SnoutCast #174: DIY Puzzled Pint Party

In which we conclude our response to some lovely listener mail.

[ Download mp3 - 26 MB ]

00:58 - "asynchronous"
02:01 - question (paraphrased) from Chris in England: can a one-person GC run puzzles from an archived event?
02:29 - a brief history of Puzzled Pint...
03:26 - ...including details on simulcasting to Seattle
05:08 - announcement: come solve Jay Lorch's puzzles at Puzzled Pint in August!
11:25 - here's how you could re-run Puzzled Pint, May 2013: "Arrested Development"!
16:49 - the downsides of being a one-person Game Control
21:31 - great minds think alike (see also: The Famine Game team videos)
26:00 - where to find info on past events: snout.org/game, bayareanightgame.org, and...?
27:32 - The End

Tell us we're wrong on the Internet! E-mail podcast@snout.org or post a comment at www.snout.org/podcast.

Music: instrumentals from "Code Monkey" and "Shop Vac" by Jonathan Coulton

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SnoutCast #160: GC Summit 2013 Debrief

Some highlights from Game Control Summit 2013. Individual talk videos coming soon! Meanwhile, you can review the archived livestream or check out Corey Anderson's notes.

[ Download mp3 - 34 MB ]

00:59 - "educated"
02:38 - location, location, location
09:03 - thanks, Larry!
10:51 - re: Allen Cohn on Doctor When
15:43 - re: Amos Eshel on the 2013 MIT Mystery Hunt
17:59 - re: Bob Schaffer on Elevate Tutoring's charity hunts
22:07 - re: Curtis on the JoCo Cruise Crazy hunts
24:00 - re: Sean Gugler on JoCo Cruise Crazy puzzles
33:24 - e-mail gcsummit@snout.org if you want to present at GCS2014!
35:14 - you can still apply for WarTron: Boston (through Sunday, March 17th)!
36:55 - The End

Tell us we're wrong on the Internet! E-mail podcast@snout.org or post a comment at www.snout.org/podcast.

Music: instrumentals from "Code Monkey" and "Skullcrusher Mountain" by Jonathan Coulton

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SnoutCast #118: What About Bob?

In which we talk to Bob Schaffer about BANG, DASH, WHO, and also things that aren't acronyms. (NOTE: We pre-recorded this interview, so he's not actually getting married "a month from today." Tough luck, wedding crashers!)


[ Download mp3 - 27 MB ]

00:58 - "charitable"
01:15 - Elevate BANG
04:30 - re-casting WHO Game in the Bay Area
11:05 - being National Coordinator for DASH 3 and 4
19:56 - the art of the e-mail
25:55 - you heard it here first!
28:39 - The End

Tell us we're wrong on the Internet! E-mail podcast@snout.org or post at snout.org/podcast.

Music: instrumentals from "Code Monkey" and "I'm Your Moon" by Jonathan Coulton

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SnoutCast #90: BANG 28 Debrief

Corey "Weird Al's Doppelgänger" Anderson, Dan "Puzzle Hunt Calendar" Egnor, Doug "You Wouldn't Like Me When I'm Angry" Zongker, and Dr. Melinda Owens tell us all about running BANG 28.

(I can neither confirm nor deny that I'm still a little sleep-deprived--and therefore punchy--from helping with the Bay Area WHO Game re-cast this past weekend.)


[ Download mp3 - 23 MB ]

00:59 - "glow-in-the-dark"
02:12 - why do the Burninators seem to run every 7th BANG?
05:23 - the night-time chicken and the electronics egg
09:05 - "Did you guys have fun?" "Almost always."
10:22 - Game Control and friends
12:05 - meeting the neighbors
14:30 - puzzle completion rates, estimated
16:15 - Seattle shipping shenanigans
17:44 - the GC "puzzle bible"
20:15 - what else? (see also: BANG 28 : By the Numbers)
22:36 - what's next? (implied: Run More Games)
24:37 - The End

Got a comment or question? E-mail podcast@snout.org or post at snout.org/podcast!

Music: instrumentals from "Code Monkey" and "The Future Soon" by Jonathan Coulton

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SnoutCast #63: "Application Revisitation, Part 2"

The conclusion of last week's discussion about Game application practices.


[ Download mp3 - 27 MB ]

01:02 - the anvil question... answered!
01:53 - our WHO Game application experience
02:29 - DeeAnn enjoyed making our video the most
04:43 - applications are never more fun than The Game
07:03 - comparisons to Justice Unlimited
11:54 - can you make applications more immersive or interactive?
13:56 - DeeAnn imagines the ideal Game application
15:29 - comparisons to ARGs
18:24 - it's fun to play with other people
20:14 - using the application to set expectations for the event
22:22 - comparisons to Hogwarts owl deliveries
25:44 - what's a good euphemism for "rejected?"
28:19 - find upcoming events at PuzzleHuntCalendar.com
29:16 - The End

Got a comment or question? E-mail podcast@snout.org or post at snout.org/podcast!

Music: instrumentals from "Code Monkey" and "First of May" by Jonathan Coulton

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SnoutCast #62: "Application Revisitation, Part 1"

We talked so much this week, we had to split our discussion into two podcasts! Here's part one. Stay tuned for part two next week.


[ Download mp3 - 29 MB ]

00:59 - "villainous"
02:12 - following up on Application Rumination
04:15 - DeeAnn considers "gimmes" for teams to bypass applications
07:49 - acknowledging different levels of fun
10:05 - advocating for more transparency in Game applications
11:52 - WHO? When? What's on second.
14:01 - what does "creative" mean, anyway?
16:57 - applying for shorter events: BANG, DASH, etc.
18:47 - what happened with BANG 28
19:34 - the not-so-secret puzzle hunt cabal
24:54 - is the application part of the event?
26:02 - new BANGtalk mailing list to discuss GC issues
26:18 - does BANG demand now require a new sign-up paradigm?
27:25 - on completing a Game application and then not being accepted
29:19 - the anvil question cliffhanger!
31:09 - The End

Got a comment or question? E-mail podcast@snout.org or post at snout.org/podcast!

Music: instrumentals from "Code Monkey" and "Skullcrusher Mountain" by Jonathan Coulton

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SnoutCast #57: "Iron Puzzler 2011 Debrief"

This week, we talk to Greg deBeer (the mastermind behind Iron Puzzler) and Jesse Morris (captain of this year's winning team, Evil Geniuses for a Better Tomorrow)!


[ Download mp3 - 32 MB ]

00:59 - "magnetic"
01:22 - who are you guys again?
03:56 - how does the Iron Puzzler event work?
05:08 - and how did it work this year?
06:16 - how does Greg choose each year's ingredients?
10:24 - the player's perspective: Jesse says some stuff
13:19 - who's on Jesse's IP team?
16:26 - how many total teams participated this year?
20:35 - coming soon: another Iron Puzzler BANG!
23:36 - memorable moments from IP 2011
30:12 - for upcoming events, check PuzzleHuntCalendar.com
31:15 - Listener Mail: Larry comments on "game kits"
32:26 - "How do you get a crew to want to get off a nuclear submarine?"
34:36 - The End

Got a comment or question? E-mail podcast@snout.org or post at snout.org/podcast !

Music: instrumentals from "Code Monkey" and "Ikea" by Jonathan Coulton

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SnoutCast #43: "Ghost Patrol BANG Debriefing"

This week: a roundtable debriefing with the crew behind Ghost Patrol BANG! Thanks to Brian, David, Greg, Jenn, Jesse, Matt, and Rachel for chatting with me in DeeAnn's absence.


[ Download mp3 - 44 MB ]

00:59 - introductions
02:30 - whence Ghost Patrol BANG?
05:50 - wedding first, Game later
07:53 - Desert Taxi + lowkey = crazy delicious
12:18 - SHaRC vs. OWL
14:40 - application expectation
18:06 - simulcasting
22:40 - the consequences of over-preparation
25:50 - production value enablers
28:57 - "But it's still a paper puzzle...right?"
33:05 - the new kid on the block
35:15 - GC roll call: Greg
35:50 - GC roll call: Jesse
36:29 - GC roll call: Brian
38:07 - GC roll call: Jenn
40:11 - GC roll call: David
41:50 - GC roll call: Matt
43:15 - GC roll call: Rachel
44:19 - what's next?
44:58 - get your own Puzzled Pint franchise!
45:21 - upcoming events: Iron Puzzler (winter)
47:30 - The End

Music: instrumentals from "Code Monkey" and "Skullcrusher Mountain" by Jonathan Coulton

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SnoutCast #35: "Sudoku, Tangrams, and Evilness"

A BANG 23 debriefing with special guests Doctor Sudoku and Professor Tangram! WARNING: This podcast may contain minor spoilers for some puzzles from BANG 23.


[ Download mp3 - 38 MB ]

00:00 - Disclaimer: puzzle spoilers ahoy!
01:30 - "evil"
02:18 - welcoming Dr. Sudoku and Prof. Tangram
03:25 - BANG numbering shenanigans
05:13 - puzzle hunt amnesia is a real thing
06:19 - secret identities revealed
07:28 - backstories and inspirations
12:38 - work is fun!
15:10 - puzzles puzzles puzzles
19:36 - 56 teams played on 2 days
20:21 - tangram quality control
23:19 - can an evil puzzle be "too evil"? um, yeah
26:39 - scoring, points, hints, ...
28:33 - lessons learned from BANG 23 (both of them)
35:37 - our Twitter contest was a bust :(
36:30 - upcoming events: Berkeley Mystery Hunt, "Odd Man Out" treasure hunt, Puzzled Pint: Octoberfest, Ghost Patrol BANG
39:12 - Curtis wants postcards
40:45 - The End

Music: instrumentals from "Code Monkey," "Skullcrusher Mountain," and "I Feel Fantastic" by Jonathan Coulton

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