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PODCAST

Idle Thumbs

Idle Thumbs is an independent podcast network whose podcasts span comedy, pop culture and entertainment, video games, and TV.

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All Episodes

00:07:03

Three Moves Ahead Patreon Preview: An Interview with...

Idle Thumbs ·

2023/11/29

Listen to the first five minutes of our November Patreon episode for free, and then hear the full one hour and 15 minute interview by subscribing at Patreon.com/3MA! Len had a chance to chat this month with Michele Pirovano, the (almost) solo developer of dotAGE, a game we all had a great time with this year. They discuss how board game design has had a positive influence on the world of strategy video games, how it could continue to do so, the struggles of being an indie dev, and why the upcoming

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01:23:15

Three Moves Ahead 601 - Victoria 3: One Year Later

Idle Thumbs ·

2023/11/26

Len is joined by Dr. Bret Devereaux and Chapel Comic creator Father Lorris to take a look at Victoria 3 one year later. Is this a game that deserves to stand beside Paradox's best yet? And if not, what's it still missing? We play armchair game dev for an hour and a half and unpack the difficulty of modeling both the beginning and the end of one of humankind's most momentous centuries with a common set of mechanics.

en

01:16:46

Three Moves Ahead 600 - dotAGE

Idle Thumbs ·

2023/11/19

100 episodes ago, we declared that video games are over. Did they ever come back? Also, what's this dotAGE game with authentic medieval chiptune music Overwhelmingly Positive user reviews?

en

01:14:46

Three Moves Ahead 599 - Cities: Skylines 2

Idle Thumbs ·

2023/10/28

Len and Jon are joined by Sin Vega and Well There's Your Problem's Justin Roczniak (donoteat01) to discuss Cities: Skylines 2. We have some mixed feelings about this much anticipated sequel, and we don't shy away from pointing out what doesn't work while giving a few nods to what is new and cool. If you understand how garbage works in this game, please leave a comment.

en

01:06:27

Three Moves Ahead 598 - Total War: Pharaoh

Idle Thumbs ·

2023/10/15

Len and Ian are joined by freelance writer Josh Broadwell to discuss Total War: Pharaoh, the first properly historical Total War in an actual age. We dig into the new campaign mechanics, the feel of the battles, and the scope of the map. Has Creative Assembly Sophia come from behind to take the title of Total War's A-Team?

en

02:21:37

Designer Notes 79: Trent Kusters - Part 2

Idle Thumbs ·

2023/10/09

In this episode, Soren interviews veteran game developer Trent Kusters, co-founder of League of Geeks, best known for the strategy game Armello. They discuss why Armello has so much output randomness, whether they fudge the odds, and how to turn off a Game-as-a- Service. This episode was recorded on September 8, 2023. Games discussed: Armello, Magic: The Gathering, Solium Infernum, Talisman, Old World, Tharsis, Jumplight Odyssey

en

01:03:13

Three Moves Ahead 597 - Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew

Idle Thumbs ·

2023/09/30

This week, Jon is joined by RPS Editor in Chief Katherine Castle and freelance writer Dominic Tarason to discuss Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew. Mimimi's swan song, as we sadly learned after recording, is a follow-up and an evolution to Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun and Desperados 3, both games that we loved. What makes this one even better? Why is Len using dashes instead of colons to separate the show number from the game title now? I don't know if I like this.

en

02:31:12

Designer Notes 78: Trent Kusters - Part 1

Idle Thumbs ·

2023/09/25

In this episode, Soren interviews veteran game developer Trent Kusters, co-founder of League of Geeks, best known for the strategy game Armello. They discuss how he faked his way into games journalism, how to sneak risky ideas past licensors, and how to make games feel big. This episode was recorded on September 8, 2023. Games discussed: Pong, Trog, Zoo Hospital, Stunt Flyer: Heroes of the Skies, Monster Jam: Urban Assault, Scooby-Doo: First Frights, Scooby-Doo and the Spooky Swamp, Armello,

en

01:32:51

Three Moves Ahead 596: Baldur's Gate 3

Idle Thumbs ·

2023/08/19

Len, Jon, and Ian are joined by Brian "Chef Lu Bu" Smawley to delve into Baldur's Gate 3. We discuss what really makes this a CRPG that can be enthusiastically recommended to tactics fans, what our favorite races, classes, and companions have been, and the ridiculous antics we've gotten up to with Larian's "Yes, and..." engine and quest design. Is this the best version of Dungeons & Dragons you can play on the computer? Give it a listen and roll Insight to find out.

en

03:08:29

Designer Notes 77: Cole Wehrle

Idle Thumbs ·

2023/08/14

In this episode, Soren interviews tabletop designer Cole Wehrle, best known for his work on Root, Oath, Pax Pamir, and John Company. They discuss whether John Company is satire, how the East India Company was like QWOP, and the importance of German postal rates. This episode was recorded on March 22, 2023. Games discussed: Stratego, Dungeons and Dragons, Battlecry, Diplomacy, Mafia, Oath, Settlers of Catan, Struggle of Empires, High Frontier, Pax Pamir, John Company, Pax Porfiriana, Levy & Campaign

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01:27:48

Three Massacres Ahead 595: Aliens: Dark Descent

Idle Thumbs ·

2023/07/29

Rob, Len, and Rowan are in the pipe, five-by-five, to discuss Aliens: Dark Descent. An unconventional squad-based stealth game that brings James Cameron's sci-fi classic to a new (and dare we say better) perspective, we discuss similarities to the likes of Darkest Dungeon and how clever escalation mechanics can dynamically imitate the structure of a horror movie.

en

01:16:01

Three Moves Ahead 594: Jagged Alliance 3

Idle Thumbs ·

2023/07/22

This week, Len is joined by Sin Vega and Dominic Tarason to discuss Jagged Alliance 3, the long-awaited sequel to one of the greatest tactical games of all time. Did they do a good job of recapturing what made the original so memorable? Is this just another XCOM, or is there more to see here?

en

01:11:13

Three Moves Ahead 593: Rule the Waves 3

Idle Thumbs ·

2023/07/01

It's the... Summer of Wargaming? When a game comes along that's even too obscure and spreadsheet-y for our normal panel, we light the Grognard Beacon. And this week, first-timers Wesley Livesay and Benjamin Magnus answered the call. The subject? Rule the Waves 3. If you love mid-90s PC productivity software interfaces and big boats of all shapes and sizes, you're in for a treat. We discuss what makes this crunchy Secretary of the Navy simulator so compelling, and why it's worth overcoming the steep

en

02:44:04

Designer Notes 76: Tanya Short

Idle Thumbs ·

2023/06/23

In this episode, Soren interviews veteran game designer Tanya Short, co-founder of Kitfox Games and best known for her work on Moon Hunters and Boyfriend Dungeon. They discuss why her parents had to get a second phone like, how she accidentally made a roguelike, and whether Moon Hunters should have combat. This episode was recorded on March 23, 2023. Games discussed: Bubble Bobble, Various MUDs, Boyfriend Dungeon, A Tale In the Desert, Morrowind, World of WarCraft, Ultima Online, Age of Conan, The

en

01:20:23

Three Moves Ahead 592: Age of Wonders 4

Idle Thumbs ·

2023/06/10

Len, Rowan, and Jon step through the portal into Age of Wonders 4, the latest fantasy 4X from Triumph and Paradox. We dig deep into the strategic and tactical pacing and why so much of it hits the spot in a world of ultra marathon strategy campaigns. What is so satisfying about its empire customization and progression? And did we actually manage to make an episode about a game we like that's not 75 percent complaining?

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01:54:32

Three Moves Ahead 591: Darkest Dungeon 2

Idle Thumbs ·

2023/05/22

Rowan, Len, and Nerium hitch their wagon to Darkest Dungeon 2 and set in for the long haul on this epic-length episode. We discuss some of the ways this sequel is an improvement over one of 3MA's consensus favorite games of all time (that we somehow never did a dedicated episode on), and several ways in which it's not. What kind of parties did we like to roll with? How have things changed since early access? And is there a cooler narrator than Wayne June? By the end, you might even get to hear us

en

01:23:14

Three Moves Ahead 590: Wartales

Idle Thumbs ·

2023/05/14

Rowan, Nerium, and Luke set off into the fantasy landscape of Wartales to give a glimpse at one of the most robust tactical management games we've seen in a while. They discuss how it's a counterpoint to – and possibly even a commentary on – Battle Brothers in a couple of interesting ways. You'll also hear perspectives from both of its world scaling settings, to help you decide if you'd rather have everything automatically scale to your current party, or tackle the more dangerous, "MMO-style"

en

01:46:37

Designer Notes 75: Moonbreaker

Idle Thumbs ·

2023/05/03

In this episode, Soren and Leyla interview veteran game designer Charlie Cleveland, founder of Unknown Worlds and best known for his work on Natural Selection and Subnautica. They discuss why Moonbreaker is the first digital miniatures game, if players would notice if critical hits were removed, and whether the game should have an undo. This episode was recorded on March 19, 2023. Games discussed: Moonbreaker, Warhammer series, Hardspace: Shipbreaker, Magic: The Gathering, Civilization 4, Duelyst,

en

01:22:02

Three Moves Ahead 589: 'Board Game' vs...

Idle Thumbs ·

2023/04/21

It's an all-star panel as Len and Mike Williams are joined by Mohawk Games' and Idle Thumbs' own Soren Johnson and Paradox Tinto's Johan Andersson to chip away at a tricky target: the different design goals between a more "Board Gamey" strategy game like Civilization and the "Simulationist" breed exemplified by Europa Universalis. We discuss what we like and don't like about each one, who the audiences are for each, and how to navigate the significant overlap in those audiences. In the end, maybe

en

01:18:37

Three Moves Ahead 588: The Great War: Western Front

Idle Thumbs ·

2023/04/15

This week, Len and Ian welcome military historian Brett Devereaux back to the show to talk about The Great War: Western Front. We discuss what it gets right and what it gets wrong about the trenches, artillery bombardments, and innovative tactics that eventually broke the stalemate. But at the end of the day, does the Western Front of World War I just suck as a setting for a strategy game?

en

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