Quest 41 - How did Star Trek storytelling change over the decades?

There are 726 Star Trek television episodes, and Zach and Tom talk about each of them for 10 seconds...yes, it IS as boring as it sounds!

Minutes

  • 00:00 - Mic Check and Introductions
  • 09:15 - What else can we say about The Original Series?
  • 21:00 - Could The Next Generation do no wrong?
  • 44:15 - What was Deeps Space 9's effect the franchise?
  • 63:30 - Did Seven of Nine take over Voyager?
  • 86:00 - Could Enterprise do no right?
  • 117:00 - Wrap up!

Music

Quest 40 - What should all software developers want in their applications?

Tom and Zach go all geek this week, with a conversation about software development best practices.

Minutes

  • 00:00 - Mic Check and Introductions
  • 03:55 - Why isn't your application logging?
  • 06:15 - Where is your configuration coming from?
  • 11:00 - Can we talk about Unit Tests for 18 minutes?
  • 29:00 - Is continuous integration necessary?
  • 30:30 - Does automated deployment speed up development?
  • 38:00 - When should you use inversion of control?
  • 49:30 - How intrusive is error reporting for end users?
  • 59:00 - Do you remove user impersonation from production builds?
  • 63:30 - Why is continuous deployment so controversial?
  • 72:15 - Wrap up!

Links

Music

Quest 39 - What is agency, and does it matter in video games?

Tom and Zach try to prove that their life has meaning by escaping into a podcast...oh, the irony, it burns!

Minutes

  • 00:00 - Mic Check and Introductions
  • 01:15 - Does agency matter in video games?
  • 11:10 - Which game genres have the most agency?
  • 23:30 - Randomization, does it reduce agency?
  • 33:00 - Does agency add to escapism?
  • 42:20 - Are binary choices cop-outs?
  • 47:20 - Why is Chrono Trigger the best fake out ever?
  • 53:30 - Wrap up

Links

Music

Quest 38 - WTF is...our REACTion to XCOM 2?

Tom and Zach take time out from their busy schedule of killing aliens to talk about the XCOM franchise...or, more specifically, the awesome little bits that they actually remember.

Minutes

  • 00:00 - Mic Check and Introductions
  • 02:35 - Which XCOM games did we actually play?
  • 15:45 - What was it like to hear about a new XCOM game?
  • 19:00 - Was XCOM 2013 a worthy successor to the 1994 classic?
  • 28:10 - How long will the long war hold our attention?
  • 33:00 - Why is it good when game series start off simple?
  • 38:30 - Why do we love XCOM 2 so much?
  • 58:45 - What was favorite in game moment so far?
  • 63:30 - Wrap up!

Music

Quest 37 - Which technologies are iterating versus innovating?

Instead of talking about CES itself, Tom and Zach discuss the future that CES made them dream of.

Minutes

  • 00:00 - Mic Check and Introductions
  • 02:40 - Are current generation consoles just iterating?
  • 21:30 - When will new vehicle innovations become common?
  • 27:05 - Do we appreciate how amazing modern displays are?
  • 32:10 - Which wearables are worth wearing?
  • 41:30 - Can we tell when phones innovate?
  • 45:45 - Have printers improved since 1980?
  • 55:30 - Wrap up

Music.

Quest 36 - What are we looking forward to in 2016?

Elon Musk does not guest star as Tom and Zach put some serious thought into 2016.

Minutes

  • 00:00 - Mic Check and Introductions
  • 02:00 - What new technology is coming out next year?
  • 26:10 - What games should we keep and eye on?
  • 41:50 - Are there any movies we haven't already talked about?
  • 65:55 - Predictions and Portents for 2016
  • 80:00 - Wrap up

Music