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 #117: The WARTRON Syndrome

GAMERS! ARE YOU READY FOR SOME WARTRON?


[ Download mp3 - 28 MB ]

00:58 - "honest"
01:16 - sign up for the Elevate BANG before Friday (5/18)
05:04 - speaking of sign-ups...
10:03 - setting expectations for the application (no spoilers)
13:55 - "This is real-time, Lenny!"
17:45 - NO CHEATING
19:17 - adventures in remote playtesting
20:28 - setting expectations for The Game
22:55 - Friday Friday Friday
26:00 - Game Control == Fun!
28:34 - see also: PuzzleHuntCalendar.com
29:47 - 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 "Chiron Beta Prime" by Jonathan Coulton

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SnoutCast #116: "A Model Growth Connector 2: Electric Boogaloo"

This week, we talk to two more characters from Doctor When* GC: Sean Gugler and Wei-Hwa Huang! (Also, ironically, this week's show runs long by almost ten minutes. You'll live.)


[ Download mp3 - 38 MB ]

00:58 - "timely"
02:16 - BEST. PODCAST. EVER.
06:09 - "This Game was full of C.R.A.P.!"
09:55 - how did you get involved with Doctor When?
17:06 - differences between first and second weekends?
21:36 - the web site shuffle, spoilers, and angry Matt
28:20 - last minute puzzles?
33:06 - Erik's mom has got it goin' on
34:19 - (Yes, he's pronouncing it wrong. No, he doesn't care.)
35:05 - What's next? Wei-Hwa's book, Sean's mobile puzzles
38:40 - 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 "Re: Your Brains" by Jonathan Coulton

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* Did you know that "Doctor Who" is an anagram of "Torchwood," in the same way that "Doctor When" is an anagram of "Trenchwood?" Well, you do now.

SnoutCast #115: Sluice Box Mucking Starts Today

The title of this week's show is an inside joke from JoCo Cruise Crazy II. You kinda had to be there. Sorry.


[ Download mp3 - 24 MB ]

01:03 - "fanciful"
01:36 - a brief WarTron update
03:25 - Playtesters wanted: e-mail WarTronGC@gmail.com to join the fun!
05:43 - a limited DASH 4th Portland recap
09:55 - keeping up with team "Dashers and Dancers"
16:24 - DeeAnn advocates "aggressive confirmation"
19:09 - neighborhood outreach
23:44 - it takes all kinds--of Gamers and GCs!
25:25 - 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 "First of May" by Jonathan Coulton

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SnoutCast #114: "A Model Growth Connector"

This week, we chat with Allen Cohn and Erik Stuart, two of the ringleaders behind The Doctor When Game. As usual, bragging rights (no pun intended, RICH) to the first person who leaves a comment explaining what the title of this episode means.

(And stay tuned after our ending theme song--Samuel L. Jackson does not make an appearance, but we still think it's a pretty amusing anecdote.)


[ Download mp3 - 28 MB ]

00:59 - "chronological"
01:28 - who was on Doctor When GC? (see also: credits page)
03:17 - instigation, I mean inspiration
09:38 - did GC achieve their goals?
14:16 - FYI: Doctor When was not originally conceived as an overnight Game
17:58 - recruiting actors and others
22:06 - how was it, running two Game weekends back to back?
24:47 - what's next?
29:28 - (looking for The Game in all the wrong places)
30:16 - 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 "The Future Soon" by Jonathan Coulton

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SnoutCast #113: Money!

In which we don't actually talk about the named topic. What else is new?


[ Download mp3 - 28 MB ]

00:59 - "financial"
01:09 - WarTron update: why May 20th for applications?
13:01 - Money! (Sort of.)
19:28 - what does Snout GC not pay for, pre-Game?
28:53 - so... what else is going on?
30:18 - 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 "Ikea" by Jonathan Coulton

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SnoutCast #112: Time!

In which we reflect upon our respective experiences as player and GC helper in Doctor When.


[ Download mp3 - 27 MB ]

00:59 - "extemporaneous"
01:37 - WARTRON up front
02:24 - participating in Doctor When
03:50 - DeeAnn advocates sleeping on the job
06:59 - Curtis's funny stories...
07:13 - ...Matt: "Where's my laptop?"
08:04 - ...Rob: "This is unsolvable!"
10:41 - ...Katie: riding in cars with bros
13:16 - sleeping on the ground? not so great
14:08 - GC monologuing
17:44 - using "time outs"
22:05 - tracking teams
24:22 - mmm... pie...
26:59 - upcoming events: DASH 4, Shinteki Decathlon 7, more at PuzzleHuntCalendar.com
28:07 - build your own Cat Feeding Robot!
29:23 - 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 "Mandelbrot Set" by Jonathan Coulton

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SnoutCast #111: 2012-Q2 Hunts Preview

Time marches on, and the puzzle hunts just keep on comin'!


[ Download mp3 - 23 MB ]

00:59 - "provident"
03:57 - April 6th: University of South Carolina Puzzle Hunt
05:13 - April 10th: Puzzled Pint, Mastermind Pub Hunt
06:51 - April 21st: BAPHL 5 (and April 14th: P&A Magazine)
08:58 - April 28th: DASH 4
12:35 - May 12th & 19th: Shinteki Decathlon 7
14:37 - And now a word about volunteering
18:01 - June 2nd: BANG 33: A Charity BANG
19:07 - New idea? Try it; people might like it!
24:15 - 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 "The Future Soon" by Jonathan Coulton

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SnoutCast #110: Location Location Location

The good news: no lengthy show notes this week! The bad news: that's because we just kind of ramble on for like twenty minutes.


[ Download mp3 - 20 MB ]

00:59 - "regional"
20:14 - 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 "Shop Vac" by Jonathan Coulton

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SnoutCast #109: We Need to Talk About WARTRON

In which some (but not all) is revealed.


[ Download mp3 - 26 MB ]

00:58 - "computerized"
02:34 - consequences of a geographically divided team
05:29 - the agony and the ecstasy of videoconferencing
12:07 - praeterition
13:45 - building a community with Puzzled Pint
16:58 - lessons learned from DASH
22:23 - the current status of WARTRON
26:18 - The End

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

Music: instrumentals from "Code Monkey" and "A Talk with George" by Jonathan Coulton

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SnoutCast #108: Dead Man's Quest? The Puzzles

SPOILER ALERT: We discuss the inner workings of many, if not all, of the JoCo Cruise Crazy II treasure hunt puzzles in this podcast. If you want to try solving the puzzles yourself (they'll be online soon, we promise), DO NOT LISTEN to this episode until later!


[ Download mp3 - 28 MB ]

00:59 - "piratical"
02:04 - Puzzle #0 (sample)
03:52 - Puzzle #1
04:29 - Puzzle #2
05:53 - Puzzle #3
07:08 - Puzzle #4
09:55 - BTW re: puzzle release order
12:17 - Puzzle #5
12:49 - Puzzle #6
16:50 - Puzzle #7
18:05 - Puzzle #8
19:12 - Puzzle #9
20:32 - Puzzle #10
22:43 - Puzzle #11 (meta)
25:02 - closing thoughts
30:37 - The End

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

Music: instrumentals from "Code Monkey" and "Tom Cruise Crazy" by Jonathan Coulton

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SnoutCast #107: Dead Man's Quest? The Hunt

In which we recall the second time we ran a puzzle hunt... on a boat!


[ Download mp3 - 28 MB ]

00:59 - "nautical"
03:24 - compared to the first JoCo Cruise
05:38 - did someone say WarTron?
09:49 - Game Control after dark
12:39 - you too can be an "executive producer"
16:42 - a crowded entertainment marketplace
18:19 - the burden of fabulous prizes
22:44 - mo' puzzles, mo' problems
30:16 - The End

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

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

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SnoutCast #106: Makin' Puzzles!

This episode title may be more amusing if you imagine Rob Schneider saying it in a singsongy voice.


[ Download mp3 - 27 MB ]

00:59 - "lazy"
01:18 - the Ignite talk in question
02:06 - topic prompted by Iron Puzzler
02:55 - how we make our puzzles for Puzzled Pint
05:29 - the two things that help us finish our puzzles
07:49 - Ideas are cheap; playtesting is essential
11:42 - 3 steps: concept, implementation, playtesting (lather, rinse, repeat)
14:30 - do NOT wait for inspiration
16:43 - using playtesting as leverage to move yourself forward
19:30 - starting points for puzzles: encoding vs. activity
20:55 - group vs. individual prototyping
27:04 - "Let me sum up."
29:19 - The End

(In case you're wondering, yes, Jasper did eventually get fed, despite his bad behavior.)

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

Music: instrumentals from "Code Monkey" and "I Crush Everything" by Jonathan Coulton

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SnoutCast #105: Hooray for Hollywood

In which we repeat last year's exercise of asking: which Best Picture nominees might make good Game themes? And as a tribute to the Academy Awards telecast, we also run long. Yeah, that's the ticket!


[ Download mp3 - 33 MB ]

00:59 - "tropical"
03:08 - The Artist?
06:06 - The Descendants?
08:00 - Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close?*
09:27 - The Help?*
11:24 - Hugo?
13:05 - Midnight in Paris?*
16:10 - Moneyball?
21:15 - The Tree of Life?*
27:16 - War Horse?
32:42 - And the one which would make the best Game is...
35:57 - The End

* (We have not seen this movie.)

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

Music: instrumentals from "Code Monkey" and "Tom Cruise Crazy" by Jonathan Coulton

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SnoutCast #104: Gamer Profile - Rachel Petterson, XX-Rated

This week, we talk to Rachel Petterson, captain of a Bay Area Game team which could be called the Pink Ladies, but is not.


[ Download mp3 - 28 MB ]

00:00 - teaser: Past BANG Future Echo
01:23 - "female"
01:52 - origins of team XX-Rated
05:42 - more cast changes than Law & Order
08:22 - introducing new puzzlers to The Game
10:42 - Rachel's first Game(s)
14:11 - Rachel's day job
15:53 - Googlers and Gamers
17:16 - transitioning from player to GC
22:16 - women and men, with respect to puzzling
25:30 - "I look forward to the puzzles that are written in lipstick."
26:48 - see Rachel's crafts at Pigs In Pajamas!
28:15 - The End

Got a comment or question? 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 #103: Gamer Profiles - Jan Chong & Yar Woo, coed astronomy

This week, we hear from another Gamer couple with a young child: Jan Chong and Yar Woo of coed astronomy!


[ Download mp3 - 22 MB ]

00:59 - "coeducational"
01:12 - origin of the coed team name
03:55 - Jan and the Microsoft Intern Game
05:37 - coed history
07:18 - What are your day jobs?
09:26 - applying day-job skills to puzzle hunt creation
11:31 - running short vs. long Games
16:29 - baby Charlotte
20:27 - stockpiling puzzle ideas... for the next generation?
24:07 - The End

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

Music: instrumentals from "Code Monkey" and "You Ruined Everything" by Jonathan Coulton

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SnoutCast #102: Of Summits and Letters

In which we do a dramatic reading of the Black Letter Game's answers to our listener questions, and then a quick recap of this year's Game Control Summit: Simulcast!


[ Download mp3 - 25 MB ]

00:59 - "diplomatic"
01:20 - The Black Letter Game has answered your questions...
02:58 - Where did the name for the Black Letter Game come from?
03:41 - How many individuals are "GC" for this Game?
04:47 - How does the extreme secrecy enhance the player's experience?
05:01 - How are you playtesting the puzzles?
06:15 - How will you know this enterprise has been successful?
07:05 - GC Summit recap...
10:36 - Corey Anderson on "Running Someone Else's Game"
12:58 - Jett Jones and Bob Schaffer on re-casting the WHO Game
14:17 - Scott Blomquist on designing portable puzzles
14:50 - Linda Holman on re-running Shinteki Aquarius seven years later
16:28 - Andy Rich on simulcasting Microsoft Puzzlehunt 14
22:37 - upcoming events: volunteer for Doctor When playtest (2/11-12), Shinteki Field Trip: Disneyland (2/25), Iron Puzzler (3/3-4); more at PuzzleHuntCalendar.com
26:31 - The End

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

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

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SnoutCast #101: Gamer Profile - TODD ETTER, Boneless Chicken Cabaret

Did you know that all of 2012's "Shinteki Puzzle of the Month" (POTM) puzzles (starting tomorrow, January 25th) will be written by Todd Etter of The Motley Fool? And all solvers can win prizes at the end of the year? It's true! But don't take our word for it--hear it from the man himself, this week on SnoutCast.


[ Download mp3 - 27 MB ]

00:58 - "calciferous"
01:24 - behind the scenes of Boneless Chicken Cabaret's WHO Game video
02:29 - Todd's non-evil plans for Shinteki POTM
05:41 - How did you get into puzzle hunts?
09:39 - the_game@yahoogroups is, shall we say, lightly moderated these days
10:23 - assembling the team
13:24 - What's your day job?
17:54 - (actually, it was a Facebook post linking to a PDF of the puzzle)
18:43 - comparing GC experiences from different puzzle events
23:58 - final thoughts on Shinteki POTM
27:58 - The End

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

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

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SnoutCast #100: Community?

Please help celebrate our ONE HUNDREDTH PODCAST by leaving a comment. (We're celebrating by not writing up show notes this time.) And thanks for listening!


[ Download mp3 - 29 MB ]

00:59 - "patient"
29:55 - The End

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

Music: instrumentals from "Code Monkey" and "Mandelbrot Set" by Jonathan Coulton

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SnoutCast #99: Holiday Movies Recap

And now for something almost, but not entirely, completely different.


[ Download mp3 - 25 MB ]

00:59 - "festive"
01:35 - send us your questions for the Black Letter Game creators! (e-mail podcast@snout.org by Friday, January 13th, 2012)
03:51 - inspired by true events: holiday movie marathon
05:12 - A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas
07:22 - Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol
09:18 - War Horse
10:39 - The Descendants
11:32 - The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 vs. The Darkest Hour
13:10 - Hugo (3D)
17:27 - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
18:29 - My Week with Marilyn
20:32 - The Artist
22:11 - Young Adult
24:25 - "Unintentional Patton Oswalt Sandwich" is the name of my Kinks cover band.
29:59 - The End

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

Music: instrumentals from "Code Monkey" and "A Talk with George" by Jonathan Coulton

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