old Republics, and the World...of Warcraft! Join us as we look at the pillars of modern RPGs and the dawn of the MMO as we know it. We hope you enjoy our conclusion of the history of RPGs!  SPACE PANTS!  Music Credits: "Pixel Peeker Polka (Faster)" Written and Performed by Kevin MacLeod "Our Young Guts" Written and Performed by Andy G. Cohen

Welcome back to Digital Dissection: A Nerd Podcast! On today's Side Stitch we talk about Action RPGs!!...and how we kind of hate them...well we definitely have problems with them and now you're going to hear about it.  But do we think they are all that bad? Listen and find out! Music Credits: "Pixel Peeker Polka (Faster)" Written and Performed by Kevin MacLeod

Get your friends together and get ready to quest because this week we are talking about the history of Role Playing Games!   Welcome to Season 1 Episode 24 of Digital Dissection: A Nerd Podcast; today  Mark, Chelsea, and Joe cover the expansive, and frankly a bit overwhelming, history of RPGs!  Before they hit our consoles with adorable little sprites that traversed vast fantasy landscapes, RPG's had a far clunkier, yet refined (by rules), start on tabletops & computers that looked like something we used to put a man on the moon.  After Part 1 we'll be covering modern developments in RPGs after the late 90s when the genre waned slightly in popularity. Music Credits: "Pixel Peeker Polka (Faster)" Written and Performed by Kevin MacLeod "Our Young Guts" Written and Performed by Andy G. Cohen

As you've heard our hosts say before, role playing games (RPG's) are some of their favorite video games to play and in some cases, play again. Join Chelsea, Joe, and Mark as they talk about some of their favorite RPG's as well as a few honorable mentions.  Since our hosts are by no means experts, they aren't saying these are the best RPG's out there, but they really loved them and get ready to hear why! Don't forget to tell us what some of your favorite RPG's are too! Music Credits: "Pixel Peeker Polka (Faster)" Written and Performed by Kevin MacLeod

It's here! Our conclusion of Trey Parker and Matt Stone ends with a discussion on their most well known body of work...South Park. Welcome back to Season 1 Episode 23 of Digital Dissection!  Chelsea, Mark, and Joe talk about the show's origins, early seasons that focused on the boys solving outrageous problems, and how it transformed into adult social commentary that brought an entire small mountain town in on the joke.  Music Credits: "Pixel Peeker Polka (Faster)" Written and Performed by Kevin MacLeod "Our Young Guts" Written and Performed by Andy G. Cohen