Some Derps Talk About Games

There really isn't any company out there like Blizzard Entertainment. In a world devoid of third places, World of Warcraft, Starcraft II, and Diablo 4 have become that for very, very many people-- including Buddy and Mango. So, in a world where Jeff Kaplan gives his five and a half hour interview to Lex Friedman charting the course of those early days, and Jason Shrier published a book called Play Nice all about those backroom politics, the question becomes: What do two people living and breathing in these worlds think of all that? It's probably one of the most important video game companies in the world and to us. How does pulling up the stones to look underneath hit us? ---------------------------------------------------------------- Want to watch these episodes live? Check us out at https://www.youtube.com/@somederpsplaygames or twitch.tv/somederpsplaygames Check out the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/somederpstalkaboutgames Want to tell us something? Email us at podcast@somederpsplaygames

A few years ago, Buddy laid out his theory for Roguelitification: How the development of roguelikes has created a world where players don't want one linear experience, they want a planar experience where they explore the game systems in the world around them. With the launch of Slay the Spire 2, maybe it's time we revisit and update some of our roguelitification thoughts! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Want to watch these episodes live? Check us out at https://www.youtube.com/@somederpsplaygames or twitch.tv/somederpsplaygames Check out the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/somederpstalkaboutgames Want to tell us something? Email us at podcast@somederpsplaygames.com Like our Facebook page too! www.facebook.com/SomeDerpsPlayGames/ We have a Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/somederpsplaygames Rate us on iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/some-derps-talk-about-games/id1048899720 Follow us on Twitter! SDPG: twitter.com/somederps Buddy: twitter.com/thatbudd

Gamers, did you know that Magic: The Gathering does crossovers with major IP constantly? They've done Marvel, Magic: The Gathering, even niche little tiny baby IPs like Final Fantasy. Well, today, we'd like to ask the question: What Universes Beyond would be the wildest direction for them to go? ---------------------------------------------------------------- Want to watch these episodes live? Check us out at https://www.youtube.com/@somederpsplaygames or twitch.tv/somederpsplaygames Check out the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/somederpstalkaboutgames Want to tell us something? Email us at podcast@somederpsplaygames.com Like our Facebook page too! www.facebook.com/SomeDerpsPlayGames/ We have a Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/somederpsplaygames Rate us on iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/some-derps-talk-about-games/id1048899720 Follow us on Twitter! SDPG: twitter.com/somederps Buddy: twitter.com/thatbuddysola Mango: twitter.com/theonetruemango Intro and Outro courtesy of twitter.com

The 2026 Forecast Episode Well, there's a ton of stuff coming up in 2026, including the new Magic Set, the new WoW expansion, and a new return to Marvel and Star Wars. What are we hyped for? What are we interested in? What are we dreading? ---------------------------------------------------------------- Want to watch these episodes live? Check us out at https://www.youtube.com/@somederpsplaygames or twitch.tv/somederpsplaygames Check out the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/somederpstalkaboutgames Want to tell us something? Email us at podcast@somederpsplaygames.com Like our Facebook page too! www.facebook.com/SomeDerpsPlayGames/ We have a Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/somederpsplaygames Rate us on iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/some-derps-talk-about-games/id1048899720 Follow us on Twitter! SDPG: twitter.com/somederps Buddy: twitter.com/thatbuddysola Mango: twitter.com/theonetruemango Intro and Outro courtesy of twitter.com/VinceRolin

Our great friend, Cerryan has a little card in his collection all the way back from 2003. That card is Biorhythm, an eight mana sorcery that maybe wins you the game on the spot. Well, Biorhythm just got unbanned. It's a new card reentering an old format with new opportunities for new game winning plays. What does the rest of the banlist look like? What do we want unbanned? Crucially, what cards that aren't on the banlist would we elect to drop on there? ---------------------------------------------------------------- Want to watch these episodes live? Check us out at https://www.youtube.com/@somederpsplaygames or twitch.tv/somederpsplaygames Check out the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/somederpstalkaboutgames Want to tell us something? Email us at podcast@somederpsplaygames.com Like our Facebook page too! www.facebook.com/SomeDerpsPlayGames/ We have a Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/somederpsplaygames Rate us on iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/some-derps-talk-about-games/id1048899

OK, stop me if you've heard this one before. You're loading up an RPG and you can make whatever decisions you want. You can make your character a total chad or butt ugly. You can make him a douche or a charmer. What we call that kind of protagonist? An avatar. And the opposite, where you're inhabiting a complete character, that's authored. Tonight, we're going to chat about both! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Want to watch these episodes live? Check us out at https://www.youtube.com/@somederpsplaygames or twitch.tv/somederpsplaygames Check out the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/somederpstalkaboutgames Want to tell us something? Email us at podcast@somederpsplaygames.com Like our Facebook page too! www.facebook.com/SomeDerpsPlayGames/ We have a Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/somederpsplaygames Rate us on iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/some-derps-talk-about-games/id1048899720 Follow us on Twitter! SDPG: twitter.com/somederps Buddy: twitter.com/

In a strange corner of the RPG space, there's a new insistence about how DnD ought to be played. Close adherence to time metrics needs to be prioritized. DnD's roots as a minitature wargame need to be respected. That all that came before us was once good and now we look upon false idols. Jeffro Johnson wrote How to Win at D&D in 2022. Mango and Buddy have read it. What do they think of the OSR trend? ---------------------------------------------------------------- Want to watch these episodes live? Check us out at https://www.youtube.com/@somederpsplaygames or twitch.tv/somederpsplaygames Check out the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/somederpstalkaboutgames Want to tell us something? Email us at podcast@somederpsplaygames.com Like our Facebook page too! www.facebook.com/SomeDerpsPlayGames/ We have a Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/somederpsplaygames Rate us on iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/some-derps-talk-about-games/id1048899720 Follow us on Twitter! SDPG: twitter.com/someder

It's been a long, cold year in New Hampshire but now that both Derps talking about games are up here, January means snow, ice and the best, damn podcast awards show this side of appalachia. We've got games, tv, movies, and most importantly-- Magic: The Gathering to hit on, so let's get it twisted. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Want to watch these episodes live? Check us out at https://www.youtube.com/@somederpsplaygames or twitch.tv/somederpsplaygames Check out the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/somederpstalkaboutgames Want to tell us something? Email us at podcast@somederpsplaygames.com Like our Facebook page too! www.facebook.com/SomeDerpsPlayGames/ We have a Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/somederpsplaygames Rate us on iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/some-derps-talk-about-games/id1048899720 Follow us on Twitter! SDPG: twitter.com/somederps Buddy: twitter.com/thatbuddysola Mango: twitter.com/theonetruemango Intro and Outro courtesy of twitter.

Manaforge Omega Raid Review! We have gotten AotC. We have played into Xal'atath's plans. We have killed Dimensius and imprisoned his power in the Dark Heart. The only question that remains: How was the raid? Was it good? Was it bad? Was the loot cool? Was the loot lame? ---------------------------------------------------------------- Want to watch these episodes live? Check us out at https://www.youtube.com/@somederpsplaygames or twitch.tv/somederpsplaygames Check out the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/somederpstalkaboutgames Want to tell us something? Email us at podcast@somederpsplaygames.com Like our Facebook page too! www.facebook.com/SomeDerpsPlayGames/ We have a Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/somederpsplaygames Rate us on iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/some-derps-talk-about-games/id1048899720 Follow us on Twitter! SDPG: twitter.com/somederps Buddy: twitter.com/thatbuddysola Mango: twitter.com/theonetruemango Intro and Outro courtesy of twitter.com/VinceRolin

Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein Out now on Netflix and kind of watchable in theatres, Guillermo del Toro's next film, Frankenstein has just premiered! Starring Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi and the newest ingenue, Mia Goth, let's get into the details! Was it good? Was it bad? Was it book accurate? ---------------------------------------------------------------- Want to watch these episodes live? Check us out at https://www.youtube.com/@somederpsplaygames or twitch.tv/somederpsplaygames Check out the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/somederpstalkaboutgames Want to tell us something? Email us at podcast@somederpsplaygames.com Like our Facebook page too! www.facebook.com/SomeDerpsPlayGames/ We have a Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/somederpsplaygames Rate us on iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/some-derps-talk-about-games/id1048899720 Follow us on Twitter! SDPG: twitter.com/somederps Buddy: twitter.com/thatbuddysola Mango: twitter.com/theonetruemango Intro and Outro courtesy of twitter.c

In the world of storytelling, there's plenty of advice about what to do. What not to do. What to show. What to hide. Alfred Hitchcock talks about suspense. Trey Parker and Matt Stone talking about but and therefore. The holy grail: Show, don't tell. What happens if you follow those rules to a T and still end up making something dogshit? ---------------------------------------------------------------- Want to watch these episodes live? Check us out at https://www.youtube.com/@somederpsplaygames or twitch.tv/somederpsplaygames Check out the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/somederpstalkaboutgames Want to tell us something? Email us at podcast@somederpsplaygames.com Like our Facebook page too! www.facebook.com/SomeDerpsPlayGames/ We have a Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/somederpsplaygames Rate us on iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/some-derps-talk-about-games/id1048899720 Follow us on Twitter! SDPG: twitter.com/somederps Buddy: twitter.com/thatbuddysola Mango: twitter.com/theonetrueman

ARC Raiders: Shooting Extractors who try to Extract from this Shooter It's a new day, a new game. This one is ARC Raiders, an extraction shooter by the folks behind The Finals. Their love of technical gunplay, usable consumable gadgets, and a set of lore that's deeply strange and maybe cool? Tough to say! But it definitely got the hooks in us! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Want to watch these episodes live? Check us out at https://www.youtube.com/@somederpsplaygames or twitch.tv/somederpsplaygames Check out the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/somederpstalkaboutgames Want to tell us something? Email us at podcast@somederpsplaygames.com Like our Facebook page too! www.facebook.com/SomeDerpsPlayGames/ We have a Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/somederpsplaygames Rate us on iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/some-derps-talk-about-games/id1048899720 Follow us on Twitter! SDPG: twitter.com/somederps Buddy: twitter.com/thatbuddysola Mango: twitter.com/theon

Because we're nearing the new arc for the next Ceran game, it looks like we should talk some more about what the new pitches entail. In particular, I'm thinking: How do we attack different genres in TTRPGs? What does it look like to stage a war game in an RPG? What does it look like to run a horror game? Can you do different DnD games and styles? ---------------------------------------------------------------- Want to watch these episodes live? Check us out at https://www.youtube.com/@somederpsplaygames or twitch.tv/somederpsplaygames Check out the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/somederpstalkaboutgames Want to tell us something? Email us at podcast@somederpsplaygames.com Like our Facebook page too! www.facebook.com/SomeDerpsPlayGames/ We have a Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/somederpsplaygames Rate us on iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/some-derps-talk-about-games/id1048899720 Follow us on Twitter! SDPG: twitter.com/somederps Buddy: twitter.com/thatbuddysola Mango: twitter.com/th

Buddy is back from Australia, gamers! That means that there's a lot to catch up on, so let's take a look at what's what! What is a game? How do we feel about the new Commander changes? What's going right or wrong with Legion Remix? How does choice affect storytelling in games? ---------------------------------------------------------------- Want to watch these episodes live? Check us out at https://www.youtube.com/@somederpsplaygames or twitch.tv/somederpsplaygames Check out the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/somederpstalkaboutgames Want to tell us something? Email us at podcast@somederpsplaygames.com Like our Facebook page too! www.facebook.com/SomeDerpsPlayGames/ We have a Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/somederpsplaygames Rate us on iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/some-derps-talk-about-games/id1048899720 Follow us on Twitter! SDPG: twitter.com/somederps Buddy: twitter.com/thatbuddysola Mango: twitter.com/theonetruemango Intro and Outro courtesy of twitter.com/VinceRolin

Villains What do villains mean in our stories? What's the difference between an antagonist and a villain? What are the best villains we've ever encountered? How do villains work? Buddy just wrapped two tabletop arcs that had competing archetypes for villains. How did they play out? ---------------------------------------------------------------- Want to watch these episodes live? Check us out at https://www.youtube.com/@somederpsplaygames or twitch.tv/somederpsplaygames Check out the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/somederpstalkaboutgames Want to tell us something? Email us at podcast@somederpsplaygames.com Like our Facebook page too! www.facebook.com/SomeDerpsPlayGames/ We have a Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/somederpsplaygames Rate us on iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/some-derps-talk-about-games/id1048899720 Follow us on Twitter! SDPG: twitter.com/somederps Buddy: twitter.com/thatbuddysola Mango: twitter.com/theonetruemango Intro and Outro courtesy of twitter.com/VinceRolin

What's the Opposite of a Plot Hole? Loooooong time ago, we had a whole big podcast about plot holes. Are they good? Are they bad? What is Mango's Iron Law of Worldbuilding? Well, interestingly, something we didn't consider in that conversation is the opposite of a plot hole. In other words, a plot pedestal. What is it? How does it work? Is it good or bad? The video that inspired this convo: https://youtu.be/KCztDSvyL3I?si=irj3ADJB3TQEzSAb MUGG: https://youtu.be/eVTFcm1Z1tA?si=1S5KB0g3PXU6S5eR The Pinky Guard: https://youtube.com/shorts/hFTLU6h8BL8?si=BOuuMyFtLhe3zsgw ---------------------------------------------------------------- Want to watch these episodes live? Check us out at https://www.youtube.com/@somederpsplaygames or twitch.tv/somederpsplaygames Check out the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/somederpstalkaboutgames Want to tell us something? Email us at podcast@somederpsplaygames.com Like our Facebook page too! www.facebook.com/SomeDerpsPlayGames/ We have a Patreon! https://www.patre

Guys, We Have Infinity Things To Talk About Given that it's been more than a month since our last cast, it turns out there's a ton of stuff that has happened. It's getting a little wild. Silksong wasn't even announced at the time of the last podcast and now it's been out for two weeks. Plus, we played Emperor, we've played more DnD and a lot more to talk about. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Want to watch these episodes live? Check us out at https://www.youtube.com/@somederpsplaygames or twitch.tv/somederpsplaygames Check out the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/somederpstalkaboutgames Want to tell us something? Email us at podcast@somederpsplaygames.com Like our Facebook page too! www.facebook.com/SomeDerpsPlayGames/ We have a Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/somederpsplaygames Rate us on iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/some-derps-talk-about-games/id1048899720 Follow us on Twitter! SDPG: twitter.com/somederps Buddy: twitter.com/thatbuddysola Mango

More Grab Bag! In accordance with us failing to materialize topics, we're going to rip through a bunch of things that are percolating right underneath the surface. On the docket: GenCon! MTG Proxies 11.2 First Impressions DK Bonanza ---------------------------------------------------------------- Want to watch these episodes live? Check us out at https://www.youtube.com/@somederpsplaygames or twitch.tv/somederpsplaygames Check out the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/somederpstalkaboutgames Want to tell us something? Email us at podcast@somederpsplaygames.com Like our Facebook page too! www.facebook.com/SomeDerpsPlayGames/ We have a Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/somederpsplaygames Rate us on iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/some-derps-talk-about-games/id1048899720 Follow us on Twitter! SDPG: twitter.com/somederps Buddy: twitter.com/thatbuddysola Mango: twitter.com/theonetruemango Intro and Outro courtesy of twitter.com/VinceRolin

Look, Up in the Sky: Superman! Would you look at that. Nine months (or something) since our last movie review. Today's foray back towards the monoculture: Superman! James Gunn's entrance into the DC Superhero Universe has arrived with gusto. What do we think? Good? Bad? And what's all this about a secret harem? ---------------------------------------------------------------- Want to watch these episodes live? Check us out at https://www.youtube.com/@somederpsplaygames or twitch.tv/somederpsplaygames Check out the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/somederpstalkaboutgames Want to tell us something? Email us at podcast@somederpsplaygames.com Like our Facebook page too! www.facebook.com/SomeDerpsPlayGames/ We have a Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/somederpsplaygames Rate us on iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/some-derps-talk-about-games/id1048899720 Follow us on Twitter! SDPG: twitter.com/somederps Buddy: twitter.com/thatbuddysola Mango: twitter.com/theonetruemango Intro and Outro court

Power Creep through a New Lens Hell gamers-- it's almost been a month because lots of things have happened! Hearthstone released a new expansion! Magic banned a ton of cards in standard! The new WoW patch is coming! All of this comes to a crux-- what does it mean when old games update with new content? What's the proper frame of reference? What other insanely crunchy shit can we fit in this episode? ---------------------------------------------------------------- Want to watch these episodes live? Check us out at https://www.youtube.com/@somederpsplaygames or twitch.tv/somederpsplaygames Check out the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/somederpstalkaboutgames Want to tell us something? Email us at podcast@somederpsplaygames.com Like our Facebook page too! www.facebook.com/SomeDerpsPlayGames/ We have a Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/somederpsplaygames Rate us on iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/some-derps-talk-about-games/id1048899720 Follow us on Twitter! SDPG: twitter.com/somederp